I received an advanced copy of Change of Heart by Judith Keim from the publisher Wild Quail via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

What It’s About: After Emerson Jordan is dumped by her boyfriend, she decides to vacation at Seashell Cottage on the Gulf Coast of Florida. She ends up having to share the cottage with a family friend, Devin Gerard, a doctor who has no interest in romance and is focused on his pediatric practice and continuing medical missions in Costa Rica. The two become friends and it makes her realize that she doesn’t have to wait for the perfect man to start a family. But maybe this friendship is more.

I really didn’t enjoy this book. It was in the genre of Hallmark like romance books, so I didn’t have many expectations. My biggest problem was I felt they were very dismissive of other cultures and painted cross-cultural adoptions as overly glorified and I felt that they were unrealistic about how a child would handle loss of parent and immediate adoption and moving to a new country. This book made me feel icky and reads kind of white-savior-esqe.

I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is a well written romance full of the importance of family and doing the right thing. The characters were interesting and heartfelt.

Em got dumped by her boyfriend, who she wanted to marry and always wanted a Valentine's wedding. She decides to go to Seashell Cottage in Florida to get away. She had planned on going with a friend but the friend dropped some news to her and that got changed. Em's sister said she had a friend that was the best man in her wedding and he is looking for a vacation also and not interested in any strings.
Em has decided if she wants a family then she will have to just adopt because she is 32 and things are not looking great for a man in her life. She also wants to be a landscape designer so while in Florida she does a lot of investigating of plants.
Dev is a pediatrician and travels between his office and Costa Rica. They do spend quite a bit of time together while at the cottage.
But once they leave for their separate lives they end up being friends and chatting a lot on the phone.
She lives in NY and he is in Florida but they seem to becoming close.
I loved how these 2 came to be friends and their phone calls and how he looked out for her. She is also very close to her family and they are always there for each other.
Thank you to Judith Keim and NetGalley for sending this to me for review.

Em got dumped by her boyfriend, who she wanted to marry and always wanted a Valentine's wedding. She decides to go to Seashell Cottage in Florida to get away. She had planned on going with a friend but the friend dropped some news to her and that got changed. Em's sister said she had a friend that was the best man in her wedding and he is looking for a vacation also and not interested in any strings.
Em has decided if she wants a family then she will have to just adopt because she is 32 and things are not looking great for a man in her life. She also wants to be a landscape designer so while in Florida she does a lot of investigating of plants.
Dev is a pediatrician and travels between his office and Costa Rica. They do spend quite a bit of time together while at the cottage.
But once they leave for their separate lives they end up being friends and chatting a lot on the phone.
She lives in NY and he is in Florida but they seem to becoming close.
I loved how these 2 came to be friends and their phone calls and how he looked out for her. She is also very close to her family and they are always there for each other.
Thank you to Judith Keim and NetGalley for sending this to me for review.

This is a sweet and heart-warming story of family, love, loss and finding one’s way in the sea of life. Emerson Jordan was all set to get married on Valentine’s Day when she is unceremoniously dumped by her boyfriend. She decides to leave New York and spend some vacation time licking her wounds and thinking about her future at Seashell Cottage on the Gulf Coast of Florida. There she meets Devin Gerard, an intensely focused pediatrician who goes on missions trips to Costa Rica to help the children there. He just needs a break to recharge and is staying at Seashell Cottage to get his energy reserves restored. Em and Devin are friends, knowing that they both have future plans that don’t include romance or marriage. Then, everything changes towards the end of the book. I was happy with the ending, but now with how quickly it concluded. I felt that I was kind of left hanging about Em’s plans with her landscaping business. Nevertheless, the book was a good story set in a tropical setting that was inviting. Readers of light romance will enjoy this second installment of the Seashell Cottage series. I did not read the first book, but that did not make any difference in my ability to understand all that was happening in this book.

Change of Heart is a delightful novel. The story is well thought out, the setting is as beautiful in my mind from the description as in real life. The characters are believable and authentic. I will be looking for more books by Judith Kiem.

This is a women’s fiction book more than a romance. The characters are relatable and the plot keeps you entertained throughout and the romance comes across at the end of the book. This is the first book I’ve ever read by Judith Keim but it won’t be the last.

An absolutely delightful and oh so much fun book to read. Allowing ourselves to be receptive to finding love with unexpected people makes this book so enjoyable! Reading about the journey and then recognizing what has been right in front of us makes for a great book!!!! Thank you for the opportunity to have read this book prior to publication--I thoroughly enjoyed it and will be reading more titles by this gifted author!!!

Change of Heart is a well written romance. I enjoyed the plot and the beautiful Florida setting. I don’t remember reading books by this author but will definitely be reading more of her books. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my digital arc. This is my unbiased review.

I would like to Thank the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me with the ARC.
It was a nice story with interesting characters with believable thoughts and actions and a realistic plot.

This book - and far too many like it - are the reason why I’m so behind in my reading this year. The story and writing aren’t terrible, so I keep pushing through, despite not being particularly interested in reading the book. If a book is fairly good, I can plow through it in two or three evenings. Change of Heart took me seven nights to read. SEVEN. Yikes.

