Fourth Estate triumphs in seven-way auction for Young’s ‘extremely sexy’ debut for six figures
'Fourth Estate has signed the debut novel, Experienced, from award-winning food writer and cook Kate Young in a seven-way auction.
Editorial director Katie Bowden acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Zoe Ross at United Agents in a six-figure, two-book deal. US rights sold to Marie Michels at Pamela Dorman Books.
International translation rights are being handled by United Agents and the book has already sold in Dutch (Luitingh Sijthoff), Finnish (WSOY), German (HarperCollins), Italian (Mondadori) and Brazilian Portuguese (Sextante).
Experienced is described a queer romcom and a friends-to-lovers dating odyssey set in Bristol. It tells the story of Bette who is in love for the first time in her life.
The synopsis continues: “With her 30th birthday had come a world-altering realisation: there was a reason the men she had been dating weren’t right for her. It had been women all along. Now, months into a new relationship with her colleague Mei, everything makes sense – at least until, out of the blue, Mei announces they should take a break.
“She wants Bette to do all the exploring she missed out on in that decade of misdirected dating, before reuniting, certain about her desires and their future. So, reluctantly, Bette sets out on a mission: to date lots of hot women and have lots of hot casual sex. Her quest takes her to unexpected places, some cringingly disastrous and some completely thrilling. And then, inevitably, it turns out that love has been waiting where she least expected it…"
Bowden said: “Experienced is so smart, deliciously funny, gloriously romantic and extremely sexy. I have never been so invested in anything as I was in the sizzling chemistry between Bette and her will-they-won’t-they love interest, when I read this novel in one happy sitting.
“This is the classic British romcom, updated for the 21st century, from a gorgeous writer with a passionate, lifelong readership awaiting her. We couldn’t be more excited at Fourth Estate to make this the romcom of the year in 2024, and I can’t wait to see readers fall in love with Kate’s characters as we have.”
Young, whose Little Library Cookbooks (The Little Library Cookbook, The Little Library Year, The Little Library Christmas, and The Little Library Parties—Head of Zeus) feature food inspired by famous and beloved works of literature, commented: “I drafted 18 versions of this sentence, but they all boiled down to this: I love romcoms, I love women, and I love love.
“And so, with Experienced, I set out to write a big, queer romcom full of joy, flirting, terrible decision making, found family, and great sex. I am excited, grateful (and incredibly overwhelmed) to be working with Fourth Estate, a publishing team I’ve long respected and admired. From Katie Bowden’s very first email, I felt so fortunate that the book had already found its dream audience: someone who spoke immediately of Bette and the women around her as though they’re our dear mutual friends. I couldn’t be more thrilled that Experienced is now in her capable, clever, considered hands.”
Ross said she was “elated for Kate that she has found her joyful voice in this irresistible novel” and described Bowden as “the perfect editor to bring [Experienced] the success it deserves.”