MARIANNE KNIGHTLY™ is the pen name for the author of over thirty novels, novellas, and short stories of contemporary romance and romantic suspense. She is most well known for her Royals of Valleria series, a contemporary royal romance series with a hint of suspense set in her fictional country of  Valleria®. Marianne lives in the Washington, D.C., metro area and loves to hear from readers all over the world! 

Under the name Marianne Knightly, I've written over 30 novels/novellas/short stories of sexy, soulful (and sweary) contemporary romance and romantic suspense, and you probably know me best from my novels set in my fictional country of Valleria®. (P.S. – If Valleria were a real place, I’d totally live there. For now, I live in the Washington, D.C. metro area.)

I’m also a proud South Asian author who identifies as both female and non-binary, and I use she/they pronouns.

I’ve written royal romances, small-town romances, and stories about sexy Italian men. My stories feature some of your (and my!) favorite tropes, including: childhood acquaintances who fall in love as adults (and go on to rule a country), royal weddings, playboy princes, a bodyguard falling in love with the princess he protects, one-night stands that turn into more, second-chance and secret-child romances, workplace romances (more than one), military romances (also more than one), diverse heroes, and numerous soulful stories about heroes and heroines discovering the self-worth they didn’t believe they had.

My books focus on relationships — the families we’re born with and the families we create through friendships and life. They explore the love we find, the love we let go of, and, of course, the love we make. These are heat-filled, happily-ever-afters with swearing and SOUL, which means some of my books may include emotionally intense content.

Please check individual book pages for trigger warnings before buying. If you’re unsure if a book is right for you, feel free to contact me! I want everyone to have a good experience with my books, even if that means you decide not to read one.

If you’d like to know what I’m working on next, head to my Updates and FAQs pages for more details. You can also sign up for my reader newsletter to get updates first — and receive a free Royals short story!

If you’re an author, I can help you, too! It’s been over a decade since I started writing and self-publishing, and in that time I’ve overcome a fear of writing and managed chronic health issues to finish over twenty books and novellas (all while working a day job and writing on the side).

I’ve learned a lot throughout my publishing journey, and I’d love to share that with you! While I don’t currently offer courses or 1:1 coaching, you can still contact me with any questions.

MARIANNE KNIGHTLY is a pending trademark under the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. VALLERIA is a registered trademark under the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office.