Taylor Jenkins Reid Inks Five-Book Deal Worth $40 Million, Redefining Bestseller Success
Bestselling author Taylor Jenkins Reid, known for her powerhouse novels that blend glitz, heartbreak, and unforgettable characters, is making headlines again—this time for a jaw-dropping book deal reportedly worth $40 million. According to Time Magazine, which recently featured Reid on its cover, the author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones & The Six has signed a five-book deal with Atria Books, with each title reportedly valued at $8 million.
The news underscores not just Reid’s literary clout but her meteoric rise in the cultural zeitgeist, fueled by BookTok virality, celebrity endorsements, and high-profile adaptations of her work. While neither Atria nor Reid’s agent, Celeste Fine, has officially confirmed the figures, Time’s reporting suggests this is one of the most lucrative publishing deals in recent memory.
A Stratospheric Ascent
Reid’s latest novel, Atmosphere, which centers around the 1980s space shuttle program, is slated for release on June 3 and marks her return to Atria after experimenting with other publishers. It’s a thematic leap, but a calculated one for an author who has built a loyal fanbase by exploring the inner lives of complex women against glamorous, historic backdrops.
The Time feature tracks Reid’s rise from midlist author to household name. Her breakout moment came when Reese Witherspoon selected Daisy Jones & The Six for her book club in 2019—and then went a step further by producing the television adaptation. By 2021, TikTok had discovered The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, turning it into a cultural juggernaut years after its 2017 release. The novel has since sold over 10 million copies worldwide.
Adaptations Drive Sales—and Investment
With several of her novels now adapted or optioned for film and TV, Reid has become the blueprint for modern literary success. But as she tells Time, the real magic happens when those adaptations become hits: “You need the movie, the TV show, whatever it is, to come out and be a hit. That’s what gets your books back on display and readers back in stores, which shows your publisher they should invest more in you.”
It’s a formula that seems to be working. Reid’s backlist has sold over 21 million copies across formats and has been translated into 42 languages. That kind of staying power, combined with a deep understanding of branding and audience, makes her a rare gem in an increasingly competitive publishing landscape.
The Industry Takeaway
Atria publisher Libby McGuire and Reid’s agent Celeste Fine also weighed in on the broader implications of Reid’s success. McGuire points out that while not every author needs to be a juggernaut like Reid, smaller weekly sales—say 2,000 to 3,000 copies—can still sustain a thriving career. “Everyone has these books that are quietly succeeding,” she says.
Fine, on the other hand, notes a shift in what publishers expect from authors. It’s no longer just about the writing. Authors today are expected to be full-fledged brands—skilled in marketing, socially savvy, and engaging on tour. Reid checks all those boxes, and Fine says her client has “earned the right to be as certain about what she’s getting out of the next 10 years of her career as any CEO with their benefit packages.”
What’s Next?
Reid’s upcoming novel Atmosphere will be the first glimpse into what this new chapter holds for her and for readers. Will she continue to dominate both bookstore shelves and streaming screens? With this new deal, it’s clear Reid is not just writing stories—she’s building a legacy.
One thing’s certain: in a time when the publishing world is both more competitive and more opportunity-rich than ever, Taylor Jenkins Reid is playing to win—and she’s setting the bar for what literary stardom looks like in the 2020s.