2004 RITA® Winners & Finalists
Contents
- 1 Contemporary Single Title Romance
- 2 First Book
- 3 Inspirational Romance
- 4 Long Contemporary Series Romance
- 5 Long Historical Romance
- 6 Mainstream Novel with Strong Elements
- 7 Paranormal Romance
- 8 Regency Romance
- 9 Romance Novella
- 10 Romantic Suspense
- 11 Short Contemporary Romance
- 12 Short Historical Romance
- 13 Traditional Romance
Contemporary Single Title Romance
Birthright by Nora Roberts - PRH/Penguin, Berkley, Jove - Leslie Gelbman
- Back Roads by Susan Crandall - Hachette, Grand Central (Warner), Forever - Karen Kosztolnyik
- Fallen from Grace by Laura Leone - Five Star - Russell Davis
- Key of Light by Nora Roberts - PRH/Penguin, Berkley, Jove - Leslie Gelbman
- The Last Bride in Ballymuir by Dorien Kelly - Simon & Schuster, Pocket - Maggie Crawford
- Lover's Lane by Jill Marie Landis - PRH/Random House, Ballantine - Shauna Summers
- Only by Your Touch by Catherine Anderson - PRH/Penguin, Berkley, NAL Signet - Ellen Edwards
- The Secret Gift by Jaclyn Reding - PRH/Penguin, Berkley, NAL Signet - Claire Zion & Hilary Ross
- Small Wonders by Marilyn Pappano - PRH/Random House, Dell - Wendy McCurdy
First Book
Back Roads by Susan Crandall - Hachette, Grand Central (Warner), Forever - Karen Kosztolnyik
- Baby, Be Mine by Emily McKay - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Temptation - Brenda Chin
- Charming the Highlander by Janet Chapman - Simon & Schuster, Pocket - Selena James
- The Ideal Bride by Nonnie St. George - Kensington, Zebra, Regency - Kate Duffy
- The Maid of Dishonor by Tanya Michaels - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Duets - Jennifer Green
- Some Like It Sizzling by Jamie Sobrato - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Temptation - Wanda Ottewell
- Winter Woman by Jenna Kernan - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Historical - Jessica Regante & Ann Leslie Tuttle
Inspirational Romance
Autumn Dreams by Gayle Roper - PRH/Crown, Multnomah - Julee Schwarzburg
- One Tuesday Morning by Karen Kingsbury - Zondervan - Karen Ball & Bob Hudson
- When You Believe by Deborah Bedford - Hachette, Grand Central (Warner), Forever - Leslie Peterson
- Without a Trace by Colleen Coble - Thomas Nelson - Ami McConnell
Long Contemporary Series Romance
The Top Gun's Return by Kathleen Creighton - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Intimate Moments - Gail Chasan
- All a Man Can Be by Virginia Kantra - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Intimate Moments - Mary-Theresa Hussey
- Entrapment by Kylie Brant - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Intimate Moments - Mary-Theresa Hussey
- Keeping Faith by Day Leclaire - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Forrester Square - Marsha Zinberg
- The Last Honorable Man by Vickie Taylor - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Intimate Moments - Ann Leslie Tuttle
- Night Watch by Suzanne Brockmann - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Intimate Moments - Gail Chasan
- The One Safe Place by Kathleen O'Brien - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Super Romance - Laura Shin
- Ring of Deception by Sandra Marton - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Forrester Square - Marsha Zinberg
- Strategic Engagement by Catherine Mann - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Intimate Moments - Melissa Jeglinski
Long Historical Romance
The Destiny by Katherine Givens - Hachette, Grand Central (Warner), Forever - Karen Kosztolnyik
- Fool for Love by Eloisa James - HarperCollins, Avon - Lucia Macro
- A Kiss to Die For by Claudia Dain - Dorchester, Leisure - Alicia Condon
- London's Perfect Scoundrel by Suzanne Enoch - HarperCollins, Avon - Erika Tsang
- The Saint by Madeline Hunter - PRH/Random House, Bantam - Wendy McCurdy
- The Silver Lion by Lynn Kerstan - PRH/Penguin, Berkley, NAL Onyx - Hilary Ross
- To Marry the Duke by Julianne MacLean - HarperCollins, Avon - Kelly Harms
Mainstream Novel with Strong Elements
Between Sisters by Kristin Hannah - PRH/Random House, Ballantine - Linda Marrow
- A Piece of Heaven by Barbara Samuel - PRH/Random House, Ballantine - Shauna Summers
- Shore Lights by Barbara Bretton - PRH/Penguin, Berkley - Cindy Hwang
Paranormal Romance
Shades of Midnight by Linda Fallon - Kensington, Zebra - Amy Garvey
- Hunting Midnight by Emma Holly - PRH/Penguin, Berkley - Christine Zika
- Night Fires by Karen Harbaugh - PRH/Random House, Bantam - Wendy McCurdy
