When Suda Kaye turns eighteen and receives a letter previously written from her deceased mother urging her to travel the world like she did, Suda Kaye abandons the only boy (Camden) she has ever loved and takes off across the world.

Ten years later, after experiencing a lot of beautiful places and a lot of casual relationships, she returns back to Colorado but her sister, though hopeful is a little wary and when she runs into Camden ten years later, it is obvious the feelings are still there.

I enjoyed this book, while at times a lot steamier than I thought it would be (haha!) and a little too repetitive for me (her sister afraid she would leave again), I found myself having a hard time putting it down. I am really excited it is the first in a series and looking forward to what happens to Suda next.

Once upon a time it was my dream to "fly free", to go from place to place leaving no roots behind, to see the world and experience adventure. I went off to college rather than staying within a couple of hours of home After college I moved from Mississippi where my family lived to New Orleans--not a huge distance, but definitely a new existence. I saw it as a temporary step--someplace I'd get a couple of years of teaching experience before landing a job in an overseas school. Well, turns out that teaching was not my vocation, so I headed to Atlanta to go back to school. After three months there, I chose to return to New Orleans. I was tired of starting over. Then I married a native New Orleanian and I knew that meant I wasn't going anywhere, except on vacation.

Suda Kaye had itchy feet, and encouraged by the letters written by her mother during her mother's final illness, Suda Kaye has been around the world, and has been with a variety of men, none of whom could hold a candle to her first love. Her mom's most recent note, as stated above, sent her home, home to where those who had loved her before still love her but were hurt by her long absence.

With well-drawn characters, Audrey Carlan shows that you can go home again. She also shows how living your dream isn't necessarily the best idea. While you could say that it is a good thing Suda Kaye's mother lived her dream while she was young, she did so at the expense of two little girls who needed her to be there, and I have to wonder whether, while laying on her premature deathbed that mother felt her life was well-lived.

I'd like to thank the publisher for making a review copy available via NetGalley. Grade: B+

What a wonderful second change book. Be prepared from some emotional reading with some sound characters that will draw you in.

Suda Kaye finds herself headed home for the first time in ten years. After reading a letter from her deceased mother at 18, she fled to explore the world. Once again her mom is giving her direction. But more than that she thinks she is ready, home feels like the right place to be right now. She just needs to convince her sister, who is a little skeptical. Sure she wants life to go back to normal but can she trust Suda Kaye will stay. What other demons will she encounter on the way.

Camden has tried to move on with his life since she left him ten years ago, but there are just too many unanswered questions. Deep feelings that keep clouding others. When surprised by her return, his anger takes hold and he tries hard to just stay away. But they have always had a draw to one another. Will he let her back in, or push her away out of fear?

Can Suka Kaye convince her family and friends she is here to stay. Will the roots be enough to keep her in Colorado?

***Advanced copy provided in exchange for an honest review. ***

Thanks to Harlequin and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

What The Heart Wants is definitely more of a romance and quite steamy. I enjoyed the book and the story of first loves, coming home, family and finding your place in the world. Suda Kaye and Cam were a cute couple and I loved his family! Though him calling her Sweets, was a bit much.

I'm looking forward to reading more books in the series!

I'll admit, it took me a minute to warm up to Suda Kaye. Her choices in life were hard to wrap my head around, and I think it's because I have family like this. She spends years traveling everywhere, leaving behind her first love, her sister, her grandpa. But now she's back, and everyone has missed her but doesn't trust that she will stick around.

Now Camden, that is a book boyfriend I can get behind. His sincerity, possessive alphaness while also not being controlling, the way he puts his whole heart out there. The way he is with his family. And oh what a great family- all those brothers? So much potential for future romances. Not to mention a bunch of other characters in this story screaming for their own happy ever afters.

Like I said, it took me a minute, but I got sucked in and fell in love with Suda Kaye and Cam, and I'm even more interested in the possibility of other books.

