The 2016 RITA® and Golden Heart®Awards finalists have been announced the Romance Writer’s of America (RWA). The awards are considered the ‘Oscars’ of the romance genre and represent unique storytelling. The RITA — the highest award of distinction in romance fiction — recognizes excellence in published romance novels and novellas. The Golden Heart recognizes excellence in unpublished romance manuscripts.
With over 2,000 romance novels entered into the competition annually, it is quite the honor to become a finalist. Winners are announced at a black-tie awards ceremony on July 16 at the 2016 RWA Annual Conference in San Diego, California. Congratulations to all the nominees and finalists!!
Here is the list of this year’s finalists:
2016 RITA Finalists
Best First Book
Altered by Marnee Blake
Entangled Publishing, Embrace
Candace Havens, editor
Forget Tomorrow by Pintip Dunn
Entangled Publishing, Teen
Liz Pelletier, editor
Night Hush by Leslie Jones
HarperCollins, Witness Impulse
Nicole Fischer, editor
No Better Man by Sara Richardson
Grand Central Publishing, Forever
Megha Parekh, editor
A Noble Masquerade by Kristi Ann Hunter
Baker Publishing Group, Bethany House
Raela Schoenherr, editor
Pairing Off by Elizabeth Harmon
Harlequin, Carina Press
Kerri Buckley, editor
The Strongest Steel by Scarlett Cole
St. Martin’s Press
Elizabeth Poteet, editor
Viking Warrior Rising by Asa Maria Bradley
Sourcebooks, Casablanca
Cat Clyne, editor
Contemporary Romance: Long
Brokedown Cowboy by Maisey Yates
Harlequin, HQN
Margo Lipschultz, editor
Fire Me Up by Kimberly Kincaid
Kensington Publishing Corp., Zebra
Alicia Condon, editor
Love Me Sweet by Tracy Brogan
Amazon, Montlake
Kelli Martin, editor
Love Somebody Like You by Susan Fox
Kensington Publishing Corp., Zebra
Martin Biro, editor
Once Kissed by Cecy Robson
Penguin Random House, Loveswept
Sue Grimshaw, editor
Redemption Bay by RaeAnne Thayne
Harlequin, HQN
Gail Chasan, editor
Searching for Beautiful by Jennifer Probst
Simon & Schuster, Gallery Books
Lauren McKenna, editor
Second Chance Summer by Jill Shalvis
Grand Central Publishing
Leah Hultenschmidt, editor
The Secret Sister by Brenda Novak
Harlequin, MIRA
Paula Eykelhof, editor
Contemporary Romance: Mid-Length
A Cold Creek Christmas Story by RaeAnne Thayne
Harlequin, Special Edition
Gail Chasan, editor
Dances Under the Harvest Moon by Joanne Rock
Harlequin, Superromance
Adrienne Macintosh, editor
Falling for Mister Wrong by Lizzie Shane
Self-published
Kristan Andrews, editor
Him by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy
Self-published
Edie Danford, editor
Just Say Yes by Elizabeth Hayley
Penguin Random House, NAL
Laura Fazio, editor
Love After All by Jaci Burton
Penguin Random House, Berkley
Kate Seaver, editor
The Marriage Contract by Katee Robert
Grand Central Publishing, Forever
Leah Hultenschmidt, editor
Not a Fairy Tale by Romy Sommer
HarperCollins, HarperImpulse
Charlotte Ledger, editor
Once Pure by Cecy Robson
Penguin Random House, Loveswept
Sue Grimshaw, editor
Romancing Miss Right by Lizzie Shane
Self-published
Kristan Andrews, editor
Contemporary Romance: Short
A Bramble House Christmas by CJ Carmichael
Tule Publishing
Sinclair Sawhney, editor
Carter Bravo’s Christmas Bride by Christine Rimmer
Harlequin, Special Edition
Gail Chasan, editor
Chance of a Lifetime by Marissa Clarke
Entangled Publishing, Lovestruck
Liz Pelletier, editor
Heated Moments by Phyllis Bourne
Harlequin, Kimani Romance
Glenda Howard, editor
