Rating: 2.75 (rounding up to 3) ⭐️

Oh man I so wanted to love this book but it fell flat for me. I wish we had more robust and depth to these characters (especially the side characters) and at times I just had an odd feeling in regards to the alternate universe aspect of the story. I think the premise is a great and can easily see this story being adapted for a movie.

Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam for allowing me to read an advanced complimentary copy of the book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I knew I had to request this book, I have really enjoyed all books that I have read by this author. This one kind of fell short for me, and probably my least favorite of hers. I felt kind of bored and underwhelmed. It was highly predictable on what would happen in the end so I found myself actually skimming to get through it. If you are looking for an easy read that’s light and you can get through quick, this is your book. I am still going to look forward to more books by this author!

Falon Ballard is an auto buy author for me! I’ve loved most of her books, but Change of Heart falls under the “meh” for me category as did Right on Cue. I loved her foray into magical realism (a la A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston) but the execution left something to be desired for me. Campbell was such an unlikable FMC and even though she had a character arc of growth, I didn’t find it believable and wish I had been reading Ben’s POV (Dr. Ben Loving you did nothing wrong and frankly deserved better). The concept was fun, predictable but satisfying. But Cam just came across as way too bitchy in the beginning and I couldn’t stand her throughout.

If you’re a Falon fan like me, I’d still recommend reading it - even knowing it’s a middle of the ground book. I’m hoping her next book (romantasy) hits the mark more for me!

ARC Review: Change of Heart by Falon Ballard ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the opportunity to read this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Campbell Andrews has no time for romance. Cam is a hot, young successful lawyer, set to inherit her grandmother’s high profile legal firm, what more could she need? After intentionally tanking a blind date set up by her grandmother, Cam finds herself trapped in a charming town called Heart Springs, essentially the setting of a Hallmark movie. Her botched blind date, Dr. Ben Loving is also trapped with her and they must come together to figure out how to get home.

This one was a bit of a rollercoaster for me. Initially I found Heart Springs and its cliched cast of characters a bit on the nose. The message being shoved at the reader screamed “single career woman must find love and a simpler career to be truly happy.” Thankfully this changed into a self discovery type narrative as we got to know how Cam’s opinions on life and love have been influenced by her family. The back 2/3 of the story was much stronger than the start, and I really enjoyed Cam’s interactions with the townspeople and her discovery of how to put her passion and skill to use in a more fulfilling way. I feel like Cam and Ben’s dynamic was promising and swoon-worthy but I wish they’d gotten to grow together on the page more so we could love them as much as they loved each other by the end. Something that I love about Falon Ballard’s writing style is that she can always tug on my emotions and make me feel everything the FMC is going through.

Change of Heart will be published February 11th 2025!

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ½

I will start off by saying that I’ve read 2 of Falon Ballard’s novels and loved them both! But I’ll be honest, this one did not start out well. The FMC was so unlikable for almost half of the book. I get it, Cam was goal-oriented and her job was her priority, but to act like that on a date was incredibly harsh. She did grow on me eventually once she genuinely started to make friends and care about the town of Heart Springs.

I enjoyed Ben’s character for the most part. He was sweet and just wanted what was best for Cam. But my goodness, the amount of times he called her sweetheart just made me cringe. I’ve never liked that term of endearment though so that’s probably just a “me” problem.

The magical realism in this book was cute. If only we could wake up every morning with our hair and makeup done and a closet full of outfits already planned out. The town of Heart Springs reminded me of the town in the show WandaVision.

Overall, this was a cute book but just not my favorite. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

A delightful, swoony magical rom-com that felt like a warm hug from the best parts of the Hallmark channel! I loved it! Thank you to Netgalley for the arc.

This book felt like a combination of Schmigadoon! and the Hallmark Channel. As Campbell finds herself stuck in an alternate reality of pastels, small town vibes, and romance tropes with her disastrous blind date form the night before, she begins to understand herself in a better way. I appreciate the way Campbell not only finds romantic love but also friendship and self-love, which proves to be life-changing.

After seeing reviews from trusted friends, I know that this book is not going to be for me. I briefly started but decided to DNF.

Campbell definitely hates love stories (at least that's what this entire book is based on) and then she goes on yet another blind date - with Dr. Loving himself (no really). She chooses to be seriously so rude - but then somehow finds her way in a Hallmark meets Stars Hallow world where she must complete three tasks in order to come home. Oh and did I mention Dr. Loving is there too?

One of those tasks is to find true love, will she find it? Or will she be stuck there forever?

Anything seems possible in this small town with a Change of Heart. Will Cam find hers?

Thank you NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons Publishing for my ARC!

