UK Romance Literary Agents

Picture books, middle grade, ya, adult romance, adult romantasy, adult fantasy

Extraordinary, diverse stories, strong preference for underrepresented voices, see on-site wishlist for specifics (MG/YA, adult romance/romantasy/fantasy etc.)

Submit via QueryManager at http://querymanager.com or aliceashliterary, or by email to submissions@ashliterary.com. Do not submit via both routes simultaneously.

Children's fiction, middle grade, ya, adult fiction

Children: singular/underrepresented voices, powerful ideas. Adult: commercial women's fiction, uplit, sagas, romance (contemporary, romcom, historical)

Email catherine@marjacq.com with a covering letter in the body of the email, the first fifty pages of the manuscript and a synopsis (for fiction) attached as Word or PDF documents, with total file size not exceeding 2MB.

Middle grade, ya, sff, children's

Wants: Per fba new voices bio: YA and commercial adult fiction; romance and fantasy for all ages; smart/engaging/bold with international appeal. note: agency submissions page currently not accepting fantasy/romantasy/SFF or children's/YA.

Actively building a list spanning middle grade, YA and crossover fiction across all genres, and selective adult fiction in the SFF space. Drawn to immersive world-building, complex characters, twisty plots, and stories exploring identity, belonging and transformation.

Submit via the PFD submissions page. Include a covering letter, one-page synopsis, and first three chapters or approximately 10,000 words.

Children's books

Actively seeking new clients, MG adventure/series potential, YA romance and fantasy, horror/monster stories, contemporary teen, queer/found-family, SFF across YA/new adult (not grimdark)

Email - childrens@darleyanderson.com

Fiction, non-fiction, literary fiction, commercial fiction

Wants: Strong commercial genre fiction (noir-ish thrillers/spy/gritty crime; also saga/romance/romcom) and surprising reading-group fiction; non-fiction with strong narrative voice in memoir/history and big ideas/smart thinking

Wide range of fiction and non-fiction, literary and commercial. Has a taste for the unlikely, likes to be surprised and transported. In fiction, loves stories that take him somewhere strange and wonderful. For non-fiction, loves books that reveal something new or inspire readers to imagine the world differently.

Email - submissions@sheilland.co.uk

Fiction and non-fiction

Fiction: high-concept crime/thrillers, female-led commercial, upmarket commercial, book club, contemporary women's stories, romance, underrepresented voices, fresh-take historical, funny smart romcoms, sagas, gothic, sweeping love stories. Non-fiction: humour, memoir, lifestyle, social justice/polemic, cookery. Not horror/ghosts, not SFF, not YA/children, not sport/true crime, no short stories/novellas, no poetry/screenplay

Email db.submission@dhhliteraryagency.com with a cover letter, first 3 chapters, and a 1-page synopsis as Word attachments.

Fiction and non-fiction

Prioritising MG/YA and new adult/adult commercial fiction, romance including romcom/dark/epic, romantasy, YA contemporary with humour/romance, YA thrillers/horror, MG funny contemporary

Email - submissions@watsonlittle.com

Horror, romance, romantasy, crime thriller, fantasy

Kirsten represents horror, romance, romantasy, crime thrillers, and fantasy. She is particularly interested in Scottish voices (especially from the North East of Scotland), water horror inspired by the sea or Scottish landscape, workplace horror, young and contemporary romance, romantasy that expands beyond the typical elves-and-fae mold, well-written crime thrillers (especially involving terrorism or serial killers and fake true crime), and Studio Ghibli-esque fantasy with luscious landscapes and powerful stories. She is also eager to hear from fanfiction writers with an existing fanbase.

Submit queries only via Query Tracker when Kirsten is open for submissions. Submissions sent via email will not be considered.

