Interim Results – 2008 Reader Poll
February 18, 2008
Below you will find all the interim results – including the final set, posted today, February 4th – in our in our 12th annual reader poll, which runs from January 7 through midnight, February 17th. This year’s schedule of posting interim results was dictated by the fluidity within the vote as well as the number of ballots received. Because we don’t want to affect the outcome in a horse-race fashion, our allowing a look into the process was only of a limited duration. None of the votes received in the poll’s final two weeks were divulged in any way prior to the announcement of the winners, which will occur on March 3rd.
This poll’s history shows us that there is a progression in many categories. Every single vote is critical – your vote could easily make the difference between a book that is not on our final list of interim results eventually winning or earning honorable mention in a category. But please, do not waste your vote by choosing a book with a pub date other than 2007 or choose a series of connected books rather than an actual series/category romance (published by Harlequin/Silhouette) in the Series/Category Romance category.
Each category’s results are sorted based on data entry in my database (and I use shortcuts in my database – AA for Atlantis Awakening, for instance – so none of these results reflect the number of votes received by any particular title/character/author).
First Set of Interim Results (January 11th)
- And Then He Kissed Her
- Beau Crusoe
- Blood Brothers
- Border Lord’s Bride
- Catch a Mate
- Dark Lies
- High Noon
- If His Kiss Is Wicked
- If You Desire
- It’s Not About the Accent
- Leopard Prince
- Lover Unbound
- Natural Born Charmer
- Nymph King
- Safe Harbor
- Secret Dreams of Emily Porter
- Serpent Prince
- Sugar Daddy
- Tangled Up in You
- Templar’s Seduction
- Visions of HeatWhite Lies
- Agnes and the Hitman
- And Then He Kissed Her
- Border Lord’s Bride
- Dancing Shoes and Honky Tonk Blues
- Leopard Prince
- Master
- My Nerdy Valentine
- Natural Born Charmer
- Not Quite a Lady
- Royal Mess
- Rules of Gentility
- Tongue in Chic
- Unmanned
- What a Lady Wants
- When I Fall in Love
- Beau Crusoe
- Dirty
- Fall From Grace
- It’s Not About the Accent
- Natural Born Charmer
- Not Quite a Lady
- Secret Dreams of Emily Porter
- Secret Passion of Simon Blackwell
- Sugar Daddy
- To Hell With Love
- Untouched
- Virgin River
- Warlord (Elizabeth Vaughan)
- A Rogue’s Salute
- Dangerous Lover
- If His Kiss Is Wicked
- Leopard Prince
- Lover Unbound
- Mine Till Midnight
- Once a Rake
- Serpent Prince
- Untouched
- Anchor and Storm
- Beyond Seduction (votes for this book belong in Most Lucsious)
- Body Moves
- Caine’s Reckoning
- Colter’s Woman
- Fairyville
- Flyboy
- House of the Dark Delights
- Lover Unbound (votes for this book belong in Most Lucsious)
- Passion of the Game
- Pull My Hair
- Scandalous Lovers
- Sudden Pleasures
- Tanner’s Scheme
- Wicked Fantasy
- Wild, Wicked, and Wanton
- Beau Crusoe
- Caressed by Ice
- Castle of the Wolf
- If You Deceive
- Laird of the Mist
- Lover Revealed
- Lover Unbound
- Once a Rake
- Serpent Prince
- Simon Says
- Soul Song
- Untouched
- Warrior
- Wicked Deeds on a Winter’s Night
- Blood Bound
- Blood Brothers
- Caressed by Ice
- Creation in Death
- Dockside
- Driven
- Her Only Desire
- High Noon
- Ice Storm
- If His Kiss Is Wicked
- If You Deceive
- Lover Unbound
- Mirage
- Mistress of the Art of Death
