The 2003 AAR Reader Awards – Interim Results

February 2, 2003:
Today we announce the interim results in our seventh annual reader’s poll. Our hope is that by providing you with a list of titles/characters/authors in each category, we can begin to help those of you who have not yet voted narrow down your choices. (And, if this might help, posted on the ballot page itself is a list 2002 published books for which we’ve granted DIK status.) As we’ve done for the past few years, this list of interim results will remain online for a full year; many of our readers find the information helpful beyond the poll itself because most (if not all) of the titles that are shown and yet don’t win or place in the final tally are damn good reads.

The titles/characters/authors are presented in no particular order, and authors who have had a “lock” in past years in certain categories may no longer have that lock. There is also no guarantee that any nominee in any particular category will win or place in the final tally, which will be presented here on March 1st. We’ve had “sleepers” in the past win at the last possible moment. As a result, we’ve been extremely inclusive in listing this year’s interim nominees. If you feel strongly about a title, character, or author that isn’t listed below, do vote for it anyway – your vote could make the difference.

Favorite Romance:

A Summer To Remember by Mary Balogh
Breathing Room by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Bridal Favors by Connie Brockway
Chesapeake Blue by Nora Roberts
Daughter of the Game by Tracy Grant
No Place Like Home by Barbara Samuel
Out of Control by Suzanne Brockmann
No True Gentleman by Liz Carlyle
Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
The Spiral Path by Mary Jo Putney
Lady Sophia’s Lover by Lisa Kleypas
The Wedding Journey by Carla Kelly
Untie My Heart by Judith Ivory


Favorite Funny:

Faking It by Jennifer Crusie
Bridal Favors by Connie Brockway
George and the Virgin by Lisa Cach
Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
Lola Carlyle Reveals All by Rachel Gibson
She Went All the Way by Meggin Cabot
Undead and Unwed by MaryJanice Davidson


Most Hanky Read:

No Place Like Home by Barbara Samuel
An Honorable Thief by Ann Gracie
The Spiral Path by Mary Jo Putney
Prarie Moon by Maggie Osborne
Lord of Fire by Galen Foley


Most Luscious Love Story:

Untie My Heart by Judith Ivory
Behind Closed Doors by Shannon McKenna
Lady Sophia’s Lover by Lisa Kleypas
Beyond Seduction by Emma Holly
On a Wicked Dawn by Stephanie Laurens
No True Gentleman by Liz Carlyle
Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
Dark Highlander by Karen Marie Moning
Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon


Most Tortured Hero:

Dageus from Dark Highlander by Karen Marie Moning
Damien from Lord of Ice by Galen Foley
Kenzie from The Spiral Path by Mary Jo Putney
Julian from Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Alasdair from The Devil’s Bargain by Edith Layton
Stuart from Untie My Heart by Judith Ivory
Seth from Chesapeake Blue by Nora Roberts


Strongest Heroine:

Jewel from No Place Like Home by Barbara Samuel
Eve Dallas from Reunion In Death by J.D. Robb
Alexandra from The Bartered Bride by Mary Jo Putney
Kit from An Honorable Thief by Anne Gracie
Sarah from Dying to Please by Linda Howard
Emma from Untie My Heart by Judith Ivory
Jordan from Contact by Susan Grant
Lilah from Duel of Hearts by Diane Farr
Nell from The Wedding Journey by Carla Kelly


Favorite Hero:

Seth from Chesapeake Blue by Nora Roberts
Ross from Lady Sophia’s Lover by Lisa Kleypas
Julian from Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Jesse from The Wedding Journey by Carla Kelly
Kenny from Out of Control by Suzanne Brockmann
Roarke from Reunion In Death by J.D. Robb
Max from No True Gentleman by Liz Carlyle
Stuart from Untie My Heart by Judith Ivory
Justin from Bridal Favors by Connie Brockway
Colin from Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn


Favorite Heroine:

Matilda from Faking It by Jennifer Crusie
Penelope from Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
Jewel from No Place Like Home by Barbara Samuel
Nell from The Wedding Journey by Carla Kelly
Savannah from Out of Control by Suzanne Brockman
Sophia from Lady Sophia’s Lover by Lisa Kleypas
Eve Dallas from Reunion In Death b y J.D. Robb
Katherine from The Suitor by Sandy Hingston


Favorite Couple:

