Congratulations to the 2015 RITA finalists
Romance authors across the world woke up to some exciting phone calls this morning, letting them know they're finalists for Romance of America's prestigious RITA Award. Winners will be announced in July at RWA's national conference in New York City. Here are the RITA finalists for 2015 (as of 3:15 p.m. ET), courtesy of RWA.org, where you can also check out this year's Golden Heart finalists:
BEST FIRST BOOK
A Bollywood Affair by Sonali Dev
The Dress Thief by Natalie Meg Evans
Fake by Beck Nicholas
For Such a Time by Kate Breslin
Mind Sweeper by AE Jones
Purely Professional by Elia Winters
Run to You by Clara Kensie
The Smuggler Wore Silk by Alyssa Alexander
To Scotland with Love by Patience Griffin
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE: LONG
Baby, It's You by Jane Graves
The Best Medicine by Tracy Brogan
Fever Pitch by Heidi Cullinan
It's in His Kiss by Jill Shalvis
The Place I Belong by Nancy Herkness
Slow Tango with a Prince by Nicole Burnham
Somebody Like You by Beth Vogt
The Sweetest September by Liz Talley
To Scotland with Love by Patience Griffin
The Vixen and the Vet by Kate Regnery
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE: MID-LENGTH
Carolina Man by Virginia Kantra
Her Cowboy Hero by Tanya Michaels
Her Kind of Trouble by Sarah Mayberry
Her Temporary Hero by Jennifer Apodaca
Love with a Perfect Cowboy by Lori Wilde
Once a Family by Tara Taylor Quinn
One in a Million by Jill Shalvis
Reforming the Playboy by Inara Scott
Starting with June by Emilie Rose
Worth the Fall by Caitie Quinn
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE: SHORT
The Bachelor Doctor's Bride by Caro Carson
Bad Girl by Julie Miller
Blueprint for a Kiss by Nancy Warren
A Bride for the Blacksheep Brother by Emily McKay
Enemies with Benefits by Louisa George
The Headmaster by Tiffany Reisz
Her Unforgettable Royal Lover by Merline Lovelace
A Texas Rescue Christmas by Caro Carson
What the Greek Can't Resist by Maya Blake
Yours Forever by Farrah Rochon
EROTIC ROMANCE
Bonds of Denial by Lynda Aicher
Call Me Saffron by Talia Surova
Purely Professional by Elia Winters
The Saint by Tiffany Reisz
Wanted by J. Kenner
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HISTORICAL ROMANCE: LONG
Douglas: Lord of Heartache by Grace Burrowes
Fool Me Twice by Meredith Duran
A Place Called Harmony by Jodi Thomas
Where the Horses Run by Kaki Warner
Worth: Lord of Reckoning by Grace Burrowes
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HISTORICAL ROMANCE: SHORT
The Bells of Times Square by Amy Lane
The Cowboy's Reluctant Bride by Debra Cowan
Darling Beast by Elizabeth Hoyt
The Gentleman Rogue by Margaret McPhee
In Bed with a Rogue by Samantha Grace
Romancing the Duke by Tessa Dare
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INSPIRATIONAL ROMANCE
Deceived by Irene Hannon
For Such a Time by Kate Breslin
Hope at Dawn by Stacy Henrie
Huckleberry Summer by Jennifer Beckstrand
The Widow's Suitor by Rose Ross Zediker
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PARANORMAL ROMANCE
Be Careful What You Kiss For by Jane Lynne Daniels
Bitter Spirits by Jenn Bennett
Burn for Me by Cynthia Eden
The Darkest Touch by Gena Showalter
Evernight by Kristen Callihan
Forged By Desire by Bec McMaster
Mind Sweeper by AE Jones
My Lady, My Lord by Katharine Ashe
ROMANCE NOVELLA
10 Rules to Sex Up a Blind Date by Heidi Rice
"A Game of Brides" by Megan Crane in Love Me True
Her Best Laid Plans by Cara McKenna
His Road Home by Anna Richland
Kiss and Tell by Grace Burrowes
The Last Wicked Scoundrel by Lorraine Heath
"A Love Letter to the Editor" by Robin Lee Hatcher in Four Weddings & a Kiss
Pushing the Line by Kimberly Kincaid
"Will You Be My Wi-Fi?" by Caroline Linden in At the Billionaire's Wedding
"A Yorkshire Christmas" by Kate Hewitt in All I Want For Christmas
ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
Concealed in Death by J. D. Robb
Forged in Ash by Trish McCallan
Grave Danger by Katy Lee
Honor Reclaimed by Tonya Burrows
Into the Shadows by Carolyn Crane
Lock and Load by Kimberley Troutte
Midnight Action by Elle Kennedy
You're Not Safe by Mary Burton
YOUNG ADULT ROMANCE
Boys Like You by Juliana Stone
Plus One by Elizabeth Fama
Run to You by Clara Kensie
Some Boys by Patty Blount
OTHER AWARDS
In addition to the RITAs, RWA announced this week the following award recipients, and, yes, that's HEA's very own curator, Joyce Lamb (moi!), receiving the Veritas Award "for the article that appears in print or in another medium that best depicts the romance genre in a positive light":
• RWA Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award: Carole Mortimer
• RWA Emma Merritt Service Award: Lorraine Heath
• RWA Service Awards: Lynn Coddington and Barbara Dunlop
• RWA Vivian Stephens Industry Award: Mary-Theresa Hussey
• RWA Cathie Linz Librarian of the Year: Lisa Schimmer, NoveList
• RWA Steffie Walker Bookseller of the Year: Tom Luce, Powell's Books
• RWA Veritas Award: Joyce Lamb, Happy Ever After, for the post 6 Things We Love about EW's Spread on Romance Novels
Find out more about the award finalists at RWA.org.