Children's and ya

Children's picture book texts, junior novels, YA (incl thrillers/romance), verse, children's non-fiction concepts, broad/non-prescriptive

Online form - https://amheath.com or submissions

Fantasy, romantasy, rom-coms, book club romance, female-focused psychological thrillers, historical fiction, commercial non-fiction

Dark fantasy, romantasy (commercial and upmarket), dark academia, political intrigue, genre-blending (horror/romance, fantasy/horror), psychological thrillers with a dark edge, unhinged female protagonists, stories from underrepresented backgrounds. Interested in previously self-published authors within these genres and fanfiction authors writing original fiction

Send your cover letter, synopsis, and first three chapters or 10,000 words for fiction, or a proposal for non-fiction, to ciara.finan@curtisbrown.co.uk. Due to the volume of submissions received, a response to every query is not guaranteed. Writers should keep the agent updated if they receive a full manuscript request or an offer of representation from another agent.

Fiction and non-fiction

Adult crime, thrillers and suspense, contemporary romance, women's fiction (commercial/literary/historical/humour). Adult non-fiction: mental health advocates, adventurers, entertainers

Email - submission@bell-lomax.co.uk

Nonfiction, lifestyle, current affairs, health, sport, true crime, family issues, crime, thriller, book club fiction, historical fiction, romance

Wants: Synopsis, first three chapters, covering letter, detailed outline, sample material

Katie Fulford is looking for authors in both nonfiction and fiction. In nonfiction she wants experts and journalists with something new to say, especially in lifestyle, current affairs, health, sport, smart true crime, and books about female and family issues that put women at the heart of things. In fiction she wants high-concept and hooky crime and thriller, commercial locked-room thrillers, emotional uplit, book club books with big issues, memorable characters and immersive settings, historical fiction about forgotten real people or people connected to more famous figures, and romance. She does not want fantasy, science fiction, children's fiction, or picture books.

Email submissions@belllomaxmoreton.co.uk. For fiction, children's and young adult fiction, or narrative nonfiction, send a short synopsis including the full plot for fiction, the first three chapters or no more than 50 pages double spaced, and a covering letter with any previous publications. For illustrated nonfiction send a detailed outline, sample material if available, and previous publication information. Query one Bell Lomax Moreton agent at a time.

Fiction and non-fiction

Fiction: literary/upmarket with edge, romance (incl dark academia, paranormals, grounded romantasy), mysteries with fresh angle, some literary speculative (not hard SFF). Non-fiction: science/nature, art/culture, social issues/politics, love/relationships, illustrated non-fiction, food/drink

Email (to one agent) - dchandley@pfd.co.uk

Fiction, non-fiction, ya

Character-driven, high-concept fiction with commercial hook, genre esp fantasy/horror, high-concept thrillers, voice-led contemporary, sweeping historical, romance/romcom, select narrative non-fiction (memoir/history/nature/science)

Email maria@greyhoundliterary.co.uk with a cover letter and pitch in the body of the email. For fiction, attach the first three chapters and a synopsis. For non-fiction, attach a proposal and sample writing.

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, book club fiction, contemporary fiction, commercial women's fiction, crime, mystery, thrillers, fantasy, genre romance, historical fiction, horror, ghost stories, sagas, science fiction, biography, memoir, cookery, gardening, gift books, humour, history, military history, lifestyle, mind-body-spirit, self-improvement, politics, popular science, psychology, travel, children's, ya

SF/fantasy, sweeping historical fiction, character-driven sci-fi, action/adventure, crime. Non-fiction: history, biography, music

Email submissions@sheilland.co.uk with a cover letter, a one-page synopsis (fiction) or brief outline (non-fiction), a short CV, and the first three chapters or around fifty pages. Submissions should be 1.5 line spaced with margins and page numbers, and must include a word count. Only one work at a time. No AI-generated content accepted.

Commercial fiction, book club fiction, romance, mysteries, thrillers, fantasy

Commercial fiction, book club reads, romance, mysteries and thrillers. In fantasy, immersive worldbuilding and strong female characters are essential. Enjoys compelling dystopian fiction with a political edge. Favoured tropes include love triangles, enemies to lovers, rivals to lovers, and forced proximity. Interested in academia settings, multiple POVs, and stories featuring older protagonists (30+) from ethnically diverse backgrounds.

