Congratulations to this year's RITA and Golden Heart Finalists!
We'll keep you updated as the names are announced, but here are the finalists so far, as posted by RWA today:
2011 RITA Finalists for Best First Book
Enemy Within by Marcella Burnard (Berkley; Leis Pederson, editor)
Firestorm by Kelly Ann Riley (Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense; Tina James, editor)
I Now Pronounce You Someone Else by Erin McCahan (Scholastic; Cheryl Klein, editor)
The Iron King by Julie Kagawa (Harlequin Teen; Natashya Wilson, editor)
Pieces of Sky by Kaki Warner (Berkley Sensation; Wendy McCurdy, editor)
A Tailor-Made Bride by Karen Witemeyer (Bethany House Publishers; Karen Schurrer, editor)
Wanna Get Lucky? by Deborah Coonts (Tor/Forge; Bob Gleason, editor)
When Harry Met Molly by Kieran Kramer (St. Martin's Press; Jennifer Enderlin, editor)
2011 RITA Finalists for Contemporary Series Romance
Breaking the Sheikh's Rules in the Summer Sheikhs anthology by Abby Green (Mills & Boon; Meg Lewis, editor)
Christmas Magic on the Mountain by Melissa McClone (Harlequin Romance; Joanne Grant, editor)
Christmas with Her Boss by Marion Lennox (Harlequin Romance; Sheila Hodgson, editor)
Red-Hot Renegade by Kelly Hunter (Mills & Boon Modern Heat; Joanne Grant, editor)
An Unexpected Father by Lisa Ruff (Harlequin American Romance; Johanna Raisanen, editor)
Welcome Home, Cowboy by Karen Templeton (Silhouette Special Edition; Gail Chasan, editor)
Zoe and the Tormented Tycoon by Kate Hewitt (Harlequin Presents; Meg Lewis, editor)
2011 RITA Finalists for Contemporary Series Romance: Suspense/Adventure
The Baby's Guardian by Delores Fossen (Harlequin Intrigue; Allison Lyons, editor)
Case File: Canyon Creek, Wyoming by Paula Graves (Harlequin Intrigue; Allison Lyons, editor)
To Catch a Killer by Kimberly Van Meter (Silhouette Romantic Suspense; Johanna Raisanen, editor)
A Cop in Her Stocking by Ann Voss Peterson (Harlequin Intrigue; Allison Lyons, editor)
Meltdown by Gail Barrett (Silhouette Romantic Suspense; Susan Litman, editor)
The Moon That Night by Helen Brenna (Harlequin Superromance; Johanna Raisanen, editor)
Perfect Partners? by C.J. Carmichael (Harlequin Superromance; Johanna Raisanen, editor)
Renegade Angel by Kendra Leigh Castle (Harlequin Nocturne; Ann Leslie Tuttle, editor)
2011 RITA Finalists for Contemporary Single Title Romance
And One Last Thing by Molly Harper (Gallery Books; Jennifer Heddle, editor)
Happy Ever After by Nora Roberts (Berkley Trade; Leslie Gelbman, editor)
Lead Me On by Victoria Dahl (HQN Books; Tara Parsons, editor)
Not That Kind of Girl by Susan Donovan (St. Martin's Press; Monique Patterson, editor) (Read an excerpt from Susan Donovan's upcoming release with Celeste Bradley, A Courtesan's Guide to Getting Your Man (June 2011))
Nothing But Trouble by Rachel Gibson (Avon Books; Lucia Macro, editor)
One Fine Cowboy by Joanne Kennedy (Sourcebooks Casablanca; Deb Werksman, editor)
Simply Irresistible by Jill Shalvis (Forever; Alex Logan, editor)
Still the One by Robin Wells (Forever; Selina McLemore, editor)
2011 RITA Finalists for Historical Romance
Countess of Scandal by Laurel McKee (Forever; Alex Logan, editor)
The Forbidden Rose by Joanne Bourne (Berkley Trade; Wendy McCurdy, editor)
His at Night by Sherry Thomas (Bantam Books; Caitlin Alexander, editor)
A Kiss at Midnight by Eloisa James (Avon Books; Carrie Feron, editor)
Last Night’s Scandal by Loretta Chase (Avon; May Chen, editor)
A Little Bit Wild by Victoria Dahl (Zebra Books; John Scognamiglio, editor)
One Wicked Sin by Nicola Cornick (HQN Books; Kimberley Young, editor)
Open Country by Kaki Warner (Berkley Trade; Wendy McCurdy, editor)
2011 RITA Finalists for Inspirational Romance
A Convenient Wife by Anna Schmidt (Steeple Hill Love Inspired Historical; Tina James, editor)
Doctor in Petticoats by Mary Connealy (Barbour Publishing; Rebecca Germany, editor)
