Rock the Boat to publish 'luminous, brilliant' YA novel by Erin Stewart

Rock the Boat, an imprint of Oneworld, is set to publish a "luminous, brilliant" YA novel by Erin Stewart. Editorial director Shadi Doostdar acquired UK and British Commonwealth rights, including audio, to Every Borrowed Beat from Alessandra Birch on behalf of Rebecca Sherman at Writers House. The book will be published in paperback original on 13th March 2025.

The book follows Sydney Wells after a heart transplant, as she "can’t help thinking about who her donor might have been". The synopsis continues: "Sydney concludes she was a girl who died tragically in a nearby town. Desperate for closure, she attends the girl’s memorial service and meets her best friend: a boy who makes Sydney’s new heart race."

Stewart is the author of Scars Like Wings and The Words We Keep and is a heart failure survivor herself.

She said: "Every Borrowed Beat grew from my own experience with heart failure, but I hope for readers, it is about so much more than one disease or issue. It’s about moving forward, taking the good with us and seeing the beauty in every single beat of life. I was thrilled that this story landed with the amazing team at Rock the Boat, who immediately connected with my characters and with these themes of life, love and letting go."

Doostdar said: "Erin Stewart writes beautiful, poignant novels that really capture the teen experience, and Every Borrowed Beat is no exception. This is a heartwarming story about the importance of friendship and of loving and living without fear. It is also about a 17-year-old who has missed out on the hallmarks of adolescence—an experience that so many young adults post-pandemic can relate to."