RITA Award

The RITA Award, presented by the Romance Writers of America (RWA) from 1990 to 2019, was the most prominent award for English-language romance fiction. It was named for the RWA's first president, Rita Clay Estrada. After not being awarded in 2020, it was replaced by the Vivian Award, which was awarded once in 2021.

Procedure

The RITA Award opened for entries in the fall. Entrants had to supply five printed books by the posted deadline. Each title was judged by five separate judges during the preliminary round. Finalists were announced in mid-March and winners were announced at the annual award ceremony, held on the last day of the RWA's National Conference, which was normally held in July. Winning authors received a gold statuette while book editors received a plaque.

Controversies

In their final years, the RITA and Vivian awards were both at the center of various controversies because of objectionable content and a lack of diversity in the winning works.

2015 RITA Awards controversy

In 2015, '' For Such a Time'', written by Kate Breslin and published by Bethany House, was nominated for two RITA Awards, in the Best Inspirational Romance and Best First Book categories. The nominations were criticized as antisemitic, because the book was set in Theresienstadt concentration camp during World War II and featured a Jewish prisoner being saved by an SS officer, falling in love with him and converting to Christianity.

2018-2020 diversity controversy

The RITA Awards, like the English-language romance fiction industry as a whole, were overwhelmingly dominated by white authors. This caused controversy in 2018 when Alyssa Cole's ''An Extraordinary Union'', a novel about interracial romance during the American Civil War, made no appearance among the RITA Awards finalists despite winning multiple other awards. Instead, all finalists were about white women, of which all but one fell in love with British aristocrats. In response, the RWA board noted that less than half of 1% of finalists were by Black authors, of which none had ever won the award, and gave a commitment to improve the diversity of the award. The board issued an apology after the 2019 finalists again underrepresented persons of color or LGBTQ+ persons.

In 2019, Kennedy Ryan became the first Black woman to be awarded a RITA.

RWA cancelled the 2020 RITA Awards after several contestants and judges withdrew due to diversity concerns. The award was abolished as part of a major restructuring of the RWA's awards to improve the diversity of award winners, provide training for judges, and add awards for unpublished novels and better definitions of award categories and romance subgenres. A new award, the Vivian, named after Black RWA founder Vivian Stephens, was launched in late 2020.

2021 Vivian Awards controversy

The inaugural Vivian Award in 2021 caused further controversy. The "Romance with Religious or Spiritual Elements" category winner ''At Love’s Command'', written by Karen Witemeyer and published by Bethany House, faced criticism of anti-Indigenous racism. The book featured an American soldier as the male protagonist, who had taken part in massacres of Indigenous nations, including the Wounded Knee Massacre, and portrayed Indigenous religious practices as inferior to Christian ones. In response, Sara Whitney, the winner in the Best Mid-length Contemporary Romance category, announced that she would be returning her award in protest, because of "its narrow definition of inspirational romance and discussion of characters seeking redemption from 'crimes against humanity' prove the organization has not listened or learned from its current or former members."

The RWA initially defended the award, writing: "Romance with Religious or Spiritual Elements requires a redemptive arc as a genre convention." It said that no judges had submitted any concerns over the book, but that they would be creating a task force to assess "the overall effectiveness of the contest to include the contest process, rubric, and entry and judging guidelines." A day later, however, the RWA rescinded the award with the following statement: "We cannot in good conscience uphold the decision of the judges in voting to celebrate a book that depicts the inhumane treatment of indigenous people and romanticizes real world tragedies that still affect people to this day."

Categories

The RITA Award categories, as of 2017, were:
*Best First Book
*Contemporary Romance (subcategories)
**Long Contemporary Romance
**Mid-Length Contemporary Romance
**Short Contemporary Romance
*Erotic Romance
*Historical Romance (subcategories)
**Long Historical Romance
**Short Historical Romance
*Mainstream Fiction with a Central Romance ormerly ''Novel with Strong Romantic Elements''*Paranormal Romance
*Romance Novella
*Romance with Religious or Spiritual Elements ormerly ''Inspirational Romance''
*Romantic Suspense
*Young Adult Romance

The Vivian Award categories, as of 2021, are:

* Best First Published Book
* Contemporary Romance (subcategories)
** Long Contemporary Romance
** Mid-Length Contemporary Romance
** Short Contemporary Romance
* Erotic Romance
* Historical Romance (subcategories)
** Long Historical Romance
** Mid-Length Historical Romance
** Short Historical Romance
* Mainstream Fiction with a Central Romance
* Most Anticipated Romance
* Romance with Religious or Spiritual Elements
* Romantic Suspense (subcategories)
** Long Romantic Romance
** Mid-Length Romantic Romance
** Short Romantic Romance
* Speculative Romance (subcategories)
** Long Speculative Romance
** Mid-Length Speculative Romance
** Short Speculative Romance
* Young Adult Romance

