ELY author Mary Nichols’ novel The Kirilov Star has been shortlisted in the historical category of the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s Novel of the Year Awards.

The winners of each of the award categories will be announced at a special event held in London on February 26 and hosted by TV personalities Richard and Judy.

Mary has had more than 50 novels published in her time as a writer and one biography. The Romantic Novelists’ Association was founded in 1960 to support writers of romantic fiction and to promote the genre.

Mary has been a members of the association since its early days and had her best-selling novel The Summer House, long listed for the awards in 2009.