Return to Sender - by Stephanie Parente (Paperback)

About the Book

"Two sisters who really need a win convince a near-stranger to embark on a grand gesture road trip and win back his ex--only for the older sister to realize she might be falling for the man she's promised to deliver to his long-lost soulmate Twenty-six-year-old Violet's usually bulletproof optimism is faltering. Crushed by the sudden death of her father and subsequent custody of her rebellious teenage sister Phoebe, it's a struggle to do much of anything other than survive each day and try not to feel like she's the world's worst sister. Then Phoebe discovers a love letter written by the man who used to live in their apartment, a letter begging for its recipient to give him another chance. Reading it, Phoebe shows signs of life for the first time since their dad died -- and Violet will stop at nothing to keep that smile on her face. Together, they track down the letter's author, hoping to rectify a derailed happily ever after. Despite Dex being rather abrasive (valid) and more than a little mysterious (intriguing?), Phoebe talks him into a cross-country road trip to put the letter in the right hands. Violet is thrilled to see Phoebe thriving again, and with every pit stop they chip away at Dex's moody exterior, finding that he's actually charming, funny, and unfalteringly interested in everything Violet shares with him. Violet and Dex's chemistry only grows the further west they travel, and the closer they get to their destination--Dex's former great love--something's got to give"-- Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

Opposites attract in this heartwarming debut romance about grief, sisterhood, and finding love when--and where--you least expect it.

"This book will be your shoulder to lean on, your friend to laugh with, the man you can't help but fall in love with. I was completely swept away by Return to Sender. I read it in one joyous, tear-filled day."--Cara Bastone, author of Ready or Not

Violet is usually an optimist. But between her father's sudden death and the overnight responsibility of caring for her rebellious teenage sister, Phoebe, she's barely holding it together. Then Phoebe discovers a love letter, never delivered and returned to the sisters' address, begging its recipient to give him another chance. Phoebe seems excited for the first time since their dad died, and Violet will do anything to keep that smile on her face. Together, they set out to find the letter's author, hoping to rectify a derailed happily-ever-after.

Despite Dex being rather abrasive (valid) and more than a little enigmatic (intriguing?), Phoebe talks him into a cross-country road trip to put the letter in the right hands. Violet is thrilled to see Phoebe thriving again. With every pit stop, they chip away at Dex's moody exterior, and Violet realizes she might like what lies beneath . . . a lot. But what happens when they finally reach their destination--and Dex's ex-girlfriend? Is what they've discovered on the road strong enough to make it back home?

Review Quotes

"This book will be your shoulder to lean on, your friend to laugh with, the man you canʼt help but fall in love with. I was completely swept away by Return to Sender. I read it in one joyous, tear-filled day. Savor it, devour it, come to this book with open arms and it will love you back. Stephanie Parente has done something truly special."--Cara Bastone, author of Ready or Not

"Return to Sender is an unashamedly heartfelt and endlessly charming road-trip romance that expertly navigates the intricacies of grief and messy beauty of healing. I laughed. I cried. I blushed hard on a park bench but, most important, I fell hard and fast for our unlikely trio. Violet and Dex stole my heart, and Stephanie Parente has a firm forever fan in me."--Catherine Walsh, author of Holiday Romance

"Some books are hard to talk about without just saying: Read this. Stephanie Parenteʼs Return to Sender is everything I love about romance--it's tender, vulnerable, and hot, and it makes me see the world in the best possible light. A road trip always hits, but a road trip with one taciturn man who slowly opens up, one grieving woman who rearranges his brain just by wearing a red dress, and one teenager they'd both do anything to make smile? Stephanie Parenteʼs debut hits every emotional note in such a special, reaffirming way."--Alicia Thompson, USA Today bestselling author of Never Been Shipped

"Three things: The banter, the originality, and the miles of hope. Stephanie Parente's Return to Sender illuminates the power of love and loss with a deft hand, sharp eye, and sharper tongue. I lost count of how many times I laughed and teared up on the same page as Parente celebrates the brutal live wire of loyalty between sisters. Like the perfect road trip, Return to Sender is a call to adventure filled with hilarious detours, heavy confessions, a budding romance, and all the promise of what lies ahead. It's gorgeous."--Beck Dorey-Stein, author of Spectacular Things

"I adored Return to Sender. This is a straight-to-the-heart kind of book that I cannot stop thinking about. Compelling, honest, and true, as all romance seeks to be, Parente's debut knocks it out of the park. This one's for the Emily Henry and Nora Ephron lovers, for the yearners despite it all. Parente is an author to watch, and Return to Sender is an incredible addition to any romance shelf."--Lizzie Huxley-Jones, author of Reality Check

"A zany road trip provides a path to recovery in Parente's equally diverting and deeply emotional debut. . . . The romance sizzles and the relationship between the sisters provides just as much heart. This moving tale of overcoming grief and finding love in unexpected places is sure to warm hearts."--Publishers Weekly, starred review

"For fans of Cara Bastone--a romance where the journey is the ultimate destination."--Shelf Awareness

About the Author

Stephanie Parente was born and raised in Rhode Island, always within twenty minutes of the ocean. She is a rom-com enthusiast passionate about writing messy characters falling in love. When she's not writing her next romance, she spends most of her time reading, hiking with her rescue dog, and daydreaming.