This was a cute read if you like a little mix of magic and Hallmark. The little Hallm rk Town was cute and reminded me a little of Gilmore Girls too due to the town's busy bodies.

I liked how the book focused on helping Cam become a better person in a few areas of her life but the alternate universe that was basically a Hallmark set was more magic than I prefer and made it hard for me to connect.

I absolutely loved Ben. His loyalty and devotion was amazing and his close physical proximity always added some fun.

If you like books with magic this will probably be a much higher rating for you.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. This is my honest review.

I love Falon Ballard. She might be my favorite romance author. And I was so excited to have been approved for an ARC of this book.

Our FMC, Cam, is really hard to like. She’s abrasive, selfish, and at times rude. Our MMC, Ben, is very much a golden retriever. Because of these two personalities, it was hard to really get into this book due to Cam’s harshness, and Ben just being there not really showing his personality. About the 50% mark we start to see some of the more marshmallow of Cam and that’s where I really got into this book. And while Ben was fine, I don’t feel like we saw a lot of growth or even development of him so it was hard for me to feel connected to them.

All that being said, I would definitely read this again. Once you see that Cam is evolving the pacing gets much better and I found myself cheering for her. If you’re looking for a fun romcom to read, I definitely recommend this one.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Change of Heart by Fallon Ballard

A fun, heartwarming romance with a magical twist! This book follows Campbell, a career-focused lawyer who wakes up trapped in a small town after a bad date—alongside the man from the date, Ben. The only way back to her real life? Completing three tasks, including finding true love.

✨ Tropes:
✔️ Grumpy x Sunshine
✔️ Forced Proximity
✔️ Small Town Romance
✔️ Magical Realism

Cam and Ben’s banter is hilarious, and their slow-burn romance is full of tension and charm. Watching Cam go from closed-off to vulnerable makes the story even better. The town of Heart Springs is straight out of a Hallmark movie, with quirky characters and cozy vibes.

If you love funny, heartfelt romances with a bit of magic, this one’s a must-read!

I devoured this book. Cam is a hard working lawyer and takes her job too seriously. Doesn’t believe in love at all. Goes on a date with a doctor. Is completely rude to him the whole date. She then wakes up in an alternate reality. Were she is given tasks to complete. She has to help in the community, find a job she’s passionate about, and needs to experience true love.

I don’t want to write anymore because I don’t want to give out away. The side characters and the main characters are all great. Definitely recommend.

I loved loved loved this creative and clever twist on the classic Hallmark corporate woman goes to small town, realizes the error of her ways, and falls in love with a small-town hunk movies. Except, in CHANGE OF HEART, our heroine, Campbell, magically wakes up in this small town with her blind date from last night as her neighbor and their waitress is her fairy-godmother-type barista, who each gives them a mission in order to leave. Campbell's mission? Find a career she is passionate about, be a valuable member of the community, and experience true love.

Its gives you all the heartwarming, cliche moments you want in a small town romance - it just felt idyllic, heartwarming, and felt like a comfort read. I am typically not a magical realism girly, but enjoyed this one, as it wasn't necessarily at the forefront of everything. The romance itself was a slow-burn, but when it finally clicked...it was deliciously steamy. My one point of critique is that I wish we had gotten more page-time or development with our MMC, Ben; it read as slightly one-dimensional and lacked any really growth - but I still enjoyed him!

CHANGE OF HEART is out this Tuesday, Feb. 11!

Thank you to the publisher and to netgalley! Was this cheesy? yes. Was this predictable? yes but I thought it was a cute reverse grumpy sunshine between two characters. When Cam goes on a blind date with Ben and it doesn't go well, the last place she expects to wake up the next morning is in an alternate universe where her neighbor is said blind date. In Heart Springs, Cam must fulfill these magical tasks to travel home while interacting with the town's cast of characters. The only thing I really didn't love was the overuse of "sweetheart" and lack of depth for Ben. Overall, I know when I read a Falon Ballard rom com, it's going to be a cute story and one I will always pick up.

My first Falon Ballard read and was so excited!!!

