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We are delighted to announce that Melissa Poett’s debut YA novel, The Enemy’s Daughter, has been acquired in six-figure deals in the US and UK. Senior Commissioning Editor, Megan Reid at Harper Fire acquired UK & Translation rights in a six-figure pre-empt. Executive Editor, Karen Chaplin at Quill Tree acquired North American rights in a ‘significant deal’. Publication is set for Summer 2025.

The Enemy’s Daughter is a stunning reimagining of the medieval Tristan and Isolde legend, set in a dystopian world woven with magic.

After civilization crumbles, all that’s left of the Republic is the five clans and their enemy, Kingsland. Isadora, daughter of a clan leader, is a healer, desperate to bring back the medicine of the old world to help her people. Tristan is the young assassin-prince of Kingsland, determined to get revenge on the clans.

When Isadora is shot with a poisoned arrow, only Tristan can save her, in a magical ceremony that will bind them together forever. As she recovers in enemy territory, she begins to question the truth of their violent history.

Kingsland is everything she’s ever wanted – including Tristan – but as the clans bay for blood, one side is setting a trap, and Isadora must decide which truth to believe.

Melissa Poett says: ‘I am thrilled to be working with Megan and Karen and the amazing publishing teams at Harper Fire and Quill Tree. Their enthusiasm for this story and belief in me as a debut author has been overwhelming, and to be published by such rockstars is a huge honour I don’t take lightly. I wrote The Enemy’s Daughter as an epic romantasy, but almost as equally it became my love letter to a generation of girls who are finding their way in this world. I’m so grateful to HarperCollins for this opportunity, and to my agent, Catherine, for picking me out of the slush pile and taking me on this journey.’

Harper Fire Senior Commissioning Editor, Megan Reid says: ‘With a gorgeous forbidden lovers romance, exquisite magic, high-stakes adventure and the most immersive, addictive prose, I fell completely in love with The Enemy’s Daughter from the first captivating meeting between Isadora and Tristan. Melissa is an incredible new talent, and I am thrilled to be welcoming her to Harper Fire.’

Quill Tree Executive Editor, Karen Chaplin says: I was thoroughly captivated by the gorgeous prose, the page-turning romance, the intriguing magic, and the high-stakes politics of the world. I couldn’t put this down, and can’t wait for readers to fall in love with Isadora and Tristan like I did. Melissa has written a stunning debut, and we are very excited to welcome her to Quill Tree Books.’

Congratulations, Melissa!

We are delighted to announce that Sara Jafari’s YA debut has been acquired by Bria Ragin at Delacorte.  HEAVENSENT AND HELLBENT is a romantasy, inspired by Persian mythology for fans of THIS WOVEN KINGDOM.

A British teen who moves to Denver discovers that not only is the boy from her nightmares real—and a literal angel—but she’s a jinn, the sworn enemy of an angel; upon finding out that their souls have been entwined for centuries, they must decide whether their love in this lifetime is worth fighting for, especially against the divine forces that forbid them from being together.

Sara Jafari is the author of The Mismatch and People Change, published by Penguin UK. Congratulations, Sara!

Happy Publication Day to Sarah Underwood! GENTLEST OF WILD THINGS publishes today in the UK from HarperCollins UK. GENTLEST OF WILD THINGS is a stunning novel inspired by the myth of Eros and Psyche:

On the island of Zakynthos, nothing is more powerful than Desire—love itself, bottled and sold to the highest bidder by Leandros, a power-hungry descendent of the god Eros.

Eirene and her beloved twin sister, Phoebe, have always managed to escape Desire’s thrall. Until Leandros’ wife dies mysteriously and he sets his sights on Phoebe. Determined to keep her sister safe, Eirene strikes a bargain with Leandros: if she can complete the four elaborate tasks he sets her, he will find another bride. But it soon becomes clear that the tasks are part of something bigger; something related to Desire and Lamia, the strange, neglected daughter Leandros keeps locked away.

