2009 RITA® Winners

The following authors and books are finalists in the 2009 RITA contest. Over 1,000 novels and novellas were judged in 12 categories. Winners of the awards will be announced in July at the RITA and Golden Heart Awards Ceremony at the RWA's 29th Annual National Conference in Washington, D.C.

Best First Book

• Finalists:
  • No Good Girls by Jean Marie Pierson, Dorchester Publishing, Love Spell - Alicia Condon, editor
  • Oh. My. Gods. by Tera Lynn Childs, Penguin Group USA, Dutton - Sarah Shumway, editor
  • Passionate by Anthea Lawson, Kensington Publishing Corp., Zebra Debut - Hilary Sares, editor
  • Private Arrangements by Sherry Thomas, Bantam Dell Publishing Group - Caitlin Alexander, editor
  • Strangers In The Night by Kerry Connor, Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Intrigue - Sean Mackiewicz, editor
  • The Secret Soldier by Jennifer Morey, Harlequin Enterprises, Silhouette Romantic Suspense - Natashya Wilson, editor
  • Your Roots Are Showing by Elise Chidley, Grand Central Publishing, 5 Spot - Alex Logan, editor

Best Contemporary Series Romance

• Finalists:
  • A Mother's Wish by Karen Templeton, Harlequin Enterprises, Silhouette Special Edition - Gail Chasan, editor
  • Adopted: Outback Baby by Barbara Hannay, Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Romance - Meg Lewis, editor
  • Antonides' Forbidden Wife by Anne McAllister, Harlequin Enterprises, Mills and Boon Modern - Jenny Hutton, editor
  • Falling For The Lone Wolf by Crystal Green, Harlequin Enterprises, Silhouette Special Edition - Susan Litman, editor
  • Last-Minute Proposal by Jessica Hart, Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Romance - Maddie Rowe, editor
  • Texas Heir by Linda Warren, Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin American Romance - Kathleen Scheibling, editor
  • The Children's Doctor And The Single Mum by Lilian Darcy, Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Medical Romance - Bryony Green, editor
  • The Cowboy's Christmas Miracle by RaeAnne Thayne, Harlequin Enterprises, Silhouette Special Edition - Gail Chasan, editor
  • The Right Mr. Wrong by Cindi Myers, Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin American Romance - Wanda Ottewell, editor

Best Contemporary Series Romance: Suspense/Adventure

• Finalists:
  • A Sexy Time Of It by Cara Summers, Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Blaze - Brenda Chin, editor
  • Cold Case Connection by Kathleen Long, Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Intrigue - Allison Lyons, editor
  • Danger Signals by Kathleen Creighton, Harlequin Enterprises, Silhouette Romantic Suspense - Gail Chasan, editor
  • Lethal Attraction by Diana Duncan, Harlequin Enterprises, Silhouette Romantic Suspense - Susan Litman, editor
  • Strangers In The Night by Kerry Connor, Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Intrigue - Sean Mackiewicz, editor
  • Tall, Dark And Lethal by Dana Marton, Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Intrigue - Allison Lyons, editor
  • The Man Behind The Cop by Janice Kay Johnson, Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Superromance - Wanda Ottewell, editor
  • The Secret Soldier by Jennifer Morey, Harlequin Enterprises, Silhouette Romantic Suspense - Natashya Wilson, editor
  • Twin Targets by Jessica Anderson, Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Intrigue - Allison Lyons, editor

Best Contemporary Single Title

• Finalists:
  • No Good Girls by Jean Marie Pierson, Dorchester Publishing, Love Spell - Alicia Condon, editor
  • Not Another Bad Date by Rachel Gibson, HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books - Lucia Macro, editor
  • Out of Time by Samantha Graves, Grand Central Publishing, Forever - Frances Jalet-Miller, editor
  • Snowfall at Willow Lake by Susan Wiggs, Harlequin Enterprises, MIRA Books - Margaret O'Neill Marbury, editor
  • Sweet Talk by Susan Mallery, Harlequin Enterprises, HQN - Tara Parsons, editors
  • Tall Tales and Wedding Veils by Jane Graves, Grand Central Publishing, Forever - Michele Bidelspach, editor
  • Twenty Wishes by Debbie Macomber, Harlequin Enterprises, MIRA Books - Paula Eykelhof, editor
  • Your Roots Are Showing by Elise Chidley, Grand Central Publishing, 5 Spot - Alex Logan, editor

Best Historical Romance

• Finalists:
  • Duchess By Night by Eloisa James, HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books - Carrie Feron, editor
  • In Bed With The Devil by Lorraine Heath, HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books - Lucia Macro and May Chen, editors
  • Private Arrangements by Sherry Thomas, Bantam Dell Publishing Group - Caitlin Alexander, editor
  • Seduce Me At Sunrise by Lisa Kleypas, St. Martin's Press - Jennifer Enderlin, editor
  • The Edge Of Impropriety by Pam Rosenthal, Penguin Group USA, NAL, Signet Eclipse - Laura Cifelli, editor
  • The Spymaster's Lady by Joanna Bourne, Penguin Group USA, Berkley Sensation - Wendy McCurdy, editor
  • To Seduce A Sinner by Elizabeth Hoyt, Grand Central Publishing, Forever - Amy Pierpont, editor
  • Where The Heart Leads by Stephanie Laurens, HarperCollins Publishers, Morrow Books - Lucia Macro, editor

