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.

I am in love with all of her books they just keep on getting better and better. this was another good one. glad i found this author and have the privilege's to read her books.

Change of plans by Dylan Newton is a heartwarming tale of love, loss, and family. The story follows Bryce and Ryker, two individuals who come from vastly different backgrounds but are united by their love for the children in their care. Newton’s writing is both sweet and tender, bringing to life the challenges and joys of blended families.
The characters are well-developed and easy to relate to, particularly Bryce, who refuses to shy away from difficult conversations and is dedicated to providing the best possible care for the children. Ryker's struggles with communication and change add depth to his character, and readers will root for him to overcome his obstacles and find happiness with Bryce.
The children’s interactions with Bryce and Ryker are heartwarming and authentic, and readers will appreciate the emphasis on the importance of community and support.
Overall, "Change of plan “ is a touching and uplifting read that will leave readers with a renewed appreciation for the power of love and family. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a sweet, funny, and honest romance.

4 Stars Change of Plans by Dylan Newton is the final book in the Matthews Brothers series and is my favorite of the three. Chef Bryce Weatherford suddenly finds herself the guardian of her three nieces--Addie (5), Cecily (8), and June (12)--after her brother's and sister-in-law's sudden deaths. The girls maternal grandparents are challenging Bryce's guardianship in court and the attorney fees are quickly dwindling Bryce's savings. Bryce is managing a whole new life and new job, just barely hanging on, when former Marine Ryker Matthews suddenly saves her and the girls during a grocery store mishap. It's been years since the partial loss of Ryker's left leg in combat and the loss of his military career, and he is still floundering with how to move on with his life. Both Bryce and Ryker are struggling in different ways, yet when they are together, they feel support, understood, and a sense of "wholeness."

I loved reading how Bryce and Ryker navigated their growing romantic feelings towards one another. There was some miscommunication, but for the most part, they had a great policy of always being honest with one another, no matter how awkward or uncomfortable the truth was. The theme of helping yourself so that you can better help others was especially poignant and not enough people consider this in real life. The entire story and Bryce's and Ryker's separate conflicts all wrapped up perfectly.

This was my second Dylan Newton book, I read the first book in the series and received an ARC from NetGalley and Forever for Change of Plans.

Bryce's brother and his wife passed away in a horrible car accident and they granted custody of their three daughters to her. She quit her job as a saucier in a hot Florida restaurant and moved to where her nieces live. She gets a job at a cafe, and is living paycheck to paycheck raising three kids and also paying legal fees because their grandparents want to have full custody. She is having a really rough day trying to control the wild kids in the supermarket and a nice (and hot!) man with a baby helps save the day. He also happend to be the son of her boss. But Bryce has too much baggage for a relationship. And Ryker has is own issues like PTSD from his time in Afghanistan where he had to be amputated below the knee on one leg. So the two stay put in the friend zone, though their chemistry has other plans.

I liked Bryce and Ryker, they were both kind, well-meaning people. I was a little grossed out by some of the scenes with the kids because I'm not sure if I want poop or vomit in my romance novels. The miscommunication in the third act did not help drive the story. This was a fine read, but not a super love.

This is my second Dylan Newton book and it definitely won’t be my last! Dylan has a way with words. The words just flow and you don’t want it to end. I love the balance she presents between real serious things the main characters are going through and the sweet romance!

I thought this book was such a delightful read, filled with so many cute moments. While I liked the cute moments, I think the added heavy notes of PTSD and Bryce’s grief added a lot of depth that really made the story feel real. I did wish that we got to see a little more development between Bryce and Ryker. At times I felt like their relationship was a little rushed for me. But all in all I really enjoyed this read. I found it adorable, fun, and filled with so many feelings.

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

This was my first read by this author and it definitely will not be my last. As a military wife and as a person who is diagnosed with PTSD this book hit me in the heart in all of the best ways.

I fell in love with all of the characters and had a hard time putting this book down. It was an amazing rom com that had me laughing out loud in the first chapter and reminded me that there is lots of love amongst the chaos. Even if things are a little dented and damaged they're still beautiful things.

A sweet and touching book with great characters!

Ryker is a former marine who was injured in Afghanistan. He is the sweetest cinnamon roll hero. Bryce is a chef who becomes a guardian to her three nieces after her brother and his wife passed away. She’s an uplifting character doing her best to deal with the hand she’s been dealt. Their paths collide in a hilarious grocery store encounter. I loved their chemistry, which was off the charts from the beginning.

