I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book so much that I bought a copy so I can read it again. I had such a big smile on my face the whole time I was reading this book!

If you’re looking for a romcom to give you hallmark movie vibes but also love the f-bomb then this book is for you. I loved the premise, the characters and most of all, the setting! But I hated how many times some variation of the word “fu**” was used. The word is fine but it was way overused. Falon Ballard is one of my faves and I will still recommend this one.

This one was just ok with me, I really really struggled with the main female character and her likeability. It took too long for it to get better for me and by then i wasnt sure I care that much anymore. I wanted to love it a lot more than I did.

The FMC is soo unlikeable and I almost DNF’d because she was so mean and the MMC was just so sweet. Honestly I was rooting against their HEA. It ended up getting a little better. I like Fallon Ballard’s writing and books but this one wasn’t my favorite.

Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you @prhaudio and @putnambooks for my gifted ALC!

Campbell is a work addicted lawyer who has time little time for dating. After an awful date, she wakes up swapped from her big city apartment to the small town of Heart Springs. She’s forced to slow down and complete three tasks before she will be allowed to return to her old life. But the tasks aren’t as easy as it seems. The biggest one is to find true love. Luckily the bad date from her old life has also been swapped to this new one. What did he do to get moved to this alternate life? Could he help her with her tasks?

This book didn’t work for me for multiple reasons. First, Campbell has to be the least likable person I’ve ever read about. She’s absolutely repulsive to Ben on their first date. I’m so over the big city is evil trend and only a small town can lead to happiness. She’s rude to every single person she meets. I did like that Campbell was given her comeuppance, she was so awful, it was impossible to cheer for her. I also didn’t love that just because she’s dedicated to her work that meant she was unhappy. She was clearly work driven and that did bring her joy.

If you're in the mood for a heartwarming romantic comedy with a sprinkle of magic, this might just be your next favorite read. The story centers around Campbell Andrews, a high-powered attorney whose life revolves around her career. Her world takes an unexpected turn when she wakes up in Heart Springs—a town that feels like it's been plucked straight from a Hallmark movie. To return to her real life, Cam must complete three tasks: find a new career she's passionate about, become a valued member of the community, and experience true love. Alongside her is Ben, a pediatric surgeon and her recent blind date, who becomes her neighbor in this whimsical town.

Ballard masterfully blends magical realism with contemporary romance, creating a narrative that's both enchanting and relatable. The transformation of Heart Springs from a seemingly perfect town to a place where genuine connections are forged adds depth to the story. Cam's journey of self-discovery is both humorous and touching, making readers reflect on their own life choices.

Change of Heart is a fun rom-com that turns the tropes and squeaky-clean vibes of Hallmark movies on their head. The FMC, Cam, is pretty brash and unlikable to start, but if you stick with her she does grow on you. The MMC, Ben, is lovable... and that's about it. I felt like much of the book fell flat, despite a fun and interesting concept. I love Falon Ballard's writing in general, but this was just okay for me. I think anyone looking for a quick palate cleanser would be happy with this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I first found Falon Ballard through Lease on Love and it was one of my favorite romances!

I enjoyed the first half of this one, but the pacing was off so I felt a bit uninvested by the end of it. I really loved Ben and would’ve loved to see more of him!! It felt like he was more of a side character, rather than our MMC.

I loveeed the setting and magical realism element to this book! While I understand what Ballard was going for with Cam, it felt a bit tooooo much and she was not likable or relatable at all!! Her character growth felt a bit too unrealistic and I was over her by the end of the book. I didn’t really sense any connection or chemistry between Ben and Cam, too…

I read this one a while ago and realized I never reviewed it! I did really like this one. I thought it was cute but also has some magical realism that made me very intrigued to find out how it ended, which was very happy with!

A typical romcom workaholic "boss' gets sent to a Hallmark movie type town to learn to slow down and find love. While I enjoyed both the FMC and MMC and the town and its characters this book didnt really do much for me. Im not sure if it was the "magical realism" of the book or if it just felt too silly for me but I had a hard time connecting. I still love the author and cant wait to read what she has next!

Change of Heart was a fun, flirty read that brought the best parts of a rom-com together. We get a grumpy main character who is hesitant to adapt to her new, surprising setting, surrounded by happy, shiny people who are the most pleasant people on the planet. To her surprise, her previous night's blind date is there too, and seems to be adjusting easily. But, when the town leadership tells Campbell that she has to achieve certain goals in order to go home, she knows her work ethic will get her there. But, the longer she is in Heart Springs, the more she connects to Dr. Ben (her blind date) and the town. How will life change once she goes back home? And does she event want to?
We saw such a fun journey and growth arc from Campbell, and such fun hijinks from our Heart Springs residents in this book, that made this book so enjoyable.

