THE AWARD

1. PRICELESS Mary Lynn Baxter (Warner)

2. BODYGUARD Suzanne Brockmann

(Fawcett)

3. PRINCE JOE Suzanne Brockmann

(Silhouette) (Intimate Moments) #720

4. HONOR BOUND Sandra Brown aka Erin St.

Claire (Silhouette)

5. SLOW HEAT IN HEAVEN Sandra Brown

(Warner)

6. UNCERTAIN ANGELS Kimberly Cates

(Silhouette) (Intimate Moments) #550

7. SINFUL SECRETS Thea Devine (Penguin)

8. COME MIDNIGHT Suzanne Forster (Jove)

9. BLUSH Suzanne Forster (Berkley)

10. INNOCENCE Suzanne Forster (Berkley)

11. BAD COMPANY Theresa Gladden

(Loveswept) #579

12. CRY WOLF Tami Hoag (Bantam)

13. ALL THE QUEEN'S MEN Linda Howard

(Pocket)

14. DIAMOND BAY Linda Howard (Mira)

15. MACKENZIE'S MOUNTAIN Linda Howard

(Mira)

16. MACKENZIE'S PLEASURE Linda Howard

(Silhouette)

17. THE WAITING GAME Jayne Ann Krentz

(Harlequin)

18. THE DRAGON'S LAIR Lee Magner

(Silhouette)

19. PARADISE Judith McNaught (Pocket)

20. MOONRISE Anne Stuart (Thomas T. Beeler)

Historical

1. KEEGAN'S LADY Catherine Anderson (Avon)

2. VIRGIN FIRE Elizabeth Chadwick (Leisure)

3. WIDOW FIRE Elizabeth Chadwick (St.

Martin's Press)

4. FALL FROM GRACE Megan Chance (Harper)

5. CAPTIVES OF THE NIGHT Loretta Chase

(Avon)

6. LORD OF SCOUNDRELS Loretta Chase

(Avon)

7. MOONSPUN MAGIC Catherine Coulter

(Onyx)

8. ANOTHER EDEN Patricia Gaffney

(Dorchester)

9. HONOUR'S SPLENDOUR Julie Garwood

(Pocket)

10. THE WEDDING Julie Garwood (Pocket)

11. WICKED Susan Johnson (Bantam)

12. MY SWEET FOLLY Laura Kinsale (Berkley)

13. THEN CAME YOU Lisa Kleypas (Avon)

14. PRISONER OF MY DESIRE Johanna Lindsey

(Avon)

15. A KINGDOM OF DREAMS Judith McNaught

(Pocket)

16. WRITTEN IN THE STARS Katherine O'Neal

(Bantam)

17. LAWLESS Patricia Potter (Bantam)

18. SILK AND SHADOWS Mary Jo Putney (Onyx)

19. THE OUTSIDER Penelope Williamson

(Warner)

Futuristic

1. OUTLANDER Diana Gabaldon (Dell)

2. THIS IS ALL I ASK Lynn Kurland (Jove)

3. VENGEANCE IN DEATH J.D. Robb (Berkley)

4. BRIDE OF THE MIST Christina Skye (Avon)

5. SOME LIKE IT HOTTER Deb Stover Pinnacle

Regency

1. THE DIABOLICAL BARON Mary Jo Putney

(New American Library)

2. A LONDON SEASON Joan Wolf (Signet)

2012 Finalists

Best First Book

1.Beautiful Disaster by Laura Spinella

(Berkley Publishing Group; Leis Pederson,

editor)

2.The Darling Strumpet by Gillian Bagwell

(Berkley Publishing Group; Kate Seaver,

editor)

3.The Devil in Disguise by Stefanie Sloane

(Ballantine Bantam Dell; Junessa Viloria,

editor)

4.First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones

(St. Martin's Press; Jennifer Enderlin,

editor)

5.Hourglass by Myra McEntire (Egmont USA;

Regina Griffin, editor)

6.How to Marry a Duke by Vicky Dreilling

(Grand Central Publishing Forever; Michele

Bidelspach, editor)

7.I'm Not Her by Janet Gurtler (Sourcebooks

Fire; Leah Hultenschmidt, editor)

8.Warped by Maurissa Guibord (Delacorte

Press; Michelle Poploff, editor)

9.A Bravo Homecoming by Christine Rimmer

(Harlequin Special Edition; Gail Chasan,

editor)

10. Donovan's Child by Christine Rimmer

(Harlequin Special Edition; Gail Chasan,

editor)

11. Doukakis's Apprentice by Sarah

Morgan (Harlequin Presents; Lucy Gilmour,

editor)

12. How a Cowboy Stole Her Heart by

Donna Alward (Harlequin Romance; Sally

Williamson, editor)