It’s received some wonderful praise:

‘A delightful reworking of myth with a Sapphic romance at its core. Gentlest of Wild Things is a beautiful celebration of the reparative power of love.’ – Bea Fitzgerald, Sunday Times bestselling author of Girl, Goddess, Queen

‘Underwood weaves a tapestry of mysteries, myths and machinations, all held together by a shimmering thread of love between women’ – Samantha Shannon, internationally bestselling author of The Priory of the Orange Tree

“An ensnaring mythical retelling of the courage, strength, and healing found in love and the light it lends in darkness. The women in Underwood’s works shine brightest with characters raw and bold, stubborn and soft, in an aptly-named tale that is at once wild and tender” – Amélie Wen Zhao, New York Times bestselling author of Song of Silver, Flame Like Night

“Exquisitely written and poignantly romantic―Gentlest of Wild Things is a hopeful exploration of beauty, monstrosity, and love.” – Pascale Lacelle, New York Times bestselling author of Curious Tides

We are delighted to announce that Rosanna Pike’s A LITTLE TRICKERIE has debuted on the Sunday Times’ top 10 bestseller list in its first week of publication! Many congratulations to Rosanna, we are so excited for readers to fall in love with the unforgettable Tibb.

It’s won critical acclaim, the Guardian called it ‘a raucous tale’ that was ‘lovable, fun and emotionally juicy.’ 

Some of the wonderful praise for A LITTLE TRICKERIE:

Wishing a very happy publication day to Rosanna Pike! Her debut novel, A LITTLE TRICKERIE publishes today in the UK to critical acclaim. UK rights were acquired by Fig Tree in a six-figure pre-empt.

Blazingly original, disarmingly funny and deeply moving, A LITTLE TRICKERIE portrays a side of Tudor England rarely seen. It’s a tale of belief and superstition, kinship and courage, with a ragtag cast of characters and an unforgettable and distinctly unangelic heroine.

Born a vagabond, Tibb Ingleby has never had a roof of her own. But her mother has taught her that if you’re not too bound by the Big Man’s rules, there are many ways a woman can find shelter in this world. Now her ma is dead in a trick gone wrong and young Tibb is orphaned and alone.

As she wends her way across the fields and forests of medieval England, Tibb will discover there are people who will care for her, as well as those who mean her harm. And there are a great many others who are prepared to believe just about anything.

And so, when the opportunity presents itself to escape the shackles society has placed on them, Tibb and her new friends conjure an audacious plan: her greatest trickerie yet. But before they know it, their hoax takes on a life of its own, drawing crowds – and vengeful enemies – to their door…

It’s received some wonderful praise:

Happy Publication Day to Emily Dunlay! Her debut novel, TEDDY, which was acquired in ‘major’ six-figure deals in the US and UK publishes today. It will also publish in Germany.

“Darkly glamorous”, TEDDY is set in the summer of 1969 and Rome is awash with glamour and intrigue. Teddy Huntley Carlyle is fresh off a plane from Texas with a new husband in tow and a new life on the horizon. After some wayward years of bad men and bad decisions, she’s promised herself a fresh start. In Rome, Teddy will be good. She will wear the right clothes and the perfect lipstick and she will charm her husband’s colleagues at the Embassy.

And Teddy is good, until the Fourth of July, when her new life explodes with the fireworks above her head. She is caught on camera in the arms of the American ambassador just moments after spotting a man from the darkest corner of her past across the room. There it is: the evidence of her depravity on film. Trying to recover the photographs and keep her reputation intact, Teddy descends into the dark underbelly of the city… but is she in over her head?

‘Darkly glamorous. Your summer read is sorted’ Sunday Times Style

‘A smart page turner with an irresistible heroine. Glamorous, exuberant and propulsive, this is a story that will stay with me for a long time’ Daisy Buchanan, author of Insatiable

‘This debut is a juicy Roman Holiday in a book but there’s also real depth here… this book encompassed everything I love so deliciously: 1960s blonde bombshell struggling with the pressures of a patriarchal world? Yes please… If you’re looking for a summer read or to be transported to another era, look no further’ Debut Digest

‘A glitteringly glamorous and gossipy trip to 1960s Rome with a chaotically charming protagonist and a transporting setting, all with a mystery at its heart. Dunlay’s gorgeously immersive novel will fill a Lessons In Chemistry shaped hole on your shelf (and heart)’ Ellery Lloyd, author of The Club

