When you’re querying a slow burn 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 slow burn romance comp titles to make sure you’re always working with relevant books.
No matter if you’re writing a sweet, slow-burn slow burn 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 Deal with the DevilYear published: 2021Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, slow burn, workplace
- A Long Time ComingYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, billionaire, contemporary, friends to lovers, rom com, slow burn
- A Love Letter to WhiskeyYear published: 2021Genre and themes: adult, book club, contemporary, friends to lovers, new adult, second chance, slow burn
- A Promise so Bold and BrokenYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, dark, enemies to lovers, fae, fantasy, magic, romantasy, slow burn
- Accomplice to the VillainYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, fantasy, humor, magic, romantasy, slow burn
- Against a WallYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, enemies to lovers, fake dating, humor, new adult, slow burn, small town
- All Rhodes Lead HereYear published: 2021Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, forced proximity, friends to lovers, slow burn, small town
- Apprentice to the VillainYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, fantasy, humor, magic, romantasy, slow burn
- Bad for BusinessYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, billionaire, contemporary, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, second chance, slow burn, workplace
- Before I Saw YouYear published: 2021Genre and themes: adult, chick lit, contemporary, mental health, slow burn, womens fiction
- Blood & SteelYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, enemies to lovers, fantasy, magic, romantasy, slow burn
- Blood & SteelYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, enemies to lovers, fantasy, magic, romantasy, slow burn
- Bride of the Shadow KingYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, fae, fantasy, magic, paranormal, romantasy, slow burn
- Bring Me BackYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, forced proximity, friends to lovers, mental health, slow burn, small town
- Broken Souls and BonesYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, enemies to lovers, fantasy, forced proximity, magic, romantasy, slow burn
- Burn BrightYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, college, contemporary, found family, friends to lovers, new adult, slow burn, sports
- Call Me AnytimeYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, forced proximity, mystery, rom com, slow burn, suspense
- Chasing ForeverYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, forced proximity, found family, friends to lovers, he falls first, slow burn, small town
- Cluelessly YoursYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, doctors, friends to lovers, he falls first, humor, rom com, slow burn
- Cold Hearted CasanovaYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, dark, enemies to lovers, fake dating, forced proximity, marriage of convenience, slow burn
- Corpse RoadsYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, crime, dark, mystery, slow burn, suspense, thriller, why choose
- Crazy in LoveYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, billionaire, contemporary, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, found family, slow burn, small town
- Darling VenomYear published: 2021Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, dark, enemies to lovers, mental health, new adult, slow burn
- Dear EnemyYear published: 2020Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, new adult, second chance, slow burn
- Dream OnYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, celebrity, contemporary, fake dating, forced proximity, friends to lovers, second chance, slow burn
- From Now OnYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, college, forced proximity, friends to lovers, hockey, slow burn, sports
- Heir of IllusionYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, dark, enemies to lovers, fae, fantasy, magic, romantasy, slow burn
- HuntedYear published: 2021Genre and themes: adult, fae, fantasy, magic, paranormal, shapeshifters, slow burn, urban fantasy, werewolves
- Ice Cold BossYear published: 2020Genre and themes: adult, billionaire, contemporary, enemies to lovers, fake dating, slow burn, workplace
- If It Makes You HappyYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, cozy, friends to lovers, slow burn, small town
- 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
- JiltedYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, forced proximity, he falls first, rom com, slow burn
- June FirstYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, dark, emotional, forbidden romance, friends to lovers, new adult, slow burn
- Just FriendsYear published: 2020Genre and themes: adult, college, contemporary, fake dating, friends to lovers, new adult, slow burn, smut
- Keeping ScoreYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, forced proximity, found family, he falls first, hockey, marriage of convenience, slow burn, sports
- Kingdom of FaewoodYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, enemies to lovers, fae, fantasy, high fantasy, magic, paranormal, romantasy, slow burn
- Kissed by the GodsYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, enemies to lovers, fantasy, gods, magic, romantasy, slow burn
- Lonely for You OnlyYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, dark, enemies to lovers, fake dating, forced proximity, new adult, slow burn
- LotusYear published: 2021Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, dark, friends to lovers, mystery, second chance, slow burn
- Love You, Mean ItYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, found family, he falls first, slow burn, small town
- Morbidly YoursYear published: 2023Genre and themes: Ireland, adult, contemporary, friends to lovers, rom com, slow burn
- NocticadiaYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, dark, dark academia, fantasy, gothic, mystery, romantasy, slow burn
- OlderYear published: 2024Genre and themes: abuse, adult, contemporary, dark, forbidden romance, found family, slow burn
- Out on a LimbYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, disability, forced proximity, friends to lovers, slow burn
- Please Don't GoYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, baseball, college, contemporary, friends to lovers, slow burn, sports
- PlierYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, college, fantasy, new adult, omegaverse, paranormal, romantasy, slow burn, why choose
- Promised in FireYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, dragons, enemies to lovers, fae, fantasy, magic, paranormal, romantasy, slow burn
- Ready or NotYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, chick lit, contemporary, friends to lovers, rom com, slow burn
- Reign & RuinYear published: 2020Genre and themes: adult, fantasy, high fantasy, magic, romantasy, slow burn
- Reign & RuinYear published: 2020Genre and themes: adult, fantasy, high fantasy, magic, romantasy, slow burn
- Riven KnightYear published: 2020Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, forced proximity, marriage of convenience, mystery, slow burn, small town, suspense
- RootboundYear published: 2022Genre and themes: Westerns, adult, contemporary, cowboy, forced proximity, slow burn, small town
- Secrets and MasksYear published: 2021Genre and themes: adult, dark, enemies to lovers, fantasy, romantasy, slow burn
- Shield of SparrowsYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, enemies to lovers, fantasy, magic, romantasy, slow burn
- Something UnexpectedYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, emotional, enemies to lovers, humor, rom com, slow burn
- Spark of the EverflameYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, dragons, enemies to lovers, fantasy, magic, romantasy, slow burn
- SpotlightYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, baseball, contemporary, found family, friends to lovers, he falls first, slow burn, sports
- The Crown of Oaths and CursesYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, enemies to lovers, fae, fantasy, magic, romantasy, slow burn, witches
- The DevilYear published: 2025Genre and themes: abuse, adult, contemporary, dark, forced proximity, found family, he falls first, mafia, slow burn
- The Disappearances of Draco MalfoyYear published: 2021Genre and themes: enemies to lovers, fantasy, magic, romantasy, slow burn, young adult
- The Fall of Bradley ReedYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, fake dating, forced proximity, friends to lovers, rom com, slow burn
- The InvitationYear published: 2021Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, enemies to lovers, new adult, slow burn, workplace
- The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your EnemyYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, enemies to lovers, fantasy, magic, romantasy, slow burn
- The Shattered KingYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, fantasy, magic, romantasy, slow burn, war
- The Spanish Love DeceptionYear published: 2021Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, enemies to lovers, fake dating, rom com, slow burn
- The Sweet SpotYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, baseball, contemporary, friends to lovers, slow burn, small town, sports
- The Things We WaterYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, fantasy, friends to lovers, magic, paranormal, romantasy, shapeshifters, slow burn
- The Wedding MenuYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, friends to lovers, he falls first, rom com, second chance, slow burn
- The Wrong HeartYear published: 2021Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, dark, emotional, enemies to lovers, mental health, slow burn
- Things We Hide from the LightYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, chick lit, contemporary, forced proximity, slow burn, small town
- This Could Be UsYear published: 2024Genre and themes: African American, adult, contemporary, friends to lovers, slow burn
- Thorne PrincessYear published: 2023Genre and themes: BDSM, adult, contemporary, dark, enemies to lovers, forbidden romance, forced proximity, slow burn
- TimelessYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, billionaire, contemporary, he falls first, novella, slow burn, small town
- UnwantedYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, billionaire, contemporary, enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, second chance, slow burn
- VessellessYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, enemies to lovers, fantasy, magic, paranormal, romantasy, slow burn, witches
- Water Under the BridgeYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, rom com, slow burn, workplace
- What's Left of MeYear published: 2020Genre and themes: abuse, adult, contemporary, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, friends to lovers, slow burn
- When He TakesYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, crime, dark, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, mafia, marriage of convenience, second chance, slow burn
- Wild CardYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, forbidden romance, forced proximity, second chance, slow burn, small town
- Wolf ShunnedYear published: 2021Genre and themes: adult, dystopia, fantasy, new adult, paranormal, shapeshifters, slow burn, werewolves, why choose
- You & MeYear published: 2022Genre and themes: LGBT, adult, contemporary, friends to lovers, gay, m m romance, queer, slow burn, sports
- You & MeYear published: 2022Genre and themes: LGBT, adult, contemporary, friends to lovers, gay, m m romance, queer, slow burn, 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 slow burn romance comp title that fits my book?
You can broaden your horizons to also include other subgenres of romance!”