This was a sweet rom com story of two people who found each other at the right time. The beginning scene of the book where they meet at the grocery store is hilarious and really set the bar high for me. Maybe too high?! The middle of the book, I found myself annoyed with the characters in the book. I don't know why? In this book you've got the found family trope, the miscommunication trope, mentions of dementia and grief, veterans/amputees, PTSD and adoption/guardianship. I did love the relationship and interactions Ryker had with Bryce's three nieces; he was so good with the kids.

Recommended read: yes I would recommend it for a feel good sweet, heartwarming rom com story

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
@readforeverpub

This is the third and final book featuring the Matthews brothers, and it was so good. This can stand alone, but as always, I recommend reading entire series in order.

Bryce moved to upstate New York to become a guardian for her nieces after their parents unexpectedly died. She's struggling with the transition to being a "mom-like creature." And Ryker, the mysterious stranger, helps her out in the grocery store.

Ryker is such a phenomenal character and always intrigued me. He is dealing with PTSD, and I felt the book provided great insight there. I enjoyed seeing each of his brothers and their love interests again.

But what especially made this book for me was the girls. They were such well-rounded and nuanced characters. This book went quite well into the ways in which we handle grief and was ultimately so real and so hopeful. I know this will be one I will read again.

Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. These opinions are my own.

CW: Dementia, grief

This book involved a lot of heart! I loved it at some points, but then I was bored at others. I felt like the two main characters Ryker and Bryce had so much personal trauma and tragedies going on, that it barely felt like any sort of romance even happened… which is what I was expecting. Overall though it did come together, and looking back, there was alot of love, family, and good times throughout the book… although it was well written, I just don’t know if it was for me. I know others will absolutely love the huge family dynamic though, so please pick it up if you feel that this might be for you!

I recommend this book if you enjoy:
- cute, heartwarming reads
- personal growth
- closed door romances
- huge family vibes
- reading about healing from trauma
- tons of personal drama
- miscommunication tropes
- silly mishaps

Title: Change of Plans
Author: Dylan Newton
Length: 368
Format: ebook ARC
Pub Date: August 1, 2023
Genre: RomCom, Contemporary Romance, ChickLit
Trigger Warnings: PTSD, previous death of a family member, pretty descriptive vomit scene
Rating Out of 5: 5
Thoughts:
Super charming! I loveddddd! I loved the endless humor. I loved the mental illness and disability representation. I loved the blended/found family trope. I loved the “hug emergencies”. Is men buying period products a trope? Because that’s in here too, and I’m here for it. Dylan Newton does it YET AGAIN. 😍

Bryce’s brother and sister-in-law die in a tragic car accident in which she inherited guardianship of her 3 nieces (who totally reminded me of the sister from Despicable Me). She’s a young, single lady who is an excellent chef! But between juggling grieving the death of her brother, working long hours to earn enough money to battle the grandparents for custody, and helping her three nieces navigate their own grief and growing up, there’s no room for a live life.
Enter Ryker, the adorably socially awkward retired Marine who lost part of his leg and his friend. He’s battling PTSD and is more comfortable working on cars in his shop than encountering any social interaction. Until he meets Bryce and her 3 nieces. Will they help him out of his shell? Will he live up to his superhero pirate reputation the nieces have declared? Is there a huge miscommunication trope up in here? 😮‍💨

Other books in this series: How Sweet it Is, All Fired Up

Special thanks to NetGalley, Forever Publishing, and Dylan Newton for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Ryker Matthews, Zander and Drake’s brother, is a retired Marine turned mechanic who struggles with PTSD and phantom limb pain after his below-the-knee amputation. Bryce Weatherford is a chef at PattyCakes who is struggling to adjust to her new role as a guardian of her three young nieces after a terrible accident—Addison refuses to take off her fairy wings and is wetting the bed, 8-year-old Cecily won’t bathe, and June has a grumpy and sassy attitude. On top of that, Bryce is struggling with lawyer fees since the Weatherford girls’ grandparents are petitioning the court for sole custody. After Ryker and Bryce bond over a mishap at the grocery store, they strike up a friendship and end up becoming much-needed shoulders for each other to lean on. Despite their instant attraction, Bryce doesn’t feel like it’s the right time for romance…but maybe a “change of plans” is just what she needs.

