First, I’d like
to say welcome to my new Spotlight series, where I’ll be featuring authors who
made me cancel plans, stay up far too late, and fall back in love with reading
again and again.
Today under the
spotlight is Ana Huang who has been featured a lot on this blog, my Instagram
and on my LinkedIn. You can find the link to all on my Contact page of
this blog.
I first
discovered Ana Huang through King of Wrath, the opening novel in her King
of Sins series, and I’m happy to report that I’ve never once looked back
since. It started with falling head over heels for Dante and Vivian, then
quickly turned into wanting even the smallest snippets of them in every book
that followed. At the time, only King of Pride had been released, with King
of Greed still teasing us from the sidelines, so naturally, I did what any
devoted reader would do next.
I took a journey
to Washington, D.C., where I met Crumble & Bake, Thayer, and,
most importantly, four best friends who each found their perfect life partner.
Very quickly, Ana Huang became my insta-buy author. And now here I am, her
books stacked proudly on my shelves, The Defender winking at me from
across the room, while King of Gluttony and The Keeper sit in
their well-loved, frequently polished spots.
How would I
describe the stories? Steamy, suspenseful, and endlessly addictive.
Ana Huang truly
has something for every book lover, from slow-burn romances that make you sigh
to forbidden ones that make you clutch your heart. Sure, the Twisted
series put her on the map, Netflix-worthy fame and all, but for me, it’s the King
of Sins series where her writing really sparkles. Watching her craft evolve
over time has been such a treat, and you can see it shining brightest in her
most recent release, The Defender.
What blows me
away is that Ana can juggle not one, not two, but sometimes three different
series at the same time, each with its own world, its own drama, and its own
swoon-worthy characters. She’s currently balancing the high-stakes lives of New
York society with the grueling, sweat and dirt world of sports in Blackcastle,
and somehow, she makes every word land perfectly. It’s the kind of writing that
sneaks up on you, grabs your emotions, and doesn’t let go, without ever feeling
forced.
The tropes, like
I mentioned before, cover every ground, but it’s Ana Huang’s signature voice
that really sets her apart, and honestly, no one has matched it yet. Not that
it’s a competition, because it most definitely is not. With over 1 million
followers on Instagram and TikTok, Ana has built a rapidly growing and fiercely
loyal fanbase, starting with her very first series, If Love.
I’ve said it
before and I’ll say it again, Ana is a meticulous writer. She doesn’t just tell
stories, she turns them into events, weaving in current themes and slipping in
little nods to recurring characters across her series, so that longtime readers
feel like they’re coming home. She even made a unicorn famous, if you know, you
know. Her Goodreads ratings might wobble here and there, but her fans keep
coming back for more, drawn in by her ability to make every world feel alive,
every character feel unforgettable, and every swoon feel completely earned.
The pacing of Ana
Huang’s stories is a masterclass in balance, never rushing from one moment to
the next, and never letting a single scene overstay its welcome. There’s always
a spark of suspense, a hidden motive, something lurking just out of reach, popping
up left, right, and center, enough to keep readers hooked without ever feeling
talked down to. She has a genius for knowing which moments to linger on and
which to let fly, whether it’s the classic parents-meet-partner awkwardness or
the lavish, over-the-top love declarations that make your heart do a little
flip. And somehow, even in the grandest, swooniest moments, it all feels
understated, elegant, and effortless, like the story was always meant to be
this good. Take the Empire State building scene between Xavier Castillo and Sloane
Kensington from King of Sloth for example. Heart-meltingly good.
While Ana is best
known for her suspenseful plots and innovative, steamy scenes, another area of
her craftsmanship that truly stands out is her nicknames. From the well-known Sunshine
to the most recent Buttercup, my personal favorite will always be Mia
Cara, and honestly, each one feels like a little gift from the story,
perfectly capturing the character it belongs to.
Here in the UK,
Ana is published under Hachette, the Little, Brown division, specifically
through Pikatus, handled by Clara Diaz. Globally, the first line of contact is
her agent, Kimberly Brower, whom I deeply respect and often look to as a guide.
Ana also has an incredible publicist, Stephen Fertelmes, based at Jill Fritzo
PR, but despite all these talented teams, Ana never loses her direct connection
with her readers, and she genuinely listens to her fanbase.
One of my
favorite examples of this is her collaboration with Chris Grey, a well-known
TikTok artist famous for his oddly perfect music for morally grey male
characters. Years ago, one of his songs, Let the World Burn, was tied to
Christian Harper, a main male character in Twisted Lies. Fast forward,
and Ana teamed up with Chris again to create an exclusive soundtrack for her
book King of Envy, called Envy, sending her fanbase, myself
included, into an absolute frenzy. It’s such a thrill to see authors notice
what their readers are saying and respond in ways that make us feel seen and
heard.
Envious as I was
here from the UK, I felt that excitement, imagining all the fans who attended
the influencer event, got an early copy of the book, met Ana in person, and
heard the full song before its release. This is exactly where Ana shines,
connecting with readers in a personal and thoughtful way, and slowly but
surely, experiences like this are making their way to the UK as well.
I also love who
Ana chooses to design her book covers, always talented artists often waiting
for the recognition they deserve, like @trcdesignsbycat. The cool,
sophisticated tones perfectly capture the lavish New York lifestyles, the
slightly whimsical covers reflect the delicate charm of the girls from Thayer,
and the rugged edges on her later series mirror the grit and intensity of the
city boys in Blackcastle. There’s always a little hidden gem within the
mainstream with Ana’s books, and it’s exactly why I keep running back to her
stories, craving that perfect escape.
