About

Mr B's Emporium of Reading Delights is delighted to present a very special evening with Sasha Peyton Smith and Kika Hatzopoulou, two of the hottest voices in young adult fiction as they chat about their fantasy novels with book influencer, Joel Rochester. Together they will explore dark magic, myth and fairytale, and romance. The perfect combination for Valentine's week!

The event marks the release of New York Times bestselling author Sasha Peyton Smith's The Rose Bargain. One of the most hotly-anticipated romantasy reads of 2025, Stephanie Garber describes it as "a deliciously dark and romantic fantasy". The Cruel Prince meets Bridgerton with a darkly delicious fae twist, The Rose Bargain is a captivating fantasy brimming with heart pounding romance, vicious competition and beautiful, cruel fae.
Kika Hatzopoulou is the bestselling and award-winning author of Threads That Bind and Hearts That Cut. She writes stories for all ages, filled with lore and whimsy. Her debut YA fantasy duology combines romance, police procedural, and classical mythology in a post-apocalyptic setting.

More about the books –

The Rose Bargain:

Every citizen of England is granted one bargain from their immortal fae queen. High society girls are expected to bargain for qualities that will win them suitors: a rare talent for piano in exchange for one's happiest childhood memory.

A perfect smile for one's ability to taste. But Ivy Benton's debut season arrives with a shocking twist: a competition to secure the heart of the Queen's fae son, Prince Bram. A prize that could save Ivy's family from ruin… and free her sister from the bargain that destroyed her.

Yet every glittering fae deal has a rotting heart, and at the centre of this contest is a dark plot that could destroy everything. Sweepingly romantic and deceptively enchanting, this alternate history romantasy will enthrall readers of Lauren Roberts, Stephanie Garber, and Sarah J Maas.

Hearts That Cut:

The second heart-pounding Greek-myth-inspired romantasy from the author of Threads That Bind, perfect for fans of Alexandra Bracken's Lore, Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows and Chloe Gong's These Violent Delights. It's been five weeks since Io, descendant of the Fates, left the city of Alante to follow the golden threads in search of the god on the other end. Her investigation takes a turn for the worse when her only lead vanishes, but not before she gathers some crucial clues.

Now Io has a new mystery to solve – sibling disappearances across the Wastelands that seem to be connected to the murders in Alante. And all signs point to Nanzy, the Golden City, as the centre of the conspiracy. As Io journeys to Nanzy, she makes powerful enemies, finds allies and uncovers a horrifying plot that traces back centuries.

The more she learns, the more she suspects that the future of the world rests on her shoulders. But how much of the future is Io's choice, and how much is simply her fate…?