Thank you to NetGalley, The Penguin Group, G.P. Putnam's Sons, and Falon Ballard for providing me with this E-ARC in exchange for my review.

In Change of Heart, Cam starts out as this jaded workaholic with giant emotional walls. At first I was like “ooookay this is a weird way to start a love story,” because of how rude Cam was but Falon did a great job at using Cam’s obstinance to create conflict and further the plot.

Then you have the chaos coordinator herself, Mimi, who brings Cam to Heart Springs to discover what her life could be like if she was open to the possibilities. I loved Mimi’s character and her dedication to helping Cam, even if I couldn’t always see what her end goal was. In fact, I was mad at Mimi just about as much as Cam was. Like ma’am, how are you gonna act like some expert in turning peoples lives around and tell them “screw what you say you’re passionate about, you don’t know any better pick one of the 3 options I gave you.” But once you see where the story is going, you realize without that line in the sand Cam wouldn’t have grown from this experience. Genuinely after reading the entire book, I think that without those “Mimi, genuinely what the eff is the plan here? How does this help?” moments, the story wouldn’t have been as well rounded.

And we can’t forget the other side characters in this book, honestly, they really are what sold the whole Hallmark movie trope for me. As Cam settles in and starts to open up, we get to see the different sides of her that each new person and experience brings out. But as with all Hallmarkesque stories, there were definitely moments where I had to suspend my disbelief.

For me, those moments were mainly in regards to Ben's character, I didn’t realize until after I finished the book that Ben never expressed any negative emotions. I would have expected him to be at least a little frustrated that he was stuck in this town because Campbell was being rude on their date. Even with that being said though, I really did love how Cam and her Ben fell for each other. I love a sarcastic man with a good heart and a nice smile. Ben is definitely swoon worthy, I loved how he was there for Cam and really grew to care about her. I loved how Sweetheart went from a way to antagonize Cam into an actual term of endearment.

All in all, I enjoyed this standalone romance and I would recommend it to all the Hallmark movie lovers out there!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

My review will be posted to Goodreads on 12/30/24.
My Instagram review will be posted on 2/11/24.

I absolutely loved this story of a workaholic woman forced to confront her choices and figure out whether she's truly living the life she wants.

Cam is a lawyer whose entire life revolves around work. There's no room for hobbies, friendships, or love, and that's exactly how she wants it. Until one morning she wakes up and she's been transported to Heart Springs, a picture-perfect Hallmark-ish world where the only person she recognizes is Ben, the man she went on a lackluster date with the night before, and Mimi, the waitress who witnessed their date. According to Mimi, if she wants to go home, Cam must find connection to the community, a job that she's passionate about, and true love with one of three men Mimi chooses for her. None of this sounds appealing to Cam, but as she spends week after week in Heart Springs, she finds herself happier than she's ever been. If only she wasn't developing confusing feelings for Ben...

I've read several other romances this year where the protagonist was transported to a different world and needed to figure out how to get back to her real life. But this one did it best! I started out not loving Cam, but as the story continued I understood her more and really wanted her to be happy. The author's vivid descriptions of Heart Springs transported me to the picturesque world, and I could imagine exactly what it looked like. Every interaction that Cam had with Ben made me smile, and I was rooting so hard for them! I definitely couldn't predict how this one turned out, and that made reading it such a fun experience.

If you love magical realism and romance novels where character growth is more of a focal point than the love story, then you have to check this one out when it publishes on February 11th. A huge thank you to Netgalley and Putnam books for the e-arc of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

I was so excited about the premise of this, but unfortunately the execution was a bit of a miss for me. I’ve read all of Falon Ballard’s other books and sadly I’m just not sure they’re my cup of tea.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I have read two of Falon Ballard books and absolutely loved them, so I was excited to get an ARC of this one. While a little predictable, I loved everything about this book! After a blind date she did not even want to be on, Campell Andrews ends up in her own personal nightmare: a magical small town straight out of a Hallmark movie. Given three tasks in order to get home, one of them to find true love. Will Cam be able to complete them all?

I loved the magical realism in the story. Who wouldn't want to wake up with perfectly done hair/makeup and the perfect outfit waiting for you in the closet?! I also enjoyed the ending and the message of the story. So often in romance books, there is a conflict between the couple forcing them to be apart and eventually come back together. I liked that this book did not do that and instead focused just on Campbell.

Omg, did I hate this book? I might hate this book. HATE. I can’t believe I’m even considering this of a Falon Ballard book. She’s only ever gotten five stars out of me, but this? This book? Oh my lord, it was not for me. Ugh, I’m so annoyed right now.

