The devilishly handsome guy next door. The rugged fireman who shops at the corner store. The bartender with the amazing dimples... Ahh. Romance is in the air at Bliss with fun, fresh, flirty stories of modern women and every-day men finding their happily ever after in sweetest of places.

Specifically, we want:

•  Proven category tropessuch as mistaken identity, rivalry, fake relationship, older brother’s best friend, enemies-to-lovers, best friends-to-lovers, bait and switch, across the tracks, etc.

•  Every-day heroeslike firemen, cowboys, bartenders, military men etc. The kind of men from small towns you wish you could find closer to home. Beta heroes are just as welcome as Alpha heroes.

•  Romance as the primary plot— secondary characters such as parents, friends, siblings, or children can, and should, reinforce the hero and heroine’s journey, but shouldn’t overshadow their story. Bliss stories should include side characters such as family members, if the story calls for it. And a vibrant cast of townspeople is always appreciated as well.

•  Diversity. Diverse characters are welcomed and encouraged!

•  Romance between two people of any gender.Give us a great love story!

•  POV should be split 50/50 between the main protagonists.Third-person POV preferred.

•  Small-town setting—whether it’s a vineyard in California, a ranch in Montana, or a pub in England, the setting should be somewhere outside of a city. The community/setting should be a part of the story. Think the town of Bluebell in Hart of Dixie or Stars Hollow in Gilmore Girls.

•  Sweet heat level. Bliss books have sexual tension but closed-door (or no) sex scenes.

•  Unique voices in the veinof Catherine Bybee, Susan Mallery, Suzanne Elizabeth Phillips, Robyn Carr, Jill Shalvis.

•Movies that inspire us:Sweet Home Alabama, The Holiday, While You Were Sleeping, The Proposal

Having trouble deciding which imprint to submit your story?

The differences betweenLovestruckandBlissare: tone and setting. Bliss romances take place in small towns, include family and friends, and a flirty tone. Lovestruck stories are focused on finding love in more urban settings, the tone is edgier, and the heat level is higher.

The difference betweenIndulgenceandBlissis the hero. Indulgence heroes are “fantasy” men who have wealth and power and know how to wield it. Bliss heroes are the guys you meet in real life. Indulgence heroes are always alpha—Bliss heroes can be alpha, but beta is great, too!

The difference betweenBrazenandBlissis heat! In Brazen, the sexual interaction is the gravitational force that brings the characters to true love. In Bliss, the sexual attraction is not the focus, but rather a result. Bliss has closed-door sex scenes, if any.

The fine print:

•  Manuscripts should be between 45k-60K words in length, with 50-55K being the ideal.

•  Unless you are an established romance author, manuscripts must be complete prior to submission. Proposals from established authors should include at least the first two chapters: one POV from the heroine and one from the hero.

•  We accept both agented and unagented submissions at this time.