The Romance Reader’s Dream List Is Here

2026 NERFA Finalists Announced — Mark Your Calendars for July 8!

Drum roll, please! The 2026 National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award (NERFA) finalists have been announced, and we are absolutely here for it. Twenty-one books. Seven categories. Dozens of readers who read every single entry and scored each one with fierce dedication. And now? We wait for July 8, 2026, when the winners will be revealed.

Whether you are a romance reader looking for your next obsession, a writer curious about the stories earning top marks from reader judges, or an aspiring author wondering whether NERFA might be right for your own work in 2027, you have come to exactly the right place. Pull up a chair, pour something cold, and let us walk you through the class of 2026.

What Is NERFA, Anyway?

NERFA is a reader-judged contest presented by First Coast Romance Writers (FCRW). That “reader-judged” part matters. Every entry is evaluated by real romance readers, not industry professionals, not editors, not agents. The scores reflect what readers actually love, what made them stay up too late, what made them feel something.

Books entered must have been published during the eligible year, and the contest covers a wide spectrum of romance subgenres to reflect how wonderfully diverse the genre has become. The result is a finalist list that reads like the most enthusiastic recommendation from your best reading friend.

Contemporary Romance

Love is happening right now, right here, and these authors know how to make it feel real.

Just the Way You Are by Nika Rhone
Self-acceptance, second chances, and the kind of love that sees past every wall you thought you built so well. Nika Rhone writes contemporary romance with emotional depth that lingers long after the last page.

Perfect Match by Peggy Jaeger
Peggy Jaeger has built a devoted readership with her heartwarming stories, and Perfect Match delivers exactly what fans expect: wit, warmth, and a romance that earns every sigh.

The Magical Tea Shop by Aimee O’Brian
A cozy setting, a touch of magic, and a love story that brews slowly in the best possible way. O’Brian makes magic feel utterly plausible.

Historical Romance

Bonnets, waistcoats, secret meetings, and hearts beating wildly beneath layers of propriety.

Crimes, Conspiracies, and Courtship by Aubrey Wynne
History meets mystery meets romance in this finalist that has readers guessing on every front. Aubrey Wynne is known for richly researched historical settings paired with genuinely compelling relationships.

Reluctantly in Love with a Viscount by Teresa Sweeney
The title alone deserves applause. Reluctant love is the best kind of love, and Teresa Sweeney delivers all the tension, all the longing, and all the satisfaction that a title this good promises.

The Lyon Returns by Kimberly Keyes
A return story carries its own particular electricity, and Kimberly Keyes harnesses every volt of it in this compelling historical romance.

Mainstream Romance

Stories where the romance is real and central, but the world around it is just as richly drawn.

After the Ocean by Lauren E. Rico
Lauren E. Rico brings lush, atmospheric storytelling to a romance that uses its setting as a character in its own right. Coastal, emotional, and beautifully layered.

Tanked by Kelly Fae Wilson
Kelly Fae Wilson appears as a finalist not once, but twice in this year’s contest. Tanked earned its place in Mainstream Romance through sharp writing and characters you root for from page one. (More on Kelly below!)

Woe is Wednesday by Maggie FitzRoy
The title is delicious. The book is even better. Maggie FitzRoy delivers a romance with personality, humor, and the kind of heroine who reminds you that Wednesdays can be redeemed.

Romantic Novella

Shorter form, full heart. These authors prove that love needs no extra pages to hit hard.

Imperfectly Perfect by Dania Voss
A title that sets expectations and exceeds them. Dania Voss writes romance with warmth and genuine character chemistry.

Love Lost and Found by Vanessa Victoria Kilmer
Vanessa Victoria Kilmer is no stranger to the FCRW community. Her fiction has a lyrical, imaginative quality, and this finalist delivers a love story that spans time and holds tight.

Our Complication by Alexandra Caluen
Complications are what make romances sing, and Alexandra Caluen orchestrates hers beautifully.

Romantic Suspense

Romance. Danger. Impossible choices. And somehow, through all of it, love.