Emerson Jordan has had a bad run of luck with men. After her latest heartbreak has her moping for several months, her older sister convinces her to take a trip to Florida. While there, she evaluates what’s important to her, and decides to open her own landscape design business back home in upstate New York. She also wants to be a mother, and decides she doesn’t need a man to make that happen.

Before I go into all the reasons this book didn’t work for me, I will tell you two things I did like: a story that enfolds over the course of a year (so no insta love - hooray!), and a hero that isn’t an alpha male. There also wasn’t any droning on and on about how good looking he was, or how those good looks made the heroine’s body parts tingle. So that was nice too.

However...for a story that’s supposed to be a romance (that is, a story about a relationship between two people), there was more plot development for the heroine building her business than building a relationship with the hero. I was going to try to be spoiler-free here, but decided I couldn’t adequately explain how much things didn’t work for me without giving details, so here’s your warning - if you don’t want to know what happens, don’t keep reading.

Em and Devin first met at her sister’s wedding, but get to know each other when sharing a house for a week in Florida. They barely spend time together, and don’t give any hint of attraction to the other. Then they see each other a second time about a month later. He goes back to Florida. Then they apparently talk on the phone for several months, see each other again, share a kiss. There’s more talking on the phone. At 64% Devin shows up and proposes. WHAAAAT??? They’ve just spent the whole book telling everyone they're just friends. No talk between them of deeper feelings. No talk of them having a relationship. But he shows up, asks her to marry him, she gives an enthusiastic yes. You can’t just tell me they talked on the phone a lot, and expect me to feel their connection! Especially when the reader isn’t privy to any of their supposed long conversations.

On top of that, we get loads of info about Em starting her business, which not only makes the pacing drag, but does nothing to move the romance of the story forward. I’m not sure exactly what “change of heart” our heroine was supposed to have had. Also, the dialogue was stilted and contrived and had me thinking “no one talks like that!” And while I’m being negative (might as well go all in at this point), the nicknames sorta bugged me. I’m generally opposed to them to begin with, and I know Emerson is kinda long and sorta formal sounding, but calling her Em all the time bothered me. Then we have the floral shop helper whose real name is Allison Belle, but everyone calls her Tinker. I'm sure the author was trying to be cute, but it seemed out of place with the tone of the story. It also made me want to roll my eyes. So yeah, this book just didn’t work for me.

I think this story could have been good, but so much happened off page between the hero and heroine that you can’t sell me this as a romance. When the synopsis tells me that “something happens that changes everything” between the hero and heroine, that’s what I’m looking forward to finding out. (FYI, I thought it was going to be that these “friends” got carried away one night and she got pregnant. Nothing that exciting or scandalous happened between them, at all, in the book.) But I still don’t know what that something was. And if you tell me the story is a romance, and I’m expecting a romance, but don’t get a romance, that equals unmet expectations...also known as disappointment. Which is basically what this story was to me.

* thank you to NetGalley and Wild Quail Publishing for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Another lovely romance from Keim. She seems to specialize in great beach reads for the over 30 romance lover., and this is a very good addition to the group.

This was my first book by Judith Keim and it will not be the last! This book was fun, sexy, and delightful read you will not want to put down!

This is the second book I’ve read by Judith Keim. I enjoyed the first one so much, I eagerly accepted a chance to read and review Change of Heart when the offer came from the publisher, via Net-Galley. My opinions are my own are not influenced in any way.

Change of Heart has likable characters and an interesting plot. The pacing is steady, keeping me engaged throughout the book. I like Ms. Keim’s writing style, and the story developed logically with most of the book evolving around the heroine, and her life choices, making this a lovely women’s fiction with a romantic element.

Emerson Jordan’s character has been disappointed in love when her boyfriend ends their relationship at a wedding reception, when she is expecting a proposal. She believes romance is not for her and decides to focus on building her career. She is determined to start her own landscape design business, yet still help her grandmother with her flower shop. Em is extremely organized which is important because she has a lot the handle.

I loved the relationship between Em and her grandmother, which added a great deal to the book. I enjoyed Em’s fulfillment of her dream to have her landscaping design business. She’s an independent woman and doesn’t need a man in her life. Even though she is attracted to Devin, she keeps him in the friend category until she can no longer deny the growing attraction between them.

Devin Gerrard is the hero. He too, is focused on his career as a pediatric doctor and his work in Costa Rica. He has a genuine love for children. This comes out when he interacts with several delightful little girls in the story. When he meets Em, he’s relieved she is no more interested in romance then he is. It makes it easy for him to relax and enjoy her company, which helps their friendship develop into a strong one.

The romance is secondary to the plot. Em and Devin do not spend much time together, so it was hard to get excited about a happy ending for them. Their romance really only happens toward the end and there just wasn’t enough for me. Everything comes together really fast. The dilemma that would make it impossible for them, resolves much too easily. However, since this is women’s fiction, I didn’t expect a lot of romance.

Overall, I enjoyed Change of Heart. If you enjoy women’s fiction with a determined woman and don’t need much in the romance department, then you will enjoy this book. I look forward to reading Ms. Keim’s next book. Happy reading!