First the bad, then I’ll get further into the bad and will end on the bad.

Campbell is a very rude lawyer woman who treats our hero Ben horrifically on a blind date in the first chapter. Like, you entitled POS heroine I want to slap you. She berates Ben and basically is like “I only go on dates for free dinner and to appease my Grandma, don’t speak to me while I eat this dinner you paid for and check my emails,” But! I’m not completely hating her at this point (no that comes later.)

So Cam wakes up in a magical Hallmark town and has to complete three tasks in order to go home. And of course these tasks will make her a better person. And also Ben is there (because of course.)

Here’s the thing about this book. It really suspends belief because it’s like everyone in the town knows that Cam has to fulfill these magical tasks to go home. Which is just odd to me. And Ben is only there because of Cam. Which is also odd to me. The entire premise of it wasn’t great for me. The way it was told was just…idk. I was expecting more of A Novel Story town vibes and it just wasn’t. It never really worked for me.

And then. AND THEN. I really hated the last 30%. With a passion. With the fires of a thousand blazing wildfires.

Ben and Cam don’t make sense to me. To me, they don’t fall in love. Ben is LITERALLY too good to be true and he’s so unbelievable that he’s a flat NO personality NO nothing kind of man and it’s frustrating to me. Cam is a complete trash bag human at the beginning of the book, but what? Ben doesn’t mind? He doesn’t care? He’s great with this? At no point does he need to tell her that he deserves someone who will actually care about him and treat him well? Omgggggggg. Yall. I’m screaming.

Here’s an actual quote that I’m so angry about. Probably some unwarranted anger, but it sent me to the raaaails:

“I struggled to find the perfect gift for him because what does one get for the man who truly has no needs and doesn't ever express his wants beyond wanting me to be happy?”

Oh my sweet Jesus. Like. Shut up. Shut the hell up. What the F kind of fictional crap is this? Ben doesn’t have ANY NEEDS or WANTS outside of whatever life crisis Cam has? Omg. Kill me. Just kill me. This is so utterly ridiculous. I can’t with this people. I just can’t. I can’t have these paper cut out heroes like this. Men have needs. They have wants outside their relationships and guys, that’s wonderful. It should be celebrated. This? This right here?! This is a red flag and it’s so freaking cringe I can’t take it. Ben!! Have dreams dude!! Have wants and needs and desires because YOU’RE A PERSON TOO not just some emotional subservient pillow for our heroine!! Gah!!!!! Is this the standard of romance now? Men, just bow down and support women and keep your mouth shut on whatever you have going on? No. No. No. Noooooooooo.

And also there’s a comment made at the epilogue how all straight white men are terrible, but obviously this doesn’t include our no needs or wants or personality straight white hero, amiright? Cause as long as he’s a freaking doormat to women he’s great, right?

I’M LOSING IT. I. AM. LOSING. IT.

And then when our heroine completes her tasks I’m so furious by the way it came about that there’s no celebrating to be had. There’s no warm fuzzies. There’s only me glaring at my Kindle like…!!!! What the hell is this dumb crap. UGHHHHHHHHH. NOOOOOOOOO.

GAAAAAHHHH!!

Ahem.

This is an ARC I received, I hope from this scathing review you’ll believe me when I say that this is my review and I’m not in anyway influenced by the publishers ✌🏻

I was very excited to be given the opportunity to read this before it’s released date. I have very much enjoyed Falon Ballard’s previous novels and was excited to read this one.

Change of Heart begins with the main character, Campbell “Cam” and Dr. Ben Loving on a blind date. After the failed date, the two wake up to find themselves in an alternate world called Heart Springs.

Unfortunately, this novel wasn’t a win with me. Cam had three achievements necessary to return her to the real world, and in attempting them, her sincerity and growth seemed superficial. Ben’s character was wholly unbelievable - and he immediately began calling Cam sweetheart which continued for the duration of the novel. There was a small portion of the book in about the 70-80% range where the characters felt more genuine and had this been in more of the book, I feel like I would have enjoyed it more.

As a whole, the book felt forced to me and it never really had that wow factor I’ve gotten from Ballard’s other books. I have no doubts some will love this one, but it wasn’t it for me.

Thank you Net Galley and publisher for the eARC and opportunity to read this!

I loved it! I could not put this book down. This was not my first Falon Ballard book (it’s my 4th!!) but this is the first one to draw me right in from the very beginning.

