This was a fun premise! I loved their story magical realism and I loved seeing the main character have to learn to change her priorities. I feel like the character growth while great could’ve been done better and I struggled with the relationship. I don’t feel like we got a lot development/ info on Ben to actually fall in love with the dynamic. It’s a fun, quirky story tho.

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but this is the first time a Falon Ballard has missed the mark for me. I can see how others would like it, but the main character was just too “I’m not like other women” and is rude to Ben. Ben seems too good to be true and could do so much better, but just patiently waits around like a puppy dog.

I wasn’t sure about this one at first. Campbell’s rude personality really put me off at first, but I understand now why the author made her personality off-putting.
I really enjoyed the magical realism and the town of Heart Springs and the people there grew on me. I love the character growth of Campbell and how she slowly falls for Ben. I did end up enjoying this one and would recommend it!

This felt a little like Groundhog Day in Pleasantville with a fairy godmother without the everyday resets. But with the, they needed to learn a lesson before they could move on.
Such an interesting and entertaining read! Campbell or Cam is a cutthroat attorney with no interest in romance. On a blind date with a pediatric surgeon the waitress thinks they look great together though the date was going horribly cause she didn’t want to be there.
They both wake up in this alternate universe and have to figure out how to get home. But it’s like she has to go on dates and try a different career.
I do like that these tasks made her realize she likes being a lawyer but for the little guy. And that her family only valued her for her billable hours and that was not ok. We all deserve to live a life and to find love and be loved.
This was so quirky I loved it! I’d love to escape for a couple months but then have no time pass on the real world.

Im beginning to think Falons books aren’t for me. :( it was cute, if you love hallmark movies, you’ll definitely love this one. I just felt something was missing, I can’t really pinpoint what it was.. but I definitely feel this wasn’t her best work.

Falon is an auto-read author for me and this is definitely my least favorite by her which is super sad BUT I still love all of her other books!! And there were still enjoyable moments in this.

Overall, I found the concept to be a bit half baked. This felt like a first or second draft that was written quickly because there were moments I wanted the plot to go back to and take its time with it. One of those things is the motivation or "lesson to be learned" for the MMC. He is basically a perfect simp-y man which is fine with me but don't then tell me he also had his own journey when it was never shown or felt.

Speaking about the lesson.. I felt that the world was a bit too harsh on her. This is a side plot point that takes up 2 pages so I don't consider it a spoiler- the whole town hates her at one point because she helps out a wedding coordinator and when the bride tells her she's getting cold feet the FMC suggests helping her leave and tells her she doesn't HAVE to get married. Um?? The FMC is an absolute girls girl for that. I felt sad that so much of this was spent being a bit patronizing towards her via some of these lessons. If I woke up in a 1950s Hallmark movie it would be a nightmare for some of those conservative ideal reasons.

I enjoyed the actual romance. I liked the angst, the forced proximity with them being neighbors, and how eventually she was super vulnerable with him. This pulled off somewhat of a slow burn and the competitive love interests actually kept it fun for me.

I am glad that at least the FMC wasn't forced into a brain transplant and didn't have to go all small town Hallmark at the end. That was a major saving grace of this and I trusted the process and this author and knew she wouldn't let me down in that regard.

Thank you to Putnam Books for this eARC! Falon will stay an auto-read.

Campbell Andrews is a corporate lawyer who works 80 hour weeks. She accepts a blind date to appease her grandmother and never looks off her phone to interact with Dr. Ben, a pediatric surgeon. The next morning she wakes up in a pastel filled small Hallmark type town. Think Pleasantville or Schmigadoon. She learns that she must complete three tasks to return home. And interestingly Dr. Ben is there as well to help her.

You do need to park your brain and enjoy the fantasy. It isn’t ever logically explained. I chose to just follow along and enjoy the unfolding romance. And watching Cam’s character change. It is told entirely from Cam’s POV and I did wonder what was going on in Ben’s mind. But I don’t remember the author doing duel POVs. This is light hearted, a little spicy and fun. And it is being released just in time for Valentines Day.

This book was a cute story-- maybe not exactly something I would have picked usually but I definitely was a quick read.

I received this as an ARC in exchange for honest feedback.

