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RITA Awards

"The RITA Awards promote excellence in the romance genre by recognizing outstanding published romance novels and novellas and is presented by the Romance Writers of America." Click here to visit the official website.

RITA Awards

Best First Book

Finalists

  • Alterations by Stephanie Scott
  • Before Goodbye by Mimi Cross
  • Close to You by Kara Isaac
  • The Distance From A to Z by Natalie Blitt
  • Summer of Supernovas - Darcy Woods

Contemporary Romance: Long

Finalists

Contemporary Romance: Mid-Length

Finalists

Contemporary Romance: Short

Finalists

Historical Romance: Long

Historical Romance: Short

Romance Novella

Finalists

  • The Husband Maneuver by Karen Witemeyer
  • Let it Snow by Jeanette Grey
  • Let Us Dream by Alyssa Cole
  • Searching for Mine by Jennifer Probst
  • Tycoon by Joanna Shupe
  • Wild in Rio by Lyssa Kay Adams

Romantic Suspense

Finalists

  • All the Dead Girls by Rita Herron
  • Atone by Beth Yarnall
  • Field of Graves by J.T. Ellison
  • Killer Countdown by Amelia Autin
  • Mr. and Mr. Smith by HelenKay Dimon
  • One Minute to Midnight by Nico Rosso
  • Tall, Dark, and Damaged by Sarah Andre

Paranormal Romance

Finalists

  • Bayou Shadow Hunter by Debbie Herbert
  • The Beast by JR Ward
  • The Champion of Baresh by Susan Grant
  • Enchanted Warrior by Sharon Ashwood
  • Ghost Gifts by Laura Spinella
  • The Leopard King by Ann Aguirre
  • Where the Wild Things Bite by Molly Harper

Erotic Romance

Finalists

Romance with Religious or Spiritual Elements

Finalists

  • Close to You by Kara Isaac
  • Keeper of the Stars by Robin Lee Hatcher
  • Trust My Heart by Carol J. Post

Novel with Romantic Elements

Finalists

Young Adult Romance

Finalists

  • Affective Needs by Rebecca Taylor
  • The Distance From A to Z by Natalie Blitt
  • Summer of Supernovas by Darcy Woods

Best First Book

Finalists

Contemporary Romance: Long

Contemporary Romance: Midlength

Finalists

  • A Cold Creek Christmas Story by RaeAnne Thayne
  • Dances Under the Harvest Moon by Joanne Rock
  • Falling For Mister Wrong by Lizzie Shane
  • Just Say Yes by Elizabeth Hayley
  • Love After All by Jaci Burton
  • The Marriage Contract by Katee Robert
  • Not a Fairy Tale by Romy Sommer
  • Once Pure by Cecy Robson
  • Romancing Miss Right by Lizzie Shane

Contemporary Romance: Short

Finalists

  • A Bramble House Christmas by CJ Carmichael
  • Carter Bravo's Christmas Bride by Christine Rimmer
  • Chance of a Lifetime by Marissa Clarke
  • Heated Moments by Phyllis Bourne
  • His Lost-and-Found Bride by Scarlet Wilson
  • One Night With Her Bachelor by Kat Latham
  • The Prince She Never Forgot by Scarlet Wilson
  • Tempting the Knight by Heidi Rice
  • Three Nights Before Christmas by Kat Latham

 

Erotic Romance

Finalists

Historical Romance: Long

Historical Romance: Short

Inspirational Romance

Finalists

  • A Love Like Ours by Becky Wade
  • Mistletoe Justice by Carol J. Post
  • The Mountain Midwife by Laurie Alice Eakes
  • The Rescued by Marta Perry

Paranormal Romance

Romance Novella

Finalists

  • All's Fair in Love and Scandal by Caroline Linden
  • Blue Streak by Jules Barnard
  • Desert Heat by Merline Lovelace
  • Her Secret Prince by Madeline Ash
  • Let it Shine by Alyssa Cole
  • One Little Kiss by Robin Covington
  • The Resurrection of Sam Sloan by Erin Quinn
  • Toward the Sunrise by Elizabeth Camden

Romantic Suspense

Finalists

Young Adult Romance

Finalists

Best First Book

Finalists

  • A Bollywood Affair by Sonali Dev
  • The Dress Thief by Natalie Meg Evans
  • Fake by Beck Nicholas
  • For Such a Time by Kate Breslin
  • Mind Sweeper by AE Jones
  • Purely Professional by Ella Winters
  • The Smuggler Wore Silk by Alyssa Alexander
  • To Scotland With Love by Patience Griffin

