2019 RITA® Winners & Finalists

Contemporary Romance: Long

Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan - Self-published - Lauren Clarke

Bad Bachelor by Stefanie London - Sourcebooks, Casablanca - Cat Clyne

Best of Luck by Kate Clayborn - Kensington, Lyrical, Shine - Esi Sogah

The Heartless Boyfriend by Erika Kelly - Self-published - Sharon Pochron

Luck of the Draw by Kate Clayborn - Kensington, Lyrical, Shine - Esi Sogah

Melt for You by J. T. Geissinger - Amazon, Montlake - Maria Gomez

A Tall, Dark Cowboy Christmas by Maisey Yates - HarperCollins, Harlequin, HQN - Allison Carroll

Contemporary Romance: Mid-Length

Advanced Physical Chemistry by Susannah Nix - Self-published - Julia Ganis

Celebrity Spin Doctor by Celia Mulder - Inkspell - Audrey Bobak

Give and Take by Lee Kilraine - Kensington, Lyrical, Caress - Esi Sogah

Knocked-Up Cinderella by Julie Hammerle - Entangled, August - Stacy Abrams & Kate Brauning

Lennon Reborn by Scarlett Cole - Macmillan, St. Martin's Press, Swerve - Alexandra Sehulster

Loving a Warrior by Melanie Hansen - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Carina Press - Alissa Davis

Part-Time Husband by Noelle Adams - Self-published - Victory Editing

Relay by Layla Reyne - Self-published - Kristi Yanta

Sergeant Sexypants by Tawna Fenske - Self-published - Susan Bischoff

Sleepover by Serena Bell - PRH/Random House, Bantam, Loveswept - Sue Grimshaw

Contemporary Romance: Short

The Bachelor's Baby Surprise by Teri Wilson - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Special Edition - Gail Chasan

A Baby to Bind His Bride by Caitlin Crews - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Presents - Megan Haslam

The Captain's Vegas Vows by Caro Carson - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Special Edition - Gail Chasan

Claim Me, Cowboy by Maisey Yates - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Desire

Fair Game by Amy Andrews - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Escape - Kate Cuthbert

A Fool and His Manny by Amy Lane - Dreamspinner, Dreamspun Desire - Anne Reagan

The Million Pound Marriage Deal by Michelle Douglas - HarperCollins, Harlequin Mills & Boon, Romance - Bryony Green

A Safe Place to Land by Dee Ernst - 235 Alexander Street

Tanner's Promise by Kaylie Newell - Tule, Montana Born - Sinclair Sawhney

Erotic Romance

Three-Way Split by Elia Winters - Entangled, Scorched - Tera Cuskaden

Picture Perfect Cowboy by Tiffany Reisz - 8th Circle Press

Sinful Games by Shelly Alexander - Self-published

Total Exposure by J. A. Huss - Self-published - R. J. Locksley

First Book

Lady in Waiting by Marie Tremayne - HarperCollins, Avon Impulse - Elle Keck

Celebrity Spin Doctor by Celia Mulder - Inkspell Publishing - Audrey Bobak

The Last Wolf by Maria Vale - Sourcebooks, Casablanca - Deb Werksman

A Wicked Kind of Husband by Mia Vincy - Self-published

With Love in Sight by Christina Britton - Diversion Books - Eliza Kirby & Mallory Soto

Historical Romance: Long

A Wicked Kind of Husband by Mia Vincy - Self-published

An Earl Like You by Caroline Linden - HarperCollins, Avon - Lyssa Keusch

Lady in Waiting by Marie Tremayne - HarperCollins, Avon, Impulse - Elle Keck

A Scandalous Deal by Joanna Shupe - HarperCollins, Avon - Tessa Woodward

Historical Romance: Short

A Duke in the Night by Kelly Bowen - Hachette, Grand Central, Forever - Alex Logan

The Devil to Pay by K. C. Bateman - Self-published

Hell's Belle by Annabelle Anders - Self-published

Never Dare a Wicked Earl by Renee Ann Miller - Kensington, Zebra, Shout - Esi Sogah

What Ales the Earl by Sally MacKenzie - Kensington, Zebra - Esi Sogah

With Love in Sight by Christina Britton - Diversion - Eliza Kirby & Mallory Soto

Mainstream Fiction with a Central Romance: Short

How to Keep a Secret by Sarah Morgan - HarperCollins, Harlequin, HQN - Flo Nicholl

Five Years Gone by Marie Force - HTJB - Linda Ingmanson & Joyce Lamb

A Girl Divided by Ellen Lindseth - Amazon, Lake Union - Christopher Werner

Mornings on Main by Jodi Thomas - HarperCollins, Harlequin, HQN - Brittany Lavery

Paranormal Romance

Dearest Ivie by J. R. Ward - PRH/Random House, Ballantine - Kara Walsh

Debriefing the Dead by Kerry Blaisdell - Wild Rose, Black Rose - Callie Lynn Wolfe

Haunted Hearts by Kimberly Dean - Self-published

The Last Wolf by Maria Vale - Sourcebooks, Casablanca - Deb Werksman

Out of Body by Suzanne Brockmann - Self-published

To Catch a Rogue by Bec McMaster - Self-published - Olivia Ventura

Wretched by Cara Crescent - Self-published - Theodora O'Brian

Romance Novella

Bad Blood by M. Malone - Self-published - Angela Ramey

Catching Irish by Katy Regnery - Self-published - Tessa Shapcott

Dragon Lord by Dana Marton - Self-published - Diane Flindt & Linda Ingmanson

"The Dragons of Summer" in Seasons of Sorcery by Jeffe Kennedy - Self-published

"Lead Counsel" in The Boss of Her: Office Romance Novellas by Aurora Rey - Bold Strokes - Ashley Tillman

Loving the Secret Billionaire by Adriana Anders - Self-published - Kim Cannon & Nancy Smay

Saved by the Cowboy by A. J. Pine - Hachette, Grand Central, Yours Forever - Madeleine Colavita

Romance with Religious or Spiritual Elements

The Saturday Night Supper Club by Carla Laureano - Tyndale House - Sarah Rische & Jan Stob

Home on Huckleberry Hill by Jennifer Beckstrand - Kensington, Bouquet - John Scognamiglio

A Mother for His Family by Susanne Dietze - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Love Inspired Historical - Emily Rodmell

Their Amish Reunion by Lenora Worth - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Love Inspired - Patience Bloom

Romantic Suspense

Fearless by Elizabeth Dyer - Self-published

The Bastard's Bargain by Katee Robert - Hachette, Grand Central, Forever - Leah Hultenschmidt

Before We Were Strangers by Brenda Novak - HarperCollins, Harlequin, MIRA - Emily Ohanjanians

Consumed by J. R. Ward - Simon & Schuster, Gallery - Lauren McKenna

Cut and Run by Mary Burton - Amazon, Montlake - Alison Dasho & Charlotte Herscher

Reckless Honor by Tonya Burrows - Entangled, Amara - Heather Howland

Relentless by Elizabeth Dyer - Amazon, Montlake - Alison Dasho

Young Adult Romance

My So-Called Bollywood Life by Nisha Sharma - PRH/Random House, Crown BFYR - Phoebe Yeh

Cry Baby by Ginger Scott - Self-published - Billijoy Carson

Not If I Save You First by Ally Carter - Scholastic - David Levithan