Phoenix 24
Her viral post-divorce essay expands into a personal examination.
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES — July 2026. Emily Ratajkowski has signed a seven-figure agreement with Penguin Press for her second book, Motherf—ker. The project emerged from a viral essay in which the model and author examined divorce, single motherhood, sexuality and her search for a new identity.
The publishing rights were secured after a competitive auction involving 12 publishers. Ratajkowski confirmed the deal on Instagram, announcing that she was beginning work on “book number two.” No publication date has been disclosed.
The book will explore modern female identity through Ratajkowski’s experiences as a newly single mother navigating dating in New York. Her original essay described the intense period that followed her 2022 separation from film producer Sebastian Bear-McClard. Their divorce was finalized in 2025.
Ratajkowski avoided identifying the men discussed in the essay, instead referring to them through humorous descriptions and invented labels. The text generated debate about sexuality, motherhood, personal autonomy and the expectations imposed on divorced women.
The new project follows My Body, her 2021 collection of essays examining fame, power, exploitation and the commercialization of the female image. Penguin Press has presented the forthcoming book as a broader inquiry into what constitutes a meaningful life for a contemporary woman.
A controversial personal essay has now become one of publishing’s most competitive new projects.