I have always been a hit and miss person with magical realism. I had a tough time getting into this book. Campbell had a bad attitude from the start and never was fully able to connect with her. I felt that as the novel progresses I didn't really see any character growth from her. I had a bad taste in my mouth.

Ben our MMC I feel this was also off. There wasn't enough development for him and Ok.... I can't do the sweetheart. And oh my gosh all the times he called her that and it was overly used. This really annoyed me.

I was super sad since this was my first experience by her and I've heard nothing but raving things about her. Sadly, this novel fell super flat for me and was disappointed.

I have heard from others that read her that this novel isn't her best so I'm going to still check out her other books.

3/5 stars

Thanks to netgalley and Putnam for my copy.

I am so disappointed to report that Change of Heart was not it for me. I did not enjoy Cam at all and Ben was hardly present in the first 50%. I will continue to read Ballard’s books because I have enjoyed most of them.

I love Falon Ballard and was so excited for this one. I particularly enjoy books (esp romances!) with complicated, nuanced characters.

Unfortunately, this one fell pretty flat for me. I enjoy whimsical and touches of magic - but this one felt off in all of the ways. It was top predictable for me, unfortunately.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Let me start off: I adored Lease on Love and Just My Type. And after reading those books Falon Ballard is an auto read author for me. However her three more recent books (Right on Cue, All I Want Is You, and this one) all came out pretty quick and I'm not sure if her publisher rushed her or what. But they all are not as strong as her first two.

And this book is my least favorite of all her work. Yes the main female character is self centered and a high powered lawyer, but that didn't bother me as much as other things. If you've watched Schmigadoon, that's the total vibe I got when reading about Heart Springs. People say it's like a Hallmark channel town, but it felt a touch more stepford wives to me. Ben is boring and flat. I mean, he's a tall, handsome doctor who makes his own furniture and the main word in his vocabulary is "sweetheart". And that's it. We don't know anything about him besides that he has wine waiting for Cam every day. The nightly sharing of a wine bottle also seemed a bit overindulgent. The romance pacing was wonky. The side characters are flat. The plot was fluffy but flat. I didn't hate this but I didn't like it.

If you're looking for a mindless palette cleanser with no stakes and a couple good sex scenes, this might be for you. But if you like some substance with your romance I'd recommend Lease On Love or Just My Type instead.

If you like magical realism and hallmark style romances, you’ll love this one. Cam and Ben wake up in Heart Springs, a perfect hallmark town. Their quest to return to home has them teaming up and the sparks between them flare. Being in Heart Springs, Cam has to reevaluate her life. This sweet small-town romance with a twist on grumpy sunshine will leave readers smiling.

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Change of Heart
Author: Falon Ballard

ARC review! Thank you Netgalley and Putnam books for this copy. I absolutely loved it, as I do with all of Fallons books! Also, I have to add we just got “All I Want Is You” in September and a new book already? 🥹🥹🥹. This was probably my favorite of hers yet! A workaholic, who does not believe in love, is set up on a date. She instantly is like.. nope don’t have time for this, not interested. But when she goes home and goes to sleep, she wakes up in her own personal hell in the form of a cute small town called Heart Springs which pretty much is like a Stars Hollow / small town romance/rom com movie setting. Oh and surprise, the man from her date is also stuck in this weird alternate reality type of state. Apparently the only way she can return home is by finding true love.. 🤩. It was so sweet and cute. I actually really loved Cam as an FMC. I can be a workaholic myself so I can relate to her mindset, and her always needing to be on the go type of mentality. This book really shows you the need to slow down, appreciate the ride of life, connections with other people, and yes.. true love.❤️. Simply perfection from Falon! This releases 2/11/25!

This charming and heartwarming novel is a perfect match for readers who crave feel-good stories filled with lighthearted romance, a sprinkle of magic, and the endearing quirks of small-town life. It will particularly resonate with those who admire strong, career-driven heroines who must navigate the complexities of their personal and professional lives, ultimately confronting their own deepest desires and finding love along the way.

With its enchanting blend of heartwarming romance, magical realism, and relatable characters, this book is sure to captivate readers from the very first page to the heartwarming conclusion, leaving them with a smile on their faces and a renewed belief in the power of love and self-discovery.

