A year in review... sort of 2002

2002 RRA-L Romance Awards Nominees & Winners All the nominees are listed, with the first, second, and third place winners are noted in order RRA best of the best 2002 1. Best Series Romance: __1__THE OLDER WOMAN by Cheryl Reavis __2__CORDINA'S CROWN JEWEL by Nora Roberts __3__THE NOTORIOUS MRS. WRIGHT by Fay Robinson NO STRINGS ATTACHED by Alison Kent MARRIED TO A MARINE by Cathie Linz ------------------------------------------- Need this Cheryl Reavis have the Kent tbr. 2. Best Contemporary Single Title Romance: __1__THE SPIRAL PATH by Mary Jo Putney __2__FAKING IT by Jennifer Crusie __3__BREATHING ROOM by Susan Elizabeth Phillips LOVE WILL FIND A WAY by Barbara Freethy NO PLACE LIKE HOME by Barbara Samuel -------------------------------------------- Isn't Faking It the Crusie many hate? hee I have it tbr ;). One day I shall read JC, oh yes I shall... Want to read SEP now. Well no interest in the last one but other than that, what do you guys rec I start with? 3. Best Historical Single Title Romance: __1__UNTIE MY HEART by Judith Ivory __2__A SUMMER TO REMEMBER by Mary Balogh __3__HAZARD by Jo Beverley THE FORTUNE HUNTER by Diane Farr DAUGHTER OF THE GAME by Tracy Grant ----------------------------------------- Not a judith ivory girl, don't recall if I liked AStR but did enjoy the slightly series. Haven't read the other three. 4. Best Regency Romance (Traditional): __1__THE WEDDING JOURNEY by Carla Kelly __2__A DEBT TO DELIA by Barbara Metzger __3__A QUESTION OF HONOR by Nita Abrams THE DISCARDED DUKE by Nancy Butler THE BANISHED BRIDE by Andrea Pickens 5. Best Romantic Suspense/Mystery/Adventure: __1__DAUGHTER OF THE GAME by Tracy Grant __2__THE THREE FATES by Nora Roberts __3__OUT OF CONTROL by Suzane Brockmann INTO THE NIGHT by Suzanne Brockmann RIVER OF EDEN by Glenna McReynolds ------------------------------------------ none but will try Brockmann at some point... 6. Best Alternative Realities or Time Travel Romance: __1__REUNION IN DEATH by J.D. Robb __2__CONTACT by Susan Grant __3__BODY ELECTRIC by Susan Squires DARK LEGEND by Christine Feehan FANTASY LOVER by Sherrilyn Kenyon -------------------------------------- Read FL and liked it enough to keep buying them but have only read one other DH book. And now they are going into Hardcover I am thinking of just trading in the lot. Same with Feehan, except I have more of a disgust with the new improved let us give you a harder to hold and enjoy book for your comfort form that Feehan is coming out with now. No I don't think it is her fault but still won't spend 10 on a book that doesn't fucking match the others in the series while being told it is for me not the publishers profit. 7. Best Love and Laughter Romance Award: __1__FAKING IT by Jennifer Crusie __2__ROMANCING MISTER BRIDGERTON by Julia Quinn __3__BRIDAL FAVORS by Connie Brockway SHE WENT ALL THE WAY by Meggin Cabot THE BOY NEXT DOOR by Meggin Cabot ------------------------------------------- hee I have read the Brockway that is it. And of course FI is tbr. Bridal Favors I was eh on. 8. Best Romance Novella Award: __1__"An Interrupted Tapestry" by Madeline Hunter (TAPESTRY) __2__"A Holiday Fling" by Mary Jo Putney (CHRISTMAS REVELS) __3__"No Room at the Inn" by Carla Kelly (A REGENCY CHRISTMAS) "The Bed is Made" by Connie Brockway (ONCE UPON A PILLOW) "Touch Me" by Shannon McKenna (I BRAKE FOR BAD BOYS) --------------------------------------------------------- hmmm I have Tapestry, I think. Don't recall reading this! Touch Me rocked. 9. Best Romantic Novel outside the Romance Genre: __1 (tie)__THE STONE FLOWER GARDEN by Deborah Smith __1 (tie)__FLIGHT LESSONS by Patricia Gaffney __3__I DARE by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller LIVING DEAD IN DALLAS by Charlaine Harris STEP-BALL-CHANGE by Jeanne Ray ---------------------------------------------------------- Charlaine Harris is so dead to me. Which blows cuz I think she is going to be in town for a book signing. 