2012 RITA® Winners

The following authors and books are finalists in the 2012 RITA contest. Over 1,000 novels and novellas were judged in 12 categories. Winners of the awards were announced in July 2012 at the RITA and Golden Heart Awards Ceremony at the RWA's 32th Annual National Conference in Anaheim, California.

Best First Book

• First Grave On The Right by Darynda Jones (St. Martin's Press; Jennifer Enderlin, editor)

• Finalists:
  • Beautiful Disaster by Laura Spinella (Berkley Publishing Group; Leis Pederson, editor)
  • The Darling Strumpet by Gillian Bagwell (Berkley Publishing Group; Kate Seaver, editor)
  • The Devil In Disguise by Stefanie Sloane (Ballantine Bantam Dell; Junessa Viloria, editor)
  • Hourglass by Myra McEntire (Egmont USA; Regina Griffin, editor)
  • How To Marry A Duke by Vicky Dreilling (Grand Central Publishing Forever; Michele Bidelspach, editor)
  • I'm Not Her by Janet Gurtler (Sourcebooks Fire; Leah Hultenschmidt, editor)
  • Warped by Maurissa Guibord (Delacorte Press; Michelle Poploff, editor)

Best Contemporary Series Romance

• Doukakis's Apprentice by Sarah Morgan (Harlequin Presents; Lucy Gilmour, editor)

• Finalists:
  • A Bravo Homecoming by Christine Rimmer (Harlequin Special Edition; Gail Chasan, editor)
  • Donovan's Child by Christine Rimmer (Harlequin Special Edition; Gail Chasan, editor)
  • How a Cowboy Stole Her Heart by Donna Alward (Harlequin Romance; Sally Williamson, editor)
  • I'll Catch You by Farrah Rochon (Harlequin Kimani Romance; Glenda Howard, editor)
  • A Mother's Homecoming by Tanya Michaels (Harlequin American Romance; Kathleen Scheibling, editor)
  • Rancher's Twins: Mom Needed by Barbara Hannay (Harlequin Romance; Meg Lewis, editor)
  • The Texan's Bride by Linda Warren (Harlequin Superromance; Kathleen Scheibling, editor)

Best Contemporary Series Romance: Suspense/Adventure

• Soldier's Last Stand by Cindy Dees (Harlequin Romantic Suspense; Patience Bloom, editor)

• Finalists:
  • Cooper Vengeance by Paula Graves (Harlequin Intrigue; Allison Lyons, editor)
  • The Doctor's Deadly Affair by Stephanie Doyle (Harlequin Romantic Suspense; Wanda Ottewell, editor)
  • The Man From Gossamer Ridge by Paula Graves (Harlequin Intrigue; Allison Lyons, editor)
  • Nothing But The Truth by Kara Lennox (Harlequin Superromance; Johanna Raisanen, editor)
  • Stranded With Her Ex by Jill Sorenson (Harlequin Romantic Suspense; Stacy Boyd, editor)
  • Taken To The Edge by Kara Lennox (Harlequin Superromance; Johanna Raisanen, editor)

Best Contemporary Single Title

• Boomerang Bride by Fiona Lowe (Carina Press; Charlotte Herscher, editor)

• Finalists:
  • At Hidden Falls by Barbara Freethy (Pocket Books; Micki Nuding, editor)
  • Black Ties And Lullabies by Jane Graves (Grand Central Publishing Forever; Michele Bidelspach, editor)
  • Heartstrings And Diamond Rings by Jane Graves (Grand Central Publishing Forever; Michele Bidelspach, editor)
  • Silver Sparks by Starr Ambrose (Pocket Books; Abby Zidle, editor)
  • Slow Dancing On Price's Pier by Lisa Dale (Berkley Publishing Group; Cindy Hwang, editor)
  • Summer At Seaside Cove by Jacquie D’Alessandro (Berkley Publishing Group; Cindy Hwang, editor)
  • The Welcome Home Garden Club by Lori Wilde (Avon Books; Lucia Macro, editor)

Best Historical Romance

• The Black Hawk by Joanna Bourne (Berkley Publishing Group; Wendy McCurdy, editor)

• Finalists:
  • Always A Temptress by Eileen Dreyer (Grand Central Publishing Forever; Amy Pierpont, editor)
  • The Danger Of Desire by Elizabeth Essex (Kensington Brava; Megan Records, editor)
  • Heartbreak Creek by Kaki Warner (Berkley Publishing Group Sensation; Wendy McCurdy, editor)
  • The Many Sins Of Lord Cameron by Jennifer Ashley (Berkley Publishing Group Sensation; Kate Seaver, editor)
  • Scandalous Desires by Elizabeth Hoyt (Grand Central Publishing; Amy Pierpont, editor)
  • Silk Is For Seduction by Loretta Chase (Avon Books; May Chen, editor)
  • Unveiled by Courtney Milan (HQN Books; Margo Lipschultz, editor)

Best Inspirational Romance

• The Measure Of Katie Calloway by Serena Miller (Revell; Vicki Crumpton, editor)

• Finalists:
  • The Christmas Child by Linda Goodnight (Harlequin Love Inspired; Allison Lyons, editor)
  • Deadly Pursuit by Irene Hannon (Revell; Jennifer Leep, editor)
  • Katie's Way by Marta Perry (Berkley Publishing Group; Ellen Edwards, editor)
  • The Ladies' Room by Carolyn Brown (Avalon Books; Lia Brown, editor)
  • Love On The Line by Deeanne Gist (Bethany House Publishers; David Long and Julie Klassen, editors)
  • My Foolish Heart by Susan May Warren (Tyndale House Publishers; Karen Watson, editor)
  • Save The Date by Jenny B. Jones (Thomas Nelson; Natalie Hanemann and Jamie Chavez, editors)
  • To Win Her Heart by Karen Witemeyer (Bethany House Publishers; Karen Schurrer, editor)

