Change of Heart by Falon Ballard
Rating: 4 stars
Pub date: 2/11

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Putnam Books for my advanced copy!

If you love Hallmark movies but wish they had a little more sass, this book is the perfect read. This rom-com has a fun magical twist, plenty of humor, and a stubborn heroine who wants nothing to do with love.

Campbell Andrews is a total workaholic—no time for nonsense and definitely no time for romance. So when she suddenly wakes up in Heart Springs, a town straight out of a feel-good movie, she’s not having it. The only way home? Complete three tasks, one of which is finding true love. Lucky for her, Ben, the blind date she was horrible to the night before, is also stuck and willing to help.

Cam is a fun character. She’s sarcastic, independent, and brutally honest. She starts off as rude, and watching her struggle in this overly cheerful town is hilarious. Her journey to understanding love (especially self-love) is well done. Ben was my least favorite character. He’s nice, but his “sweetheart” vibe didn’t match Cam’s sharp edges for me.

The writing is fun, though a bit choppy in places, and there’s a decent amount of strong language and open-door romance. If you’re into magical small-town rom-coms with some spice, this one’s definitely worth picking up.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

If you love a good hallmark-ish small town story with a little spice and a touch of magical realism, this one is for you.

Cam has found herself in the small town of Heart Springs after she unceremoniously ended yet another blind date she’s been set up on. Only, things aren’t quite as they seem. She awoken in a home that’s not her own, clothes she’s never worn, hair and makeup done, and a new neighbor who happens to be her blind date, Ben, from the night before. Trapped in what is her nightmare of a small town, she’s been tasked for several things she must complete before she can leave and go back to her real life, one being to experience true love. Between the tasks she unwillingly is forced to complete and the sweet tension between her and Ben, this is the perfect little quick romantic read.

Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam and Falon Ballard for allowing me to read an advanced complimentary copy of the book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Change of Heart by Falon Ballard is a contemporary romance filled with so many twists and turns that I doubted Cam would ever find true love.

Set in Manhattan and also a small town called Heart Springs, the two locations couldn’t be more different, and neither could some of Cam’s actions. Is Heart Springs a figment of her imagination since no place could be so kind and stress-free?

Cam is a high-powered attorney in her family‘s law firm and does nothing but work. The firm represents clients who buy up small companies, and after being in Heart Springs, she feels she’s no longer fulfilled. Her date with Ben, a pediatric oncologist, ends before it begins since she focuses solely on her career. When Ben shows up in Heart Springs, living in the house next door, what is really happening? The premise is totally unexpected, but Cam is searching deeply for what she really wants out of life.

The story has a good flow, and several friendly people Cam and Ben both get to know, but the story is definitely centered on Cam. Heart Springs has friendly people who embrace her and want Cam to find herself, but when she does, will she be able to live her life the way she always has? When she and Ben realize that they want a relationship and love each other, what does it mean since they’re not in their high-pressure world?

There were a lot of surreal moments, and it’s hard to know what’s real and what’s not, but for all of it, Ben is by her side. But does she deserve him, and can she change her life for the better when all is said and done? There is closure and a chance for a happily ever after, especially with the epilogue that takes place eighteen months later, and it was the icing on the cake. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

Change of Heart is a contemporary romance, unlike others I’ve read. I enjoyed the story as Cam finds herself and realizes what’s important in her life. Maybe you’ll look at your life a little differently, too.

The review is posted on NovelsAlive.

Change of Heart by Falon Ballard

“you definitely don’t want to mess with me before I’ve had my morning peppermint mocha”

I want to start by saying that I love Falon Ballard and I have thoroughly enjoyed each and every one of her books. So while this one was not my favorite, there were things that I liked and I can’t wait to see what she writes next!!

Campbell Andrews is a no-nonsense, goal oriented career woman who has no time for love. So when she wakes up in a magical town full of festivals, goofy town folk and other nightmarish scenes reminiscent of a Hallmark movie, Cam needs to figure out how to return to her real life before she loses her mind. Fortunately she learns that all it will take is for her to fulfill three tasks and… of course find true love.

The town of Heart Springs was just cheesy enough to be adorable and I enjoyed Cam’s journey of self discovery. The writing is fun and fast paced but I do wish that it had been written with a dual pov because I didn’t feel like we got enough of Ben’s story. As a result, I felt that Cam and Ben’s relationship didn’t have as much build up as I would have liked. I don’t usually enjoy insta-love stories and this came a little too close to that for my liking.

