Hallmark romance, open-door spice, and some magical realism! Cam is a workaholic top notch lawyer who doesn’t have time for herself or anyone else. She gets setup on a blind date with pediatric surgeon Ben & basically writes him off…and then poof: they both end up in a Pleasantville/Barbie type world where Cam goes on a journey of self-discovery (she’s given 3 tasks to complete before she can go home). This world is so fun to read about: the perfect seasonal clothing ends up in Cam’s closet every morning, friendly neighbors wave as she walks down the street, perfect opportunities fall into her lap, etc.

I always enjoy Fallon Ballard’s writing, and this one was fast paced and snappy and very much her usual style that I like a lot. I did not like Ben’s “sweetheart” every 5 lines, bleh - made it feel just a littttle too cheesy. Cam also cussed too much imo - you can be callous and tough without sounding like a trucker. I expect lawyers to be very well spoken (even if they are from nyc!).

The magical realism element of this book was a fun twist. As with most books with magic, you need to suspend some thoughts and questions about reality and just roll with the story. Cam gets to wake up every day with perfect hair - love it! Cam needs an office as she starts working on a new case and boom her house makes an extra room - if only stuff like this could happen in real life!

The spice in this one was just a tad too much for me but mainly because love and sex were getting all kinds of confused for these 2 characters who basically only knew each other for a short time.

Overall, I really liked this one. Warm and fuzzy and romantic, holiday cheer & lots of optimism, second chances and thinking the best of people.

Thank you to Putnam Books & NetGalley for this ARC!

If you love spending the weekend reading a nice spicy novel or watching the Halmark Channel then this book is for you. Falon Ballard does an amazing job Telling Cam and Ben's story, and how they will escape their little Halmark dilemma. I know you will all love reading this and we all need a Mimi and Emma in our lives.

Thanks to Netgalley & PENGUIN GROUP- Putnam for the E-ARC! Loved this so much!! Cute characters & setting. Also loved the romance. Another masterpiece from Ms. Falon!!

Loved this book! It was so much fun. Schmigadoon meets a Hallmark movie, only with sex. What more could you ask for, really?

I would have liked to see some more exploration of the actual dynamics of Cam’s family, or her own issues, or whatever, but this stayed pretty surface level.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc! I really enjoyed this story, and I haven’t read anything like this before- I found it so unique. At times it was definitely cringy, but I think that is part of the charm as the fmc and mmc *spoiler* got magically teleported to a hallmark movie setting equivalent. I was constantly looking forward to picking this book up and subconsciously teleporting myself to their story as a bystander, I was obsessed. I’ve read a few books by this author before and this has got to be her best yet, she has really matured as an author and succeeded in a reality switch trope with romance while managing to keep it interesting throughout the entire story. There is not one page I disliked.

This was a great read! I love how it really flipped roles. Instead of the man being the issue it was the women. She took her job to seriously and never really looked outside her bubble. And a doctor who was so down to earth and was ready to bring her out of that bubble of a world. It's like she never saw what the world was really about. Like it was black and white and when she figured it out it all became colorful. Great read! I would highly recommend it!

Falon Ballard has become an auto-buy author for me. While Change of Heart felt much different than her previous two books, it still kept my attention and cemented my love of her writing. Even for those not normally drawn to a magical element, there was enough realness in the relationships to make it a perfect romcom read.

I love a novel with a little romance and magical realism and this reminded me of A Novel Love Story in that way! Cam is of course our grump that is a workaholic and after blowing through a date with Ben a pediatric surgeon, they wake up in a hallmark type town. I sort of vibed with Cam since she was a bit snarky and trying to find ways to get through her tasks to go back to real life.

It’s Pleasantville meets A Novel Love Story. After rudely sabotaging a blind date with paediatric surgeon Ben, cynical workaholic lawyer Cam wakes up in Hallmark-ish Heart Springs with Ben. To return to her New York life she must find a new job, participate in the community, and experience true love.

It’s a great concept, but I think the execution and characterisation was patchy, which, in turn, made the romance unbelievable. It also didn’t know whether it wanted to partly satirise Hallmark towns or embrace them, which made the tone a bit uneven. Ben jsut existed to pine after Cam, except he’s pining before she’s started to evolve. The repeated ‘sweetheart’ also gave me the ick. I get was meant to be snarky, then endearing, but because he was so blank it didn’t land well. Cam had more chemistry with the lawyer. I think the dynamic would’ve worked better if Ben was like Cam and also didn't want to go on the blind date. There’d have been some real banter and tension as both are forced together to do the same tasks. While Cam is outrageously awful, she had a great sense of humour and I liked Cam’s snarky comments about the town and her scheming to try and get the tasks done so she could return.

‘I’m a big-city girl and I’m trapped in a small town. The opening of this story might be familiar, but I refuse to be the kind of woman who abandons her dreams for the love of a small-town man.

Fuck that.’

My issues aside, it is escapist fun you can breeze right through.

Thanks to Penguin/Putnam and NetGalley for the ARC.

