I thought the plot of this story was clever even though it was similar to other books and movies I've experienced recently. I liked the characters' personalities, but couldn't get over Cam's potty mouth and her one-night-stand attitude. All the other characters seemed to be more civil. This book had way more spice than I expected and I had to skip over several pages to move on with the storyline. Therefore, I will NOT be recommending this book to my audience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Cam and Ben find themselves waking up the morning after their disastrous blind date together in a picturesque, straight-out-of-a-Hallmark-movie small town, unsure how they got there or how to get back home.

This story was fast paced and kept me turning pages! Falon’s writing always sucks me right in and it flows so well! The premise of the story was cute and I really got a kick out of the secondary characters!

A couple of things I wasn’t a huge fan of was Cam’s personality at the beginning (but I ended up really enjoying her evolution from fierce businesswoman to the softer woman that recognizes the importance of deeper connections with people), and Ben’s overuse of sweetheart. This book is fairly cheesy so if that’s a turnoff for you, maybe this isn’t for you! But I would recommend this to anyone looking for an escape into a Hallmark-esque romcom with a sprinkle of magic!

Change of Heart is surround the blind date of Campbell and Ben which was less than satisfactory. I was not a huge fan of Campbell for me she was bordering on the side of head strong which was very annoying. Although, I enjoy the writing style of the books, I didn't love this one.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Well, this was interesting. I loved the characters in All I Want Is You. This one, not so much. Campbell Andrews is self centered and just rude. As her character gets developed, the reader learns why. She was raised by her grandmother, after her grandmother screwed up her own daughter, so she fled, leaving Cam with her grandmother. Her grandmother is a driven workaholic and taught her to be the same. When Cam craved approval, she only got it when she followed her grandmother's orders. Approval not love. But that is still no excuse for her rude behavior to Dr Ben Loving on their blind date, pushed by her grandmother. After a disaster of a date, the two of them wake up in a Hallmark version of Pleasantville, but in color. If they want to return home, they must complete certain tasks. First she fights it, but eventually she realizes that if she doesn't go along with the program, she will never go home. No ruby slippers in sight, she thinks she can fake it, but slowly the town and the people get to her. One thing I never figured out- why did her grandmother send her on the blind date to Two Hearts Cafe? I didn't care for Campbell's gutter mouth, but the banter was lively and the characters well developed.

I read a gifted Advanced Reader's Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley.com. This is my honest, voluntary and unbiased review.

I love Falon Ballard and couldn’t wait to pick up Change of Heart!

Change of Heart is a cute romance that sweeps you into an alternate universe. Campbell is career focused, working for the family firm, but her grandmother is set on her marrying.

I love a romance with a magical realism element and would recommend to any reader who also enjoys it. I will always be eager to pick up anything Falon Ballard writes.

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for an advance copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I absolutely love the writing of Falon Ballard! It took me a little bit to get into the story plot, but eventually I became invested in the story of Cam and Ben. I think this is going to be one that a lot of readers will be able to connect with as our culture teaches people to be invested in their jobs like Cam is. I couldn’t stop reading by the second half as I had to know if Cam was ever going to realize her worth and find a love that she deserves.

Change of Heart was a fun but heartfelt magical realism, self discovery romcom that expertly crafted the vibes of a small town Hallmark movie.

The main character, Cam, starts off pretty rough and is hard to like, but soon her layers are revealed and we begin to understand her better. Her journey is equal parts humorous and touching, and it was so rewarding to experience her transform from a fierce and unapologetic career driven woman, into someone who realizes there’s more to life than being the best at things other people chose for you.
The dates she was forced to go on in her quest to return home were amusing, and watching her form budding friendships was heartwarming, as well as her romance with Ben as it grew into something undeniable. The connections she formed as she discovered her true calling were true feelings good moments, and I loved that Ben seemed to bring out the best of her, coaxing her into who she truly was at heart.

