Secret Life of Bees author Monk Kidd finds her perfect Tinder match

Headline imprint Tinder Press is publishing the “life-changing” new novel from The Secret Life of Bees author Sue Monk Kidd.

The Book of Longings will be released in April 2020 after British Commonwealth rights were acquired by executive publisher Marion Donaldson from WME.

Headline says it has sold over 1.6 million copies of Kidd’s books, which have been translated into at least 36 languages.

The new book’s synopsis explains: “Set in biblical times, The Book of Longings is an exquisitely written, thought-provoking and compelling novel telling the story of Ana, a rebellious young woman living in Galilee at the time of Jesus of Nazareth. Ana’s journey takes readers to the heart of some of the most significant events in human history, and allows the voices of women, silenced in their own era, to be heard: authentic, strong and unforgettable.”

Kidd said: “The Book of Longings is the story of a daring young woman who becomes the wife of Jesus and who struggles against the profound invisibility and silencing of women to realize her passion and voice. Ana’s quest is particularly important to me. It is enduring and relevant even today as women strive for greater empowerment and voice. The story caused me to wonder how the world might have been different if Jesus had married and his wife had been included in his story. I think western culture would have had a somewhat different inheritance. After working on the novel for 4½ years, I’m eager to share it.”

Donaldson added: “With The Book of Longings, Sue has excelled herself. What a brilliant, haunting, life-changing novel. In Ana, Sue has created one of her most memorable characters: a woman who won’t accept the position dictated to her by her family or her parents, and whose desire is not only to decide her own fate but also to enable other women’s voices to be heard. The history, and the sights, sounds and even smells of the era are evoked with astonishing authenticity and vibrancy. This is a superb novel, which will win the hearts of all who have loved Sue’s earlier books, while also drawing a whole new audience to her writing.”