Finding Her Way Home by Linda Goodnight (Steeple Hill Love Inspired; Allison Lyons, editor)
In Harm’s Way by Irene Hannon (Revell; Jennifer Lep, editor)
Maid to Match by Deeanne Gist (Bethany House Publishers; David Long and Julie Klassen, editors)
Shades of Morning by Marlo M. Schalesky (WaterBrook Multnomah; Shannon Marchese, editor)
The Wedding Garden by Linda Goodnight (Steeple Hill Love Inspired; Allison Lyons, editor)
Whisper on the Wind by Maureen Lang (Tyndale House Publishers; Stephanie Broene, editor)
Within My Heart by Tamera Alexander (Bethany House Publishers; Karen Schurrer and Charlene Patterson, editors)
2011 RITA Finalists for Novel With Strong Romantic Elements
Blood Vines by Erica Spindler (St. Martin’s Press; Jennifer Weis, editor)
The Dead Travel Fast by Deanna Raybourn (MIRA; Valerie Gray, editor)
Killbox by Ann Aguirre (Ace Books; Anne Sowards, editor)
On Folly Beach by Karen White (NAL Accent; Cindy Hwang, editor)
The Search by Nora Roberts (G.P. Putnam’s Sons; Leslie Gelbman, editor)
Stormwalker by Allyson James (Berkley Sensation; Kate Seaver, editor)
Wanna Get Lucky? by Deborah Coonts (Tor/Forge; Bob Gleason, editor)
Welcome to Harmony by Jodi Thomas (Berkley; Wendy McCurdy, editor)
2011 RITA Finalists for Paranormal Romance
Enemy Within by Marcella Burnard (Berkley; Leis Pederson, editor)
A Highlander's Homecoming by Melissa Mayhue (Pocket Books; Megan McKeever, editor)
Immortal Sea by Virginia Kantra (berkley Trade; Cindy Hwang, editor)
Marked by the Moon by Lori Handeland (St. Martin's Press; Jennifer Enderlin, editor)
Rebel by Zoe Archer (Zebra Books; Megan Records, editor)
Sins of the Heart by Eve Silver (HQN Books; Tara Parsons, editor)
Unchained: the Dark Forgotten by Sharon Ashwood (NAL/Signet Eclipse; Laura Cifelli, editor)
Water Bound by Christine Feehan (Jove; Cindy Hwang, editor)
2011 RITA Finalists for Regency Historical Romance
His Christmas Pleasure by Cathy Maxwell (Avon Books; Lucia Macro, editor)
The Mischief of the Mistletoe by Lauren Willig (Dutton; Erika Imranyi, editor)
Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean (Avon Books; Carrie Feron, editor)
Provocative in Pearls by Madeline Hunter (Jove; Wendy McCurdy, editor)
To Surrender to a Rogue by Cara Elliott (Forever; Frances Jalet-Miller, editor)
Twice Tempted by a Rogue by Tessa Dare (Ballantine Books; Kate Collins, editor)
When Harry Met Molly by Kieran Kramer (St. Martin's Press; Jennifer Enderlin, editor)
The Wicked Wyckerly by Patricia Rice (NAL/Signet; Ellen Edwards, editor)
2011 RITA Finalists for Romance Novella
“Blame It on the Blizard” by Jennifer Greene in Baby, It's Cold Outside (Harlequin; Marsha Zinberg, editor)
“A Dundee Christmas” by Brenda Novak in That Christmas Feeling (Harlequin Superromance; Paula Eykelhof, editor)
“Friendly Fire” by Jill Shalvis in Born on the 4th of July (Harlequin Blaze; Brenda Chin, editor)
“Love Me to Death” by Maggie Shayne in Heart of Darkness (HQN Books)
“Mountain Rose” by Cheryl St. John in To Be a Mother (Steeple Hill Love Inspired Historical; Patience Smith, editor)
“Shifting Sea” by Virginia Kantra in Burning Up (Berkley Sensation; Cindy Hwang, editor)
“The Wrong Brother” by Maureen Child in Under the Millionaire’s Mistletoe (Silhouette Desire; Krista Stroever, editor)
2011 RITA Finalists for Romantic Suspense
The Darkest Hour by Maya Banks (Berkley; Cindy Hwang, editor)
Deadly Fear by Cynthia Eden (Forever; Alex Logan, editor)
Edge of Sight by Roxanne St. Claire (Forever; Amy Pierpont, editor)
Indulgence in Death by J.D. Robb (G.P. Putnam’s Sons; Leslie Gelbman, editor)
Kill Me Again by Maggie Shayne (MIRA; Leslie Wainger, editor)
Love Me to Death by Allison Brennan (Ballantine Books; Charlotte Herscher & Kate Collins, editors)
Silent Scream by Karen Rose (Grand Central; Karen Kosztolnyik, editor)