This is such a fun twist on the Hallmark-y romance. I looooove our "unlikeable heroine" and relate to her on so many levels. Maybe I need to be whisked away to a small town to learn to prioritize for me instead of for someone else... :-) If you're a fan of Hallmark-style movies and all-the-tropes, Change of Heart is a fun and unique twist on the subgenre we know and love (and often joke about).

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for this eARC.

This was a cute rom-com magical realism combo that worked so well. I found myself loving Heart Springs and picturing it as such a beautiful small town by its description. It’s a grumpy vs sunshine with a heavy dose of Hallmark vibes. I really liked that the goal set for the FMC to find love for herself. Overall, I enjoyed this read!

This story was adorable and sweet! I loved the premise of the female MC needing to experience true love and eventually realizing that true love was for herself. It took a bit for me to get into this but once I did, I flew through it. Another great Falon Ballard book!

This is the first book I’ve read by Falon Ballard. The novel starts with a workaholic lawyer, Campbell, and her blind date, pediatric surgeon Dr. Ben Loving. The date doesn’t go well and the next day Cam and the doc wake up in a Hallmark channel type of town. There’s a lot of hoops to jump through to get back home and she’s very resistant to them. The story was interesting at first and moved along at a good pace until it just started to slog along. The constant use of “sweetheart” by Ben to Cam really started to get on my nerves. It was used almost every time he spoke to her. Some of the story was predictable and some characters too perfect while Cam is a randomly cursing train wreck.
The story was tolerable and I hope it finds a good audience, but it’s just not for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the opportunity to read this eARC.

Thank you to the publisher for my early copy of this title!

It is going to physically pain me to write this review, but reviews are meant to be honest, right? *sigh*

For starters, I've liked or loved the other four books I've read by Falon Ballard. They were fun, fast paced, had likable main characters (both male and female), and great banter. Great romcom's, and she's been an auto read author for me since I read her first book, Lease on Love.

Unfortunately, CHANGE OF HEART had none of those characteristics. And I am so, so sad about it.

The plot read like a horrible Hallmark Christmas movie with 50 plot holes. The FMC was intolerable throughout most of the story, and she was the narrator - so if you don't like her, you're stuck with her! The MMC seemed decent and charming...from what we saw of him, but he was hardly present for the first 50% of the story. So the banter and chemistry we're used to getting in her books? Basically non existent. And for whatever reason, the pacing felt sooooo sloooooow - probably because the book was almost a Groundhog Day sort of trope, but not really.

And don't ask me how many times the MMC said the word "sweetheart". My soul (and will to continue reading) crumpled a little more each time he said it, and it was easily over 200 times throughout the story. It started out as a sarcastic pet name and turned into an actual nickname that he used for her after they fell for one another - I was not at all amused.

Once I got to the 70% mark or so, I was so bored that I found myself essentially only skimming and reading dialogue. That's when you know it's bad.

As much as I love Falon Ballard and will read another book of hers in the future, this one was a no from me.

I received a DIGITAL Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I've read a few other books by this author that I enjoyed a lot more then this one. I think most of it had to do with the FMC, she might have been just a little too unlikeable for me. I also don't really think she truly changed that much on this whole journey of hers. She's still pretty bitchy and unlikeable except now she's a lawyer for a better clientele.

If you're a Hallmark movie fan, you'll enjoy this one. This is a cute and quick rom-com. I would've loved more chemistry between the MC's. I think the setting was perfect, but the romance was a little flat.

⇢ Small-town Romance
⇢ Magical Realism
⇢ Spicy Matchmaking
⇢ Hallmark Vibes
⇢ Career Driven FMC
⇢ Reverse Grumpy Sunshine

Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for the arc copy of this book. Opinions expressed are entirely my own.

From the dedication, I had a good feeling about this book. Like my mind already knew it was going to love it, and I did.

Campbell Andrews doesn't have time for anything, including dating. She has been training to be a lawyer and take over her grandmother's firm since the reasonable age of 9, which is going well and she's made partner at 34. For some reason, her grandmother thinks she needs to make time for dating, so she keeps setting up blind dates for Cam. When Cam and Dr. Ben Loving, a pediatric surgeon, go on their date, Cam is upfront and tells him she will never see him again. Also, they don't even have to talk to each other during dinner, since she is super busy replying to emails. Ben is taken aback and the pair decide to end the date early, but not before their waitress Mimi leaves them a note with her unsolicited advice on the bill.