RITA Award winners

Source: RWA

Best First Book

* 1990 ''Out of the Blue'' by Alaina Hawthorne
* 1991 ''Black Horse Island'' by Dee Holmes
* 1992 ''Candle in the Window'' by Christina Dodd
* 1993 ''Trust Me'' by Jeane Renick
* 1994 ''A Candle in the Dark'' by Megan Chance
* 1995 ''Ghostly Enchantment'' by Angie Ray
* 1996 ''The Warlord'' by Elizabeth Elliott
* 1997 ''Stardust of Yesterday'' by Lynn Kurland
* 1998 ''Brazen Angel'' by Elizabeth Boyle
* 1999 ''My Darling Caroline'' by Adele Ashworth
* 2000 ''The Maiden and The Unicorn'' by Isolde Martyn
* 2001 ''A Man Like Mac'' by Fay Robinson
* 2002 ''The Border Bride'' by Elizabeth English
* 2003 ''Shades of Honor'' by Wendy Lindstrom
* 2004 ''Back Roads'' by Susan Crandall
* 2005 ''Time Off For Good Behavior'' by Lani Diane Rich
* 2006 ''Show Her The Money'' by Stephanie Feagan
* 2007 ''The Husband Trap'' by Tracy Anne Warren
* 2008 ''Dead Girls Are Easy'' by Terri Garey
* 2009 ''Oh. My. Gods.'' by Tera Lynn Childs
* 2010 ''One Scream Away'' by Kate Brady
* 2011 ''Pieces of Sky'' by Kaki Warner
* 2012 ''First Grave on the Right'' by Darynda Jones
* 2013 ''The Haunting of Maddy Clare'' by Simone St. James
* 2014 ''The Sweet Spot'' by Laura Drake
* 2015 ''Run to You'' by Clara Kensie
* 2016 ''Forget Tomorrow'' by Pintip Dunn
* 2017 ''Once and For All: An American Valor Novel'' by Cheryl Etchison"2017 RITA Winners," Romance Writers of America, accessed Sept. 8, 2017.
*2018 ''Take the Lead'' by Alexis Daria
*2019 ''Lady in Waiting'' by Marie Tremayne

