Sue Moorcroft wins Best Romantic Read award at Festival of Romance

The prize, in the inaugural Romance Reader Awards, was for Sue's fourth novel, Love & Freedom, which was published by Choc Lit in June

'Against such hot competition, I honestly didn't expect the win and when the envelope was opened and my name read out, I turned to jelly. Someone had to tell me to go forward and collect the award - which is gorgeous, by the way,' she said.

The other titles shortlisted for the Best Romantic Read were: Persuade Me, Juliet Archer (Choc Lit); Swept Off Her Stilettos, Fiona Harper (Mills and Boon Riva); Wrapped Up In You, Carole Matthews (Sphere); The Hating Game, Talli Roland (Prospera Publishing).

The Reader Award for Best Historical Read was won by Perhaps Tomorrow by Jean Fullerton (Orion). The shortlisted books were: The Apothecary's Daughter, Charlotte Betts (Piatkus); Captain Corcoran's Hoyden Bride, Annie Burrows (Mills and Boon Historical Regency); The Scarlet Kimono, Christina Courtenay (Choc Lit); The Kydd Inheritance, Jan Jones (Robert Hale).

The New Talent Award for an unpublished writer was won by Henriette Gyland. The runners-up were Rosemary Dun, Sarah Callejo and Debbie White.

Carole Matthews was awarded a Hall of Fame Award for an outstanding contribution in the field of romantic fiction.

Website: http://festivalofromance.co.uk