- Never Lie To a Lady
- Safe Harbor
- Up Close and Dangerous
- And Then He Kissed Her
- Blood Secrets
- High Noon
- Ice Blue
- If His Kiss Is Wicked
- Lover Revealed
- Mine Till Midnight
- Never Lie To a Lady
- Notorious
- Riding the Storm
- Safe Harbor
- Serpent Prince
- To Catch a Cheat
- Virgin River
- When I Fall in Love
- Agnes and the Hitman
- And Then He Kissed Her
- Blame It on Cupid
- Creation in Death
- Demon Moon
- Embraced by Darkness
- High Noon
- If His Kiss Is Wicked
- Lessons of Desire
- Never Lie to a Lady
- Not Quite a Lady
- Notorious
- Safe Harbor
- Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever
- Sugar Daddy
- Tangled Up in You
- Voices of the Night
- All Through the Night – secondary couple
- Border Lord’s Bride
- Creation in Death
- Dark Lies
- Demon Moon
- Force of Nature – secondary couple
- Just Wicked Enough
- Lady Beware
- Leopard Prince
- Lover Unbound
- My Fair Mistress
- Natural Born Charmer
- Pearl Jinx
- Royal Mess
- Safe Harbor
- Serpent Prince
- Sugar Daddy
- White Lies
- Blood Brothers
- Claiming the Courtesan
- Count To Ten
- Die for Me
- Gideon
- Innocent in Death
- Lover Revealed
- Serpent Prince
- Sugar Daddy
- Unfortunate Miss Fortunes
- Untouched
- Anna Campbell
- C.L. Wilson
- Christine Wells
- Donna Alward
- Janette Kenny
- Jean Johnson
- Jeaniene Frost
- Karen Foley
- Melissa Mayhue
- Monica McCarty
- Rachel Vincent
- Teresa D’Amario
- A Rather Lovely Inheritance
- Beau Crusoe
- Colter’s Woman
- Driven
- Garden Spells
- Heart Dance
- Hot Wheels and High Heels
- If His Kiss Is Wicked
- Lord Sin
- Midnight Awakening
- Royal Mess
- Secret Dreams of Emily Porter
- Warlord (Elizabeth Vaughan)
- All Through the Night
- Claiming the Courtesan
- Colter’s Woman
- Dangerous Lover
- Desperate Duchesses
- Edge of Midnight
- Raintree: Inferno
- Italian Boss’s Secretary Mistress
- Lover Revealed
- On the Loose
- Wicked Fantasy
- Anne Stuart
- Hannah Howell
- J.R. Ward
- Jo Goodman
- Karen Ranney
- Katie Fforde
- Kay Hooper
- Keri Arthur
- Lisa Kleypas
- Lisa Marie Rice
- Marianne Stillings
- Marjorie Liu
- Mary Balogh
- Meg Cabot
- Robb/Roberts
- Robyn Carr
- Sabrina Jeffries
- Shelley Laurenston
- Susan Wiggs
- Suzanne Brockmann
- A Rather Lovely Inheritance
- Coming Undone Driven
- Ice Blue
- Ice Storm
- If You Desire
- Laird of the Mist
- Perfect Kiss
- Snowbound – Ione
- Sword
- Up Close and Dangerous
- Wild and Wicked in Scotlan
- Brat
- Dark Seduction
- Laird of the Mist
- Templar’s Seduction
- Brat
- Dark Seduction
- Laird of the Mist
- Templar’s Seduction
- An Affair Before Christmas
- And Then He Kissed Her
- Beau Crusoe
- If His Kiss Is Wicked
- Lady Beware
- Leopard Prince
- Mine Till Midnight
- Never Deceive a Duke
- Scottish Companion
- Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever
- Secret Passion of Simon Blackwell
- Secret to Seduction
- Serpent Prince
- Untouched
- A Wanted Man
- Preacher’s Daughter
- Texas Princess
- Catch a Mate
- Dancing Shoes and Honky Tonk Blues
- Dockside
- It’s Not About the Accent
- McKettrick’s Luck
- Natural Born Charmer
- Royal Mess
- Sexiest Man Alive
- Sugar Daddy
- Tangled Up in You
- Virgin River
- White Lies
- Baby Makes Three
- Beau Crusoe
- Billionaire Next Door
- Crowned an Ordinary Girl
- Dark Lies
- Raintree: Inferno
- Italian Boss’s Secretary Mistress
- Lawman’s Bride
- Man in a Million
- Millionaire’s Indecent Proposal
- Secret Dreams of Emily Porter
- Agnes and the Hitman
- Arousing Suspicions
- Die for Me
- Force of Nature
