Harper Fire triumphs in six-way auction for debut YA romantasy from Kiera Azar

Harper Fire has triumphed in a six-way auction for a YA romantasy from debut author Kiera Azar. Editorial director Tom Bonnick bought UK and Commonwealth Rights—excluding Canada—to Thorn Season from Claire Wilson at RCW. US Rights were sold to Kristin Rens at Harper US by Pete Knapp at Park & Fine Literary and Media on behalf of Claire Wilson.

Thorn Season will publish in Autumn 2025 as one of Harper Fire’s lead titles, with second and third titles publishing in 2026 and 2027 respectively.

The synopsis reads: "A persecuted few are Wielders, able to exert a physical power that extends beyond their visible body: magically projecting their Spectre to caress, to pick a lock... even to kill. Feared for this ability, Wielders have always been Hunted.

"Alissa Paine, heiress of a noble lineage, daughter of a Hunter family... is also a Wielder. As she approaches her 18th Season, Alissa knows she has escaped execution so far only through painful self-control, and the fragile efforts of her beloved father. Summoned to the harsh and glittering royal court for the debutante season, Alissa finds herself caught in a web of hidden intentions—and between two equally dangerous men. One is a brutal ruler with the handsome face of a fairytale prince, who would see her destroyed in an instant if the truth were known—and the other a beguiling foreign ambassador with secret agendas of his own. It’s Rose Season at the palace, but Alissa knows that survival will depend on being the most vicious of the thorns."

Azar said: "I am thrilled and hugely honoured to be working with the extraordinary UK and US teams at HarperCollins, whose care and passion for Thorn Season blew me away from the outset. Thorn Season began with a vivid dream and an excitedly-scrawled concept on a page; I would love to reach back in time and tell my past self that those words would bloom into Alissa’s story—a story of vulnerability and resilience, and the cost of confining inner strength. I cannot wait to share this story, and I hope Alissa’s journey will resonate with those who sometimes forget just how powerful they truly are."

Bonnick said: "This is one of the most exciting submissions that I’ve ever received—an epic world, an irresistible romance, extraordinary world-building, and a unique fantasy premise, from a truly incredible new voice. We are delighted to be welcoming Kiera to Harper Fire and making Thorn Season the most exciting romantasy launch of 2025—get ready for your next YA obsession."

Rens said: "Sharp and sexy, with sizzling romantic tension, dangerous court intrigue, and dazzling magic, Kiera Azar’s Thorn Season is compulsively, irresistibly readable—and everything readers are looking for in a YA fantasy. This is the romantic fantasy I’ve been longing for—and the introduction of a major new voice in YA."