The history of the RWNZ Koru Contest
The Koru Published Book Award was started in 2014. It was RWNZ’s first full published book reader judged contest.
The Koru Award is a FULL BOOK readers’ choice award aimed at recognising excellence in romance writing within New Zealand and across our membership.
What is a Koru? The Koru is based on the shape of an unfurling frond of the silver fern. It is often used in Maori art to symbolise new creation, so is particularly suited to an award for fiction. The spiral shape conveys the ideas of perpetual movement, and also of a return to the point of origin. It symbolises growth and new life, but also continuity and peace. Balanced between the chaos of change and the calm of the everyday, the Koru represents harmony.
Koru Award of Excellence 2023
Overall WINNER Koru Award of Excellence – Elizabeth Luly for From LA To London With Love
LONG Category – books over 65,000 words
- From LA to London With Love Elizabeth Luly WINNER
- Ally for Life Tania Roberts
- The Stone in the Road Frances Dall’Alba
- Home Among the Palm Trees Rachel Armstrong
- Ignite Louise Duval
SHORT Category – books 40,000 to 64,999
- Under the Spotlight Megan Mayfair WINNER
- The Baby Whisperer Fiona McArthur
- Hometown Cowboy Dakota Harrison
NOVELLA – 20,000 to 40,000 words
- Vexing Lady Violet Cassandra Dean WINNER
- His Big Book Stack Sadie King
- Love in Venice Mollie Mathews
Best First Book
- From LA to London With Love Elizabeth Luly WINNER
- Taylor’s Law Jennifer Raines
- Reuinited with a Millionaire Rachel Armstrong
Koru Award of Excellence 2022
Overall WINNER Koru Award of Excellence – Jayne Castel for Highlander Pledged
LONG Category – books over 65,000 words
- Autumn Shadows Shirley Wine WINNER
- What’s Italian for Yummy Amy Blythe
- Playing Offside Jax Calder
- Safe In His Arms Alexa Rivers
SHORT Category – books 40,000 to 64,999
- A Matter of Trust Fiona Marsden WINNER
- Second Chance in Barcelona Fiona McArthur
- An Ear To The Ground D.D. Line
- Promise You Nothing Kris Pearson
NOVELLA – 20,000 to 40,000 words
- Highlander Pledged Jayne Castel WINNER
- My Big Fat Greek Christmas Barbara DeLeo
- Season For Second Chances Megan Mayfair
Best First Book
- Little Blue Box Frances Dall’Alba WINNER
- Love and Rum Dani Maclean
- Mako Bay Stephanie Ruth
Koru Award of Excellence 2021
Overall WINNER Koru Award of Excellence – Jay Hogan for Off Balance
LONG Category – books over 65,000 words
- Off Balance Jay Hogan WINNER
- His Lady Of Iron Charlotte Jardine
- Snare Zoe Piper
SHORT Category – books 40,000 to 64,999
- Bringing Back Emily Joanne Hill WINNER
- Her Biker’s Bite M L Winters
- Feels Like Home Dakota Harrison
NOVELLA – 20,000 to 40,000 words
- Holly Ever After Anna Foxkirk WINNER
- Purr-fect Pitch Carolyn Wren
- Price Of Duty Fiona M Marsden
Best First Book
Abandoned Hearts Lisa Stanbridge
Koru Award of Excellence (published book) 2020
Overall WINNER Koru Award of Excellence – Lucy Parker The Austen Playbook
Long Category – book over 65,000 words
- Lucy Parker – The Austen Playbook – WINNER
- Leigh D’Ansey – The Beaumont Betrothal
- Kate O’Keeffe – No More Horrible Dates
- Adrienne Smith – Home Of The Heart
- Juanita Kees – Shadows Over Wogan Creek
Short Category – 40,000 to 65,000 words
- J C Harroway – The Proposition – WINNER
- EQUAL Yvonne Lindsay – Vengeful Vows and Jennie Kew – This Time Around
4. Amy Talbot – Reclaiming Paradise
5. Fiona McArthur – Lacy
Novella Category – under 40,000
- Zoe Piper – Meet Me At The Altar – WINNER
- Megan Mayfair – The Christmas Movie Date
- Annie Seaton – Her Outback Haven
Best First Book – Adrienne Smith – Home Of The Heart
Koru Award of Excellence 2019
Overall Award for Excellence
Primrose and the Dreadful Duke by Emily Larkin
Long Romance:
Primrose and the Dreadful Duke by Emily Larkin – FIRST
Stealing the Snow Leopard’s Heart by Zoe Chant – Second Equal
The Sweetest Song by Zoe Piper – Second equal
The Realm of Silence by Jude Knight – fourth
Cowboy Stole My Heart by Soraya Lane – fifth
Short Romance:
Can’t Tie Me Down by Janet Elizabeth Henderson – FIRST EQUAL
Holly’s Heart by Fiona McArthur – FIRST EQUAL
Her Dirty Little Secret by JC Harroway – Third
House of Thorns by Jude Knight – Fourth
Novella:
The Purple Hills by Alissa Callen – FIRST
A Christmas Kiss in London by Joanne Dannon – Second
Winter’s Promise by Jayne Castel – Third
Best First Book:
(With only two novel – or book – length BFB entries, we will only be giving a first place getter.)