This was a cute magical romance. I loved the juxtaposition of Cam's potty mouth in the Hallmark-esque world they end up in. She definitely had me laughing out loud so many times! She is so fierce and I loved how fiery she was, but I also enjoyed her journey from ruthless lawyer to using her powers for good. Ben was so sweet, but also not intimidated by Cam. I thought he was a great match up for her and they played off of each other well. The meddling matchmaker Mimi was also fun and the side characters added to the small town charm.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. This was adorable. Big city girl hates love and only cares about her career. Until she gets send to a small town that is straight out of a Hallmark movie. She has to learn to fall in love before she can go back to her "normal" life.

Change of Heart by Falon Ballard
Rating: 4 stars
Pub date: 2/11

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Putnam Books for my advanced copy!

If you love Hallmark movies but wish they had a little more sass, this book is the perfect read. This rom-com has a fun magical twist, plenty of humor, and a stubborn heroine who wants nothing to do with love.

Campbell Andrews is a total workaholic—no time for nonsense and definitely no time for romance. So when she suddenly wakes up in Heart Springs, a town straight out of a feel-good movie, she’s not having it. The only way home? Complete three tasks, one of which is finding true love. Lucky for her, Ben, the blind date she was horrible to the night before, is also stuck and willing to help.

Cam is a fun character. She’s sarcastic, independent, and brutally honest. She starts off as rude, and watching her struggle in this overly cheerful town is hilarious. Her journey to understanding love (especially self-love) is well done. Ben was my least favorite character. He’s nice, but his “sweetheart” vibe didn’t match Cam’s sharp edges for me.

The writing is fun, though a bit choppy in places, and there’s a decent amount of strong language and open-door romance. If you’re into magical small-town rom-coms with some spice, this one’s definitely worth picking up.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

If you love a good hallmark-ish small town story with a little spice and a touch of magical realism, this one is for you.

Cam has found herself in the small town of Heart Springs after she unceremoniously ended yet another blind date she’s been set up on. Only, things aren’t quite as they seem. She awoken in a home that’s not her own, clothes she’s never worn, hair and makeup done, and a new neighbor who happens to be her blind date, Ben, from the night before. Trapped in what is her nightmare of a small town, she’s been tasked for several things she must complete before she can leave and go back to her real life, one being to experience true love. Between the tasks she unwillingly is forced to complete and the sweet tension between her and Ben, this is the perfect little quick romantic read.

Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam and Falon Ballard for allowing me to read an advanced complimentary copy of the book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Change of Heart by Falon Ballard is a contemporary romance filled with so many twists and turns that I doubted Cam would ever find true love.

Set in Manhattan and also a small town called Heart Springs, the two locations couldn’t be more different, and neither could some of Cam’s actions. Is Heart Springs a figment of her imagination since no place could be so kind and stress-free?

Cam is a high-powered attorney in her family‘s law firm and does nothing but work. The firm represents clients who buy up small companies, and after being in Heart Springs, she feels she’s no longer fulfilled. Her date with Ben, a pediatric oncologist, ends before it begins since she focuses solely on her career. When Ben shows up in Heart Springs, living in the house next door, what is really happening? The premise is totally unexpected, but Cam is searching deeply for what she really wants out of life.

The story has a good flow, and several friendly people Cam and Ben both get to know, but the story is definitely centered on Cam. Heart Springs has friendly people who embrace her and want Cam to find herself, but when she does, will she be able to live her life the way she always has? When she and Ben realize that they want a relationship and love each other, what does it mean since they’re not in their high-pressure world?

There were a lot of surreal moments, and it’s hard to know what’s real and what’s not, but for all of it, Ben is by her side. But does she deserve him, and can she change her life for the better when all is said and done? There is closure and a chance for a happily ever after, especially with the epilogue that takes place eighteen months later, and it was the icing on the cake. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

Change of Heart is a contemporary romance, unlike others I’ve read. I enjoyed the story as Cam finds herself and realizes what’s important in her life. Maybe you’ll look at your life a little differently, too.

The review is posted on NovelsAlive.

Change of Heart by Falon Ballard

“you definitely don’t want to mess with me before I’ve had my morning peppermint mocha”

I want to start by saying that I love Falon Ballard and I have thoroughly enjoyed each and every one of her books. So while this one was not my favorite, there were things that I liked and I can’t wait to see what she writes next!!

Campbell Andrews is a no-nonsense, goal oriented career woman who has no time for love. So when she wakes up in a magical town full of festivals, goofy town folk and other nightmarish scenes reminiscent of a Hallmark movie, Cam needs to figure out how to return to her real life before she loses her mind. Fortunately she learns that all it will take is for her to fulfill three tasks and… of course find true love.

The town of Heart Springs was just cheesy enough to be adorable and I enjoyed Cam’s journey of self discovery. The writing is fun and fast paced but I do wish that it had been written with a dual pov because I didn’t feel like we got enough of Ben’s story. As a result, I felt that Cam and Ben’s relationship didn’t have as much build up as I would have liked. I don’t usually enjoy insta-love stories and this came a little too close to that for my liking.

