Simon & Schuster has signed debut author Stephanie Parente in a two-book deal.

Melanie Hayes, commissioning editor for adult fiction at Simon & Schuster, bought UK & Commonwealth rights from Hannah Schofield at LBA. US rights were bought by Katy Nishimoto at The Dial Press, and German rights were also won by Penguin Verlag in a five-way auction. Return to Sender, a “road-trip romance”, is the first of Parente’s novels, and will be published in summer 2026.

The book tells the story of two sisters who work together to return a lost love letter – and its author – across America to its rightful recipient. Yet somewhere along the way, the older sister realises she had feelings for the same man she’s delivering to his long-lost soulmate.

Hayes said: “Return to Sender fast became one of my favourite all-time reads; I could read this book over and over again and never tire of it. Parente is a master of the art of yearning, with tension between Violet and Dex off the charts.

“This isn’t just a romance – it’s a roadmap for anyone who’s ever lost someone, who’s ever tried to hold their family together while their heart quietly breaks, or who’s fallen for the one person they absolutely should not. Prepare to laugh hard, wipe away a few tears and inevitably lose your heart to this book.”

Parente, born and raised in Rhode Island, added: “I could not be more thrilled that Return to Sender has found its home with Simon & Schuster. This is truly the book of my heart and the enthusiasm from Mel and the team means the world to me. I am beyond excited for this story about love and grief and sisterhood to reach readers.”

Schofield said: “Stephanie completely bowled me over with her big-hearted debut, and it has been an absolute joy to see Mel and the Simon & Schuster team rival my enthusiasm for Violet, Dex, and teenage icon, little sister Phoebe. I’m so excited for readers to join their journey in summer 2026 – Stephanie Parente is a romance writer to watch.”