Europe, We Have a Problem: Publishing Abroad

 

There is a reason I say I will never tie myself to one sector in publishing. First, I have not formally worked in any single area long enough to speak with certainty. Second, everything about this industry is genuinely interesting. In practice, the lines between sectors overlap far more than we often admit. This post is just one example of this.

I have said many times that through discovery and research, publicity and subrights are where I see myself. And yet, here I am once again being pulled back into the international market, much like I was during my deep dive into the journey of a book. The difference this time is geography. Italy, in particular, but more broadly Europe, has become the focal point.

So, I asked myself again what I am actually passionate about. I sat with it properly this time. If the UK market often feels neglected in certain areas of publishing, I quickly realised that perception shifts dramatically when you start looking beyond it.

Through research, I began to understand how different international markets prioritise entirely different genres. In some territories, contemporary romance is treated as niche. That discovery genuinely stopped me in my tracks. A genre with global readership, proven commercial success, and deeply engaged audiences is still underestimated in parts of Europe.

Let me just panic for a second here. They don’t care? Contemporary romance is the niche? Oh, have a day off and read one.

Seeing reposts of Italian editions of authors like Ana Huang, including titles such as King of Wrath, only reinforced that feeling. The visibility is limited, the promotional reach appears minimal, and while sales may reflect that, the potential certainly does not. And standing at that intersection of underrepresentation and opportunity is exactly where my interest sharpens.

Now, how did I become interested in the Italian book market? You will never know, because the reason is genuinely blush worthy and best left undocumented. What I did discover, however, is that once again, much like my assumptions around the two major book fairs, I was spectacularly wrong.

To recover from that realisation and to make myself feel marginally more professional, I decided I needed a market beyond the UK and US for comparison purposes. So France has now been added to the mix.

For someone who once claimed she did not care about international sales, then decided she very much did, then wandered into subrights like it was accidental, this is the current reality and, unexpectedly, it is exciting.

Let me preface this properly. I am focusing solely on Italy and France because it is my blog and I can. And this analysis is limited to contemporary romance, because anything else would be disingenuous. This is, after all, where I place myself on the publishing map.

The first thing I did was check whether my favourite publishing house, Hachette, actually operates beyond the UK and US, or whether my loyalty was geographically misplaced. I cannot believe I am about to explain what Hachette does, but here we are. Hachette actively publishes contemporary romance through imprints such as Headline, Orion, and Little, Brown, which I say with full sincerity and no shame.

Reassuringly, Hachette Livre is the largest publishing group in France, and yes, they do publish contemporary romance. Hachette is actually a French publishing group, as France is it's origin. Would you look at that, the city of love an all. Anyways, this includes both domestic French authors and translated English language bestsellers, including authors like Ana Huang. These titles are published under imprints such as Hachette Romans and Pocket. I am certain there is thoughtful reasoning behind those imprint names, but I did not investigate further, as that is not the point here.

Now to my Italy. Hachette Italia does exist, but on a much smaller scale compared to France. Its catalogue leans heavily toward literary fiction, classics, and children’s publishing, with contemporary romance taking a clear back seat and largely limited to selective or blockbuster titles. I will admit, from a commercial standpoint, that is a smart move.

While Hachette Italia could publish English language contemporary romance, the market remains highly selective. In practice, this means that much of what is considered mid-tier genre fiction, whoever decided that was a category, rarely makes it to Italian editions at all.

The conclusion from this side of the research is clear: the UK remains strong, France is robust, and Italy, while interesting, definitely pales in comparison. Disappointing is a better word I guess……

But of course, I could not stop there. My next question was why. Was it the Italian market? The money? The culture? The traditions? In answering some of my own questions, I began to see patterns.

I knew France was naturally romantic. Paris, after all. But Italy? Rome, Milan? I never would have guessed that cultural preferences there historically leaned toward literary fiction, classics, and domestic authors. Contemporary romance, particularly English language romance, is less entrenched. Young adult fiction may get some traction, but romance is often seen as niche or casual. Consequently, Italian publishers treat it as higher risk. Excuse you, but yes.

The most obvious factor is market size. My naivety, likely influenced by Milan Fashion Week and visions of Italian opulence, led me to underestimate how much smaller Italy's book market is compared to France or the UK. Compared to the giant that is the US market, it really does pale. Fewer readers and fewer companies willing to take risks mean publishers gravitate toward safe bets. These include major international hits or beloved Italian authors. Translation, printing, and marketing costs are substantial, and mid-tier English language romance simply does not justify that investment.

Then comes the cultural layer. Italian publishers have a long tradition of emphasizing literary prestige. These traditions mean that, while contemporary romance may thrive in the UK, in Italy it receives comparatively little attention, historically and even today. My favourite genre is simply not on the same pedestal. Not only does it receive less attention, but it has historically received less attention.

Italy’s market is selective because of a smaller audience, cautious investment strategies, and a cultural emphasis on literary and domestic works. It is not for lack of interest. There is demand, but publishers are conservative. I am so not letting you off the hook, Italy. Wait until I enter the scene, and you will forget what the word conservative even means.

The next thing I did was see how far my favourite authors’ work had travelled to France and Italy. Ana Huang, without question, I expected to see, and sure enough, she was there. That was about it.

Ali Hazelwood’s work has made it too, and surprisingly, Elsie Silver as well, although I found more Italian translations than French. I really wish Italian publishers took more risks because some of these indie authors are absolutely killing it.

