A perfect enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy, Special Delivery centres around a young Australian mum-to-be, Poppy. Finding herself pregnant by a man she thought—after a nine-year relationship—would be her happily ever after partner, she makes the decision to leave him and return to her home town of Orange, where her parents still live.
But if she thought being single again with no job was going to be hard, add to the mix she’s about to have a child that she alone will be responsible for, it’s a recipe for one crisis after another. There will be no one to share the sleepless nights, help change nappies and all the hundreds of things involved with looking after a baby. The weight of responsibility is heavy. With an overbearing mother who tries to help, and her best friend now living hundreds of kilometres away, Poppy feels isolated with no one to turn to for help.
When she goes into labour, she doesn’t expect to find her midwife has taken leave and has been replaced by the very capable James. He’s the most infuriating person in town, and he always seems to be where she is. And much to Poppy’s chagrin, he’s also always there for her in her numerous moments of chaos. Always calming the situation, always calming Poppy.
As Poppy and James keep running into each other, it’s soon obvious that she has misjudged him. She finds herself drawn into the arms of his welcoming family and joins a circle of new mothers she meets through coffee mornings. It’s reassuring to know other single mums are experiencing the same things she does.
As she gets to know James, she discovers a desire for the man who did nothing but push all her buttons. Now she wants him to undo all her buttons! But just when she thinks she starts to feel comfortable delving into a new relationship, James announces he intends to leave town to pursue his studies.
Author Leesa Ronald is well experienced to write on the subject of coping with a newborn. With three children under five, she tells the story with a realism that only a mother could. There were so many laugh-out-loud moments and a few that had me holding my breath.
This was a delightful romance and, in many ways, inspiring. It had well-written relatable characters who made me want to cheer them on. It was easy to sink into the pages and become consumed with the everyday events. Every new mum will love this story! I eagerly await Ronald’s second novel.
Reviewer: Carole Brungar
Allen & Unwin