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), the changing of the name of a category from Suspense to Romantic Suspense, and another change for the Single Title category, this to Single Title Contemporary. It was clearly a busy year.

First Book: Out of the Blue by Alaina Hawthorne - Silhouette, Romance – Tara Hughes Gavin

The Color of Love by Binnie Syril - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Temptation - Dominique Mondoulet-Wise

Devil in Disguise by Ann Williams - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Intimate Moments - Leslie Wainger

Historical Series Romance: Silver Noose by Patricia Gardner Evans - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Historical - Leslie Wainger

Dandelion by Bronwyn Williams - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Historical - Isabel Swift

Edin's Embrace by Nadine Crenshaw - Kensington, Zebra, Hologram - Pesha Finkelstein

Rose Red, Rose White by Marianne Willman - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Historical - Tracy Farrell

Scarlet Ribbons by Judith E. French - HarperCollins, Avon - Ellen Edwards

Historical Single Title Romance: The Bride by Julie Garwood - Simon & Schuster, Pocket - Linda Marrow

Fortune's Lady by Patricia Gaffney - Dorchester, Leisure - Alicia Condon

Heartstorm by Elizabeth Stuart - Macmillan, St. Martin's - Robin Dresser

A Kingdom of Dreams - Judith E. McNaught - Simon & Schuster, Pocket - Linda Marrow

Seize the Fire by Laura Kinsale - HarperCollins, Avon - Ellen Edwards

Swept Away by Julie Tetel - Hachette, Grand Central (Warner), Popular Library - Fredda Isaacson

Long Contemporary Romance: The Ice Cream Man by Kathleen Korbel - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Intimate Moments - Lucia Macro

A Carol Christmas by Muriel Jensen - HarperCollins, Harlequin, American - Corinne Meyer

Devil's Night by Jennifer Greene - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Intimate Moments - Lucia Macro

Mackenzie's Mountain by Linda Howard - HarperCollins, Harlequin, MIRA - Leslie Wainger

Paintbox Morning by Kathleen Eagle - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Intimate Moments - Leslie Wainger

Saving Grace by Anne McAllister - HarperCollins, Harlequin, American - Debra Matteucci

Tiger Dawn by Kathleen Creighton - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Intimate Moments - Leslie Wainger

Regency Romance: The Rake and the Reformer (aka The Rake) by Mary Jo Putney - PRH/Penguin, Berkley, NAL Signet Regency - Hilary Ross

Lady with a Black Umbrella"" by Mary Balogh - PRH/Penguin, Berkley, NAL Signet Regency - Hilary Ross

The Perfect Fiancee - Martha Jean Powers - Fawcett, Crest - Barbara Dicks

The Stanforth Secrets by Jo Beverley - Bloomsbury, Walker - Alice Harron Orr

Romantic Suspense: Perchance to Dream by Kathleen Korbel - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Intimate Moments - Lucia Macro

Rainbow Fire by Emilie Richards - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Intimate Moments - Leslie Wainger

The Roses of Constant by Bethany Campbell - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Intrigue - Marmie Charndoff & Debra Matteucci

Short Contemporary Romance: Night of the Hunter by Jennifer Greene - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Desire - Lucia Macro

Back to the Bedroom by Janet Evanovich - PRH/Random House, Bantam, Loveswept - Carrie Feron

Be Mine, Valentine - Vicki Lewis Thompson - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Temptation - Dominique Mondoulet-Wise

Chances Are by Erica Spindler - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Desire - Amie Yael Inman

Face to Face by Julie Meyers - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Temptation - Alison Reid & Valerie Hayward & Lisa Boyes

Poor Emily by Mary Kay McComas - PRH/Random House, Bantam, Loveswept - Susann Brailey

Single Title Contemporary Romance: Private Relations by Diane Chamberlain - PRH/Penguin, Berkley, Jove - Mercer Warriner

Minstrel's Fire by Carla Neggers - PRH/Penguin, Berkley - Damaris Rowland

Sweet Revenge by Nora Roberts - PRH/Random House, Bantam - Carolyn Nichols

Traditional Romance: Rhapsody in Bloom by Mona Van Wieren - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Romance - Tara Gavin

Bed, Breakfast, and Bedlam by Marcella Thompson - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Romance - Pat Cooney

A Gift for Tenderness by Peggy Webb - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Romance - Tara Hughes Gavin

Island Glory by Emilie Richards - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Romance - Leslie Wainger

Mother for Hire by Marie Ferrarella - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Romance - Jaclyn Brilliant

Young Adult Romance: Renee by Vivian Schurfranz - Scholastic, Sunfire - Ann Reit

Lover Boy by Leila Davis - HarperCollins, Avon, Flare - Ellen Krieger

My Perfect Valentine by Judy Baer - PRH/Random House, Bantam, Sweet Dreams - Lisa Boyes