What I loved most about this book was the setting—Heart Springs feels like the perfect cozy escape, and the townspeople add so much warmth and personality to the story. The romance is slow-burn but deeply satisfying, with a love interest who is both swoon-worthy and emotionally complex. Ballard’s writing is witty and engaging, making it easy to fall into Campbell’s world and root for her personal growth.

Some plot points felt a little predictable, and I wished we got a bit more depth in certain emotional moments. However, that didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment. If you love small-town romances with a touch of fate and self-discovery, this is definitely worth the read!

As soon as Cam met Ben I was cringing for him. She was the grumpy and he was the sunshine in this and boy was she grumpy. I love a little magic in my books and you won't be able to convince me that Ben wasn't magic himself. I thought this was a little Scrooge like, but I went into it knowing it wouldn't be realistic and I just was along for the ride. I was swooning and yelling and rooting for Cam to open her eyes and her heart the whole time. I wish we would have gotten some of Ben's POV, but I do understand the story was hers, but I still just wanted more of Ben and his puppy dog self.
Thanks to Penguin, Netgalley and Falon Ballard for an early copy.

the town was way too cheesy and our FMC way too unlikeable. I did like the MMC but he was severely underdeveloped and flat.

Yeahhhhhh… I didn’t really care for this.

Some things to watch out for to readers interested in picking this up:
- really unlikable FMC (and I mean, REALLY UNLIKABLE)
- does the MMC actually even exist? Bc I swear we get more character descriptions of minor side characters than we do of him
- this book was wayyyyy too similar to Prime Time Romance by Kate Robb, but the town reminded me a lot of A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston (I think it’s safe to say that this plot has just been done too many times already)
- it was such a slow burn, which isn’t always a bad thing, but in this case I was getting bored waiting for anything exciting to happen
- there were so many cheesy lines and cliches that seemed like they were trying too hard to be quirky, but it really was annoying
- the entire point to the ending was just bad

I really liked this magical romcom. Campbell Andrews is a partner in her family’law firm. She’s a no nonsense person who hates incompetence, tardiness, and love stories. Her grandmother sets her up on a blind date with a handsome pediatric surgeon, but she makes it clear she’s not interested.
The next morning she wakes up in Heart Springs, a town straight out of a Hallmark movie. Her hair is different and the only clothes in her closet are frilly dresses, not her style at all. She recognizes 2 people, the waitress and Dr. Ben, her blind date.
She’s told she has to do three things to get home - find happiness with a new career, help the community, and experience true love. Can Cam accomplish her tasks and go back to her old life?
I highly recommend this fun romance, 4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I really enjoyed Change of Heart- it was a great book to read during the love month. It took my a while to like the FLC, Cam at first. She was cold hearted, snobby and blunt which I guess fit her role as a lawyer. But it was hard to relate to her. But over time, as she started to warm up and build those friendships and relationships you met a different side of her. Ben was a good MMC- caring, supportive and attentive but the “sweetheart” nickname quickly turned me off. He used it way too much! 🤪 But overall I liked how they complimented each other. It was a cute and lovey story and I can’t wait to read more of Falon’s book as this was my first book by her.

This book was fun and different! It held my interest and I loved it. I don't think I have read anything by this author before, but I will definitely read more from her now. Loved it!

Part Pleasantville, part Groundhog Day, this clever story had me intrigued. This is a reverse grumpy/sunshine featuring a jaded lawyer, Cam and super cinnamon roll pediatric surgeon, Ben. The two originally meet on a blind date that was arrarnged by Cam's grandmother. Cam makes it abundantly clear she has no interest in being there, but is there only to appease her grandmother. Ben is a bit taken aback by her attitude, as most people would be.

The next morning, Cam wakes up in pastel purgatory. She has no idea how she got to this cookie cutter neighborhood filled with seemingly perfect homes and lawns, but she wants out. She finds out that the waitress from the night before runs this community and has a few tasks for Cam before she can go home. She also finds that Ben is her new neighbor and is also given three tasks.