Change of Heart is a cheerful, sweet story about second chances and happy endings that I think everyone should pick up.

Thank you so much Penguin Group Putnam for this eARC via NetGalley.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Change of Heart is a charming, witty, and heartwarming rom-com that delivers all the small-town magic, laugh-out-loud banter, and emotional depth I love in a Falon Ballard novel.

Campbell Andrews is a high-powered attorney who thrives on structure, efficiency, and avoiding love at all costs. But when she mysteriously wakes up in Heart Springs, a picture-perfect small town straight out of a Hallmark movie, she’s given an impossible task—she must complete three challenges to return to her real life, including experiencing true love. Enter Ben Loving, a kindhearted pediatric surgeon who might just make Cam rethink everything she thought she wanted.

I adored the chemistry between Cam and Ben—their banter was sharp, their connection felt authentic, and the slow-burn romance was so satisfying. Watching Cam go from rigid and career-obsessed to embracing community, friendship, and love was such a rewarding journey. The quirky townspeople and festive small-town setting added so much charm, and while some moments were predictable, the emotional payoff was well worth it.

A delightful mix of humor, heart, and a touch of magic, Change of Heart is perfect for fans of The Twelve Dates of Christmas and The Dead Romantics. Highly recommend to anyone who loves a grumpy heroine thrown into a fish-out-of-water romance!

Thank you to NetGalley and @PutnamBooks for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really liked this one! I found the premise really interesting and I read it in one sitting, I really liked the hallmark setting and the cynical FMC.

This book was full of cute, Hallmark-like characters and a strong female lead. Our main characters know exactly what they want, but maybe not what they need. Ben is the perfect male lead; he's sweet, talented, and willing to help Cam however he can. Cam is strong, determined, and maybe just a bit hard-headed. I spent much of the book trying to decide if I wanted to root for her or not, but the whole book rooting for Ben. The entire book made me fall in love with this little town and the care the characters put back into the town.

This one wasn’t for me. Falon’s books have been so hit or miss, it’s actually kind of crazy. I didn’t connect to either of these characters. Cam was rough, and I struggled even more because of the fact that I think she was supposed to portray how women like her- driven and focused on their work- are misunderstood. But Cam was mean and rude and not at all just a woman who knows what she wants but came across more as someone inconsiderate of others. Ben had no personality and to me felt more like a side character throughout the story. Overall, seriously bummed to have not liked it.

Thank you netgalley and Putnam for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Though this isn’t my favorite Falon Ballard book I’ve read, it’s tropey, romance goodness just in time for Valentine’s Day. My main issues were that I wanted to understand a little more about Ben and that the ending realization felt a little rushed. This book wasn’t quite a full 4 stars for me, but rounding down to 3 would be mean and inaccurate.

The plot is fun. The Hallmark movie world is so cutesy and well designed. It was funny and heartfelt, even if it takes more than a little time to warm up to Campbell as our heroine. But it’s really a fun book about following your heart, figuring out what you want, and what true love can be.

✨️Book Review✨️ ARC

Change of Heart
By Falon Ballard
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I have loved every single book by this author. She has a way of pulling you in, instantly and not letting you go. Change of Heart was no exception. It was so sweet and so much fun.

Read if you enjoy:

🩷 Magical Realism
🩷 Pleasantville vibes
🩷 Reverse grumpy and sunshine
🩷 He falls first
🩷 Self Love

I highly recommend this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Falon Ballard for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review 🩷

This was so fun! I read this in one sitting. This had a fun touch of magical realism. The FMC is too busy and focused on work for love, and when a waitress witnesses her blowing off her date, she wakes up in this magical idyllic small town straight out of a hallmark movie--and the guy from the date lives next store. She needs to "find what she cares about" and works 3 different jobs and is set up on different dates. Meanwhile her neighbor also has his own tasks to complete until they are both allowed to go back to the real world.

