1996 RITA® Winners & Finalists

Contemporary Single Title Romance

Born in Ice by Nora Roberts - PRH/Penguin, Berkley, Jove - Leslie Gelbman

Heaven, Texas by Susan Elizabeth Phillips - HarperCollins, Avon - Carrie Feron

Kiss In The Dark by Meryl Sawyer - PRH/Random House, Dell - Damaris Rowland

Reason To Believe by Kathleen Eagle - HarperCollins, Avon - Ellen Edwards

First Book

The Warlord by Elizabeth Elliott - PRH/Random House, Bantam, Fanfare - Shauna Summers

All That Matters by Elizabeth Mayne - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Historical - Margaret Marbury

Captured by Victoria Lynne - HarperCollins, Avon - Christina Zika

Fancy-Free by Carrie Alexander - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Temptation - Laura Shin

The Flirt by Rachelle Nelson - PRH/Penguin, Berkley, Jove - Melinda Metz & Gail Fortune

Knight Of A Trillion Stars by Dara Joy - Dorchester, Love Spell - Joanna Cagan

Texas Outlaw by Adrienne deWolfe - PRH/Random House, Bantam, Fanfare - Elizabeth Barrett

When Midnight Comes by Robin Burcell - HarperCollins, Harper, HarperMonogram - Abigail Kamen-Holland

Inspirational Romance

As Sure as the Dawn by Francine Rivers - Tyndale House - Karen Ball

Like A River Glorious by Lawana Blackwell - Tyndale House - Karen Ball

The Tempering Blaze by Sally Laity & Dianna Crawford - Tyndale House - Karen Ball

Long Contemporary Series Romance

The Morning Side of Dawn by Justine Davis - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Intimate Moments - Leslie Wainger & Marcia Adirim

The Adventurer by Diana Whitney - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Special Edition - Cristine Niessner

Her Secret, His Child by Paula Detmer Riggs - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Intimate Moments - Leslie Wainger

The Last Chance Ranch by Ruth Wind - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Special Edition - Cathleen Treacy

A Perfect Marriage by Laurey Bright - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Intimate Moments - Melissa Senate

The Pride Of Jared MacKade by Nora Roberts - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Special Edition - Isabel Swift

The Return Of Rafe MacKade by Nora Roberts - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Intimate Moments - Isabel Swift

The Soldier And The Baby by Anne Stuart - HarperCollins, Harlequin, American - Julianne Moore

Long Historical Romance

Something Shady by Pamela Morsi - PRH/Penguin, Berkley, Jove - Hillary Cige

Bliss by Judy Cuevas - PRH/Penguin, Berkley, Jove - Judith Stern Palais

Bride Of The Lion by Elizabeth Stuart - Macmillan, St. Martin's - Jennifer Weis

Heart Of The West by Penelope Williamson - Simon & Schuster, Pocket - Michael Korda

Stealing Heaven by Kimberly Cates - Simon & Schuster, Pocket - Linda Marrow

To Love And To Cherish by Patricia Gaffney - PRH/Penguin, Berkley, NAL Topaz - Audrey LaFehr

Waiting For The Moon by Kristin Hannah - PRH/Random House, Ballantine, Ivy - Elisa Wares

The Warlord by Elizabeth Elliott - PRH/Random House, Bantam, Fanfare - Shauna Summers

Paranormal Romance

The Covenant by Modean Moon - HarperCollins, Harper, HarperMonogram - Carolyn Marino

A Basket of Wishes by Rebecca Paisley - PRH/Random House, Dell - Mary Ellen O'Neill & Tina Moskow

Duncan's Lady by Emilie Richards - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Intimate Moments - Leslie Wainger

Knight of a Trillion Stars by Dara Joy - Dorchester, Love Spell - Joanna Cagan

Nightwing by Lynn Michaels - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Temptation - Malle Vallik

Race against Time by Lynn Turner - Kensington, Pinnacle, Denise Little Presents - Denise Little

