Canelo lands two 'swoonworthy' rom-coms from Ford

Canelo has landed a two-book deal, for two standalone, Australian-set rom-coms, from debut author Lauren Ford.

Editorial director Emily Bedford acquired world English language rights from Megan Carroll at Watson, Little. Liv Is Not A Loser, the first book in the deal, will be published in July 2024 in e-book and paperback.

"I fell completely in love with Lauren’s writing from the very first page – her characters are so well drawn, and her novels have the perfect mix of laugh out loud humour and swoonworthy romance," said Carroll.

Liv Is Not A Loser follows astronomy major Liv when she hits rock bottom and her brother and best friend Henry create a list of things to help Liv "be less of of a loser".

The synopsis continues: "First up: three dates with the same guy, to finally kick Liv’s commitment phobia. Between increasingly bizarre dates, battling her mother to plan Seth’s dream wedding, and evading her father’s multiple girlfriends, Henry becomes an oasis of calm to Liv’s chaos. But not everything can be fixed with a simple checklist, and perhaps not winning at life isn’t all that bad…"

Bedford commented: "One of the most joyful, witty and relatable stories I’ve read in a long while. Liv is a character who, for all her failings and flailings, will secure a place in readers’ hearts as she navigates a world in which everyone else seems to be succeeding, while she can barely find her footing. Liv Is Not A Loser is a balm to anyone who feels a step behind, and guaranteed to put a smile on your face."

Ford added: "From the first conversation with Emily, I knew my book was in the right hands. To be given the opportunity to work with such a successful publisher, dedicated to delivering commercial fiction to a global market, is a dream come true."