Guarding Bristol by Kaylea Cross
Kaylea Cross is a USA Today bestselling author with a massive readership, and Guarding Bristol shows exactly why. High stakes, precise pacing, and a romance that does not flinch.

Perfect Vengeance by Tee O’Fallon
Tee O’Fallon writes heroes and heroines who are tough enough to face real danger and real loss. Perfect Vengeance delivers.

Two Seconds Too Late by Dani Pettrey
Dani Pettrey is another bestselling name in this category, well-known for her Alaska Courage and Chesapeake Valor series. Two Seconds Too Late brings her signature suspense craft to a story that will keep you reading well past a reasonable hour.

Speculative Romance

Magic. Wonder. Alternate realities. And love that transcends all of it.

This category has a remarkable distinction this year. Aimee O’Brian earned not one, not two, but ALL THREE finalist slots in Speculative Romance. That is an extraordinary achievement and a testament to the depth and range of her storytelling.

The Magical Bed & Breakfast by Aimee O’Brian
A haven with a little extra enchantment, and a love story that checks in and refuses to check out.

The Magical Christmas Cottage by Aimee O’Brian
Holiday magic, cozy settings, and the kind of romance that belongs under the tree.

Thrice Bound by Nicole E. Kelleher
Nicole E. Kelleher rounds out this category with a story steeped in myth, mystery, and a bond that defies easy explanation.

First Book

Every legendary author had a first book. These three might be your introduction to a career you follow for decades.

Ghosted by Lori Matsourani
A debut with range and confidence. Lori Matsourani announces herself with a story that manages both playful and poignant, sometimes on the same page.

This Kind of Love by Ashley Detweiler
Ashley Detweiler makes a compelling first impression with a romance that knows exactly what it wants to be and delivers it with skill.

Tanked by Kelly Fae Wilson
Yes, you read that right. Kelly Fae Wilson’s Tanked is a finalist in BOTH Mainstream Romance and First Book, making her one of the most exciting stories in this year’s contest. A double finalist debut is rare and well worth your attention.

Aimee O’Brian Swept Speculative Romance
All three finalist slots in Speculative Romance belong to Aimee O’Brian. That has never happened before in NERFA’s history, and it reflects just how powerfully her work connected with reader judges across multiple books. If you have not read her yet, this is the year to start.

Kelly Fae Wilson: A Double-Category Debut
Making the finalist list once as a debut author is remarkable. Kelly Fae Wilson did it twice, with the same book, in two different categories. Tanked landed in both Mainstream Romance and First Book. Watch this name.

Kaylea Cross and Dani Pettrey: Bestselling Names in the Mix
NERFA does not require authors to be unknown quantities. This year’s Romantic Suspense category includes Kaylea Cross (USA Today bestselling author) and Dani Pettrey (whose Alaska Courage and Chesapeake Valor series have earned devoted international followings). Reader judges scored blind and chose excellence, wherever it was found.

Vanessa Victoria Kilmer: A Familiar Face
If you follow the FCRW anthology community, you know Vanessa Victoria Kilmer. She has contributed to multiple FCRW anthologies and brings her distinctive voice to the Romantic Novella category this year with Love Lost and Found.

A Special Note for Young Adult Romance Writers

NERFA continues to grow and evolve. If you write Young Adult romance fiction and have a published title from the eligible year, we want to see your work recognized. The 2027 contest will be open for entries in the coming months.

Writing YA romance that honors the emotional truth of young love, that earns its conflicts and its resolutions, is a real craft. NERFA was built to recognize exactly that kind of work. Start thinking about your 2026 publications now and plan to join us next year.

Mark Your Calendars: July 8, 2026

The 2026 NERFA winners will be announced on July 8, 2026. We will be celebrating on all of our platforms, and we would love to see the romance reading and writing community celebrating right along with us.

In the meantime, every finalist listed above represents a book worth reading. Browse the list. Discover a new author. Revisit a favorite. And if you are a reader who wants to champion the books you love, consider getting involved with NERFA judging for future cycles. Reader judges are the heart of this contest.