Change of Plans is part of a series of interconnected standalones about the Matthews brothers with the main moral of the story is that it’s okay to ask for and accept help. This small-town romantic comedy is perfect for fans of books like Knot My Type by Evie Mitchell, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna, Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez, Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake by Mazey Eddings, The Summer Cottage by Annie Rains, and Maggie Moves On by Lucy Score, along with movies like Raising Helen and Gifted. Potential trigger warnings include PTSD and military flashbacks, custody disagreements, loss of parents, vomiting, broken bones, and dementia. Themes include change, communication (and miscommunication), parenthood and motherhood, family, war, mental health, fear of failure, death and loss, love and sacrifice, loneliness, trust, heroism, challenges of growing up, and working-class struggles.

It was enjoyable how Newton described the process of applying for and being matched with a service dog as I thought that this was very interesting and unique; it’s not something that I’ve seen very often (if at all) in romantic comedies. The meaning behind the service dog’s name was also very heartwarming! Personally, I appreciated that Change of Plans was an interconnected standalone as I find that it’s easier for me to get into the plot since I’m already familiar with the setting and a lot of the characters. There was some hesitancy regarding how Bryce’s nieces would appear and if the three of them would distract from the plot, however their hilarious antics were enjoyable, including a “laugh out loud” disastrous Easter party and all the Tinkerbell references.

The custody disputes and the PTSD flashbacks were a little harder to read as these topics as sensitive, so it will be interesting to discover what other readers think of them too. The side story involving the brothers mother, Patty, wasn’t overly interesting as it didn’t seem to do a lot for the plot and lastly, the miscommunication trope was disappointing as it’s one of my least favourite tropes and appeared multiple times.

Overall, Change of Plans is a funny and heartwarming page turner and would be perfect for fans of romantic comedies and single parent romances.

This is my first Dylan Newton book, not realizing this is book three of the Matthews'' brother series, and it was a cute read. I'm sure I missed certain character things from previous books, but I did like how seamlessly Bryce fit into the small town to take care of her nieces. As fun as Aunt Beamer (Bryce's nickname) is, I found that I wanted more with Ryker and his journey. The entire military vet, PTSD, amputee story line is something we don't see often in romance that I found his perspective more intriguing than Bryce's. Her storyline reminded me of the Kate Hudson movie Raising Helen, so I had a hard time separating the two. I think my issue with the book is that they're both dealing with real traumas that I wish we could've gone deeper with the healing process. Everything seemed to wrap up too nicely in a bow without the work put in. That said, I did enjoy many aspects of the book.

4.0 🌟

When Bryce's brother and his wife tragically pass away in a car accident, she finds herself as sole guardian of 3 girls. A chance encounter brings Ryker, a war veteran and amputee into her life.

I really enjoyed this book. Both Ryker and Bryce were enjoyable characters. I loved seeing Ryker step in and help out Bryce with her nieces. Also, the miscommunication troupe was well done and not drawn out.

Thanks, Netgalley for the ARC of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for giving me a digital copy of "Change of Plans" by Dylan Newton in exchange for an honest review.

Chef Bryce "Beamer" Weatherford has had to give up her career to care for her three, challenging nieces after the death of their parents, Beamer's brother and his wife. She's working as a cook and taking on single-guardianship of the kids. Meanwhile the girls' maternal grandparents are aggressively challenging her custody and passive aggressively undermining her parenting every chance they get. (No, but seriously, they are the WORST, even if this terrible behavior is connected their own grief. Every scene with them made my blood boil.)

Ryker Mathews, a former Marine with a below-the-knee amputation, has his own struggles. Despite therapy and support from his family, he's still experiencing acute PTSD. To make matters worse, he's also experiencing complications from the amputation, including the likelihood that he will never father biological children and he may require more surgery.

In other words, neither Bryce nor Ryker are really looking for serious relationships when they meet. The process of watching them adjust to make room for the other was. just lovely.

Emotionally, I enjoyed how the characters grew together. The relationship moved a little fast, especially given the substantial challenges they were both living with, but otherwise, I liked how they were available for each other. (Except the end, because Ryker sucks at communication.) The grand gestures didn't involve goofy, unbelievable theatrics, but rather, focused on solid, practical ways that made significant differences in the protagonists' daily lives. She needed help with child care; he found a way to help. He needed someone understanding and compassionate when it came to his mental health; she read up on the subject but still treated him with dignity and respect. They make things better without trying to fix each other. THAT's the kind of relationship I want to see in a romance.

I requested a copy of this book because I read a glowing review and wanted to see if it lived up to the hype. I'm happy to say that it did. It's a sweet story about two struggling people, learning to support (but not change) their partner. It touches on Big Topics, like the grieving process, PTSD, complications after limb amputation, and family dynamics. At times, it's a little heavy handed (it actually has a bulleted list of how to react to someone with PTSD having a night terror!), but I appreciate that the author used the opportunity to highlight important issues facing our veterans. As a romance, it is not spicy. The love scenes are present but this is a story about emotional growth, not tearing up the sheets.

