Rita Award - Romantic Novella (Awarded by Romance Writers of America)

Awards List

2014

Love Me, Cowboy
(Winner)
Jane Porter

Sizzle
(Finalist)
Jennifer Crusie
  • / Contemporary Romance
  • Buy Buy

Take What You Want
(Finalist)
Jeanette Grey
  • / General Fiction
  • Buy Buy

How to Misbehave
(Finalist)
Ruthie Knox

Too Fast to Fall
(Finalist)
Victoria Dahl
in Be Mine

Imagine Me and You
(Finalist)
Maisey Yates
in Animal Attraction

How to Marry a Highlander: A Novella
(Finalist)
Katharine Ashe

Defending Truth
(Finalist)
Shannon McNear
in A Pioneer Christmas Collection

The Bridesmaid
(Finalist)
Julia London

Take Me, Cowboy
(Finalist)
Jane Porter

Mine Under the Mistletoe
(Finalist)
Kat Latham

2013

Take Me, Cowboy
(Winner)
Jane Porter

The Valentine's Curse
(Finalist)
Jodi Thomas
in Be My Texas Valentine

Once Upon a Valentine: Sleeping with a Beauty
(Finalist)
Leslie Kelly / Leslie A. Kelly

The Duchess of Love
(Finalist)
Sally MacKenzie

Seduced by a Pirate
(Finalist)
Eloisa James

Breathless
(Finalist)
Sophie Jordan

Room at the Inn
(Finalist)
Ruthie Knox

2012

I Love the Earl: A Novella
(Winner)
Caroline Linden

Resolution
(Finalist)
Linda Winstead Jones

Compassion Can't Wait
(Finalist)
Carly Phillips
in More Than Words 7

Angels' Wolf
(Finalist)
Nalini Singh
in Crimes by Moonlight

Chaos in Death
(Finalist)
J.D. Robb
in The Unquiet

Her Greatest Treasure
(Finalist)
Mary Blayney
in The Unquiet

One Wish: A Christmas Story
(Finalist)
Jodi Thomas
in A Texas Christmas

Unforgiven
(Finalist)
Ruth Ryan Langan
in The Unquiet

A Royal Engagement: The Storm Within
(Finalist)
Trish Morey

2011

Shifting Sea
(Winner)
Virginia Kantra
in Burning Up (Berkley)

Blame It on the Blizzard
(Finalist)
Jennifer Greene
in Baby, It's Cold Outside (Entangled)

Love Me to Death
(Finalist)
Maggie Shayne
in Heart of Darkness

To Be a Mother: Mountain Rose
(Finalist)
Cheryl St. John

Born on the 4th of July: Friendly Fire
(Finalist)
Jill Shalvis

A Dundee Christmas
(Finalist)
Brenda Novak

Under the Millionaire's Mistletoe: The Wrong Brother
(Finalist)
Maureen Child

2010

The Christmas Eve Promise
(Winner)
Molly O'Keefe
in The Night Before Christmas (Harlequin)

The Diamonds Of Welbourne Manor: Annalise and the Scandalous Rake
(Finalist)
Deb Marlowe

The Diamonds Of Welbourne Manor: Charlotte and the Wicked Lord
(Finalist)
Amanda McCabe

Devil's Bargain
(Finalist)
Christine Warren
in Huntress

The Robber Bride
(Finalist)
Marjorie M. Liu
in Huntress

A Little Night Magic
(Finalist)
Allyson James
in Hot for the Holidays

This Wicked Gift
(Finalist)
Courtney Milan
in The Heart of Christmas

Vampire's Ball
(Finalist)
Angela Knight
in Hot for the Holidays

On a Snowy Christmas
(Finalist)
Brenda Novak
in The Night Before Christmas (Harlequin)

This Wicked Gift: A Novella
(Finalist)
Courtney Milan

2009

The Fall of Rogue Gerard
(Winner)
Stephanie Laurens
in It Happened One Night

The Valentine Gift: Our Day
(Finalist)
Jean Brashear

Thicker Than Blood
(Finalist)
Meljean Brook
in First Blood

Aftershock: Penance
(Finalist)
Sharon Sala

Only You
(Finalist)
Jacquie D'Alessandro
in It Happened One Night

Holiday Gamble
(Finalist)
Jane Feather
in Snowy Night with a Stranger

One Candlelit Christmas: Blame It on the Mistletoe
(Finalist)
Terri Brisbin

A Snowy Night with a Highlander
(Finalist)
Julia London
in Snowy Night with a Stranger

Heating Up The Holidays: All He Wants for Christmas...
(Finalist)
Jill Shalvis

2008

Like Mother, Like Daughter (But In A Good Way): Born in My Heart
(Winner)
Jennifer Greene

Angel and the Hellraiser
(Finalist)
Vickie Taylor
in Demon's Delight

Witch Way
(Finalist)
Maryjanice Davidson
in Demon's Delight

Mischief and the Marquess
(Finalist)
Sylvia Day
in Perfect Kisses

Ruby Kiss
(Finalist)
Noelle Mack
in Perfect Kisses

A Western Winter Wonderland: Christmas Day Family
(Finalist)
Cheryl St. John

A Western Winter Wonderland: Fallen Angel
(Finalist)
Jenna Kernan

Eternity in Death
(Finalist)
J.D. Robb
in Dead of Night

On the Fringe
(Finalist)
Mary Kay McComas
in Dead of Night

Holiday with a Vampire: Christmas Cravings
(Finalist)
Maureen Child

2007

'Tis the Silly Season
(Winner)
Roxanne St. Claire
in NASCAR Holiday

An Affair to Remember
(Finalist)
Emilie Rose
in And The Envelope, Please...

