Magical realism romance comp titles for your query letter (updated 2026)

When you’re querying a magical realism romance, choosing the right comp titles can make or break your chances of being published because agents and publishing house editors use comp titles as a quick way to gauge the genre of your book along with its market potential.

I regularly update this list of magical realism romance comp titles to make sure you’re always working with relevant books.

No matter if you’re writing a sweet, slow-burn magical realism romance or something fast and spicy, you’ll find titles below to help you write a killer query letter!

If you’re looking for something a bit more specific, check out my romance comp database.

1. A Far Wilder MagicAuthor: Allison SaftYear published: 2022Genre and themes: fantasy, magic, magical realism, romantasy, young adult
2. A Love Song for Ricki WildeAuthor: Tia WilliamsYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, book club, contemporary, fantasy, historical, magical realism
3. A Novel Love StoryAuthor: Ashley PostonYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, books about books, chick lit, contemporary, fantasy, magical realism
4. A Sea of Unspoken ThingsAuthor: Adrienne YoungYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, fantasy, magical realism, mystery, thriller
5. AftertasteAuthor: Daria LavelleYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, book club, fantasy, food, ghosts, horror, magical realism, paranormal
6. BitterAuthor: Akwaeke EmeziYear published: 2022Genre and themes: LGBT, contemporary, dystopia, fantasy, magical realism, queer, young adult
7. Black Woods Blue SkyAuthor: Eowyn IveyYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, book club, fantasy, historical, literary fiction, magical realism, retellings
8. Cassandra in ReverseAuthor: Holly SmaleYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, book club, chick lit, contemporary, fantasy, magical realism, science fiction, time travel
9. Circus of WondersAuthor: Elizabeth MacnealYear published: 2021Genre and themes: British literature, adult, book club, fantasy, historical, magical realism
10. CrossingsAuthor: Alex LandraginYear published: 2020Genre and themes: adult, book club, books about books, fantasy, historical, magical realism, mystery, time travel
11. Darling GirlAuthor: Liz MichalskiYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, book club, contemporary, fantasy, magical realism, mystery, retellings
12. Expiration DatesAuthor: Rebecca SerleYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, book club, chick lit, contemporary, magical realism
13. How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the UniverseAuthor: Raquel Vasquez GillilandYear published: 2021Genre and themes: LGBT, contemporary, latinx, magical realism, realistic fiction, young adult
14. I Am Not Jessica ChenAuthor: Ann LiangYear published: 2025Genre and themes: Asian literature, contemporary, dark academia, fantasy, magical realism, young adult
15. In a Thousand Different WaysAuthor: Cecelia AhernYear published: 2023Genre and themes: Ireland, adult, book club, chick lit, contemporary, fantasy, magical realism
16. In Five YearsAuthor: Rebecca SerleYear published: 2020Genre and themes: adult, book club, chick lit, contemporary, magical realism, time travel
17. Instructions for DancingAuthor: Nicola YoonYear published: 2021Genre and themes: contemporary, fantasy, magical realism, young adult
18. Magic LessonsAuthor: Alice HoffmanYear published: 2020Genre and themes: adult, fantasy, historical, magic, magical realism, paranormal, witches
19. Meant to Be MineAuthor: Hannah OrensteinYear published: 2022Genre and themes: Jewish, adult, chick lit, contemporary, magical realism
20. Meet Me on the BridgeAuthor: Sarah J. HarrisYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, fantasy, magical realism, science fiction, time travel
21. My Name Is Emilia del ValleAuthor: Isabel AllendeYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, book club, fantasy, historical, literary fiction, magical realism
22. Once Upon a DecemberAuthor: Amy E. ReichertYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, chick lit, christmas, contemporary, fantasy, holiday, magical realism
23. Other BirdsAuthor: Sarah Addison AllenYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, book club, contemporary, fantasy, ghosts, magical realism, mystery, paranormal
24. Shark HeartAuthor: Emily HabeckYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, book club, contemporary, fantasy, literary fiction, magical realism
25. Somewhere Beyond the SeaAuthor: T.J. KluneYear published: 2024Genre and themes: LGBT, adult, cozy, fantasy, magic, magical realism, queer
26. Sounds Like LoveAuthor: Ashley PostonYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, chick lit, contemporary, fantasy, magical realism, music
27. The Amalfi CurseAuthor: Sarah PennerYear published: 2025Genre and themes: Italy, adult, book club, fantasy, historical, magical realism, mystery
28. The Book of DoorsAuthor: Gareth BrownYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, book club, books about books, fantasy, magic, magical realism, mystery, time travel
29. The Book of Lost HoursAuthor: Hayley GelfusoYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, books about books, fantasy, historical, magical realism, science fiction, time travel
30. The Book of LoveAuthor: Kelly LinkYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, book club, fantasy, magic, magical realism, mystery, science fiction, thriller
31. The Bookstore SistersAuthor: Alice HoffmanYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, books about books, contemporary, family, fantasy, magical realism, novella, short stories
32. The Circus TrainAuthor: Amita ParikhYear published: 2022Genre and themes: World War II, adult, book club, fantasy, historical, magical realism
33. The Crescent Moon TearoomAuthor: Stacy SivinskiYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, cozy, cozy fantasy, fantasy, magic, magical realism, mystery, witches
34. The Dead RomanticsAuthor: Ashley PostonYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, book club, contemporary, fantasy, magical realism, paranormal
