Firefly swoops for 'feel-good' Mallinder sequel

Firefly Press has secured Summer Under The Stars, the sequel to Summer of No Regrets (Firefly Press), by Kate Mallinder.

Publisher Penny Thomas acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Hannah Sheppard at The D H H Literary Agency. The novel will be published in the spring/summer of 2023.

Summer Under The Stars follows the same four friends as they drive across France anticipating the holiday of a lifetime. 

The synopsis reads: "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." 

Editor Janet Thomas said: "This novel is a summer holiday in a book. 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."