Return to Sender
A Novel
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
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?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A zany road trip provides a path to recovery in Parente's equally diverting and deeply emotional debut. Violet St. Clair's fiancé dumps her after she assumes guardianship for her depressed teen lesbian sister, Phoebe, following their father's death in a car accident. When Phoebe accidentally opens a love letter returned to the St. Clairs' address but sent by the previous tenant, Benji "Dex" Dexter, it sparks an obsession with getting the letter to its intended recipient, Catalina. It's the first time in nine months that Phoebe's taken a positive interest in anything, so Violet goes along with her harebrained scheming. Soon, they've tracked down Dex and persuaded him to drive them from Boston to the Pacific Northwest to find Catalina. This unlikely road trip includes some fun detours and pit stops, including Coney Island and a Poconos couples resort where the trio share a room meant for two. Along the way, Phoebe starts to laugh again and the irrepressible Violet falls for curmudgeonly Dex. But Dex is coping with his own secret grief, and when the truth comes out—in a well-executed twist—his budding relationship with Violet may not survive. 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.
