2002 Rita Award Winners

Awards List

Contemporary Single Title

True Confessions (Winner)
Rachel Gibson

Aug-2001
/ Contemporary Romance

First Book

The Border Bride (Winner)
Elizabeth English

Oct-2001
/ Historical Romance

Futuristic/Fantasy/Paranormal

HeartMate (Winner)
Robin D. Owens

Nov-2001
/ Fantasy Romance

Inspirational Romance

Beneath a Southern Sky (Winner)
Deborah Raney

Jun-2001
/ Romance

Long Contemporary Series

Coming Home to You (Winner)
Fay Robinson

Jan-2001
/ Contemporary Romance

Long Historical Romance

The Bridal Season (Winner)
Connie Brockway

Nov-2001
/ Historical Romance

Regency Romance

Much Obliged (Winner)
Jessica Benson

Apr-2001
/ Traditional Regency

Romantic Novella

I Will (Winner)
Lisa Kleypas

in Wish List

Nov-2001
/ Historical Romance

Romantic Suspense

The Surgeon (Winner)
Tess Gerritsen

Sep-2001
/ Medical Thriller

Short Contemporary Series Romance

A Long Hot Christmas (Winner)
Barbara Daly

Dec-2001
/ Contemporary Romance

Short Historical Romance

Tempt Me Twice (Winner)
Barbara Dawson Smith

Sep-2001
/ Historical Romance

Traditional Romance

Quinn's Complete Seduction (Winner)
Sandra Steffen

May-2001
/ Contemporary Romance

Contemporary Single Title

The Four Seasons (Finalist)
Mary Alice Monroe

Feb-2001
/ Contemporary Romance

I Got You, Babe (Finalist)
Jane Graves

Aug-2001
/ Contemporary Romance

Some Kind of Wonderful (Finalist)
Barbara Freethy

Sep-2001
/ Contemporary Romance

Midnight Bayou (Finalist)
Nora Roberts

Oct-2001
/ Paranormal Romance

First Book

Fallen (Finalist)
Celeste Bradley

Jun-2001
/ Historical Romance

Secret Vows (Finalist)
Mary Reed McCall

Sep-2001
/ Historical Romance

HeartMate (Finalist)
Robin D. Owens

Nov-2001
/ Fantasy Romance

Hide-and-Sheikh (Finalist)
Gail Dayton

Nov-2001
/ Contemporary Romance

The Nightingale's Song (Finalist)
Kathleen Eschenburg

Nov-2001
/ Historical Romance

Futuristic/Fantasy/Paranormal

Destiny (Finalist)
Maggie Shayne

Feb-2001
/ Paranormal Romance

Aphrodite's Kiss (Finalist)
Julie Kenner

Apr-2001
/ Paranormal Romance

Dance Upon the Air (Finalist)
Nora Roberts

Jun-2001
/ Paranormal Romance

To Charm a Knight (Finalist)
Linda Kay

Nov-2001
/ Romance

Heaven and Earth (Finalist)
Nora Roberts

Dec-2001
/ Paranormal Romance

Inspirational Romance

The Guardian (Finalist)
Dee Henderson

Feb-2001
/ Romantic Suspense

Ribbon of Years (Finalist)
Robin Lee Hatcher

Jul-2001
/ Romance

The Protector (Finalist)
Dee Henderson

Oct-2001
/ Romantic Suspense

Long Contemporary Series

Madigan's Wife (Finalist)
Linda Winstead Jones

Mar-2001
/ Contemporary Romance

Magic in a Jelly Jar (Finalist)
Sally Tyler Hayes

Apr-2001
/ Contemporary Romance

In Close Quarters (Finalist)
Candace Irvin

May-2001
/ Contemporary Romance

The Money Man (Finalist)
Carolyn McSparren

Jul-2001
/ Contemporary Romance

Notorious (Finalist)
Vicki Lewis Thompson

Aug-2001
/ Contemporary Romance

Plain-Jane Princess (Finalist)
Karen Templeton

Aug-2001
/ Contemporary Romance

The Word of a Child (Finalist)
Janice Kay Johnson

Sep-2001
/ Contemporary Romance

Long Historical Romance

The Secret Swan (Finalist)
Shana Abe

Apr-2001
/ Historical Romance

The Dragon's Bride (Finalist)
Jo Beverley

May-2001
/ Historical Romance

Enchanting Pleasures (Finalist)
Eloisa James

Jun-2001
/ Historical Romance

Nightingale's Gate (Finalist)
Linda Francis Lee