Ayesha is not open to direct submissions. For Watson Little agents who are open, submit by email to submissions@watsonlittle.com with a cover letter in the body of the email and a synopsis plus approximately 10,000 words (or to the end of the nearest chapter) attached as Word documents. Do not submit to more than one Watson Little agent at a time.

Genre fiction (and select ya)

Fantasy, sci-fi, romance, horror, thriller, action and adventure, YA fantasy

Submit via QueryManager when open: send the first ten pages, your query letter, and synopsis (if you have one) to https://querytracker.net or query or HelenLane. Personalisation in the query letter is not required.

Crime, historical fiction, historical romance, women's fiction

Crime, historical fiction (especially historical romance), women's fiction

Alison is not currently receiving submissions. When open, email the agent directly. Include the manuscript title and genre in the subject line. For fiction, send a covering letter in the body of the email, a brief synopsis, and the first three chapters or first 5,000 words as a Word document.

Crime, thriller, horror, romance, contemporary fiction, historical fiction, memoir, narrative non-fiction, cookbooks, food writing, lifestyle, wellbeing, investigative journalism, nature writing

Hannah represents quality commercial and upmarket fiction and non-fiction. In fiction, she is drawn to crime, thriller and horror novels with a confident voice and fresh approach, love stories ranging from smart romcoms to epic weepy narratives, and general contemporary fiction about complicated people and families—often with a mystery at its heart. She also takes on a small amount of historical fiction set in the 19th and 20th centuries. In non-fiction, she seeks lifestyle and wellbeing titles, narrative non-fiction such as memoir, nature writing and investigative journalism, cookbooks and food writing, and thought-provoking non-fiction across the arts and academia. She is not the right agent for sci-fi, fantasy, action, spy or military thrillers, children's and YA novels, scripts or poetry.

Hannah is currently closed to submissions.

Commercial fiction

Commercial adult fiction, especially romance, SFF, mystery, seeks strong voice/characterisation and plot, especially keen for fantasy, no children's/MG/YA

Email submissions@janklow.co.uk with the subject line 'Submitting to Hannah Todd'

Commercial fiction, romance, rom-com, historical fiction, book club fiction, romantic fantasy

Commercial fiction across a wide range of genres, including rom-com, love stories, historical fiction, book club, romantic fantasy, and female-driven narratives with a darker edge. Looking for clear hooks, stand-out memorable characters, and stories readers invest in.

Online form - https://airtable.com or embed or appsPGIWpsujYaPta or pagyOsqhGT1gQbS14 or form

Fiction and non-fiction

Crime/thrillers/mysteries, addictive hooky commercial fiction, grounded speculative, twisty horror, high-concept love story, crime-family epic, big-idea narrative non-fiction (sport/pop science/humour/true crime/memoir)

Email - submissions@watsonlittle.com

Fiction

Fantasy, science fiction, and children's (PB to YA) with underrepresented perspectives, character-driven speculative, queer romance across ages

Submit via QueryManager at https://querymanager.com or StevieFinegan

Commercial fiction, contemporary fiction, reading group fiction, historical fiction, saga, police procedural, crime, thriller, psychological suspense, narrative non-fiction, cookery, health and wellbeing, parenting, nature, travel

Fiction across contemporary (funny/romantic/moving/high-concept), reading group, historical, saga, police procedural/crime/thriller/psychological suspense, character-led storytelling (incl unreliable narrators). Non-fiction: cookery, health/wellbeing, parenting, nature, travel, female focus, narrative non-fiction with humour and poignance

Submit via the online form at https://amheath.com or submissions — include a covering letter (max 500 words), a synopsis (max 1,500 words), and the first 10,000 words of your manuscript. Rebecca is currently on maternity leave, submit to a colleague instead. Email submissions@amheath.com only if another agent has requested the full manuscript, you have received an offer of representation, you have not heard back within 6 weeks, or you are submitting a cookery proposal or illustrated children's book.