Contemporary Romance

* 1982
** Category Contemporary: ''Winner Take All'' by Brooke Hastings
** Mainstream Contemporary: ''The Sun Dancers'' by Barbara Faith
* 1983
** Contemporary Mainstream: ''Opal Fires'' by Lynda Trent
** Contemporary Sensual: ''The Heart’s Victory'' by Nora Roberts
** Contemporary Sweet: ''Renegade Player'' by Dixie Browning
* 1984
** Contemporary Under 65,000 words: ''Memory and Desire'' by Eileen Bryan
** Contemporary 65–80,000 words: ''This Magic Moment'' by Nora Roberts & ''Destiny's Sweet Errand'' by Deirdre Mardon
** Traditional: ''Untamed'' by Nora Roberts
* 1985
** Long Contemporary Series: ''A Matter of Choice'' by Nora Roberts
** Mainstream: ''After All These Years'' by Kathleen Gilles Seidel
** Short Contemporary: ''Opposites Attract'' by Nora Roberts
** Traditional: ''The Karas Cup'' by Brittany Young
* 1986
** Long Contemporary Series: ''Today, Tomorrow and Always'' by Georgia Bockoven
** Short Contemporary: ''Much Needed Holiday'' by Joan Hohl
** Single Title: ''Banish Misfortune'' by Anne Stuart
** Traditional: ''The Crystal Unicorn'' by Doreen Malek
* 1987
** Long Contemporary Series: ''One Summer'' by Nora Roberts
** Short Contemporary: ''Still Waters'' by Kathleen Creighton
** Single Title: ''Sunshine and Shadow'' by Tom and Sharon Curtis
** Traditional: ''Opal Fire'' by Sandy Dengler
* 1988
** Long Contemporary Series: ''In the Defense of Love'' by Kathleen Creighton
** Short Contemporary: ''Stolen Moments'' by Terri Herrington
** Single Title: ''Twilight Whispers'' by Barbara Delinsky
** Traditional: ''It Takes a Thief'' by Rita Rainville
* 1989
** Long Contemporary Series: ''A Crime of the Heart'' by Cheryl Reavis
** Short Contemporary: ''Winter’s Daughter'' by Kathleen Creighton
** Single Title: ''Leaves of Fortune'' by Linda Barlow
** Traditional: ''Flirtation River'' by Bethany Campbell
* 1990
** Long Contemporary Series: ''The Ice Cream Man'' by Kathleen Korbel
** Short Contemporary Series: '' Night of the Hunter'' by Jennifer Greene
** Single Title Contemporary: ''Private Relations'' by Diane Chamberlain
** Traditional: ''Rhapsody in Bloom'' by Mona Van Wieren
* 1991
** Long Contemporary Series: ''Patrick Gallagher’s Widow'' by Cheryl Reavis
** Short Contemporary Series: ''Step Into My Parlor'' by Jan Hudson
** Traditional: ''Song of the Lorelei'' by Lucy Gordon
* 1992
** Long Contemporary Series: ''A Rose for Maggie'' by Kathleen Korbel
** Short Contemporary Series: ''A Human Touch'' by Glenda Sanders
** Single Title Contemporary: ''A Man to Die For'' by Eileen Dreyer
** Traditional: ''Every Kind of Heaven'' by Bethany Campbell
* 1993
** Long Contemporary Series: ''The Silence of Midnight'' by Karen Young
** Short Contemporary Series: ''Navarrone'' by Helen R. Myers
** Single Title Contemporary: ''This Time Forever'' by Kathleen Eagle
** Traditional: ''Father Goose'' by Marie Ferrarella
* 1994
** Long Contemporary Series: ''Dragonslayer'' by Emilie Richards
** Short Contemporary Series: ''Avenging Angel'' by Glenna McReynolds
** Contemporary Single Title: ''Private Scandals'' by Nora Roberts
** Traditional: ''Annie and the Wise Men'' by Lindsay Longford
* 1995
** Contemporary Single Title: ''Again'' by Kathleen Gilles Seidel
** Long Contemporary Series: ''A Soldier’s Heart'' by Kathleen Korbel
** Short Contemporary Series: ''Getting Rid of Bradley'' by Jennifer Crusie
** Traditional: ''Oh Baby!'' by Lauryn Chandler
* 1996
** Contemporary Single Title: ''Born in Ice'' by Nora Roberts
** Long Contemporary Series: ''The Morning Side of Dawn'' by Justine Davis
** Short Contemporary Series: ''Single Dad'' by Jennifer Greene
** Traditional: ''Stranger in Her Arms'' by Elizabeth Sites
* 1997
** Contemporary Single Title: ''Daniel’s Gift'' by Barbara Freethy
** Long Contemporary Series: ''Wild Blood'' by Naomi Horton
** Short Contemporary Series: ''Cowboy Pride'' by Anne McAllister
** Traditional: ''Her Very Own Husband'' by Lauryn Chandler
* 1998
** Contemporary Single Title: '' Nobody's Baby But Mine'' by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
** Long Contemporary Series: ''Reckless'' by Ruth Wind
** Short Contemporary Series: ''Nobody's Princess'' by Jennifer Greene
** Traditional: ''His Brother's Child'' by Lucy Gordon
* 1999
** Contemporary Single Title: ''Dream A Little Dream'' by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
** Long Contemporary: ''Meant to Be Married'' by Ruth Wind
** Short Contemporary: ''The Notorious Groom'' by Caroline Cross
** Traditional: ''Monday Man'' by Kristin Gabriel
* 2000