💕 I won’t give a synopsis (just read what they tell you about the book if you want one) but I’ll tell you what I loved:
• The cozy small-town setting including her pink house
• The perfect hair and makeup that never need to be done
• The super-fast changing seasons including a new festival or carnival around every corner
• No spoilers, but I really loved the end message and what got her home
👎🏼 The only thing I hated was him calling her sweetheart. That just irks me.

⭐️ I can’t wait for Falon’s next book!! ⭐️
Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Thanks @netgalley @putnambooks and @falonballard for the chance to read Falon's latest hilarious and HOT rom-com, Change of Heart. It releases on February 11, 2025.

Campbell is a workaholic who prides herself on being the heir-apparent to her grandmother's infamous law firm. It's annoying how her grandma makes her go on blind dates so she can find someone to "continue the family line" but at least she gets a meal and can check her email once she lets the guy know she isn't interested. Pediatrician Ben is a bit put off by Cam's behavior on their date, but neither of them thinks too much of it until they wake up the next day in the Heart Springs--a Hallmark movie-like place where you have perfect hair and makeup as soon as you wake up and all of your clothes are pastel. It's basically Cam's hell. If Cam ever wants to return to her real life, she has to complete three tasks--the most important of which is to experience true love. But as Heart Springs works its magic on her, Cam realizes that she may never want to leave.

Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Tropes: speculative, checklist, "unlikable" heroine, small town

3.5 stars rounded up because I’m a big Falon Ballard fan. This wasn’t my favorite read, but it was charming.

Cam is the definition of a boss woman who has devoted her life to work that she is successful at, but ultimately unfulfilled by — except it takes a trip to a modern day Pleasantville-style alternative universe for her to come to that realization. I enjoyed seeing her edges soften to allow people to get close to her without her losing her edge and drive and determination to succeed. I didn’t feel like she sacrificed any of her true self to accept a perspective and priority shift in her life.

Ben was a good balance for Cam in that he was already well-liked and the kind of person universally accepted as “good” but one who wasn’t quick to write off Cam for her sharp edges. He saw more of her than she thought she was allowing anyone to see. Their friendship and love was sweet.

Overall this was an easy, enjoyable read. Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a sweet story that reminded me of a hallmark movie. It was a little predictable but a feel good book. I am not normally one to go for books with fantasy type twist but I also found myself wanting to live in this alternate world where I could eat what I want and not go to my hips and I woke up with the perfect hair. I thought the MMC was super sweet and was just this steady character for the FMC.

This was a fun, magical twist on a grumpy/sunshine rom-com, but it didn’t quite live up to the author’s other works for me. The story follows Cam, who ends up in a whimsical alternate reality where she has to figure out her priorities—career, community, and love—to move forward. While the setup was charming, I struggled with the romance; Ben’s patience with Cam’s selfishness felt unrealistic. That said, the ending tied everything together nicely. If you like rom-coms with a hint of magic, it’s worth a try, but it wouldn’t be my top recommendation from this author.

I will read anything that Falon Ballard writes and I loved her take on this stuck in a Hallmark movie/Groundhog Day adaptation about overworked lawyer Cam after her blind date with pediatric surgeon Ben.

When Cam wakes up in Heart Springs after abruptly ending her blind date early the night before she hopes it just a bad dream. When it turns out not to be and her blind date, Ben, is also stuck in town they discover they each have tasks to complete before they can return to their old lives.

Ben accepted their situation easier than Cam did dragging her feet along the way when it came to finding a new job, being involved in the community and finding true love. Throughout all the ups and downs of her discovery, Ben was there for her on the porch next door ready to listen and help out. I liked how Ben and Cam complimented each other and their similarities made it easier for them to open up and accept each other and know when the other needs balancing.


Thank you @putnambooks @falonballard and @netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This was a cute, fun grumpy/sunshine rom-com. It was a cute take on the Hallmark movie tropes. While I enjoyed it overall, I think the thing that didn’t sit well with me was believing that this really great guy wouldn’t write off the self absorbed and rude FMC after the first meeting. That said, I do think she needed some nurturing (and therapy, tbh) to grow as a character.

This book was a fun escape. A sweet rom com with a touch of magical realism. Workaholic, not so nice lawyer Campbell completely ignores her blind date, sweet pediatric surgeon Ben on their disastrous blind date. Only to wake up the next day no longer in her NY apartment, but instead inside a pastel and perfectly sweet world that basically is a Hallmark movie.

Cam being who she is hates everything about Heart Springs. At first I wasn’t so sure if I was going to connect with this book, because I unlike Cam LOVED Heart Springs and everything it represented, I would gladly move in! But have no fear, Cam slowly comes around to the small town charm. Her next door neighbor is none other then Ben from the terrible blind date, and she soon learns she has three tasks to complete before she can return home. It was a sweet new take on a self discovery and life changing story.

