Zaffre, the flagship commercial fiction imprint of Bonnier Books UK’s Zaffre Publishing Group, has acquired Olivia Rose Darling’s debut adult romantasy Fear The Flames in a major two-book deal.
Kelly Smith, senior commissioning editor, acquired UK and Commonwealth (excluding Canada) English language rights from Rachel Kind at Penguin Random House US.
Fear The Flames follows an exiled princess who has to team up with the last man she thought she could trust in order to get her dragons back. This is the start of an immersive debut fantasy series filled with a spicy reluctant allies-to-lovers romance, dangerous quests, and dragon bonds.
Author Olivia Rose Darling said: “Being part of Zaffre is such an honor and I know my characters have found their perfect home in the UK! I’m so excited for all that’s to come this autumn.”
Senior Commissionning Editor Kelly Smith said: “Fear the Flames is the dragon romantasy I have long been waiting for. It sizzles with playful banter, scorches with spice and the worldbuilding soars. I cannot wait to launch this spectacular new series skyward in September!”
Zaffre is launching its SFF list in May 2024 with Mai Corland’s Five Broken Blades, and Fear the Flames will be the first romantasy on their list.
Olivia Rose Darling split her time growing up between New York and Manchester, VT. She developed a passion for writing from a very young age – always scribbling poems onto napkins and short stories into her school notebooks. She graduated from Pace University and attained a degree in English with a concentration in Creative Writing. Lord of the Rings were her favourite movies growing up and formed her fantasy obsession. Being an author and living a life filled with words and magic has always been her dream.
Fear The Flames will be published in hardback, ebook and audio in September 2024, from Zaffre.
Author photo credit: Ashley Cotto.