** Contemporary Single Title: ''Body Guard'' by Suzanne Brockmann
** Long Contemporary: ''Undercover Princess'' by Suzanne Brockmann
** Short Contemporary: ''The Stardust Cowboy'' by Anne McAllister
** Traditional: ''Annie, Get Your Groom'' by Kristin Gabriel
* 2001
** Contemporary Single Title: ''First Lady'' by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
** Long Contemporary: ''Rogue's Reform'' by Marilyn Pappano
** Short Contemporary: ''It Takes A Rebel'' by Stephanie Bond
** Traditional Romance: ''The Best Man & The Bridesmaid'' by Liz Fielding
* 2002
** Contemporary Single Title: ''True Confessions'' by Rachel Gibson
** Long Contemporary: ''Coming Home To You'' by Fay Robinson
** Short Contemporary: ''A Long Hot Christmas'' by Barbara Daly
** Traditional: ''Quinn's Complete Seduction'' by Sandra Steffen
* 2003
** Contemporary Single Title: ''No Place Like Home'' by Barbara Samuel
** Long Contemporary: ''Taking Cover'' by Catherine Mann
** Short Contemporary: ''Taming The Outlaw'' by Cindy Kay Gerard
** Traditional: ''The Christmas Basket'' by Debbie Macomber
* 2004
** Contemporary Single Title: ''Birthright'' by Nora Roberts
** Long Contemporary: ''The Top Gun's Return'' by Kathleen Creighton
** Short Contemporary: ''The Knight's Kiss'' by Nicole Burnham
** Traditional: ''Her Royal Baby'' by Marion Lennox
* 2005
** Contemporary Single Title: '' Bet Me'' by Jennifer Crusie
** Long Contemporary: ''John Riley's Girl'' by Inglath Cooper
** Short Contemporary: ''Miss Pruitt's Private Life'' by Barbara McCauley
** Traditional: ''Christmas Eve Marriage'' by Jessica Hart
* 2006
** Contemporary Single Title: ''Lakeside Cottage'' by Susan Wiggs
** Long Contemporary: ''Worth Every Risk'' by Dianna Love Snell
** Short Contemporary: ''The Marriage Miracle'' by Liz Fielding
** Traditional: ''Princess of Convenience'' by Marion Lennox
* 2007
** Contemporary Single Title: ''Adios To My Old Life'' by Caridad Ferrer
** Long Contemporary: ''The Mommy Quest'' by Lori Handeland
** Short Contemporary: ''From the First'' by Jessica Bird
** Traditional: ''Claiming His Family'' by Barbara Hannay
* 2008
** Contemporary Single Title: ''Catch of the Day'' by Kristan Higgins
** Contemporary Series: ''Snowbound'' by Janice Johnson
** Contemporary Series-Suspense/Adventure: ''Treasure'' by Helen Brenna
* 2009
** Contemporary Single Title: ''Not Another Bad Date'' by Rachel Gibson
** Contemporary Series: ''A Mother's Wish'' by Karen Templeton
** Contemporary Series-Suspense/Adventure: ''Danger Signals'' by Kathleen Creighton
* 2010
** Contemporary Single Title: ''Too Good To Be True'' by Kristan Higgins
** Contemporary Series: ''A Not-So-Perfect Past'' by Beth Andrews
** Contemporary Series-Suspense/Adventure: ''The Soldier's Secret Daughter'' by Cindy Dees
* 2011
** Contemporary Single Title: ''Simply Irresistible'' by Jill Shalvis
** Contemporary Series: ''Welcome Home, Cowboy'' by Karen Templeton
** Contemporary Series-Suspense/Adventure: ''The Moon That Night'' by Helen Brenna
* 2012
** Contemporary Single Title: ''Boomerang Bride'' by Fiona Lowe
** Contemporary Series: ''Doukaki's Apprentice'' by Sarah Morgan
** Contemporary Series-Suspense/Adventure: ''Soldier's Last Stand'' by Cindy Dees
* 2013
** Contemporary Single Title: ''The Way Back Home'' by Barbara Freethy
** Long Contemporary Series: ''A Gift For All Season'' by Karen Templeton
** Short Contemporary Series: ''A Night of No Return'' by Sarah Morgan
* 2014
** Contemporary Single Title: ''Crazy Thing Called Love'' by Molly O'Keefe
** Short Contemporary Series: ''Why Resist a Rebel?'' by Leah Ashton
* 2015
** Long Contemporary Romance: ''Baby, It's You'' by Jane Graves
** Mid-Length Contemporary Romance: ''One in a Million'' by Jill Shalvis
** Short Contemporary Romance: ''A Texas Rescue Christmas'' by Caro Carson
* 2016
** Long Contemporary Romance: ''Brokedown Cowboy'' by Maisey Yates
** Mid-Length Contemporary Romance: ''Him'' by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy (first self-published winner in this category)
** Short Contemporary Romance: ''The Nanny Plan'' by Sarah M. Anderson
* 2017
** Long Contemporary Romance: ''Miracle on 5th Avenue'' by Sarah Morgan
** Mid-Length Contemporary Romance: ''Carolina Dreaming'' by Virginia Kantra
** Short Contemporary Romance: ''Christmas on Crimson Mountain'' by Michelle Major
* 2018
** Long Contemporary Romance: ''Falling Hard'' by Lexi Ryan
** Mid-Length Contemporary Romance: ''Tell Me'' by Abigail Strom
** Short Contemporary Romance: ''Second Chance Summer"''by Kait Nolan
*2019
** Long Contemporary Romance: ''Long Shot'' by Kennedy Ryan
** Mid-Length Contemporary Romance: ''Advanced Physical Chemistry'' by Susannah Nix
** Short Contemporary Romance: ''The Bachelor’s Baby Surprise'' by Teri Wilson

