1990 RITA® Winners & Finalists
In 1990, RWA changed the named of its premier award to the RITA® in honor of founding member Rita Clay Estrada. 1990 also saw other change to the award: the introduction of the best First Book category, the return of the Historical Series (formerly known as Category Historical), the new Historical Single Title (formerly Historical), and the changing of the name of a category from Suspense to Romantic Suspense. It was clearly a busy year.
Contents
First Book
Out of the Blue by Alaina Hawthorne - Silhouette, Romance – Tara Hughes Gavin
- [[The Color of Love by Binnie Syril - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Temptation - Dominique Mondoulet-Wise
- [[Devil in Disguise by Ann Williams - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Intimate Moments - Leslie Wainger
Historical Series Romance
Silver Noose by Patricia Gardner Evans - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Historical - Leslie Wainger
- Dandelion by Bronwyn Williams - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Historical - Isabel Swift
- Edin's Embrace by Nadine Crenshaw - Kensington, Zebra, Hologram - Pesha Finkelstein
- Rose Red, Rose White by Marianne Willman - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Historical - Tracy Farrell
- Scarlet Ribbons by Judith E. French - HarperCollins, Avon - Ellen Edwards
Historical Single Title Romance
The Bride by Julie Garwood - Simon & Schuster, Pocket - Linda Marrow
- Fortune's Lady by Patricia Gaffney - Dorchester, Leisure - Alicia Condon
- Heartstorm by Elizabeth Stuart - Macmillan, St. Martin's - Robin Dresser
- A Kingdom of Dreams - Judith E. McNaught - Simon & Schuster, Pocket - Linda Marrow
- Seize the Fire by Laura Kinsale - HarperCollins, Avon - Ellen Edwards
- Swept Away by Julie Tetel - Hachette, Grand Central (Warner), Popular Library - Fredda Isaacson
Long Contemporary Romance
The Ice Cream Man by Kathleen Korbel - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Intimate Moments - Lucia Macro
- A Carol Christmas by Muriel Jensen - HarperCollins, Harlequin, American - Corinne Meyer
- Devil's Night by Jennifer Greene - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Intimate Moments - Lucia Macro
- Mackenzie's Mountain by Linda Howard - HarperCollins, Harlequin, MIRA - Leslie Wainger
- Paintbox Morning by Kathleen Eagle - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Intimate Moments - Leslie Wainger
- Saving Grace by Anne McAllister - HarperCollins, Harlequin, American - Debra Matteucci
- Tiger Dawn by Kathleen Creighton - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Intimate Moments - Leslie Wainger
Regency Romance
The Rake and the Reformer (aka The Rake) by Mary Jo Putney - PRH/Penguin, Berkley, NAL Signet Regency - Hilary Ross
- Lady with a Black Umbrella"" by Mary Balogh - PRH/Penguin, Berkley, NAL Signet Regency - Hilary Ross
- The Perfect Fiancee by Martha Jean Powers - Fawcett, Crest - Barbara Dicks
- The Stanforth Secrets by Jo Beverley - Bloomsbury, Walker - Alice Harron Orr
Romantic Suspense
Perchance to Dream by Kathleen Korbel - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Intimate Moments - Lucia Macro
- Rainbow Fire by Emilie Richards - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Intimate Moments - Leslie Wainger
- The Roses of Constant by Bethany Campbell - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Intrigue - Marmie Charndoff & Debra Matteucci
Short Contemporary Romance
Night of the Hunter by Jennifer Greene - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Desire - Lucia Macro
- Back to the Bedroom by Janet Evanovich - PRH/Random House, Bantam, Loveswept - Carrie Feron
- Be Mine, Valentine - Vicki Lewis Thompson - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Temptation - Dominique Mondoulet-Wise
- Chances Are by Erica Spindler - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Desire - Amie Yael Inman
- Face to Face by Julie Meyers - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Temptation - Alison Reid & Valerie Hayward & Lisa Boyes
- Poor Emily by Mary Kay McComas - PRH/Random House, Bantam, Loveswept - Susann Brailey
Single Title Contemporary
Private Relations by Diane Chamberlain - PRH/Penguin, Berkley, Jove - Mercer Warriner
- Minstrel's Fire by Carla Neggers - PRH/Penguin, Berkley - Damaris Rowland
- Sweet Revenge by Nora Roberts - PRH/Random House, Bantam - Carolyn Nichols
Traditional Romance
Rhapsody in Bloom by Mona Van Wieren - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Romance - Tara Gavin
- Bed, Breakfast, and Bedlam by Marcella Thompson - HarperCollins, Harlequin, Romance - Pat Cooney
- A Gift for Tenderness by Peggy Webb - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Romance - Tara Hughes Gavin
- Island Glory by Emilie Richards - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Romance - Leslie Wainger
- Mother for Hire by Marie Ferrarella - HarperCollins, Harlequin Silhouette, Romance - Jaclyn Brilliant
Young Adult Romance
Renee by Vivian Schurfranz - Scholastic, Sunfire - Ann Reit
- Lover Boy by Leila Davis - HarperCollins, Avon, Flare - Ellen Krieger
- My Perfect Valentine by Judy Baer - PRH/Random House, Bantam, Sweet Dreams - Lisa Boyes