Time without End by Linda Lael Miller - PRH/Penguin, Berkley - Judith Stern Palais

A Window in Time by Carolyn Lampman - HarperCollins, Harper, HarperMonogram - Abigail Kamen-Holland

Regency Romance

Gwen's Christmas Ghost by Lynn Kerstan & Alicia Rasley - Kensington, Zebra, Regency - Jennifer Sawyer

The Bumblebroth by Patricia Wynn - PRH/Random House, Bantam, Ivy - Barbara Dicks

Deck the Halls by Marian Devon - PRH/Random House, Bantam, Ivy - Barbara Dicks

Lord Carew's Bride by Mary Balogh - PRH/Penguin, Berkley, NAL Signet Regency - Hilary Ross

Reforming Lord Ragsdale by Carla Kelly - PRH/Penguin, Berkley, NAL Signet Regency - Constance Martin

Romantic Suspense/Gothic Romance

Winter's Edge by Anne Stuart - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Intrigue - Julianne Moore

Dark Knight by Sheryl Lynn - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Intrigue - Barbara White-Rayczek

Iain Ross's Woman by Emilie Richards - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Intimate Moments - Leslie Wainger

The Only Way Out by Susan Mallery - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Intimate Moments - Karen Taylor-Richman

Short Contemporary Series Romance

Single Dad by Jennifer Greene - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Desire - Lucia Macro

Almost a Honeymoon by Susan Crosby - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Desire - Melissa Jeglinski

Caught in the Act by Janis Reams Hudson - PRH/Random House, Bantam, Loveswept - Wendy McCurdy

The Disobedient Bride by Joan Johnston - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Desire - Melissa Senate

In Praise of Younger Men byLyn Ellis - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Temptation - Laura Shin

Operation Mommy by Caroline Cross - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Desire - Melissa Senate

Passion and Scandal by Candace Schuler - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Temptation - Susan Sopcek

Single Female (Reluctantly) Seeks... by Dixie Browning - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Yours Truly - Melissa Senate

Short Historical Romance

Lord of Soundrels by Loretta Chase - HarperCollins, Avon - Ellen Edwards

Captured by Victoria Lynne - HarperCollins, Avon - Christina Zika

Imagine by Jill Barnett - Simon & Schuster, Pocket - Linda Marrow

Lucien's Fall by Barbara Samuel - HarperCollins, Harper, HarperMonogram - Carolyn Marino

Slow Surrender by Bronwyn Williams - PRH/Penguin, Berkley, NAL Topaz - Jennifer Sawyer

Sparhawk's Lady by Miranda Jarrett - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Historical - Tracy Farrell

Tempt Me Not by Eve Byron - HarperCollins, Avon - Carrie Feron

Texas Outlaw by Adrienne deWolfe - PRH/Random House, Bantam, Fanfare - Elizabeth Barrett

Traditional Romance

Stranger in Her Arms by Elizabeth Sites - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Romance - Mary-Theresa Hussey

The Cowboy, the Baby & the Runaway Bride by Lindsay Longford - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Romance - Lucia Macro

Daddy Was a Cowboy by Jodi O'Donnell - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Romance - Mary-Theresa Hussey

The Rogue Who Came to Stay by Arlene James - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Romance - Anne Canadeo

The Unlikely Santa by Leigh Michaels - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Romance - Samantha Bell

Wife Most Unlikely by Linda Varner - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Romance - Cathleen Treacy

Wildcat Wedding by Patricia Thayer - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Romance - Karen Taylor-Richman

Young Adult Romance

Runaway by Cheryl Zach - PRH/Penguin, Berkley, Dear Diary - Patty Benford

Don't Die, My Love by Lurlene McDaniel - PRH/Random House, Bantam, Starfire - Beverly Horowitz

Mystery Date: Heart's Desire by Cameron Dokey - Kensington, Z*Fave - Elise Donner