Erotic Romance

* 2014 ''Claim Me'' by J. Kenner
* 2015 ''The Saint'' by Tiffany Reisz
* 2016 ''For Real: A Spires Story'' by Alexis Hall
* 2017 ''Off the Clock'' by Roni Loren
* 2018 ''Wicked Dirty'' by J. Kenner
* 2019 ''Three-Way Split'' by Elia Winters

Historical Romance

* 1982
** Best Mainstream Historical Romance: ''Day Beyond Destiny'' by Anna James
** Best Category Historical Romance: ''Rendezvous at Gramercy'' by Constance Ravenlock
* 1983
** Best Mainstream Historical Romance: ''The Endearment'' by LaVyrle Spencer
** Best Category Historical Romance: ''Defiant Love'' by Mara Seger
* 1984
** Best Historical Romance: ''Hummingbird'' by LaVyrle Spencer
** Best Category Historical Romance: ''The Clergyman’s Daughter'' by Julie Jeffries
* 1985
** Best Regency Romance: ''The Lurid Lady Lockport'' by Kasey Micheals
** Best Historical Romance: ''Twice Loved'' by LaVyrle Spencer
* 1986
** Best Regency Romance: ''The Beauty’s Daughter'' by Monette Cummings
** Best Historical Romance: ''Not So Wild a Dream'' by Francine Rivers
* 1987
** Best Regency Romance: ''Lord Abberley’s Nemesis'' by Amanda Scott
** Best Historical Romance: ''By Right of Arms'' by Robyn Carr
* 1988
** Best Regency Romance: ''Sugar Rose'' by Susan Carroll
** Best Historical Romance: ''The Gamble'' by LaVyrle Spencer
* 1989
** Best Regency Romance: ''Brighton Road'' by Susan Carroll
** Best Historical Romance: ''Sunflower'' by Jill Marie Landis
* 1990
** Best Series Historical: ''Silver Noose'' by Patricia Gardner
** Best Single Title Historical: '' The Bride'' by Julie Garwood
** Best Regency Romance: ''The Rake and the Reformer'' by Mary Jo Putney
* 1991
** Best Series Historical: ''A Wild Yearning'' by Penelope Williamson
** Best Single Title Historical : ''Where Love Dwells'' by Elizabeth Stuart
** Best Regency Romance: ''The Sandalwood Princess'' by Loretta Chase
* 1992
** Best Series Historical: ''The Tender Texan'' by Jodi Thomas
** Best Single Title Historical: ''Courting Miss Hattie'' by Pamela Morsi
** Best Regency Romance: ''Emily and the Dark Angel'' by Jo Beverley
* 1993
** Best Historical Series: ''The Prisoner'' by Cheryl Reavis
** Best Historical Single Title: ''Keeper of the Dream'' by Penelope Williamson
** Best Regency Romance: ''An Unwilling Bride'' by Jo Beverley
* 1994
** Best Historical Series: ''My Lady Notorious'' by Jo Beverley
** Best Historical Single Title: ''Untamed'' by Elizabeth Lowell
** Best Regency Romance: ''Deidre and Don Juan'' by Jo Beverley
* 1995
** Best Historical Romance: ''To Tame a Texan’s Heart'' by Jodi Thomas
** Best Long Historical Romance: ''Dancing on the Wind'' by Mary Jo Putney
** Best Regency Romance: ''Mrs. Drew Plays Her Hand'' by Carla Kelly
* 1996
** Long Historical Romance: ''Something Shady'' by Pamela Morsi
** Short Historical Romance: '' Lord of Scoundrels'' by Loretta Chase
** Best Regency Romance: ''Gwen's Christmas Ghost'' by Lynn Kerstan and Alicia Rasley
* 1997
** Long Historical Romance: ''Conor's Way'' by Laura Lee Guhrke
** Short Historical Romance: ''Always to Remember'' by Lorraine Heath
** Best Regency Romance: ''The Lady's Companion'' by Carla Kelly
* 1998
** Long Historical Romance: ''Promise of Jenny Jones'' by Maggie Osborne
** Short Historical Romance: ''Heart of a Knight'' by Barbara Samuel
** Best Regency Romance: ''Love's Reward'' by Jean R. Ewing
* 1999
** Long Historical Romance: ''My Dearest Enemy'' by Connie Brockway
** Short Historical Romance: ''Merely Married'' by Patricia Coughlin
** Best Regency Romance: ''His Grace Endures'' by Emma Jenson
* 2000
** Long Historical Romance: ''Silken Threads'' by Patricia Ryan
** Short Historical Romance: ''The Proposition'' by Judith Ivory
** Best Regency Romance: ''The Rake's Retreat'' by Nancy Butler
* 2001
** Long Historical Romance: ''Devilish'' by Jo Beverley
** Short Historical Romance: ''The Mistress'' by Susan Wiggs
** Best Regency Romance: ''A Grand Design'' by Emma Jensen
* 2002
** Long Historical Romance: ''The Bridal Season'' by Connie Brockway
** Short Historical Romance: ''Tempt Me Twice'' by Barbara Dawson Smith
** Best Regency Romance: ''Much Obliged'' by Jessica Benson
* 2003
** Long Historical Romance: ''Stealing Heaven'' by Madeline Hunter
** Short Historical Romance: ''The Bride Fair'' by Cheryl Reavis
** Best Regency Romance: ''Debt to Delia'' by Barbara Metzger
* 2004
** Long Historical Romance: ''The Destiny'' by Kathleen Givens
** Short Historical Romance: ''Worth Any Price'' by Lisa Kleypas
** Best Regency Romance: ''Prospero's Daughter'' by Nancy Butler
* 2005
** Long Historical Romance: ''Shadowheart'' by Laura Kinsale
** Short Historical Romance: ''A Wanted Man'' by Susan Kay Law
** Best Regency Romance: ''A Passionate Endeavor'' by Sophia Nash
* 2006
** Long Historical Romance: ''The Devil to Pay'' by Liz Carlyle
** Short Historical Romance: ''The Texan's Reward'' by Jodi Thomas
** Best Regency Romance: ''A Reputable Rake'' by Diane Gaston
* 2007
** Long Historical Romance: '' On the Way to the Wedding'' by Julia Quinn
** Short Historical Romance: '' The Book of True Desires'' by Betina Krahn
* 2008
** Historical Romance: ''Lessons of Desire ''by Madeline Hunter
** Regency Historical Romance: '' The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever'' by Julia Quinn
* 2009
** Historical Romance: ''The Edge of Impropriety'' by Pam Rosenthal
** Regency Historical Romance: ''My Lord and Spymaster'' by Joanna Bourne
* 2010
** Historical Romance: '' Not Quite a Husband'' by Sherry Thomas
** Regency Historical Romance: ''What Happens in London'' by Julia Quinn
* 2011
** Historical Romance: '' His at Night'' by Sherry Thomas
** Regency Historical Romance: ''The Mischief of the Mistletoe'' by Lauren Willig
* 2012
** Historical Romance: ''The Black Hawk'' by Joanna Bourne
** Regency Historical Romance: '' A Night to Surrender'' by Tessa Dare
* 2013
** Historical Romance: ''A Rogue by Any Other Name'' by Sarah MacLean
* 2014
** Historical Romance: '' No Good Duke Goes Unpunished'' by Sarah MacLean
* 2015
** Long Historical Romance: ''Fool Me Twice'' by Meredith Duran
** Short Historical Romance: ''Romancing the Duke'' by Tessa Dare
* 2016
** Long Historical Romance: ''Tiffany Girl'' by Deeanne Gist
** Short Historical Romance: ''It Started with a Scandal'' by Julie Anne Long
* 2017
** Long Historical Romance: ''No Mistress of Mine'' by Laura Lee Guhrke
** Short Historical Romance: ''A Duke to Remember'' by Kelly Bowen
* 2018
** Long Historical Romance: ''Between the Devil and the Duke'' by Kelly Bowen
** Short Historical Romance: ''Waltzing with the Earl'' by Catherine Tinley
* 2019
** Long Historical Romance: ''A Wicked Kind of Husband'' by Mia Vincy
** Short Historical Romance: ''A Duke in the Night'' by Kelly Bowen