- No More Lies by Susan Squires - Dorchester, Love Spell - Christopher Keeslar
- Portrait in Death - J. D. Robb - PRH/Penguin, Berkley - Leslie Gelbman
- Skyfall by Catherine Asaro - Macmillan, Tor, Science Fiction - James Minz
- Wedding the Highlander by Janet Chapman - Simon & Schuster, Pocket - Selena James
Regency Romance
Prospero's Daughter by Nancy Butler - PRH/Penguin, Berkley, NAL Signet Regency - Hilary Ross
- The Ideal Bride by Nonnie St. George - Kensington, Zebra, Regency - Kate Duffy
- The Indifferent Earl by Blair Bancroft - PRH/Penguin, Berkley, NAL Signet Regency - Hilary Ross
- The Reluctant Rogue by Elizabeth Powell - PRH/Penguin, Berkley, NAL Signet Regency - Hilary Ross
Romance Novella
"Prisoner of the Tower" in Wedding Chase by Gayle Wilson - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Special Releases - Tracy Farrell
- "36 Valentines" in The Further Observations of Lady Whistledown by Julia Quinn - HarperCollins, Avon - Lyssa Keusch
- "Against the Odds" in Where's My Hero? by Lisa Kleypas - HarperCollins, Avon - Lucia Macro
- "Run from Twilight" in Two by Twilight by Maggie Shayne - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette - Leslie Wainger
- "Seven Days" in Lakota Legacy by Ruth Wind - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette - Lynda Curnyn
- "A Tale of Two Sisters" in Where's My Hero? by Julia Quinn - HarperCollins, Avon - Lyssa Keusch
- "Two Hearts" in The Further Observations of Lady Whistledown by Karen Hawkins - HarperCollins, Avon - Lyssa Keusch
- "The Yearning" in His Immortal Embrace by Hannah Howell - Kensington, Zebra - John Scognamiglio
Romantic Suspense
Remember When: Part I (aka Hot Rocks) by Nora Roberts - PRH/Penguin, Putnam - Leslie Gelbman
- Caught in the Act by Joyce Lamb - Five Star - Russell Davis
- Cold Ridge by Carla Neggers - HarperCollins, Harlequin, MIRA - Amy Moore-Benson
- Kill the Competition by Stephanie Bond - HarperCollins, Avon - Lyssa Keusch
- Remember When: Part II (aka Big Jack) by J. D. Robb - PRH/Penguin, Putnam - Leslie Gelbman
- Thicker than Water by Maggie Shayne - HarperCollins, Harlequin, MIRA - Leslie Wainger
- While She Was Sleeping by Suzanne Forster - PRH/Penguin, Berkley - Cindy Hwang
Short Contemporary Romance
The Knight's Kiss by Nicole Burnham - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Romance - Gail Chasan
- Baby, Be Mine by Emily McKay - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Temptation - Brenda Chin
- Fringe Benefits by Nancy Warren - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Temptation - Jennifer Green
- Mistletoe over Manhattan by Barbara Daly - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Temptation - Jennifer Green
- One Naughty Night by Joanne Rock - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Temptation - Wanda Ottewell
- Show and Tell by Rhonda Nelson - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Blaze - Brenda Chin
- Wicked & Willing by Leslie Kelly - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Temptation - Brenda Chin
- "A Wolf River Summer" in Summer Gold by Barbara McCauley - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette - Melissa Jeglinski
Short Historical Romance
Worth Any Price by Julianne MacLean - HarperCollins, Harlequin - Melissa Endlich
- The Angel of Devil's Camp by Lynna Banning - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Historical - none given
- Confessions of a Scoundrel byKaren Hawkins - HarperCollins, Avon - Lyssa Keusch
- Love with the Proper Husband by Victoria Alexander - HarperCollins, Avon - Lucia Macro
- One Night of Scandal by Teresa Medeiros - HarperCollins, Avon - Carrie Feron
- Wayward Widow by Nicola Cornick - HarperCollins, Harlequin Mills & Boon, Historical - Kimberley Young
Traditional Romance
Her Royal Baby by Marion Lennox - HarperCollins, Harlequin Mills & Boon, Romance - Kate Paice
- The Boss's Convenient Proposal by Barbara McMahon - HarperCollins, Harlequin Mills & Boon, Romance - Kimberley Young
- A Cradle for Caroline by Nancy Warren - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Duets - Jennifer Green
- Her Playboy Challenge by Barbara Hannay - HarperCollins, Harlequin, MIRA - Kimberley Young
- The Snow Bride by Debbie Macomber - HarperCollins, Harlequin, MIRA - Paula Eykelhof
- The Wish by Diane Pershing - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Romance - Mary-Theresa Hussey
- The Wish-List Wife by Barbara Dunlop - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Duets - Kathryn Lye