What the Heart Wants by Audrey Carlan is what the description suggests witty, wise and emotionally compelling reads. Once you start the story you on't be able to put it down.

A Must read for all readers.

I could not have adored this story more!! This tale of second chance romance, of coming home after years away, of sisters, of a deep need to follow wherever the road leads. Audrey Carlan blew me away!! There was something authentic and deeply wonderful about Suda Kaye as a character. I loved her outlook of living her life fully, of finding the beauty in every experience, and for trusting her soul. The deep connection with her sister, Evie, was simply wonderful and what I think we all hope we find. As was the influence of her mother and the truly special connection with her even in death.

But it was the reconnection with Camden that just brought this story full circle. The way their attraction leapt off the page to me, even when Cam is frustrated with her that did me in! These two were passion personified. I mean holy hotness Audrey!! I loved Camden in all his alpha, “you left me but damnit I still love you” glory. I love that he both fights his desire for Suda Kaye but can’t stop himself around her at the same time. But it’s when he finally owns that his life isn’t complete without her that he comes alive.

I love a second chance story; there’s just something that hits me in the feels about them. What the Heart Wants was all of this and more. It was as much about the love between Suda Kaye and Camden as it is a story of coming home, finding your place and your inner home.

This book had such a great storyline. This book truly defines the definition of sisterhood.

You will feel so many emotions as you read this book.

Suda Kaye is one of those characters that you will have mixed emotions about throughout the story. You will go on many adventures of self exploration with her. I ended up loving her by the end though.

You will also fall head over heels for Camden. He is everything you could ever want in the hero of the story. In the end can she prove to Camden that she is really ready to put down permanent roots.

This was a very well written story.

“Fly free.”

For ten years those words, written on pink parchment paper in her mother’s beautiful handwriting, have been Suda Kaye Ross’s guiding star. Every year on her birthday, Suda Kaye opens another of the letters her mother penned before she passed, heeding the advice inside as she fills her life with experiences. From Italy to Australia, from Rio to Russia, she’s slaked her wanderlust. And then, on her twenty-eighth birthday, she opens the letter that sends her home.

Returning to Colorado means confronting everything—and everyone—she left behind, including her cherished sister, Evie, and her first love, Camden Bryant. Suda Kaye and Cam spent four years and one unforgettable night together. Given the way she ran out on him, it’s no surprise that he’s wary, resentful…and engaged to someone else. Evie, hardworking and überresponsible, just wants her sister to put down roots at last.

For Evie’s sake, and her own, Suda Kaye is trying to build a new life, all the while wondering whether it’s too late to come back home—or if the most important part of her never really left.

This was a cute and quick read that I absolutely devoured. This was a new to me author, but I'll definitely read more of their books.

I wish I could give this book a hundred stars.

It’s such an amazing story of sisterhood, finding yourself and that home is truly where the heart is.

The love between Camden and Suda Kaye is a love we should all strive for with our other half. When you find your person, you just know.

Suda Kaye has returned home to Colorado after spending 10 years traveling and following the lead of her deceased mother's letters she left her. She left town abruptly 10 years ago and another letter has sent her home to plant roots and make a home for the first time.

When I saw this book on netgalley awhile ago, I was intrigued by the synopsis, but from the first few pages this book just didn't live up to the hype that I created. From the first chapter to the end, there were lots of sexy times and for me when I read romance I like the plot to take precedence with a few sexy hints throughout the book - this book was just jam packed with sexy times, but I did enjoy the plot of Suda Kay returning home and deciding to planting roots and how that impacted those around her.

I can say if this is how you like your romance books, then I would recommend this read. I did enjoy the characters and the plot was ok, but wish there was less lusting.

For a bookworm, not much is worse than reading a book that completely disappoints you. That was What the Heart Wants for me. Audrey Carlan's novel had such promise and it ended up letting me down in all sorts of ways.

Here's the synopsis:

“Fly free.”
For ten years those words, written on pink parchment paper in her mother’s beautiful handwriting, have been Suda Kaye Ross’s guiding star. Every year on her birthday, Suda Kaye opens another of the letters her mother penned before she passed, heeding the advice inside as she fills her life with experiences. From Italy to Australia, from Rio to Russia, she’s slaked her wanderlust. And then, on her twenty-eighth birthday, she opens the letter that sends her home.
Returning to Colorado means confronting everything—and everyone—she left behind, including her cherished sister, Evie, and her first love, Camden Bryant. Suda Kaye and Cam spent four years and one unforgettable night together. Given the way she ran out on him, it’s no surprise that he’s wary, resentful…and engaged to someone else. Evie, hardworking and überresponsible, just wants her sister to put down roots at last.
For Evie’s sake, and her own, Suda Kaye is trying to build a new life, all the while wondering whether it’s too late to come back home—or if the most important part of her never really left.
I really don't like it when I don't like a book. I like to think I'm pretty good at figuring out which stories I'll like and which I won't, which is why I'm usually super duper positive with my reviews. It's because I've chosen carefully. But this one? So many problems. I didn't like the characters very much, the writing wasn't great, the sex scenes were beyond cheesy and terrible, and I can't quite get over the fact that it was a white woman writing a Native American character (I know she had sensitivity readers but I would have much rather read a romance from an Indigenous author than this).

