1990 RITA® Winners & Finalists

In 1990, RWA changed the named of its premier award to the RITA® in honor of founding member Rita Clay Estrada. 1990 also saw other change to the award: the introduction of the best First Book category, the return of the Historical Series (formerly known as Category Historical), the new Historical Single Title (formerly Historical), and the changing of the name of a category from Suspense to Romantic Suspense. It was clearly a busy year.

First Book

* Winner: Out Of The Blue - Alaina Hawthorne

• Finalists:

The Color Of Love - Binnie Syril

Devil In Disguise - Ann Williams

Historical Series Romance

* Winner: Silver Noose - Patricia Gardner Evans

• Finalists:

Dandelion - Bronwyn Williams

Edin's Embrace - Nadine Crenshaw

Rose Red, Rose White - Marianne Willman

Scarlet Ribbons - Judith E. French

Historical Single Title Romance

* Winner: The Bride - Julie Garwood

• Finalists:

Fortune's Lady - Patricia Gaffney

Heartstorm - Elizabeth Stuart

A Kingdom Of Dreams - Judith E. McNaught

Seize The Fire - Laura Kinsale

Swept Away - Julie Tetel

Long Contemporary Romance

* Winner: The Ice Cream Man - Kathleen Korbel

• Finalists:

A Carol Christmas - Muriel Jensen

Devil's Night - Jennifer Greene

Mackenzie's Mountain - Linda Howard

Paintbox Morning - Kathleen Eagle

Saving Grace - Anne McAllister

Tiger Dawn - Kathleen Creighton

Regency Romance

* Winner: The Rake And The Reformer (aka The Rake) - Mary Jo Putney

• Finalists:

Lady With A Black Umbrella - Mary Balogh

The Perfect Fiancee - Martha Jean Powers

The Stanforth Secrets - Jo Beverley

Romantic Suspense

* Winner: Perchance To Dream - Kathleen Korbel

• Finalists:

Rainbow Fire - Emilie Richards

The Roses Of Constant - Bethany Campbell

Short Contemporary Romance

* Winner: Night Of The Hunter - Jennifer Greene

• Finalists:

Back To The Bedroom - Janet Evanovich

Be Mine, Valentine - Vicki Lewis Thompson

Chances Are - Erica Spindler

Face To Face - Julie Meyers

Poor Emily - Mary Kay McComas

Single Title Contemporary Romance

* Winner: Private Relations - Diane Chamberlain

• Finalists:

Minstrel's Fire - Carla Neggers

Sweet Revenge - Nora Roberts

Traditional Romance

* Winner: Rhapsody In Bloom - Mona Van Wieren

• Finalists:

Bed, Breakfast, And Bedlam - Marcella Thompson

A Gift For Tenderness - Peggy Webb

Island Glory - Emilie Richards

Mother For Hire - Marie Ferrarella

Young Adult Romance

* Winner: Renee - Vivian Schurfranz

• Finalists:

Lover Boy - Leila Davis

My Perfect Valentine - Judy Baer