I am also a big fan of books with magical realism but I think that it is a genre that can be tricky if it’s not done well. Unfortunately some of the magical elements felt a little off to me at times. The other major drawback for me was the overuse of the term “sweetheart” throughout the book. Ben called Cam sweetheart all-the-time. (68 times to be exact because I went back and counted). He said it when he was being sweet, when he was being sarcastic, when he was being funny, and when he was trying to get under her skin. And while I will admit that nicknames are rarely my thing, I think everyone would agree that 68 times is just waaay too many!

If you are a fan of insta-love and open to magical realism then I would say to give this one a chance. I can’t wait to hear what you think!

Read if you like

Magical Realism
Self Discovery
Open Door Spice
Small Town Vibe

I’m a huge Falon Ballard fan, so thank you to netgalley and G.P Putnam’s and Sons for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.
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Change of Heart follows Cam and Ben. Cam, a high powered workaholic attorney, and Ben a pediatric cardiologist. They have a disastrous first date where Cam basically tells Ben she has no time for love.
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💕small town Hallmark vibes
💕magical realism
💕funny moments
💕fun side characters
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I liked Cam’s character development and the story itself was funny and whimsical.
What I was missing was more backstory on Ben. I felt like I didn’t know him very well. And his term of endearment was way over used in my opinion. 🤪

I need to say this up front: this book does not read like a romance. It very much seems like a women’s fiction with a romantic subplot. With that being said, Falon Ballard delivered a charming, introspective story with some magical realism sprinkled in. This is going to sound like a Hallmark movie plot, but it has more heart (and steam) than one.

Campbell, a power attorney complete with signature blunt bob, is set up on a blind date by her grandmother. She meets Ben, a pediatric surgeon, for dinner and then completely blows him off. Our resident magical waitress, Mimi, leaves a cryptic message on their check. The next morning, Cam wakes up in an idyllic room, in an idyllic town, with Ben as her neighbor.

Here’s where I feel like the story leans away from Romance and leans into Women’s Fiction: Ben felt like a supporting device for Cam’s self-realization journey. We get a lot more time with Emma, the owner of the bakery, than we do Ben.

*This ARC was provided by Putnam Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

This book was screaming Pleasantville vibes and I was here for it. Following Cam as she finds herself in this hallmark channel small town, she just wants to go home, back to her law firm, but she can’t leave until she falls in love. All the trials that are thrown at her, you see her growth as a person. And Ben is the sweetest MMC, he calls her Sweetheart from the get go, of course as sarcasm in the beginning, but I loved it!!

A no-nonsense lawyer magically transported to a Hallmark-style small town? Sounds like the perfect setup for a fun, magical rom-com! And while this book had its cute moments, it didn’t fully win me over.

Cam was brash, sarcastic, and completely out of touch with small-town charm. I really wanted to see more growth from her, and while she eventually started to soften, it took a while to get there. And Ben? Meant to be the swoony small-town hero, but his constant use of sweetheart made me cringe more than melt. 😬 Still, the town’s quirkiness, heartwarming friendships, and a sprinkle of magical realism kept things entertaining.

Speaking of magic—Cam wakes up every day with perfect hair and her house literallycreates new rooms for her as needed?! I need this kind of life upgrade immediately. ✨ The grumpy/sunshine trope was fun, and while the romance felt a little rushed, I did love the humor, sarcasm, and heartwarming moments scattered throughout.

Overall, this was a charming, light read with a cozy small-town vibe, but I didn’t fully connect with the characters or the romance. If you love Hallmark-style stories with a twist of magic, this might be your perfect escape!

A fun and interesting take on the blind date and love. Who hasn’t been on a beyond bad blind date or heard from a friend about theirs? For Ben, his date with Campbell is just that. She isn’t just workaholic, striving to make partner at her law firm, but this quest has caused her to lose and all sense of civility, decency or any sense of just not being a horrible human being who thinks love is a waste of time. She goes on a blind date with Ben only to appease her grandmother. Um, at what point is that anything other than ugh. Then she treats Ben with such disdain I was impressed he tried to make it through the meal before leaving. They go their separate ways and then the next morning, whoa! Cam is now living in her own personal version of The Hallmark Channel hell. There are a few tasks she must complete in order to return to her life, but it is not only about can she, but more to the point is she willing to try to complete them? It was a middle of the road read for me. Ben was pretty terrific, but there wasn’t a whole lot of him and by the time Cam wasn’t a hateful excuse of a human being I wanted Ben to run. Run fast and far. He is way too good for her. For me, it took way too long for Cam to become a real human being to love the story and there was no chemistry between them. The concept is adorable and fun, but the reality of the story, just okay for me.