Change of Plans was so touching and heartwarming. Ryker's journey with PTSD was really well written, and Bryce and her nieces brought such joy to this book.

I did not finish this one, it was not for me, I couldn't relate to the characters, and just did not care for the story.

Found Family is one of my favorite tropes, and I loved how this book brought it all together. We’re introduced to Bryce, a chef who becomes the guardian of her three nieces after her brother's death, and Ryker, a disabled former marine currently struggling with PTSD and integrating back into the world. I absolutely loved the way that Ryder was silently there, supporting and providing necessary relief from Bryce’s daily struggles. I enjoyed seeing Ryker’s and Bryce’s developing relationship, as well as how the girls and taking care of them played a role in Bryce’s grief and imposter syndrome. Ryker’s relationships with the girls were also very cute, and I loved how that was a central part of the story.

Thank you, Netgalley and Forever Grand Central Publishing, for this ARC.

Thank you to Forever Publishing for my review copy. After reading the first two books in the series about the Matthew's brothers, I knew I wanted to read this one as well. Dylan's books are always heartwarming reads and I really enjoyed this one as well. While it is not my favourite of the three, I thought it was really sweet.

What I liked:
- the main characters were great. Bryce was a really strong female lead. I loved her love for her nieces and the way she stepped up without question as their guardian after the death of their parents. Ryker was great as well and I love the way he came out of his shell as the story went on.
- the topics of mental health, ptsd, time in the military and guardianship were all handled well.
- steam was good, but more on the mild side.
- service dog!

Topics in the story include:
- time served in the military
- mental health representation
- disability representation (loss of limb)
- ptsd
- legal guardianship after parent death

Overall, a really good read! Definitely pick this up, especially if you've read and loved the first two books!

In a Nutshell: A romcom where I enjoyed a lot of the ‘rom’ and disliked a lot of the supposed ‘com’. USP: a male protagonist with a prosthetic leg and PTSD, thanks to his days as a marine. Worth a read especially for this factor.

Story Synopsis:
After her brother and sister-in-law lose their lives in an accident, Bryce Weatherford is given guardianship of her three nieces: June (11), Cecily (8), and Addie (5). As a chef, the only mess Bryce knows how to handle is the one in her kitchen. But to fulfil her brother’s last wish, she knows she will do whatever it takes to sort out teenage June’s moody grumpiness, Cecily’s determination to not have a bath, and Addie’s refusal to take off her fairy wings. Handling all this along with her job at PattyCakes, she has no time for anything else, least of all romance.
Enter Ryker Matthews, a disabled ex-marine, who is focussed on his car restoration business while keeping himself locked away from displaying any kind of emotion so as to not worry his family. But he knows that his PTSD is getting worse.
When Bryce and Ryker bump into each other at the supermarket… Ah well, you can guess the rest.
The story comes to us through the limited third-person perspectives of Bryce and Ryker.

This is the final book of the ‘Matthews Brothers’ series. I haven’t read the first two books, but each book contains one brother’s love story. As such, the books can be read as standalone, except that you will get a few spoilers in the later books about the earlier couples.


Bookish Yays:
❤ I liked the two main characters. Their inner strength and courage is visible almost throughout the book. More than their almost-instant sparks, I enjoyed their banter, especially the way they exchanged dirty jokes when the kids weren’t around. They were cute as a pair!
❤ Rarely do romcoms give the male character a voice, so I loved to see the narration balanced between Bryce and Ryker. Seeing the male perspective in romance is a nice experience, especially when the MC is also struggling with his issues.
❤ I am the kind who doesn’t go awww at romantic scenes but at cute kids. And this book gave me three kiddos to gush over. Cecily, Addie, and baby Lisi were adorable! (Except during certain unhygienic accidents.)
❤ Through Ryker’s perspective, the story covers the important issue of how PTSD can trouble marines, to the extent that it can impair even daily functioning. I loved how genuine this portrayal felt. The author’s note reveals the extent of her research in order to depict this correctly. Kudos!
❤ One specialty of this romance novel is its choice of having an amputee as the MMC. (How I wish the cover had highlighted the prosthetic leg better!) Ryker’s disability gives us a glimpse of his struggles with his missing leg, whether through phantom pains or because of HO (heterotopic ossification). There are also details about his prosthetic, and about his getting a service dog through PAWS. Rarely does a portrayal of a disabled person feel so authentic in this light-hearted genre.
❤ On that note, the story has a wonderfully sweet service dog, though in a limited role. Every such dog deserves a separate capitalised YAY!
❤ The ending is as expected, happy without going much over the top. It redeemed my rating to a certain extent.