- Hide
- High Noon
- Ice Blue
- Ice Storm
- Calling
- Caressed by Ice
- Creation in Death
- Demon Moon
- Driven
- Elijah
- General Winston’s Daughter
- Kushiel’s Justice
- Lord of the Fading Lands
- Protector of the Flight
- Silver Master
- A Distant Magic
- Blood Brothers
- Caressed by Ice
- Demon Moon
- Demon You Know
- Gideon
- Halfway To the Grave
- House of the Dark Delights
- Kissing Sin
- Lover Revealed
- Lover Unbound
- Midnight Awakening
- My Immortal
- Real Vampires Have Curves
- Return of the Warrior
- Riding the Storm
- To Hell With Love
- Visions of Heat
- When I Fall in Love
- Wicked Deeds on a Winter’s Nigh
- Austenland
- Fortune Quilt
- Mad Dash
- Sugar Daddy
- Swimming Lessons
- Virgin River
- A Valentine for Rebecca
- Anna and the King of Dragons
- Beat of Temptation
- Eternity in Death
- Lord John and the Haunted Soldier
- Majicka
- Shaken and Stirred
- Tempted
- Wicked
- Wild
- Amanda Ashley
- Christine Feehan
- Danielle Steel
- Diana Palmer
- Eloisa James
- J.R. Ward
- Janet Evanovich
- Johanna Lindsey
- Julia Quinn
- Julie Garwood
- Karen Hawkins
- Linda Howard
- Mariah Stewart
- Nora Roberts
- Sherrilyn Kenyon
- Stephanie Laurens
- Suzanne Brockman
- An Affair Before Christmas
- Blood Brothers
- Enslaved
- Force of Nature
- Raintree: Inferno
- Just Wicked Enough
- Lady of Light and Shadows
- Lover Revealed
- Lover Unbound
- Natural Born Charmer
- Not Quite a Lady
- Over Hexed
- Scandal Becomes Her
- Scorched
- Sexiest Man Alive
- Unfortunate Miss Fortunes
- Up Close and Dangerou
- An Affair Before Christmas – heroine
- Embraced by Darkness – heroine
- Fit To Be Tied – heroine
- Force of Nature – secondary hero
- Ice Storm – heroine
- Kitty Takes a Holiday – heroine
- Lady of LIght and Shadows – heroine
- Lover Revealed – hero
- Lover Revealed – heroine
- Marcelli Princess – hero
- Natural Born Charmer – heroine
- Not Quite a Lady – heroine
- Raintree: Sanctuary – heroine
- Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever – hero
- Secret Passion of Simon Blackwell – heroine
- Unfortunate Miss Fortunes – heroin
- Austenland
- Blood Brothers
- Chasing Stanley
- Claiming the Courtesan
- Kiss of Midnight
- Lover Revealed
- Lover Unbound
- Marcelli Princess
- Natural Born Charmer
- Blood Brothers
- Caressed by Ice
- Dark Seduction
- Dirty Harriet Rides Again
- Embraced by Darkness
- Force of Nature
- Heir and the Spare
- I Married a Pirate
- Raintree: Inferno
- Lady of Light and Shadows
- Lover Revealed
- Lover Unbound
- Night Life
- On Tall Pine Lake
- Perfidia
- Raintree: Sanctuary
- Scandal Becomes Her
- Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever
- To Scotland with Love
- Unmasqued
- Beware a Scot’s Revenge
- Blood Brothers
- Marsh Hawk
- Perfidia
- Unmasqued
Second Set of Interim Results (January 13th – January 17th)
Jan 13: Added Jan 15: Added/removed Jan 17: Added/removed
For interpretive purposes, crossed-out items failed to meet the next threshold in terms of numbers of votes received. That doesn’t mean, however, that they are down for the count. Over the years we’ve seen books/characters/authors get votes, slack off, and then reappear in subsequent interim results updates. This merely shows the fluidity of the voting process thus far. FYI, the reason why not all categories have crossed out items is this: not enough items within that category have reached the next threshold. In subsequent updates, either enough will…or in that category the threshold will be lowered.
