Book Review: What the Heart Wants by Ellis Darnell

Hello readers! I’m back today to share my thoughts on What the Heart Wants by Ellis Darnell.

I applied to be an early reviewer of her first book, which releases on July 13, 2026. It’s a story that feels very human. I know that a lot of readers will relate to both Thea and Beth, the main characters. Plus there’s the serene coastal town of Driftbay, which is where this story is set.

I love coming of age stories and so this one felt really enjoyable to me. Both of the main characters go through a lot, but they have each other to help them make it through. But that’s enough of an introduction. Keep reading for my full book review of What the Heart Wants by Ellis Darnell.

What is What The Heart Wants by Ellis Darnell About?

After the devastating and unexpected loss of her mother, Thea Calloway decides it’s time for a change. She packs up her life and moves across the country from Seattle to Driftbay – a small, serene coastal town, a far cry from the big city. Consumed with grief, Thea throws herself into her one true solace – baking. It’s through her hobby that Thea meets Graham, a cook in her aunt Beth’s successful diner.

While Beth navigates her sudden life changes, she realizes she has to face her feelings and can no longer push them aside. Even though she has poured her life into Beth Ann’s Diner, she knows something is missing. And that something just might be a tall, suave man named Charlie, who happens to be her best friend.

As Thea struggles to process her grief, and Beth grapples with her feelings, each woman must face love and loss. Can Thea bake up a love connection or does she have a recipe for disaster? Can Beth admit feelings for Charlie? Through friendship and a little flour, both women discover they have to follow exactly what their heart wants. (from Amazon.com)

Trigger Warning

This book discusses sensitive topics including loss of a parent, coping with grief, sexual assault, and alcohol abuse. Please take care of yourself and maybe skip this one if those topics are upsetting to you.

My Initial Thoughts

This story is told through two perspectives. We have Thea, a college student who moves across the country to live with her aunt after her mother passes away. And then there’s Beth. She’s an independent woman with a business. She’s used to spending every minute at work, but now she has to learn to be a caretaker of sorts, as well as cope with the loss of her sister.

I liked that we got to see both women’s perspectives. The only downside to sharing the POV time is that I wanted to know more about each of them. I feel like it would have been nice to see more backstory for Thea. What kind of person was she before she lost her mother? We know she likes to bake, but we didn’t get a lot into her thought processes.

I also would have liked to have more insight into Beth and Charlie. The two of them were really cute and it would have been fun to see a flashback to their college days. Or maybe a flashback of the two of them and Beth’s sister. It just would have been fun to see.

I really liked all of the characters in this book. I just wanted more of them, if that makes sense.

The Setting

I always love reading about a small town. Especially when it has a beach! So Driftbay seemed cool to me. I’ve never lived in a golf cart town but I love how Graham was there to give Thea a ride home in her time of need. There’s just lots of small town charm in this story which I enjoyed. The regulars at the diner of course made me laugh.

The Depiction of Grief

I felt that the author did a really good job of writing about Thea and her grieving process. She has a really hard time getting back into the swing of things. But baking makes her happy and when Beth finds that out, she asks her to become the baker at the diner.

I thought that was really special. I have a sweet tooth and so it was fun to read about the different treats that the women concocted. While baking is something that helped Thea during her grief, it was also something that made her happy and gave her purpose.

Therapy is Good!

I was so happy when the characters in this book talked about therapy, and about how it might help them. Beth finds someone for Thea to talk to first, but then decides that she might benefit from going herself.

It’s so refreshing to see these kinds of conversation in a book. I have had a couple of different therapists in my life, so I know how helpful it can be to talk things out. It really makes you feel better. And I’m glad to see it mentioned in a book as therapy becomes more popular in today’s world.

Who Would I Recommend This Book To?

Amazon has it listed under the romance category, but to me it really feels like women’s fiction. Or a coming of age story. I would recommend it to readers who enjoy stories about realistic characters overcoming tragedy. Losing someone close to you is really hard. But I enjoyed the pacing and how everything came together in the end.

In Conclusion

Thank you for checking out my book review of What the Heart Wants by Ellis Darnell. It was a great book for me to read this Summer. And even though Beth and Thea are Aunt and Neice (and not mother and daughter) it did really make me think of Gilmore Girls sometimes. What can I say? Small towns and diners just lead my brain to Luke’s. Lol.

I hope you get the chance to check this book out when it releases on July 13, 2026!