Penny Thomas, Publisher at children’s and YA publisher Firefly Press has acquired UK and Commonwealth rights in Summer Under The Stars by author Kate Mallinder from Hannah Sheppard at DHH Literary Agency.
In the sequel to the much-loved Summer of No Regrets, the four friends drive across France in what should be the holiday of a lifetime.
But Sasha feels as if her dad’s wedding will be the end of her relationship with him; Cam is reeling from being rejected by her birth grandparents; Hetal is doing badly in school for the first time; and Nell’s in love and afraid she’ll lose Tom if she’s away too long.
They need to rekindle their friendship. They need a road trip to end all road trips. They need a summer under the stars.
‘This novel is a summer holiday in a book,’ said editor Janet Thomas. ‘I’m so delighted that we’re publishing this book. It’s full of Kate’s wise understanding of friendship. It’s a great read and an escape, and it’s also very wise, particularly on difficult families, first love and perfectionism. Readers are going to love it, and it’s such a joy to be working with Kate again.’
Kate Mallinder said: ‘I’m thrilled to continue working with the lovely Firefly team, and for the opportunity to write more adventures for Sasha, Hetal, Cam and Nell.’
The novel is slated for publication in Spring/Summer 2023.