3 stars ⋆✴︎˚｡⋆

this was such a cute book, i’m a sucker for a bucket list & road trip rom-com. i loved seeing a plus sized woman be the main character/ love interest especially with medical representation.

i liked our main characters as people, i felt like they were both really realistic and charming although of course their faults were also really realistic as well while also being unlikable traits lol. i feel like asher definitely came on too strong in the beginning and would have icked me out and jesse could have easily avoided the main conflict in the story a lot sooner, i feel like it went on a bit too long like she should have discussed her true feelings before he went to london or at least be a bit more open about where she was mentally about them.

i did feel like her rationale for not wanting to date because she could die at any moment a little too the fault in our stars / hazel grace lancaster vibes, because although i completely understand where she’s coming from, technically anyone can die at any moment and that’s the point and reason for living in the moment before it’s too late.

their romance was so cute and i loved the mix up of her first hookup also being her best friend’s brother. i genuinely loved there dynamic and friendship even before they decided to get together which i think is really good writing.

the narrators Victoria Connolly & Grayson Owens did such an amazing job of narrating this book, i think this is my favourite audiobook depiction, the narrators completely embodied the characters and pronounced and delivered each line so so well.

Change of Pace, like everything else I’ve ever read by Kayla Grosse, was incredible. Jesse, diagnosed with Kawasaki Disease, has had two heart attacks, and she’s opted for a ICD implant. Knowing she isn’t promised tomorrow, she creates a bucket list, which includes a one night stand. Enter Asher. They meet a bar, their connection is immediate, and he comes back to her place. The night is hot—incredible—but it’s only supposed to be one night. Until she realizes that Asher is her roommate’s brother, in town for the weekend. When he learns of her bucket list, he offers to help, and they set off on a cross country roadtrip in his trusty Winnebago RV to start crossing things off. Their one night stand turns into a friendship then a situationship before becoming something permanent and real.

I loved how hesitant and vulnerable Jesse was. It felt very authentic that as someone who has come that close to death, she would have some hangups and baggage. I also appreciated the authenticity with which she lived in a larger body. For the most part, she loves herself and is confident in who she is, but there are also moments when she’s vulnerable and struggles. Everyone, no matter their size, can relate to that feeling. Asher is #boyfriendgoals, even before they’re officially together, always finding ways to encourage Jesse and also push her without being pushy. Patient, kind, loyal. He’s a walking green flag.

Victoria Connolly and Grayson Owens both deliver incredible performances as Jesse and Asher. Their narration really drew me into the story, and kept my brain engaged as I listened. 10/10. All the stars. No notes.

Ideal for readers who enjoy heartfelt journeys of self-discovery and slow-burn romance intertwined with adventurous escapades and emotional depth.

This was the cutest book ever!! Ugh the audio narration had me absolutely addicted and I'm so so grateful I got the chance to read it!

Oh! I enjoyed this one so much!!!!

Asher was so patient with Jessie. I loved their adventure. I also really love a best friend's brother romance, especially when the best friend isn't mad about it!

This book was a delightful surprise—fast-paced, engaging, and packed with both heartfelt moments and just the right amount of steam. The chemistry between Jesse and Asher was off the charts, and the balance between the emotional journey and the spice was spot on.

Jesse Reeves is on a mission to truly live after a life-changing health scare and an implanted heart device. Determined to cross items off her bucket list, she dives into a spontaneous one-night stand with a charming stranger—only to discover the next morning that he's actually her best friend’s brother. What follows is an unexpected RV road trip full of quirky pit stops, emotional revelations, and a growing connection that neither of them planned for.

I loved how the story mixed laughter, romance, and vulnerability without ever feeling too heavy. Jesse's determination to live fully and Asher’s easygoing but supportive nature made for a dynamic and lovable pairing. Their evolving relationship, set against the backdrop of small-town diners and scenic roadsides, was both fun and touching.

If you’re looking for a story with road trip vibes, great banter, emotional depth, and some well-written steam, this one is definitely worth the ride.

*ALC review* I went into this story completely blind, with the exception of knowing it was a Kayla Grosse story narrated by Victoria Connelly and Grayson Owens. Let me tell y'all I do not regret that in the slightest! As usual, Kayla gives us an FMC (Jessie) who is relatable and guarded and an MMC (Asher) that falls fast, hard, and is a total cinnamon roll! These two may have met by chance, but their chemistry was so good, and I loved the idea of the forced proximity being a result of them working through a bucket list (no spoilers, so I won't tell you whose 😉). This story took my heart on a ride, but Kayla definitely put it back together in the end. The narrators, as usual, had me sucked in, not wanting to stop listening!