I read this so fast I'm a little fuzzy on the details but I really liked her career journey and I liked the semi-slow burn of the romance

3 ⭐️

This was cute, with lots of small-town Hallmark movie vibes. I liked our MMC, Ben, but I also felt that his character was very surface-level. I was waiting to see the growth of our FMC, Cam, but sadly, I feel like I only got to see the start of it, and she still had plenty of room to grow. A huge part of her story is her relationship with her family, so it was a bit of a letdown to only have a brief explanation of what happens between them in the epilogue. I see the potential for this story, but sadly, I think it fell flat for me.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC 💓

I really enjoyed this book! Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read it ahead of pub date! This book immediately sucked me in right on page 1. It also gave me a combo of Pleasantville, Wanda Vision, & Spirited vibes. Romcom with magical realism..yes please! I found myself laughing out loud quite often (the female main character really is grumpy/snarky for part of this story). While she wasn't my favorite character ever, I was still rooting for her! And she definitely does experience personal growth by the end of the novel. I absolutely loved Ben, the main male character...minus the overuse of the word "sweetheart".

This was a "feel-good", grumpy/sunshine, friends to lovers romance that I would for sure recommend, especially during February, as it's the month of LOVE. It made me cry toward the end too, and when that happens, a book automatically gets a high rating!

If someone prefers to keep the door closed on this one, they totally can. The few spicy scenes were easy enough to skip over.

This was a cute read that required of bit of suspended belief to enjoy.
It was nice to see the personal evolution of Cam contrasted in such a magical place.

Thank you NetGalley & G.P. Putnam's Sons for this arc!

4 ⭐️

This had absolutely everything I love in romance/cheesy books.

We have a grumpy FMC, Campbell, that doesn’t care about nothing but her job.

When she meets our sunshine MMC, Ben, on a blind date, she dismisses him without even trying to get to know him.

But everything changes when they get stuck on a small town that’s pure magic and they won’t get to go home until Cam completes 3 tasks, the hardest one being that she needed to experience true love.

What?!?! I mean, this scream Hallmark movie and I ate it up.

We get to follow her on this self discovery journey, where she finds true purpose, joy and love. But don’t be fooled, experiencing true love can go way beyond having someone.

If you like:
Small, magical town/elements
Opposites attracts
Grumpy FMC x Sunshine MMC

This book is for you!!

The premise of this story was at first very comical and outrageously fun. I personally love hallmark movies and over the top rom coms. I have also enjoyed two other books by this author. But at about the 50% the story started to feel very repetitive. I think because each day felt very much like the same day over and over again. Our character was frustrated with being in this loop and so was I as the reader. To add to that the chemistry between her and Ben up to that point felt non-existent. We are told that he feels like her first and only true friend but I don't feel or see a friendship. There wasn't romance in this story at this point and the story was no longer funny. Once their first kiss happens about 70% in I was still unsure why these two were "meant to be". I felt like I had seen glimpses of their connection during their dance scene and wanted more of that! Everything that happened after this point felt predictable. I don't think Mimi's scheme is meant to be a surprise to the reader so it was a bit of an anticlimactic ending. Overall this book was fun and sweet but a few more scenes of true connection in the 1/2 would have made it really solid. I also wish we would've gotten more from our FMC & MMC. If she is a crazy career woman she didn't really seem like it to me with how chill she was with being stuck away from work. And if he had growth of his own to go through, I again, feel like we witnessed none of that. Thanks Netgalley and Putnam Books for this e-arc!

This book is a perfect combination of Pleasantville, Schimgadoon, and a Hallmark Movie! This book had me laughing and crying along with the main characters.

I absolutely loved the journey of self discovery that Campbell goes on while trying to navigate this perfect town that she wakes up! I also loved that Cam's failed date from the night before has also ended up in this oddly perfect town with her. This book mainly focuses on Campbell's journey to find her own place in the world but I also loved that Ben also goes on his own journey along with Cam.

While I definitely loved this book I did feel like the story started to drag a little towards the end but that ending was perfectly written!