2015 RITA® Winners & Finalists

Contemporary Romance: Long

Baby, It's You by Jane Graves - Hachette, Grand Central, Forever - Michele Bidelspach

The Best Medicine by Tracy Brogan - Amazon, Montlake - Kelli Martin

Fever Pitch by Heidi Cullinan - Samhain - Sasha Knight

It's in His Kiss by Jill Shalvis - Hachette, Grand Central, Forever - Alex Logan

The Place I Belong by Nancy Herkness - Amazon, Montlake - JoVon Sotak

Slow Tango with a Prince by Nicole Burnham - Self-published - Valerie Susan Hayward

Somebody Like You by Beth K. Vogt - Simon & Schuster, Howard - Jessica Wong

The Sweetest September by Liz Talley - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Super Romance - Megan Long & Wanda Ottewell

To Scotland with Love by Patience Griffin - PRH/Penguin, Berkley, NAL Signet - Tracy Bernstein

The Vixen and the Vet by Katy Regnery - Self-published - Chris Belden & Melissa Demeo

Contemporary Romance: Mid-Length

One in a Million by Jill Shalvis - Hachette, Grand Central, Forever - Alex Logan

Carolina Man by Virginia Kantra - PRH/Penguin, Berkley, Sensation - Cindy Hwang

Her Cowboy Hero by Tanya Michaels - HarperCollins, Harlequin, American - Johanna Raisanen

Her Kind of Trouble by Sarah Mayberry - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Super Romance - Wanda Ottewell

Her Temporary Hero by Jennifer Apodaca - Entangled, Indulgence - Kate Fall & Alethea Spiridon Hopson

Love with a Perfect Cowboy by Lori Wilde - HarperCollins, Avon - Lucia Macro

Once a Family by Tara Taylor Quinn - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Super Romance - Paula Eykelhof

Reforming the Playboy by Inara Scott - Entangled, Indulgence - Alethea Spiridon Hopson

Starting with June by Emilie Rose - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Super Romance - Wanda Ottewell & Karen Reid

Worth the Fall by Caitie Quinn - Self-published - Jenn Harris

Contemporary Romance: Short

A Texas Rescue Christmas by Caro Carson - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Special Edition - Gail Chasan

The Bachelor Doctor's Bride by Caro Carson - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Special Edition - Gail Chasan

Bad Girl by Julie Miller - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Intrigue NOIR - Allison Lyons

Blueprint for a Kiss by Nancy Warren - Self-published - Trish Milburn

A Bride for the Black Sheep Brother by Emily McKay - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Desire - Charles Griemsman

Enemies with Benefits by Louisa George - HarperCollins, Harlequin Mills & Boon, Modern Tempted/KISS - Flo Nicoll

The Headmaster by Tiffany Reisz - Harlequin, E-Shivers - Danielle Padula

Her Unforgettable Royal Lover by Merline Lovelace - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Desire - Gail Chasan

What the Greek Can't Resist by Maya Blake - Harlequin Mills & Boon, Presents - Suzanne Clarke

Yours Forever by Farrah Rochon - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Kimani - Tara Gavin

Erotic Romance

The Saint by Tiffany Reisz - HarperCollins, Harlequin, MIRA - Susan Swinwood

Bonds of Denial by Lynda Aicher - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Carina Press - Rhonda Helms

Call Me Saffron by Talia Surova - Self-published

Purely Professional by Elia Winters - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Carina Press - Kerri Buckley

Wanted by J. Kenner - PRH/Random House, Ballantine - Shauna Summers

First Book

Run to You Part I: First Sight (aka Deception So Deadly) by Clara Kensie - HarperCollins, Harlequin, TEEN - Natashya Wilson

A Bollywood Affair by Sonali Dev - Kensington - Martin Biro

The Dress Thief by Natalie Meg Evans - Hachette, Quercus - Kathryn Taussig

Fake by Beck Nicholas - HarperCollins, Harlequin, TEEN - Annabel Blay

For Such a Time by Kate Breslin - Baker, Bethany House - Raela Schoenherr

Mind Sweeper by A. E. Jones - Self-published - Faith Freewoman

Purely Professional by Elia Winters - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Carina Press - Kerri Buckley

The Smuggler Wore Silk by Alyssa Alexander - PRH/Penguin, Berkley - Julie Mianecki

To Scotland with Love by Patience Griffin - PRH/Penguin, Berkley, NAL Signet - Tracy Bernstein

Historical Romance: Long

Fool Me Twice by Meredith Duran - Simon & Schuster, Pocket Books - Lauren McKenna

Douglas: Lord of Heartache by Grace Burrowes - Sourcebooks, Casablanca - Deb Werksman