Bookish “Nay-For-Me-Possible-Yay-For-Others”:
📌 I’m not a fan of steamy romances. I prefer reading about a connection of the mind than of the body. The steam level in this book, though not a 5 on the spice meter, was still too much for me. I also don’t like books where the characters view each other mainly through the physical lens. A couple of mentions of anatomical attraction is probably fine, but to keep referring to it feels too shallow.
(On the anatomical note, do large-chested women seriously refer to or ponder about their bra size every time they are donning a bra? I didn’t get Bryce’s repeated reference to her DD cups. Yes, she has large breasts. We get it. Move on!
PS: I had honestly assumed that the author is a male, considering the extensive focus on breasts. Whoops!)

Bookish Nays:
💔 I disliked the portrayal of the eldest child. June is supposed to be eleven, so I get why she was sketched with some teenage (tweenage?) angst. But her character development isn’t consistent, and her behaviour seems to swing abruptly between positive to negative, sometimes within the same scene. I’d have preferred a more realistic depiction.
💔 I’m equally dissatisfied with the sketching of the grandparents. They were so ridiculously stereotypical in their ‘Grandparents have the priority’ attitude. I get that the book needed some conflict, but doing it through hackneyed characters in roles that no longer suit this millennium is passé.
💔 Honestly, the author is really good at crafting emotional scenes, humorous interactions, and heartfelt romance. I have no idea why she felt the need to add OTT fiasco situations in the story. There’s hardly any scene with the kids where there is no disaster. The mid-book puke scene was the most ridiculous. (And that’s not the only puke scene in the story!) Who the heck wants to read an extended vomit scene in between a romance? Not I, for sure.
💔 The story goes way overboard with the miscommunication trope. And it’s not just miscommunication on the lines of characters not revealing the complete truth. But every time a character is on the verge of confessing something serious, there’s an interruption, and the other character totally forgets that they are having a meaningful conversation and moves onto some other topic. It was so repetitive!


All in all, this is a story that has a lot to offer. With loveable characters, great themes, and a great meet-cute-turns-steamy, it would have been the perfect contemporary romance book. Unfortunately, it tries too hard to be funny with the OTT situations, which is really sad as the story had enough substance and didn’t need to resort to cheap attention-grabbing tactics.
Of course, this could just be my personal bugbear. I’m not a regular reader of this genre, so I have no ides what’s *in*. Maybe cheesy or cringey scenes add to the OMG effect of such books for other readers. If you are one of those, I am strongly recommending this read to you.
To those who are more like me in your romance-reading preferences: if you can grit your teeth and make it through the steamy scenes and the puke overload, you might like this one for its disability and PTSD rep, and for the DOG and the KIDDOS! So yeah, still recommended to you, but be prepared to roll your eyes many times.
3.5 stars. (Rounding up because I did love the essence of the story, and it’s not the book’s fault that I prefer slow-burn romances that are clean in terms of open-door scenes as well as hygiene.)
My thanks to Forever, Grand Central Publishing, and NetGalley for the DRC of “Change of Plans”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

I absoloutely loved All Fired Up so I was stoked to learn there would be another book in the Matthews Bothers series! This book has a MMC with an amputated part of his leg and I thought the author did a fantastic job writing his story. I loved the three little girls' antics and how they all came together to be a little family. My heart couldn't take all the cuteness!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read an advanced copy.

This was a new author for me and I really enjoyed this romance. Newton had me from the first chapter with a laugh out loud meet-cute between Bryce and Ryker. This was a sweet story while also dealing with sensitive topics such as the death of Bryce's brother and sister-in-law and her stepping up to care for her three young nieces and Ryker's PTSD from his time in the Marines.

Bryce and Ryker's story gave me all the feels. They found each other at what seemed like their worst but it was exactly what they needed.

Ryker is struggling with PTSD after having a below the knee amputation and Bryce is feeling like a failure after gaining guardianship of her nieces, after her brother and sister-in-laws death.

Their instant attraction is so sweet and their chemistry is great and sexy. Ryker was there for Bryce is the most simple and sweetest ways. This is such a feel good, heartwarming story, while also dealing with loss, grieving, and a <u> CHANGE OF PLANS </u>. Seeing them both open up and open their hearts for love was amazing.

Overall, Change of Plans is a romantic comedy, with swooning, miscommunications, and communication issues in general, so beware! It was still a great book if you don't mind those!

Thanks to Dylan Newton, Netgalley and Forever for an early copy.

Change of Plans was so cute. I didn't know this was part of a series until the end, but I am interested in reading the others in it. Loved the daughters and I loved Bryce's chracter!

I enjoyed this book so much! I didn’t realize that it was a third book in a series! So, now I will be going back to read the other two.
And Kudos, when there are children involved, I’m usually out automatically! But, the children characters were not unbearable!

Dylan Newton's Change of Plans is the sweet story of up and coming chef, Bryce, whose life is turned upside down when she is given guardianship of her three nieces after a tragic accident takes their parents. As she changes her life's plans and tries to raise her nieces, wounded veteran Ryker finds himself there to help along the way.

