Sphere has snapped up How to Write a Love Story by Catherine Walsh: an Irish-set bookish romcom with a steamy twist.

Senior Commissioning Editor Molly Walker-Sharp acquired UK and Commonwealth rights in a significant two-book deal from Hannah Schofield at LBA Literary Agency. North American rights went to Cassidy Sachs at Dutton (PRH US) and Deborah Sun de la Cruz at Penguin Canada in a major six-figure pre-empt.

Elsewhere translation rights have been sold to publishers in seven territories, including France (Talent), Germany (Goldmann), Lithuania (Sofoklis), Netherlands (AW Bruna), Poland (Kobiece), Spain (PRH) and Sweden (Pirat). Screen rights are represented by Mary Pender at WME.

Slated for global publication in March 2026, How to Write a Love Story will launch in paperback and follows an ambitious book editor from New York to Ireland to help his author finish the final book in her late father’s legendary fantasy series, only to fall in love with her in the process.

Previously published by Bookouture, Catherine Walsh is the bestselling author of five romcoms, the most recent of which, Snowed In, spent Christmas atop the Kindle charts across the UK and US. To date, she has sold over 290,000 copies of her novels and amassed almost 100 million pages read in the KU programme. She was born and raised in Ireland, and now resides in Dublin.

Walsh said: ‘I'm thrilled to be working with Molly and the incredible team at Sphere for How to Write a Love Story. This book has been in my head for years, and I knew from our first conversation that they were the perfect fit to help bring these characters to life. I hope readers will love it just as much as I do!’

Walker-Sharp commented: ‘Very occasionally a book comes along that you fall head over heels for from the very first page, and with How to Write a Love Story I was besotted from the first syllable! Catherine knows exactly the way to any romance girly’s heart: her writing is witty, gloriously readable and oh-so-hot; her characters are relatable and lovable in equal measure; the narrative is dual-pov so features double the desire and twice the spice; and she’s thrown in a bookish backdrop and an Irish summer setting to boot! We can’t wait to introduce readers to Ciara and Sam!’

Agent, Hannah Schofield added: ‘Catherine Walsh’s novels never fail to enthral, and How to Write a Love Story is her best yet! It’s been a real joy to see a match for my huge enthusiasm from Molly and the Sphere team in the UK, plus Cassidy and Deborah across the pond. I can’t wait for this exciting new chapter in Catherine’s career.’