Best Novel With Strong Romantic Elements

• How To Bake A Perfect Life by Barbara O'Neal (Ballantine Bantam Dell; Shauna Summers, editor)

• Finalists:
  • The Dark Enquiry by Deanna Raybourn (Harlequin MIRA; Valerie Gray, editor)
  • Death Magic by Eileen Wilks (Berkley Publishing Group Sensation; Cindy Hwang, editor)
  • First Grave On The Right by Darynda Jones (St. Martin's Press; Jennifer Enderlin, editor)
  • Goodnight Tweetheart by Teresa Medeiros (Gallery Books; Lauren McKenna, editor)
  • The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley (Sourcebooks Landmark; Deb Werksman, editor)
  • Shadow Walker by Allyson James (Berkley Publishing Group Sensation; Kate Seaver, editor)
  • Song Of The Nile by Stephanie Dray (Berkley Publishing Group; Cindy Hwang, editor)
  • Spider's Revenge by Jennifer Estep (Pocket Books; Megan McKeever, editor)

Best Paranormal Romance

• Dragon Bound by Thea Harrison (Berkley Publishing Group Sensation; Cindy Hwang, editor)

• Finalists:
  • Archangel's Blade by Nalini Singh (Berkley Publishing Group Sensation; Cindy Hwang, editor)
  • Changeling Moon by Dani Harper (Kensington Brava; Alicia Condon, editor)
  • Envy by J.R. Ward (NAL Signet; Kara Welsh, editor)
  • Lord Of The Abyss by Nalini Singh (Harlequin Nocture; Tara Gavin, editor)
  • The Lost by Caridad Pineiro (Grand Central Publishing Forever; Selina McLemore, editor)
  • Nightfall by Ellen Connor (writing team Ann Aguirre and Carrie Lofty) (Berkley Publishing Group Sensation; Cindy Hwang, editor)
  • The Restorer by Amanda Stevens (Harlequin MIRA; Denise Zaza, editor)

Best Regency Historical Romance

• A Night To Surrender by Tessa Dare (Avon Books; Tessa Woodward, editor)

• Finalists:
  • The Devil In Disguise by Stefanie Sloane (Ballantine Bantam Dell; Junessa Viloria, editor)
  • Heiress In Love by Christina Brooke (St. Martin's Press; Monique Patterson, editor)
  • How To Marry A Duke by Vicky Dreiling (Grand Central Publishing Forever; Michele Bidelspach, editor)
  • How To Seduce A Scoundrel by Vicky Dreiling (Grand Central Publishing Forever; Michele Bidelspach, editor)
  • Lady Sophie's Christmas Wish by [Grace Burrowes]] (Sourcebooks Casablanca; Deb Werksman, editor)
  • To Seduce An Angel by Kate Moore (Berkley Publishing Group Sensation; Wendy McCurdy, editor)
  • When Beauty Tamed The Beast by Eloisa James (Avon Books; Carrie Feron, editor)

Best Romantic Novella

• "I Love The Earl" by Caroline Linden (Avon Impulse; Lyssa Keusch, editor)

• Finalists:
  • "Angel's Wolf" by Nalini Singh in Angels of Darkness (Berkley Publishing Group Sensation; Cindy Hwang, editor)
  • "Chaos in Death" by J.D. Robb in The Unquiet (Berkley Publishing Group; Leslie Gelbman, editor)
  • "Compassion Can't Wait" by Carly Phillips in More Than Words, Vol. 7 (Harlequin Enterprises; Marsha Zinberg, editor)
  • "One Wish: a Christmas Story" by Jodi Thomas in A Texas Christmas (Kensington Zebra; Peter Senftleben, editor)
  • "Resolution" by Linda Winstead Jones in The Heart of Winter (Harlequin Enterprises; Stacy Boyd, editor)
  • "The Storm Within” by Trish Morey in A Royal Engagement (Harlequin Presents; Joanne Grant, editor)
  • "Unforgiven" by Ruth Ryan Langan in The Unquiet (Berkley Publishing Group; Cindy Hwang, editor)

Best Romantic Suspense

• Finalists:
  • Hidden Away by Maya Banks (Berkley Publishing Group Sensation; Cindy Hwang, editor)
  • Hot Zone by Catherine Mann (Sourcebooks Casablanca; Deb Werksman, editor)
  • Hush by Cherry Adair (Pocket Star; Lauren McKenna, editor)
  • New York to Dallas by J.D. Robb (Penguin Putnam; Leslie Gelbman, editor)
  • Secrets of Bella Terra by Christina Dodd (New American Library; Kerry Donovan, editor)
  • True Colors by Joyce Lamb (Berkley Publishing Group Sensation; Wendy McCurdy, editor)
  • True Shot by Joyce Lamb (Berkley Publishing Group Sensation; Wendy McCurdy, editor)
  • Where All the Dead Lie by J.T. Ellison (Harlequin MIRA; Adam Wilson and Miranda Indrigo, editors)

Best Young Adult Romance

• Enclave by Ann Aguirre (Macmillan Feiwel & Freinds; Liz Szabla, editor)

• Finalists:
  • Flawless by Lara Chapman (Bloomsbury Publishing; Caroline Abbey, editor)
  • Hourglass by Myra McEntire (Egmont USA; Regina Griffin, editor)
  • I'm Not Her by Janet Gurtler (Sourcebooks Fire; Leah Hultenschmidt, editor)
  • Touch Of Frost by Jennifer Estep (Kensington Teen; Alicia Condon, editor)
  • Warped by Maurissa Guibord (Delacorte Press; Michelle Poploff, editor)