Hachette Children’s bewitched by Street’s ‘stunning and seductive’ début

Hachette Children’s has acquired A Curse of Salt, a “stunning and seductive” début by Sarah Street, in a two-book deal.

Senior commissioning editor Naomi Greenwood acquired world rights, excluding the US, from Lucy Irvine at PFD. A Curse of Salt will publish in paperback, e-book and audio on 25th May 2023.

“Prepare for stormy seas and swoony romance in this addictive retelling of Beauty and the Beast set on board a cursed ship where love blooms in the darkest of hearts,” the synopsis reads. “In a kingdom that fears the sea, Ria Lucroy longs to be brave. Bodies are washing ashore and everyone knows who’s to blame.

“Legends of the Heartless King shroud the continent in fear; they call him a pirate, a monster, a god. When his mercenaries raid her father’s merchant ship, Ria’s family is faced with a horrifying demand. They will spare his life, in exchange for one of his daughters. Determined to save her sisters, Ria launches herself into the world of pirates. Face-to-face with the Heartless King, she finds he is far more than the stories told. He is a man, with a human name and blood-stained hands, bound to the seas by a centuries-old curse. As their chemistry blooms into something more, Ria discovers how to love a heartless man and that some curses aren’t so easy to break.”

Greenwood said: “I fell hook, line and sinker for A Curse of Salt. With an addictive enemies-to-lovers slow-burn romance that will cast a spell over readers, and an exquisite pirate twist, this YA fantasy will feed the appetite for fairytale retellings and breathe new life into a tale as old as time. I am absolutely delighted to be welcoming Sarah to Hachette Children’s Group – her breathtaking writing makes this a truly stunning and seductive début.”

Street is a student at the University of Sydney, Australia, currently earning a BA in English and criminology. She said: “Writing A Curse of Salt was the escapism I needed when I was 17 and running away to the sea was simply too impractical. I’m eternally grateful to my incredible agent, Lucy Irvine, my wonderful editor, Naomi Greenwood, and the entire team at Hachette Children’s Group for making my life’s dream come true and giving me the opportunity to share my stories with the world.”