5 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

I loved this book so much! I loved how this book combined emotional real life issues with spice. It was the perfect mix of both!!! Jesse and Asher’s love story is beautiful. Highly recommend.

I love books with representation, and this book was brimming with it.
Jesse, our FMC, received a Kawasaki Disease diagnosis and got an ICD implant to help regulate her heart after a surprise heart attack. Due to this, she's ready to check off all the items on her bucket list - just in case. She's lively, curvy, and excited to get the chance to be adventurous.
Asher, our MMC, has ADHD, giving him a restlessness that he cures by living in an RV with his cat (love a cat dad!) traveling all over. He's in the perfect position to help Jesse check off everything on her bucket list. He's rich, naturally, rockin' a (cat) dad bod, and loves adventure.
Asher fell pretty much instantly, and he fell hard. Jesse took some time to come around. I didn't like how she kept going back and forth on her feelings, hurting Ash in the process, but I also don't know what it's like to not know if you're gonna be alive the next day. So I had to take her wishy-washyness with a grain of salt.
Also, the surprise that Asher is Jesse's best friend's brother, and she is THRILLED about them hooking up and traveling together was actually pretty great. I love a good best friend's brother trope, but the sneaking around gets old after awhile. It was refreshing seeing them be out in the open the entire time.
Overall, I did enjoy the story.

4/5 stars.

I absolutely loved this book. The narrators were amazing and they really brought the story to life! Jesse and Ash were so great together and I loved how they handled Jesse’s illness in a way that she celebrated the time she has left instead of wallowing in grief over what she was going to miss. The vibes between the two of them were super cute and I loved how Ash fell so hard for Jesse so quickly and how onboard he was with helping her with her bucket list. Would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys plus size MCs, golden retriever MMCs, best friend’s brother romance, immune deficiency rep, road trip romance and adventure romance tropes.

This book has it all! Spicy dance floor scene, hot springs all to themselves for deep conversation (because oh by the way, Ash rented out the entire spring so they didn’t have to share) hotel room with one bed, that’s also possibly haunted, yes please. Traveling across the country checking off items from Jesse’s bucket list after a Kawasaki Disease diagnosis and an ICD implant, might just ignite your own personal goal(s) to live life to the fullest. Buy the plane tickets, see that concert, find that childhood toy you never got for Christmas.

The story Kayla has written hit all the feels for both Ash and Jesse. The dual narration audiobook was perfection! Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this wonderful story. I can’t wait for Kayla’s next book!

I wanted to love this book. The premise sounded so good, but it just felt drug out. The FMC was very contradicting which I understand her circumstances, but it just got very repetitive. I will say the characters had had such good chemistry. This book was also written well with the topics circling medical health.

The narrators did a phenomenal job bringing this story to life. Grayson Owens & Victoria Connolly really did these characters justice. Their voices matched perfectly with how I pictured Jesse & Asher would sound.

4.25⭐️


Oh hellllll ya I ate this one up!! Jesse had a bucket list but this one is a bit different—she’s been through some medical hardships and is doing this to allow herself to liveeeee. First bucket list crossed off is a one night stand who just so happens to be her besties brother, Asher!!

One thing leads to the next and now Jesse & Asher are roomies along for a roadtrip to work through both fo their bucket list items!

God it was cute & I had such a great time listening to the audio!!

I just love Kayla Grosse's writing and she always picks such great narrators for her audio books. This is no exception!

It's a sweet road trip romance with the person you had a one night stand with.

I love the way that Kayla writes about health, mental illness, and disabilities. It's with characters that are strong and capable and take the world on by force.

That said, there is a child free character and an entire GOOD BOY chapter and I feel like this one was written with me in mind. :)

Okay, all the feels. This couple is the least toxic couple I've ever met. I want to be their friends, I want to watch Gus Gus when they go on vacation, I want to babysit their future kids. My heart is so happy.

As always, Kayla Grosse brings the heat, but she also brings the romance. Asher is the biggest golden retriever I have ever read and I have no notes. The way this was written was something you could use as a blueprint for all relationships, the support all around here was 10/10. Seeing her work through her diagnosis and issues she had from childhood regarding her weight was so well done. I love that Kayla not only gave us a body positive FMC but a MMC too, I feel like this is rare to read and it was a breath of fresh air to see REAL people.

This audio narration was phenomenal and I am so glad I got a copy from NetGalley. Kayla Grosse is an autoread author for me, and she always has great narrators!

This was a lovely story that matches perfectly the warmer days. There were only some moments (mostly the spicy scenes) that I didn't like. Overall it was sweet and cozy and fun.

Jesse wants to change her life completely after her Kawasaki Disease diagnosis and after she got an ICD implant and decides to create a bucket list with things she never dared to do before. The first thing on her list is a one night stand. Best if its with no-strings-attached. Asher seams to be the perfect fit. But obviously is the life not predictable and she ends up on a road trip to fulfil the rest of her bucket list with him.