Gold Medal Hero by Jena Petrie – FIRST
Degree Absolute – WA Cooper
Koru Award of Excellence 2018
Long Romance
The Currency Lass – Tea Cooper – FIRST EQUAL
Ruining Miss Wrotham – Emily Larkin – FIRST EQUAL
The Modern Woman’s Guide To Finding a Knight – Anna Klein – THIRD
Worth The Risk – Holly James
Trusting Miss Trentham – Emily Larkin
Short Romance
Devoted – JC Harroway – FIRST
Hollow – Steffanie Green – SECOND
Under The Stars- Kendra Delugar- THIRD
The Baby Merger – Yvonne Lindsay
Her Outback Cowboy – Annie Seaton
Novella
Road Trip Baby – Fiona Marsden – FIRST EQUAL
Runaway Christmas Bride – Isabella Hargreaves – FIRST EQUAL
A Scot for Christmas – Bronwen Evans – THIRD EQUAL
Forbidden River – Brynn Kelly – THIRD EQUAL
Best First Book
The Modern Woman’s Guide To Finding a Knight – Anna Klein – FIRST
Under The Stars – Kendra Delugar -SECOND
Masked – Marija Greenhill – THIRD
Overall Award for Excellence – this year was a three way tie
Devoted – JC Harroway
The Currency Lass – Tea Cooper
Ruining Miss Wrotham – Emily Larkin
Koru Award of Excellence 2017
LONG ROMANCE
WINNER – Deception Island, by Brynn Kelly
SECOND PLACE – Unmasking Miss Appleby, by Emily Larkin
THIRD EQUAL Bound to the Bounty Hunter, by Hayson Manning AND Recovery, by J.C. Harroway
SHORT SEXY ROMANCE
WINNER- Italian Undercover Affair, by Jayne Castel
SECOND- An Improper Governess, by Amy Rose Bennett
THIRD – The Most Scandalous Ravensdale, by Melanie Milburne
SHORT SWEET ROMANCE
WINNER – Backpack and a Red Dress, by Maddie Jane
SECOND PLACE – Tempting Fate, by Erin Moira O’Hara
THIRD PLACE – Fixed Up, by Maddie Jane
And for the category of “Best First Book”, the eligible entrants are:
WINNER – Deception Island, by Brynn Kelly
Recovery, by J.C. Harroway
Fixed Up, by Maddie Jane
AND WINNER ON THE NIGHT WITH HIGHEST OVERALL SCORE
WINNER – Backpack and a Red Dress, by Maddie Jane
SECOND PLACE – Deception Island, by Brynn Kelly
THIRD PLACE – Unmasking Miss Appleby, by Emily Larkin
Koru Award of Excellence 2016
Long Romance
1st Leeann Morgan – All of Me
2nd Ada Maria Soto – Bowerbirds and Empty Nests
4th Lucy Parker – Act Like It
5th Bronwen Evans – A Whisper of Desire
5th Leeann Morgan – Loving You
Short Romance
1st Darian Smith – Currents of Change
2nd Sue MacKay – Reunited… In Paris
3rd Frances Housden – The Chieftain’s Daughter
Sweet Romance
1st Louisa George – Tempted By The Italian Surgeon
2nd Michelle de Winton – Burned by Blackmail
3rd Kristina O’Grady – I Choose You
Best First Book – Darian Smith
Koru 2015
Koru 2014