His Lost-and-Found Bride by Scarlet Wilson
Harlequin, Mills & Boon Romance
Carly Byrne, editor
The Nanny Plan by Sarah M. Anderson
Harlequin, Desire
Stacy Boyd, editor
One Night with Her Bachelor by Kat Latham
Tule Publishing, Montana Born Books
Sinclair Sawhney, editor
The Prince She Never Forgot by Scarlet Wilson
Harlequin, Mills & Boon Romance
Carly Byrne, editor
Tempting the Knight by Heidi Rice
Tule Publishing
Kelly Hunter, editor
Three Nights Before Christmas by Kat Latham
Tule Publishing
Sinclair Sawhney, editor
Erotic Romance
Break Me Down by Roni Loren
Penguin Random House, Berkley Intermix
Kate Seaver, editor
For Real: A Spires Story by Alexis Hall
Riptide Publishing
Sarah Lyons, editor
Say My Name by J. Kenner
Ballantine Bantam Dell, Bantam Books
Shauna Summers, editor
Sugar by Seressia Glass
Penguin Random House
Cindy Hwang, editor
Three Little Mistakes by Nikki Sloane
Self-published
Lori Whitwam, editor
Historical Romance: Long
Bella and the Beast by Olivia Drake
St. Martin’s Press
Jennifer Enderlin, editor
Earls Just Want to Have Fun by Shana Galen
Sourcebooks, Casablanca
Deb Werksman, editor
If the Viscount Falls by Sabrina Jeffries
Simon & Schuster, Pocket Books
Micki Nuding, editor
Tiffany Girl by Deeanne Gist
Simon & Schuster, Howard Books
Beth Adams, editor
Tremaine’s True Love by Grace Burrowes
Sourcebooks, Casablanca
Deb Werksman, editor
Historical Romance: Short
Falling into Bed with a Duke by Lorraine Heath
HarperCollins, Avon Books
May Chen, editor
It Started with a Scandal by Julie Anne Long
HarperCollins, Avon Books
May Chen, editor
Say Yes to the Marquess by Tessa Dare
HarperCollins, Avon Books
Tessa Woodward, editor
Secrets of a Scandalous Heiress by Theresa Romain
Sourcebooks, Casablanca
Deb Werksman, editor
The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy by Julia Quinn
HarperCollins, Avon Books
Lyssa Keusch, editor
Sweetest Scoundrel by Elizabeth Hoyt
Grand Central Publishing
Amy Pierpont, editor
Inspirational Romance
A Love Like Ours by Becky Wade
Baker Publishing Group, Bethany House
Charlene Patterson and Raela Schoenherr, editors
Mistletoe Justice by Carol J. Post
Harlequin, Love Inspired Suspense
Rachel Burkot, editor
The Mountain Midwife by Laurie Alice Eakes
HarperCollins, Zondervan
Becky Phillpot, editor
A Noble Masquerade by Kristi Ann Hunter
Baker Publishing Group, Bethany House
Raela Schoenherr, editor
The Rescued by Marta Perry
Penguin Random House, Berkley
Ellen Edwards, editor
Paranormal Romance
Midnight’s Kiss by Thea Harrison
Penguin Random House, Berkley Sensation
Cindy Hwang, editor
Must Love Chainmail by Angela Quarles
Self-published
Erynn Newman and Jessa Slade, editors
Possessed by a Wolf by Sharon Ashwood
Harlequin, Nocturne
Ann Leslie Tuttle, editor
The Shattered Court by M. J. Scott
Penguin Random House, NAL ROC
Jessica Wade, editor
Soulbound by Kristen Callihan
Grand Central Publishing, Forever
Alex Logan, editor
Stars of Fortune by Nora Roberts
Penguin Random House, Berkley
Leslie Gelbman, editor
Viking Warrior Rising by Asa Maria Bradley
Sourcebooks, Casablanca
Cat Clyne, editor
Romance Novella
All’s Fair in Love and Scandal by Caroline Linden
HarperCollins, Avon Impulse
Lyssa Keusch, editor
Blue Streak: A Blue Series Novella by Jules Barnard
Self-published
Shelley Bates, editor
“Desert Heat” by Merline Lovelace
in Course of Action: Crossfire
Harlequin, Romantic Suspense
Patience Bloom, editor
“Her Secret Prince” by Madeline Ash
in Royal Holiday
Tule Publishing Group