Welcome back to Wellsville with the third Matthew’s brother, Ryker! Ryker is a Marine veteran, who is still learning to cope with his amputation, even years later. Despite his loving friends and family, Ryker buries himself in work and avoids most social situations, and he’s fine with that. Until he runs into Bryce Weatherford. Bryce is in town to become the guardian of her deceased brother and sister-in-law’s three girls. Even though she loves the girls dearly, she can’t help but feel overwhelmed. Neither Bryce nor Ryker are looking for love, but maybe they each can be the change the other is looking for.

Dylan Newton does it again! I absolutely loved the first two books in this series, so I had no doubts walking in that I would love this one, too! Ryker is the brother with the biggest walls up, but Bryce has her own reservations, too. Watching these two hard-headed individuals fall for each other is satisfying in the best way.

In the end, this book was a solid 4 star read. Watching Bryce rise to becoming a mom-type creature and then watching Ryker learn to let down his walls, created one of those love stories that you can’t help, but root for. I absolutely adored this book and can’t wait to see what Dylan Newton comes up with next!

Thanks to Forever Publishing and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review! This book hits shelves on August 1st!

I adore mom-like creatures. Change of Plans was entertaining and had some laugh out loud moments. It also had a lot of heavy content - all the characters dealing with some big issues - and I would recommend that you ask about those if you're a sensitive reader.

This was a very middle of the road read for me. I enjoyed it, but I didn't give it a lot of thought... and I think if I did take the time to parse through it all, it might lose some of its allure. In many ways, I didn't think the storyline was realistic (but I acknowledge it IS fiction...) and I'm also not sure either MC was in any way ready for a healthy relationship. One thing that struck me is I was picturing each little girl as the characters from Despicable Me in my mind... and felt maybe just as chaotic.

I have been sitting here for a solid half an hour writing and rewriting my review for this book. I just don’t know how to put the emotions I am feeling into words but y’all I’m gonna try.

First, as an adoptee I have a soft spot for any book that features adoption/guardianship. In this book Bryce, who was previously working as a saucier at a fancy restaurant, becomes the guardian to her three nieces basically overnight after her brother and his wife pass away. So she moves back home, gets a job at a local diner, and gets to work trying to be the best, as she puts it, “mom-like creature” that she can be. Things can be a little messy sometimes which I feel is a given when you have three kids who just recently lost their parents but Bryce really does her best and it’s clear that she loves the girls. I think the author handled the complexities of grief and the guardianship process with a lot of care which made the read just that much better.

Now, this is a romance so of course we need to talk about Ryker Matthews. Ryker is this guy who seems grumpy on the outside but honestly is just the sweetest guy. He’s always trying to help those around him, especially Bryce. There’s a scene where June, one of the nieces, gets her first period and Ryker surprises them with basically every menstrual product that the store has.

Ryker and Bryce have moments when they both just feel like they might be “too much” for each other to handle. Bryce is worried that he won’t be able to handle the fact that she’s raising three, grieving children and Ryker worries that his PTSD might be too much for her. Ultimately, I think they’re perfect for each other because they care so much. Bryce really puts in the work to understand how to help Ryker through his flashbacks and Ryker just shows up for Bryce and the girls constantly. I love them and loved this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, @readforeverpub, and Dylan Newton for the eARC of this book. This is my honest review.

“Change of Plans” by Dylan Newton is the third novel in a series of stand-alone stories centered around the Matthews’ brothers. “How Sweet It Is” was Newton’s contemporary debut and starred Drake, a horror novelist with writer’s block who secretly decided to write historical romance instead of living up to reputation of the Knight of Nightmares. The second novel, “All Fired Up”, focuses on the story of Zander and Imani, who find themselves with a second chance to get things right. Finally, the third Matthews brother gets his time to shine.
Not that he wants it. Ryker Matthews would do anything to ignore spotlight and hide in his mechanic shop cave if you’d let him. Making small appearances throughout the first two novels as the broody and surly gearhead, Ryker is a rough around the edges kind of guy, but readers who paid attention have known from the beginning that he is a big softie with a heart of gold.

“Love is probably the only thing on this planet worth fighting for. Worth losing everything for.”
How Sweet It Is by Dylan Newton

We Love A Strong Woman
Bryce Weatherford is bold. Unafraid. Honest and straightforward. Raising her three orphaned nieces, balancing a full time job, and handling it all while attempting to gain full custody was not something easily managed, but Bryce handles it all with grace.
She seems to cut through the games and deception, and might really be Ryker’s missing part. He just needs to get out of his own way. Bryce and Ryker speak the same language, and in this crazy world that’s not always easy to find.