The lengths Ryker goes to, to help Bryce and the girls is touching. He’s a great hero. There are many epic moments with the girls.

While this book dealt with serious topics, they were handled perfectly.

This was my first book by Dylan Newton and I enjoyed every page. It’s part of a series but can be read as stand alone.

Wholeheartedly one of my favorite romcoms to date! Likable cast of characters facing real life issues. additionally, the parties all took time to work on their own individual problems before getting together at the end. So often, issues get swept under the rug in order to move the plot forward. Here, the characters did the work! LOVE LOVE LOVE this book.

this was a very sweet, tender, funny story! I loved Bryce and Ryker’s relationship from hysterical start to loving end and all the sweet, funny, honest moments in between. I love especially that Bryce refuses to let the uncomfortable or sensitive nature of topics interfere in her willingness and ability to converse in them. I wish Ryker hadn’t let so much go unsaid, especially since everyone (and I mean every single person in his life) told him to just talk to Bryce, but to someone going through so much change and not being very open in the first place, I understand why it was hard for him to change so drastically like that so quickly.
I absolutely loved the kids in this story. it’s so hard to capture the nuance of how kids deal with big feelings like grief, guilt, loneliness, hurt, and anger and so much more that come from early traumas, and I think their portrayals were bittersweet, tender hearted, and realistic. each of them had such sweet souls and different ways of coping with their new reality and I loved them so much (but I always love kids, in stories or real life, so this wasn’t a shocker to me lol) and Bryce is dedicated to being the best caregiver she can be, sacrificing so much to give the kids their best chance. with the help of her friends and the grandparents, she learns that it really does take a village and so many people in her life mean well and also want what’s best for the kids, but also her
overall, I really loved this story. the humor kept it light in dark places and the love was ample and never ending.
thank you for the ARC!!!

This was such a fun and cute read with witty banter and swoon-worthy moments. This is a perfect spring/summer read!

this book was found family excellence, I can't even begin to explain how much I enjoyed it. it was heartfelt, frustrating, painful and hilarious. I loved ryker and his journey with his PTSD and self love and bryce and her three nieces were everything to me and seeing ryker bond with them was beautiful. I loved all the ways he showed up and expressed his care and love. this is a must read if you love found family.
Thank you to Forever & NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book!
content warnings: PTSD and grief.

thanks to NetGalley, Forever Publishing, and the author for the advance copy of this book!

I really enjoyed the third story in this connected series about the Matthews brothers. This one knocked the other two down and became my favorite as I was reading. Maybe it was Ryker; maybe it was Bryce; maybe it was both.

I loved Bryce's and Ryker's story, both separately and together. I mean their meet-cute alone had me cracking up. This book was more than just their budding romance and focused on the battles each was facing. It was really well written and thoughtful. I thought Dylan Newton did an amazing job handling the topics in this book.

Bryce's nieces stole the show in their scenes. They were adorable. It was also nice to see the characters from the previous books and catch up with them too.

A great rom-com that does have serious topics. Definitely worth a read!

I was eagerly awaiting Ryker’s story because I absolutely loved How Sweet It Is and All Fired Up. I’m disabled as well and love any representation I can get in romance books. I’m also a sucker for a single parent fic! All that to say I could not wait to start this book, and it absolutely delivered.

Bryce is a chef who became sole guardian of her three nieces after the death of her brother and sister in law, and is fighting to prove herself worthy of the job to the girls grandparents. Ryker is a former career marine suffering from ptsd after a losing his leg in an IED explosion. Their chance meeting of chaos in a grocery aisle showed sparks and Bryce working at Ryker’s moms bakery kept these two together in this sweet romance. Unforeseen circumstances left each of them floundering for purpose after losing the profession and dream they had worked for, and this mutual understanding was such a lovely connection.

This book absolutely touched me in a way that no other has. I am recently disabled after going through traumatic cancer therapies, and the combo of c-ptsd, acclimating to a new way of life, and wanting to stay inside my apartment without having to see how happy and successful my friend were hit home so deeply. He also doesn’t think he is “worth” much to a partner because of infertility due to radiation, something I feel daily. Ryker doesn’t want to be a burden to his family, have them drop everything for him. I absolutely love reading romance, and to see the joy, love, and happy ending for someone in a very similar position to mine was incredible. This is also an amazing romance for anyone to read, I love Bryce and Ryker’s chemistry and love languages. This man is the definition of competency kink! I am head over heels for Ryker!