Bad Boys Ahoy! // Scandalous Liaisons
(Finalist)
Sylvia Day

The Reluctant Hero
(Finalist)
Lorraine Heath
in My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys

Ready and Willing
(Finalist)
Tanya Michaels
in The Boys Are Back In Town

Somebody's Lover
(Finalist)
Jasmine Haynes

Summer Breeze
(Finalist)
Jacquie D'Alessandro
in Come September

You Can Count on Me
(Finalist)
Roxanne St. Claire
in I'll Be Home for Christmas

2006

The Naked Truth about Guys
(Winner)
Alesia Holliday
in The Naked Truth

Blood Lust
(Finalist)
Vickie Taylor
in Bite

Playing for Keeps
(Finalist)
Cherry Adair
in Dare Me

The Betrothal: Highland Handfast
(Finalist)
Joanne Rock

A Proper Englishwoman
(Finalist)
Eloisa James
in Talk of the Ton

Glad Rags
(Finalist)
Connie Brockway
in The True Love Wedding Dress

The Perfect Fit
(Finalist)
Barbara Metzger
in The True Love Wedding Dress

Simon Says
(Finalist)
Jane Thompson

2005

Her Best Enemy
(Winner)
Maggie Shayne
in Night's Edge

The Best of Both Worlds
(Finalist)
Suzanne Enoch
in Lady Whistledown Strikes Back

Father and the Notorious Miss Newman
(Finalist)
Lynn Collum
in A Wife for Papa

The First Kiss
(Finalist)
Julia Quinn
in Lady Whistledown Strikes Back

Surrender
(Finalist)
Julie Elizabeth Leto / Julie Leto
in Essence of Midnight

The Edge of Memory
(Finalist)
Kathleen O'Brien
in Mysteries of Lost Angel Inn

Wolf Moon
(Finalist)
Nora Roberts
in Moon Shadows

Daydream Believer
(Finalist)
Maggie Shayne
in Man of My Dreams

Midsummer Night's Magic
(Finalist)
Virginia Kantra
in Man of My Dreams

Out on a Limb
(Finalist)
Christie Ridgway
in Mistletoe and Mayhem

Shocking Lucy
(Finalist)
Suzanne Forster
in Man of My Dreams

2004

Prisoner of the Tower
(Winner)
Gayle Wilson
in The Wedding Chase

A Dozen Kisses
(Finalist)
Mia Ryan
in The Further Observations of Lady Whistledown

Thirty-Six Valentines
(Finalist)
Julia Quinn
in The Further Observations of Lady Whistledown

Two Hearts
(Finalist)
Karen Hawkins
in The Further Observations of Lady Whistledown

Two by Twilight: Run from Twilight
(Finalist)
Maggie Shayne

Against the Odds
(Finalist)
Lisa Kleypas
in Where's My Hero?

A Tale of Two Sisters
(Finalist)
Julia Quinn
in Where's My Hero?

The Yearning
(Finalist)
Hannah Howell
in His Immortal Embrace

Seven Days
(Finalist)
Ruth Wind
in Lakota Legacy

2003

To Kiss in the Shadows
(Winner)
Lynn Kurland
in Tapestry

Breeding Season
(Finalist)
Lisa Cach
in A Mother's Way

The Bed Is Made
(Finalist)
Connie Brockway
in Once upon a Pillow

The Bed Is Unmade
(Finalist)
Christina Dodd
in Once upon a Pillow

Kismet
(Finalist)
Fiona Brand
in Sheiks of Summer

An Interrupted Tapestry
(Finalist)
Madeline Hunter
in Tapestry

A Rancher in Her Stocking
(Finalist)
Leanne Banks
in So This Is Christmas

2002

I Will
(Winner)
Lisa Kleypas
in Wish List

The Demon's Mistress: A Novella
(Finalist)
Jo Beverley
in In Praise of Younger Men

The Rose and the Sword
(Finalist)
Jill Gregory
in Once Upon a Rose

Winter Rose
(Finalist)
Nora Roberts
in Once Upon a Rose

Night and Day: Night
(Finalist)
Anne Stuart

Santa Baby
(Finalist)
Patricia Ryan
in Naughty or Nice?

2001

Special Report: Final Approach to Forever
(Winner)
Merline Lovelace

Baby, It's Cold Outside
(Finalist)
Kristine Rolofson
in Millenium Baby

The Enchantment
(Finalist)
Ruth Ryan Langan
in Once upon a Dream

In Dreams
(Finalist)
Nora Roberts
in Once upon a Dream

2000

Starry, Starry Night
(Winner)
Marianne Willman
in Once Upon a Star

Award Categories

Best Romance

Contemporary Romance: Long

Contemporary Romance: Mid-Length

Contemporary Romance: Short

Contemporary Series Romance

Contemporary Series Romance: Suspense/Adventure

Contemporary Single Title

Erotic Romance

Erotica

First Book

Futuristic/Fantasy/Paranormal

Historical Romance

Historical Romance: Long

Historical Romance: Short

Historical Series

Historical Single Title

Inspirational Romance

Long Contemporary Romance

Long Contemporary Series

Long Historical Romance

Novel with Strong Romantic Elements

Paranormal Romance

Regency Romance

Romance Novella

Romantic Novella

Award Years

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

1998

1997

1996

1995