What a Sweet and fun Magical realism Rom-Com

Campbell is a high power attorney who wants nothing more than to take over the family law firm established by her grandmother. Ben a pediatric surgeon agrees to a date with Campbell and what a turn it takes.

Falon has such a way of telling and tying together a story. The small town, magical realism was such a treat in this one. The banter between MMC' and slllooowww burn. 🔥

Sometimes what we think we want, is not all it's cracked up to be.

Thank you Putnam Books for the gifted copy.

Change of Heart is a grumpy/sunshine rom com about a workaholic lawyer named Campbell and a sweet, lovely pediatric surgeon named Ben. They go on a blind date, where Cam immediately tells Ben it's not going to work out, and the next morning they both wake up in this idyllic little Pleasantville like town called Heart Strings. Cam finds out she has to complete 3 tasks before they can both be sent back home, which she thinks is ridiculous but agrees to do. Why did Ben get sent there too??

I loved Heart Strings and how it was described. Cam's little house, her magic closet, waking up with perfect hair and make up - I love how all of that eventually let Cam focus on her tasks. Cam and Ben quickly become good friends, and their friendship is really cute.

I can't figure out what about this book made me not love it, except the fact that Ben called Cam "sweetheart" throughout the WHOLE BOOK. It was so annoying, and I just kept thinking WHY would he pretty much exclusively call her that?? It made me uncomfortable and cringy. I'm not a huge fan of pet names, but they weren't even dating, hooking up, nothing. It was just really weird.

Anything Falon Ballard writes, I will enthusiastically read! This had such a delightful premise of a woman essentially stuck in a Hallmark movie town, trying to fulfill 3 goals to make it home. I loved her journey in figuring out how to contribute to the town and find her happiness. It was full of whimsy and, despite the FMC’s prickliness she was so easy to root for. I would wish for a bit more pining in the love story, but overall this was a delight.

4 stars

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I've seen good things about Falon Ballard's books, but I'm actually confused on how after reading this?? Hard pass. Maybe I'll try another one sometime, but not for a while.

I truly could not stand the FMC, Campbell. She's actually the worst. Ben seemed like a good guy, but there was really nothing more to him than that? Which really just made the first half of this kind of miserable for me to read and caused me not to even bother with the second half. DNF.

3/5 stars - Unfortunately, this was not my favorite book by the author, nor was it my favorite "getting stuck in a Hallmark movie town" book. I really found myself slogging through and that hasn't been my previous experience with Falon Ballard. Magical realism is a hard sell for some, but even though I like that genre, this particular book was not for me. I wanted more swoon and for the main male character to be more present. Overall, good not great!

Thank you to the publisher, the author and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Definitely not my favorite novel by Falon Ballard. The plot was shallow, predictable and filled with plot holes. The FMC as unpleasant and honestly, I was not invested or rooting for her. The MMC was such a small part of the story - he was hardly present for the first 50% of the story. Skip this one. Ballard has written so much better.

Change of Heart is a fun and lighthearted read, perfect for fans of small-town romances and magical twists, but it didn’t fully win me over. The concept of a romance-averse lawyer getting thrown into a Hallmark-style town was entertaining, and there were definitely some laugh-out-loud moments. Campbell’s sarcasm and initial resistance to Heart Springs made for a great fish-out-of-water dynamic, and the town’s quirky characters added charm.

That said, the pacing felt a bit uneven, and I wanted more depth in the romance—Campbell’s transformation and feelings developed a little too quickly for my taste. While the book had some sweet moments, I never fully connected with the love story. It’s a cute read, especially if you enjoy light, trope-filled romances, but it didn’t quite have the emotional impact I was hoping for. A solid 3/5!

3.5 Stars.

I liked the plot a lot, but it felt slow in the middle and then way too fast at the end. Worth the read, it just took a while to read.

This was cute, although not much deeper than that. The “do over” trope is nothing new, and there’s no real uniqueness to this story in that aspect. Cam is a lawyer pushing to take over her family’s law firm at 34 years old. She’s a workaholic and I guess because of that she’s thrown into some Hallmark alternate universe where only finding her true love matters. Cam was flat and pretty unlikable and Ben was just..there. The more I got into their story the less I was rooting for them and the more I kept thinking what exactly is wrong with a woman putting her career before love? This one didn’t do it for me in the end. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.