The book started off really spicy and I had the feeling that the story wouldn't be for me. I didn't really like Asher and already thought about dnfing the book in his first chapter, just because he felt like a red-flag.. Luckily I didn't dnf it because I loved it. It's not my favorite read of the year but I had a really good time listening to the story and definitely want to read more by Kayla Grosse.

I liked the way Jesse was portrayed and that she is a strong-minded characters. On top of that she is a plus size main character. The book had a lot of different representations which I really liked.

The narrators did a good job with the book. Ashers narrator was a bit soft at times but it matched with the character really well.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Select for this Audiobook-Arc!

*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*

After surviving several heart attacks and now living with an ICD implant, Jesse Reeves is ready to live a different life. One that's a little freer, a.little more fun, and that doesn't leave any room for emotional attachments. Having almost died, Jesse understands how quickly everything can be taken away from you-- and to keep herself on track, she's created a bucket list of new experiences to kick start her new chapter.

Item number one? Asher Jamison, her first one night stand. However, after one rather magical night, Asher keeps popping up like a lucky penny despite Jesse's insistence on keeping her distance. Before she knows it, Asher is joining Jesse on a cross-country roadtrip; and neither can ignore the sparks that keep flying.

Sweet and a little spicy, CHANGE OF PACE was an unexpected winner for me! I loved the representation (plus-size MFC, medicated ADHD, Kawasaki Disease, to name a few), the bucket-list road trip (that included some of my own personal favorite National Parks), and I'm an absolute sucker for a he-falls-first trope. This was a great listen while I was traveling myself, and is perfect for anyone craving a slightly-deeper, but fun romance.

This was a really great story! I had tears in my eyes a time or two!

I know the author wrote this because she could closely relate after having dealt with Kawasaki Disease. I loved seeing her be able to express that this way!!

I listened to the ALC and enjoyed the narration. I've listened to these narrators narrate books for this author before and I enjoy them! The MMC narrator sounds a bit soft (compliment) which was perfect for this MMC!

I know that this author has some romcoms and some spicier novellas. This was definitely on the much tamer side for the author. While there were open door scenes, there weren't many. So it definitely had spice, but not as much as some of her other books.

Chasing a bucket list, living with a chronic illness. Jessie just might have a meet cute against all her better judgements! A best friends brother romance. Ash, smart funny and living out of a van. Can this man settle down or will Jessie want to go along for the ride and be able to fully enjoy life even with her past setbacks.
Super cute book! Empowering women and people with chronic illnesses! Highly recommended!

5/5 ⭐️
2/5 🌶️ Open door scenes with dirty talk and some light bondage. Honestly, fairly vanilla for Kayla Grosse.

Okay, I’ve read this twice now. I read an ARC and an ALC, so I can confidently say this is my favorite Kayla Grosse book. Personally, I felt more connected to the characters more than I ever have when reading her books. It felt like she put more of herself in this one. You can tell how personal it was for her, and I really enjoyed that. The audiobook was absolutely incredible. Sometimes dual narration audiobooks can feel less special than duet which are my personal favorite, but this was really good. Both narrators do an amazing job. Now, it is also just an incredible story backing them up.

This book!! Such incredible characters. I always describe well-developed characters as textured because when something is written really well it tends to come alive more when I’m visualizing it in my mind. Amazing characters and descriptions of gorgeous settings. Seriously. I loved Jesse SO much. I joked on social media that their only flaws are their preference for dark roast coffee and I stand by that. I need to warn you. No MMC will measure up against Asher called Ash once you read this book. There has never been such a perfect cinnamon roll simp of a man written. When Kayla Grosse said, “He falls first and hard,” on social media…GIRL. She was not kidding. Man has it BAD. Just so good. Literally my face while reading chapter 3? His first POV? 😯

This was just simply too good. They were TOO cute. Jesse had such an incredible character arc of self love and self discovery. Ash is so incredibly supportive. I cried so many times while reading this, and honestly…as much as I go on and on about having a detailed rating system? Did a book make me cry a bunch? Was I giggling and kicking my feet? Immaculate vibes? 5 stars. This was just…you know when you’re watching a great rom-com with your girlfriends and it’s hitting just right? Or like a comfort show? That’s like the vibe this gave me. I kept stopping to do other things because I didn’t want it to end. This is the type of book you’ll want to come back to again and again. I definitely will be listening to it on audio. Can’t wait!






Content warnings: body image (weight loss and disordered eating are discussed), bondage, death & dying conversations, heart attacks (past), ICD implant, Kawasaki disease, medications, near-death experiences