51 sports romance publishers accepting unsolicited manuscripts in December 2025
If there’s one genre that’s on fire right now, it’s sports romance! More and more publishers are on the lookout for sports romance novels, so now you’ve got a complete draft that you are happy with, it’s time to pitch it to a publisher.
All of the publishers listed here are currently accepting manuscripts without a literary agent in December 2025. I manually check each of my publishers lists at the start of each month to see if they’re still accepting manuscripts so you can be assured it’s up to date! I’ve also done my best to weed out any dodgy and vanity publishers from this list.
Don’t forget to check out my developmental editing services or pre-querying package if you want to make sure your novel is in top shape before you send it to a publisher for consideration. I offer a variety of services to suit all budgets, from writers looking for the standard developmental editing experience to those seeking high-level feedback with a quick turnaround time.
Good luck with your querying journey!
Alcove Press
Alcove Press is dedicated to publishing the stories and ideas that inspire, enlighten, and empower readers. They publish a variety of novels from book club fiction to commercial novels and narrative nonfiction.
Genre: Retellings, contemporary romance, book club fiction, fantasy, romantasy, historical fiction and nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.
Allen & Unwin
Allen & Unwin are an Australian-owned and operated publisher. They were named 2023 Publisher of the Year and have won the title twelve times since 2000! They accept submissions every Friday during their The Friday Pitch sessions.
Genre: Adult literary and genre fiction, nonfiction and illustrated books. Fiction. They are not currently interested in adult high fantasy and science fiction but do accept other fantasy manuscripts.
Word count: Full length works.
Bella Books
Bella Books believes stories about women-loving-women are essential to our lives.
Genre: Fiction that reflects and celebrates the diversity of the lesbian, sapphic, queer, bisexual, and gender non-conforming community. They commonly publish romance, action, adventure, mystery, suspense, intrigue, historical, fantasy, speculative, erotica and general fiction. They also accept poetry and nonfiction.
Word count: At least 60,000 words.
Bloom Books
Bloom Books is an imprint of Sourcebooks that focuses on supporting self-published authors who have an established fanbase. Bloom Books isn’t the typical kind of publisher you would find on these lists as they target self-published authors who want to get their books into physical bookstores while still retaining flexibility and creative ownership of their books.
Genre: Romance.
Word count: Not stated.
Bold Strokes Books
As an LGBTQ+ publisher, Bold Strokes Books strives to ensure their authors represent the cultures, backgrounds, and viewpoints of our world.
Genre: Genre fiction, including romance, young adult, crime, suspense, speculative, mystery, thriller, contemporary, historical, saga, erotica and general. They also accept nonfiction.
Word count: 15,000 to 120,000 words.
Bookouture
Bookouture is a division of Hachette UK that publishes digital commercial fiction.
Genre: Commercial fiction, especially crime, thriller, suspense, police procedural, women’s fiction, contemporary romance, bookclub, cozy mystery, historical, multicultural, science fiction and fantasy.
Word count: Not stated.
Boroughs Publishing Group
Boroughs Publishing Group is an e-publisher that loves romance, a great story, and compelling characters.
Genre: Romance, especially contemporary, dystopian, erotica, fantasy, historical, regency, LGBTQ+, multicultural, new adult, paranormal, suspense, thrillers, urban fantasy and young adult.
Word count: 40,000 to 100,000 words.
Brazen
Brazen is the erotic romance imprint of Entangled Publishing.
Genre: High heat romance.
Word count: 45,000 to 60,000 words.
CamCat Books
CamCat Publishing opened in 2019 and takes pride in facilitating and engaging communication between their readers and writers. They will not publish erotica or books with strong religious or political slants.
Genre: Genre fiction, including mystery, thriller, suspense, science fiction, fantasy, romance, historical, paranormal, horror, adventure, western and young adult.
Word count: 60,000 to 100,000 words.
Camel Press
Camel Press is the genre imprint of Epicentre Press, specializing in popular and genre fiction.
Genre: Genre fiction, including historical, cozy mystery, mystery, suspense and romance.
