A highlight of each annual Romance Writers of America (RWA) conference is the presentation of the RITA Awards, recognizing romance fiction and outstanding published romance novels and novellas. This year’s winners are:

ROMANCE NOVELLA

Brynn Kelly, Forbidden River (HQN: Harlequin)

CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE: LONG

Lexi Ryan, Falling Hard (self-published)

CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE: MID-LENGTH

Abigail Strom, Tell Me (Montlake Publishing)

CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE: SHORT

Kait Nolan, Second Chance Summer (self-published) 

YOUNG ADULT ROMANCE

Pintip Dunn, Seize Today (Entangled Teen)

HISTORICAL ROMANCE: LONG

Kelly Bowen, Between the Devil and the Duke (Forever: Grand Central)

HISTORICAL ROMANCE: SHORT

Catherine Tinley, Waltzing with the Earl (Harlequin Mills & Boon) 

ROMANTIC SUSPENSE

HelenKay Dimon, The Fixer (Avon) 

PARANORMAL ROMANCE

Stephanie Rowe, Hunt the Darkness (self-published) 

EROTIC ROMANCE

J. Kenner, Wicked Dirty (Martini & Olive) 

ROMANCE WITH RELIGIOUS OR SPIRITUAL ELEMENTS

Kara Isaac, Then There Was You (self-published)

MAINSTREAM FICTION WITH A CENTRAL ROMANCE

Kristan Higgins, Now That You Mention It (HQN: Harlequin; LJ 12/17)

BEST FIRST BOOK

Alexis Daria, Take the Lead (Swerve: St. Martin’s)