Penguin Michael Joseph snaps up two from Fortune

Penguin Michael Joseph has acquired two new “breath-taking, inspiring” titles from Carley Fortune.  

Hannah Smith, editorial director, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights to the two new titles from Penguin Random House US.

Fortune is the author of Every Summer After and Meet Me At The Lake (both with Piatkus). Meet Me At The Lake has also been optioned by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s production company, Archewell, as their first Netflix feature-length film.

The first book in the deal with PMJ, This Summer Will Be Different, will be published in paperback original and e-book in May 2024. It follows Lucy and Felix over six summers. The synopsis reads: “Every year Lucy visits Prince Edward Island with her best friend, Bridget, to soak up the sun on the red sand beaches. She never expected to end up in the arms of her best friend’s brother. But she did, and she can’t stay away.

“Through the years Lucy promised each summer would be different. The reasons they can’t be together outweigh why they can. Last summer, Lucy broke things off for good but Lucy didn’t expect to return to the island one last time. Now she’s back and could this be her one last chance with Felix?”

Fortune said: “My third novel, This Summer Will Be Different, is a sizzling story about falling in love with the one person you’ve promised not to, set on Canada’s stunning Prince Edward Island. I’m delighted that both myself and the book have a home in the UK with Michael Joseph.”

Smith said: “I truly believe that every good story takes us on a journey. Whether that journey is sad, happy or full of hope, we come out the other end having felt something. And this is exactly what Carley Fortune delivers. Her breath-taking, inspiring writing always stays with me well past the last page and I am so thrilled to be a part of this next stage in her writing career.”