Headline Eternal scores Reilly’s sports romance series Beyond the Play

Headline Eternal has signed four titles in the Beyond the Play series, a series of interconnected standalone sports romance novels, by Grace Reilly.

Assistant editor Priyal Agrawal acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Claire Draper at the Azantian Literary Agency, while at The Bent Agency. Rights to the series have also been sold in several territories including the US, Germany, Italy, Israel, Russia and Poland.

Books one to three in the deal – First Down, Breakaway and Stealing Home – originally self-published, will be published in e-book on 31st July 2023 and in paperback on 28th September 2023. Wicked Serve, the fourth book in the series, will be new and published in e-book and paperback on 23rd November 2023.

According to the publisher, on TikTok the hashtag #FirstDown has amassed more than 10 million views, and #GraceReilly has garnered more than six million views, since the first book in the series was self-published in September 2022.

The series is set at the fictional McKee University in upstate New York and each book follows the story of one of the Callahan siblings, as they risk their passion for their respective games, for intense – and very steamy – romance.

Agrawal said: “I am absolutely delighted that Headline Eternal will be publishing Grace Reilly’s brilliant Beyond the Play series this year. The series already has a voracious fanbase, and this is entirely due to the phenomenal chemistry that Grace has created between her characters.

“Not only are the love stories sexy, but this is also paired with incredible emotional depth and with beautifully developed relationships between the Callahan siblings, which is what makes Beyond the Play a cut above the rest. We cannot wait to introduce new readers to Grace’s amazing novels!”

Reilly said: “I’m beyond thrilled to be working with Priyal and the whole team at Headline Eternal to bring the Beyond the Play series to even more readers in the UK! I can’t wait for everyone to meet and fall in love with the Callahan family.”