Change of Heart by Falon Ballard
✨Releases February 11th ✨

3.5⭐
2 🌶️
Tropes/Themes: magical realism, hallmark vibes, small town, snarky banter
Single POV 1st person

I’m pretty torn on this review. Mostly, I enjoyed it. I read it in almost one sitting. This story is sort of a mashup of Pleasantville and The Truman Show- After going on a “date” with Ben (date is a term I use loosely since he just sat there while she ignored him) Cam wakes up the next morning in the magical town of Heart Springs, where she has to do 3 things to be able to return to the real world.

What I liked:
The story concept- like the whole gist of the story: workaholic lawyer who refuses to deal with her own trauma and treats people like shit gets magically transported to the “perfect” town where she has to face up to her own flaws.
Cam’s personal growth- This was really well written. Like she’s kind of a heartless bitch when she first arrives but definitely starts to learn from it.
There were some really funny parts- I laughed so hard at the books she sold to people in the town.
It’s mostly a cute, quick and fun read
The sarcasm and snark between Cam and Ben was great

What I disliked:
Ok, I know I said the character growth was great but….Cam’s character is a terrible person. I’m really glad she changed but I still kinda hate her.
Even though it’s obvious that Cam and Ben are the couple in the story, I hated her for him. He just really deserved better.
The way she “fulfills” the three requirements. IDK it was a good message I guess but eh.
The shit talking “straight white men” trope is getting old. We can acknowledge issues and work toward change without trashing entire groups.

Change of Heart by Falon Ballard just was not for me. I see where Ballard was trying to go with this book but I found the FMC incredibly insufferable. I enjoy the twist on reality and the bit of fantasy/magical realism but the groundhog day aspect/ anti-feminism feel just was not for me. A lot of people found this book corny (in a sweet way) and endearing but it fell flat for me.

A cute book, but it contains magical realism which I didn’t know until I started reading. I wouldn’t have read it had I known, but I rated it as I would have had it not contained these elements because it was my error in misreading the description.

Cam is a career-driven women in her mid-thirties who has no desire to be in a relationship. Her grandma who controls the family law firm sets her up on a blind date with Ben. During their date, Cam tells him that she's not actually interested and works on her phone during their time together. The next morning, they both wake up stuck in a dream world with objectives to achieve in order to return to their real lives.

The premise is cute, but the execution was a little rough. Cam just seems mean, not driven. People can be driven AND courteous. Ben's perspective would have been insightful and could have made him more interesting. I still don't fully understand Cam's mom abandoning her with her grandma or the logistics of what her childhood was like.

The characters felt surface level and they were living in an alternate reality, so they were really difficult to relate to. If you're looking for a book by Ballard, I'd recommend Lease on Love.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Campbell is a hard person to like - she's brusque, does not suffer fools and has no need for a life or friends because of her high powered job (and makes it known To anyone who tries). She gets set up on a blind date with Ben but barely says a word to him during their short date (like reads emails the whole time and then rather than eat at the table takes a doggy bag short). The morning after her pseudo-date she wakes up in a different bed, different house, different town. She's in an ideal storybook town with Ben as her neighbor (he also somewhere ended up there). The only way to get back to her life is to fulfill a few tasks, including finding true love. Cam will need to change a lot to be able to complete the tasks, the question is whether or not she can do it.

This is my first book by Ballard and I will read more of hers because I found it to be a nice, light and fun read with the addition of magical realism that I always appreciate. While I did enjoy it my main issue with the book was I felt like I was trying really hard to like Cam because she was quite terrible and I didn't totally understand why Ben liked her at all (and that wasn't the part I was supposed to suspend reality for) and it was also a very predictable storyline (the whole story not just the happy ending). However I liked the concept, even though I have seen it/read it before and I thought it was done creatively.

3.75 stars

Thank you to GP Putnam and Netgalley for my ARC to review

This book was a solid 3.5 stars for me- so I rounded up to 4! The story was cute and kitschy with a dash of magic. I was surprised that it was taking place around Christmas for a good chunk of the book based on the color scheme and its publication date being Feb 11th. Ben and Cam were adorable together- though sweetheart (his pet name for her) was a bit overused to the point where it started to annoy me some. Cam’s family definitely sucked- though the ending did wrap that aspect up in a satisfying manner for me. Cam had a lot of good character growth and development throughout the story which I liked- I couldn’t really stand her at the beginning, but really liked her by the end. Her stint in the bookshop was hilarious, her giving a kid Priest by Sierra Simone without realizing what it was definitely something. The book was at times a tad cheesy, but it was overall a fun read!

