Judge Application ~ Contest Scoresheet
General Information:
- Entries will be judged in a first round and a final round.
- Judges will receive books in PDF format. Please make sure you can accept and read PDFs on your devices.
- Judges must read the complete book before submitting a score.
- Judges may choose the number of books they are willing to read during the judging period.
- Judges may indicate their category, heat level, and content preferences on the Judge Application.
- Judges will submit their scores using the online Contest Scoresheet.
- Electronic entries are provided solely for contest judging and may not be shared, forwarded, redistributed, or retained for distribution to others.
Note One: We work hard to match books with judges based on the reading preferences provided on the Judge Application. However, entries have not been vetted beyond the information supplied by the entrant. If you receive a book you don't feel you can fairly evaluate, please contact the Carolyn team so the book can be reassigned.
Note Two: Judges may receive Advanced Reader Copies (ARCs). These versions may contain errors that were corrected before the book's official publication. Entries should not be scored lower for obvious ARC-related errors outside the author's control.
Eligibility:
- Judges must be at least 18 years of age.
- Judges must be romance readers who are not published or pre-published authors, literary agents, editors, or otherwise professionally involved in the publishing industry.
Timeline:
- January 17 - April 18, 2027 - First Round Judging
- April 20, 2027 - Finalists Notified
- April 21 - May 16, 2027 - Final Round Judging
- May 20, 2027 - Winners Announced
Passing and Withdrawing:
You are never required to continue reading a book you are uncomfortable with or simply cannot engage with enough to evaluate fairly. Contact the Carolyn team and we'll reassign the entry.
If, at any time, you need or want to stop judging—even if you originally volunteered to read several books—we understand that circumstances change. Please contact the Carolyn team as soon as possible so any outstanding entries can be reassigned.
Categories:
Books of all eligible lengths, 25,000 to 110,000 words, will compete in the following categories:
- LGBTQ Romance
- Historical Romance
- Romantic Suspense
- Specialized Romance
- Inspirational Romance
- Contemporary Romance ~ Low Heat
- Contemporary Romance ~ Mid/High Heat
- Women's Fiction with Romantic Elements
Category Descriptions
LGBTQ Romance
Romance featuring LGBTQ+ main characters.
Historical Romance
Romance set primarily in a historical time period.
Romantic Suspense
Romance incorporating significant elements of suspense, danger, mystery, crime, or intrigue.
Specialized Romance
Includes Alternate Earth Histories, Dystopian, Futuristic, Fantasy, Time Travel, Paranormal, and Urban Fantasy.
Inspirational Romance
Centers on a love story guided by faith, where spiritual growth and shared beliefs are integral to one or both of the main characters' journey and the development of their relationship.
Contemporary Romance — Low Heat
Contemporary romance falling within Heat Levels 1–2.
Contemporary Romance — Mid/High Heat
Contemporary romance falling within Heat Levels 3–6.
Women’s Fiction with Romantic Elements
Focuses on a woman's emotional journey and personal growth, often exploring identity, relationships, and life challenges. Romance may be present but is not the central driving force or theme of the story.
Heat Levels:
Please note: Heat level descriptions have been updated this year to provide clearer guidance and more consistent book-to-judge matching.
- Level 1 — Sweet: Kissing only. No sexual activity beyond kissing.
- Level 2 — Warm: Sexual intimacy may occur, but sex takes place off-page or fades to black.
- Level 3 — Sensual: Sex occurs on-page but is described using euphemistic or non-explicit language.
- Level 4 — Sexy: On-page sex may use explicit terminology, but sexual content remains character- and relationship-driven.
- Level 5 — Hot: Frequent or detailed on-page sexual content using explicit terminology.
- Level 6 — Erotic: Explicit sexual content is a significant focus of the story and an integral part of the characters’ romantic and emotional journey.
A note about kink: The presence of kink or BDSM does not determine a book's heat level. A book may contain kink at different heat levels depending on how explicitly sexual activity is depicted. Judges may indicate on the Judge Application whether they are willing to receive books containing kink or BDSM.
If you have any questions, please contact the Carolyn coordinators.
Judge Application ~ Contest Scoresheet