10. Best All-Around 2002 Romance: __1__THE SPIRAL PATH by Mary Jo Putney __2__UNTIE MY HEART by Judith Ivory __3__BREATHING ROOM by Susan Elizabeth Phillips DAUGHTER OF THE GAME by Tracy Grant THE FORTUNE HUNTER by Diane Farr 2002 AUTHOR AWARDS 11. Best Series/Category Romance Author of 2002: __1__Cheryl Reavis __2__Fay Robinson __3__Alison Kent Cathie Linz Anne McAllister --------------------------------- Cheryl Reavis does so rock. I am sad to see her move to NEXT because I have no desire to read NEXT. Too Women's Fictiony for me... blah. Kent does a great series as well no clue about Robinson. 12. Best Contemporary Romance Author of 2002: __1__Mary Jo Putney __2__Nora Roberts __3__Jennifer Crusie Suzanne Brockmann Susan Elizabeth Phillips -------------------------------------------------- MJP contemporary? blah... don't even read her and want her to go back to historicals ;). I think she is doing them currently. Still no Nora. One day... 13. Best Historical Romance Author of 2002: __1__Jo Beverley __2__Judith Ivory __3__Tracy Grant Liz Carlyle Diane Farr ----------------------------------------------- Liz Carlyle should so be higher on this list if not 1. 14. Best Regency Romance Author of 2002: __1__Mary Balogh __2__Carla Kelly __3__Barbara Metzger Nita Abrams Andrea Pickens ------------------------------------------- if we were to poll trad regency authors today, I wouldn't be surprised to still see these as the top three. 15. Best Alternative Realities or TT Romance Author of 2002: __1__Susan Grant __2__Karen Marie Moning __3__Linnea Sinclair/Megan Sybil Baker Sherrilyn Kenyon Susan Squires ------------------------------------------- Really need to read Sinclair, such good taste in names ;). 16. Best All-Around Romance Author of 2002: __1__Mary Jo Putney __2__Nora Roberts __3__Susan Elizabeth Phillips Suzanne Brockmann Tracy Grant BEST ALL-TIME ROMANCES 17. Best All-Time Series Romance: __1__MACKENZIE'S MOUNTAIN by Linda Howard __2__ANYONE BUT YOU by Jennifer Crusie __3__GETTING RID OF BRADLEY by Jennifer Crusie NIGHT INTO DAY by Sandra Canfield THE OLDER WOMAN by Cheryl Reavis -------------------------------------------- Linda Howard! I so like her series books! 18. Best All-Time Contemporary Romance: __1__IT HAD TO BE YOU by Susan Elizabeth Phillips __2__IN THE MIDNIGHT RAIN by Ruth Wind __3__WELCOME TO TEMPTATION by Jennifer Crusie AGAIN by Kathleen Gilles Seidel A PLACE TO CALL HOME by Deborah Smith 19. Best All-Time Historical Romance: __1__LORD OF SCOUNDRELS by Loretta Chase __2__FLOWERS FROM THE STORM by Laura Kinsale __3__ HONOR'S SPLENDOUR by Julie Garwood KATHERINE by Anya Seton ALINOR by Roberta Gellis --------------------------------------------- eh Flowers is so not my fave Kinsale. Need to make time for a Kinsale read soon! Haven't read this Garwood. Think I have it. 20. Best All-Time Regency Romance: __1__THE RAKE AND THE REFORMER by Mary Jo Putney __2__FREDERICA by Georgette Heyer __3__THE TEMPORARY WIFE by Mary Balogh EMILY AND THE DARK ANGEL by Jo Beverley SYLVESTER, OR THE WICKED UNCLE by Georgette Heyer 21 Best Romance Novel of All Time: __1__PRIDE AND PREJUDICE by Jane Austen __2__LORD OF SCOUNDRELS by Loretta Chase __3__MORNING GLORY by LaVyrle Spencer FREDERICA by Georgette Heyer GREEN DARKNESS by Anya Seton ---------------------------------------- This is such a bad catergory. Really who can say the BEST romance novel of all time? But ssssssssqqquuueeeeeeee Morning Glory, I really need to rebuy that book! 22. Best All-Around Romance Author of All Time: __1__Nora Roberts __2__Georgette Heyer __3__Loretta Chase Jayne Ann Krentz LaVyrle Spencer -------------------------------- Loretta Chase and Spencer yay! Others haven't read... 23. Best All-Time Paranormal Romance Novel: __1__OUTLANDER by Diana Gabaldon __2__SON OF THE MORNING by Linda Howard __3__THE BRIDE FINDER by Susan Carroll LORD OF THE STORM by Justine Davis THE VAMPIRE VISCOUNT by Karen Harbaugh ------------------------------------------- hmmmm they lost teh sex categories... go figure