Mainstream Fiction with a Central Romance (''Novel with Strong Romantic Elements'' prior to 2017)

* 2004 ''Between Sisters'' by Kristin Hannah
* 2005 ''A.K.A. Goddess'' by Evelyn Vaughn
* 2006 ''Lady Luck's Map of Vegas'' by Barbara Samuel
* 2007 ''A Lady Raised High'' by Jennifer Ashley w/a Laurien Gardner
* 2008 ''Silent in the Grave'' by Deanna Raybourn
* 2009 ''Tribute'' by Nora Roberts
* 2010 ''The Lost Recipe for Happiness'' by Barbara O'Neal
* 2011 '' Welcome to Harmony'' by Jodi Thomas
* 2012 ''How to Bake a Perfect Life'' by Barbara O'Neal
* 2013 ''The Haunting of Maddy Clare'' by Simone St. James
* 2014 - 2016 No winners
* 2017 ''The Moon in the Palace'' by Weina Dai Randel
* 2018 ''Now that You Mention It'' by Kristan Higgins
* 2019 ''How to Keep a Secret'' by Sarah Morgan

Paranormal Romance

* 1992 ''Angel for Hire'' by Justine Davis
* 1993 ''Emily’s Ghost'' by Antoinette Stokenberg
* 1994 ''Falling Angel'' by Anne Stuart
* 1995 ''Lord of the Storm'' by Justine Davis
* 1996 ''The Covenant'' by Modean Moon
* 1997 ''Stardust of Yesterday'' by Lynn Kurland
* 1998 ''FireHawk'' by Justine Dare
* 1999 ''The Bride Finder'' by Susan Carroll
* 2000 ''Nell'' by Jeanette Baker
* 2001 ''The Highlander's Touch'' by Karen Marie Moning
* 2002 ''Heart Mate'' by Robin D. Owens
* 2003 ''Contact'' by Susan Grant
* 2004 ''Shades of Midnight'' by Linda Fallon
* 2005 ''Blue Moon'' by Lori Handeland
* 2006 ''Gabriel's Ghost'' by Linnea Sinclair
* 2007 ''A Hunger Like No Other'' by Kresley Cole
* 2008 ''Lover Revealed'' by J.R. Ward
* 2009 ''Seducing Mr. Darcy'' by Gwyn Cready
* 2010 ''Kiss of a Demon King'' by Kresley Cole
* 2011 ''Unchained: The Dark Forgotten'' by Sharon Ashwood
* 2012 ''Dragon Bound'' by Thea Harrison
* 2013 ''Shadow's Claim'' by Kresley Cole
* 2014 ''The Firebird'' by Susanna Kearsley
* 2015 ''Evernight'' by Kristen Callihan
* 2016 ''Must Love Chainmail'' by Angela Quarles (first self-published winner in this category)
* 2017 ''The Pages of the Mind'' by Jeffe Kennedy
* 2018 ''Hunt the Darkness'' by Stephanie Rowe
* 2019 ''Dearest Ivie'' by J. R. Ward

