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Favourite Contemporary Romance
Subcategory of Australian Romance Readers Awards
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Latest Winners / Recipients

Year: 2020

winner y separately published work icon The Lost Letters of Playfair Street Michelle Montebello , Australia : Michelle Montebello , 2020 20846333 2020 single work novel historical fiction

'A lover’s game. A chest of clues.

'Come find me... I’ll be waiting…

'1929: On the night of her engagement to austere banker Floyd Clark, Charlotte Greene meets enigmatic Sydney Harbour Bridge engineer, Alexander Young.

'Their encounter is brief, but their attraction instant.

'During a second-chance meeting, Alex invites Charlotte to play a game with him, one of daring clues and secret meeting places. She accepts and they embark on a thrilling lover’s chase across the city.

'But with her arranged marriage to Floyd looming, will she have the strength to let Alex go?

'Present Day: Paige Westwood is helping her boss establish a publishing company in his newly-purchased Playfair Street house in The Rocks, Sydney. In the attic, she discovers a chest of old clues that lead the reader on a journey across the city.

'Paige contacts the former owner, Ryan Greene, who explains the clues belonged to his great-aunt Charlotte, who once lived in the house, but who mysteriously disappeared in 1929.

'Together, they follow Charlotte and Alex’s clues to unravel a fascinating tale of lies and intrigue, of two lovers bound by hope, but also by deceit. Can they solve the mystery of Charlotte’s disappearance or has all hope been lost to the past?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

Year: 2019

winner y separately published work icon Lies Kylie Scott , Australia : Kylie Scott , 2019 18559882 2019 single work novel romance

'Betty Dawsey knows that breaking things off with Thom Lange is for the best. He’s nice, but boring, and their relationship has lost its spark. But steady and predictable Thom, suddenly doesn’t seem so steady and predictable when their condo explodes and she’s kidnapped by a couple of crazies claiming that Thom isn’t who he says he is.

'Thom is having a hellish week. Not only is he hunting a double agent, but his fiancé dumped him, and thanks to his undercover life, she’s been kidnapped.

'Turns out Thom is Operative Thom and he’s got more than a few secrets to share with Betty if he’s going to keep her alive. With both their lives on the line, their lackluster connection is suddenly replaced by an intense one. But in his line of work, feelings aren’t wanted or desired. Because feelings can be a lethal distraction.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

Year: 2016

winner y separately published work icon Dirty Kylie Scott , Sydney : Pan Macmillan Australia , 2016 9298533 2016 single work novel romance

'The last thing Vaughan Hewson expects to find when he returns to his childhood home is a broken hearted bride in his shower, let alone the drama and chaos that comes with her.

'Lydia Green doesn't know whether to burn down the church or sit and cry in a corner. Discovering the love of your life is having an affair on your wedding day is bad enough. Finding out it's with his best man is another thing all together. She narrowly escapes tying the knot and meets Vaughan only hours later.

'Vaughan is the exact opposite of the picture perfect, respected businessman she thought she'd marry. This former musician-turned-bartender is rough around the edges and unsettled. But she already tried Mr. Right and discovered he's all wrong-maybe it's time to give Mr. Right Now a chance.

'After all, what's wrong with getting dirty?' (Publication summary)

Year: 2015

winner y separately published work icon The Patterson Girls Rachael Johns , North Sydney : Harlequin Enterprises , 2015 8772785 2015 single work novel

'How can four sisters build the futures they so desperately want, when the past is reaching out to claim them?

'When the Patterson daughters return home to Meadow Brook to be with their father after their mother’s death, they bring with them a world of complication and trouble.

'The eldest sister, obstetrician Madeleine, would rather be anywhere but her hometown, violinist Abigail has fled from her stellar career, while teacher Lucinda is struggling to have the children she and her husband so desperately want. The black sheep of the family, Charlie, feels her life as a barista and exercise instructor doesn’t measure up to that of her gifted and successful sisters.

'Dealing with their bereft father who is determined to sell the family motel, their loves old and new and a series of troublesome decisions doesn’t make life any easier, but when they go through their mother’s possessions and uncover the shocking secret of an old family curse, they begin to question everything they thought they knew.

'A warm and wise novel about secrets revealed, finding your soulmate and the unique bond between sisters.' (Publication summary)

Year: 2014

winner y separately published work icon Play Kylie Scott , New York (City) : St. Martin's Griffin , 2014 7629626 2014 single work novel romance

'Mal Ericson, drummer for the world famous rock band Stage Dive, needs to clean up his image fast – at least for a little while. Having a good girl on his arm should do the job just fine. But he didn’t count on exactly how much fun he could have being with the one right girl.

'Anne Rollins has money problems. Big ones. But being paid to play the pretend girlfriend to a demented drummer was never going to be a good idea. No matter how hot he is. She’s had her sights set on her male bestie, Reece, for years. And now that she’s supposedly taken, he’s finally paying attention. If only the chemistry between her and her rock star would stop hitting new heights.'

Source:

Publisher's blurb.

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