I am also a big fan of books with magical realism but I think that it is a genre that can be tricky if it’s not done well. Unfortunately some of the magical elements felt a little off to me at times. The other major drawback for me was the overuse of the term “sweetheart” throughout the book. Ben called Cam sweetheart all-the-time. (68 times to be exact because I went back and counted). He said it when he was being sweet, when he was being sarcastic, when he was being funny, and when he was trying to get under her skin. And while I will admit that nicknames are rarely my thing, I think everyone would agree that 68 times is just waaay too many!

If you are a fan of insta-love and open to magical realism then I would say to give this one a chance. I can’t wait to hear what you think!

Read if you like

Magical Realism
Self Discovery
Open Door Spice
Small Town Vibe

I’m a huge Falon Ballard fan, so thank you to netgalley and G.P Putnam’s and Sons for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.
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Change of Heart follows Cam and Ben. Cam, a high powered workaholic attorney, and Ben a pediatric cardiologist. They have a disastrous first date where Cam basically tells Ben she has no time for love.
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💕small town Hallmark vibes
💕magical realism
💕funny moments
💕fun side characters
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I liked Cam’s character development and the story itself was funny and whimsical.
What I was missing was more backstory on Ben. I felt like I didn’t know him very well. And his term of endearment was way over used in my opinion. 🤪

I need to say this up front: this book does not read like a romance. It very much seems like a women’s fiction with a romantic subplot. With that being said, Falon Ballard delivered a charming, introspective story with some magical realism sprinkled in. This is going to sound like a Hallmark movie plot, but it has more heart (and steam) than one.

Campbell, a power attorney complete with signature blunt bob, is set up on a blind date by her grandmother. She meets Ben, a pediatric surgeon, for dinner and then completely blows him off. Our resident magical waitress, Mimi, leaves a cryptic message on their check. The next morning, Cam wakes up in an idyllic room, in an idyllic town, with Ben as her neighbor.

Here’s where I feel like the story leans away from Romance and leans into Women’s Fiction: Ben felt like a supporting device for Cam’s self-realization journey. We get a lot more time with Emma, the owner of the bakery, than we do Ben.

*This ARC was provided by Putnam Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

This book was screaming Pleasantville vibes and I was here for it. Following Cam as she finds herself in this hallmark channel small town, she just wants to go home, back to her law firm, but she can’t leave until she falls in love. All the trials that are thrown at her, you see her growth as a person. And Ben is the sweetest MMC, he calls her Sweetheart from the get go, of course as sarcasm in the beginning, but I loved it!!

A no-nonsense lawyer magically transported to a Hallmark-style small town? Sounds like the perfect setup for a fun, magical rom-com! And while this book had its cute moments, it didn’t fully win me over.

Cam was brash, sarcastic, and completely out of touch with small-town charm. I really wanted to see more growth from her, and while she eventually started to soften, it took a while to get there. And Ben? Meant to be the swoony small-town hero, but his constant use of sweetheart made me cringe more than melt. 😬 Still, the town’s quirkiness, heartwarming friendships, and a sprinkle of magical realism kept things entertaining.

Speaking of magic—Cam wakes up every day with perfect hair and her house literallycreates new rooms for her as needed?! I need this kind of life upgrade immediately. ✨ The grumpy/sunshine trope was fun, and while the romance felt a little rushed, I did love the humor, sarcasm, and heartwarming moments scattered throughout.

Overall, this was a charming, light read with a cozy small-town vibe, but I didn’t fully connect with the characters or the romance. If you love Hallmark-style stories with a twist of magic, this might be your perfect escape!

A fun and interesting take on the blind date and love. Who hasn’t been on a beyond bad blind date or heard from a friend about theirs? For Ben, his date with Campbell is just that. She isn’t just workaholic, striving to make partner at her law firm, but this quest has caused her to lose and all sense of civility, decency or any sense of just not being a horrible human being who thinks love is a waste of time. She goes on a blind date with Ben only to appease her grandmother. Um, at what point is that anything other than ugh. Then she treats Ben with such disdain I was impressed he tried to make it through the meal before leaving. They go their separate ways and then the next morning, whoa! Cam is now living in her own personal version of The Hallmark Channel hell. There are a few tasks she must complete in order to return to her life, but it is not only about can she, but more to the point is she willing to try to complete them? It was a middle of the road read for me. Ben was pretty terrific, but there wasn’t a whole lot of him and by the time Cam wasn’t a hateful excuse of a human being I wanted Ben to run. Run fast and far. He is way too good for her. For me, it took way too long for Cam to become a real human being to love the story and there was no chemistry between them. The concept is adorable and fun, but the reality of the story, just okay for me.

