Quercus snaps up Tia Williams' YA novel

Quercus has snapped up Tia Williams’ Audre and Bash Are Just Friends, a YA novel that follows Audre Mercy-Moore, who is a "star character" from Williams’ Seven Days in June. Publisher Cassie Browne acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Jenny Meyer at Jenny Meyer Literary Agency on behalf of Cherise Fisher at Wendy Sherman Associates. Williams’ latest will be published in May 2025. This year will also mark the author’s first UK publicity tour for the paperback publication of her adult novel, A Love Song for Ricki Wilde. 

"I can’t wait to visit the UK," said Williams. "Over the years, I’ve virtually connected with many readers there, and it’s a dream to finally meet them in person. There’s such a dynamic book-loving community in the UK – and I’m grateful for the chance to dip my toe in! Hopefully, this is the first of many visits."

The synopsis reads: "Stuck in Brooklyn for the summer, Stanford-hopeful Audre is desperate to finish writing the self-help book that’s her ticket to university. Her only problem? A lack of actual, real-life experience. So, she hires Bash, the new senior and everyone’s crush, to be her ‘fun consultant’. Together they embark on five wild dares designed to give Audre juicy book material. And as the scorching-hot summer unfolds, Audre and Bash start to wonder if they might be more than just friends."

Browne added: "We could not be more excited to welcome Tia to the UK and to celebrate her stories with some of her biggest fans here... Fans of Seven Days will adore the whip-smart Audre we meet in this book, as Tia develops her character and story in the most beautifully rewarding way. Audre’s chemistry with Bash is such a thrilling depiction of first love and this is a novel with such meaning and heart, a celebration of the genre itself."