Word count: 50,000 to 100,000 words.
Carina Press
Carina Press is Harlequin’s digital-first adult fiction imprint.
Genre: Romance, especially in the subgenres of contemporary, erotic, paranormal, science fiction/fantasy, suspense, historical, and mystery.
Word count: 50,000 to 125,000 words.
Carnation Books
Carnation Books publishes LGBTQIA+ romance from queer authors.
Genre: LGBTQIA+ romance.
Word count: 30,000 to 100,000 words.
Changeling Press
Changeling Press is a digital publisher of contemporary, science fiction, and paranormal romance. Their target audience is adult women.
Genre: Romance, in the subgenres of contemporary, paranormal, women’s fiction and science fiction. They also state they accept romance subgenres focusing on action, suspense, motorcycle, medical, rock star, comedy, dark comedy, dark fantasy, urban fantasy, magic, sorcery and witchcraft, cyberpunk, reverse harem, LGBTA+, mpreg (male pregnancy, a trope in fiction where a male character becomes pregnant), steampunk, werewolves, shifters and vampire.
Word count: 20,000 to 40,000 words.
Dahlia (Tell-tale Publishing)
Tell-tale Publishing’s Dahlia Imprint focuses on romance with fast-paced storylines packed with action and excitement.
Genre: Romance, including romantic suspense, gothic suspense, regency and contemporary.
Word count: 50,000 words and over.
Decadent Publishing
Decadent Publishing is a romance fiction publisher. They are always looking for submissions for their main line as well as ongoing series and special calls.
Genre: Romance in a variety of subgenres.
Word count: 15,000 words and over.
Deep Desire Press
Deep Desires Press is a publisher of erotica and high-heat-level erotic romance whose goal is to excite the reader.
Genre: Erotica and erotic romance in a variety of subgenres, including contemporary, paranormal, LGTQ+ BDSM, historical, science fiction, fantasy and similar.
Word count: 10,000 words and over.
Deep Hearts YA
Deep Hearts YA is an imprint of Deep Desires Press and publishes LGBTQ+ young adult fiction.
Genre: LGBTQ+ young adult fiction that includes romance and the theme of self-empowerment or self-acceptance.
Word count: 50,000 to 80,000 words.
Dreamspinner Publications
Dreamspinner Press focuses on gay male romance stories. Please note that Writer Beware wrote an article about Dreamspinner Publications. Please do your research before submitting.
Genre: Romance in a variety of subgenres such contemporary, BDSM, coming of age, erotica, holiday, polyamory, paranormal, western, mystery, fantasy and science fiction. The main characters must end in a gay or all-male polyamorous relationship.
Word count: 18,000 words and over.
Eclipse
Eclipse is the dark romance imprint of the Totally Entwined Group.
Genre: Dark romance in a variety of subgenres.
Word count: 50,000 to 100,000 words. Their preference is for series submissions.
Embrace
Embrace is the new adult romance imprint of Entangled Publishing.
Genre: New adult romance including contemporary, suspense, near-future science fiction, historical, fantasy, and paranormal.
Word count: 40,000 to 100,000 words.
Entice
Entice is the contemporary romance imprint of the Totally Entwined Group.
Genre: Contemporary romance in a variety of subgenres.
Word count: 50,000 to 100,000 words. Their preference is for series submissions.
Epic
Epic is the young adult and new adult romance imprint of the Totally Entwined Group.
Genre: Young adult and new adult romance in a variety of subgenres.
Word count: 50,000 to 100,000 words. Their preference is for series submissions.
Evernight Publishing
Evernight is an indie publisher that prefers to publish popular tropes.
Genre: Romance in a variety of subgenres, including science fiction, BDSM, LGBTQ+, holiday, medical, new adult, dark, motorcycle, menage, paranormal, shifters, vampires, urban, erotica, humor, contemporary, military, steampunk, western, fantasy, reverse harem, suspense and young adult.
Word count: 16,000 to 100,000 words.
Forever Yours
Forever Yours is a division of Hachette Book Group and an imprint of Grand Central Publishing.
