Review: BOOK BOYFRIEND by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka

Nov 112024
 

Library Journal: Jennifer Worth is a devoted fan of the “Elytheum Courts” series of romantasy novels, so she eagerly seizes the chance to attend a special immersion event for super fans like her. To her utter surprise, her work rival, Scott Daniels—who’s never shown interest in the series—is also there. Their strained professional relationship has always been strictly business, but when they both join a high-stakes scavenger hunt, Jennifer begins to see a different side of Scott. He is no longer the rude coworker who only wants to engage in professional topics; now he seems to be flirting with her. As the competition intensifies, so does the chemistry between Jennifer and Scott, and they both realize that competing against each other has always been fun. Jennifer is left questioning whether their blossoming romance is as magical as the fantasy worlds she adores or if she’s just tricking herself into believing things between them can last in the real world.

VERDICT Readers who enjoyed Sally Thorne’s The Hating Game will love this charming enemies-to-lovers story, and it will be adored by anyone who’s passionate about their favorite book fandoms.

October Translation Deals

Oct 312024
 

Chinese (complex) renewal rights to New York Times bestselling author Martha Wells’ ALL SYSTEMS RED, ARTIFICIAL CONDITION, ROGUE PROTOCOL, and EXIT STRATEGY, the first four books in The Murderbot Diaries series, to Global Group, by Lucy Su at Grayhawk Agency in association with Michael Curry for Jennifer Jackson.

Czech rights to Katherine Addison’s THE GOBLIN EMPEROR, to Dobrovsky (Czech Republic), by Milena Kaplarevic at Prava i Prevodi, on behalf of Katie Shea Boutillier for Cameron McClure.

Danish rights to Vonda N. McIntyre’s DREAMSNAKE, to A Mock Book (Denmark), by Vere Bank at Sebes & Bisseling on behalf of Katie Shea Boutillier for Jennie Goloboy.

French rights to Miranda Lyn’s TILL DEATH, to Eilean Books, in a preempt, by Sarah Dray at Anna Jarota Agency, on behalf of Katie Shea Boutillier.

French renewal rights to New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop’s MURDER OF CROWS, the second book in the Others series, to Bragelonne, by Sarah Dray at Anna Jarota Agency in association with Michael Curry for Jennifer Jackson.

French rights to LJ Andrews’s THE EVER QUEEN and THE MIST THIEF, to City Editions, in a two-book deal, by Sarah Dray at Anna Jarota Agency, on behalf of Katie Shea Boutillier.

German rights to Margaret Doody’s ARISTOTLE DETECTIVE, to Kampa, by Bastian Schluck at Thomas Schlueck Agency on behalf of Katie Shea Boutillier for Donald Maass.

Italian rights to New York Times bestselling author Tamsyn Muir’s PRINCESS FLORALINDA AND THE FORTY-FLIGHT TOWER, to Mondadori, by Stefania Fietta at Donzelli Fietta Agency in association with Michael Curry for Jennifer Jackson.

Swedish audio rights to New York Times bestselling author Martha Wells’ ALL SYSTEMS RED, ARTIFICIAL CONDITION, ROGUE PROTOCOL, EXIT STRATEGY, NETWORK EFFECT, FUGITIVE TELEMETRY, and SYSTEM COLLAPSE, the first seven books in The Murderbot Diaries series, to Recorded Books, by Vere Bank at Sebes & Bisseling in association with Michael Curry for Jennifer Jackson.

THIS WILL BE FUN by E.B. Asher

Oct 292024
 

TEN YEARS AGO, THEY SAVED THE REALM. IT RUINED THEIR LIVES.

Everyone in Mythria knows the story of how best friends Beatrice and Elowen, handsome ex-bandit Clare, and valiant leader Galwell the Great defended the realm from darkness. It’s a tale beloved by all—except the heroes. They haven’t spoken in a decade, devastated by what their quest cost them.

But when they all receive an invitation to the queen of Mythria’s wedding, it’s a summons they can’t refuse . . . and a reunion for the ages—with Clare secretly not over his long-ago fling with Beatrice, Beatrice fighting the guilt she feels over how everything ended, Elowen unprepared for the return of her ex-love (the cunning Vandra), and all of them lost without Galwell. And if reuniting with former friends and lovers wasn’t perilous enough, dark forces from their past have also returned.

Dusting off old weapons and old instincts, Beatrice, Clare, and Elowen will face undead nemeses, crystal caves, enchanted swords, coffee shops, games of magical Truth or Dare, and, hardest of all, their past—rife with wounds never healed and romances never forgotten.

This time around, will their story end in happily ever after?

THE ANTI-SOCIAL SEASON by Adele Buck

Oct 222024
 

In this offbeat holiday romantic comedy, an overworked firefighter turned social media coordinator and a librarian with an unrequited crush break a few rules in the company handbook…

For Thea Martinelli, burnout is real. After working as a firefighter for the Emergency Services Department over the last ten years, she can’t stomach any more close calls. Just when she’s ready to hang up the hose for good, she’s offered an out: stay on as the station’s new social media coordinator. It’s a move that would keep her on the squad and off the truck—if she makes it through the probation period.

Basically, she needs to learn everything there is to know about social media…fast.

Librarian and social media coordinator Simon Osman is shocked to learn his new responsibilities include showing Thea Martinelli—his high school crush—the ins and outs of digital engagement. And the fact that she doesn’t even remember him? Not helpful. Still, this could be his chance to finally turn his part-time role into something long-term.

But as the chaos of the holiday season unfolds, Thea and Simon find that the closer they work together, the hotter their attraction burns. Yet giving in to these feelings could mean giving up their careers. Are they willing to risk everything they’ve worked toward…for each other?