Contemporary Romance: Long

Finalists

  • The Best Medicine by Tracy Brogan
  • Fever Pitch by Heidi Cullinan
  • It's In His Kiss by Jill Shalvis
  • The Place I Belong by Nancy Herkness
  • Slow Tango With a Prince by Nicole Burnham
  • Somebody Like You by Beth Vogt
  • The Sweetest September by Liz Talley
  • To Scotland With Love by Patience Griffin
  • The Vixen and the Vet by Katy Regnery

Contemporary Romance: Midlength

Finalists

Contemporary Romance: Short

Finalists

Erotic Romance

Finalists

  • Bonds of Denial by Lynda Aicher
  • Call Me Saffron by Talia Surova
  • Purely Professional by Elia Winters
  • Wanted by J. Kenner

Historical Romance: Long

Finalists

Historical Romance: Short

Finalists

Inspirational Romance

Finalists

Paranormal Romance

Finalists

Romance Novella

Finalists

  • 10 Rules to Sex Up a Blind Date by Heidi Rice
  • A Game of Brides by Megan Crane
  • Her Best Laid Plans by Cara McKenna
  • Kiss and Tell by Grace Burrowes
  • The Last Wicked Scoundrel by Lorraine Heath
  • A Love Letter to the Editor by Robin Lee Hatcher
  • Pushing the Line by Kimberly Kincaid
  • Will You Be My Wi-Fi by Caroline Linden
  • A Yorkshire Christmas by Kate Hewitt

Romantic Suspense

Finalists

Young Adult Romance

Finalists

Best First Book

Finalists

  • Five Days in Skye by Carla Laureano
  • Fix You by Beck Anderson
  • Private Practice by Samanthe Beck
  • Promise to Return by Elizabeth Byler Younts

Contemporary Romance

Finalists

Erotic Romance

Finalists

  • Private Practice by Samanthe Beck
  • When I'm Bad I'm Better by Stephanie Draven

 

Historical Romance

Finalists

Inspirational Romance

Finalists

  • Promise to Return by Elizabeth Byler Younts

Paranormal Romance

Finalists

Romance Novella

Finalists

  • The Bridesmaid by Julia London
  • Defending Truth by Shannon McNear
  • How to Marry a Highlander by Katharine Ashe
  • How to Misbehave by Ruthie Knox
  • Imagine Me and You by Maisey Yates
  • Mine Under the Mistletoe by Kat Latham
  • Take What You Want by Jeanette Grey
  • Too Fast to Fall by Victoria Dahl

Romantic Suspense

Finalists

Contemporary Romance: Short

Finalists

Best First Book

Finalists

Contemporary Single Title Romance

Finalists

  • About Last Night by Ruthie Knox
  • Barefoot in the Sand by Roxanne St. Claire
  • Forever and a Day by Jill Shalvis
  • Lucky in Love by Jill Shalvis
  • Melt Into You by Roni Loren
  • Sugar Springs by Kim Law
  • Zoe's Muster by Barbara Hannay

Historical Romance

Finalists

Inspirational Romance

Finalists

  • Betrayal by Robin Lee Hatcher
  • An Heiress at Heart by Jennifer Delamere
  • A House Full of Hope by Missy Tippens
  • My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade
  • Naomi's Christmas by Marta Perry
  • The Soldier's Wife by Cheryl Reavis
  • The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck

Long Contemporary Series Romance

Finalists

  • A Cold Creek Noel by RaeAnne Thayne
  • From Father to Son by Janice Kay Johnson
  • A Life Rebuilt by Jean Brashear
  • Making Her Way Home by Janice Kay Johnson
  • No Ordinary Joe by Michelle Celmer
  • Out of the Depths by Pamela Hearon
  • A Texas Chance by Jean Brashear

Novel with Strong Romantic Elements

Finalists

  • The Anatomist's Wife by Anna Lee Huber
  • Before and Ever Since by Sharla Lovelace
  • Bride of Scarlet Leaves by Kristina McMorris
  • A Girl Like You by Maria Geraci
  • Time's Echo by Pamela Hartshorne
  • The Welcome Committee of Butternut Creek by Jane Myers Perrine

Paranormal Romance

Finalists

Romance Novella

Finalists

  • Breathless by Sophie Jordan
  • The Duchess of Love by Sally MacKenzie
  • Room at the Inn by Ruthie Knox
  • Sleeping With a Beauty by Leslie Kelly
  • The Valentine's Curse by Jodi Thomas

Romantic Suspense

Finalists

Short Contemporary Series Romance

Finalists

  • Becoming Dante by Day Leclaire
  • Cowboy in the Crossfire by Robin Perini
  • The Last Single Maverick by Christine Rimmer
  • A Marriage Worth Fighting For by Lilian Darcy
  • Surgeon Sheik's Rescue by Loreth Anne White
  • The Tycoon's Secret Daughter by Susan Meier
  • We'll Always Have Paris by Jessica Hart

Young Adult Romance