Charles and Melanie in Daughter of the Game by Tracy Grant
Ross and Sophia from Lady Sophia’s Lover by Lisa Kleypas
Seth and Dru from Chesapeake Blue by Nora Roberts
Colin and Penelope from Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
Jesse and Nell from The Wedding Journey by Carla Kelly
Kitty and Dylan from First Comes Love by Christine Ridgeway
Stuart and Emma from Untie My Heart by Judith Ivory


Best Villian:

Shivaji from The Golden Leopard by Lynn Kerstan
Victor from Behind Closed Doors by Shannon McKenna
Edward from The Seduction by Julia Ross
Nick from Lady Sophia’s Lover by Lisa Kleypas
Clea from Faking It by Jennifer Crusie
Priapus from Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon
McIntire from Body Electric by Susan Squires


Most Annoying Lead Character:

Sam from Into the Night by Suzanne Brockmann
Alizon from George and the Virgin by Lisa Cach
Katherine from The Suitor by Sandy Hingston
Daegus from Dark Highlander by Karen Marie Moning
Amanda from On a Wild Night by Stephanie Laurens
Allie from Hot Rain by Kat Martin
Joe from Hard Eight by Janet Evanovich
Tally from In Too Deep by Cherry Adair


Best Cabin/Road Romance:

Lola Carlyle Reveals All by Rachel Gibson
The Wedding Journey by Carla Kelly
Out of Control by Suzanne Brockmann
Breathing Room by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
She Went All the Way by Meggin Cabot
Bridal Favors by Connie Brockway
Wild at Heart by Jane Graves


Favorite New Author:

Shannon McKenna
Nita Abrams
Katie MacAlister
Wendy Lindstrom
Cindy Dees
Patti O’Shea
Betsy Elliot
Susan Donovan


Best Buried Treasure Romance:

The Willing Wife by Claudia Dain
A Question of Honor by Nita Abrams
Noble Intentions by Katie MacAlister
Shades of Honor by Wendy Lindstrom
The Seduction by Julia Ross
The Golden Leopard by Lynn Kerstan
Still Mr. and Mrs. by Mary McBride
Not So Innocent by Laura Lee Guhrke
The Fortune Hunter by Diane Farr
No True Gentleman by Liz Carlyle
The Bride Fair by Cheryl Reavis


Guiltiest Pleasure Romance:

Dark Guardian by Christine Feehan
Night Pleasures by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Beyond Seduction by Emma Holly
Too Much Temptation by Lori Foster
Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon
On a Wild Night by Stephanie Laurens
Narcissus in Chains by Laurell K Hamilton
Behind Closed Doors by Shannon McKenna
Total Surrender by Cheryl Holt


Most Glommed Author:

Lorraine Heath
Rachel Gibson
Carla Kelly
Liz Carlyle
Mary Balogh
Lisa Kleypas
Jennifer Crusie
Suzanne Brockmann
Laurell K Hamilton
Susan Squires
Linda Howard


Favorite Medieval Romance:

From This Moment On by Lynn Kurlan
Lord of a Thousand Nights by Madelaine Hunter
Stealing Heaven by Madelaine Hunter
The Willing Wife by Claudia Dain
Claiming the Highlander by Kinley MacGregor
The Knight and the Rose by Isolde Martyn


Favorite Traditional Regency Romance:

The Wedding Journey by Carla Kelly
A Matchmaker’s Christmas by Donna Simpson
A Debt to Delia by Barbara Metzger
Marrying Miss Bumblebroth by Mary Kingsley
A Rake’s Redemption by Donna Simpson
The Convenient Marriage by Debbie Raleigh


Favorite European Historical Romance:

A Summer to Remember by Mary Balogh
The Devil’s Bargain by Edith Layton
Untie My Heart by Judith Ivory
No True Gentleman by Liz Carlyle
Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
On a Wicked Dawn by Stephanie Laurens
Duel of Hearts by Diane Farr
Lady Sophia’s Lover by Lisa Kleypas
The Suitor by Sandy Hingston
Bridal Favors by Connie Brockway
Beyond Seduction by Emma Holly
An Affair to Remember by Karen Hawkins
Noble Intentions by Katie MacAlister


Favorite American/Western Romance:

The Colonel’s Daughter by Merline Lovelace
Prairie Moon by Maggie Osborne
The Bride Fair by Cheryl Reavis
Shades of Honor by Wendy Lindstrom
When Strangers Marry by Lisa Kleypas


Favorite Contemporary Romance:

No Place Like Home by Barbara Samuel
Dying to Please by Linda Howard
Faking It by Jennifer Crusie
Breathing Room by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Out of Control by Susan Brockmann
Still Mr. And Mrs. by Mary McBride
The Spiral Path by Mary Jo Putney
Chesapeake Blue by Nora Roberts
Lola Carlyle Reveals All by Rachel Gibson
Three Fates by Nora Roberts
Body Electric by Susan Squires
Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon


Favorite Series Romance:

The Cupcake Queen by Patricia Coughlin
All Tied Up by Alison Kent
No Strings Attached by Alison Kent
All a Man Can Do by Virginia Kantra
The Older Woman by Cheryl Reavis
Behind Enemy Lines by Cindy Dees
Good Time Girl by Candace Schuler
On Her Guard by Beverly Barton


Favorite Romantic Suspense:

Daughter of the Game by Tracy Grant
Head Over Heels by Susan Andersen
Three Fates by Nora Roberts
Dying to Please by Linda Howard
Behind Closed Doors by Shannon McKenna
Into the Night by Suzanne Brockmann
Purity in Death by J. D. Robb
Killjoy by Julie Garwood
Out of Control by Suzanne Brockmann
Wild at Heart by Jane Graves
On Her Guard by Beverly Barton


Favorite Short Story:

The Bed is Made by Connie Brockway
The Bed is Unmade by Christina Dodd
Hunting Season by Liz Carlyle
Dragonswan by Sherrilyn Kenyon
A Holiday Fling by Mary Jo Putney
A Home for Hanna by Barbara Metzger
The Breeding Season by Lisa Cach
Monster Love by MaryJanice Davidson
A Virtuous Widow by Ann Gracie
No Room at the Inn by Carla Kelly
Kismet by Fiona Brand
Love Lessons by Donna Simpson


Favorite Alternate Reality Romance:

The Dark Highlander by Karen Marie Moning
The Forest Lord by Susan Krinard
Reunion in Death by J.D. Robb
Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon
George and the Virgin by Lisa Cach
Ravyn’s Flight by Patti O’Shea
The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold
Contact by Susan Grant
Body Electric by Susan Squires
Face the Fire by Nora Roberts
Alice at Heart by Deborah Smith
A Caress of Twilight by Laurell K Hamilton


Author You Gave Up On:

Melanie George
Christine Feehan
Nora Roberts
Catherine Coulter
Christina Dodd
Stephanie Laurens
Connie Mason
Amanda Quick
Julie Garwood
Laurell K Hamilton
Jude Deveraux


Authors Others Love But You Don’t:

Catherine Coulter
Nora Roberts/J. D. Robb
Christina Dodd
Connie Brockway
Suzanne Brockmann
Julie Garwood
Laurell K Hamilton
Diana Gabaldon
Stephanie Laurens
Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Linda Howard
Judith Ivory
Julia Quinn
Christine Feehan
Georgette Heyer


Most Disappointing Romance:

Into the Night by Suzanne Brockmann
The Dark Highlander by Karen Marie Moning
Hard Eight by Janet Evanovich
On a Wicked Dawn by Stephanie Laurens
On a Wild Night by Stephanie Laurens
George and the Virgin by Lisa Cach
The Bachelor by Carly Phillips
No True Gentleman by Liz Carlyle
Too Much Temptation by Lori Foster


Worst Romance:

The Mating Game by Melanie George
Killjoy by Julie Garwood
The Mulberry Tree by Jude Deveraux
Plum Girl by Jill Winters
Hot Rain by Kat Martin
The Last Male Virgin by Katherine Deauxville
A Game of Scandal by Kathryn Smith
Dark Guardian by Christine Feehan


Most Purple Prose:

Ecstasy by Nicole Jordan
Knight in My Bed by Sue-Ellen Welfonder
On a Wild Night by Stephanie Laurens
Lord of Ice by Galen Foley
Beyond Seduction by Emma Holly
Lair of the Lion by Christine Feehan
Lord of Fire by Galen Foley
Total Surrender by Cheryl Holt

Results in our 2003 Reader Poll