Bloomsbury bags global deal for Amber Hamilton's gothic YA début romantasy

Amber Hamilton’s "swoony, gripping" gothic romantansy début, said to boast an "irresistble" hero and heroine, has been acquired by Bloomsbury.

Camille Kellogg, senior editor at Bloomsbury US, bought world rights to Seven Deadly Thorns, and a follow-up book, from Caitlin Blasdell at Liza Dawson Associates. Bloomsbury Children’s editorial director Alex Antscheri has been cofirmed as the UK editor. Bloomsbury UK, US and Australia will publish the title in autumn 2025, promising a "blockbuster" marketing and publicity campaign. The second book, a standalone, will follow in 2026. 

Seven Deadly Thorns centres on Viola, who has hidden her "forbidden shadow magic" for 17 years. But then it is discovered and the queen gives The Huntsman an assignment and a new tattoo: the seven thorns on his forearm mean he has seven days to track down and kill Viola.

But this is not any ordinary Huntsman, it is the queen’s own son, Roze Roquelart, the arrogant prince and fellow student at Viola’s school who she hates more than anyone. But the Huntsman needs something from Viola and the two are forced to work together. Soon "terrible secrets are revealed as well as a sinister threats and...an attraction. But is the prince telling the full truth? Is anyone?"

Kellogg said that when the manuscript arrived in her inbox she read it in one sitting. She added: "I couldn’t make myself put it down. The delicious romantic tension, the vivid dark academia setting, and the twist-filled plot make this book exactly what romantasy fans are looking for."

Antscheri said: "I fell instantly in love with this swoony, gripping romantasy. Fans of the genre will adore this, but it’s also bound to create many new converts – like me – who’ll be seduced by the incredible tension and romance between our complex heroine Viola and the prince."

US-based Hamilton describes herself as a "recovering middle school teacher" and has written that Seven Deadly Thorns is "a metaphor for queerness and the difficulty I experienced in learning to accept my own identity". She said that she was thrilled to be pubished by "the ultimate romantasy powerhouse. Bloomsbury has produced some of my favourite books since childhood, so joining them is so surreal and special".