2011 RITA® Winners

The following authors and books are finalists in the 2011 RITA contest. Over 1,000 novels and novellas were judged in 12 categories. Winners of the awards were announced in July 2011 at the RITA and Golden Heart Awards Ceremony at the RWA's 31th Annual National Conference in New York City.

Best First Book

• Pieces Of Sky by Kaki Warner (Berkley Sensation; Wendy McCurdy, editor)

• Finalists:
  • Enemy Within by Marcella Burnard (Berkley; Leis Pederson, editor)
  • Firestorm by Kelly Ann Riley (Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense; Tina James, editor)
  • I Now Pronounce You Someone Else by Erin McCahan (Scholastic; Cheryl Klein, editor)
  • The Iron King by Julie Kagawa (Harlequin Teen; Natashya Wilson, editor)
  • The Summer Of Skinny Dipping by Amanda Howells (Sourcebooks Fire; Deb Werksman, editor)
  • A Tailor-Made Bride by Karen Witemeyer (Bethany House Publishers; Karen Schurrer, editor)
  • Wanna Get Lucky? by Deborah Coonts (Tor/Forge; Bob Gleason, editor)
  • When Harry Met Molly by Kieran Kramer (St. Martin's Press; Jennifer Enderlin, editor)

Best Contemporary Series Romance

• Welcome Home, Cowboy by Karen Templeton (Silhouette Special Edition; Gail Chasan, editor)

• Finalists:
  • Breaking The Sheikh's Rules in the Summer Sheikhs anthology by Abby Green (Mills & Boon; Meg Lewis, editor)
  • Christmas Magic On The Mountain by Melissa McClone (Harlequin Romance; Joanne Grant, editor)
  • Christmas with Her Boss by Marion Lennox (Harlequin Romance; Sheila Hodgson, editor)
  • Dare She Date The Dreamy Doc? by Sarah Morgan (Mills & Boon Medical Romance; Kimberley Young, editor)
  • Red-Hot Renegade by Kelly Hunter (Mills & Boon Modern Heat; Joanne Grant, editor)
  • An Unexpected Father by Lisa Ruff (Harlequin American Romance; Johanna Raisanen, editor)
  • Zoe And The Tormented Tycoon by Kate Hewitt (Harlequin Presents; Meg Lewis, editor)

Best Contemporary Series Romance: Suspense/Adventure

• The Moon That Night by Helen Brenna (Harlequin Superromance; Johanna Raisanen, editor)

• Finalists:
  • The Baby's Guardian by Delores Fossen (Harlequin Intrigue; Allison Lyons, editor)
  • Case File: Canyon Creek, Wyoming by Paula Graves (Harlequin Intrigue; Allison Lyons, editor)
  • To Catch A Killer by Kimberly Van Meter (Silhouette Romantic Suspense; Johanna Raisanen, editor)
  • A Cop In Her Stocking by Ann Voss Peterson (Harlequin Intrigue; Allison Lyons, editor)
  • Meltdown by Gail Barrett (Silhouette Romantic Suspense; Susan Litman, editor)
  • Perfect Partners? by C.J. Carmichael (Harlequin Superromance; Johanna Raisanen, editor)
  • Renegade Angel by Kendra Leigh Castle (Harlequin Nocturne; Ann Leslie Tuttle, editor)

Best Contemporary Single Title

• Simply Irresistible by Jill Shalvis (Forever; Alex Logan, editor)

• Finalists:
  • And One Last Thing by Molly Harper (Gallery Books; Jennifer Heddle, editor)
  • Happy Ever After by Nora Roberts (Berkley Trade; Leslie Gelbman, editor)
  • Lead Me On by Victoria Dahl (HQN Books; Tara Parsons, editor)
  • Not That Kind Of Girl by Susan Donovan (St. Martin's Press; Monique Patterson, editor)
  • Nothing But Trouble by Rachel Gibson (Avon Books; Lucia Macro, editor)
  • One Fine Cowboy by Joanne Kennedy (Sourcebooks Casablanca; Deb Werksman, editor)
  • Still The One by Robin Wells (Forever; Selina McLemore, editor)

Best Historical Romance

• His At Night by Sherry Thomas (Bantam Books; Caitlin Alexander, editor)

• Finalists:
  • Countess Of Scandal by Laurel McKee (Forever; Alex Logan, editor)
  • The Forbidden Rose by Joanne Bourne (Berkley Trade; Wendy McCurdy, editor)
  • A Kiss At Midnight by Eloisa James (Avon Books; Carrie Feron, editor)
  • Last Night's Scandal by Loretta Chase (Avon; May Chen, editor)
  • A Little Bit Wild by Victoria Dahl (Zebra Books; John Scognamiglio, editor)
  • One Wicked Sin by Nicola Cornick (HQN Books; Kimberley Young, editor)
  • Open Country by Kaki Warner (Berkley Trade; Wendy McCurdy, editor)

Best Inspirational Romance

• In Harm's Way by Irene Hannon (Revell; Jennifer Leep, editor)

• Finalists:
  • A Convenient Wife by Anna Schmidt (Steeple Hill Love Inspired Historical; Tina James, editor)
  • Doctor In Petticoats by Mary Connealy (Barbour Publishing; Rebecca Germany, editor)
  • Finding Her Way Home by Linda Goodnight (Steeple Hill Love Inspired; Allison Lyons, editor)
  • Maid To Match by Deeanne Gist (Bethany House Publishers; David Long and Julie Klassen, editors)
  • Shades of Morning by Marlo M. Schalesky (WaterBrook Multnomah; Shannon Marchese, editor)
  • The Wedding Garden by Linda Goodnight (Steeple Hill Love Inspired; Allison Lyons, editor)
  • Whisper On The Wind by Maureen Lang (Tyndale House Publishers; Stephanie Broene, editor)
  • Within My Heart by Tamera Alexander (Bethany House Publishers; Karen Schurrer and Charlene Patterson, editors)