Cam was so bristly in the first portion of the book that it was a bit difficult to root for her to succeed. But the story itself was so interesting, I found myself forgiving Cam later on

ARC Review!

Cute, fluffy, Hallmarkish rom-com with some spice sprinkled in. Solid for any romance lover :)

Falon Ballard is an author that really excites me with her premises and the range of stories she has published and coming down the pipeline. I enjoy her writing, and the familiar voice of a woman who is a part of my own generation. The main character in Change of Heart, Cam, was so relatable to me. The dedication to the "unlikeable girls" stuck with me through the entire read. I have to say, this is one of the only romance books that had me tearful only a quarter of the way in. Not because there was a deeply emotional scene but rather because I saw myself in Cam. I read words that described feelings I've had for a long time that often caused me to feel that those around me do not relate to or understand me. Anyone who has felt that it is hard to fit in if show themselves truly to others will connect with Cam, even if the way that manifests is different. I love Ballard's heroines because they feel real to me and not a too-idealized version of a person with easily resolvable flaws. Everyone wants to be loved and accepted for being themselves, and while growth is important, we should not need to completely change to fit what others want us to be. I look forward to reading the upcoming releases by this author, and she is an auto-buy author for me.

Overall, I enjoyed the premise of this book -- waking up in a Hallmark town of sorts to right your life to get sent back home a changed person. I thought it was really creative and cute! However, I thought the female main character was a bit too prickly and unlikable. It was hard to want her to do better and changed because I was more annoyed with her than anything at the start. The other thing that bothered me a lot was how much the male main character used the nickname 'sweetheart'. That was a bit overdone and so it didn't have as much of an endearing effect. Still a fun, easy read.

Love love love! Hallmark channel is my favorite and this was basically that with a touch of spice! It was funny, engaging, and all around a quick, fun read!

Overview: Campbell is a ruthless lawyer who has no time (or desire) for a relationship. After she purposely torpedoes a blind date with the handsome pediatric surgeon Ben Loving, she and Ben are both transported the next morning to a magical town called Heart Springs, where she is forced to reflect on who she wants to be.

Thoughts: This was a GREAT read - I am really becoming a fan of Falon Ballard. The friendships she developed with Ben and Emma were wonderful and the three date requirement was such a fun concept that was a source of many laughs. But mostly, I loved following Campbell’s journey overcoming the deep-seated trauma of being abandoned by her mother years ago.

Take home message: This is a charming contemporary romance that features a workaholic lawyer who suddenly wakes up in a magical town and must complete a specific number of tasks before she can be transported back to the real world. Featured tropes include: grumpy sunshine and small town romance.

Thanks to NetGalley and Putnam for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This book is SOOOOOOOOOOO stinking cute!! I can always count on Falon Ballard to give me a binge-able and fun romance! I’m always laughing and smiling while reading her books, and Change of Heart was no exception.

Our main character, Cam, will rub you the wrong way at first (she’s pretty much a workaholic b*tch), but you can’t help but root for her as she realizes there is more to life. She is a snarky one, and her dialogue is hilarious. I loved watching her grow and find true happiness.

This one has magical realism which I usually am not a fan of, but I ate this one up! All its cheesiness had me wanting to wake up like Cam in this whimsical small town and live life to the fullest! To escape Heart Springs, Cam must complete 3 different tasks, and who better to help her than the man she was rude to on a date the night before?! Ben is the perfect counterpart to Cam, and I thoroughly enjoyed their slow burn romance full of tension and good banter!

This gave me Ashley Poston vibes with the touch of magical realism (which for the record is never a bad thing!). I've always been a big fan of Falon Ballard's writing and usually really enjoy her character development. In this one, I really wanted more of Ben's side. It felt like it came through in bits and pieces but more mysterious than it needed to be - at points it felt like he knew more than perhaps he should about what was going on and it was a little unclear as to his side of the journey. Cam was a struggle but that felt like a given as she was exploring who she was after being put into a box by her grandmother's expectations. She wasn't particularly likable but that was okay because she also seemed to struggle with liking herself (which made her more likable in a way). There were points in the middle that dragged a bit but overall a fun read.