13. I'll Catch You by Farrah Rochon

(Harlequin Kimani Romance; Glenda

Howard, editor)

14. A Mother's Homecoming by Tanya

Michaels (Harlequin American Romance;

Kathleen Scheibling, editor)

15. Rancher's Twins: Mom Needed by

Barbara Hannay (Harlequin Romance; Meg

Lewis, editor)

16. The Texan's Bride by Linda Warren

(Harlequin Superromance; Kathleen

Scheibling, editor)

2012 RITA Finalists for Contemporary Series

Romance: Suspense/Adventure

1.Cooper Vengeance by Paula Graves

(Harlequin Intrigue; Allison Lyons, editor)

2.The Doctor’s Deadly Affair by Stephanie

Doyle (Harlequin Romantic Suspense;

Wanda Ottewell, editor)

3.The Man from Gossamer Ridge by Paula

Graves (Harlequin Intrigue; Allison Lyons,

editor)

4.Nothing But the Truth by Kara Lennox

(Harlequin Superromance; Johanna

Raisanen, editor)

5.Soldier's Last Stand by Cindy Dees

(Harlequin Romantic Suspense; Patience

Bloom, editor)

6.Stranded with Her Ex by Jill Sorenson

(Harlequin Romantic Suspense; Stacy

Boyd, editor)

7.Taken to the Edge by Kara Lennox

(Harlequin Superromance; Johanna

Raisanen, editor)

2012 RITA Finalists for Contemporary Single

Title Romance

1.At Hidden Falls by Barbara Freethy (Pocket

Books; Micki Nuding, editor)

2.Black Ties and Lullabies by Jane Graves

(Grand Central Publishing Forever; Michele

Bidelspach, editor)

3.Boomerang Bride by Fiona Lowe (Carina

Press; Charlotte Herscher, editor)

4.Heartstrings and Diamond Rings by Jane

Graves (Grand Central Publishing Forever;

Michele Bidelspach, editor)

5.Silver Sparks by Starr Ambrose (Pocket

Books; Abby Zidle, editor)

6.Slow Dancing on Price's Pier by Lisa Dale

(Berkley Publishing Group; Cindy Hwang,

editor)

7.Summer at Seaside Cove by Jacquie

D’Alessandro (Berkley Publishing Group;

Cindy Hwang, editor)

8.The Welcome Home Garden Club by Lori

Wilde (Avon Books; Lucia Macro, editor)

2012 RITA Finalists for Historical Romance

1.Always a Temptress by Eileen Dreyer

(Grand Central Publishing Forever; Amy

Pierpont, editor)

2.The Black Hawk by Joanna Bourne (Berkley

Publishing Group; Wendy McCurdy, editor)

3.The Danger of Desire by Elizabeth Essex

(Kensington Brava; Megan Records, editor)

4.Heartbreak Creek by Kaki Warner (Berkley

Publishing Group Sensation; Wendy

McCurdy, editor)

5.The Many Sins of Lord Cameron by Jennifer

Ashley (Berkley Publishing Group

Sensation; Kate Seaver, editor)

6.Scandalous Desires by Elizabeth Hoyt

(Grand Central Publishing; Amy Pierpont,

editor)

7.Silk Is for Seduction by Loretta Chase

(Avon Books; May Chen, editor)

8.Unveiled by Courtney Milan (HQN Books;

Margo Lipschultz, editor)

2012 RITA Finalists for Inspirational Romance

1.The Christmas Child by Linda Goodnight

(Harlequin Love Inspired; Allison Lyons,

editor)

2.Deadly Pursuit by Irene Hannon (Revell;

Jennifer Leep, editor)

3.Katie's Way by Marta Perry (Berkley

Publishing Group; Ellen Edwards, editor)

4.The Ladies' Room by Carolyn Brown

(Avalon Books; Lia Brown, editor)

5.Love on the Line by Deeanne Gist (Bethany

House Publishers; David Long and Julie

Klassen, editors)

6.The Measure of Katie Calloway by Serena

Miller (Revell; Vicki Crumpton, editor)

7.My Foolish Heart by Susan May Warren

(Tyndale House Publishers; Karen Watson,

editor)

8.Save the Date by Jenny B. Jones (Thomas

Nelson; Natalie Hanemann and Jamie

Chavez, editors)

9.To Win Her Heart by Karen Witemeyer

(Bethany House Publishers; Karen

Schurrer, editor)

2012 RITA Finalists for Novel with Strong

Romantic Elements

1.The Dark Enquiry by Deanna Raybourn

(Harlequin MIRA; Valerie Gray, editor)

2.Death Magic by Eileen Wilks (Berkley

Publishing Group Sensation; Cindy Hwang,

editor)

