Scholastic falls for Finch's 'deeply moving' heartbreak romance

Scholastic has swooped for Iris Green, Unseen, a "devastating" heartbreak romance YA novel from Louise Finch. 

Lauren Fortune, fiction publisher, acquired world rights from Becky Bagnell at the Lindsay Literary Agency. The novel will be published in May 2024. 

"Lou Finch is a writer who captures your heart from the very first sentence," said Bagnell. "I’m thrilled that Scholastic UK will be publishing Iris Green, Unseen, a book that takes you on an emotional journey of love, loss, identity and friendship, all pieced together with a touch of magic that stays with you long after you’ve turned the last page."

Iris Green, Unseen follows Iris Green who, after discovering her boyfriend is cheating with one of her best friends, not only feels invisible but becomes invisible. 

The synopsis adds: "And the less she can be seen herself, the more she sees about the people around her, discovering uncomfortable truths about them... and herself. Can she find her way back to being fully present in her own life, before it’s too late and she disappears altogether?" 

Finch’s debut, The Eternal Return of Clara Hart (Little Island Books), was shortlisted for the Yoto Carnegie Book Medal for Writing, the YA Book Prize 2022 and the Branford Boase Award and won the White Raven Award. She commented: "Iris Green was inspired by a time of my life when I felt particularly adrift, so this novel is very close to my heart and I’m delighted to have found a wonderful home for it with Scholastic. I hope Iris’ story will resonate with any readers who have ever felt similarly lost, and perhaps make them feel seen."

Fortune added:  “Louise is an astonishingly gifted writer and Iris Green, Unseen  is a deeply moving, powerful story that will resonate with so many readers – we’re all so proud to be publishing it."