A Place Called Harmony by Jodi Thomas - PRH/Penguin, Berkley - Wendy McCurdy

Where the Horses Run by Kaki Warner - PRH/Penguin, Berkley, Sensation - Wendy McCurdy

Worth: Lord of Reckoning by Grace Burrowes - Self-published

Historical Romance: Short

Romancing the Duke by Tessa Dare - HarperCollins, Avon - Tessa Woodward

The Bells of Times Square by Amy Lane - Riptide - Sarah Frantz Lyons

The Cowboy's Reluctant Bride by Debra Cowan - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Historical - Rachel Burkot

Darling Beast by Elizabeth Hoyt - Hachette, Grand Central, Forever - Leah Hultenschmidt

The Gentleman Rogue by Margaret McPhee - HarperCollins, Harlequin Mills & Boon, Historical - Pippa Roscoe

In Bed with a Rogue by Samantha Grace - Sourcebooks, Casablanca - Cat Clyne

Inspirational Romance

Deceived by Irene Hannon - Baker, Revell - Jennifer Leep

For Such a Time by Kate Breslin - Baker, Bethany House - Raela Schoenherr

Hope at Dawn by Stacy Henrie - Hachette, Grand Central, Forever - Lauren Plude

Huckleberry Summer by Jennifer Beckstrand - Kensington, Zebra - John Scognamiglio

The Widow's Suitor by Rose Ross Zediker - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Heartsong Presents - Kathy Davis

Paranormal Romance

Evernight by Kristen Callihan - Hachette, Grand Central, Forever - Alex Logan

Be Careful What You Kiss For by Jane Lynne Daniels - Boroughs - Jill Limber

Bitter Spirits by Jenn Bennett - PRH/Penguin, Berkley, Sensation - Leis Pedersen

Burn for Me by Cynthia Eden - Kensington, Brava - Esi Sogah

The Darkest Touch by Gena Showalter - HarperCollins, Harlequin, HQN - Emily Ohanjanians

Forged by Desire by Bec McMaster - Sourcebooks, Casablanca - Mary Altman

Mind Sweeper by A. E. Jones - Self-published - Faith Freewoman

My Lady, My Lord by Katharine Ashe - Self-published - Martha Tachtenberg

Romance Novella

His Road Home by Anna Richland - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Carina Press - Rhonda Helms

10 Rules to Sex Up a Blind Date by Heidi Rice - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Cosmo Red-Hot Reads - Bryony Green

"A Game of Brides" in Love Me True by Megan Crane - Tule - Sinclair Sawhney

Her Best Laid Plans by Cara McKenna - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Cosmo Red-Hot Reads - Malle Vallik

Kiss and Tell by Grace Burrowes - Self-published

The Last Wicked Scoundrel by Lorraine Heath - HarperCollins, Avon Impulse - May Chen

"A Love Letter to the Editor" in Four Weddings & a Kiss by Robin Lee Hatcher - Thomas Nelson - Traci Depree & Ami McConnell

Pushing the Line by Kimberly Kincaid - Self-published - Curtis Brown Digital

"Will You Be My Wi-Fi?" in At the Billionaire's Wedding by Caroline Linden - Self-published, The Lady Authors - Martha Trachtenberg

"A Yorkshire Christmas" in All I Want for Christmas by Kate Hewitt - Tule - Sinclair Sawhney

Romantic Suspense

Concealed in Death by J. D. Robb - PRH/Penguin, Putnam - Leslie Gelbman

Forged in Ash by Trish McCallan - Amazon, Montlake - Charlotte Herscher & JoVon Sotak

Grave Danger by Katy Lee - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Love Inspired Suspense - Emily Rodmell

Honor Reclaimed by Tonya Burrows - Entangled, Select - Heather Howland

Into the Shadows by Carolyn Crane - Self-published - Deb Nemeth and critique partners

Lock and Load by Kimberley Troutte - Self-published - Georgia Woods

Midnight Action by Elle Kennedy - PRH/Penguin, Berkley, NAL Signet - Laura Fazio

You're Not Safe by Mary Burton - Kensington, Zebra - John Scognamiglio

Young Adult Romance

Boys Like You by Juliana Stone - Sourcebooks, Fire - Leah Hultenschmidt & Aubrey Poole

Plus One by Elizabeth Fama - Macmillan, Farrar, Straus and Giroux BYR - Simon Boughton

Run to You (aka Deception So Deadly) by Clara Kensie - HarperCollins, Harlequin, TEEN - Natashya Wilson

Some Boys by Patty Blount - Sourcebooks, Fire - Aubrey Poole