All I’m saying is we don’t deserve dogs and the last couple of chapters had me crying (maybe it’s the pregnancy hormones?)

This was such an incredible end to the Matthews brothers. I really loved getting to know Ryker and seeing all the characters from the other books in this one.

Ryker Ryker Ryker….I really love how he grew in this book. I think it’s easy for all of us to hold things in thinking we are sparing our loved ones from our problems when they really want nothing more than to help. I loved this journey for him. Also there’s Six and I just want to love on her.

Obviously I don’t want anything to happen to anyone’s parents, but when the aunt becoming the guardian is done right? It’s magical. I loved Bryce’s journey with her nieces.

Ryker and Bryce were the one the other could rely on. Ryker really started to break out of his shell and want to get back to civilian life after he met Bryce. And he was absolutely amazing with the girls🥰

If you haven’t read the other books in this series, what are you waiting for? They can all be read as standalones, but I think it gives you more of a background for this book.

This one releases August 1st and you don’t want to miss it! I received an early copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a really sweet read. I really loved all of the characters, but I could have done with a little less miscommunication towards the end. I’ll definitely be picking up another Dylan Newton book!

I did not expect this book to hit me as hard as it did. It’s beautifully written, and written with so much heart. Love is woven into every line and so easy to feel as the story develops. Change of Plans by Dylan Newton is marvelous.


》Bryce《

I loved Bryce fiercely. She’s so open-hearted, never one to judge, but always one to ask questions out of sincere curiosity. Her smile is as bright as her wit, and her spirit as wild as her feistiness. But she is not without vulnerability. The author does a wonderful job at seeing when the smiles cracks— when her happy-go-lucky expressions slip— how the grief of losing her brother, her fears at raising her nieces, her personal doubt of her own capabilities set in. I wanted to shout to her that she was doing just fine, that she was doing better than fine! I loved her and loved how she grew in confidence and certainty of her own capabilities.


》Ryker《

What a gorgeous male lead! He’s the perfect counterpart to Bryce, together they balance one another beautifully. He’s very self-sufficient and on the dime when ti comes to helping others. But when it comes to receiving help, he’s not as forthcoming. This is something he has to come to terms with throughout his arc.

Ryker has PTSD, and the narrative takes great care in how it’s reflected throughout the book. I thought it was all handled very well. I was proud of Ryker’s journey.


》Romance《

The romance verged on insta-love, which is typically one of my least favorite tropes, yet it made sense here. I whole-heartedly believed in Bryce and Ryker’s connection and chemistry from the very first moment they clashed into one another. Perhaps the romance develops quickly, but it still feels natural and it absolutely wanted. I loved how it all played out .


》A Little More Conversation《

If there were any change I would have liked, it’s more personal conversations between Bryce and Ryker, as well as Bryce and her oldest niece June.

Part of the miscommunication between Bryce and Ryker develops because of the latter fear he may become sterile due to a treatment involving radiation upon his leg. The fear is that Bryce, who may want children, will not want him. I expected a deep conversation between the two, to clear the air, instead it’s just sort of thrown out there and brushed away— and publicly so. They couldn’t even have a private conversation without prying ears.

Something that truly bothered me (but in a good way,as I think we were supposed to be bothered as readers) was the mistreatment of Bryce as a parental figure. She tried her best every step of the way— even during those missteps. She’s far from perfect, but she’s been thrust into a role she is still learning as she goes. Every time she felt humiliated, cast aside, looked down upon, I just wanted to rush in there and hug her— to thank her for all she’s doing for her girls. But one of those girls didn’t make it easy. June is the eldest at 12, and while still very much a child, she’s old enough to know the power of words and the pain they can inflict, and she inflicted that pain time and time again towards her aunt. I understand the deep hurt she must be after losing her parents but I really would have loved just one scene of only Bryce and June talking together.


