3.5 rounded to a 4

Campbell's whole life resolves around her work as a lawyer and consistently chooses her career over love. On her blind date with Ben, she makes it clear that she doesn't really believe in love and dismisses him. The next day, she wakes up in Heart Springs, a quintessential small town that's cheery and where everybody knows each other - really the opposite of Campbell's personality. And Ben, for some reason, appears to have been transported as well. Campbell is given 3 tasks to complete to return home/reality, one of them being to find true love. As someone who doesn't believe in love, Campbell is forced to challenge herself in more ways than one and along the way, discovers the unexpected.

I like Falon Ballard's books, but this one was just ok for me. Campbell's character was relatable but also a little rude, especially in the beginning to Ben. Despite that, she does have a good heart. I wish Ben's character was explored more so that we got more of why he has trouble trusting others/finding love. He was sweet and clearly wanted to find his partner in life. It was kind of cringey for me when he calls Campbell "Sweetheart" out of nowhere, but I was still rooting for both of them and I loved seeing Cam's character development through the book. I've found that I really like magical realism books and overall, this book hits that spot. I always like to see how the characters go back to reality and what it means for their relationship.

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam and NetGalley for the ARC!

3.5/5

Synopsis: A ball busting NYC lawyer wakes up in a Hallmark-like quaint town. To get home she must find something she is passionate about and experience true love.
Pros/cons: Guys I’m sorry, this book doesn’t come out until February 🙈 but I was so excited to get the arc from NetGalley I couldn’t wait.
Falon Ballard always writes stories with super cute plots, this was no different! However, her books always seem to miss the mark for me somewhere. While I enjoyed this storyline the characters were a bit cheesy/cringey. The female lead drops way too many F Bombs and the male- well, we know basically nothing about him except for he calls the female “sweetheart” the ENTIRE book and it was nauseating, truly. Don’t get me started on the second scenes. Bleh!
So, mixed emotions. Worth a read but cringey all the same.

This was the BEST book I've read all year.
Nope - wait.
I meant ever. It's sooo-o good!
First, Cam's personality is on fire right from the first page and it comes across as mildly annoying but you still love her for it. And then there's Ben who is just a happy go lucky kinda go with the flow guy. He wasn't a wimpy beta boyfriend but also didn't have to be a douchebag alpha male to get you to like him.
Second, loved the concept of this book. I've been looking for something like Irish Wish for a while now and this did not disappoint.
Seeing Cam try out all different jobs was fun and I was totally jealous of the perfect hair and makeup every morning.
Falon Ballard is my new favorite romance author!

I’m a huge fan of Falon Ballard. I’ve read all her works and loved each one. This is a good story, but it wasn’t my favorite.

This story follows Cam, a workaholic lawyer who is a bit (or a lot) rude. She goes on a blind date with a pediatric surgeon Ben and completely ignores him the whole night. The next morning Cam and Ben wake up in a magical town and are given a list of tasks to accomplish in order to get home. Will they be able to complete their lists or will they be stuck in the pastel-colored town of Heart Springs forever?

I’m typically a huge fan of magical realism, but this one was harder to fall into. The whole point of magical realism is to understand what is happening is impossible but you believe it and don’t question it anyway. This story it just happened too fast and was hard to accept.

Ben was a likable character but he felt a bit flat. I think the book would have benefited from a couple chapters from his POV. The only time I didn’t like him was when he made fun of Cam in character 5.

Cam was just an ok character. Yes she is rude, but I also think she may just be very direct and to the point. I am sort of like that too (but I’m also a people pleaser so…). I was rooting for her to get a HEA.

Overall this is a good book. It has Ashley Poston and Sarah Ready vibes. I appreciate Ballard venturing out to try something new. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.

*An ARC was provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Ballard’s mastery of the slow-burn romance is on full display here, with a story that brims with tension and charm. Their gradual, heartwarming journey from sorta friends to lovers kept me captivated and rooting for them every step of the way. The whimsical plot adds a fun, enchanting twist, making each page a joy to read. I was completely swept up in their story, and their chemistry made me fall in love with every moment.

Oh my goodness, I am utterly enchanted! This book had me completely spellbound from start to finish. The reverse grumpy sunshine dynamic was a refreshing twist, and the magical realism added such a whimsical touch. The slow burn romance was sheer perfection, building delicious tension that kept me on the edge of my seat. I laughed, I sighed, and my heart soared. This story was pure magic, and I loved every single second of it.

thanks so so much for the arc! another cute read by falon ballard - definitely a cozy romcom that has you rooting for the FMC throughout. you might have to suspend reality for this one (are there no I-9's in Heart Springs?? where cam's money coming from???) overall, i definitely enjoyed this book, the couple, and the premise. looking forward to ballard's next!

A sweet romance just like the Hallmark movies. I devoured this in a day and would highly recommend!

Are you a work a holic looking for love? See what happens to the one in Change of Heart! This was a fun romcom.