David Fickling Books bags Lisa Williamson’s contemporary YA novel
David Fickling Books (DFB) has acquired The Summer After the Night Before, a contemporary YA novel exploring friendship, consent and the search for truth, by Lisa Williamson, whose previous books include All About Mia, Paper Avalanche and First Day of My Life.
World all-language rights were acquired by commissioning editor Rosie Fickling and managing and publishing director Liz Cross from Catherine Clarke at Felicity Bryan Associates.
“Written with Williamson’s signature warmth, empathy and care, The Summer After the Night Before delivers a complex and compelling exploration of teen friendship, first love, consent and the search for truth," says the publisher.
The synopsis reads: “Ben’s been in love with Molly forever. When she finally kisses him at a party, he thinks all his dreams have come true. And later that night, he thinks they’ve started something really special. Molly loves Ben too – of course she does. But not like THAT. He’s her best friend’s brother – which makes him practically her brother too, right?
“But after a few drinks at a party, Molly kisses Ben. And she can’t remember what happened next. The months of freedom after GCSEs should be the best of your life. But everyone’s reckoning with doubts, lies and mixed-up memories: the thorny summer after the potent night before…”
Williamson said: “The morning after a drunken party, a girl wakes up in the bed of her best friend’s brother, unable to escape the gut feeling that something is wrong. I suspect a lot of people can relate to the confusion and doubt that Molly experiences as she tries to make sense of what did or didn’t happen the night before.
“Her voice came to me first, but I quickly realised that this was just as much Ben and Rhiannon’s story. Over one long hot summer, all three find themselves unequivocally changed by the ramifications of that fateful night. Working with Liz, Meggie and the team at DFB has been a true joy. From the very start, they understood and embraced the story I was trying to tell, never wavering in their commitment and care.”
Cross said: “Lisa has an extraordinary understanding of the complexity, messiness and intensity of young adult life, and of the huge ramifications that spontaneous decisions and actions can have. The Summer After the Night Before tackles some big, difficult contemporary issues with authenticity, empathy and immense readability. It’s from one of the UK’s foremost YA authors at her dizzying best.”
Publication of The Summer After the Night Before is scheduled for 7th May 2026.