September Subsidiary Rights Deals

Sep 302024
 

a pair of black ear budsAudio rights to Miranda Lyn’s Fae Rising series, to Kerri Buckley at Dreamscape Media, in a four-book deal, by Katie Shea Boutillier (NA).

Audio rights to Nicky Drayden and Matthew Bey’s DEEP AUSTIN: CASE OF THE WEIRD CARNIVOROUS SKY, a tale of gonzo horror chock full of ghosts and other weirdness, plus a sequel, to Kim Budnick at Tantor Media, by Michael Curry for Jennifer Jackson.

Audio rights to Caitlin Starling’s THE OBLIVION BRIDE, to Kim Budnick at Tantor Media, by Katie Shea Boutillier on behalf of Caitlin McDonald (World English).

Audio rights to Camilla Raines’s THE HOLLOW AND THE HAUNTED, to Kim Budnick at Tantor Media, in an exclusive submission, by Katie Shea Boutillier on behalf of Kat Kerr (NA).

THE LOVERS by Rebekah Faubion

Sep 242024
 

A second chance at love is in the cards for two women working a stylish California wedding in this charming debut romance.

If Kit Larson believes one thing, it’s that the cards never lie. She’s seen it proven time and time again as a tarot reader and mystic influencer. But unfortunately the cards didn’t warn her about her most recent breakup or her parents’ divorce, so when Kit is offered a gig at another influencer’s boho-chic Joshua Tree wedding she accepts for the distraction. And distract it does when she finds out her high school crush, Julia, is the wedding planner.

Julia Kelley is her agency’s most sought-after wedding planner, and for a good reason—she’s a perfectionist. Control means never showing others the vulnerable, blobby mess she really is deep down inside. Having an ex-girlfriend in the bridal party is a problem, sure, but reconnecting with the beautiful tarot reader who broke her heart as a teenager is so much worse.

Kit’s cards once told her that she and Julia were Twin Flames, two halves of the same soul. With wedding events pushing them together, their spark reignites . . . and so does a chance at being lovers.

Review: THIS WILL BE FUN by E.B. Asher

Sep 052024
 

Booklist: Ten years ago, Galwell, his younger sister Elowen, Beatrice, and Clare saved the realm of Mythria from dark magic. But after Galwell sacrificed himself to ensure the success of their mission, the three friends went their separate ways. However, Beatrice, Clare, and Elowen now face a reunion when Queen Thessia, who was once engaged to Galwell, invites them to her upcoming wedding. Given their still unresolved romantic feelings for each other, the last thing Beatrice and Clare want to do is spend time together. Elowen is equally determined to keep her distance from professional assassin Vandra, who not only helped the trio on their last mission but also helped herself to Elowen’s heart. Then again, it is just an invitation to attend a wedding. What could possibly go wrong? With an abundance of winsome charm and wry wit, Asher—a pseudonym for the collaborating romance authors Bridget Morrissey, Emily Wibberley, and Austin Siegmund-Broka—fashion an enchanting tale of self-discovery and second chances that is a rare treat for both romance readers and fantasy fans.

August Subsidiary Rights Deals

Aug 312024
 

a pair of black ear budsAudio rights to Christopher Rowe’s THE NAVIGATING FOX, a fantastical fable of “knowledgeable creatures,” to Kim Budnick at Tantor Media, by Michael Curry for Jennifer Jackson.

Audio rights to J. Alexander Cohen’s TALIO CODEX,  an epic fantasy and legal thriller in a city of canals and holy magic, where a secret relationship between a disgraced legal advocate and a member of an ostracized religious group may shake the foundations of the city, to Kim Budnick at Tantor Media by Katie Shea Boutillier.

Audio rights to A.Z. Rozkillis’s SPACE STATION X, debut scifi tale about an engineer who runs away to the farthest space station from Earth to live in peace but soon discovers there are some problems that can’t be fixed by swinging an absurdly large murder-wrench, to Kim Budnick at Tantor Media by Katie Shea Boutillier.

Audio rights to Alex Kingsley’s EXPRESS OF DUST, a post-apocalyptic fantasy about a young transman and his team of scavengers who find there’s more to the monsters roaming the deserts than they thought and he must choose between saving his crew or allying with the “monsters” who rescued him, to Kim Budnick at Tantor Media by Katie Shea Boutillier.

August Translation Deals

Aug 312024
 

French rights to Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka’s IF I’M BEING HONEST, to Eyrolles, by Sarah Dray at Anna Jarota Agency, on behalf of Katie Shea Boutillier.

German rights to LJ Andrews’s THE EVER SEAS series, to Blanvalet, in a pre-empt, by Sarah Knofius at Thomas Schlueck Agency, on behalf of Katie Shea Boutillier.

Review: THE LOVERS by Rebekah Faubion

Aug 272024
 

Library Journal: When best friends Kit and Julia were 12 years old, a psychic told them that they were twin flames. At the age of 18, they developed romantic feelings for each other. However, Kit was not yet ready to accept her bisexuality and abruptly cut off contact with Julia, causing both of them immense heartache. Fast-forward about a decade, and Kit is now a New Age influencer and professional tarot card reader, while Julia is a successful and buttoned-up wedding planner. When Kit is invited to work a gig at a destination wedding in the California desert, the last person she thinks she’ll run into is Julia, who’s in charge of the event. As their paths continue to cross, they can’t ignore the feeling that fate has brought them back together. But Kit still isn’t out, and Julia doesn’t know if she can trust Kit with her heart again. The otherworldly Joshua Tree setting only enhances the mystical feeling of this sapphic rom-com. VERDICT Readers will enjoy Faubion’s (Ellie Is Cool Again, written under the name Faith McClaren) novel about living and loving authentically, whether or not they usually read books that feature spiritual plotlines.

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