This novel, like Newton's previous two, was very sweet and romantic. The characters were wonderful. Bryce was a hugely loving woman who, while sometimes plagued by self-doubt, managed to find a way to let her love shine through. Ryker was a great hero. Tough on the outside and nothing but cinnamon roll goodness on the inside, this man who is burdened by so much finds a way to hope for more when he meets Bryce and her nieces. These two characters were so easy to root for and I loved reading their story.

The side characters were great, even if you weren't already familiar with them from the other novels, but it was really Bryce's nieces that were the stars of the novel with all the hijinks they would get up to. This is another great, emotional read from Dylan Newton and I highly recommend it to readers of romance.

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

Dylan Newton is one of my new favorite authors. The book Change of Plans is very enjoyable to read. The characters are so much fun to read. Happy Reading!

**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**

As someone who took a child in without notice, I felt sympathetic to Bryce. I could understand how she might be feeling. I can envision how complicated and traumatic the entire experience would have been. I also giggled at the idea of meeting "the one" at the grocery store. I think sometimes, life needs a shake up. Bryce has certainly gotten that.

I loved reading this! It was beautiful.

This is the third and final book in the Mathews Brothers series. It was a really sweet story. One of the things I love most about reading romance books is that you know there will be a happily ever after at the end. I found myself rooting for Ryker and Bryce the whole time. The miscommunication was heavy in this story, but it didn’t take away from my love for these beautifully broken characters.

If you love romance, books with mental health rep, and second chances then I recommend you read this book!

5 stars

I had lots of fun reading this one! It's somewhere up with my favourite reads of the year (and that's saying something because I've read over 150 books so far)

I'm starting with Cecily, Addison and June aka Bryce's nieces whom I adored. Their grieving process and attitude felt really authentic and reasonable. Being a teen isn't all that fun, and I loved Dylan's depiction of all that chaos!

Bryce and Ryker were amazing MCs and I just loved their sizzling chemistry. I was rooting for them to get together from their first interaction. And the dual POVs were perfection! It was super cute to see what Bryce thought of Ryker and vice versa.

There's some great representation of PTSD and disability from Ryker's side of that's something that interests you, though I can't really judge how true it is.

This is a total HEA novel which makes your heart melt. A ten on ten recommendation from me, please do read!

I really enjoyed this fun romance. It was like a step inside a relationship that was familiar and warm and gut wrenching.

Change of Plans is the third installment in the Matthews Brothers series and I have to say my favorite of them all. Ryker is complex but it was nice to see him overcome hurdles, heal, and find love. Bryce's story is a sad one and is full of hardships & tough moments but it also felt like one of hope and persevering too. I love the mental health representation and also the military/disabled vet storyline. This story would be perfect for fans of Trish Doller or Abby Jimenez. Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. 4.5 stars.

I REALLY enjoyed the latest from Dylan Newton (this book is the 3rd in her series but works great as a stand-alone too)! If you’re looking for a sweet and heartfelt romcom for the end of summer, this one is great! *includes single-parenting and disability rep!

One of the most difficult tasks for parents is to figure out who to give guardianship to if something should happen to you, hoping you never have to find out if it was the right decision. That decision is the central focus of this novel and how it changes Bryce’s life – the balance of work and parenting, moving to a new state and finding a new job, and fending off others who feel they would do a better job. That’s a lot to take on. Add in to that the romance aspect and Dylan Newton does a wonderful job of making you feel the anxiety and chaos that Bryce is faced with. Then there’s the PTSD felt by Ryker, and how he navigates his new normal. There was so much going on in this story and it was all presented well. This is my favorite of the series (although I have not read the second one; it’s on my list). Not the lightest read but it has wonderful characters and a heartwarming ending.

Ryker and Bryce’s story in Change of Plans by Dylan Newton, had me shaking my head and laughing from the start. Each page only added to the hilarity, and I couldn't help but be impressed once again by Newton's sense of humor and cleverness. Change of Plans is a light-hearted, quick-witted read that handles serious topics with heart and compassion.

Unexpectedly gaining guardianship of her three nieces, June, Cecily, and Addison, chef Bryce is out of her comfort zone and hanging on by a thread. The chaos she was thrown into and handling her grieving nieces was dealt using humor and delicacy. June, Cecily, and Addison showed their grief differently, and how they processed things were subtle as well as honest. They were cute, funny, and petulant like all children.

Ryker, a Marine vet who suffers from PTSD and is an amputee, spends his time restoring vintage vehicles. He offers kindness and understanding to Bryce and her nieces; always there for Bryce and Bryce is equally there for Ryker. The compassion she shows towards him, especially in his raw, vulnerable moments was admirable. It was super heartwarming to watch these two lower their guards, work through the challenges life threw at and together they make it out better; finding room for love. With both their lives completely derailed, this title couldn't be more fitting: a change of plans, indeed. I highly recommend Change of Plans to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.