》The Beauty in Endings《

My heart filled right up as I read through this one, to the point I cried a bit over a recipe (a recipe!). It was such a moving, beautiful tale of family and love. Of determination and belief. I am so happy to know this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Forever for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I have loved the Matthews brothers series, and Ryker's story is a continuation of the good vibes! Bryce Weatherford has recently found herself in Wellsville as legal guardian of her three nieces after her brother and sister-in-law's untimely passing. Her life is chaos and learning curves, but she's the spunky, strong-willed heroine we want to root for. Ryker Matthews is struggling with PTSD and other reverberations from his time deployed when he meets the woman who might pull him out of his social reclusiveness.

This is a beautiful and sweet story of love, friendship, and family. I loved the way this book discussed family (the kind we are born with and the kind that we make), handling adversity, and making giant life pivots after the unthinkable happens. The characters are vibrant and relatable, the setting is full of small town goodness, the romance is sweet and just spicy enough, the humor is spot on, and it's just an overall feel-good read. I highly recommend this whole series and can't wait for whatever Dylan Newton writes next!

Thank you to the author, Forever, and NetGalley for gifting me an ARC to review. I loved it!

Bryce is given custody of her three nieces after her brother and sisiter-in- law are killed in an accident. . very sweet story.

This book was fantastic! I loved the storyline of Bryce getting guardianship of her nieces, and it being a disaster, then finding Ryker and that whole storyline. The disability rep was great, as well as the military rep. I think overall it was a fun read that also touched on a lot of tough topics!

What an adorable, fast read! This book is the third in the “series” but is considered a stand-alone and I ate it up! Bryce (obsessed with her name!) was so likeable and relatable.. she is a mom-like-creature but everything she goes through is so relatable! She’s also so funny! This book has a strong PTSD premise following Ryker (another great name!) who is a war vet with a traumatic experience. The attention to detail that Dylan placed in such a strong topic was so well done. Lots of quirky little jokes and adorable banter. I also loved the flirting. I’m such a sucker for flirting and there was so much! This book also has a lot of grief and trudging through all that is grieving, it gets deep at points!

Thanks so much to the author, Dylan for gifting me an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This is the third in series but can be read as a standalone. However, it will spoil the ending of the first two books.

Bryce’s brother and sister-in-law passed away in a car accident leaving her with the custody of her three nieces. Bryce misses her life as a saucier, but has no regrets over becoming the guardian to 5 year old Addison, 8 year old Cecily, and tween June. But, it isn’t easy. Her brother Bentley was a natural with kids and she … she is struggling.

During a disastrous trip to the grocery store, Bryce and her nieces meet Ryker and his baby niece Elise. He saves the day but he is still adjusting, seven years later, from his deployment in Afghanistan. She doesn’t shy away from asking him about his prosthesis, she seems to understand he wouldn’t want that. But … when he learns she is the new sous chef at his moms cafe, he is skeptical. Was it a set up? Was it real? The last thing he needs is for his family to have been right about a potential date. Sigh. What’s Ryker to do?

It was nice being reunited with characters of books past, and we got to see a particular house, but this book shines because of Bryce, Ryker, June, Cecily, and Addison. The characters were well developed, well written, had their own struggles, faults, and flaws, but were characters you want to root for. I thoroughly enjoyed being part of their world for a few hours.

Some of the struggles were easily avoidable, but potentially realistic. I’m not a huge fan of the “I’ll solve all my problems alone” method of causing relationship drama. In this case though, I do feel it was truthful to characters past and personalities.

This book tugged on the heartstrings but was overwhelmingly optimistic and hopeful. I hope other enjoy it even half as much as I did.

CW: Siblings death (off page), PTSD, description of war, legal fight over guardianship

Thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an arc of this book.

This is unfortunately very very not for me.

This is about Bryce and Ryker, who both frankly have way too much going on. Until a few months ago, Bryce was a single chef living in Miami, until her brother and his wife suddenly died, forcing her to move to a small town in NY state to take care of her three nieces where she has to fight their maternal grandparents for custody. Ryker is a former marine who was honorably discharged after losing his left foot on duty. He has PTSD, and apparently a complete inability to communicate. They (kind of) date?

First and foremost, these two people just had way too much personal drama to actually be in a successful romantic relationship with each other. So much of this book was about their individual tragedies that it barely felt like a romance, and more like two people who interact sometimes while they figure out their stuff separately. I certainly don't mind external plot and personal growth, but I kind of like romance to be at the center of my romances, ya know?

