Highly recommend this post by Katherine Coble before or after perusing this year's nominees.
Contemporary Romance
The Breath of Dawn* by Kristen Heitzmann (Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker
Publishing Group)
Lethal Legacy by Irene Hannon (Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group)
Wildflowers from Winter by Katie Ganshert (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group)
Contemporary Series, Sequels, and Novellas/
Two Destinies by Elizabeth Musser (David C Cook)
You Don't Know Me by Susan May Warren (Tyndale House Publishers)
Waiting for Sunrise by Eva Marie Everson (Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group)
Contemporary Standalone
The Air We Breathe by Christa Parrish (Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing
Group)
Borders of the Heart* by Chris Fabry (Tyndale House Publishers)
Not in the Heart* by Chris Fabry (Tyndale House Publishers)
First Novel
Into the Free by Julie Cantrell (David C Cook)
Tangled Ashes by Michèle Phoenix (Tyndale House Publishers)
Wedded to War by Jocelyn Green (River North, an imprint of Moody Press)
Historical
Flame of Resistance by Tracy Groot (Tyndale House Publishers)
Wedded to War by Jocelyn Green (River North, an imprint of Moody Press)
A Wreath of Snow by Liz Curtis Higgs (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group)
Historical Romance
Against the Tide by Elizabeth Camden (Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing
Group)
Be Still My Soul by Joanne Bischof (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group)
Love's Reckoning by Laura Frantz (Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group)
Suspense
Downfall by Terri Blackstock (Zondervan, a division of HarperCollins Christian
Publishing)
The Last Plea Bargain by Randy Singer (Tyndale House Publishers)
Rare Earth* by Davis Bunn (Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing
Group)
Submerged* by Dani Pettrey (Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing
Group)
*This category includes four nominees due to a tie in scoring.