I have a small
bone to pick, if you will, and I shall pick it now, hoping Ana actually
sees this post. As someone who dreams of working in publishing, I can only
imagine how much behind-the-scenes manoeuvring makes it tricky for all of my
hopes to come true. I was obsessed with King of Wrath, and I still am,
years later, it’s one book I simply cannot let go of.
During my
research, I discovered that Indigo released an exclusive edition with a bonus
scene from Dante’s POV, which, of course, no one in the UK had a fair chance of
getting. I searched high and low, emailing Ana’s team and Indigo themselves,
but it all led to a locked-down, rights-restricted dead end. Then, after
scouring BookTok, I finally found it, read it, and have re-read it a hundred
times since. That is exactly when my journey toward becoming a publishing
professional began.
Ana’s team, and
Ana as a brand, are doing an incredible job bridging the gap between the UK and
US book markets. I see lots of economically driven editions at The Works, and
sometimes puzzling choices at WHSmith, which really should be showcasing these
books in the UK’s flagship bookstore, Waterstones, but moves are being made,
and that is exactly what we want to see, diversity, not just within the pages,
but outside of them as well.
Ana’s presence on
Instagram and TikTok is next-level, and her collaborations with book box
companies are always exciting, even if a little tricky for Brits like me. One
of my favorites has been with The Bookaholic Book Box. I’ve entered the
giveaway twice to try to snag the special edition of King of Wrath, and
I’m anxiously waiting to see if I won in January, honestly, it could make my
whole year.
Pre-orders for
any Ana Huang story are always in high demand, from mainstream stores like The
Works to indie gems like West Lane End Books. If you miss out there,
her live author events are the ultimate fallback. Between Ana and Elsie Silver,
2025 has been full of some of the most collaborative and interactive book
events I’ve ever seen. Readers aren’t just spectators, we’re part of the fun,
from guessing spine colors to speculating on which characters might appear
next. Right now, there’s huge buzz for a Mafia series featuring Roman
Davenport, and another dedicated to Luca Russon, and the excitement is
infectious.
It’s this
never-ending creativity and sense of inclusion that keeps readers like me
coming back, and Ana always makes sure we are part of it. I’ve also been blown
away by how her books are being distributed across Europe, with Italy, Germany,
and France receiving beautifully curated covers tailored to each market.
Watching it all unfold is absolutely thrilling, and yes, it does make the rest
of us a little envious, in the best possible way.
Ana Huang is a
truly remarkable author, shaping contemporary romance fiction in a way that
feels fresh and unforgettable, especially with the publishers she works with,
Hachette, Little, Brown in the UK, and Bloom Books in the USA. I love
discovering authors, whether they’re well-established or indie. It doesn’t
matter to me, because a great story is a great story, no matter the imprint
behind it, although I always hope indie authors get their big break too.
When a story
captures hearts the way Ana’s do, it’s doing exactly what it’s meant to,
reminding us why we fall in love with words and romance in the first place. Her
titles consistently hit bestseller lists, showing the publishers’ savvy in
positioning contemporary romance for maximum social media buzz, yes, but more
importantly, proving that Ana never falters in creativity, which is no small
feat when you’ve written, well, everything from my point of view. I’m excellent
at reading, but writing a book? That’s a whole other universe.
Ana’s consistent
branding and fan engagement are masterclasses in modern romance publishing. She
will always be one of my top five authors, and she never fails to amaze me. I
had vowed not to read The Defender, book number two in The Gods of
the Games series, set in Blackcastle and cent ered around football, no
less. Well, I read three lines, and I was hooked instantly. Ana has a way of
drawing you into her stories so completely, and this book quickly became one of
my top reads in a year that has been anything but easy.
A great author
makes you want to hide away from the world, curl up in a cozy corner, and just
lose yourself in the story, and that’s exactly what Ana does. I used to wait
all day for those thirty minutes of reading at night, and they were always the
best part of my day. That’s the magic Ana brings to her work: hope, excitement,
and pure bliss, all wrapped up in pages you never want to end.
Ana Huang, thank
you for your service, truly. I will always be here, ready to read whatever you
put out into the world, no questions asked. Your stories have been a constant
source of comfort, escape, and excitement for me, and they’ve shaped not just
my reading habits, but the way I see romance fiction as a whole.
One day, I hope I
might find myself tangled somewhere within your world, working alongside the
stories that first made me fall in love with books all over again. Until then,
I’ll be right here, cheering from the sidelines, turning pages late into the
night, and recommending your books to anyone who will listen. Thank you for the
characters who feel like old friends, the worlds that feel like home, and the
reminder that sometimes, all we really need is a good book and a little romance
to get us through.
Thank you for
joining me for Episode 1 of my Spotlight series, I’m so excited to share more
incredible authors with you in the new year. Until then, keep your eyes peeled
for my end-of-year wrap-up, where I’ll be sharing my favourite reads, swooniest
moments, and maybe even a few surprises that made me laugh, gasp, or fall in
love all over again. A similar version of this Spotlight will also go live the
same day on my sister blog, Paper
Chapters, so you won’t miss a single moment.
See you between
the pages, and hopefully over on my socials too, where we can gush, chat, and
share all the bookish love.
Until next time.
Vivian
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