I think Carlan wanted Suda Kaye to be super sex positive and comfortable with her body and her sexual encounters during her travels. It doesn't quite work. She still gets slut shamed and sometimes it came across as bragging instead of matter of fact explanations of what she was up to. It didn't help that her sister seemed so offended.

Everyone does stupid shit at 18 but I feel like, no matter how hurt you were or how much hurt you inflicted, at almost 30 you should be able to have an adult conversation about what happened. Sure, it'll be uncomfortable but let's maybe find out what the other person was thinking before judging them and flying off the handle in a professional environment? Camden for sure had a right to be hurt and I don't blame him for being upset but he was such a jealous prick to start - when he was ENGAGED to someone else. I just couldn't deal with his alpha male BS.

What the Heart Wants had promise and I can appreciate what Audrey Carlan was trying to do but it fell flat for me and I have no desire to read the rest of the books in the series.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Harlequin, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

In Audrey Carlan's What the Heart Wants, the first installment in the Wish Contemporary Romance series, this beautiful romance tugs the heart strings and brings tears to your eyes. Ten years ago, Suda Kaye Ross left everything to spread her wings and experience everything her heart desired. Now she returned home to make a fresh start in Pueblo, Colorado, and to reconnect with the people she left behind like her older sister Evie. Though she's been known to be a wanderer with itchy feet, she needed to plant her roots to stay grounded for good. When she has plans to start her own boutique, she faces the council board and meets with her ex-boyfriend, Camden Bryant, who had never forgiven her for leaving him without an explanation. While she received his approval, she had many run-ins with Cam and dealings with his fiancée Brittany. To fight off hard feelings, she places her affections to her contractor Kyson, who also has his eyes set on her. When Suda Kaye and Evie overhear Brittany's conversation, she later informs Cam at a family dinner she wasn't invited to--and her secret's exposed that she used him. With her out of the way, Suda Kaye and Camden get closer to together in a most intimate way and talk about the past and the future up until the grand opening of her boutique. After all these years, this dream came true for her when she wished upon a star to find out the true meaning of home.

I had high hopes for What the Heart Wants, and while I enjoyed a lot of it, it didn't quite live up to expectations. I waffled back and forth on my feelings about Suda Kaye. I liked her well enough for the most part, but then she would act in ways that just left a bad taste in my mouth. Then there were parts of the story that just felt like they didn't really serve any purpose - they didn't further the story along and they didn't explain anything we needed to know - more filler than substance, basically. Audrey Carlan is certainly talented, and I was interested enough in the characters here to check out whatever is next for this series, but as a series starter, this one falls a bit short in my opinion.

I really enjoyed this book. This is a new author for me but I would look for her stuff in the future. I found the story well written and interesting. I really like the characters and felt it was very heartwarming.

What a fantastic read by one of my favorite and go to authors. This book was a heart warming and beautiful book of second chances and finding yourself. Loved it this book and can't wait until the next one. A definite must read!!!

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆☆
I am a huge Audrey Carlan fan, and this is another excellent, fabulous read. I loved them all from page one and didn't put it down until my eyes were closing over the matchsticks. It is such a lovely story, which I will definitely have on my to reread list in the "make me smile and cheer me up" column.

Suda Kaye has been on the adventure of lifetime, but now decides it’s time to go home. No one there can really trust that after ten years of travel she will really settle, so there is a sadness about them waiting for the shoe to drop. This is so beautifully written and lived out, that I could feel the desire of Evie to believe her, of Cam to think there might be a chance she'd stay, but they can't quite.

I loved the boutique being created, the fun with the constructor, and the craft items that she creates to sell. It was a wonderful marker of her arrival, yet her remaining a flamboyant and free person, marching to her own beat, but building a business around her skills and to bring happiness to others through beautiful things.

As for the romance, well it had been 14 years in the making/waiting, but with the complication of a fiancée and her crazy sidekick, things don't go smoothly, until they do... and we get to see that maybe 10 years apart was the making of them, not the end at all.

I do hope that we get Evie's story too – as the Porter-Milo issues need to be explored.

