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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.
Genre: Women’s Fiction (Contemporary Romance)
Age Suggestion: Young Adult
Tropes: Small Town, Friends to Lovers, He Falls First, Golden Retriever MMC, Coming of Age
Trigger / CW: Death of a Parent, Grief, Alcohol Use, Sexual Assault (groping)
Spice Warning: None (kissing only)
Author: Ellis Darnell
Format: Paperback ✨SIGNED✨(+extra goodies from the author)
Page Count: Coming Soon
Publication Date: July 13, 2026
ISBN: 979-8-9952102-0-7
Series: N/A
Ellis Darnell is a Midwest native who has enjoyed reading and writing from a very early age. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, collecting vinyl records, and hanging out with her cats. She is also heavily involved in her local theatre scene, having been a production stage manager for the last thirteen years.
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.
Genre: Women’s Fiction (Contemporary Romance)
Age Suggestion: Young Adult
Tropes: Small Town, Friends to Lovers, He Falls First, Golden Retriever MMC, Coming of Age
Trigger / CW: Death of a Parent, Grief, Alcohol Use, Sexual Assault (groping)
Spice Warning: None (kissing only)
Author: Ellis Darnell
Format: Paperback ✨SIGNED✨(+extra goodies from the author)
Page Count: Coming Soon
Publication Date: July 13, 2026
ISBN: 979-8-9952102-0-7
Series: N/A
Ellis Darnell is a Midwest native who has enjoyed reading and writing from a very early age. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, collecting vinyl records, and hanging out with her cats. She is also heavily involved in her local theatre scene, having been a production stage manager for the last thirteen years.