Best Romance A Christmas Wedding Wager Favorite Funny Agnes and the Hitman Most-Hanky Read An Affair Before Christmas An Affair Before Christmas Most Luscious Love Story A Rogue’s Salute A Rogue’s Salute Untouched (Anna Campbell) Best Erotic Romance Anchor and Storm Anchor and Storm Wild, Wicked, and Wanton Most Tortured Hero Atlantis Awakening Strongest (aka Kick-Ass) Heroine Atlantis Awakening Best Hero A Touch of Minx A Touch of Minx Best Heroine Agnes and the Hitman Best Couple A Touch of Minx A Touch of Minx A Touch of Minx Best Villain A Taste of Innocence Best Debut Author Eve Kenin aka Eve Silver debuted earlier than 2007 and Christie Craig informs us she was once published in the 1990s Anna Campbell Best Buried Treasure A Rather Lovely Inheritance A Rather Love Inheritance Guiltiest Pleasure A Taste of Innocence Author Most Glommed in 2007 Anne Stuart | Cabin/Road Romance A Rather Lovely Inheritance A Rather Lovely Inheritance Best Medieval/Renaissance Romance Brat Best European Historical Romance A Christmas Wedding Wager Best American Historical or Frontier Romance A Reason To Believe Best Contemporary Romance Agnes and the Hitman Best Series (Category) Book A Christmas Wedding Wager A Christmas Wedding Wager Best Romantic Suspense A Touch of Minx A Touch of Minx A Touch of Minx Best SFF/F & Futuristic Romance Bloodfever Kushiel’s Justice Kushiel’s Justice Best Paranormal & Time Travel Romance Books featuring demons or angels are fantasy romances A Distant Magic A Distant Magic Best Chick Lit/Women’s Fiction Austenland Best Short Story A Smuggler’s Tale Author You Gave Up On in 2007 Amanda Ashley Amanda Ashley Most Disappointing Romance A Distant Magic A Distant Magic Most Annoying Lead Character A Lady Betrayed – hero A Lady Betrayed Least Believable HEA A Christmas To Remember A Christmas To Remember Biggest Wallbanger or “I Tried, I Really Did” A Lady Betrayed A Lady Betrayed Beware a Scot’s Revenge |
Third Set of Interim Results (January 21st…updated January 26th)
Jan 21: Added/removed Jan 23: Added/removed Jan 24: Added/removed Jan 26: Added/removed
Best Romance And Then He Kissed Her Favorite Funny Agnes and the Hitman Most-Hanky Read Beau Crusoe Most Luscious Love Story Dangerous Lover Best Erotic Romance Beyond Seduction (votes for this book belong in Most Lucsious) Beyond Seduction Most Tortured Hero Beau Crusoe Strongest (aka Kick-Ass) Heroine And Then He Kissed Her Best Hero Beau Crusoe Beau Crusoe Best Heroine Agnes and the Hitman Agnes and the Hitman Agnes and the Hitman Agnes and the Hitman Agnes and the Hitman Best Couple A Touch of Minx A Touch of Minx Best Villain A Taste of Innocence A Taste of Innocence Best Debut Author Eve Kenin aka Eve Silver debuted earlier than 2007, as did Colleen Gleason/Colette Gale, and Christie Craig and Donna Alward inform us they were previously published Anna Campbell Best Buried Treasure Beau Crusoe Guiltiest Pleasure A Taste of Innocence A Taste of Innocence Author Most Glommed in 2007 Anne Stuart | Cabin/Road Romance All Through the Night Best Medieval/Renaissance Romance Brat Best European Historical Romance A Christmas Wedding Wager Best American Historical or Frontier Romance A Reason To Believe Best Contemporary Romance Agnes and the Hitman Agnes and the Hitman Agnes and the Hitman Best Series (Category) Book A Christmas Wedding Wager A Christmas Wedding Wager Best Romantic Suspense A Touch of Minx A Touch of Minx Best SFF/F & Futuristic Romance Bloodfever Bloodfever Bloodfever Bloodfever Best Paranormal & Time Travel Romance Books featuring demons or angels are fantasy romances Atlantis Awakening Atlantis Awakening Best Chick Lit/Women’s Fiction Austenland Best Short Story A Smuggler’s Tale A Smuggler’s Tale A Smuggler’s Tale Author You Gave Up On in 2007 Christine Feehan Most Disappointing Romance An Affair Before Christmas Most Annoying Lead Character An Affair Before Christmas – heroine Least Believable HEA Atlantis Rising Biggest Wallbanger or “I Tried, I Really Did” An Affair Before Christmas Beware a Scot’s Revenge |
Fourth Set of Interim Results (January 28th – February 3rd)
Jan 28: Added/removed Jan 29: Added/removed Jan 30: Added/removed Jan 31: Added/removed
Feb 1: Added/removed Feb 2: Added/removed Feb 3: Added/removed