I have a pretty low threshold for the miscommunication trope. Sometimes it's realistic, and sometimes it's relatable, but sometimes it's like this. Every time they need to have a big important conversation it's like "we really need to talk" and then a wacky mishap will happen and then they never talk. Or one character literally LEAVES TOWN for days without telling anybody where or why (it's literally to get a dog, okay), and then they're shocked that the other person thinks this is a bad sign for their relationship. And it's just all of this on repeat for like 300 pages. There would actually be very few obstacles for this couple if they simply had one fairly short conversation.

It is also never clear to the reader (or I guess maybe just me) exactly why Bryce wants custody of these children. She was named as their guardian in the will, but admits that she's never actually spent much time with them. She talks a bit about the grief of losing her brother, but nothing really indicates why she feels like she needs to take this on, or why he would have chosen her to do it. Especially when the grandparents, who have been a constant presence in the children's lives, really want to do it. Maybe I just don't have a maternal bone in my body, but I would simply let them have the children...

Finally, Ryker is a military vet. And while that might work for some people, this man is out here using military jargon constantly -- including during their one weird sex scene (like he is literally saying things like "Roger that" while he is inside her; I would LEAVE).

Objectively, I actually don't think this is a bad book, but it was unfortunately a big collection of things that I really just don't like. I would actually recommend this for anyone who is a fan of The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez (which I did give one star lol). This had a really similar writing style/relationship dynamic, and deals with similarly heavy themes.

This contemporary romance grabbed me by the heart and just wouldn’t let go! I was rooting for the main characters so hard! Change of Plans will totally suck you in - I read the book in less than 24 hours because I just couldn't put it down.

I had so many feels during this book - I laughed at the nieces’ antics as they caused mayhem and cried during Bryce’s grief and Ryker’s struggles with PTSD and survivor’s guilt. Dylan Newton struck the perfect balance of humor/care/angst.

You get so many things!

Small town charm
Family support and drama
Angst of all flavors
Manic pixie child with a talent for groin shots
Delicious food descriptions (there’s even a recipe included!)
Hurt/comfort
Opposites attract
Car geekery
Competence porn
Dual POV
Dirty mechanic jokes
Cinnamon roll MMC
Steam
Amputee/PTSD rep

CW: Loss of a family member/grief

I’ll read and devour anything Newton writes.

Change of Plans by Dylan Newton is such a fun rom-com that was charming, engaging and very entertaining.

It was such a great read and gave me all the warm feels that I love to have while reading a romance novel! Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down.
The characters in this book are so fun and entertaining. I fell in love with them both instantly.
I loved Dylan Newton writing style. She can set the scene perfectly and creates the most memorable and interesting characters. Her style instantly pulls me in and once I start there is no stopping me.
I was so engrossed in the book that I finished it in almost 2 days.
It was a quick read and left me craving for more.

I’m already anxious for her next one and doubt she has even started it.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Forever for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Change of plans by Dylan newton is an emotional and sweet found family book that pulls on all the heart strings.

What I loved about this book was reading about two people that are dealing with different things become friends and each others support system. She’s doing her best working and being the guardian for her brothers daughters and it’s not easy. It’s messy, it’s hard, the days are long sometimes but she really does step up and doing her best for them. I loved him too. He was such a stand up sweet character that didn’t hesitate to drop what he was doing to make her life easier helping her with whatever she needed, even if she didn’t ask. It has disability rep, a military mmc that that deals with PTSD and despite that, he is still sweet and kind and wants to be with her and takes them all as a package and loves them.

I thought this was such a great sweet story with harder topics that were dealt properly and I thought that their story was emotional, cute, sweet, with some mutual pining and friends to lovers trope that just made sense. This is such a fluffy sweet romance book and definitely not my last read by this author.

Real life, mom life, character development. A little bit of space and a little third quarter miscommunication breakup with a happily ever after. It’s cute. It’s funny and it made me cry.

Stepping up to the plate and all the challenges that entails feels so relatable. It’s a must read.

