2005 RITA® Winners & Finalists

Contemporary Single Title Romance

Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie Macmillan, St. Martin's - Jennifer Enderlin Blue Flame by Jill Shalvis PRH/Penguin, Berkley, NAL Onyx - Laura Cifelli Daisy's Back in Town by Rachel Gibson HarperCollins, Avon - Lucia Macro Golden Lies by Barbara Freethy PRH/Penguin, Berkley, NAL Signet - Ellen Edwards In the Mood by Suzanne Macpherson HarperCollins, Avon - Lucia Macro An Irresistible Bachelor by Jessica Bird PRH/Random House, Ballantine, Ivy - Charlotte Herscher Street Smart by Tara Taylor Quinn HarperCollins, Harlequin, MIRA - Paula Eykelhof Summer by the Sea by Susan Wiggs HarperCollins, Harlequin, MIRA - Martha Keenan & Dianne Moggy This Can't Be Love by Kasey Michaels Kensington, Zebra - John Scognamiglio

First Book

Time Off for Good Behavior by Lani Diane Rich Hachette, Grand Central (Warner), Forever - Beth deGuzman American Idle by Alesia Holliday Dorchester, Leisure - Kate Seaver Do Me, Do My Roots by Eileen Rendahl Simon & Schuster, Pocket - Micki Nuding A Man in a Kilt by Sandy Blair Kensington, Zebra - Hilary Sares Rules of Engagement by Kathryn Caskie Hachette, Grand Central (Warner), Forever - Melanie Murray The Runaway Duke - Julie Anne Long Hachette, Grand Central (Warner), Forever - Melanie Murray

Inspirational Romance

Grounds to Believe by Shelley Bates HarperCollins, Harlequin Steeple Hill, Love Inspired - Krista Stroever At the Scent of Water by Linda Nichols Baker, Bethany House - Sharon Asmus Gabriel's Discovery by Felicia Mason HarperCollins, Harlequin Steeple Hill, Love Inspired - Diane Dietz & Krista Stroever Hero in Her Heart by Marta Perry HarperCollins, Harlequin Steeple Hill, Love Inspired - Krista Stroever A Nest of Sparrows by Deborah Raney PRH/Crown, WaterBrook - Dudley Delffs & Terry McDowell

Long Contemporary Series Romance

Long Contemporary Series Romance - 8 John Riley's Girl by Inglath Cooper HarperCollins, Harlequin, Super Romance - Johanna Raisanen Body Search by Jessica Andersen HarperCollins, Harlequin, Intrigue - Allison Lyons The Cop by Jan Hudson HarperCollins, Harlequin, American - Kathleen Scheibling A Family Christmas by Carrie Alexander HarperCollins, Harlequin, Super Romance - Laura Shin Hidden Agenda by Maggie Price HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Intimate Moments - Susan Litman Joint Forces by Catherine Mann HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Intimate Moments - Melissa Jeglinski A Marriage of Majors by Elizabeth Ashtree HarperCollins, Harlequin, Super Romance - Zilla Soriano A Real Hero by Jean Brashear HarperCollins, Harlequin, Super Romance - Beverley Sotolov

Long Historical Romance

Shadowheart by Laura Kinsale PRH/Penguin, Berkley, Trade - Leslie Gelbman Beloved Impostor by Patricia Potter PRH/Penguin, Berkley, Sensation - Gail Fortune The Butler Did It by Kasey Michaels HarperCollins, Harlequin, HQN - Melissa Jeglinski Highlander Unbound by Julia London Simon & Schuster, Pocket - Maggie Crawford The Linnet by Elizabeth English PRH/Penguin, Berkley, Sensation - Cindy Hwang Moon in the Water by Elizabeth Grayson PRH/Random House, Bantam - Micahlyn Whitt My Pleasure by Connie Brockway Simon & Schuster, Pocket - Maggie Crawford To Find You Again by Maureen McKade PRH/Penguin, Berkley, Sensation - Cindy Hwang Wedded Bliss by Barbara Metzger PRH/Penguin, Berkley, NAL Signet Regency - Laura Cifelli

Novel with Strong Romantic Elements

A.K.A. Goddess by Evelyn Vaughn HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Bombshell - Natashya Wilson & Stephanie Maurer American Idle by Alesia Holliday Dorchester, Leisure - Kate Seaver Do Me, Do My Roots by Eileen Rendahl Simon & Schuster, Pocket - Micki Nuding The Ocean Between Us by Susan Wiggs HarperCollins, Harlequin, MIRA - Martha Keenan & Dianne Moggy Time Off for Good Behavior by Lani Diane Rich Hachette, Grand Central (Warner), Forever - Beth deGuzman

Paranormal Romance

Blue Moon by Lori Handeland Macmillan, St. Martin's - Jennifer Enderlin Come to Me by Lisa Cach Dorchester, Love Spell - Christopher Keeslar Divided in Death by J. D. Robb PRH/Penguin, Berkley - Leslie Gelbman Heart of the Hunter by Tina St. John PRH/Random House, Ballantine, Ivy - Charlotte Herscher The Immortal Highlander by Karen Marie Moning PRH/Random House, Bantam - Wendy McCurdy Shadow Fires by Catherine Spangler Dorchester, Love Spell - Christopher Keeslar Visions in Death by J. D. Robb PRH/Penguin, Berkley - Leslie Gelbman Wet and Wild by Sandra Hill Dorchester, Leisure - Alicia Condon