‘Claustrophobic and glamourous. A heady, steamy novel about desire for people, possessions and ultimately the self’ Araminta Hall, author of Perfect Strangers

‘Mad Men meets White Lotus, this novel has it all: atmosphere, glamour, danger, a heroine at the center of a web she doesn’t understand. Teddy is the ungovernable passion at the center of every woman’ Jenna Blum, author of The Lost Family

Happy Publication Day to Tasha Coryell! Her debut novel, LOVE LETTERS TO A SERIAL KILLER, which was acquired in ‘major’ six-figure deals in the US and UK publishes today. It will also publish in Germany, France, Italy, and the Czech Republic.

LOVE LETTERS TO A SERIAL KILLER is a surprising, original and deeply entertaining debut about our fascination with monsters. Part thriller, part romance, part satire. Perfect for fans of YELLOWFACE, YOU, and HOW TO KILL YOUR FAMILY. 

It’s received some wonderful praise:

“Compulsive, twisted and darkly funny—you’ll gobble this one up.”
—Sally Hepworth, New York Times bestselling author of The Soulmate

“I read this book in a single weekend and have been recommending it to people ever since.Fast-paced and thrilling, Love Letters to a Serial Killer is also a compelling character study of a woman who loves the man who might kill her. Coryell’s fiercely witty, intoxicating prose hooked me on page one and never let go.”
—Ana Reyes, New York Times bestselling author of The House in the Pines

‘What a ride. Arch, dark, original and so witty, Love Letters to a Serial Killer is a remarkable and gripping debut’ Sarah Pinborough, internationally bestselling author of Behind Her Eyes

‘You won’t stop laughing at Hannah’s observations on adulthood, true crime, and modern dating (and also will probably feel just a tiny bit dragged).’
GLAMOUR

‘A fascinating tale of fixation, littered with savage one-liners. Superb debut!’
Mandasue Heller, bestselling author 

‘May be this summer’s most relatable and entertaining read… Darkly comic, fast-paced, and thrilling, this is one book you’ll be hard-pressed not to read in one sitting’ BUSTLE

“Oh my god. Utterly brilliant. Hannah is so painfully relatable I didn’t know whether to shake her or hug her, but what I could not do was take my eyes off her. I was glued to the very end and I am begging for a sequel!”
—Jesse Q. Sutanto, author of You Will Never Be Me

‘Un-putdownable‘ PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY

‘Witty, shocking, and wild, this is a must-have mystery.’ LIBRARY JOURNAL

Happy Publication Day to Katherine Blake! Her adult debut novel, THE UNFORGETTABLE LORETTA, DARLING publishes today in the UK. Translation rights have also sold in Germany and Serbia.

We’re so excited for readers to fall in love with Loretta, it’s received some wonderful praise:

“Picture Daphne from Frasier gone rogue and you have Loretta Darling! You will love this saucy little British grifter unleashed in 1940s Hollywood with a makeup brush and a plan for vengeance on very bad men–what a delicious dark delight of a book!” — Jenna Blum, internationally bestselling author

“So sassy and delicious. Loretta is one cool character.” — Josie Silver, New York Times bestselling author

“I loved it!” — S.J. Bennett, author of HER MAJESTY INVESTIGATES

“Great fun–Loretta is glorious!” — Lucy Diamond, Sunday Times bestselling author

“Set in the Golden Era of Hollywood this is a glamorous, deliciously fun read which will keep you hooked until the very last page.” — C. L. Miller, internationally bestselling author of THE ANTIQUE HUNTER’S GUIDE TO MURDER

Dreams don’t come true for girls like Loretta but she won’t let that stop her. With her sights set on becoming a make-up artist to the stars, Loretta wangles her way from Lancashire to the bright lights of Golden Age Hollywood.

Only it turns out that Sunset Boulevard is less about dashing fellas and chilled martinis – more sticky floors and misbehaving men. The gift of the gab can only get her so far but she refuses to go quietly.

Hollywood has its secrets … and so does Loretta.

For a start, that’s not her real name, and much more than lipstick lurks inside her beauty case.

