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LBF 2025: ‘Incredibly busy’ fair upbeat as US spends big, but some hit by IRC problems
London Book Fair 2025 was bursting at the seams, with US publishers splashing serious cash as “solutions- based” non-fiction and escapist fiction soared. Meanwhile, literary agent Rachel Mills’ debut novel was an Olympia hit, and many agents reported concerns about the International Rights Centre (IRC).
Atlantic Books MD Drummond Moir described a thirst for solutions from publishers. “We are seeing a particular interest in solutions-based non-fiction... Romanian, Spanish, US pre-empts,” he said. “Titles with a practical premise seem to be of more interest to foreign publishers. We’re selling more than buying this year. It feels to me really dynamic, lively and a good buzz.”
Moir was one of several exhibitors to cite American interest: “The biggest deals we’re seeing are from American publishers. Many of them are pre-empts.”
Oneworld publisher Juliet Mabey also noted the presence of US editors, saying: “This year’s book fair definitely feels busier than last.” However, The Bright Agency CEO Vicki Willden-Lebrecht noted that “possible American tariffs on books is a concern”.
RML founder Mills’ high-concept debut novel, about a secretive group whose members help each other live their fantasy lives for one day only, caused a stir. Her agent, CAA’s Harriet Poland, said: “Kate Nintzel [vice-president and editorial director] pre-empted from Alexandra Machinist at CAA at a major level, as her first acquisition for Atria [US]. It’s going to be their lead release next summer.” Poland reported “lots of UK interest and internationally, with an ongoing German auction”.
Agent Clare Alexander revealed that Jung Chang’s Fly, Wild Swans – the sequel to Chang’s monster 1991 global hit, Wild Swans – was pre-empted in America by HarperCollins, with Aitken Alexander securing six translation deals by LBF’s second day.
Hachette’s group rights and audio director Rebecca Folland said: “Everyone is looking for escapism and books to lose themselves in; we’ve seen a huge amount of interest in The Sea Stone Sisters by Eleanor Buchanan, which has been sold in seven countries so far with auctions ongoing in multiple territories, and much excitement for Gilly Macmillan’s fantastic thriller The Burning Library.”
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UK IP watchdog receives 13,000 responses to its copyright consultation, as LBF turns its focus to AIJon Mitchell, Pan Macmillan adult rights director, described the fair as “upbeat, particularly from commercial fiction publishers”. He added: “Romantasy is still very much in favour, and so far there are no signs of that [becoming] oversaturated, with new lists springing up too. Non-fiction is definitely harder, with volumes down.”
Overall, publishers were positive. Jonathan Atkins, Pan Mac’s international sales director, said it was “genuinely the busiest first day I can remember, despite most of our German customers being unable to make it due to their airport strikes”.
Ian Hudson, MD of Bloomsbury’s consumer publishing division and an executive director, described an “incredibly busy” fair. He said: “Aisles were packed, as is our stand: we had colleagues having meetings sitting in the area outside the loos cross-legged.”
However, many agents reported serious problems with the IRC, which, owing to Olympia’s ongoing renovations, was split into two sections. One agent reported being moved due to the “ceiling falling in”, while Molly Ker Hawn of The Bent Agency said a mix-up had four agencies assigned to her table. “[Day one] felt like a mostly wasted day... My complaint to the LBF organisers’ office has so far yielded absolutely no response,” she said. “It’s galling to have paid for this.”
LBF told The Bookseller: “Our booking system shouldn’t allow multiple agencies to book the same table. We had checked in advance of the fair that all tables had been allocated correctly, so we are investigating how this could have come about. We were able to reallocate tables to the few affected agencies and will stay in touch to ensure there are no further issues.”
