Polygon has acquired World English language rights for Summer Hours by Alessandra Thom, the compelling debut novel from a Scottish Book Trust New Writers Award 2023 recipient. Rights were procured by Polygon Editor Edward Crossan from Seren Adams of Lexington Literary.

‘Alessandra Thom’s debut, Summer Hours, is a superbly wrought novel with themes of youth and desire that fans of Sally Rooney are going to love,’ says Edward, ‘I was captivated by Alessandra Thom’s immediate and exciting prose – a promising new voice in Scottish literature. I’m so pleased to be working with her on this, and I can’t wait to get the book into the hands of readers.’

‘That Summer Hours has found its home, first with my agent Seren Adams, and now in Edinburgh with Edward Crossan and the team at Polygon, is a complete joy. They have made this book immeasurably better, dedicating such expertise and care to it. I loved writing this book, and it’s a privilege that it will be published by Polygon.’

Alessandra Thom, author

Summer Hours is a wry debut novel from a fresh voice, which sees three queer women navigate unrequited desire, wealth inequality and secret relationships. Roisin’s best friend Eve is the bright shining centre of her otherwise uninspiring life. With unfailing confidence and an ease in every space she enters, Roisin can’t help but be drawn to Eve. Then there’s Claire: older, wealthy and interested in Roisin. When Claire offers her a job, suddenly Roisin has money at her disposal; and with it, the freedom she craves. But Claire’s net casts wider than Roisin could have anticipated. As their secret arrangement progresses, Roisin wonders whether she might be even less free than before.

Agent Seren Adams also commented, recognising Alessandra Thom as ‘a young Scottish writer to look out for,’ and describing her debut novel as ‘brilliant on youth, desire and class, among many other things. There is so much to love about this novel, and I can’t wait for readers to fall in love with it too.’

Summer Hours will be published by Polygon in June 2025.

Alessandra Thom is a writer from Aberdeenshire. She was a Scottish Book Trust New Writers Awardee for Prose in 2023 and the second-place prize winner in the Short Fiction International Short Story Prize 2024. Her short fiction has appeared in Gutter. Summer Hours is her first novel.

Photography Credits: Laura Jane Hegarty 2024