[ad/gifted - I received an ARC copy of this novel for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.]
Title & Author: The Parcel by Leigh Suznovich
My rating: 4/5
Publication date: 30th April 2024
Blurb:
Lyra Spinelli is trying to put her life back together after her marriage suddenly comes crashing down. Her trust is shot, her already high walls are firmly in place, and she is focused on work. Growing up and living with a rare genetic disorder has made her wonder whether she is even made for a healthy relationship. The last thing she needs is an attraction to the charming UPS driver Taran, no matter how much she is drawn to him. The more she interacts with him though, the more impossible he becomes to resist.
Taran Malloy hasn't had much room in his life for romance, working long hours and taking care of his widowed mother. After meeting Lyra though, long forgotten feelings bubble up and he sets his sights on getting to know her and her story. As he slowly unravels her many layers, he finds the woman of his dreams. When Lyra has to overcome her biggest medical hurdle to date, he hopes delivering his growing love for her will be enough to make her stay.
Review:
Before I started reading The Parcel I was in a reading slump. This book 100% got me out of it and I finished it in less than 24 hours.
Lyra Spinelli is in her mid-thirties and has recently split from her husband Derek after he admitted that he'd been having an affair. Lyra has Turner Syndrome and the two of them were fine with remaining child free, so when Derek announces that his mistress is pregnant, it is gutting.
After moving into her new house, Lyra gets a glimpse of Taran Malloy, the local UPS driver. After a flirty exchange and Taran instantly bonding with Lyra's dog Brody, she thinks that a) he must be late twenties so way too young for her, and b) her divorce isn't even final yet so what is she doing?
The backstories of both of these characters are fantastic and dive into their familial relationships really well. I felt completely immersed, especially in the scenes where all the family got together. I loved the aspect of found family too.
I had never heard of Turner Syndrome before so this was really eye opening for me and having a female love interest with such a syndrome really sets The Parcel apart from other romance novels.
Taran is an absolute golden retriever of a man and his personal growth was lovely to read. Beautiful!
