2002 RITA® Winners & Finalists

Contemporary Single Title Romance

* Winner: True Confessions - Rachel Gibson

• Finalists:

The Four Seasons - Mary Alice Monroe

I Got You, Babe - Jane Graves

Midnight Bayou - Nora Roberts

Some Kind Of Wonderful - Barbara Freethy

First Book

* Winner: The Border Bride - Elizabeth English

• Finalists:

Fallen - Celeste Bradley

Heart Mate - Robin D. Owens

Hide-And-Sheikh - Gail Dayton

The Nightingale's Song - Kathleen Eschenburg

Secret Vows - Mary Reed McCall

Inspirational Romance

* Winner: Beneath A Southern Sky - Deborah Raney

• Finalists:

The Guardian - Dee Henderson

The Protector - Dee Henderson

Ribbon Of Years - Robin Lee Hatcher

Long Contemporary Series Romance

* Winner: Coming Home To You - Fay Robinson

• Finalists:

In Close Quarters - Candace Irvin

Madigan's Wife - Linda Winstead Jones

Magic In A Jelly Jar - Sally Tyler Hayes

The Money Man - Carolyn McSparren

Notorious - Vicki Lewis Thompson

Plain-Jane Princess - Karen Templeton

The Word Of A Child - Janice Kay Johnson

Long Historical Romance

* Winner: The Bridal Season - Connie Brockway

• Finalists:

The Border Bride - Elizabeth English

The Dragon's Bride - Jo Beverley

Enchanting Pleasures - Eloisa James

The Husband Test - Betina Krahn

A Kiss To Remember - Teresa Medeiros

Nightingale's Gate - Linda Francis Lee

The Secret Swan - Shana Abe

Summer Moon - Jill Marie Landis

Paranormal Romance

* Winner: Heart Mate - Robin D. Owens

• Finalists:

Aphrodite's Kiss - Julie Kenner

Dance Upon The Air - Nora Roberts

Destiny - Maggie Shayne

Heaven And Earth - Nora Roberts

To Charm A Knight - Linda Kay

Regency Romance

* Winner: Much Obliged - Jessica Benson

• Finalists:

One Good Turn - Carla Kelly

The Painted Lady - Barbara Metzger

Under The Kissing Bough - Shannon Donnelly

Romance Novella

* Winner: "I Will" in Wish List - Lisa Kleypas

• Finalists:

"The Demon's Mistress" in In Praise Of Younger Men - Jo Beverley

"Night" in Night And Day - Anne Stuart

"The Rose And The Sword" in Once Upon A Rose - Jill Gregory

"Santa Baby" in Naughty Or Nice? - Patricia Ryan

"Winter Rose" in Once Upon A Rose - Nora Roberts

Romantic Suspense

* Winner: The Surgeon - Tess Gerritsen

• Finalists:

Betrayal In Death - J.D. Robb

Blind Faith - Christiane Heggan

Dark Side Of Dawn - Merline Lovelace

Darkling, I Listen - Katherine Sutcliffe

Mercy - Julie Garwood

The Perfect Princess - Elizabeth Thornton

Princess Charming - Elizabeth Thornton

Short Contemporary Romance

* Winner: A Long Hot Christmas - Barbara Daly

• Finalists:

Fortune's Secret Daughter - Barbara McCauley

In Dante's Debt - Jane Porter

The Inconvenient Bride - Anne McAllister

Jingle Bell Bride? - Jennifer LaBrecque

The Matchmaker's Mistake - Jane Sullivan

Sinclair's Surprise Baby - Barbara McCauley

Under The Covers - Jamie Ann Denton

Short Historical Romance

* Winner: Tempt Me Twice - Barbara Dawson Smith

• Finalists:

Halfway To Heaven - Susan Wiggs

The Horse Soldier - Merline Lovelace

Never Marry A Cowboy - Lorraine Heath

Once A Mistress - Rebecca Hagan Lee

Suddenly You - Lisa Kleypas

White Lion's Lady - Tina St. John

Traditional Romance

* Winner: Quinn's Complete Seduction - Sandra Steffen

• Finalists:

Accidental Fiancée - Renee Roszel

Adopted: Twins! - Marion Lennox

The Bachelor's Baby - Liz Fielding

Doctor On Loan - Marion Lennox

His Baby, Her Heart - Sue Swift

Just One Kiss- Carla Cassidy