returning vet knew a happy ending wasn't in the cards. Still, that was before April started working her magic on his daughter and on him. Maybe this Christmas was a time for new beginnings — if Patrick had the courage to go with the powerful feelings April had awakened in him .

The third RITA award recipient of the evening was a newcomer, Simone St. James (great name by the way). Her story 'The Haunting of Maddy Clare' won in 2 categories, hence the two RITAs she is proudly displaying in her picture below. The first, was in the category Novel with Strong Romantic Elements and the second was for Best First Book. This is definitely an author to watch. I can't wait to see what she'll do inthe future. Talk about making an entrance in the Romance world, Ms. St. James could give us all pointers. :)

Book Synopsis of 'The Haunting of Maddy Clare':

Sarah Piper's lonely, threadbare existence changes when her temporary agency sends her to assist a ghost hunter. Alistair Gellis-rich, handsome, scarred by World War I, and obsessed with ghosts- has been summoned to investigate the spirit of nineteen-year-old maid Maddy Clare, who is haunting the barn where she committed suicide. Since Maddy hated men in life, it is Sarah's task to confront her in death. Soon Sarah is caught up in a deperate struggle. For Maddy's ghost is real, she's angry, and she has powers that defy all reason. Can Sarah and Alistair's assistant, the rough, unsettling Matthew Ryder, discover who Maddy