Best Novel With Strong Romantic Elements

• Welcome To Harmony by Jodi Thomas (Berkley; Wendy McCurdy, editor)

• Finalists:
  • Blood Vines by Erica Spindler (St. Martin's Press; Jennifer Weis, editor)
  • The Dead Travel Fast by Deanna Raybourn (MIRA; Valerie Gray, editor)
  • Killbox by Ann Aguirre (Ace Books; Anne Sowards, editor)
  • On Folly Beach by Karen White (NAL Accent; Cindy Hwang, editor)
  • The Search by Nora Roberts (G.P. Putnam's Sons; Leslie Gelbman, editor)
  • Stormwalker by Allyson James (Berkley Sensation; Kate Seaver, editor)
  • Wanna Get Lucky? by Deborah Coonts (Tor/Forge; Bob Gleason, editor)

Best Paranormal Romance

• Unchained: the Dark Forgotten by Sharon Ashwood (NAL/Signet Eclipse; Laura Cifelli, editor)

• Finalists:
  • Enemy Within by Marcella Burnard (Berkley; Leis Pederson, editor)
  • A Highlander's Homecoming by Melissa Mayhue (Pocket Books; Megan McKeever, editor)
  • Immortal Sea by Virginia Kantra (berkley Trade; Cindy Hwang, editor)
  • Marked by the Moon by Lori Handeland (St. Martin's Press; Jennifer Enderlin, editor)
  • Rebel by Zoe Archer (Zebra Books; Megan Records, editor)
  • Sins of the Heart by Eve Silver (HQN Books; Tara Parsons, editor)
  • Water Bound by Christine Feehan (Jove; Cindy Hwang, editor)

Best Regency Historical Romance

• The Mischief of the Mistletoe by Lauren Willig (Dutton; Erika Imranyi, editor)

• Finalists:
  • His Christmas Pleasure by Cathy Maxwell (Avon Books; Lucia Macro, editor)
  • Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean (Avon Books; Carrie Feron, editor)
  • Provocative in Pearls by Madeline Hunter (Jove; Wendy McCurdy, editor)
  • To Surrender to a Rogue by Cara Elliott (Forever; Frances Jalet-Miller, editor)
  • Twice Tempted by a Rogue by Tessa Dare (Ballantine Books; Kate Collins, editor)
  • When Harry Met Molly by Kieran Kramer (St. Martin's Press; Jennifer Enderlin, editor)
  • The Wicked Wyckerly by Patricia Rice (NAL/Signet; Ellen Edwards, editor)

Best Romantic Novella

• "Shifting Sea" by Virginia Kantra in Burning Up (Berkley Sensation; Cindy Hwang, editor)

• Finalists:
  • "Blame It on the Blizzard" by Jennifer Greene in Baby, It's Cold Outside (Harlequin; Marsha Zinberg, editor)
  • "A Dundee Christmas" by Brenda Novak in That Christmas Feeling (Harlequin Superromance; Paula Eykelhof, editor)
  • "Friendly Fire" by Jill Shalvis in Born on the 4th of July (Harlequin Blaze; Brenda Chin, editor)
  • "Love Me to Death" by Maggie Shayne in Heart of Darkness (HQN Books; Leslie Wainger, editor)
  • "Mistletoe Magic" by Sandra Hyatt in Under the Millionaire's Mistletoe (Silhouette Desire; Krista Stroever, editor)
  • "Mountain Rose" by Cheryl St. John in To Be a Mother (Steeple Hill Love Inspired Historical; Patience Smith, editor)
  • "The Wrong Brother" by Maureen Child in Under the Millionaire's Mistletoe (Silhouette Desire; Krista Stroever, editor)

Best Romantic Suspense

• Silent Scream by Karen Rose (Grand Central; Karen Kosztolnyik, editor)

• Finalists:
  • The Darkest Hour by Maya Banks (Berkley; Cindy Hwang, editor)
  • Deadly Fear by Cynthia Eden (Forever; Alex Logan, editor)
  • Edge of Sight by Roxanne St. Claire (Forever; Amy Pierpont, editor)
  • Indulgence in Death by J.D. Robb (G.P. Putnam's Sons; Leslie Gelbman, editor)
  • Kill Me Again by Maggie Shayne (MIRA; Leslie Wainger, editor)
  • Love Me to Death by Allison Brennan (Ballantine Books; Charlotte Herscher & Kate Collins, editors)
  • Two Lethal Lies by Annie Solomon (Forever; Michele Bidelspach, editor)

Best Young Adult Romance

• The Iron King by Julie Kagawa (Harlequin Teen; Natashya Wilson, editor)

• Finalists:
  • Chasing Brooklyn by Lisa Schroeder (Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing; Annette Pollert, editor)
  • The Clearing by Heather Davis (Houghton Mifflin Graphia; Julie Tibbott, editor)
  • Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing; Karen Wojtyla, editor)
  • I Now Pronounce You Someone Else by Erin McCahan (Scholastic; Cheryl Klein, editor)
  • Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles (Walker Publishing; Emily Easton, editor)
  • The Summer of Skinny Dipping by Amanda Howells (Sourcebooks Fire; Deb Werksman)