2013 RITA® Awards - the best in romance writing

The RITA^® Awards - the highest award of distinction in romance fiction—recognizes excellence in published romance novels and novellas. 

Listed below are a selection of the 2013 RITA winners.  Please visit their website to see the full list of winners.

~Best First Book Winner

The Haunting of Maddy Clare (M)
by Simone St. James

"In 1920s England, Sarah Piper is sent by her temporary agency to assist a ghost hunter, Alistair Gellis, as he investigates the spirit of Maddy Clare, a young serving maid said to haunt the barn where she committed suicide. The ghost is no hoax, and Sarah is soon caught up in trying to discover who Maddy was, where she came from, and why she is desperate for revenge."

~Paranormal Romance Winner

Shadow’s Claim (M)
by Kresley Cole

"Trehan Daciano, known as the Prince of Shadows, has spent his life serving his people - striking in the night, quietly executing any threat to their realm. The coldly disciplined swordsman has never desired anything for himself - until he beholds Bettina, the sheltered ward of two of the Lore's most fearsome villains."

~Contemporary Single Title Romance Winner

The Way Back Home (M)
by Barbara Freethy

"Ex-Marine Gabe Ryder has lost a lot in his life. His mother died when he was a toddler. His father succumbed to alcoholism. And a week before their last day of service, a horrific firefight takes the life of his best friend and brother-in-arms, Rob Hayden. Now Gabe must fulfill his friend's dying wish by helping Rob's twin sister, Alicia. But when Alicia's son and his best friend run away, Alicia and Gabe realize they must face their deepest fears and work together to bring them back, before the river rises."

~Romantic Suspense Winner

Scorched (M)
by Laura Griffin

The dead don’t speak, but Kelsey knows their secrets. As a forensic anthropologist at the Delphi Center crime lab, Kelsey makes it her mission to identify bodies using no more than shards of bone, and her find at a remote Philippines dig hints at a sinister story. When Kelsey’s search for answers puts her at the scene of her exfiancé’s murder, only one man can help her. The same man who broke her heart just months before, and who is also a prime suspect. Faced with an ultimatum— Kelsey or his job—Gage Brewer did the only thing a Navy SEAL could . . . but that doesn’t mean he stopped wanting Kelsey. Now Kelsey is running for her life and Gage is her last line of defense. As the threats escalate, Kelsey realizes this conspiracy goes deeper and higher than they could have guessed. With the clock ticking down on a madman’s plot, the slightest misstep will have unthinkable consequences. . . .

~Historical Romance Winner

A Rogue by Any Other Name (M)
by Sarah MacLean

"A decade ago, the Marquess of Bourne was cast from society with nothing but his title. Now a partner in London's most exclusive gaming hell, the cold, ruthless Bourne will do whatever it takes to regain his inheritance-including marrying perfect, proper Lady Penelope Marbury. A broken engagement and years of disappointing courtships have left Penelope with little interest in a quiet, comfortable marriage, and a longing for something more. How lucky that her new husband has access to an unexplored world of pleasures. Bourne may be a prince of London's illicit underworld, but he vows to keep Penelope untouched by its wickedness-a challenge indeed as the lady discovers her own desires, and her willingness to wager anything for them...even her heart."

~Inspirational Romance Winner

Against the Tide (M)
by Elizabeth Camden 

"As a child, Lydia Pallas became all too familiar with uncertainty when it came to the future. Now, she's finally carved out a perfect life for herself--a life of stability and order with no changes, surprises, or chaos of any kind. She adores her apartment overlooking the bustling Boston Harbor, and her skill with languages has landed her a secure position as a translator for the U.S. Navy. However, it is her talent for translation that brings her into contact with Alexander Banebridge, or "Bane," a man who equally attracts and aggravates her."