RITA®: Best Contemporary Single Title
The Mainstream category was one of the original Golden Medallion categories when the RWA established their awards. In 1983, the name of the category became Contemporary Mainstream. The category was not included in the 1984 competition as RWA tried to refine categories by word count. In an unsurprising twist, the name of the category once again became Mainstream in 1985.
The RITA Single Title Release Category was introduced in 1986, replacing the Mainstream Category. In 1989, RWA settled on Single Title as the name for longer, standalone romance novels. It didn't last. The name of the Single Title category was changed to Single Title Contemporary in 1990 as part of an effort to create more discrete categories for the awards. In 1994, Single Title Contemporary became Contemporary Single Title. In 2004, the word "Best" was added to the title. In 2010, the name of the category was tweaked to "Best Contemporary Single Title Romance".
Winners
- Kristan Higgins - 2010 - Too Good To Be True, Harlequin Enterprises, HQN
- Rachel Gibson - 2009 - Not Another Bad Date, HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books
- Kristan Higgins - 2008 - Catch Of The Day, HQN
- Caridad Ferrer - 2007 - Adiós to My Old Life
- Susan Wiggs - 2006 - Lakeside Cottage, MIRA Books
- Jennifer Crusie - 2005 - Bet Me, St. Martin's Press
- Nora Roberts - 2004 - Birthright
- Barbara Samuel - 2003 - No Place Like Home
- Rachel Gibson - 2002 - True Confessions
- Susan Elizabeth Phillips - 2001 RITA® - First Lady
- Suzanne Brockmann - 2000 - Bodyguard
- Susan Elizabeth Phillips - 1999 - Dream A Little Dream
- Susan Elizabeth Phillips - 1998 - Nobody's Baby But Mine
- Barbara Freethy - 1997 - Daniel's Gift
- Nora Roberts - 1996 - Born in Ice
- Kathleen Gilles Seidel - 1995 - Again
- Nora Roberts - 1994 - Private Scandals
- Kathleen Eagle - 1993 - This Time Forever
- Eileen Dreyer - 1992 - A Man to Die For
- Diane Chamberlain - 1990 - Private Relations
- Linda Barlow - 1989 - Leaves Of Fortune
- Barbara Delinsky - 1988 - Twilight Whispers
- Tom and Sharon Curtis - 1987 - Sunshine and Shadow
- Anne Stuart - 1986 - Banish Misfortune
- Kathleen Gilles Seidel - 1985 - After All These Years
- Lynda Trent - 1983
- Barbara Faith - 1982