Regency Romance

A Passionate Endeavor by Sophia Nash PRH/Random House, Berkley, NAL Signet Regency - Laura Cifelli Moonlight and Mischief by Rhonda Woodward PRH/Random House, Berkley, NAL Signet Regency - Rose Hilliard The Rules of Love by Amanda McCabe PRH/Random House, Berkley, NAL Signet Regency - Anne Bohner

Romance Novella

"Her Best Enemy" in Night's Edge by Maggie Shayne HarperCollins, Harlequin, HQN - Leslie Wainger "Daydream Believer" in Man of My Dreams by Maggie Shayne PRH/Penguin, Berkley, Jove - Cindy Hwang "The Edge of Memory" in Mysteries of Lost Angel Inn by Kathleen O'Brien HarperCollins, Harlequin, Special Releases - Zilla Soriano "Father and the Notorious Miss Neuman" in A Wife for Papa by Lynn Collum Kensington, Zebra, Regency - John Scognamiglio "The First Kiss" in Lady Whistledown Strikes Back by Julia Quinn HarperCollins, Avon - Lyssa Keusch "Midsummer's Night's Magic" in Man of My Dreams by Virginia Kantra PRH/Penguin, Berkley, Jove - Cindy Hwang "Out on a Limb" in Mistletoe and Mayhem by Christie Ridgway HarperCollins, Avon - Lucia Macro "Surrender" in Essence of Midnight - Julie Elizabeth Leto HarperCollins, Harlequin, Anthologies - Brenda Chin "Wolf Moon" in Moon Shadows by Nora Roberts PRH/Penguin, Berkley, Jove - Leslie Gelbman

Romantic Suspense

I'm Watching You by Karen Rose Hachette, Grand Central (Warner), Forever - Karen Kosztolnyik Body Double by Vicki Hinze HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Bombshell - Susan Litman Code Name: Princess by Christina Skye PRH/Random House, Bantam - Wendy McCurdy Colder than Ice by Maggie Shayne HarperCollins, Harlequin, MIRA - Leslie Wainger Fatal Error by Colleen Thompson Dorchester, Leisure - Alicia Condon Have You Seen Her? by Karen Rose Hachette, Grand Central (Warner) - Karen Kosztolnyik Just Past Midnight by Amanda Stevens HarperCollins, Harlequin, Author Spotlight - Denise O'Sullivan Mimosa Grove by Dinah McCall HarperCollins, Harlequin, MIRA - Leslie Wainger Shady Lady by Elizabeth Thornton PRH/Random House, Bantam - Wendy McCurdy

Short Contemporary Romance

Miss Pruitt's Private Life by Barbara McCauley HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Desire - Melissa Jeglinski A Family of His Own by Liz Fielding HarperCollins, Harlequin, Romance - Emma Dunford Hers for the Weekend by Tanya Michaels HarperCollins, Harlequin, Temptation - Jennifer Green Like a Hurricane by Roxanne St. Claire HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Desire - Stephanie Maurer & Melissa Jeglinski Meeting at Midnight by Eileen Wilks HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Desire - Mary-Theresa Hussey Tall, Dark and Texan by Jane Sullivan HarperCollins, Harlequin, Temptation - Jennifer Green We've Got Tonight by Jacquie D'Alessandro HarperCollins, Harlequin, Temptation - Brenda Chin When He Was Bad... by Jane Sullivan HarperCollins, Harlequin, Temptation - Jennifer Green

Short Historical Romance

A Wanted Man by Susan Kay Law HarperCollins, Avon - Lyssa Keusch The Countess Bride by Terri Brisbin HarperCollins, Harlequin, Historical - Melissa Endlich A Lady of Distinction by Deborah Simmons PRH/Penguin, Berkley, Sensation - Cindy Hwang My Favorite Thief by Karyn Monk PRH/Random House, Bantam - Micahlyn Whitt My Seduction by Connie Brockway Simon & Schuster, Pocket - Maggie Crawford The Princess Masquerade by Lois Greiman HarperCollins, Avon - Erika Tsang Rules of Engagement by Kathryn Caskie Hachette, Grand Central (Warner), Forever - Melanie Murray The Unexpected Wife by Mary Burton HarperCollins, Harlequin, Historical - Patience Smith

Traditional Romance

Christmas Eve Marriage by Jessica Hart HarperCollins, Harlequin, Romance - Kimberley Young The Bowen Bride by Nicole Burnham HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Romance - Gail Chasan The Game Show Bride by Jackie Braun HarperCollins, Harlequin, Romance - Stacy Boyd Gino's Arranged Bride by Lucy Gordon HarperCollins, Harlequin, Romance - Bryony Greem The Last-Minute Marriage by Marion Lennox HarperCollins, Harlequin, Romance - Kate Paice