Awards are all subjective no matter who is awarding them authors, reviewers, industry types, booksellers, readers, bloggers or whoever. I think they are pretty much all nifty to win because who doesn’t like to be told they are someone’s favorite or best of something. Of course some awards will have more meaning to some than others. And not all awards will mean the same thing to everyone.

On that note lets talk about the winners of the 2006 RIO! What is RIO you ask? Find out all about it here and hey, anyone with a blog, website or even the moxy to post a ton of reviews on Amazon can join well if you pony up the coin to join that is.

And the winner is….

FAVORITE LONG CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
1. The Crossroads Cafe by Deborah Smith
Wendy sez this rocks the house so I am getting it. Just haven’t placed an order from Amazon yet to get it. Yes I know Alison, I should be ordering from Amazon daily!

Runners Up
2. Squeeze Play by Kate Angell
3. Miss Understanding by Stephanie Lessing
I think I have the first, haven’t heard of the second – okay heard of it not interested.

Honorable Mention
Love Is All You Need by Lori Devoti
Why did I think this was historical? eek… and now she is doing paranormals… le sigh… we need more of those don’t we.

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FAVORITE SHORT CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
1. Dancing In The Moonlightby Raeanne Thayne
never heard of her… any rec’s out there?

Runners Up
2.Noon by Katherine Warwick
3. Meant-To-Be Marriage by Rebecca Winters

Honorable Mention
Interior Motives (Deadly Décor Mysteries) by Ginny Aiken
Hmmm I have never read or heard of any of these guys… where the hell have I been?

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FAVORITE LONG HISTORICAL ROMANCE
1. The Falcon’s Bride by Dawn Thompson
Wow… really? Better than James or Chadwick?

Runners Up
2. The Taming of the Duke by Eloisa James
3. The Greatest Knight by Elizabeth Chadwick

Honorable Mention
Lord of Temptation (Warner Forever) by Paula Quinn
I have this does that count? hmmm really I have them all, well not the winner. That isn’t the wolf one where he pee’s around the bed is it? Is it bad that is the only thing I can remember about that book? LOL need to look up the title.

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FAVORITE SHORT HISTORICAL ROMANCE
1. Falcon”s Heart by Denise Lynn
Let’s hear it for Harlequin Historical!!!!!!!!!! WoOT! ::headdesk:: She has a contemp paranormal coming out ::/headdesk::

Runners Up
2. Kitty McKenzie by Anne Whitfield
3. Of Paupers and Peers by Sheri Cobb South
Very cool… isn’t Kitty a Samhain title? hmm guess I should go check first.

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FAVORITE DEBUT NOVEL
1. A Restless Knight by Deborah MacGillivray
no comment

Runners Up
2. The Thirteenth Tale: A Novel by Diane Setterfield
3. Not Quite Dead by Sela Carsen (tie)
3. You Belong to Me by Patricia Sargeant (tie)

hmmm need to look these authors up. I think Patricia is another I have on a list to buy from a shiloh rec but I could be mixing up names.
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FAVORITE ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
1. Drop Dead Gorgeous: A Novel by Linda Howard
Do you think it is boring now for Howard, Roberts, Cruise and the like to win awards?

Runners Up
2. Home Before Midnight by Virginia Kantra
3. To the Brink by Cindy Gerard
KarenS says I need to read Cindy Gerard. I think it was her.

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FAVORITE MYSTERY/THRILLER/non-Romance SUSPENSE
1. Dirty Laundry by Tori Carrington
Hardcover? Really?

Runners Up
2. S is for Silence by Sue Grafton
3. The Thirteenth Tale: A Novel by Diane Setterfield

Honorable Mention
One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson

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FAVORITE PARANORMAL ROMANCE
1. Touch of Evil by C.T Adams & Cathy Clamp

Runners Up
2. Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward
3. The Falcon’s Bride by Dawn Thompson

Honorable Mention
Dark Side of the Moon by Sherrilyn Kenyon
hmmm can you guess which I would have picked for number 1?

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FAVORITE FUTURISITIC/FANTASY/SCIENCE FICTION ROMANCE
1. A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole
YAY!!!!

Runners Up
2. The Smoke Thief by Shana Abe
3. Conspiracy Game by Christine Feehan (tie)
3. Master of Swords by Angela Knight (tie)
Interesting split… I think of these as paranormal…
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MAINSTREAM FICTION
1. The Blonde Geisha by Jina Bacarr
Who? The only book with that title I can think of was a SPICE.

Runners Up
2. The Greatest Knight by Elizabeth Chadwick
3. The Stolen Child by Keith Donohue
uh… keishon likes Chadwick….

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FAVORITE STORY FROM AN ANTHOLOGY
1. Bad Cat by Deborah MacGillivray (from the No Law Against Love anth)

Runners Up
2. A Whisper of Spring by Lynn Kurland (from The Queen in Winter anth)
3. Something Borrowed by Jim Butcher (from My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding anth)

Honorable Mention
Tutti-Frutti Blues by Kemberlee Shortland (from the No Law Against Love anth)
I read a lot of antho’s and don’t have a one of these…

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REISSUES/MISSED GEMS
1. Daughters of the Grail by Elizabeth Chadwick

Runners Up
2. Bloodwind by Charlotte Boyett-Compo (tie)
2. By Arrangement by Madeline Hunter (tie)
3. By Possession by Madeline Hunter

uhhhh what a really dumb category… but 2 and 3 rock if you haven’t read them you should… you know sez I

**NOTE: I will add links later tonight when I get home cuz it is faster. Sorry, you shall have to google yourself until then. WHAT? There is even a nifty box to the right. Geeze I thought I was lazy.**