Cam wakes up the next day in a Hallmark movie set, which for her is hell. And guess who her neighbor is? Ben. While trying to run away back to New York City, Cam runs into Mimi, this fantasy town's mayor, at the cafe and confronts her. According to Mimi, Cam is stuck in her town until Cam completes three tasks: feel true love, get a career she's passionate about, and get involved in the community. Not only is Cam stuck, but so is Ben, who has been tasked with something different. As the pair work to complete their tasks and quickly become best friends, Cam starts to realize that perhaps her old life wasn't as great as she thought. When it comes down to it, Cam must decide which life is right for her.

I devoured this book. I love how bitchy Cam is right off the bat, and how patient and supportive Ben is. They f0rm a great friendship, have fun banter, and Cam slowly starts to become the loving person she always was deep down. This is a great story about someone realizing their true potential and happiness, learning to love themself in the process.

4.5 stars rounded up.

Goodness, Falon Ballard always knows how to pull on my heartstrings! If you LOVE cheesy Hallmark movies, but also want the big city career FMC to remain true to herself, Change of Heart is for you. There were a few times I was a little worried about where the story was going, but it ended up being full of love, empowerment and strength. Cam was such a fun character and I loved seeing her grow and discover what truly makes her happy. The town of Heart Springs was absolutely adorable and it goes on the list of Fictional Towns I Wish I Could Visit. I was ehhhh on one or two things. I did really like Ben, but him calling Cam sweetheart every other sentence was a little grating after a while. I do wish we could have seen Cam at her job and interacting with her grandmother more to really pack that punch of why she needed a change in perspective. Heart Springs happens VERY quickly in the story and I just didn’t feel like I got to know that side of Cam well enough to see the difference. However, I still very much enjoyed the book and I think it’s such a cute romance with a lot of heart!

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for an advanced digital readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

I've adored all the Falon Ballard books I've read in the past so I was excited to get an ARC from NetGalley for this one. But this book was very different than her others and I can't say I loved it. I went into this one totally blind but knowing that I love Falon's other books so I was taken aback a little when this one went a different direction than I was expecting.

Change of Heart is filled with magical realism, which I know isn't really my cup of tea, and had some positive aspects to it. I found the characters really lovable and the magical realism was well done. That being said, I thought the character development of the two main characters felt incomplete and their relationship developed was too fast to be realistic. I expect some parts of romance books to be unrealistic, but this didn't even feel like it was fully developed before being written and the relationship moved on for the sake of the plot moving on.

All that being said, while this wasn't necessarily the book for me, I still love Falon Ballard and will continue to read her books.

I'm grateful to have gotten an early digital copy from NetGalley and Penguin Group. My review is honest and voluntary.

Cam Andrews is a young partner of her grandmother's law firm, and she certainly has no time for love or those people who fall in love. She obediently goes on a blind date for the sake of her grandmother, and although the date is a sweet doctor, she reads her work emails through dinner and completely ignores Ben. The waitress is an older woman bent on making the "cute" couple happy. But dinner ends, and Cam rushes home. She wakes up the next morning in Heart Springs, an idyllic small town with cookie cutter houses, cute coffee shops, and Ben next door. Quickly, Cam realizes that she's trapped unless she follows the formula to "fall in love."

I have enjoyed other Falon Ballard novels, but Change of Heart was not a home run for me. While the idea was cute, it has been done before and quite recently in another book I read over the last year. This version did not hit the mark for the make believe perfect small town where the big city girl finds love. Instead, the main character is an awful person, although somewhat redeems herself by the end, but not enough to make me like her. Can we have a romance without all the vulgar language? Who finds that romantic or sexy? This may have sat better with a little less harsh female lead that had some friends to support her.

Penguin Group Putnam and NeGalley for the ARC. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
I can always count on Ballard to deliver a fun, cute, and unique rom com! This met those expectations. I loved the Hallmark movie vibes and enjoyed watching our FMC and her journey. I read this in one day and enjoyed my time with it!