Aspiring filmmaker Quincy Walker is a hopeless romantic who spends her days dreaming of a life that’s a bit more like the romantic comedies she loves. When she’s kissed by a stranger in a moment that could be straight out of one of her favorite movies, she’s willing to do anything to find the guy in time for senior prom. With the help of her friends, Operation Mystery Kisser is hatched: a plan to set up Quin on dates with all the guys who were there that night to discover who kissed her.

The only problem? Her friends insist on blind dates, and Quin doesn’t like giving up control (just ask the members of her group for the film class final). As prom draws nearer, Quin is no closer to finding out who her mystery kisser is, and she’s not sure she wants to continue looking. Maybe it’s her dad’s health scare and her brother’s absence; maybe it’s the fact that she’s fighting with her best friend; or maybe—just maybe—it’s that she’s falling for a guy who definitely isn’t the one she’s been looking for.

PUBLISHER AND ACCOLADES

Running Press/Hachette, May 2022

• Book Riot’s 2023 YA Book Title Earworms Selection

• Whitney Award Nominee

“Plenty of complex and vulnerable moments in the story…an enjoyable read.”
-Kirkus Reviews

“A thoughtful depiction of a teen embracing change.”
-Publishers Weekly

“I remember walking my first date to her front door after homecoming, filled with so much hope and joyful anticipation. Just like this wonderful feel-good novel of delirious first kisses. Like that night, it will leave you blissfully happy and wishing for more.”
-Jamie Ford, New York Times bestselling author of The Many Daughters of Afong Moy

“MAKE THE FIREFLIES DANCE is a fresh, flirtatious love story with classic rom-com vibes and warm southern charm! Quincy’s journey through blind dates and kisses in the dark will give readers all the fizzy, firefly-dancing, first love feels.”
-Kaitlyn Hill, author of Love from Scratch and Not Here to Stay Friends

“MAKE THE FIREFLIES DANCE is magical and loving, romantic and incredibly moving. I read this novel in one night, turning the pages madly, veering between laughter and tears. Rachel Bateman is such a good writer; she brings her characters to life, makes us care about them as if they were our best friends (especially Quin), and makes us wonder about them, wish them well, long after we have read the last page.”
—Luanne Rice, New York Times bestselling author of Pretend She’s Here

“Enchanting and entirely genuine, Rachel Bateman’s MAKE THE FIREFLIES DANCE made my heart flicker. Quincy and her family and friends glowed on the page in so many special ways. They made me smile and swoon, laugh and cry. Bateman’s romantic comedy, with touching threads of the power of friendship and grief woven in, will bring light to your life.”
—K.L. Walther, author of If We Were Us and The Summer of Broken Rules

SUBSIDIARY RIGHTS

Audio

• Hachette Audio

Anna has spent her life looking up to her older sister, Storm. With her ever-present lists and a personality too big for Muscatine, Iowa, Storm’s the leader of the pack—and Anna has always been happy to follow. Until Storm dies suddenly, leaving Anna without direction.

When Anna finds Storm’s last list—My Perfect Summer—it’s like her sister is back, taking charge one last time. In her sister’s 1970 Monte Carlo (that she doesn’t know how to drive) and joined by Storm’s best friend, Cameron (who may be the answer to #5: Fall in Love), Anna sets off on a cross-country journey (#9: Road Trip!), marking off as many list items as she can along the way.

But the further Anna gets on Storm’s list, the more she discovers she didn’t really know her sister. As Anna learns the truth about Storm’s last days, she realizes she needs to let go of the future her sister created and figure out her own path in life.

And none of Storm’s lists can help her now.

PUBLISHER AND ACCOLADES

Running Press/Hachette, May 2017

“Someone Else’s Summer is the perfect combination of self-discovery, romance, and road-tripping adventure. Grab this one for your beach bag!”
-Jessi Kirby, author of Things We Know By Heart

“Equally heartbreaking and inspiring, Rachel Bateman’s Someone Else’s Summer is a journey of love and healing that examines the true meaning of bravery.”
-Kristina McBride, author of A Million Times Goodnight and One Moment

“Plenty of romantic moments will make starry-eyed readers swoon.”
-Kirkus Reviews

SUBSIDIARY RIGHTS

Audio

• Hachette Audio

Foreign

• German: Heyne (auction)
• Hungarian: Magyar
• Italian: Newton Compton

Media Rights: Film, Television, Stage & Podcast

• Optioned by Beth Grossbard Productions with Bailee Madison attached to star

When Laney returned to Seeley Lake after graduation, she expected a relaxing summer to get her bearings straight before college.

She didn’t expect her dad to get married, or for her best friends to be so different.

And she definitely didn’t expect to fall in love with Weston.

As the summer goes on, Laney learns that sometimes the things you expect the least are the things you need the most.

PUBLISHER AND ACCOLADES

Independently Published, November 2013

“…such a heartfelt story…full of a little bit of humor and heartache, a real portrayal on friendship and family, and a romance that will melt your heart…when I say you need to read this book, I mean you really need to read this book.”
-Kate’s Tales of Books and Bands