Encouraged to follow her dreams—and "fly free"—by her recently deceased mother, Suda Kaye Ross abandons her life in Colorado and spends the next decade traveling the world. Throughout her time away from home, Suda Kaye is comforted by the letters her mother left behind. One to be read every year on her birthday, these notes written on pink parchment paper in her mother’s handwriting have been Suda Kaye's guiding light. But on her twenty-eighth birthday, she opens the letter that sends her home.

Back in Colorado, Suda Kaye is welcomed by her older sister, childhood friends, and her wise grandfather, but even with this community supporting her decision to finally plant roots, Suda Kaye feels lost. Soon, she realizes her greatest desire is to find a love as true as the one she left behind many moons ago.

An emotional, passionate summer read, What the Heart Wants is a heartfelt, unforgettable story about self-discovery and self-love, sisterhood and wanderlust, family and friendship, forgiveness and second chances. This is an absolute must read for anyone who enjoys romance or women's fiction.

Suda Kaye has returned home after 10 years of traveling the world, only to have to confront everything she left behind at 18. This includes her first love, the man she thought she would marry, Camden. While Suda Kaye tries to build a new life and reconnect with her sister, she also begins to rekindle what she once had with Camden. But will his new life, including his insane fiancé, get in the way?

I liked the premise of this book, and liked Suda Kaye’s relationship with her sister, but I just couldn’t get on board Team Camden. I found him annoying, and if he called Suda Kaye “sweets” one more time…😑 I did find his fiancé, Brittany, actually pretty entertaining and I enjoyed reading her parts, even when she brought all the drama! Overall, I didn’t love this, and I didn’t hate it, but there are definitely other books I’d recommend before this one.

Suda Kay's mother has always been a free spirit. When she wanted to travel and experience the world, she would drop her two daughters off with their grandfather and go explore the world. On her death bed, Suda Kay's mother pens the girls letters to open on each of their birthday. She passes and the girls get their first letter on their birthday. Suda Kay is 18 and is reminded in her letter to fly free and go explore. Her sister Evie want Suda Kay to stay and embrace her future with her boyfriend, Cameron who is ready to provide the world to her. Suda laves breaking both of their hearts only to find that you eventually need to come home.

While this was a fun, easy read,, it left me a bit disappointed. I felt like everything seemed too perfect throughout the book. I had a hard time sympathizing with Suda Kay and was more drawn to Evie's character. I can't wait to find out more about her story. However if you like Audrey, it is still a great boo for a fun summer read.

What the Heart Wants is such a heartwarming read. I loved every moment, every emotion I went through and just simply everything about this book. I laughed, cried and cheered many times over in this one. This is one fabulous second chance romance that will just pull you in and will not let go. Suda Kaye is lovely. She took this amazing adventure in life taking her all over the globe. You will feel that peace come over the entire book once she lands home again. I love her bond with her sister Evie. And then there is Camden. Your heart aches for what they both went through with Suda going on her adventure. But you also get this beautiful second chance that is worth fighting for. Suda and Camden have such a strong love that even time and distance did nothing but bring everything into focus. You will feel so much with Suda and Camden. What the Heart Wants is a fantastic start to the new series Wish and I cannot wait for more to come.

I wanted to love this one. I thought I was going to love it, sadly did not. I found it very slow and dragged for me. I started and stopped this one a few times. I almost DNF it.

Suda Kaye takes after her mother with her wandering/exploring heart, so when she opens a letter on her 18th birthday from her now deceased mom, she can’t resist following in her footsteps to go explore the world, leaving her sister and boyfriend behind. Ten years later, the letter on her 28th birthday suggests it is time for her to start to put down roots. She returns to her sister’s house and is trying to figure out the next phase of her life. Little did she know she would run into Cam, her first and only love who she had left behind. This is a touching story that pulled me in from the beginning as Suda Kaye works on what is next for her, in addition to dealing with Cam and Evie’s (her sister) feelings of loss and somewhat betrayal from when she just picked up and left them without warning. This book had a different feel than what I typically see in an Audrey Carlan book, but I really enjoyed this heartwarming story (with some typical steam mixed in) and could barley put it down. I am also now looking forward to Evie’s story.

What the Heart Wants is an emotional story about making difficult choices and following your heart wherever it may lead.