Thank you NetGalley, Harlequin Romance and Audrey Carlan for gifting me an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
I’ve been reading romances all spring/summer in the hopes to escape quarantine in a good book. This book felt like a good segway from romance to women’s fiction and I’m happy to report I was right! What the Heart Wants has grief, healing, sisterhood, romance, a whole lot of finding herself. I could relate to Suda’s need to spread her wings and experience the world while still having roots planted in her hometown.
I really wasn’t sure where this one was going to go and I loved every minute of it! A must read in 2020!

This story makes you think: the road taken vs the one not taken, old loves and new chances, coming home again. It's about family and love and connections. Connections within relationships that do not need to be tended everyday to be there when you reach for them again.
I want to read this book over and over again and discover nuances I missed in previous read throughs. All the stars!!

When you start this book you think it's more of a Sister bonding book, then it turned into a romance book. It was a little rushed in the end.

I don’t know what I was expecting when I picked up What the Heart Wants by Audrey Carlan, but I do know what I got; a five star, not to be missed novel of 2020. This book was an emotional journey that will have you laughing, crying, and sighing sometimes all in the same paragraph. What the Heart Wants is a story of betrayal, of forgiveness, of joy, of hope, and of love. This book is quite literally everything.

On the night of her 18th birthday Suda Kaye gives herself fully to Camden, the boy who has been her everything for the past 4 years and then leaves him, her home, her sister, and her beloved grandfather behind to fulfill her mother’s dying wish for her to “fly free.” Ten years later after traveling the world, Suda Kaye returns home to Colorado and begins to repair her relationship with her family, what she doesn’t expect is for that boy, now a man, to return to her life and hold her dreams in his hands.

There was just so much about this story that I could relate to, the wanderlust that lives inside Suda Kaye and had lived in her mother, the bond of sisters, and the man who would do anything for you. There was no doubt Suda Kaye had to mend some fences, but she also stayed true to herself which I think was such an important message in this book.

I loved watching Suda Kaye and Camden rekindle their relationship and even though at times it was easy to see she wasn’t entirely comfortable with labeling what they had, she loved Camden now just as much as she had then. I adored that his family was equally thrilled to have her back in their lives giving her a soft place to land. Their support meant so much to her.

What I most loved about this book is while it was no doubt a second chance romance, it was about relationships of all kinds, how important communication is in a relationship, that forgiveness is one of the best things you can do for another person, and that you can be YOU when you have a partner who completely understands what makes you happy.

Beautifully written, Audrey Carlan packed a whole lot of emotion, life lessons, and a love that knows no bounds in What The Heart Wants.

A beautifully woven tale of love and discovery! What the Heart Wants broke my heart, multiple times, but with any Audrey Carlan story, I had faith in the journey. She's truly the only author that make me shed cathartic tears and come back for more. This has been my favorite book of 2020 and I've read it twice within the last week. Such a poignant and emotional story that will inspire you to not take a second for granted, love with all your heart and follow your dreams. I can't wait for Evie's story next!

Wow!!! holy guacamole, Audrey has taken her writing to extraordinary heights with this new title! The story of Suda Kay, reading her mother’s words and throwing life she knew it behind her was incredible! I was NOT expecting this story to play out this way, but it blew everything I was expecting away and then some. I’ve read and re-read every title she’s written and this is on a level of its own. I was captivated by her relationship with her sister and her lover Camden. This novel has you feeling every little feel and will absolutely be my most epic read of 2020 and a guilty pleasure Re-read in the future!

Suda Kaye has been following the advice she receives from letters that her deceased mother left behind. They have always encouraged her to live out her dreams and experience life as much as possible. Her last letter is just the opposite. She needs to return home but when you have been gone for so long things are just not the same.

Suda Kaye returns back to her sister Evie and there is tension between the two. Evie is the more level headed sister and she is extremely guarded. She doesn’t trust that Suda will stay put. There is also their grandfather which I loved. Suda is trying to get back into the fold of her family. To make matters even worse, she has to confront her former lover, Camden.

Whew! There is so much to unpack in this story. This is just much more than a second chance romance. There is love for self and sisterly love. I got so much from this cute story. It started off slow but it hits with such an emotional punch. Learning how the two sisters would find their footing with one another is such an emotional rollercoaster.

The relationship with Camden is more of a slow burn for me. Camden is very angry that Suda just up and left him years ago. He thought what they had was so much more and the shock of having her back in town makes him cold. It takes some warming up but he eventually can’t deny the chemistry between him and Suda. Sometimes distance and time doesn’t dim the love between two people.

Suda Kaye definitely learns that flying free is not necessarily meaning leaving home. She puts in the work to show she is ready to give into what the heart truly wants.

I definitely recommend this to fans that need a warmer story with an emotional punch. I hope Evie gets a story next.

~ Samantha

A well written, enticing storyline, and enjoyable characters. Very beautiful and heartwarming. What The Heart Wants is a great read!