Rina Kent has established her presence in both countries as well. Sav R Miller and Danielle Lori were surprises. Both have sold millions, although one feels quite niche and the other seems to have gone off the radar since her last release. Freida McFadden is not an author I particularly love. I only read one book because of the movie, but I expected her to be translated globally, so that was a check in the box.

Next, I needed to know who actually sells these books and what the equivalent of Waterstones is in those markets. I had to find out.

For Italy, the name I kept coming across was Mondadori, the largest publishing group in Italy and a major player in international book publishing. It is kind of like a publishing house and a bookstore rolled into one, because they both publish books and run a large network of stores. For many authors, Mondadori is the direct line to Italian readers.

So, if a UK or US romance author wants to reach Italian readers, Mondadori is usually the main publisher that buys translation rights and distributes the books. This means that Ana Huang’s King of Wrath will be spilling Dante Russo and Vivian Lau’s blushing pink scenes across Italian bookstores.

Alongside in-store and online sales, Mondadori also organises events and has a huge influence on which foreign books gain attention in Italy. It is the big boss, the don if you will. Scary.

There are other smaller publishers and chains, of course, but the dominant player is the one I have just described and I am not even going to try typing its name again.

Now France is more like the it girl. There are multiple major publishers and imprints handling translations rather than relying heavily on just one. As mentioned before, the strongest is Hachette. Then there is Milady, which specialises in romance, including translated US and UK authors. There is also a small but active commercial fiction publisher called J’ai Lu, and Hugo Roman, which is similar to Milady.

When it comes to bookstores, there is Fnac, which is somewhat similar to Mondadori, as well as numerous independent stores such as Gibert Joseph, Decitre, and Le Furet du Nord.

Because of this variety, French readers have more publishers competing for attention, which leads to a wider selection of books. As a result, multiple retail outlets carry translated works, giving readers more choice. Take note, Italy.

Germany is one I should have looked into as well, but the fact that the biggest book fair is held there every year kind of gave away what the market would be like. Flawless.

Now that I had the why and the where, the next question was the how. How do we get Italy to be more like France? More accurately, how do we get the bookshop of my dreams to reach readers around the world?

I started to notice a pattern: in France, multiple publishers — Hachette, Milady, Hugo — compete for translated romance, and multiple bookstore chains make the books visible. In Italy, Mondadori is king. One gatekeeper, one channel. It got me thinking — maybe it’s not just about who buys the translation rights, but who decides which books even reach the shelves. Now, mind you, they haven’t got the worst decision maker because did I mention Miss Ana Huang herself is there. Could Italian readers be ready for more? Are independent bookstores the key, or is it purely about translation budgets? And how do social media buzz and book bloggers influence what gets published in Italy versus France? When I found King of Wrath on Mondadori’s website, I felt that little jolt — Italy does have it! But it’s not everywhere. Unlike France, where a new Ali Hazelwood book pops up in multiple chains, here it feels like a treasure hunt. How do we bridge that gap?

I do not have definitive answers to any of these questions, which is why I am leaving this blog post deliberately incomplete. How could I? The publishing landscape is constantly evolving, and my perspective is necessarily limited. I have not yet fully immersed myself in the industry. I am done with speculation. What I want now is insight and understanding from within.

I did, however, take a deep dive onto BookTok to conduct some further research, and my findings were more encouraging than I initially expected. It turns out that the platform is not as limited or niche as I had feared. A number of well-known book influencers have picked up the books I follow, giving them significant visibility. For example, the entire Chestnut Spring series by Elsie Silver has been featured and shared widely, reaching audiences far beyond what I had anticipated. Seeing these works gain traction on a social platform so influential for readers was both surprising and reassuring. It highlighted that even mid-tier authors can find enthusiastic and engaged audiences if their work resonates and reaches the right channels.

I have never shied away from imagining what I wanted my life to look like, all the way to where I am now. I always envisioned myself in the United States, specifically New York. But in reality, whilst no country is entirely safe, the United States, in particular, felt increasingly precarious. Canada was also ruled out. I do not want to leave my future in the hands of the wrong people.

Eventually, the choice narrowed to France and Italy. Italy presents a challenge, and I have always loved challenges. Perhaps one day, I could be at the forefront of ensuring that contemporary romance books receive the recognition they deserve.

It is fascinating to observe how these books travel and the extent of their reach. Perhaps contemporary romance is not as underrepresented as I once thought. Maybe I am only noticing now. Either way, seeing these stories cross borders and find readers is exhilarating.

Ultimately, this exploration has reinforced why I love working in publishing: there is always more to learn, more markets to understand, and more stories to help reach readers across the world. Contemporary romance may seem niche in some countries and celebrated in others, but what fascinates me is how these books find their way to audiences, the strategies behind it, and the cultural differences that shape reception.

I do not have all the answers, and I may never fully predict how a book will travel or which markets will embrace it. But that is precisely what makes this industry exhilarating. Each market presents its own challenges, surprises, and opportunities. My curiosity drives me to keep learning, keep observing, and one day, perhaps, to be part of the process that ensures stories I care about reach readers everywhere.

In the meantime, I will continue to explore, question, and celebrate the journeys of the books I love. And who knows—maybe Italy will surprise me yet.

Head over to the Let’s Connect page of my blog if you want to see where else I am active, and do not forget to check out my latest post on PaperPages, Mafia Romance: Overhated, Misunderstood, Addictive.

See you between the pages.

Vivian.