Campbell Andrews, a workaholic lawyer who despises love stories, finds herself mysteriously transported to the overly-sweet small town of Heart Springs after a blind date with Ben, a too good to be true pediatric surgeon. To return to her busy life, Cam must complete three tasks, the most challenging of which is to experience true love. As she navigates the town’s quirky charm, Cam’s tough exterior begins to soften, leading her to question everything she thought she knew about love and happiness.

Ever want to live in an actual Hallmark movie? That’s where Cam and Ben find themselves after a disastrous first date, and the rest of the book follows accordingly, Mimi, the mysterious fairy godmother of the story, wants Cam to find her way to a job she’s actually passionate about, a community she cares about, and a man she’s crazy about. The chemistry between Cam and Ben was sizzling, but the side characters were forgettable, and hard to get attached to, when we knew Cam and Ben would be leaving as soon as she completed her quests. I also would have enjoyed reading more about Ben’s journey to Heart Springs, or if he was simply pulled along for the ride. The book wrapped up with a sweet happy ending, as did my reading, in a crisp two hours, just like a real Hallmark experience.

Campbell is a workaholic with absolutely no time for love. After a disastrous blind date, she finds herself transported to a magical small town where she discovers her new neighbor is none other than Ben, her date from the night before. In order for both of them to get back home, Campbell must complete three tasks: Find a job she's passionate about, become an important part of her community, and (of course) find true love.

This is a tough one because it wasn't bad, but it could have been so much better. I really enjoy Ballard's writing and I was super excited to see that she was doing magical realism. However, it didn't quite live up to its potential.

Let's start with the positives. The setting was great. This cute little small town with quirky side-characters was definitely a great backdrop. I also really enjoyed Ben's and Campbell's characters separately.

My main issue is how the romance element played out. It was a very tell instead of show sort of romance. For example, there were times where the author mentioned Ben and Campbell were spending time together on the front porch after work, but we didn't get any further insight into those moments. There was just not a lot of content of the two of them together to make me believe they were falling in love. It felt like more time was spent on the 3 date's Campbell was required to go on than the actual romance that was supposed to be happening.

It just missed the mark a little for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for the ARC!

Absolutely cute, funny, heartfelt story that had me hooked instantly! I won't spoil, but the plot is great from the start.

I loved the main characters and how their relationship developed - he falls first and it's so sweet. I loved watching the FMC slowly bloom into her true self. Their relationship develops in such a lovely way, and the spice was just right - spicy enough to satisfy, but not so spicy that it detracted from the story. Thankful it wasn't a closed door romance, because at first I was worried that might be the case. All in all, I felt that the main characters were great at balancing one another out.
The secondary characters and world building in this book were absolutely top tier - I was invested in everyone's stories and I didn't want to leave the world behind!

I cannot recommend this book enough - I will be telling everyone about it and buying a physical copy because I loved it so much.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for an advance copy of this book!

Unfortunately, I just don't think Fallon Ballard is the author for me. I found myself not enjoying or relating to the FMC. I DNF'd at 15%.

Campbell Andrews is a woman on a mission to plow through New York on a wave of cutthroat mergers and acquisitions. She doesn’t have time for a date, but with her grandmother at the steering wheel of her life and decisions, she can at least share a table with a doctor while eating dinner and answering a few emails. Dr Ben Loving is a pediatric surgeon looking for his slice of dreams-come-true pie, and Campbell throws the proverbial pie right back in his face and runs it over with a hundred taxis (not really, but she could not be LESS interested in Ben or his idea of a perfect partner).

Following the heartbreaking date-from-hell, Campbell wakes up in a magical dreamland where her hair is perfectly coiffed and the golden sun greets her as she wakes, finding a new definition of hell, and all the therapeutic and introspective tasks in order to find her way home. Its simple, really. Find a job she is passionate about, becoming a contributing member of the community, and know true love. Lol

This storyline is not my usual vibe and came off a little too Hallmarky for my taste. I like a little more tension and complexity in my favorite stories, but that is not to say that this wasn’t a fun ride through a magic loop full of personal transformation and finding meaning in the small things. This may not have been for me, but I am a big Ballard fan and got all of the obligatory warm-fuzzies from Heart Springs and our hilarious lawyer turned baker turned lawyer again.

3.5/5 stars!
Big thanks to Putnam, NetGalley, and Falon Ballard for the ARC for review!

Thank you Putnam Books for my copy! All thoughts are my own!

Lease on Love by Fallon Ballard remains one of my all time favorite books and made her an auto-buy author for me. So, I was very excited to read her latest! Sadly, it felt a little disjointed and I didn’t connect to the romance or characters’ chemistry at all. It’s a fun, quick read, but not one I’ll return to.