Overall I really enjoyed the story, but it felt a little different from other Fallon Ballard books I’ve read. The ending felt a bit rushed to me, we were on this long journey with Cam and Ben, only for it to be wrapped up in a matter of minutes. I would have loved more of their story once they returned home.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC to review.

Cam and Ben go on a terrible blind date, then both wake up in the fictional town of Heart Springs. Neither can leave until they complete some tasks and basically turn their life around. The premise is somewhat silly, and Cam isn't the best character at the very beginning. They both grew on me as they navigated the very cheerful and positive town and deal with the residents who... live there? There's magical realism for sure. This book is cozy and easy to read, with some spice towards the end.

DNF. I don't think I can express how much I disliked the FMC, Campbell. I couldn't get past how she acted at the beginning of the book. Her behavior towards Ben on their first date was horrible. I don't want to root for a main character who is judgmental, rude, and mean. I did only get 15% in, so there is a strong chance that she had a redemption arc; however, that wouldn't change my opinion of her. As for Ben, he didn't really offer much in the first 15%. I found his sweetheart nickname a little cringey. I thought the pacing felt too fast. A lot happened in the beginning of the book. More often than not, Falon Ballard's work isn't a hit for me. In the future, I will have to really consider if I want to read her work. Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the ARC.

I have loved Falon Ballard’s books I’ve read in the past, but this one didn’t work as well for me. It was a bit too Hallmark (knowingly and intentionally so it seems) for my taste. Cam is a big-shot New York City lawyer working in mergers in acquisitions on the side of large corporations buying out independently owned ones. Work is her life, and she makes no time for relationships - romantic, friendly, or familial. Her grandmother, for whom Cam works at the family firm, sets Cam up on a blind date. Cam behaves abhorrently on the date, ignoring her date and checking emails on her phone for the duration. Their waitress covers their dinner because she “sees something” in them as a couple, and the next morning Cam wakes up in a classic Hallmark small town with her date as a neighbor. Cam encounters the waitress from the night before running the local cafe, where Cam is tasked with 3 things: to find a job she is passionate about, to become a contributing member of the community, and to find true love.

While I enjoyed the writing and most aspects of the MMC, I had a hard time getting behind the premise, and the FMC felt a bit like a caricature of the “big city girl who goes to the small town and realizes the true meaning of Christmas” (though extend the Christmas part to all of life). I also did not find certain aspects of the story to be all that believable. After Cam’s awful behavior on their first date, there’s no way Ben, the MMC, would think they belonged together. Cam wouldn’t go from loving her job as a partner at a law firm (who doesn’t eat sweets) to loving working as an assistant at a bakery so quickly - she decides after day one of working in the bakery that she likes it - though I did enjoy the ultimate turn that Cam’s career takes. I like a Hallmark movie as much as the next person, but reading one is a very different experience. It took me a while to get into, which is not usually the case for contemporary romance. 2.5/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam, and G.P Putnam’s Sons for the ARC!

I usually don't enjoy books with this kind of storyline. I don't enjoy dream sequences or anything else of that nature, but this was excellent. It had some fantastical elements, but it was still a contemporary romance at the end of the day. I felt there was real character growth, but I also thought that character growth didn't feel unrealistic. I enjoyed it.

I loved this book. I’ve read a few books by this author now, and I really enjoy reading them. This book had a lot of things that I love in it including magical realism. I read a few similar books to this last year, and I find when I do that, I compare the books. I don’t seek out to do this, but when it’s a niche concept that I don’t read all the time it is easy to do. This one was done so well and had several unique elements that I hadn’t already read. I loved both Cam and Ben. Sure they both had faults, but I felt that it was by design. I didn’t need to wholeheartedly love Cam in order to root for and relate to her. Ben also used the word sweetheart A LOT, but I found it endearing and it brought a smile to my face. I don’t think my husband has called me by my real name in a long time, rather he uses a term of endearment, and that is what Ben saying sweetheart to Cam felt like for me. The writing is very well done and descriptive enough to make me feel like I was right there in Hope Springs with the characters

If you’re looking for a really sweet romcom with the added element of magical realism, then check this one out.

I really enjoyed this story. Cam is funny and has a great inner monologue. I enjoyed the cute small town and its inhabitants that they end up in. I loved the relationship that Ben and Cam developed throughout the book. I do wish there was more about Ben’s story, or even a dual POV story.