3.First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones

(St. Martin's Press; Jennifer Enderlin,

editor)

4.Goodnight Tweetheart by Teresa Medeiros

(Gallery Books; Lauren McKenna, editor)

5.How to Bake a Perfect Life by Barbara

O'Neal (Ballantine Bantam Dell; Shauna

Summers, editor)

6.The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley

(Sourcebooks Landmark; Deb Werksman,

editor)

7.Shadow Walker by Allyson James (Berkley

Publishing Group Sensation; Kate Seaver,

editor)

8.Song of the Nile by Stephanie Dray

(Berkley Publishing Group; Cindy Hwang,

editor)

9.Spider's Revenge by Jennifer Estep (Pocket

Books; Megan McKeever, editor)

2012 RITA Finalists for Paranormal Romance

1.Archangel's Blade by Nalini Singh (Berkley

Publishing Group Sensation; Cindy Hwang,

editor)

2.Changeling Moon by Dani Harper

(Kensington Brava; Alicia Condon, editor)

3.Dragon Bound by Thea Harrison (Berkley

Publishing Group Sensation; Cindy Hwang,

editor)

4.Envy by J.R. Ward (NAL Signet; Kara Welsh,

editor)

5.Lord of the Abyss by Nalini Singh

(Harlequin Nocture; Tara Gavin, editor)

6.The Lost by Caridad Piñeiro (Grand Central

Publishing Forever; Selina McLemore,

editor)

7.Nightfall by Ellen Connor (Berkley

Publishing Group Sensation; Cindy Hwang,

editor)

8.The Restorer by Amanda Stevens

(Harlequin MIRA; Denise Zaza, editor)

2012 RITA Finalists for Regency Historical

Romance

1.The Devil in Disguise by Stefanie Sloane

(Ballantine Bantam Dell; Junessa Viloria,

editor)

2.Heiress in Love by Christina Brooke (St.

Martin's Press; Monique Patterson, editor)

3.How to Marry a Duke by Vicky Dreiling

(Grand Central Publishing Forever; Michele

Bidelspach, editor)

4.How to Seduce a Scoundrel by Vicky

Dreiling (Grand Central Publishing Forever;

Michele Bidelspach, editor)

5.Lady Sophie's Christmas Wish by Grace

Burrowes (Sourcebooks Casablanca; Deb

Werksman, editor)

6.A Night to Surrender by Tessa Dare (Avon

Books; Tessa Woodward, editor)

7.To Seduce an Angel by Kate Moore

(Berkley Publishing Group Sensation;

Wendy McCurdy, editor)

8.When Beauty Tamed the Beast by Eloisa

James (Avon Books; Carrie Feron, editor)

9."Angel's Wolf" by Nalini Singh in Angels of

Darkness (Berkley Publishing Group

Sensation; Cindy Hwang, editor)

10. "Chaos in Death" by J.D. Robb in The

Unquiet (Berkley Publishing Group; Leslie

Gelbman, editor)

11. "Compassion Can't Wait" by Carly

Phillips in More Than Words, Vol. 7

(Harlequin Enterprises; Marsha Zinberg,

editor)

12. I Love the Earl by Caroline Linden

(Avon Impulse; Lyssa Keusch, editor)

13. "One Wish: a Christmas Story" by Jodi

Thomas in A Texas Christmas (Kensington

Zebra; Peter Senftleben, editor)

14. "Resolution" by Linda Winstead Jones

in The Heart of Winter (Harlequin

Enterprises; Stacy Boyd, editor)

15. “The Storm Within” by Trish Morey in A

Royal Engagement (Harlequin Presents;

Joanne Grant, editor)

16. "Unforgiven" by Ruth Ryan Langan in

The Unquiet (Berkley Publishing Group;

Cindy Hwang, editor)

2012 RITA Finalists for Romantic Suspense

1.Hidden Away by Maya Banks (Berkley

Publishing Group Sensation; Cindy Hwang,

editor)

2.Hot Zone by Catherine Mann (Sourcebooks

Casablanca; Deb Werksman, editor)

3.Hush by Cherry Adair (Pocket Star; Lauren

McKenna, editor)

4.New York to Dallas by J.D. Robb (Penguin

Putnam; Leslie Gelbman, editor)

5.Secrets of Bella Terra by Christina Dodd

(New American Library; Kerry Donovan,

editor)

6.True Colors by Joyce Lamb (Berkley

Publishing Group Sensation; Wendy

McCurdy, editor)

7.True Shot by Joyce Lamb (Berkley

Publishing Group Sensation; Wendy

McCurdy, editor)

8.Where All the Dead Lie by J.T. Ellison

(Harlequin MIRA; Adam Wilson and Miranda

Indrigo, editors)