CHANGE OF HEART is a Romance that will leave you with all the “feels” required, a smile on your face, and a satisfying reading experience. Em and Devin are the perfect friends-to-lovers couple who start out their relationship a bit wary of each other, learning to like and respect the chosen path of the other, and through conversations build on their friendship that slowly turns to so much more – with complications.

I liked them both and understood their reasons for not only being cautious around each other but why they eventually moved from simply friends to a couple that could have a future if they were willing to put in the effort to make that happen. It’s realistic with heartache, betrayal, recovery and a sense of waiting for the right one after the wrong people messed with their lives and hearts.

The cover description really gives you the basics of what you need to pick up CHANGE OF HEART, and I would recommend this one for any reader who loves a good, believable, slow-burn romance with lots of family and friendships to share. I had fun with this one and I believe you would, too.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

I really got into this story. It was all about family. Yet, I just wished that Emmerson just would have stood back and not allowed her family to take advantage of her. Devin did the same too in a way.
Which is in a way asking her something and then asking her to decide quickly. I just felt with their friendship being so long and drawn out it just seemed so out of character.
But when they were around each other they were so connected without even touching. The looks they gave each other could start a forest fire. Their long talks sometimes daily were enough to keep them connected living so far away. It was the glue bonding them.
See how this friendship finds its way into much more. Although I enjoyed the book, I just had a problem with how Em was not willing to ask for help. Not willing to at least from her family. Also, Devin liking things his way always.
But I guess it was asking her sister for help that got her the roommate to stay with her at the beach house in the first place. In the long run, having that horrible break up on the 4th of July ended up being the best thing that ever happened to her. Valentine’s Day their own private way.
I give this: 5 stars. Provided by netgalley.com. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com.

I loved everything about this book from the name of the story and cover picture to all the characters. I am delighted to have found another author to add to my favorites list! Excellent.

I am not going to give feedback online about this book. I will say I have not read any of the other books in the series so that might be why I am having issues with this book. It does not translate smoothly - things are crafted together that should not be or not in that way of putting things together. I'm not in love with the characters but that could be there is an assumption I have read the other books. This was not my favorite.

Love, love, love this story and the characters in it. They have to deal with happy times and sad times. Life makes them who they are. There are strong family ties and there are folks who evidently have no loyalty. I would love to make a trip to Seashell Cottage. It sounds pretty perfect. I truly enjoyed hanging with Em and crew. It was fun to see some of the changes that takes place in these folk’s lives. In my mind there will be many more good times to come. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

Emerson/Em was taking part in her sister’s wedding . the dreamy hadn’t proposed to her yet, but she was pretty sure he would. Then she woke up and remembered her boyfriend Jared broke up with hre . for the next few weeks Em continued to work at the family flower shop. But she barely functioned. Luckily Jared lived in NYC. an hour away as Em couldn’t bear to see him. As the holidays approached Em fell into a deep depression She had no intentions of dating yet. The holidays were a hard time to be alone. She was struggling trying to be more positive about her life. Her sister Elena suggested she go to Seashell cottage for Valentine’s day. Em thought that would be a great break for her. Em added she thought she could get Kat - friend- to go with her as she was also single again and depressed. Kat finally called Em and said she had good and bad news, she was with a guy already talking marriage and a future, the bad news was it was Jared. They met up at a new year’s Eve party they had both been invited too. And everything clicked between them. Jared claimed he felt the same way about kat as she did about him. Kay said she’d pay the cancelation fees for the Cottage in Florida but em told her to never mind as she was still going. After Kat again repeated she was sorry she hung up. The man who had broke her heart was talking about a future with her friend Kat. Than Elena called and said she had the perfect person to share the cottage with Em. He had been the best man at her wedding- Devin. Devin and his girlfriend had broke up a year ago and he had no intention of letting any woman destroy what he had worked so hard for. He had just come from six months in Costa Rica and is exhausted. Elena and brought up the cottage. But he wasn’t so excited when he found out he’d be sharing the cottage with Em. The elena added the cottage was big enough for the two of them won't be in each other's way. Devin is married to his work. He is a doctor like Em’s brother in law Andrew. He’d been working to establish clinics for children in third world countries and improve overall health care for the children and their families. Em became friend with Devin but she was also attracted to devin and had to be careful she didn’t imagine them together. Devin and Em became best friends and talked on the phone often. He was also looking into a child Em could adopt.
I really enjoyed reading this book. It was a slow burning romance. I loved devin and em together and how they interacted. I loved Em’s future little girl and evin had already adopted her. I really enjoyed how the relationship built over time but i thought the proposal a little rushed love had never been brought up or a future together. Devin was pretty sure of Em already setting up going into practice in her hometown. But it was all good just a little rushed to me. This was a touch predictable also but that was OK. I loved how close Em was to her family, especially her grandmother. . Also how Em took her responsibilities to her family seriously. I really liked Em followed through and started her own business but made sure her grandmother's flower shop was also being taken care of. I loved the characters and the ins and outs of this book and I recommend it.