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 by 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

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 Spangle - rDorchester, 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 by 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