Fiction and non-fiction

Commercial/high-concept fiction with hook (romance/crime/thriller/general), accessible literary, speculative/SFF/horror, fun fantastical MG, big-emotion YA. Less keen on political or gangland thrillers

Email submissions@thenorthlitagency.com when open to submissions

Children's fiction

Middle grade with mystery/adventure, heartfelt contemporary MG, ambitious fantasy, young fiction (5-8) with clear hook, YA (incl romantasy/thrillers/romance tropes), underrepresented voices

Email chloe@darleyanderson.com when open to submissions

Fiction and non-fiction

Commercial fiction (upmarket women's, book club, romantic suspense, crime series, thrillers), non-fiction (business, feminism, health, cookery, environment, memoir, narrative non-fiction)

Email - sohoagencysubmissions@gmail.com

Fiction and narrative non-fiction

Fantasy and romance, Irish fiction, crime/true crime with focus on victim/family impact, issues-led narrative non-fiction with personal story, psychology and therapy; with a particular draw to unique concepts, complex characters, and family dynamics

Jess Molloy is currently closed for submissions.

Middle grade fiction, ya fiction, adult fiction, non-fiction

Atmospheric, emotionally intense, relationship-led fiction, romance/romantasy, select thrillers/crime, historical with strong relationships, big-idea accessible non-fiction at intersection of science/society, not picture books/poetry/original screenplays

Submit via Query Manager through the 'Submit Your Work' link at https://solasliterary.co.uk or submissions. Include a one-sentence elevator pitch capturing the book's central hook, the first five chapters, and a synopsis of 1–2 pages outlining the full plot including the ending.

Middle grade, ya, science fiction, fantasy, horror, romance

Sci-fi, fantasy, horror and romance from MG through YA/crossover to adult, with quality writing, compelling characters and hooky plots

Email - mjamieson@unitedagents.co.uk

Horror, fantasy, suspense, thrillers, romantasy, romance

Jenny is currently looking for clients she can co-rep with her colleague James Mustelier. They are seeking all kinds of high concept genre fiction for adults and young adults: horror, fantasy, suspense/thriller, romantasy, and romance. Of particular interest are authors who have successfully been working in the indie space and are now looking to transition into traditional or hybrid publishing, and submissions from BIPOC authors are additionally welcomed. Jenny tends to prefer plot-driven books with strong pacing, novels with an element of magic or fantasy, and stories that are dark and weird in content but traditional in structure and storytelling — she is not the right fit for books with overtly political or extremely complicated plotlines.

Email your chosen agent at the address listed on their individual page, or use their QueryManager link if indicated. Include the title of your project in the subject line. Paste the first ten pages of your manuscript in the body of the email — no attachments. For picture books, include the complete text, illustrators should also include a link to your website or two to three PDFs or JPEGs of your work. For graphic novels, paste the first ten pages of your script plus the first five pages of your dummy in the body of the email.

Fiction and non-fiction

Upmarket and accessible literary/commercial 'sweet spot', thrillers/suspense, book club fiction, epic multi-generational family drama, powerful love story with mystery

Online form - https://www.madeleinemilburn.co.uk or submissions/

Children's authors and illustrators

Picture books, young fiction (5-8, series/character-led), MG (incl mystery/spooky/diary-format/graphic novel), YA (gritty realism, romance with twist, some spec elements), children's non-fiction

Email (to agent) - https://www.unitedagents.co.uk or etalbotunitedagentscouk

Thrillers, espionage, book club fiction, romance, gothic fiction, horror, dark humor, politics, smart thinking, big ideas

Thwaites seeks commercial upmarket writing that is powerful and cinematic yet feels different and fresh. She wants stories unlike anything encountered before with gripping plots and strong voices across all genres. She particularly values effortlessly quick-witted and funny writing with memorable characters, and is currently interested in compelling stories with Jewish themes and politics of the US and Middle East.

Email: info@curtisbrown.co.uk

Children's authors and illustrators

Children's authors/illustrators across ages/genres, currently especially: witches, teen romance/romcom series, MG/YA sci-fi/fantasy, MG/YA horror/supernatural, YA romantasy, books for boys, compelling contemporary. For picture books/graphic novels currently only author-illustrators

Email childrensbooksubmissions@theagency.co.uk with submissions as attachments, not download links. Do not email the agent directly. No postal submissions.