Choosing the right comp titles for your marriage of convenience romance’s query letter can make or break your changes of being published.
If you’re wondering what the purpose of a comp title is, it’s to allow agents and publishing house editors to quickly gauge the genre and market potential of your book.
I regularly update this list of marriage of convenience romance comp titles to make sure you’re always working with relevant books.
No matter if you’re writing a sweet, slow-burn marriage of convenience 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.
- A Caribbean Heiress in ParisYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, book club, historical, latinx, marriage of convenience
- Almost PretendYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, age gap, billionaire, contemporary, fake dating, forced proximity, marriage of convenience, new adult
- An Academic AffairYear published: 2025Genre and themes: academia, adult, contemporary, enemies to lovers, fake dating, marriage of convenience
- Bad BishopYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, dark, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, mafia, marriage of convenience
- Blind PassYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, fake dating, forced proximity, hockey, marriage of convenience, sports
- Brutal PrinceYear published: 2020Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, dark, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, mafia, marriage of convenience, smut
- Cold Hearted CasanovaYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, dark, enemies to lovers, fake dating, forced proximity, marriage of convenience, slow burn
- DomYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, dark, forced proximity, mafia, marriage of convenience
- Empire of DesireYear published: 2021Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, dark, forbidden romance, marriage of convenience, smut
- Fierce KingYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, dark, enemies to lovers, mafia, marriage of convenience, smut
- Gloves OffYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, hockey, marriage of convenience, sports
- Goal LineYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, chick lit, contemporary, friends to lovers, hockey, marriage of convenience, sports
- Hate MeYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, dark, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, mafia, marriage of convenience, second chance, smut
- Hateful GamesYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, billionaire, contemporary, dark, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, mafia, marriage of convenience, smut
- Honeymoon PhaseYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, forced proximity, friends to lovers, marriage of convenience, rom com, small town
- Hostile TakeoverYear published: 2023Genre and themes: African American, adult, billionaire, contemporary, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, marriage of convenience
- If You Claim MeYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, forced proximity, found family, hockey, marriage of convenience, sports
- In a JamYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, fake dating, forced proximity, friends to lovers, marriage of convenience, second chance, slow burn, small town
- Isn't It Bromantic?Year published: 2021Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, friends to lovers, marriage of convenience, sports
- Keeping My BrideYear published: 2021Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, dark, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, mafia, marriage of convenience, smut
- Keeping ScoreYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, forced proximity, found family, he falls first, hockey, marriage of convenience, slow burn, sports
- King of WrathYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, billionaire, contemporary, dark, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, marriage of convenience
- Leather & LarkYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, dark, enemies to lovers, horror, marriage of convenience, thriller
- Leather & LarkYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, dark, enemies to lovers, horror, marriage of convenience, thriller
- Liars Like UsYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, billionaire, contemporary, dark, erotica, forced proximity, marriage of convenience
- Like You Love MeYear published: 2021Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, fake dating, friends to lovers, marriage of convenience, rom com, small town
- Marriage & MastiYear published: 2024Genre and themes: India, adult, contemporary, friends to lovers, marriage of convenience, retellings
- Marriage & MastiYear published: 2024Genre and themes: India, adult, contemporary, friends to lovers, marriage of convenience, retellings
- Mountain GrumpYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, forced proximity, friends to lovers, marriage of convenience, plus size, small town, smut
- My Dark RomeoYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, billionaire, contemporary, dark, enemies to lovers, fantasy, forced proximity, marriage of convenience
- Painted ScarsYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, dark, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, mafia, marriage of convenience
- Play AlongYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, fake dating, forced proximity, found family, marriage of convenience, sports, workplace
- Pretty Rings & Broken ThingsYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, billionaire, contemporary, dark, enemies to lovers, fake dating, forced proximity, he falls first, marriage of convenience
- Pretty Rings & Broken ThingsYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, billionaire, contemporary, dark, enemies to lovers, fake dating, forced proximity, he falls first, marriage of convenience
- Reckless HeirYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, dark, erotica, mafia, marriage of convenience, smut
- Ride with MeYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, fake dating, marriage of convenience, sports
- Riven KnightYear published: 2020Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, forced proximity, marriage of convenience, mystery, slow burn, small town, suspense
- Secret HavenYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, forced proximity, found family, friends to lovers, marriage of convenience, second chance, small town, suspense
- Shattered VowsYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, dark, enemies to lovers, fake dating, forced proximity, mafia, marriage of convenience
- Sinful VowYear published: 2022Genre and themes: African American, adult, contemporary, crime, dark, mafia, marriage of convenience
- Terms and ConditionsYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, billionaire, contemporary, fake dating, forced proximity, marriage of convenience, workplace
- The Co-opYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, marriage of convenience, second chance
- The Devious HusbandYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, billionaire, contemporary, dark, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, he falls first, marriage of convenience
- The EmpressYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, crime, dark, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, mafia, marriage of convenience, second chance
- The Heiress Gets a DukeYear published: 2021Genre and themes: adult, enemies to lovers, historical, marriage of convenience, victorian
- The Husband HoaxYear published: 2023Genre and themes: LGBT, adult, contemporary, fake dating, found family, m m romance, marriage of convenience, queer
- The Unwanted MarriageYear published: 2023Genre and themes: abuse, adult, billionaire, contemporary, dark, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, marriage of convenience
- The Wrong WifeYear published: 2023Genre and themes: BDSM, adult, billionaire, contemporary, dark, enemies to lovers, fake dating, forced proximity, marriage of convenience
- Unholy VowsYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, dark, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, he falls first, mafia, marriage of convenience
- Vengeful LiesYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, billionaire, contemporary, dark, enemies to lovers, fake dating, forced proximity, mafia, marriage of convenience
- Vows We Never MadeYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, billionaire, contemporary, enemies to lovers, fake dating, marriage of convenience
- When He TakesYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, crime, dark, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, mafia, marriage of convenience, second chance, slow burn
- Wild SideYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, found family, marriage of convenience, small town, sports
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 marriage of convenience romance comp title that fits my book?
You can broaden your horizons to also include other subgenres of romance!”