I knew that Ryker was going to be my favorite from the beginning. So much so that I bombarded Dylan Newton’s inboxes with my Ryker love and devotion, and begged her to give us more from his point of view. She knew what she was doing, and thankfully shared that her plan was for each brother to have his own time to shine. What I love about Dylan Newton’s books is that in addition to the love stories, there is always some kind of lesson that shows people being better than when we initially met them.

“How Sweet It Is” will show you that stepping out of your comfort zone can not only be beneficial, but bring you great joy. With big risks comes big rewards. “All Fired Up” tells us that sometimes second chances are worth it, and that we should try to get out of our own way and make room for something new. “Change of Plans” proves that the only constant in life is change, and that we have to be flexible in order to weather the storm.
I’m sad to see the Matthews’ brothers stories end. I’ve enjoyed getting to spend time in Wellsville, New York. I hope we’ll be able to visit again soon.

Book : Change of Plans
Author : Dylan Newton
Pub Date : 01 Aug 2023

Thank you NetGalley, Forever (Grand Central Publishing) & the author for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Do you enjoy:
- Strangers—Lovers
- Found Family
- Miscommunication
- Dual POV

This book was an adorable story around Bryce & Ryker. Bryce is raising her brothers children and Ryker enters and that’s when their relationship starts. I loved these two and watching them navigate their relationship and raising the three girls.

I sped through this fun small town romance that gave me all of the feels—happiness, sadness etc. You feel like you’re right there with Ryker and Bryce. Character and world building is amazing and the storyline is just what I’d hoped for.

Absolutely a must have book on your shelf or kindle. Put this on your TBR if you haven’t yet. You will fall in love with Dylan’s writing immediately. Can’t wait for more from her!!!

This is the third book in the Matthew brothers series. I do think it ended up being my favorite. I’ve been looking forward to Ryker’s story since I read the first book. The meet-cute in the beginning was hilarious! 😂 I loved that children were a big part of the story and the chaos and messiness that comes with life when you have kids.

Bryce and Ryker had a lot they were dealing with individually, though. Perhaps too much and it took away from the romance part of the story at times. Ryker also had a huge communication problem in general. At times I wanted to shake him. And anytime he was about to explain something and be honest something crazy would happen. 😵‍💫 It got old. And there was a big miscommunication in the third act and that trope is annoying to me.

I did still enjoy the story, but I had to bump down the rating for all of the miscommunication and the storyline with the grandparents.

5 stars!

Dylan Newton is becoming one of my favorite authors. Her books are just what I like - easy reads with some depth to them, and just the right amount of spice. Also, knowing that she lives in Florida for part of the year, I enjoy finding her Florida "Easter eggs" whether it's a reference to Florida-made Tervis Tumblers or the Florida State Fair.

Bryce and Ryker aren't looking for a relationship. Bryce is dealing with a relocation from the Tampa Bay area to upstate New York, due to the loss of her brother and his wife. They named Bryce as custodian of their three daughters - which is being vehemently contested by the wife's parents. To say she's got her hands full is the understatement of the year!

Ryker isn't good at peopling, ever since Afghanistan. The loss of his leg and his PTSD don't make him very good company.

But, these two are drawn to each other like moths to a flame and it's so much fun to be along for the ride. This was my favorite of the Matthews Brothers series - sad to see it come to an end. But, I have faith there will be more great stories from Dylan Newton in the future!

Thank you to Forever/Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity to read this digital ARC in return for an honest review.

the story of a mechanic who experiences PTSD from his service 🪖 and a woman with newly adopted nieces 👩‍👧‍👧 - this romance is swoon worthy! the characters are so lovable 💕 and easy to root for!

I thought this book was sweet and so endearing! I haven’t read the rest of the series and believe it can be a standalone for sure.

I love the single parent trope, mental health rep, & small town setting.

Bryce has a change in life plans when her brother and his wife are killed in a car accident and she becomes the legal guardian of their three girls, June, Cecily, and Addison. Bryce is used to being in the kitchen and changes her course to move to their town and start working at Patty Cakes so she can keep the girls. She also has to deal with the girls grandparents from their mothers side stepping in and trying to take custody. When she is having some problems, Ryker, who is the son of the owner of Patty Cakes, steps in and just so happens to be great with the girls. He is dealing with his own past which includes a below-the-knee amputation and some struggles with PTSD. Will they be able to help each other through their struggles or be more of a distraction?

