Rock the Boat lands coming-of-age romance by début author Song

Rock the Boat has landed a coming-of-age romance set in Hong Kong by début author K X Song.  

Shadi Doostdar, editorial director, acquired UK and British Commonwealth English language rights, excluding Canada, to An Echo in the City from Hannah Koerner at Hachette US. It will publish as a paperback original on 17th August 2023.

The publisher said: “Set in 2019, 16-year-old Phoenix knows her parents have invested thousands of dollars to help her leave Hong Kong and get an elite Ivy League education. They think America means big status, big dreams, and big bank accounts. But Phoenix doesn’t want big; she just wants home.   

“On the other side, 17-year-old Kai sees himself as an artist. But when his mother dies, he’s forced to leave Shanghai to reunite with his estranged father who’s already enrolled him in the Hong Kong police academy. As Kai and Phoenix join the struggle for the future of Hong Kong, a spark forms between them, pulling them together even as their two worlds try to force them apart. But when their relationship is built on secrets and deception, will they still love the person left behind when the lies fall away?”

Doostdar said: ’”Song’s writing blows me away. Through the eyes of two unforgettable characters, this vibrant city comes alive. Suddenly you, the reader, are not only wrapped up in their love story, but you are on the ground during an extraordinary moment in Hong Kong’s history. It is impossible not to come away with greater empathy for the people on this city island.”