When Suda Kaye turns eighteen and receives a letter previously written from her deceased mother urging her to travel the world and not settle, she abandons the only boy she has ever loved and takes off across the world.

After experiencing a lot of beautiful places and a lot of casual relationships, home calls to Suda Kaye and she returns back to Colorado but her sister, though hopeful is a little wary and when she runs into Camden ten years later, it is obvious the feelings are still there.

I think the premise of the book was interesting and I read the book in one sitting, but I felt like parts of the story line could have been developed further or some parts didn't flow well. It was an ok read, but in general I'm usually not a big fan of huge breaks in relationships spanning large amounts of time.

What the Heart Wants by Audrey Carlan is one of the books you know, when you open it and reading the first page, it's like coming home.
What I'm expecting from a fantastic read is simply that I'm getting sucked into the story and the author makes me want to live with the characters. And with What the Heart Wants AC delivered just that.
Meet Kaye, her sister Evie and Cam. Kaye grew up in difficult circumstances and she and Cam share a past. The former couple broke up, but they never forgot about each other.
This book is a great second chances story, excellent written and let me so easily connect with the characters, I loved it.

If you've read any of this author's previous works, you know her books are well written. Well paced book, with good character development. First in a series that will leave you wanting the release date for the follow up to be soon!

4.5 stars

I have read quite a few books by Audrey Carlan, and they were all fabulous and this book was no different. I love her writing it is just so effortless to read. What the Heart Wants is such a beautifully written second chance romance. It also showcases wonderful sibling relationships. Suda Kaye leaves the love of her life to spread her wings and fly to see what the world has to offer her. She eventually comes back home and is ready to settle down. I really loved the character development that Audrey Carlan is really good at. It was a love letter to sisterhood and learning how to be free while you still keep your feet planted firmly in the ground. All in all I loved this book and can't wait to read more of Audrey Carlan's work.

Very beautiful and heartwarming read. Suda is a free-spirited like her mother. Before Suda’s mother passed she penned a letter for each of her girls to open on their birthdays. To much of Suda’s sister disapproval, Suda took off wandered and experienced the world for years. She checked in with her sister every so often. She dated many men she met along the way but never settled her heart for love. On her twenty-eight birthday, Suda opens the letter and this one sends her home to Colorado. Suda finally come back to face her sister Evie and her first love Camden whom she left brokenhearted many years prior. Evie has a lot of resentment toward Suda for abandon her all alone. Camden is still hurt and beyond angry – he cannot understand how Suda could discarded their relationship like yesterday trash. Suda is ready to settle and start to put down roots. It’s will not be an easy feast as she needs help from her sister and Camden. She has a lot of hurdle to overcome because the people that know her the best are not totally convinced Suda will be ever be content with this new life. The one person Suda must try the hardest is Camden who not only her business investor but also the person she still loves deeply. I do feel for Suda though – she can’t help who she is. Suda made some hard decisions and she had to live with the heartache as well. Will Suda finally find a way to spread her wings, find her HEA, and still plant roots? Ooopfs, this one is full of angsts, slow burn, emotional and passionate. What the Hearts wants is a heartfelt, gorgeous story about a young lady self-discovery, family, friendship, forgiveness and second chance romance. Unique and unforgettable!

This was a beautiful story. It was heart wrenching at times, it had well developed characters, moved at a great pace, and touched on a lot of subjects that I know little about so also very educational. I hope that there will be more books in this series.

DNF. I could not get into this book. The writing just didn’t keep me interested.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC

I love catching a series from the very start!!! What the Heart Wants is the first installment in what I’m hoping will be a very loooooong series! After reading the description I was excited to dive into this second-chance romance, but it ended up to be so much more than that!! The storyline was filled swoon-worthy moments, but also had thought provoking depth—loved that! Audrey Carlan does a fantastic job with organically introducing an entire cast of endearing characters (that I am already mentally looking forward to getting their own installments) without sounding too informative!! What the Heart Wants is a 4.5 read that I completely loved! I am so flipping thrilled to get the next book in The Wish series!