35. The FamiliarAuthor: Leigh BardugoYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, fantasy, historical, magic, magical realism
36. The Good PartAuthor: Sophie CousensYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, chick lit, contemporary, fantasy, magical realism, time travel
37. The Hundred Loves of JulietAuthor: Evelyn SkyeYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, chick lit, contemporary, fantasy, magical realism, retellings
38. The HusbandsAuthor: Holly GramazioYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, book club, chick lit, contemporary, fantasy, magical realism
39. The Invisible HourAuthor: Alice HoffmanYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, book club, books about books, fantasy, historical, magical realism, time travel
40. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRueAuthor: V.E. SchwabYear published: 2020Genre and themes: adult, book club, contemporary, fantasy, historical, magical realism
41. The Island of Missing TreesAuthor: Elif ShafakYear published: 2021Genre and themes: adult, book club, contemporary, fantasy, historical, literary fiction, magical realism
42. The Kindred Spirits Supper ClubAuthor: Amy E. ReichertYear published: 2021Genre and themes: adult, chick lit, contemporary, fantasy, magical realism, paranormal
43. The ListenersAuthor: Maggie StiefvaterYear published: 2025Genre and themes: World War II, adult, fantasy, historical, magical realism, mystery
44. The Lost BookshopAuthor: Evie WoodsYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, book club, books about books, fantasy, historical, magical realism, mystery
45. The Lost StoryAuthor: Meg ShafferYear published: 2024Genre and themes: LGBT, adult, book club, fantasy, magic, magical realism, mystery
46. The Love Elixir of Augusta SternAuthor: Lynda Cohen LoigmanYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, book club, fantasy, historical, magical realism
47. The Love of My AfterlifeAuthor: Kirsty GreenwoodYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, chick lit, contemporary, fantasy, magical realism, paranormal
48. The Other Side of NowAuthor: Paige HarbisonYear published: 2025Genre and themes: Ireland, adult, book club, contemporary, fantasy, magical realism, time travel
49. The Second Chance CinemaAuthor: Thea WeissYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, book club, contemporary, fantasy, magical realism, relationships
50. The Second Chance YearAuthor: Melissa WiesnerYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, chick lit, christmas, contemporary, holiday, magical realism, time travel
51. The Seven O'Clock ClubAuthor: Amelia IrelandYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, book club, contemporary, fantasy, grief, literary fiction, magical realism
52. The Seven Year SlipAuthor: Ashley PostonYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, book club, contemporary, fantasy, magical realism, time travel
53. The Two Lives of Lydia BirdAuthor: Josie SilverYear published: 2020Genre and themes: adult, chick lit, contemporary, fantasy, magical realism
54. The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and MagicAuthor: Breanne RandallYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, cozy, fantasy, halloween, magic, magical realism, paranormal, witches
55. The Unmaking of June FarrowAuthor: Adrienne YoungYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, book club, fantasy, historical, magical realism, mystery, time travel
56. The Wishing GameAuthor: Meg ShafferYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, book club, books about books, contemporary, fantasy, magical realism, mystery
57. This Spells LoveAuthor: Kate RobbYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, fantasy, friends to lovers, magical realism, paranormal
58. TwiceAuthor: Mitch AlbomYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, book club, contemporary, fantasy, literary fiction, magical realism, time travel
59. Water MoonAuthor: Samantha Sotto YambaoYear published: 2025Genre and themes: Japan, adult, book club, cozy, fantasy, magical realism, mystery
60. When Haru Was HereAuthor: Dustin ThaoYear published: 2024Genre and themes: LGBT, contemporary, fantasy, gay, magical realism, queer, young adult
61. When the World Tips OverAuthor: Jandy NelsonYear published: 2024Genre and themes: LGBT, contemporary, fantasy, magical realism, queer, young adult
62. When We Were BirdsAuthor: Ayanna Lloyd BanwoYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, book club, contemporary, fantasy, literary fiction, magical realism, paranormal
63. You Were There TooAuthor: Colleen OakleyYear published: 2020Genre and themes: adult, chick lit, contemporary, magical realism, womens fiction
64. You've Reached SamAuthor: Dustin ThaoYear published: 2021Genre and themes: contemporary, fantasy, magical realism, paranormal, young adult

Other resources to assist with your querying journey

Comp titles are only a small piece of the querying puzzle! Here are other resources I offer to help writers achieve their dreams of publishing their novels:

• Developmental editing services
• Pre-querying package
• Publishers accepting manuscript submissions this month
• Romance tropes list
• Random romance trope generator

Frequently asked questions

How recent do comp titles need to be?

Comp titles should be published within the past five to seven years so it is representative of the current market potential of your manuscript.

Can I use bestselling books as a comp title?

Yes, you can! However, the bestselling books aren’t always the most suitable options. While it’s integral that a comp title has sold well, it’s better to choose a comp title that’s sold less well but closer represents the tone and overall vibe of your own book.

How many comp titles should I include in my query letter?

You should aim for two comp titles in your query letter. You can include three, but agents would expect more than one.

Can I use a series as a comp title?

You can, but it’s best to pick a specific book within that series that best represents your manuscript.

What if I can’t find a magical realism romance comp title that fits my book?

You can broaden your horizons to also include other subgenres of romance!”