3.5 ⭐️

This was a fun, escapist read that was written with so much humor and romance! It felt like I was in a book of some 2000s magical realism rom coms (Just My Luck, Freaky Friday) and I loved that! Falon’s writing takes you into a different world and it was a quick easy read. I really enjoy the FMC’s journey of self-growth and we LOVE a supportive MMC who just watches and encourages her along the way 🫶🏻 Cam + Ben were lovable characters overall. It was a cheesy romance story- sometimes repetitive and unrealistic, I also thought their chemistry felt a bit rushed - therefore it didn’t knock anything out of the park for me but still worth the read!

I don't know why but I was not feeling this at all. For the life of me I couldn't get into the story or the characters. The plot had the potential to be whimsical but i found it lackluster and rushed. The characters, particularly the FMC was closed off and we didn't even start to really get to know her yet so I couldn't become invested in these characters

Falon Ballard is one of my favorite authors. Her books usually have so much depth and beautiful romances. This one just didn’t have the same magic.

Falon Ballard has been an auto-read author for me since Lease on Love debuted and I’ve said it before - Falon has some of the best book covers out there.

Change of Heart was a heartwarming story of second chances, building community, taking a chance on yourself, and learning to trust your heart and love yourself. Was it super cheesy at times? You bet, and that cheesiness was part of the charm. While this was super cozy and the stakes were low, the pace was maybe a bit too slow.

I liked how Falon’s dedication was to “unlikable” females. I will champion an “unlikable” female character all day every day… an unlikable FMC can be perceived by society as prickly, closed off (she’s just guarding her heart because of past pain) or “too much” (i.e. she doesn’t fit the mold of demure, soft-spoken, or malleable). But what “unlikable” is not synonymous with is mean, and oof, Campbell came out of the gate swinging… yikes. I was about to part ways with the book, BUT she turned it around and cut out the snark. I appreciated the journey her character went on to find community and clarity and loved the destination where she learned to love herself and to be loved.

The setting was cute and definitely reminded me of a classic hallmark movie small town with its charm and cheesy moments - we all need a bit of warm fuzzies right now. But I really could have done without Ben using the endearment ‘sweetheart’ a million times… it was too much.

Overall, I had a pleasant time with this story and these characters!

3⭐️ Oof I hate to say it but this was just okay for me.

I love Falons writing so much but this romance fell flat. I usually love Magical Realism and honestly I don’t think that was the issue. Mini spoiler but the issue for me is that it took over 50% of the book before the FMC and MMC to finally acknowledge their intentions and then a few pages later they were in love. Still an enjoyable read overall but just not my fav by this author!

This was an advanced read copy I received through Netgalley so it’s not going to be officially published until February 11, 2025! But this is my honest review!

Add this book to your to read list, I promise you won’t regret it! & then let me know what you thought!

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Change of Heart

If Falon Ballard writes it, I'm going to read it. I absolutely love her previous works.

Change of Heart is about Cam, who goes on a blind date with Ben and it goes... not well. She doesn't bother to get to know him, not interested in a relationship, and sweeps off into the night quickly. Only to wake up in a perfect little magical town with Ben as her next-door neighbor and a mayor/coffee shop owner giving her three tasks in order to be able to go back home.

I truly struggled to connect with Cam. She was a workaholic, self-centered individual who didn't think of others. By the time she grew as a character, I was past the point of trying to like her. I wish she had been redeemable sooner. I did like Ben, even if he felt a little flat. Their chemistry was also hard to believe because I struggled to like Cam.

This one was ultimately not my favorite, but I will still be keeping Falon Ballard as a favorite author.

Thank you to Putnam for the ARC! Change of Heart is on shelves February 11, 2025. My opinions are my own.

Ahhhh I really wanted to love this... I've loved everything by Fallon Ballard so far but I just don't think this was my cup of tea.