After all, revenge is a dish best served with a perfectly painted smile.

We are delighted to announce that Kit Conway’s debut novel, Cat Fight, has been acquired by Transworld Editorial Director Sally Williamson. Katie Greenstreet sold UK rights in a four-way auction. US rights were pre-empted by Laura Brown at Atria (S&S US) from Allison Hunter at Trellis Literary Management on behalf of Paper Literary. Jason Richman and Mirabel Michelson at UTA are representing the film/TV rights.

Cat Fight is a high-concept secrets and lies drama exploring the lengths that women might go to when life leaves them feeling caged – either by the confines of motherhood, career stagnation, mediocre husbands or, sometimes, the gates of the very fancy neighbourhoods they’ve elected to live in.

For fans of Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies by way of Bad Sisters and Dawn O’Porter’s Cat Lady, Cat Fight is set on an exclusive Sevenoaks estate, where reported big cat sightings have caused tensions in the neighbourhood to reach fever pitch. The book follows three women over the course of the summer, as they use the wild cat frenzy for their own nefarious plans. Because when the peace shatters in suburbia, the claws come out…

Williamson says: ‘Cat Fight had me enthralled from the first page with its razor-sharp observations on the lengths people will go to protect their own interests. With a prevailing undercurrent of tension and a cast of characters you both love and love-to-hate, this is a gripping, entertaining read that showcases Kit’s unique talent for executing a stand-out idea so brilliantly and believably.’

Conway says: ‘Cat Fight was inspired by a real life post I saw in a local online group in which a woman claimed to have returned home to find a large wild cat on her car bonnet. I was fascinated by this image, which has inspired the opening scenes of Cat Fight, but also by the responses to it: some doubting its veracity, but many sharing other local cat sightings and rumours. It occurred to me that the polarising nature of such sightings was fertile ground for manipulation, and, indeed, a novel. I’m thrilled that Cat Fight has found its natural habitat with Transworld and Atria, and grateful to have such an amazing team behind me in Sally, Laura, Allison, Jason and Mirabel, but am especially thankful to my fabulous agent, Katie, who had faith in me, and my idea, from the beginning. I’m so excited to be on this journey with them all and to introduce more people to my wild women of the suburbs.’

We are delighted to announce that Kate Fagan’s THE THREE LIVES OF CATE KAY has been acquired in six-figure deals in the US and UK.

Publishing director Darcy Nicholson bought UK and Commonwealth rights in a six-figure deal, at auction from Katie Greenstreet. North American rights were sold to Simon and Schuster’s Atria in a “significant” deal.

The novel will be published in spring 2025, and it follows author Cate Kay who “has kept her real identity a closely guarded secret”.

The synopsis says: “Growing up, she and her best friend Amanda had plans to move to Hollywood after school and become actresses. But after a tragic accident, their dreams were shattered. Cate has been on the run ever since. Now the bestselling novelist of her generation, no one knows who she is, and that’s how she likes it, until a letter arrives upending everything she thought she knew about her past.”

Fagan is an Emmy-award winning journalist and the No. 1 New York Times’ bestselling author of What Made Maddy Run, which was a semi-finalist for the PEN/ESPN Award for literary sports writing. She is also the author of three further non-fiction titles, and spent seven years as a presenter on ESPN.

Nicholson said: “Kate Fagan’s début reads with the confidence of a novelist 10 years into honing their craft; it is quite something. This multi-perspective, fictional memoir is both bang on trend and entirely unique. Laced through with chapters from our protagonist’s novels, this is a celebration of storytelling as well as an exploration of the cost of ambition and the longings of first love. The Three Lives of Cate Kay is a triumph and it’s a privilege to welcome Kate to our new Bloomsbury General list.”

Fagan said: “Katie is an extraordinary agent who has understood this book from day one; I can’t say enough good things about the work of Paper Literary. And when we first met with Darcy, I knew within minutes that I needed to work with her – she brought sharp insight into the characters as well as passion for how we could best bring this project into the world. She and Bloomsbury are the perfect home for The Three Lives of Cate Kay and I imagine Cate Kay herself would have been thrilled to work with such a smart, ambitious, dedicated team.”