Thanks to netgalley for letting me read in exchange for a review:)

A very fun completion of the Matthew's brother's series. I read the whole book in one sitting and was delighted by it. Of the series I will always love How Sweet It Is best, but Change of Plans is definitely next. The nieces were really well written as angsty kids, navigating an awful situation, and I loved watching Ryker learn to be vulnerable with his family and with Bryce.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for proving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was the first book I have read from this author and it definitely won't be the last. What an absolutely wonderful rom-com with so much heartfelt emotion I couldn't put it down. 

Ryker is a marine vet that was injured at war and has PTSD. He has closed himself off from family and friends, using his garage where he works as a mechanic as his place of refuge. His life is forever changed on a random day that he literally runs into Bryce and her tornado of gaggling girls and he comes to their rescue forming a life changing bond that neither saw coming.

Bryce is like a walking disaster. She has taken on guardianship of her three nieces and has had to uproot her life from being a chef to guardian of three tornados all under the age of thirteen. She is barely holding it together and you can really see her struggles and through it all the love she has for these girls.

Bryce and Ryker were absolute magic together, they just immediately fit like a puzzle that needed the right missing piece. However, Ryker was dealing with his own issues and did not know how to communicate what he believed were his shortcomings to Bryce which led to all sorts of misunderstandings. It was an epic journey that had me hooked from the first page until the very last. I loved every minute and would highly recommend.

Having enjoyed the previous two titles in this series, I’ll admit that I’ve been specifically looking forward to Ryker’s story. And I’m so glad that I got to read it ❤️

After the (off page) death of her brother and sister-in-law Bryce is the guardian of her three young nieces and trying to figure out how to parent, grieving her family, and trying to keep her head above water when she meets Ryker, the middle —— brother.

Bryce was the perfect partner for Ryker and their stories and trials just combined to make this one really special.

I loved the importance of mental health in this and, as someone who also has complex PTSD, I appreciated Ryker’s difficulties in expressing his feelings and his journey through.

There are triggers here, plenty of them, but Ms. Newton’s writing made them far more palatable to read.

Recommended.



Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the DRC!

4.5 STARS

This was a such an entertaining story with lovable characters and a ton of heart.
There is very serious subject matters and situations, they’re handled really well in my opinion and it didn’t feel too heavy, it made the story richer and the characters more interesting. There’s tragedy and the characters journey to deal with that is a big part of the emotional appeal.
There’s plenty of light and hilarious moments that balance the big emotional moments.
I love the writers style, it was such a fresh and lovely read.
I fell in love with the couple, Bryce and Ryker. Their interactions are fantastic and their connection is a beautiful thing that develops stronger as the story goes on.
Bryce’s three young nieces, who she is now guardian of, added so many great moments to this emotional and uplifting story.
I loved everything about this story, it’s low on the steamy/spicy side and that fit perfectly with the story’s vibe. I can’t wait to read more from this new to me author!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Change of Plans was cheesy from beginning to end but it was still an enjoyable read overall.

Ryker, a military hero suffering from PTSD and lingering pain due to an amputation, had hidden away from everyone, including his well-meaning family and friends. He was tired of feeling pity and couldn't imagine a life outside of working at his garage and sticking to himself.

"Because I avoid the café, my family, and all civilians as much as possible. That may make me a rotten son, but my presence lately is far worse." - Ryker

Before meeting our heroine Bryce and her wild brood, Ryker was uninspired with life, but soon after realizing that they needed him, the sense of purpose propelled him to forge ahead in finally tackling his demons. His interactions with the kids brought out a softer, more playful side of him that would have any woman swooning.

"He opted for more pirate. More pirate was always safe. 'Arrgh! Yer aunt be a wise lass.'" - Ryker

My heart hurt for Bryce, doing her best to raise three girls, while slowly drowning in the responsibility and endless struggles of parenthood. Time and time again life threw curveballs at her but she still had such a warm, winning personality even when her back was against the wall.

"But then again, these past months in Wellsville had felt similar to stepping on dry land after a day spend Jet-Skiing in the choppy waters of the Tampa Bay - she was in a constant state of dizzying vertigo as she struggled to keep her feet pointed in the right direction." - Bryce

I loved how outgoing Bryce was as her relationship developed with Ryker, willing to say what she wanted. She was frank, honest, generous and the perfect person to grab Ryker and push him out of his comfort zone.