This was a fun premise! I loved their story magical realism and I loved seeing the main character have to learn to change her priorities. I feel like the character growth while great could’ve been done better and I struggled with the relationship. I don’t feel like we got a lot development/ info on Ben to actually fall in love with the dynamic. It’s a fun, quirky story tho.

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but this is the first time a Falon Ballard has missed the mark for me. I can see how others would like it, but the main character was just too “I’m not like other women” and is rude to Ben. Ben seems too good to be true and could do so much better, but just patiently waits around like a puppy dog.

I wasn’t sure about this one at first. Campbell’s rude personality really put me off at first, but I understand now why the author made her personality off-putting.
I really enjoyed the magical realism and the town of Heart Springs and the people there grew on me. I love the character growth of Campbell and how she slowly falls for Ben. I did end up enjoying this one and would recommend it!

This felt a little like Groundhog Day in Pleasantville with a fairy godmother without the everyday resets. But with the, they needed to learn a lesson before they could move on.
Such an interesting and entertaining read! Campbell or Cam is a cutthroat attorney with no interest in romance. On a blind date with a pediatric surgeon the waitress thinks they look great together though the date was going horribly cause she didn’t want to be there.
They both wake up in this alternate universe and have to figure out how to get home. But it’s like she has to go on dates and try a different career.
I do like that these tasks made her realize she likes being a lawyer but for the little guy. And that her family only valued her for her billable hours and that was not ok. We all deserve to live a life and to find love and be loved.
This was so quirky I loved it! I’d love to escape for a couple months but then have no time pass on the real world.

Im beginning to think Falons books aren’t for me. :( it was cute, if you love hallmark movies, you’ll definitely love this one. I just felt something was missing, I can’t really pinpoint what it was.. but I definitely feel this wasn’t her best work.

Falon is an auto-read author for me and this is definitely my least favorite by her which is super sad BUT I still love all of her other books!! And there were still enjoyable moments in this.

Overall, I found the concept to be a bit half baked. This felt like a first or second draft that was written quickly because there were moments I wanted the plot to go back to and take its time with it. One of those things is the motivation or "lesson to be learned" for the MMC. He is basically a perfect simp-y man which is fine with me but don't then tell me he also had his own journey when it was never shown or felt.

Speaking about the lesson.. I felt that the world was a bit too harsh on her. This is a side plot point that takes up 2 pages so I don't consider it a spoiler- the whole town hates her at one point because she helps out a wedding coordinator and when the bride tells her she's getting cold feet the FMC suggests helping her leave and tells her she doesn't HAVE to get married. Um?? The FMC is an absolute girls girl for that. I felt sad that so much of this was spent being a bit patronizing towards her via some of these lessons. If I woke up in a 1950s Hallmark movie it would be a nightmare for some of those conservative ideal reasons.

I enjoyed the actual romance. I liked the angst, the forced proximity with them being neighbors, and how eventually she was super vulnerable with him. This pulled off somewhat of a slow burn and the competitive love interests actually kept it fun for me.

I am glad that at least the FMC wasn't forced into a brain transplant and didn't have to go all small town Hallmark at the end. That was a major saving grace of this and I trusted the process and this author and knew she wouldn't let me down in that regard.

Thank you to Putnam Books for this eARC! Falon will stay an auto-read.

Campbell Andrews is a corporate lawyer who works 80 hour weeks. She accepts a blind date to appease her grandmother and never looks off her phone to interact with Dr. Ben, a pediatric surgeon. The next morning she wakes up in a pastel filled small Hallmark type town. Think Pleasantville or Schmigadoon. She learns that she must complete three tasks to return home. And interestingly Dr. Ben is there as well to help her.

You do need to park your brain and enjoy the fantasy. It isn’t ever logically explained. I chose to just follow along and enjoy the unfolding romance. And watching Cam’s character change. It is told entirely from Cam’s POV and I did wonder what was going on in Ben’s mind. But I don’t remember the author doing duel POVs. This is light hearted, a little spicy and fun. And it is being released just in time for Valentines Day.