A quick congratulations to the finalists and winners of the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Awards! I thought it would be fun to highlight the books of most relevance to our blog. 

Paranormal and Futuristic Romance Category

Winner:

Escape From Zulaire by Veronica Scott

Andi Markriss hasn’t exactly enjoyed being the houseguest of the planetary high-lord, but her company sent her to represent them at a political wedding. When hotshot Sectors Special Forces Captain Tom Deverane barges in on the night of the biggest social event of the summer, Andi isn’t about to offend her high-ranking host on Deverane’s say-so—no matter how sexy he is, or how much he believes they need to leave now.

Deverane was thinking about how to spend his retirement bonus when HQ assigned him one last mission: rescue a civilian woman stranded on a planet on the verge of civil war. Someone has pulled some serious strings to get her plucked out of the hot zone. Deverane’s never met anyone so hard-headed—or so appealing. Suddenly his mission to protect this one woman has become more than just mere orders.

That mission proves more dangerous than he expected when rebel fighters attack the village and raze it to the ground. Deverane escapes with Andi, and on their hazardous journey through the wilderness, Andi finds herself fighting her uncomfortable attraction to the gallant and courageous captain. But Deverane’s not the type to settle down, and running for one’s life doesn’t leave much time to explore a romance.

Then Andi is captured by the rebel fighters, but Deverane has discovered that Zulaire’s so-called civil war is part of a terrifying alien race’s attempt to subjugate the entire Sector. If he pushes on to the capitol Andi will die. Deverane must decide whether to save the woman he loves, or sacrifice her to save Zulaire.

Finalists:

Feeling Lucky by Kathy Bryson
Soul Mate Publishing, editor Debbie Gilbert

The Cursed by Alyssa Day
Berkley, editor Cindy Hwang, agent Jim McCarthy

  

Click covers for Amazon Pages

 

Best First Book Category

Winner:

Feeling Lucky by Kathy Bryson

Soul Mate Publishing, editor Debbie Gilbert

So, Megan O’Malley gave in to drunken temptation and pinched a cute guy’s ass at her cousin’s wedding. Who’d have thought a perfectly normal guy—okay, a bit short—was a leprechaun or that he’d have such a bad attitude about giving away his money?! Now that she’s captured him, Megan may be five million dollars richer, but she’s also got an angry leprechaun camped out on her sofa, doing his best to prevent her from becoming the business mogul of her dreams!

Fergus O’Reilly cannot figure out what he’s done to upset the Queen of the Fairies. He was working hard to rebuild his family’s honor when he took one small break to help friends play a wedding. Then some drunken lady pinched his ass, the Queen declared him caught, and now he’s broke, homeless, and hustling to stop the lovely lady with the wandering fingers from spending his money! This would be so much easier if she wasn’t cute and caring and determined to help with his so-called money addiction!

For more about NERFA including winners in other categories, visit  www.firstcoastromancewriters.com/contests-3/national-excellence-in-romance-fiction-award/nerfa-finalists/