2012 RITA Finalists for Young Adult Romance

1.Enclave by Ann Aguirre (Macmillan Feiwel

& Freinds; Liz Szabla, editor)

2.Flawless by Lara Chapman (Bloomsbury

Publishing; Caroline Abbey, editor)

3.Hourglass by Myra McEntire (Egmont USA;

Regina Griffin, editor)

4.I'm Not Her by Janet Gurtler (Sourcebooks

Fire; Leah Hultenschmidt, editor)

5.Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep

(Kensington Teen; Alicia Condon, editor)

6.Warped by Maurissa Guibord (Delacorte

Press; Michelle Poploff, editor)

2012 Golden Heart Finalists

2012 Golden Heart Finalists for Contemporary

Series Romance

1.“A Perfect Wife” by Caro LaFever

“Bachelor: Baited, Hooked and Bedded” by

Lexi Greene

“Cyrano at Your Service” by Tamra

Baumann

“The Divorce Deal” by Kat Cantrell

“His Perfect Partner” by Priscilla Kissinger

“Montana Cherries” by Kim Law

“Second-Chance Bride” by Ami Weaver

“Tell Me Something Good” by Jamie Wesley

2012 Golden Heart Finalists for Contemporary

Single Title

“All Beautiful Things” by Nicki Salcedo

“Blackjack & Moonlight” by Magdalen Braden

“Cat on a Hot Steel Flight Deck” by Heather

Nickodem

“Earning Wings” by Laurie Sanchez

“Meant to Be” by Terri Osburn

“No Peeking” by Talia Quinn Daniels

“Thrown” by Colette Auclair

“You Had Me at Habari” by Maggie McConnell

2012 Golden Heart Finalists for Historical

Romance

“The Devil May Care” by Elisa Beatty

“A Duke’s Wicked Kiss” by Kathleen Bittner

Roth

“A Hero to Hold” by Sheri Humphreys

“Highland Promise” by Tracy Brogan

“A Knight of Her Own” by Oberon Wonch

“Love in the Music Room” by Moriah Densley

“Notorious” by Alison Atwater (writing as

Alison Delaine)

“A Private Affair” by Jennifer McQuiston

2012 Golden Heart Finalists for Inspirational

Romance

“Language of Love” by Kristen Ethridge

“Love’s Advocate” by Karen Fleming

“Powerless Consent” by Jan Nash

“Whispers in the Night” by Carol Post

2012 Golden Heart Finalists for Novel with

Strong Romantic Elements

“Beulah Land and the Happy Hour Choir” by

Sally Kilpatrick

“The Devil She Knows” by Anna Stewart

(writing as AJ Stewart)

“Faking It” by Nikki Figueiredo

“The Lazarus Gambit” by Deborah Wright

“Lowcountry Boil” by Susan M. Boyer

“Mere Mortals” by Catherine Rull

“Song without Words” by Lisa Laing

“Taking Wall Street by Disguise” by Terri

Bolyard

“A Tangled Season” by Natalie Meg Evans

2012 Golden Heart Finalists for Paranormal

Romance

“Bathtub Jinn” by Kay Hudson

“Better Dead” by Pamela Kopfler

“Draxis” by Laurie A. Green

“Figs from Thistles” by A.J. Larrieu

“Flannigan’s Grace” by Marni Donnelly Folsom

“Never Deal with Dragons” by Lorenda

Christensen

“Trouble in Mind” by Donna S. Frelick

“Unchained Memory” by Donna S. Frelick

golden Heart Finalists for Regency Historical

Romance

“King of Swords” by Anne Kenny

“The Last Light of Dusk” by Joanne Lockyer

“The Perfect Heiress” by Kimberly Ohara

(writing as April Bennet)

“Scandal in Spades” by Wendy LaCapra

“A Whisper to the Wild” by Eileen Emerson

2012 Golden Heart Finalists for Romantic

Suspense

“Body of Evidence” by Rachel Grant

“Chemical Attraction” by Mary Oldham

“Edge of Deception” by Elizabeth Bemis

“Exposure” by Robena Grant

“In Wolf’s Clothing” by Sally Eggert

“Rescuing Rembrandt” by Jean Willett

“Rogue’s Return” by Sharon Wray

“Spy in the Harem” by Diana Belchase

2012 Golden Heart Finalists for Young Adult

Romance

“Angel Academy” by Cecily White

“Canvas Crossers” by Natalie Vawter

“Forget Tomorrow” by Pintip Dunn

“The Matter of Souls” by Stephanie

Winkelhake

“Pandora’s Clock” by Natalie Vawter

“The Silent Sister” by Megan Macijauskas

(writing as M. Kassel)

“The Suspicions of Cairo Jones” by Mary

Danielson

“Wired” by Romily Bernard