Romance Novella

* 2000 ''Starry, Starry Night'' by Marianne Willman
* 2001 ''Final Approach to Forever'' by Merline Lovelace from ''Once Upon A Dream''
* 2002 ''I Will'' by Lisa Kleypas from ''Wish List''
* 2003 ''To Kiss in Shadows'' by Lynn Kurland
* 2004 ''Prisoner of the Tower'' by Gayle Wilson in ''The Wedding Chase''
* 2005 ''Her Enemy'' by Maggie Shayne in ''Night's Edge''
* 2006 ''The Naked Truth about Guys'' by Alesia Holliday in ''The Naked Truth''
* 2007 ''Tis the Silly Season'' by Roxanne St. Claire in ''A NASCAR Holiday''
* 2008 ''Born in My Heart'' by Jennifer Greene in ''Like Mother, Like Daughter''
* 2009 ''The Fall of Rogue Gerard'' by Stephanie Laurens in ''It Happened One Night''
* 2010 ''The Christmas Eve Promise'' by Molly O'Keefe in ''The Night Before Christmas''
* 2011 ''Shifting Sea'' by Virginia Kantra in ''Burning Up''
* 2012 ''I Love the Earl'' by Caroline Linden
* 2013 ''Seduced by a Pirate'' by Eloisa James
* 2014 ''Take Me, Cowboy'' by Jane Porter
* 2015 ''His Road Home'' by Anna Richland
* 2016 ''Nice Girls Don't Ride'' by Roni Loren
* 2017 ''Her Every Wish'' by Courtney Milan
* 2018 ''Forbidden River'' by Brynn Kelly
* 2019 ''Bad Blood'' by M. Malone

Romance with Religious or Spiritual Elements (''Inspirational Romance'' prior to 2017)

* 1985 ''For the Love of Mike'' by Charlotte Nichols
* 1986 ''From This Day Forward'' by Kathleen Karr
* 1987-1994 (no award)
* 1995 '' An Echo in the Darkness'' by Francine Rivers
* 1996 ''As Sure as the Dawn'' by Francine Rivers
* 1997 ''The Scarlet Thread'' by Francine Rivers
* 1998 ''Homeward'' by Melody Carlson
* 1999 ''Patterns of Love'' by Robin Lee Hatcher
* 2000 ''Danger in the Shadows'' by Dee Henderson
* 2001 ''The Shepherd's Voice'' by Robin Lee Hatcher
* 2002 ''Beneath a Southern Sky'' by Deborah Raney
* 2003 ''Never Say Goodbye'' by Irene Hannon
* 2004 ''Autumn Dreams'' by Gayle Roper
* 2005 ''Grounds To Believe'' by Shelley Bates
* 2006 ''Heavens To Betsy'' by Beth Pattillo
* 2007 ''Revealed'' by Tamera Alexander
* 2008 ''A Touch of Grace'' by Linda Goodnight
* 2009 ''Finding Stefanie'' by Susan May Warren
* 2010 ''The Inheritance'' by Tamera Alexander
* 2011 ''In Harm's Way'' by Irene Hannon
* 2012 ''The Measure of Katie Calloway'' by Serena B. Miller
* 2013 ''Against the Tide'' by Elizabeth Camden
* 2014 ''Five Days in Skye'' by Carla Laureano
* 2015 ''Deceived'' by Irene Hannon
* 2016 ''A Noble Masquerade'' by Kristi Ann Hunter
* 2017 ''My Hope Next Door'' by Tammy L. Gray
* 2018 ''Then There Was You'' by Kara Isaac
* 2019 ''The Saturday Night Supper Club'' by Carla Laureano