Two Lethal Lies by Annie Solomon (Forever; Michele Bidelspach, editor)
2011 RITA Finalists for Young Adult Romance
Chasing Brooklyn by Lisa Schroeder (Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing; Annette Pollert, editor)
The Clearing by Heather Davis (Houghton Mifflin Graphia; Julie Tibbott, editor)
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing; Karen Wojtyla, editor)
I Now Pronounce You Someone Else by Erin McCahan (Scholastic; Cheryl Klein, editor)
The Iron King by Julie Kagawa (Harlequin Teen; Natashya Wilson, editor)
Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles (Walker Publishing; Emily Easton, editor)
The Summer of Skinny Dipping by Amanda Howells (Sourcebooks Fire; Deb Werksman)
2011 Golden Heart Finalists for Contemporary Series Romance
Beauty and the Ballplayer by Arlene Hittle
Legacy of Love by Anna Sugden
Lost and Found by Jo Anne Banker
Loving Ellie by Lindsey Brookes
Savannah Sighs by Nan Dixon
The Nanny's Secret by Ami Weaver
The Tycoon and the Nature Girl by Nola Cross
Willing to Learn by Maria Connor
2011 Golden Heart Finalists for Contemporary Series Romance—Suspense/Adventure
Good Guy in Disguise by Charis Calhoon
In Her Sights by Robin Lynn Perini
Stolen Lullaby by Robin Lynn Perini
The Tycoon and the Nature Girl by Nola Cross
2011 Golden Heart Finalists for Contemporary Single Title
Fatal Trust by Donna L. Meier
Getting Even by Terri Lynn Backhus
Island Healing by Virginia E. McCullough
Love and Football by Julie Brannagh
Sail Away by Chris Campillo
The Moment of Impossible Movement by Kimberly Kincaid
The Sinners by Lisa Connelly
Tin Angel by Alexa Loran
2011 Golden Heart Finalists for Historical Romance
Bound by Honor by Nancy Northcutt
Changing Fortunes by Victoria Morgan Garge
The Dark Lady by Maire Shelley
In My Lady's Sight by Gwynlyn MacKenzie
Never Deceive a Lady by Kathryn H. Parker
Paper Hearts by Kay Hudson
The Runaway Countess by Leigh LaValle
The Widow Anabilla by Jennifer McQuiston
2011 Golden Heart Finalists for Inspirational Romance
At His Command by Ruth Kaufman
Love Thy Neighbor by Cheryl Nagro
Pinch-Hit Dad by Laurie Kellogg
Stealing Jake by Pam Hillman
2011 Golden Heart Finalists for Novel With Strong Romantic Elements
Driving Without a License by Laurel Warren
Five O’Clock Whistle by Nancy A. Lytle
From Baghdad with Love by Gail Zerrade
Murder, Curlers and Canes by Arlene McFarlane
Nearly Departed in Deadwood by Ann Charles
Season to Taste by Lia DeAngelo
Solace by Anna K. Steffi
Totally Dody by Tracy Brogan
2011 Golden Heart Finalists for Paranormal Romance
Assassin's Gambit by Amy Raby
The Blood Sworn King by Trisza Ray
Dreaming of You by Babette B. DeJongh
Echo 8 by Sharon Lynn Fisher
Guardian Devil by Karen S. Mendoza
The Outer Planets by Laurie Green
P2PC by Laurie A. Green
The Soldier by Anna Richland
2011 Golden Heart Finalists for Regency Historical Romance
A Tale of Two Sisters by Aislinn MacNamara
How to Reform a Rake by Anne Barton
More Than A Stranger by Erin Kelly
The Proper Miss’s Guide to Bad Behavior by Anne Barton
One Night to Scandal by Sara Ramsey
Secrets of a Wedding Night by Valerie Bowman
2011 Golden Heart Finalists for Romantic Suspense
Blind Fury by Gwen Hernandez
Body of Evidence by Rachel Grant
Borderlands by Krista Reynolds
Concrete Evidence by Rachel Grant
Closure by Death by Donna Meier
Juliet’s Rogue by Sharon Wray
Locked, Loaded and Lying by Sarah Ann Andre
Spy in the Mirror by Diana Van Dyke
2011 Golden Heart Finalists for Young Adult Romance
Irresistible by Suzanne Kaufman Kalb
The Dead Guy Downstairs by Sheri Adkins
The Lies that Bind by Shelley Coriell
Maids of Honor by Jennifer Stark w/a Jennifer McGowan
Piper's Kiss by Sheryl Carpenter
Secret Life by Bria Quinlan
Spark by Darcy Woods
Underhanded by Shoshana Brown
Gold heart on book image courtesy of jcoterhals via Flickr
Last Update: 3/26 12:13 PM ET