Genre: Adult romance, especially contemporary, diverse reads, romantic suspense, cowboys, historical and paranormal.
Word count: 25,000 to 100,000 words.
Harlequin Presents (M&B Modern)
Harlequin Presents publishes novels with classic themes but with innovative takes.
Genre: Romance with alpha heroes and international settings.
Word count: 50,000 words.
Harlequin Romance (M&B True Love)
Harlequin Romance publishes novels that focus on the romantic journey of the couple.
Genre: Romance.
Word count: 50,000 words.
HarperNorth
HarperNorth is a Manchester-based imprint of HarperCollins Publishers and their aim is to connect northern writers to readers.
Genre: Genre fiction, especially upmarket, crime, thriller, historical and romance. For nonfiction, they consider memoir, politics, history, sport, music, nature, popular science, smart thinking and popular economics.
Word count: Over 80,000 words.
Hashtag Press
Hashtag Press loves diverse and inclusive books. They welcome debut authors, especially those from an underrepresented background.
Genre: Young adult genre fiction, including romance, thrillers, horror, commercial fiction, dystopian, epic fantasy and coming of age.
Word count: Not stated.
Hot Tree Publishing
Hot Tree Publishing, founded in 2015, focuses on a wide range of romance subgenres.
Genre: M/F, M/M, and F/F romance across various subgenres including high heat contemporary, college, motorcycle, military, bad boys, paranormal, fantasy and billionaires.
Word count: 50,000 words and above. Serials of 30,000-50,000 words are considered if completed.
House of Riviera
House of Riviera is a new independent commercial fiction publishing house based in Monaco with a presence in the UK. They
Genre: Romance, crime, thriller, cozy mystery, women’s fiction, historical fiction, detective series, science fiction and fantasy.
Word count: Not stated.
Indulgence
Indulgence is the contemporary romance imprint of Entangled Publishing.
Genre: Romance with alpha heroes and strong conflict.
Word count: 45,000 to 60,000 words.
Inkspell Publishing
Inkspell Publishing is an ebook romance publisher.
Genre: Adult and young adult romance, including science fiction, fantasy and other subgenres.
Word count: 30,000 to 75,000 words.
Interlude Press
Interlude Press is a boutique publisher of award-winning LGBTQ+ fiction.
Genre: Well-crafted original novels featuring diverse casts with lead characters from across the LGBTQ+ spectrum.
Word count: 60,000 to 90,000 words.
JMS Books LLC
JMS Books LLC is a small electronic press publishing LGBTQ+ romance, erotic romance, and young adult romance.
Genre: LGBTQ+ romance, erotic romance, and young adult romance. They are not interested in straight romance stories at this time.
Word count: 12,000 to 130,000 for adult stories and 20,000 to 130,000 for young adult.
Kensington Publishing Corp.
Kensington Publishing Corp. is an independent publisher based in New York City, releasing over 300 titles per year in a range of popular genres.
Genre: Literary and genre fiction (romance, mystery, suspense, thriller, upmarket, historical, speculative, mystery and romantasy) and nonfiction (biography, memoir, history, true crime, pop culture, film, TV, music, military history, narrative law enforcement and pop science). Each editor has their preferences across various genres of fiction and nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.
Launch Point Press
Launch Point Press is dedicated to publishing high-quality fiction books that center on the experiences of lesbian characters.
Genre: Fiction manuscripts where the main characters are lesbians, especially crime, suspense, mystery, intrigue, thriller, historical, literary, romance, sagas, speculative, paranormal and horror.
Word count: 55,000 to 100,000 words.
Literary Wanderlust
Literary Wanderlust strives to help new and experienced authors achieve their dreams of publishing.
Genre: Genre fiction, including romance, women’s fiction, historical and western fiction, paranormal, urban fantasy, crime, mystery, thriller, LGBTQ, science fiction and fantasy.
Word count: 60,000 to 100,000 words.
Ninestar Press
Ninestar Press is a boutique publisher of quality LGBTQA+ romance, erotica, and literary fiction.