I really have enjoyed Falon Ballard's previous works. I think she takes rom-com to the next level but I can see how they aren't for everyone. This book really felt like a Hallmark movie but in a good way. We follow Campbell as she is struggling with her love life. Enter Dr. Loving who takes her on a date and the morning after, they both end up in a small town called Heart Springs. Both have to complete certain tasks before they are allowed to leave the small town of Heart Springs run by Mimi. This book is about digging deep and finding who you really are outside of your family. It's about finding what you truly enjoy despite the pressures of the big world. I did enjoy this book but can see why it has low ratings as it was cheesy but in a good way.

2.5 stars.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the published for providing an ARC. All opinions are my own.*

Change of Heart is a cozy, small town Hallmarky read that is great if you need a book to quickly read in one day.

Campbell thrives at her job and that's all that matters to her. While her grandma wants her to find a love match, she'd rather not, going so far as to telling the man she is on a date with. Waking up the next morning, she realizes that everything is not how it should be. She's stuck in Heart Springs and can only leave if she does the tasks given out to her. Can stuck in her ways Campbell have a "change of heart"?

Falon Ballard is an author where I know that if I pick up her book, I'll likely have a good time reading it. Campbell, while a little relatable, was also very predicable in her ways of being able to change by the end of the book. I knew she would end up with Ben and want to help others out. Change of Heart is for those who want something cozy and Hallmarky with some spice thrown into the mix towards the later half.

Falon Ballard is an auto-buy author for me but her last two novels have missed the mark.

Campbell is a career-driven women that is solely focused on her Grandmother's law office. She doesn't have time for love, friends, or hobbies. After she completely ignores her blind date, she wakes to find herself stuck with him in an alternative Hallmark reality. Can Campbell fulfill her tasks and be sent home?

Beyond Campbell being an atrocious, despicable character she really fell flat for me. She did change on the page, but she was never truly "alive" on the page. All of the characters were flat. The only thing that sparkled was the setting. The relationship between Cam and Ben didn't have enough build up. Ballard's first two books, Lease on Love and Just My Type, had me in my feelings and absolutely devouring the story. This one did not. It was there on the page, technically, but it didn't come to life for me. Maybe this was a me problem. I really wanted to like this book.

2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

This is my favorite by Falon Ballard so far! As prickly and abrasive as Cam was, I loved her spunk and take-charge attitude; I admit, it was easier to deal with knowing she would eventually change. Ben was a good partner for her, though his saying “sweetheart” so much sounded insincere the whole way through. I loved the small town and I would happily take the closet that gives you the perfect outfit every time. I enjoyed getting to know both of these characters and look forward to the next book by this author.

I’ve normally really enjoyed this author, but I’ve quickly realized that this one isn’t for me.

I liked the premise: big city lawyer woman is magically transported to a hallmark town and forced to complete tasks in order to go back to her high stress life. There was just… a lot about the execution that didn’t work. Cam isn’t just a “big city workaholic” who doesn’t want to give up her career for love (if she was, I think I’d have liked that). She’s honestly just rude, selfish, and uncaring about quite literally anyone else. Ben also continues to… like her? To “eye her with appreciation,” to “open yo to her” even though he never has with anyone else, and to “clench his jaw” at any mention of her other suitors, even though she’s given him absolutely no reason to care for her at all. This would have worked much better if he disdained her as much as deserved from the jump, and they both grew and worked through it. But in this case, it just made him really personality-less and lackluster.

I’m definitely bummed about this, I do normally ADORE magical realism blended with my rom coms but I just need to care about the couple a lot more than this, or at least be interested in their dynamic. Thank you to Netgalley and penguin for this eArc!