2018 RITA Winners

Romance Writers of America (RWA) announced the winners of the 2018 RITA® Awards on July 19 in Denver, Colorado. The RITA—the highest award of distinction in romance fiction—recognizes excellence in published romance novels and novellas. Congratulations to this year's winners!

 

Best First Book Winner

Take the LeadAlexis Daria
Take the Lead by Alexis Daria
St. Martin's Press, Swerve
Holly Ingraham, editor

Contemporary Romance: Mid-Length Winner

Tell MeAbigail Strom
Tell Me by Abigail Strom
Amazon, Montlake Publishing
Maria Gomez and Charlotte Herscher, editors

Erotic Romance Winner

Dirty WickedJ Kenner
Wicked Dirty by J. Kenner
Martini & Olive Books
Martini & Olive, editor

Historical Romance: Short Winner

Waltzing with the Earl Catherine Tinley
Waltzing with the Earl by Catherine Tinley
Harlequin Mills & Boon, Historical
Julia Williams, editor

Paranormal Romance Winner

Hunt the Darkness Stephanie Rowe
Hunt the Darkness by Stephanie Rowe
Self-Published
 

Romance with Religious or Spiritual Elements Winner

Then There Was You Kara Isaac
Then There Was You by Kara Isaac
Self-Published
Iola Goulton and Halee Matthews, editors

Young Adult Romance Winner

Seize Today Pintip Dunn
Seize Today by Pintip Dunn
Entangled Publishing, Entangled Teen
Liz Pelletier, editor

Contemporary Romance: Long Winner

Falling HardLexi Ryan
Falling Hard by Lexi Ryan
Self-Published
Rhonda Merwarth, editor

Contemporary Romance: Short Winner

Second Chance SummerKait Nolan
Second Chance Summer by Kait Nolan
Self-Published
Susan Bischoff, editor

Historical Romance: Long Winner

Between the Devil and the Duke Kelly Bowen
Between the Devil and the Duke by Kelly Bowen
Grand Central Publishing, Forever
Alex Logan, editor

Mainstream Fiction with a Central Romance Winner

Now that You Mention It Kristan Higgins
Now that You Mention It by Kristan Higgins
Harlequin, HQN
Susan Swinwood, editor

Romance Novella Winner

Forbidden River Brynn Kelly
Forbidden River by Brynn Kelly
Harlequin, HQN
Allison Carroll, editor

Romantic Suspense Winner

The Fixer HelenKay Dimon
The Fixer by HelenKay Dimon
HarperCollins, Avon Books
May Chen, editor