This book gave me all the good feels. I loved how Bryce had to kinda earn to love of her nieces. They had just been through something extremely traumatic and even though she loved them and was doing what was right for them, they had to see it from a different perspective. She tried to connect with each one in ways they needed which was adorable. Ryker and his want to protect her, even from himself, was very military like. I feel that somethings guys who have faced hard times like that are just scared to let anyone in and see that they need help. Their love was so sweet and I love that they finally were able to let each other in. I also adored the Golden Retriever, Six’y’ who came in at the end.

Thanks to Forever Publishing for the free book.
I have been anxiously awaiting Ryker's book, and it was just so good. I loved him as the main character. His story was deep, with being a former Marine and all of the trauma he endured because of that. I am so glad Newton paired him up with someone like Bryce. She had so much going on with trying to gain guardianship of her nieces, yet there was a lot of fun, openness, and honesty between her and Ryker. I appreciated this glimpse into what is was like to become a guardian and what being in charge of children suddenly can do to someone's life. It was fun to see these characters grow to enjoy each other's company, and the banter was spot on. The Matthews' brothers were so much fun to read about, and I'm so happy with the conclusion of this series.

Bryce has recently become the guardian for her 3 nieces. She is overwhelmed and just trying to get by when she and the girls unexpectedly meet Ryker Matthews in a very funny meet cute. Ryker has been out of the military for a few years and has become a bit of a recluse while recovering from his amputation and dealing with his PTSD. The three girls and Bryce start to open up his life and despite both Bryce and Ryker in places where they don't feel open to a relationship, they also can't seem to stay away from each other.

What this has:
- Small Town Romance
- Disability Rep
- Found Family
- Single Guardian/Parent
- Cinnamon Roll hero
- Slow Burn Romance

I haven't read the other books in this series, and can confirm that you don't need to - at no point did I feel lost in the story or confused about the characters. I'm sure if I had read the others, I would have been excited to see the past couples in this story, but again it didn't detract at all.

The two major plot points of this story - the custody fight/guardianship arrangement and the PTSD rep - were both well done in my opinion. You can tell the author put a lot of care into both aspects, she mentions in her author's note how challenging it was to write about experiences that were not her own.

I liked both Bryce and Ryker together and separately - I thought their banter was pretty good and I bought their chemistry pretty early. I adored how Ryker was with the three girls and how sweet and cinnamon roll-y he became despite appearing as a grump in the beginning.

I often shy away from books that have kids in them because I often find them annoying or unrealistic. But I actually found all 3 nieces incredibly well done and could have seen all of them as being actual real life kids.

I didn't love the miscommunication here, it did feel a bit excessive. The other piece that really bothered me is when Ryker gets a makeover from the girls - he had fun and didn't think anything of it, which I loved to see! However, his brothers see him with the makeover and make some comments that are pretty transphobic and making fun of pronouns.... and their comments were not challenged at all. This just felt harmful and completely unnecessary.

Huge thanks to Netgalley, Forever, and Dylan Newton for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily. And thank you to @bookmom22 for including me in this traveling ARC - this was such a fun experience! Change of Plans publishes 8/1.

Finally, we get grumpy Ryker's story! I love a good grumpy/sunshine and this book did not disappoint.

Read this one for:
- Small town romance
- Grumpy/sunshine
- Disability rep
- Forced proximity
- Found family
- He is GONE FOR HER

The middle child of the the three Matthews brothers finally gets his spotlight. Ryker Matthews is a wounded war vet with prosthetic resulting from his war injury. He hasn't been able to really assimilate since he's been back home. While he run his business of car restoration, he prefers to be alone not interacting with anyone, even his family. His PTSD is still a present issue for him in his day to day life.

Bryce Weatherford has fallen into being the primary caregiver of her three nieces under the age of twelve after her brother and sister-in-law passed in a tragic car accident. She has left behind her prestige chef job to take over the local bakery serving as the chef for their new meals. She is struggling to keep things all together with parenting her nieces while also fighting for custody against their grandparents.

Bryce and Ryker find one another in times where neither feels like a great package to offer to a significant other. They each realize how amazing the other is, and want to be there for one another through their ups, downs, challenges and daily life. The way each really saw one another was so beautiful. The struggles each was dealing with were intense, but the love the developed was able to help each other in the most supportive and lovely ways.

The kids in the book seemed so realistic for their ages and the situation they had gone through. My heart was aching for them and Bryce and all they went through. It was an emotional read to see her have to have so many things fall apart. It was also intense to watch Ryker's journey with his PTSD. I was wanting to read faster and faster because the story kept me engrossed to see how each their journey's resolved together.

I have to say, I think this was my favorite of the Matthew siblings! Ryker is just a gem and all around stand up guy. He really is a cinnamon roll for all the women in his life and we stan for a guy like that!!