Genre: LGBTQA+ romance and literary novels.
Word count: 20,000 to 120,000 words.
One More Chapter
One More Chapter aims to publish page turning books.
Genre: Genre fiction, especially crime, thriller, contemporary, romance (spicy, romantic suspense, romantic comedy, erotica), contemporary, young adult, fantasy, romantasy and horror.
Word count: Not stated.
Pan Macmillan Australia
Pan Macmillan Australia is committed to investing in Australian authors and publishes a variety of bestselling books.
Genre: Middle grade, young adult, commercial and literary fiction. For nonfiction, they’re interested in narrative nonfiction, contemporary issues, memoir, history, true crime, lifestyle, health, and mind, body & spirit.
Word count: Not stated.
Red Adept Publishing
Red Adept Publishing is a small fiction publisher with multiple USA Today Bestsellers. Please note they only accept submissions from US authors.
Genre: Genre fiction, including cozy mystery, fantasy, historical, romance, science fiction, mystery, thriller, suspense and women’s fiction.
Word count: 50,000 words and above.
Renaissance Press
Renaissance is a Canadian publisher who is dedicated to publishing novels from diverse Canadian voices.
Genre: Genre fiction, literary fiction, narrative nonfiction and memoirs.
Word count: 40,000 to 100,000 words.
Romance.ink
Romance.ink has been in business since 1991 and is the oldest web-based romance publisher.
Genre: Romance in a variety of subgenres. They have an extensive list of things they are looking for and not looking for on their website.
Word count: Not stated.
Scorched
Scorched is the erotic romance imprint of Entangled Publishing.
Genre: Erotic romance.
Word count: 15,000 to 65,000 words.
Siren-BookStrand
Siren-BookStrand is an ebook publisher with over 8,000 romance novels under their belt and over 700 authors writing for them.
Genre: Romance in a variety of subgenres with ménage, M/M, and M/F (only if it includes BDSM) pairings.
Word count: 20,000 words to 85,000 words.
Sourcebooks Casablanca
Sourcebooks Casablanca is the romance imprint of Sourcebooks, an entrepreneurial independent publisher bound together by the idea that books change lives.
Genre: Romance.
Word count: 85,000 to 100,000 words.
Spencer Hill Press
Spencer Hill Press was founded in 2010 and specializes in young adult and new adult contemporary romance.
Genre: Young adult and new adult contemporary romance.
Word count: Not stated.
Storm Publishing
Storm Publishing believes in the power of storytelling to transport readers to other worlds.
Genre: Genre fiction, including crime, thriller, mystery, psychological thrillers, historical, multicultural fiction, romance, women’s fiction, science fiction, fantasy and upmarket.
Word count: Not stated.
Text Publishing
Text Publishing is an independent Melbourne-based publisher of fiction and nonfiction. They accept submissions from citizens or residents of Australia and New Zealand.
Genre: Genre fiction, including crime, thriller, erotica, fantasy, paranormal, historical, romance, LGBTQIA+, young adult, and middle grade. For nonfiction, they accept biography, memoir, essays, film, history, humour, philosophy, politics, religion, science, environment, relationships, society, culture, sport, travel and war.
Word count: 10,000-120,000 words.
The Wild Rose Press
The Wild Rose Press is primarily a virtual publisher founded in 2006.
Genre: Romance, including contemporary, science fiction, steampunk, futuristic, paranormal and historical.
Word count: 15,000 to 100,000 words.
Vulpine Press
Vulpine Press established in 2017 with the aim of publishing commercial, innovative and stylish fiction.
Genre: Commercial fiction. This includes genres such as horror, biography, children’s books, young adult, crime, thriller, culture, drama, adventure, literary, humor, romance, science fiction and fantasy.
Word count: Not stated.
Best of luck with your manuscript submissions! If you want to ensure your manuscript is in the best position to be accepted, check out my developmental editing services, pre-querying package or my free writing advice. Otherwise, check out my fantasy publishers list or my Australian romance publishers list.