Native French Proofreader / Final Line Editor Needed for Romance Manuscripts (Final Publication QC)

I’m looking for a native French proofreader / final line editor to review French romance manuscripts after they have already been edited from a DeepL translation. This role is not for first-pass editing. It is a final quality-control pass on manuscripts that have already gone through line editing, but still need a sharp, experienced eye before publication. I need someone who can identify anything that still feels: * awkward * too literal * inconsistent * slightly off in tone or register * not quite native or not quite publication-ready The goal is simple: the manuscript I receive back should be a final, publishable French text. What I need you to do: * Proofread and line-polish French romance manuscripts after line editing * Catch unnatural or translated-sounding phrasing that remains * Smooth dialogue, banter, emotional beats, and sensual scenes where needed * Check consistency of names, repeated phrases, honorifics, and terminology * Catch grammar, syntax, punctuation, tense, and idiomatic issues * Flag or correct any lines that would sound off to French romance readers * Ensure the final manuscript is clean, polished, and publication-ready This is not just typo correction. I need someone with enough editorial judgment to catch subtle problems in voice, flow, naturalness, and market fit. Ideal background: * Native French speaker * Strong proofreading / line editing experience in romance fiction * Comfortable with contemporary and steamy romance * Sharp instinct for natural modern French dialogue * Able to polish already-edited text without flattening the voice * Experience reviewing AI-assisted or machine-translated fiction is a strong plus Please apply with: 1. A short summary of your proofreading / final-pass editorial experience 2. The romance subgenres you know best 3. Whether you have worked on translated or AI-assisted fiction 4. Your per-word or per-project rate 5. A willingness to complete a paid sample proof / QC pass on a short excerpt What I will be evaluating in the sample: * whether you catch what another editor missed * whether your judgment is strong and precise * whether the resulting French feels truly native * whether your pass improves readability without overworking the prose This may become ongoing work for the right person.