Romantic Suspense

* 1989 ''Brazen Virtue'' by Nora Roberts
* 1990 ''Perchance to Dream'' by Kathleen Korbel
* 1991 ''Night Spice'' by Karen Keast
* 1992 ''Night Shift'' by Nora Roberts
* 1993 ''Divine Evil'' by Nora Roberts
* 1994 ''Nightshade'' by Nora Roberts
* 1995 ''Hidden Riches'' by Nora Roberts
* 1996 ''Winter’s Edge'' by Anne Stuart
* 1997 ''See How They Run'' by Bethany Campbell
* 1998 ''On the Way to a Wedding'' by Ingrid Weave
* 1999 ''Cool Shade'' by Theresa Weir
* 2000 ''The Bride's Protector'' by Gayle Wilson
* 2001 ''Carolina Moon'' by Nora Roberts
* 2002 ''The Surgeon'' by Tess Gerritsen
* 2003 ''Three Fates'' by Nora Roberts
* 2004 ''Remember When - Part 1'' by Nora Roberts
* 2005 ''I'm Watching You'' by Karen Rose
* 2006 ''Survivor in Death'' by J.D. Robb
* 2007 ''Blackout'' by Annie Solomon
* 2008 ''Ice Blue'' by Anne Stuart
* 2009 ''Take No Prisoners'' by Cindy Gerard
* 2010 ''Whisper of Warning'' by Laura Griffin
* 2011 ''Silent Scream'' by Karen Rose
* 2012 ''New York to Dallas'' by J.D. Robb
* 2013 ''Scorched'' by Laura Griffin
* 2014 ''Off the Edge'' by Carolyn Crane (first self-published winner)
* 2015 ''Concealed in Death'' by J.D. Robb
* 2016 ''Flash Fire'' by Dana Marton
* 2017 ''Repressed'' by Elisabeth Naughton
* 2018 ''The Fixer'' by HelenKay Dimon
* 2019 ''Fearless'' by Elizabeth Dyer

Young Adult Romance

* 1983 ''Andrea'' by Jo Stewart
* 1984 ''Julie’s Magic Moment'' by Barbara Bartholomew
* 1985 ''The Frog Princess'' by Cheryl Zach
* 1986 ''Waiting for Amanda'' by Cheryl Zach
* 1987 ''Video Fever'' by Kathleen Garvey
* 1988 ''Does Your Nose Get in the Way, Too?'' by Arlene Erlbach
* 1989 ''The Ghosts of Stony Cove'' by Eileen Charbonneau
* 1990 ''Renee'' by Vivan Schurfranz
* 1991 (no award)
* 1992 ''Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep'' by Lurlene McDaniel
* 1993 ''Song of the Buffalo Boy'' by Sherry Garland
* 1994 ''Summer Lightning'' by Wendy Corsi Staub
* 1995 ''Second to None'' by Arleynn Presser
* 1996 ''Runaway'' by Cheryl Zach
* 1997 - 2007 (no award)
* 2008 ''Wicked Lovely'' by Melissa Marr
* 2009 ''Hell Week'' by Rosemary Clement-Moore
* 2010 ''Perfect Chemistry'' by Simone Elkeles
* 2011 ''The Iron King'' by Julie Kagawa
* 2012 ''Enclave'' by Ann Aguirre
* 2013 ''The Farm'' by Emily McKay
* 2015 ''Boys Like You'' by Juliana Stone
* 2016 ''The Anatomical Shape of a Heart'' by Jenn Bennett
* 2017 ''The Problem with Forever'' by Jennifer L. Armentrout
* 2018 ''Seize Today'' by Pintip Dunn
* 2019 ''My So-Called Bollywood Life'' by Nisha Sharma

Best Romance (''RWA's Favorite Book'' in 1998)

* 1990 ''Morning Glory'' by LaVyrle Spencer
* 1991 ''The Prince of Midnight'' by Laura Kinsale
* 1992 '' Outlander'' by Diana Gabaldon
* 1993 ''Come Spring'' by Jill Marie Landis
* 1994 '' Lord of the Night'' by Susan Wiggs
* 1995 '' It Had To Be You'' by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
* 1996 ''Born in Ice'' by Nora Roberts
* 1998 '' Nobody's Baby But Mine'' by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Vivian Award winners

Best First Book

* 2021: ''Love Me Like a Love Song'' by Annmarie Boyle

Contemporary Romance

* 2021
** Long Contemporary Romance: ''False Start'' by Jessica Ruddick
** Mid-Length Contemporary Romance: ''Tempting Taste'' by Sara Whitney
** Short Contemporary Romance: ''Engaging the Enemy'' by Reese Ryan

Erotic Romance

* 2021: ''Pure Satisfaction'' by Rebecca Hunter

Historical Romance

* 2021
** Long Historical Romance: ''Ten Things I Hate About the Duke'' by Loretta Chase
** Mid-Length Historical Romance: ''A Study in Passion'' by Louisa Cornell

Mainstream Fiction with a Central Romance

* 2021: ''An Everyday Hero'' by Laura Trentham

Most Anticipated Romance

* 2021: ''Burning Caine'' by Janet Oppedisano

Romance with Religious or Spiritual Elements

* 2021: ''At Love's Command'' by Karen Witemeyer. The award was rescinded (see above).

Romantic Suspense

* 2021
** Long Romantic Suspense: ''Hail Mary'' by Hope Anika
** Mid-Length Romantic Suspense: ''Storm'' by Janie Crouch

Speculative Romance

* 2021
** Long Speculative Romance: ''A Stitch in Time'' by Kelley Armstrong
** Mid-Length Speculative Romance: ''Betwixt'' by Darynda Jones

References

External links

RITA Awards
at Romance Writers of America

Romantic fiction awards
American literary awards
Awards established in 1982
1982 establishments in the United States
*
Novella awards