Laurie Johnson, editor
“Let It Shine” by Alyssa Cole
in The Brightest Day, a Juneteenth Historical Romance Anthology
Self-published
Arynn Nichols, editor
Nice Girls Don’t Ride by Roni Loren
Penguin Random House, Berkley Intermix
Kate Seaver, editor
One Little Kiss by Robin Covington
Self-published
Nicole Bailey, editor
The Resurrection of Sam Sloan by Erin Quinn
Self-published
Toward the Sunrise by Elizabeth Camden
Baker Publishing Group, Bethany House
Raela Schoenherr, editor
Romantic Suspense
Barefoot with a Bodyguard by Roxanne St. Claire
Self-published
Kristi Yanta, editor
Barefoot with a Stranger by Roxanne St. Claire
Self-published
Kristi Yanta, editor
Facing Fire by HelenKay Dimon
HarperCollins, Avon Books
May Chen, editor
Fatal Frenzy by Marie Force
Harlequin, Carina Press
Alissa Davis, editor
Flash Fire by Dana Marton
Self-published
In the Waning Light by Loreth Anne White
Amazon, Montlake Romance
Charlotte Herscher and JoVon Sotak, editors
She Can Kill by Melinda Leigh
Amazon, Montlake Romance
Charlotte Herscher and Anh Schluep, editors
The Strongest Steel by Scarlett Cole
St. Martin’s Press
Elizabeth Poteet, editor
Target Engaged by M. L. Buchman
Sourcebooks, Casablanca
Deb Werksman, editor
Young Adult Romance
The Anatomical Shape of a Heart by Jenn Bennett
Macmillan, Feiwel & Friends
Anna Roberto, editor
Followed by Frost by Charlie N. Holmberg
Amazon, 47North
Jason Kirk, editor
Rikki by Abigail Strom
Self-published
Unspoken by C. C. Hunter
St. Martin’s Press, Griffin
Rose Hilliard, editor
2016 Golden Heart Finalists
Contemporary Romance
“An Education” by Brooke Salisbury
“Façade” by Susan Bickford
“Off the Rails” by Monique Headley
“Shelter Me” by Gabrielle Luthy
“Smiling Underwater” by Sydney Carroll
“The Sniper’s Second Shot” by Tracy Brody
“Sometimes You Need a Sexy Scot” by Melonie Johnson
“Soul Song” by Rayn Ellis
“Surrender to the Movie Star” by Melanie McCarthy
“Welcome Home, Katie Gallagher” by Seana Kelly
Historical Romance
“Besotted with the Viscount” by Susanna Malcolm
“A Curious Correspondence” by Amelia Ridley
“The Earl and the Pussycat” by Elizabeth King
“The Impetuous Miss Milton” by Renee Ann Miller
“My Lord Mercenary” by Tracey Amey
“Taming the Earl” by Elizabeth King
“An Unbridled Gentleman” by Eileen Emerson
“Undone” by Elizabeth Rue
“Wild Women and the Blues” by Denny S. Bryce
Inspirational Romance
“For the Love of Termites” by Kimberly MacCarron
“One More Breath” by Pamela Kopfler
“Scottish Warrior” by Laura Stolmeier
Paranormal Romance
“Better Dead” by Pamela Kopfler
“Constant Craving” by Kari Cole
“Don’t Call Me Cupcake” by Tara Sheets
“Kissed at Midnight” by Ainsley Wynter
“The Mer Chronicles: A Duty Too Far” by Kate Ramirez
“Taxing Courtship” by Janelle Lohr
“WØLFF: Rise of the Valdyr” by Alison Pritchard writing as Alyson McLayne
Romantic Suspense
“Escape from the Harem” by Diana Belchase
“Four Tragedies” by Layla Reyne
“In the Wrong Sights” by Tracy Brody
“Love in Hiding” by Diane Holiday
“Ruby Red” by Melanie Novak
“The Truth Is in the Tango” by Arianna James
Short Contemporary Romance
“Breaking Her Rules” by Sarah Hall
“In the Fast Lane” by Evie Anderson
“Rescuing Riley” by Carrie Nichols
Young Adult Romance
“The Accidental Boyfriend” by Lori Freeland
“The Beekeeper” by Meg Kassel
“Between Never & Always” by TL Sumner
“The Expedition” by Mary Sullivan
“Field Guide to a Girl” by Nicole Hohmann
“The Other Cheek” by McCall Hoyle
“Senior Tag: The Underwear Games” by Sheri Adkins