Best Inspirational Romance

• Finalists:
  • Deep in the Heart of Trouble by Deeanne Gist, Bethany House Publishers - David Long and Julie Klasseneditor, editors
  • Faking Grace by Tamara Leigh, Random House Publishing, WaterBrook Multnomah - Julee Schwarzburg, editor
  • Finding Stefanie by Susan May Warren, Tyndale House Publishers - Karen Watson, editor
  • Love Starts with Elle by Rachel Hauck, Thomas Nelson Inc. - Ami McConnell, editor
  • Mulberry Park by Judy Duarte, Kensington Publishing Corp. - John Scognamiglio, editor
  • The Convenient Groom by Denise Hunter, Thomas Nelson Inc. - Amanda Bostic and Leslie Peterson, editors
  • The Perfect Life by Robin Lee Hatcher, Thomas Nelson Inc., Women of Faith Fiction - Ami McConnell and Leslie Peterson, editors
  • Where Love Abides by Irene Hannon, Harlequin Enterprises, Steeple Hill Love Inspired - Melissa Endlich, editor

Best Novel With Strong Romantic Elements

• Finalists:
  • Last Dance at Jitterbug Lounge by Pamela Morsi, Harlequin Enterprises, MIRA Books - Valerie Gray, editor
  • The House on Tradd Street by Karen White, Penguin Group USA, NAL - Cindy Hwang, editor
  • The Paper Marriage by Susan Kay Law, Penguin Group USA, Berkley - Jackie Cantor, editor
  • The Shape of Mercy by Susan Meissner, Random House Publishing, WaterBrook Multnomah - Shannon Marchese, editor
  • The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley, Allison & Busby - Lara Crisp, editor
  • Tribute by Nora Roberts, Penguin Group USA, Putnam - Leslie Gelbman, editor
  • Where Serpents Sleep by C.S. Harris, Penguin Group USA, NAL Obsidian - Ellen Edwards, editor

Best Paranormal Romance

• Finalists:
  • Dragon Wytch by Yasmine Galenorn, Penguin Group USA, Berkley - Kate Seaver, editor
  • Mine to Possess by Nalini Singh, Penguin Group USA, Berkley Sensation - Cindy Hwang, editor
  • Moonstruck by Susan Grant, Harlequin Enterprises, HQN - Tara Parsons, editor
  • Seducing Mr. Darcy by Gwen Cready, Simon & Schuster, Pocket
  • The Darkest Night by Gena Showalter, Harlequin Enterprises, HQN - Tracy Farrell and Margo Lipschultz, editors
  • The Healer by Sharon Sala, Harlequin Enterprises, HQN - Leslie Wainger, editor
  • The Undead Next Door by Kerrelyn Sparks, HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books - Erika Tsang, editor
  • Thunder Moon by Lori Handeland, St. Martin’s Press - Jennifer Enderlin, editor

Best Regency Historical Romance

• Finalists:
  • Duke Most Wanted by Celeste Bradley, St. Martin’s Press - Monique Patterson, editor
  • Mr. Cavendish, I Presume by Julia Quinn, HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books - Lyssa Keusch, editor
  • My Lord and Spymaster by Joanna Bourne, Penguin Group USA, Berkley Sensation - Wendy McCurdy, editor
  • The Dangerous Duke by Christine Wells, Penguin Group USA, Berkley Sensation - Leis Pederson, editor
  • The Edge of Desire by Stephanie Laurens, HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books - Lucia Macro, editor
  • Three Nights of Sin by Anne Mallory, HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books - May Chen, editor

Best Romantic Novella

• Finalists:
  • "All He Wants for Christmas" by Jill Shalvis in Heating Up The Holidays, Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Blaze - Brenda Chin, editor
  • "Blame It on the Mistletoe" by Terri Brisbin in One Candlelit Christmas, Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Historical - Joanne Carr Grant, editor
  • "Only You" by Jacquie D'Alessandro in It Happened One Night, HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books - Lucia Macro, editor
  • "Our Day" by Jean Brashear in The Valentine Gift, Harlequin Enterprises, Superromance, Everlasting Love - Beverley Sotolov, editor
  • "Penance" by Sharon Sala in Aftershock, Harlequin Enterprises, Silhouette Nocturne - Leslie Wainger, editor
  • "Snowy Night with a Highlander" by Julia London in Snowy Night with a Stranger, Simon & Schuster, Pocket Books - Maggie Crawford, editor
  • "The Fall of Rogue Gerard" by Stephanie Laurens in It Happened One Night, HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books - Lucia Macro, editor
  • "Thicker Than Blood" by Meljean Brook in First Blood, Penguin Group USA, Berkley - Cindy Hwang, editor

Best Romantic Suspense

• Finalists:
  • Killing Fear by Allison Brennan, Random House Group, Ballantine - Charlotte Herscher, editor
  • Night Secrets by Cherry Adair, Random House Group, Ballantine - Charlotte Herscher, editor
  • Now You Die by Roxanne St. Claire, Simon & Schuster, Pocket Books - Micki Nuding, editor
  • Scream for Me by Karen Rose, Grand Central Publishing, Vision - Karen Kosztolnyik, editor
  • Stop Me by Brenda Novak, Harlequin Enterprises, MIRA Books - Paula Eykelhof, editor
  • Take No Prisoners by Cindy Gerard, Simon & Schuster, Pocket Books - Maggie Crawford, editor
  • The Angel by Carla Neggers, Harlequin Enterprises, MIRA Books - Margaret Marbury, editor
  • Triple Exposure by Colleen Thompson, Dorchester Publishing, Leisure Romantic Suspense - Alicia Condon, editor

Best Young Adult Romance

• Finalists:
  • Hell Week by Rosemary Clement-Moore, Random House Group, Delacorte Press - Krista Marino, editor
  • How to Hook a Hottie by Tina Ferraro, Random House Group, Delacorte Press - Krista Marino, editor
  • Oh. My. Gods. by Tera Lynn Childs, Penguin Group USA, Dutton - Sarah Shumway, editor