Best Romance And Then He Kissed Her Favorite Funny Agnes and the Hitman Most-Hanky Read Beau Crusoe Most Luscious Love Story Dangerous Lover Best Erotic Romance Born Again Born Again Born Again Born Again Most Tortured Hero Beau Crusoe Strongest (aka Kick-Ass) Heroine Agnes and the Hitman Agnes and the Hitman Best Hero Creation in Death Best Heroine Agnes and the Hitman Best Couple All Through the Night – secondary couple Best Villain An Affair To Remember An Affair To Remember An Affair To Remember Best Debut Author Anna Campbell Best Buried Treasure Beau Crusoe Guiltiest Pleasure All Through the Night Author Most Glommed in 2007 Anne Stuart | Cabin/Road Romance All Through the Night All Through the Night Best Medieval/Renaissance Romance Brat Best European Historical Romance A Christmas Wedding Wager A Christmas Wedding Wager A Christmas Wedding Wager A Christmas Wedding Wager Best American Historical or Frontier Romance A Reason To Believe Best Contemporary Romance Agnes and the Hitman Best Series (Category) Book Baby Makes Three Best Romantic Suspense Agnes and the Hitman Best SFF/F & Futuristic Romance Bloodfever Bloodfever Bloodfever Best Paranormal & Time Travel Romance Blood Brothers Best Chick Lit/Women’s Fiction Austenland Best Short Story A Smuggler’s Tale A Smuggler’s Tale Author You Gave Up On in 2007 Christina Dodd Christina Dodd Most Disappointing Romance Blood Brothers Blood Brothers Most Annoying Lead Character An Affair Before Christmas – heroine Least Believable HEA Austenland Austenland Biggest Wallbanger or “I Tried, I Really Did” An Affair Before Christmas Beware a Scot’s Revenge |
Final Set of Interim Results (February 4th)
Please remember that one reason for posting interim results is to show fluidity within the vote. If you compare this final set of interim results with those from the past few weeks, which featured a great many updates, you’ll see how certain books have remained on the list from the start while others were added later. Others fell off the list, only to return a day or week after. Trying to determine which books have actually earned the most votes by how long they’ve been on the list is useless; several titles in many categories earned a great number of votes initially, but were not among the choices made by readers who cast ballots later. Also, there are books waiting patiently for additional votes that will push them higher in the standing. If a book you voted for hasn’t appeared thus far, it doesn’t mean your ballot was voided; it just hasn’t received as many votes as the books that appear at this time.
For those who have not yet voted, please do not vote for the same book in the SFF & Futuristic category as you do the Paranormal & Time Travel category…and read the definitions for Most Luscious Love Story and Best Erotic Romance before voting as well. If current trends continue, certain books will split their vote between two categories, which may affect the final result.
Best Romance And Then He Kissed Her Favorite Funny Agnes and the Hitman Most-Hanky Read Beau Crusoe Most Luscious Love Story Dangerous Lover Best Erotic Romance Caine’s Reckoning Most Tortured Hero Beau Crusoe Strongest (aka Kick-Ass) Heroine And Then He Kissed Her Best Hero Creation in Death Best Heroine Agnes and the Hitman Best Couple All Through the Night – secondary couple Best Villain An Affair To Remember Best Debut Author Anna Campbell Best Buried Treasure Beau Crusoe Guiltiest Pleasure All Through the Night Author Most Glommed in 2007 Anne Stuart | Cabin/Road Romance Divorced, Desperate, and Delicious Best Medieval/Renaissance Romance Brat Best European Historical Romance An Affair Before Christmas Best American Historical or Frontier Romance A Reason To Believe Best Contemporary Romance Agnes and the Hitman Best Series (Category) Book Baby Makes Three Best Romantic Suspense Agnes and the Hitman Best SFF/F & Futuristic Romance Bloodfever Best Paranormal & Time Travel Romance Blood Brothers Best Chick Lit/Women’s Fiction Austenland Best Short Story Alpha and Omerga Author You Gave Up On in 2007 Christine Feehan Most Disappointing Romance Raintree: Inferno Most Annoying Lead Character An Affair Before Christmas – heroine Least Believable HEA Claiming the Courtesan Biggest Wallbanger or “I Tried, I Really Did” An Affair Before Christmas Beware a Scot’s Revenge |