1996 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 Paranormal Romance
- 7 Regency Romance
- 8 Romantic Suspense/Gothic Romance
- 9 Short Contemporary Series Romance
- 10 Short Historical Romance
- 11 Traditional Romance
- 12 Young Adult Romance
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