Change of Heart is a delightful, laugh-out-loud rom-com that tugs at your heartstrings while delivering a hilarious, heartfelt message about love, self-discovery, and the unexpected magic of small towns. This book is a gem, perfect for fans of “big city to small town” stories with a sprinkle of enchantment!
Campbell Andrews is a refreshing, unapologetically driven heroine, so laser-focused on making partner at her law firm that love is the last thing on her mind. But the author's twist on the classic Hallmark setup breathes new life into the trope, transporting Cam to Heart Springs, where she’s forced to confront her rigid ideas about life and love. Watching Cam struggle with her “tasks”—like finding true love—while resisting the town’s charms and endearing quirks is both hilarious and deeply satisfying.
The magic of Heart Springs is its vibrant cast of characters, from the meddling mayor to the warm, quirky townsfolk who welcome Cam with open arms. The town’s seasonal festivals and close-knit community atmosphere feel like characters of their own, bringing charm and humor that balance out Cam’s initially cynical worldview. The magical realism in the story adds a whimsical layer that’s handled with just the right amount of fun and flair, making Heart Springs feel as enchanting to the reader as it becomes to Cam.
The romance is swoon-worthy and perfectly paced, with an unexpected chemistry that has all the warmth and heart of a cozy fireplace in winter. Cam’s journey toward letting down her walls and opening up to love is beautifully written, showing real growth that feels organic and authentic. Watching her transformation from hardened workaholic to someone who appreciates the messy, unpredictable beauty of life and love is truly rewarding.
Change of Heart is a funny, charming, and magical escape that reminds us all of the importance of balance and the unexpected places where we might just find happiness. The author's storytelling sparkles with humor, warmth, and insight, making this novel an absolute must-read for anyone craving a fresh take on the classic rom-com.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I absolutely LOVED this!! I really enjoyed the different storyline than anything Ballard has written before. She has a way with writing the SWEETEST men- Ben was no exception. I enjoyed every character and the atmospheric writing of Heart Springs. A great read.

Absolutely loved this book! 4.25 🌟
(Thank you net galley for this amazing ARC)🫶🏼

Whenever I feel the urge for a cute yet underlying emotional read I head STRAIGHT for Fallon Ballard. Who has become and auto-buy author for me.

Ben and Cam were definitely the couple I will hold near and dear to my heart , as I truly relate/related to Cam. Emotionally and romantically. I would’ve love to know ben a bit more BUT having the context of him appreciating his family, his ability to just love and believe in anything he needs/needed to for the sake of his well being was amazing to read.

This book was not only a romcom-esque , it was riddled with a quick yet hit alllll the points a book needed. A quick/fun romance that you just need to have on your shelf.

“You are enough.” ❤️

Five stars! Thank you so much to NetGalley and Putnam Books!
There is not a single bad thing I could say about this book. It was perfect in every way possible. Am i a little bias because Falon Ballard is my favorite author? Yes. BUT STILL GO READ IT. The characters are complex and have the little details that real humans do. Also can I say I LOVED the small town. Oh my gosh! This book was so homey and just the vibes I needed this week.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons for allowing me to read an ARC of Change of Heart by Falon Ballard, in exchange for my honest review.

Falon Ballard does it yet again! A super cute and magically delicious modern-day fairy tale! I definitely recommend this fun and quick read.

I'm not typically one who likes magical realism... but make it Hallmark-esque and apparently I am!

Campbell Andrews is the ultimate workaholic, her sole focus is winning cases for her family's law firm. When set up on a blind date with Ben, successful pediatric surgeon, Cam goes but only to say she "tried." She is the definition of 'not interested in love.'

Cam and Ben are transported to the quirky, picturesque town of Heart Strings. This is where the Hallmark vibes come into play. The town is idyllic and time moves on its own continuum so you experience the adorable summer carnival, fall harvest fest and Christmas season, all in a span of a few weeks. In order to get back home, Cam has to find true love. And Ben has to help her.

Very cute and feel good rom-com. Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Falon Ballard always delivers intricate characters, immersive settings, and entertaining plots that make it so easy to binge her books. I loved watching her tackle magical realism in this new romantic comedy, adding the perfect amount of mystical vibes to the story.

This book is a perfect read for fans of cheesy Hallmark movies, the classic big city girl in the small town trope, and an unapologetically herself heroine!

3.5 ⭐️

Cam is a headstrong lawyer with a clearly set path in life and no time for love. To appease her overbearing grandmother, she finds herself on date with a handsome pediatric surgeon, aptly named Ben Loving. As their date comes to an end the pair has an odd encounter with their waitress and the next morning Cam wakes up in a bedroom, and town, that aren’t hers. In order to return home, Cam has to make some serious changes in her life including finding love.

Change of heart is a Hallmark movie with a touch of magical realism which is typically one of my favorite book vibes. This one didn’t quite hit the mark. It was hard for me to get into and the pacing was clunky in parts. Additionally, the change in Cam felt awkward; I knew how things would play out for her but waiting for it to click was rough.

That being said, I love the concept of this story and the message of being true to oneself. Also, I want to live in Heart Springs and be friends with so many of the characters. I think this could be an amazing book with some revisions but know that even without them there will be an audience who adores this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

3.5 🌟
Thanks to NetGalley and the Penguin Group for the ARC of Ballard's new book! I need to start out and say I have read and love everything Falon Ballard has written...except this. Ughhhh. I wanted to love it. Really. But...it just didn't grab me. It felt very pieced together and I thought we were missing a lot of parts. I also thought the FMC and MMC relationship kind of just happened? Not a ton of tension or build up. It has a really similar feel to A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston...so if that was your jam give this a shot. Just didn't do it for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for the ARC of Change of Heart. Review below is completely my own.

This was a sweet story with some solid themes around not recognizing your own unhappiness. I did feel the story came across surface level and overused the nickname sweetheart. I also didn’t love the implication that a hard working successful career equates to lack of fulfillment and happiness. I love Falon Ballard but this one just felt a bit too cheesy and wasn’t for me.

3.5 stars!

Cam is a cutthroat workaholic lawyer who has been groomed by her grandmother since she was 10 to take over the family law firm. She doesn't have time for dating or friends or anything personal as work is her life. Her grandmother sets her up on a date with Ben, a pediatric surgeon and she doesn't want to disappoint her grandmother so she plays along.
Ben is interested in getting to know her but all she wants to do is eat and finish some work emails. Needless to say, the date doesn't end well.

The next morning, she wakes up in Heart Springs and is confused as to why she is there but even more curious, Ben is there too and he’s just as confused as she is. The two of them must figure out how they got there and how to get back to reality and if their first date was any indication, how to have a change of heart about each other.

This book was a cross between Pleasantville and Scrooge. They are put in the idealistic town that's full of sunshine and rainbows which is the complete opposite of what Cam is.

This book was fluffy and surface level, but not in a bad way. There were themes that were cute and some deeper heavy ideas but those were never brought front and center into the main story. This was about self discovery and finding a true passion in life. I just didn’t get the anticipation tingles on this one. Kinda choppy in certain areas and jumped forward a bit at times. Very hallmark inspired and while it wasn’t my favorite book of hers, it still was quick and fun to read.

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.