I absolutely adored Bryce’s nieces Addison (5), Cecily (8), June (12). Ryker is so wonderful with the girls, he is a safe calming force for them and seemingly knows what each of them needs. A man that will buy period products without being asked, swoon. Bryce knowing everything about vintage cars was definitely swoon worthy for Ryker. The girls also bring a lightness and joy to Ryker’s life that he didn’t know he wanted or needed. He even prioritized his own mental health after experiencing joy with the girls, and Bryce of course. And although it’s an overwhelming transition, Bryce absolutely loves these girls and embraces all of their grief related quirks and the hilarity that toddlers and tweens bring!

Dylan Newton is absolutely an auto-buy author for me. 5 ⭐️

Content warnings: Bryce has a below the knee prosthetic from an IED explosion during his time in Afghanistan. He details his use of prolonged exposure and cognitive processing therapy as ways to overcome ptsd. There are mentions of suicide, night terrors, and the grief of the life and career before trauma and disability. Mentions of radiation therapies for Heterotopic Ossification, the pain the bone growths cause, and infertility as a result of the treatment. Bryce deals with the grief of her brother as well as caring for his three children who are also grieving, and have found their ways of acting out because of it. Details of custody battles in the court system between Bryce and the girls grandparents to determine guardianship.

Thank you to Forever publishing and Dylan Newton, Change of Plans is out August first.

Thank you NetGallry for the advanced reader copy for my honest review.

I absolutely LOVED Change of Plans! Ryker Matthew’s is the third brother to get a book in this series. He he a retired Marine with RBF and a prosthetic leg. He meets Bryce and her 3 nieces while grocery shopping. She is trying her hardest to be a mom like creature after her brother and his wife pass away.

While getting to know Ryker and Bryce we also get to see glimpses of Drake, Zander and their better halves :). I laughed a lot throughout this book and will really miss these characters.

Do yourself a favor and read How Sweet It Is, All Fired Up and finally Change of Plans!!

Stories about "mom-like creatures" stepping up and doing their best when circumstances demand are quickly becoming some of my favorite types of romances to read and Change of plans by Dylan Newton is one of the best!

When Bryce's brother and sister-in-law die suddenly in a car crash, she moves home to take guardianship of her three nieces. Things are no where near easy though as she's constantly putting out fires, fighting their grandparent's for custody and dealing with three rambunctious, grieving girls.

Enter Ryker, the middle Matthews' brother with a hero complex who is suffering from PTSD after serving in Afghanistan and losing part of his leg to an IED. Ryker seems to be in the right place at the right time when Bryce and the girls need help and soon these two lost adults find comfort in an unexpected place.

I've been eagerly awaiting Ryker's story and it did not disappoint. He's a strong cinnamon roll and the perfect match for Bryce. I loved them together and thought the caregiver, PTSD and disability rep in this book was outstanding!

Hilarious and full of heart, I can't recommend this dual POV romance enough, especially for fans of books like Life's too short by Abby Jimenez, Next of kin by Hannah Bonam-Young or The ones we fight for by Katie Golightly (other next of kin caregiver romance books). Many thanks to NetGalley, Forever and the author for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Steam level: mild/fade to black

3.5

fun and immesserive. Newton is incredible at descriptions - I truly love the way she crafts sentences and scenes. As a reader, it felt like I was right there!

Unfortunately for me - the contents of this book gave me major anxiety?? All the antics with the girls and issues with the grandparents .... I felt myself skipping a lot of those moments. And they were important to the growth of these characters .. This is purely a subjective and personal reaction to the book so I'm sure others will be fine with it! It was just very over the top for me. But that could be just showing the realistic nature of raising 3 young girls.

Anyway , I loved Ryker. He was great. Broody men turned sweethearts for "the one"? Here for it. Bryce was harder to connect to, but again, that was just simply the cards she was dealt and they didn't work for me.

Overall, love this author, but this book plot just wasn't the greatest for me.

Romance is hit or miss for me but I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick and enticing read. I loved that there was a Man in Uniform, which is essentially why I read it! I also liked that the author addressed so many common issues like grief, PTSD, etc. I would definitely recommend this.