Synopsis:

“Campbell Andrews despises exactly three things in life: incompetence, tardiness, and love stories. Making partner at her law firm at thirty-four, she has no time for anything or anyone else. And certainly no respect for those who choose love over work. That is, until she wakes up in Heart Springs—her own personal hell.The good news? She’s not dead. She’s been magically transported to a small town straight out of the Hallmark channel, complete with a meddling mayor, seasonal festivals, and friendly townsfolk. Cam can’t stand it, but in order to make it back to her real life, she has to fulfill three tasks . . . foremost among them, experience true love. It seems impossible. But anything’s possible with a change of heart.” —NetGalley

What I Liked:

The Premise—I loved Book Lovers by Emily Henry, which she said was inspired by what happens to the “icy, corporate girlfriends” male characters in Hallmark movies leave behind. I thought the premise of this one kind of captured that feeling as well!

The Self Awareness—It was funny and cute toin this fictional Hallmark-esque town.

What Didn’t Work for Me:

The Pacing—Everything happened very fast and very slow.

The Characters’ Chemistry—I did not vibe with this Romance. It felt so forced and not natural at all.

General Disconnect—Overall, this book just wasn’t for me. I was sad, cause Fallon’s books are usually some of my favorites, but this one felt disjointed and forced in so many ways.

Character Authenticity: 3/5 Spice Rating:1/5 Overall Rating: 2.75/5

Content Warnings:

sexism, abandonment, toxic relationship

As a fan of Falon Ballard, this was one I was beyond excited to read. I am such a fan of magical realism and will always and forever love a grumpy heroine. And I had the absolute best time with this book. It was sweet and fast-paced, the kind of romcom that's a bit silly and heartwarming and full of almost that magic you get from early 2000s romance films. Cam is a lawyer who has no interest in romance. She's grumpy and a workaholic and has no time in her life for anything bordering on love. Ben (Dr. Ben!) meets Cam on a disastrous blind date and they go their separate ways, with no hope of ever being in each other's orbit again. Until they both wake up in a Hallmark-meets-Pleasantville-meets-Stars Hollow and are forced to figure out a way to get back home. This book was about slowing down, about letting life in, about opening yourself up to love, and, more than anything, about knowing what you truly want and putting that first. Cam and Ben had a reluctant friendship, Ben falls first and falls hard, and Cam's character arc brings her from someone who is buried under a world of pressure and anxiety to someone who is living for what matters to her. I related to Cam in so many aspect, and absolutely adored Ben!

This is my second Falon Ballard book—I read All I Want Is You this past December and was thrilled to get my hands on an ARC of Change of Heart.

This rom-com is a fun mash-up of A Christmas Carol meets The Truman Show vibes. Campbell, a ruthless workaholic lawyer, starts off as the epitome of an unlikable character—so much so that she’s hard to stomach in the first few chapters. But before I knew it, I was rooting for her success.

I loved experiencing the charming, Hallmark-movie-esque town of Heart Springs and getting to know its quirky townspeople. If you’re in the mood for a light rom-com with a dash of magical realism, Change of Heart is the perfect February read.

This was a cute read and sort of supernatural , cosmic take on of those hallmark movies where the city girl moves to a small town and finds herself. I liked Cam our leading lady and despite numerous mentions of how bad she was in her previous life I thought she was likeable annd snarky in a way I could relate to. She just needed to find balance and what would make her happy in the real world . She had good chemistry with Ben who I also liked (though the sweetheart thing got real annoying real fast). Overall not my favourite from this author but I still enjoyed the story and journey the characters went on. 3 🌟

I love Falon Ballard, I always find her books so enjoyable to read. This one didn't quite hit for me, and I think it is entirely due to the magical realism nature of this story. I enjoyed it for what it was, but I really don't vibe with magical realism, so this one fell flat for me. If you like magical realism or Hallmark movies, this may just be the story for you!

thank you to netgalley and putnam books for the arc of this book!

falon ballard is an author i found through netgalley that quickly became an autobuy author. so obviously when she has a new arc i always request it immediately!

this one gave me the same vibes as Primetime Romance by Kate Robb and A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston (thanks for the reminder @grumpysunshinejillian) basically fish out of water in a hallmark like town. add in magical realism which i’ve been obsessed with lately and i was sold!

while i enjoyed this one—it’s not my favorite from this author. (Just My Type forever baby) i got irritated with both characters and especially Ben’s use of the term sweetheart.

but the swoony setting and friendships Campbell made definitely pulled me in and helped me enjoy it.

overall, i give it 3.5