Bryce and Ryker's chemistry could have been stronger. Half of the time, Bryce just talked at Ryker while he was having the rest of the conversation in his said before giving one-word answers back. I'd have liked a little more connection between the two, with sexual tension shown more than told. Despite the descriptive language and graphic details, there was very limited spice to our two main character's interactions.

The three girls were all delightful characters, if a bit exaggerated. There is a trend in romance books to use kids and their outlandish behavior to drive the story forward and I am not a huge fan. A few scenes were just over the top, the first chapter specifically, but I have to admit I had a smile on my face when Addie, Cecily, and June were up to their latest hijinks.

"This was serious. Her niece had nailed a guy in the prunes. He might really be hurt." - Bryce

I'd recommend Change of Plans to anyone who enjoys romance books with military heroes. This book is a stand-alone but features several characters from previous Dylan Newton books "How Sweet It Is" and "All Fired Up". I would suggest reading those two books first to get a better understanding of Ryker's family.




*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I have loved this series and Dylan's writing but oh man Change of Plans is my favorite and one of the best books I have read in a while.

Ryker Matthews is still trying to adjust to civilian life after a combat injury resulted in a below-the-knee amputation that ended his military career. He has the most adorable meet-cute with Bryce Weatherford who is not responsible for her three nieces after a family tragedy. Soon helping Bryce, who is struggling to balance being a guardian to three kids, working and making ends meet, turns into a reason for Ryker to leave his life of solitude and start to heal.

Bryce and Ryker are EVERYTHING. If I could give them more than 5 stars I would because I loved this book that much. Ryker and Bryce are both beautifully broken yet so strong and resilient. They help each other deal with their grief and pain in ways they didn't even know they needed.

My favorite part of this whole book revolves around their first hug and oh man did my heart explode. I read the majority of this book on airplanes and in airports and I will just say I have cried may tears over this story in public! I related to much to Bryce and her struggle to make ends meet while trying to keep tiny humans alive. There were so many parts of this book that moved me to tears simply because I felt seen. Bryce is strong and fierce and so quick witted that you want to both hug her and go get a drink with her.

Ryker is the hero I didn't even know I needed. His struggles with PTSD and adjusting to civilian life will pull on every heart string.

As always this book has such great interactions with all of the other members of the Matthews clan which was such a fun way to end this series getting to see where they ended up.

While I loved the first two books in this series Change of Plans is honestly one of my top reads in a while and will without a doubt be one of favorite books of 2023.

I have been so thankful to be a traveling ARC leader for Dylan's books and am appreciative to Forever and Dylan for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Bryce was living the single life as a chef in Florida. Ryker had a long career in the Marines ahead of him. But, you know...plans change.

I picked this up mostly for the disability rep, as Ryker is a BK amputee. (I have no personal connection to amputation stories, but diversity in romance brings me joy.) His injury happened long enough before the story starts that, although there are ongoing complications, it's not his primary focus. Similarly, Bryce has been her nieces' guardian long enough that they've passed the hump of "new situation and we're all basically strangers" and moved into the muddier, more complicated waters of "figuring out how this is going to look in the long term." As far as I'm concerned, it's a much more interesting place for a character to be, and that's where Bryce and Ryker find each other—figuring out the long term.

The rapport between the characters is excellent, and I love that Bryce's aunt-ing adventures feel so chaotic—these are not five- and eight- and twelve-year-olds who sit around quietly, smiling angelically and waiting for the next time they're needed in the story. I also love that Bryce and Ryker *try* to communicate, even when they don't get it 100% right, because one of my pet peeves in romance is conflicts that could be solved by a simple conversation. (There's some of that here—Six-y, I'm looking at you—but usually those conflicts are solved pretty quickly, and they can get back to questions of whether either of them is in a place for a relationship at the moment.) Is Ryker a bit too good to be true? Probably. He should hang up his shingle as a mechanic and start peddling his services as a child whisperer. But if a romance novel isn't the place for a check-all-the-boxes hero...what is?

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.