ATRIA BOOKS AUSTRALIA PRE-EMPTS DEBUT NOVEL BY JOSHUA HORTINELA
Atria Books Australia is thrilled to announce the acquisition of Hate You to Love You and a second novel from bookseller and influencer Joshua Hortinela. Anthea Bariamis acquired world rights in a two-book deal brokered by Daniel Pilkington at The Pilkington Agency.
Hate You to Love You is a love letter to romantic comedies and the power of romanticising life.
Carlos Reyes is having a quarter life crisis. Everyone around him seems to have adulthood figured out, but he can’t even find inspiration to do what he’s paid to do: write. Once a hopeless romantic who believed in the power of the romantic comedy, Carlos is struggling to find anything about his life romantic or comedic. Maybe it’s because he lost his dad recently. Or maybe it’s because the love of his life broke his heart.
But then he gets the chance of a lifetime: follow blockbuster author and recent recluse Claudia Leighton on her upcoming book tour and write the tell-all piece her fans have been dying for. Carlos wants to jump at the opportunity, but there’s a problem – Claudia’s publicist, Elliot Simpson. He’s arrogant, insufferable and the man who broke Carlos’s heart. And if he takes this job, Carlos will be stuck with him for weeks.
Spanning Sydney, Dublin, Edinburgh and London, Hate You to Love You is a moving love story about nostalgia and yearning for what once was, and about what it means to lose yourself in order to find yourself.
Publisher Anthea Bariamis says, ‘I’m incredibly excited to be working with Josh on his gorgeous, tender-hearted debut. He infuses emotion into his writing so beautifully, and I know it’s going to make readers heart-sore in the best way. I feel so lucky to be Josh’s champion and editor, and I know this is only the first of many uplifting stories he’ll share with the world.’
Author Joshua Hortinela comments, ‘I am overjoyed to be working with Anthea and the Simon & Schuster team. Their immense support for Australian writers, and more recently romance novels, has been game changing for the industry, and I can’t wait to be part of this journey. Writing is such a solitary and nerve-wracking act, and their support and guidance is what dreams are made of. You don’t always get to say that dreams come true but, today, I get to say that they do.
‘Romantic comedies resonate deeply with me because they’re warm, heartfelt and, no matter what’s going on in your life, guarantee you a happily ever after. I just hope that within the words of my writing, I’m able to give someone out there that same feeling.’
Joshua Hortinela is a writer and bookseller who also works in social media marketing. A passionate reader, he has worked in the book industry for nearly ten years. He also works as a freelance writer, photographer and moderator for events. When he’s not adding a ridiculous number of books to his staff holds at work, he can be found reading romance novels, rewatching 13 Going On 30 for the millionth time, or drinking a cosmopolitan. He lives in Sydney and can tell you where to find the best coffee or cocktail in town.
Hate You to Love You will be published by Atria Books Australia in September 2026.