Hodder & Stoughton triumphs in three-way auction for four romances from Meghan Quinn 

Hodder & Stoughton has bought four romances in a three-way auction from Meghan Quinn.  

Lucy Stewart, senior commissioning editor, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Kimberly Brower at Brower Literary & Management in her first acquisition since joining Hodder. Bridesmaid for Hire is the first book in this new series, publishing on 2nd April 2024 in paperback and e-book, and will be followed by Bridesmaid Undercover in August 2024. The deal also includes one festive romance, which will publish in October of the same year, and the final rom-com, which will publish in 2025. 

Bridesmaid for Hire is described as “an enemies-to-lovers, fake-relationship rom-com where sparks fly between a struggling wedding planner and her brother’s best friend”. The publisher said: “Maggie promised herself she wouldn’t even think about working while on vacation in Bora Bora, but as word spreads about the ‘wedding of the century’ taking place at her hotel, she realises offering her services as a bridesmaid and planner could bring her business to the next level. The only catch is her brother’s best friend Brody – who is also her sworn enemy – and her only way into the celebrations. Luckily, Brody needs her charm and sparkling personality as much as she needs him, and so they pose as a couple to sneak their way in… including sharing a room at the hotel, with only one bed.” 

Quinn said: “I’m so thrilled to announce that I’ll be joining the Hodder & Stoughton team for my new release, Bridesmaid for Hire. I have so much trust in the team to bring this fake dating, brother’s best friend romantic comedy to the UK and Commonwealth. I hope you love it just as me and the team.” 

Stewart added: “Bridesmaid for Hire is exactly the kind of book I’ve been looking for since I started at Hodder. It’s the perfect mix of all the things we love to read in a great rom-com – including all the best tropes – while also being funny, glamorous and incredibly steamy. No one on the team could stop reading it once they started: it’s a romance reader’s dream. But Bridesmaid for Hire is also just one example of Meghan’s brilliant books: she has such an incredible stand-out voice, and I hope this is just the beginning of a long-term home for Meghan’s books here in the UK.”