Jun-2001
/ Historical Romance

A Kiss to Remember (Finalist)
Teresa Medeiros

Jul-2001
/ Historical Romance

Summer Moon (Finalist)
Jill Marie Landis

Aug-2001
/ Historical Romance

The Border Bride (Finalist)
Elizabeth English

Oct-2001
/ Historical Romance

The Husband Test (Finalist)
Betina Krahn

Nov-2001
/ Historical Romance

Regency Romance

The Painted Lady (Finalist)
Barbara Metzger

Jul-2001
/ Traditional Regency

Under the Kissing Bough (Finalist)
Shannon Donnelly

Oct-2001
/ Historical Romance

One Good Turn (Finalist)
Carla Kelly

Dec-2001
/ Traditional Regency

Romantic Novella

The Demon's Mistress: A Novella (Finalist)
Jo Beverley

in In Praise of Younger Men

Mar-2001
/ Historical Romance

The Rose and the Sword (Finalist)
Jill Gregory

in Once Upon a Rose

Oct-2001
/ Historical Romance

Winter Rose (Finalist)
Nora Roberts

in Once Upon a Rose

Oct-2001
/ Historical Romance

Night and Day: Night (Finalist)
Anne Stuart

Nov-2001
/ Romantic Suspense

Santa Baby (Finalist)
Patricia Ryan

in Naughty or Nice?

Nov-2001
/ Contemporary Romance

Romantic Suspense

Blind Faith (Finalist)
Christiane Heggan

Jan-2001
/ Romantic Suspense

Dark Side of Dawn (Finalist)
Merline Lovelace

Jan-2001
/ Romantic Suspense

Princess Charming (Finalist)
Elizabeth Thornton

Feb-2001
/ Historical Romance

Betrayal in Death (Finalist)
J.D. Robb

Mar-2001
/ Police Procedural

Darkling, I Listen (Finalist)
Katherine Sutcliffe

Sep-2001
/ Romantic Suspense

Mercy (Finalist)
Julie Garwood

Sep-2001
/ Romantic Suspense

The Perfect Princess (Finalist)
Elizabeth Thornton

Nov-2001
/ Historical Romance

Short Contemporary Series Romance

The Matchmaker's Mistake (Finalist)
Jane Sullivan

Mar-2001
/ Contemporary Romance

The Inconvenient Bride (Finalist)
Anne McAllister

May-2001
/ Contemporary Romance

Fortune's Secret Daughter (Finalist)
Barbara McCauley

Sep-2001
/ Contemporary Romance

Jingle Bell Bride? (Finalist)
Jennifer LaBrecque

Nov-2001
/ Contemporary Romance

Sinclair's Surprise Baby (Finalist)
Barbara McCauley

Nov-2001
/ Contemporary Romance

Under the Covers (Finalist)
Jamie Denton

Dec-2001
/ Contemporary Romance

In Dante's Debt (Finalist)
Jane Porter

Jan-2003
/ Contemporary Romance

Short Historical Romance

The Horse Soldier (Finalist)
Merline Lovelace

Jan-2001
/ Historical Romance

Never Marry a Cowboy (Finalist)
Lorraine Heath

Feb-2001
/ Historical Romance

Suddenly You (Finalist)
Lisa Kleypas

Jun-2001
/ Historical Romance

White Lion's Lady (Finalist)
Tina St. John

Aug-2001
/ Historical Romance

Once a Mistress (Finalist)
Rebecca Hagan Lee

Sep-2001
/ Historical Romance

Halfway to Heaven (Finalist)
Susan Wiggs

Oct-2001
/ Historical Romance

Traditional Romance

Just One Kiss (Finalist)
Carla Cassidy

Jan-2001
/ Contemporary Romance

Accidental Fiancee (Finalist)
Renee Roszel

Mar-2001
/ Contemporary Romance

Doctor on Loan (Finalist)
Marion Lennox

Mar-2001
/ Contemporary Romance

The Bachelor's Baby (Finalist)
Liz Fielding

Aug-2001
/ Contemporary Romance

His Baby, Her Heart (Finalist)
Sue Swift

Aug-2001
/ Contemporary Romance

Adopted: Twins! (Finalist)
Marion Lennox

Mar-2002
/ Contemporary Romance

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

Award Years

Romance

Mystery/Thriller

Speculative

Younger Readers

2002 Rita Award (Awarded by Romance Writers of America)

Awards List

Award Categories

Award Years