The premise was so promising but unfortunately I think it fell flat for me. I think Cam was definitely able to do a lot of soul searching in Heart Springs, but the love story just wasn't there? Personally, I didn't feel any connection between Ben and Cam. We hardly learn anything about Ben and there was really no relationship development to me. The whole relationship felt very one sided on Cam and not Ben.

I also just wanted a but more closure on how they ended up in Heart Springs and how they got back. I would have loved that to be tied up at the end of the story.

I'll still continue to look for Ballard's stories and cheer her on, I just don't know if this one was for me!

I really enjoyed this book and it was such a cute read for February! It’s a light hearted romance all about learning to better yourself and love yourself. The chemistry between our two main characters is amazing and slowly develops throughout the book. I really enjoyed their relationship and that it wasn’t rushed into quickly! I loved the setting of the story and found myself picturing it perfectly as I read. I highly recommend this book if you’re looking for a cute romance!

2.5 stars, rounded down for disappointed hopes.

First, I'd like to say that I really enjoy Falon's work. That's part of why I wanted to read this one. The summary painted all the appropriate Hallmark movie vibes but knowing Falon's other works, I expected a more tongue-in-cheek approach.

Unfortunately, this reads <b>exactly</b> like a Hallmark movie.

I was hoping we'd get more <i>The Good Place</i> vibes from it. I thought it might subvert the Hallmark narrative a bit but it didn't. The story is told from Cam's PoV and she felt like a hostage the whole time. Like she didn't want to be in this story. I struggled to connect with her and all the other characters felt like caricatures.

I skimmed a lot of this because I kept hoping there'd be a twist that made it worth it. Instead, I scoffed at the ending because it was so obvious and trite.

This is a big miss for me.

<i>Many thanks to NetGalley, G.P. Putnam's Sons, and the author for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.</i>

Thank you NetGalley for providing me this ARC for an honest review.

If you love Hallmark movies, Change of Heart is your next read. Campbell, goes by Camp, is a career driven female who has nothing in her mind except being a lawyer. Everything in Camp’s life is focused on her career that she doesn’t make time for anything else like having friends, making connections, and even finding love. Camp ends up in a whole new magical town called Heart Springs with her last blind date, Ben. In order to get back to her bustling New York life, she has to complete 3 tasks. The most important task is to experience true love. I loved the character growth seen in Camp and how her perspective on life changed. She realizes that there’s more to life than just her job, she starts to enjoy the little things. Her selfishness lessens as her stay prolongs in Heart Springs. I related to her character in the sense that it’s okay enjoy things outside of work, it’s okay to have fun and make friends. Life can be fun if you allow it to be. Ben was patient and determined and I wish we got to see more of his life. I could not put this book down, I finished it in a day!!.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this early! As a big fan of Falon Ballard, I was excited to dive into this story. The premise was engaging and kept me hooked, always curious about what would happen next. However, while I enjoyed Cam and Ben as characters, I didn’t quite feel the chemistry between them. I would have liked more time to see their relationship develop and grow, as I didn’t fully fall in love with them as a couple.

The side characters, though, were a highlight. They added depth to the story and really helped Cam evolve as a character. While the pacing felt a bit slow in parts, overall, it was a cute and charming story with a fun premise that kept me entertained.

A sweet romcom, but not my cup of tea, unfortunately. I think I struggle with magical realism when we don’t get many answers or explanations as to why or how something is happening. Even still, I just didn’t feel very connected to the characters or their story.

4 stars! 🌶️🌶️!

Hello, hallmark channel! This book was incredibly cute and palatable - just like any hallmark movie is! Sometimes you really just need to sit down and binge a heartwarming love story - whether it be a book (like this one!) or a hallmark movie.

I really liked that this book was told from the FMCs POV and was first person. With the underlying theme of the book being self discovery, this first person POV really helped me go along that journey with Cam.

The chemistry and build up of the relationship between Cam and Ben was *chefs kiss*! Was it predictable? Obviously. And that’s exactly what we want from a cute rom-com!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I’m so grateful I received a digital ARC to read. Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the digital ARC. I am leaving my honest review after reading.

Falon Ballard knows how to deliver a good romance book and she has done it once again. I love the growth we get to see with Campbell throughout the story and how it all came together with truly loving herself. It took me a bit to get invested in the story but the second half of the book had me hooked on every word.