This book has a neat premise. It was definitely not what I was expecting, but I ended up really enjoying the story and the second chance at life the book gave to a character that thought she was fulfilled in life.

Very cute story. I have never read a book with this idea. Very unique storyline that pulls you in till the very end. We definitely recommend this book!

Change of Heart was a good surprise. The book was well written and had an unusual storyline.

Rule number one: you must find a career you are passionate about. Rule number two: you must become a valued member of the community. Rule number three: you need to experience true love.

Cam is a high-powered attorney whose grandmother is trying to marry off, so she is sent on blind dates with men who match her work ethic. At the beginning of the novel, Cam is on a disastrous date with Ben Loving, a pediatric doctor. The pair does not get along and Cam is trying to get the date over earlier than intended. Their waitress is aware of the tension, and allows them to leave early, but leaves a note at the bottom of the receipt. The next morning, Cam wakes up in a fictional town where everything is different, and the story takes off from there. Once I was in Heart Springs, I felt at home there and I could see myself in Cam's shoes.

Such a unique and fun take on a small town romance! You got all the sweetness you expect with so much more sass. I loved the black cat/golden retriever vibes from Cam & Ben (respectively). I loved watching how differently their minds processed; Cam focused on doing whatever she could to manipulate the end result to what she wanted while Ben trusted the process and followed it along the way. I really enjoyed the side characters and how they added to the storyline. I loved how as we neared the end, Cam & Ben just gave in and realized that their true happiness was worth the risk. Another great love story from Falon Ballard!

I love Falon Ballard and her contemporary romances. Change of heart was everything I was expecting when I went into it. This book was so fun and so hallmark coded. But the characters chemistry fell semi flat for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Falon Ballard, and the publishers for allowing me access to the e-Arc.

4.5 stars

Falon Ballard has done it again. I absolutely loved this sweet romance. Cam is an unlikable FMC. But I quite enjoy that. It gives me a different kind of character to cheer on hoping they get their happy ending. Cam is a workaholic who doesn’t want to fall in love. She is forced to confront why that is when being transported to a made-up town. It gives magical realism. The character development in this romance was perfect.

I highly recommend it!

3.5 ⭐️

This story was cute and cozy, and it read very quick. Perfect for a rainy day in. It has some magic realism, a headstrong main character, and kinda felt a bit like a Hallmark movie.

Campbell had her life laid out in front of her from a very early age. She followed that life plan since it just felt right. She worked hard, and no one was going to get in her way... until she goes on a mandatory date that changes her life.

Ben is looking for love and is working a doctors schedule. He wants to do good and help those that he can. I do wish we got to know Ben just a little bit more as it felt like we just scratched the surface.

Heart Springs was most definitely straight from a Hallmark movie and didn't sound like a bad place to be. The characters in the town were fun. Each character had a place and purpose.

I wish the tasks laid out for Campbell and Ben were a bit more defined and allowed them to understand how to complete them. Campbell's personality through 60% of the story was a bit off-putting. I think Ben's use of nicknames was a little extra. I do wish that the relationships within the book were explored at a deeper level.

Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam and Netgalley for proving this book in exchange for my own thoughts and opinions.

Change of Heart was pretty cute! There were moments where I felt the heroine was a little over the top, but I liked that she was feisty and different from other female leads in romances. The concept was really interesting, but much like the real hallmark channel, everything in the book was tied up a little too tightly for me. The hero was so cute though. He was the highlight of the book as far as I could see. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-arc.

Despite being a Falon Ballard fan, I had some doubts about this plot at the beginning. It took a couple chapters for me to feel invested and not write this off - but I’m so glad I did! By the middle of the book I was no longer sure of where she was taking these characters and really enjoyed the twist on being stuck in a hallmark movie world.

Thanks Netgalley for this ARC.
This wasnt my favorite. Im actually a big fan of a little bit of magical realism in a romcom book. Sometimes it really works great! Here it was ok. Im not mad about it. I just dont think i really liked Cam or Ben for that matter. Mostly because there was bo depth to either character and i made zero connections to them. Plus their romance just seemed forced. Like they had to get together because it was a romcom, not because they were perfect for each other.

I've been dragging this book along for a few months, I started with a bang, getting over 56% right away, the plot is very original. Cam finds herself stuck in the perfect small town, Stars Hollow to be clear, and with her is Ben, her latest blind date gone bad. In order to return to real life, Cam must complete three tasks, seemingly simple. As I said, the plot is juicy, but after a while the story becomes repetitive and boring, not to mention the times Ben calls Cam 'Sweetheart.
In every single sentence. Enough please!!! At a certain point it seems like I'm always reading the same chapters and the same dialogues.
How do I get home?
Tell me Sweetheart.
I work at the bakery.
I don't miss home.
I'm a bad person.
Today my wardrobe is different.
Mimi tell me, what do I have to do to get home?
I have to save the bakery.
Sorry, but it wasn't for me.
Thanks to Netgalley and Putnam Books for giving me this book!
It will be out Feb 11 2025.