Hachette Book Group senior VP and publisher Reagan Arthur and Sceptre executive publisher Federico Andornino in the U.K. and have joined forces to preempt, with a “significant six-figure” offer, Skin Contact, a debut novel by Elisa Faison. Arthur, buying for her new, as-yet-unnamed “boutique” imprint, and Adornino bought world English rights, from Alexa Stark at Writers House, in what will be “a close partnership” between Sceptre and Arthur's imprint. Einaudi Stile Libero has pre-empted Italian rights.

Skin Contact is pitched as “a razor-sharp exploration of intimacy, non-monogamous desire, and motherhood” with appeal to readers of Miranda July’s All Fours, Julia May Jonas’s Vladimir, Raven Leilani’s Luster, and Caroline O’Donoghue’s The Rachel Incident. “I thought I'd read and heard it all about open marriage,” Arthur said in a statement, “until I read Elisa Faison's dazzling debut, a page-turning and deeply felt novel that expands our understanding of love, family, and friendship.”

Andornino added: “Skin Contact is a real treat of a novel. I gobbled it up in a weekend and I can't wait to see readers everywhere fall in love with Elisa Faison's storytelling in the same way. And what a gift to have the opportunity to work with Reagan's new imprint on this very special project: the perfect way to kickstart our partnership.”

The book, per the publishers, finds its protagonist, Frances, unmoored at 32 following the death of her mother: “Her husband Ben will do anything to help Frances regain her vivacity and sense of purpose. So when Frances suggests that they open their marriage, Ben complies," HBG explained.

“I couldn't be happier to be working with Reagan and Fede. I'm totally in awe and humbled, to say the least, to be joining their incredible lists, which include some of my favorite authors. I can't wait to see how their editorial visions enhance Skin Contact.”

Faison has published stories in various literary magazines, and won the 2024 Peden Prize for her story “Motherlove.” She has worked as an editorial intern at Algonquin Books, a bookseller at Flyleaf Books, and as book reviews editor at the Carolina Quarterly.

A version of this piece was originally published by BookBrunch in the U.K.