2019 RITA Winners

Romance Writers of America (RWA) announced the winners of the 2019 RITA^® Awards on July 26 in New York City, New York. 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

Lady in Waiting

Lady in Waiting by Marie Tremayne
HarperCollins, Avon Impulse
Elle Keck, editor

Contemporary Romance: Mid-Length Winner

Advanced Physical Chemistry

Advanced Physical Chemistry by Susannah Nix
Self-published
Julia Ganis, editor

Erotic Romance Winner

Three-Way Split

Three-Way Split by Elia Winters
Entangled Publishing, LLC, Scorched
Tera Cuskaden, editor

Historical Romance: Short Winner

Between the Devil and the Duke

A Duke in the Night by Kelly Bowen
Grand Central Publishing, Forever
Alex Logan, editor

Paranormal Romance Winner

Dearest Ivie

Dearest Ivie by J. R. Ward
Ballantine Bantam Dell, Ballantine Books
Kara Welsh, editor

Romance with Religious or Spiritual Elements Winner

Saturday Night Supper Club

The Saturday Night Supper Club by Carla Laureano
Tyndale House Publishers
Sarah Rische and Jan Stob, editors

Young Adult Romance Winner

My So-Called Bollywood Life

My So-Called Bollywood Life by Nisha Sharma
Crown Books for Young Readers
Phoebe Yeh, editor

Contemporary Romance: Long Winner

Long Shot

Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan
Self-Published
Lauren Clarke, editor

Contemporary Romance: Short Winner

The Bachelor's Baby Surprise

The Bachelor’s Baby Surprise by Teri Wilson
Harlequin, Special Edition
Gail Chasan, editor

Historical Romance: Long Winner

A Wicked Kind of Husband

A Wicked Kind of Husband by Mia Vincy
Self-Published

Mainstream Fiction with a Central Romance Winner

How to Keep a Secret

How to Keep a Secret by Sarah Morgan
Harlequin, HQN
Flo Nicoll, editor

Romance Novella Winner

Bad Blood

Bad Blood by M. Malone
Self-published
Angela Ramey, editor

Romantic Suspense Winner

Fearless

Fearless by Elizabeth Dyer
Self-published