I went into Change of Heart expecting a fun, whimsical rom-com with a Hallmark movie twist, and that’s exactly what I got! The concept—an ambitious, no-nonsense lawyer waking up in a picture-perfect small town and being forced to complete three tasks (including finding true love) to return to real life—was such a fun setup.

Cam’s character arc was the highlight for me. She starts off as closed-off and skeptical, but throughout the book, she learns the value of friendship, community, and slowing down to appreciate life. I really enjoyed seeing her transformation and how she softened over time.

Ben, our golden-retriever love interest, is undeniably sweet—maybe too sweet? He’s a pediatric surgeon, a great neighbor, and the kind of guy who waits on his porch with a drink for you after work… like, seriously, does he have any flaws? While I liked him, I wished we got more depth to his character and maybe even a POV from him to make their chemistry feel stronger.

My biggest issue was the pacing. The story jumps straight into Heart Springs with little time to really connect with Cam and Ben beforehand, which made the romance feel a bit rushed. And while I love a good rom-com with some spice, there were a lot of steamy scenes in the middle that felt a little excessive for my taste.

That said, Change of Heart is still a sweet, lighthearted read with a unique premise and plenty of charm. If you love small-town romance, magical realism, and a feel-good transformation story, this one’s worth checking out!

A very fun, charming story. I want to live in Heart Springs! I loved the journey our characters went on, through mystery and magic and love.

4.5 stars ⭐

What a great surprise this book was!!! I never thought I'd enjoy it as much as I did. The author's writing is super captivating and very fast-paced, hooking you from the beginning to the end of the book.

The evolution of Cam, our main character, is simply magnificent and we can see and follow this evolution throughout the book. Our Ben, meanwhile, is so cute from start to finish that I melted 🥹

The only issue that put me off giving it five stars was the fact that there were too many hot scenes halfway through the book, and I'm not a big fan of hot scenes. Otherwise the book was right on point for me. It was really worth reading 💕

I've definitely become a fan of the author and want to read more of her books!


Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the copy! 🙏

I'm an absolute sucker for these kind of books and had such a fun time with Cam and Ben being whisked away into a very Gilmore Girls-esque town! Cam was a very complex character, I wouldn't say she's the most likeable heroine to follow through a book, she has a heavy potty mouth and has a very stereotypical lawyer personality, however as the book progresses and she is forced to face new challenges that start to change her outlook on the world and people, she does start to grow on you and by the end I really did enjoy her growth. Ben was a really sweet character but I do wish we got to see a bit more of his back story as throughout he felt more like just a prop in Cam's development. Another thing that I would have also liked to see was a bit more of a build-up to the magical realism of the book, Cam and Ben was swept into Heart Springs on just the second chapter after only meeting for the first time so it was very fast-paced but nevertheless, I really enjoyed being in such a charming little town with lovely characters and a lot of life lessons.

I really wanted to love this book, but it just wasn't for me..

I felt straight away that Cam's character was quite complex and layered. She has been seemingly abandoned by her mother, groomed by her grandmother to take over the family business and never really loved and supported. I felt incredibly empathetic towards her and the reasons as to why she is the way she is. So when Cam wakes up in Heart Springs if felt like to me the whole town was laughing at her failures including Ben, who is just apparently perfect.

Cam is closed off to love, but honestly I can't say I blame her. During her time in Heart Springs she goes through a full transformation which I really enjoyed reading. She's able to build new friendships and put her skills to use to help people in need. She learns the beauty of community and what it means to come together to help each other.

Ben is the perfect golden retriever man, he's a pediatric surgeon and Cam's next door neighbor in Heart Springs. He also waits on his porch for Cam every day after work with a glass of wine or a beer - I mean seriously.. the guy is perfect. Honestly, I wanted to know more about him, I wanted to feel this chemistry more. I would have killed for a Ben POV. What was he doing everyday in Heart Springs?

Change of Heart is whimsical and truly thought provoking. It's got that small town romance feel, but it also gave me Freaky Friday vibes. While its a fun rom-com, it also makes you consider the things that truly make a life fulfilled. It asks the question, what does it mean to be really present in your own life? And what are the things that will really make you happy?

Thank you NetGalley and Heartline for the opportunity to read this arc.

I'm sad to say that i didn't completely gel with this book and the main problem for me was the mfc and her attitude, which was actually awful. To me Campbell isn't a very nice person and i am aware that she is supposed to grow and become a better person as the story progresses but I just......I don't like her at all!

To me Ben is just way too good for her and deserved much better. Now on the other hand I did enjoy the premise of the story and I am a fan of magical realism and it really is very well written. So i do recommend you read it and come to your own conclusion about Campbell!

That is all, that is my rant!

This book went from 0-100 really quickly and I think it cost it some of the emotional heart that this book could have had. I didn’t feel like we got any real backstory to Cam or Ben, they were just immediately thrust into this mystical Hallmark-esque town. It meant that I never really felt like I rooted for Ben as a character because I never really got a sense of who he was on the page and I couldn’t find any chemistry between him and Cam. I loved the side characters and I also really enjoyed the character arc that Cam went on independently of her love life, but also still felt like the ending was a bit rushed. It was a sweet, quick read, but didn’t quite the mark for me

I absolutely loved reading this, I fell in love with the characters, the setting and the humour. Next stop Heart Springs!

Campbell Andrews is a high-powered attorney with no time for love, but when her beloved grandmother insists she go on a date, she reluctantly agrees. She meets pediatric surgeon Ben Loving, assuming it will be a waste of time. However, after an inexplicable twist, she wakes up in the small town of Heart Springs—far from her old life—with Ben as her neighbor. Now, they must work together to find a way home.

This novel plays with the classic “big-city woman stuck in a small town” trope but adds a magical realism twist that makes it feel fresh and engaging. Campbell and Ben’s romance evolves from initial tension to deep emotional support, with Ben encouraging Campbell’s self-growth and Campbell making sacrifices for Ben’s happiness. The charming small-town setting, lovable side characters, and well-paced slow-burn romance make this a delightful, heartwarming read.

4/5 ⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this arc.

This was a fun, fast paced, cute romance. If you like Hallmark movies, then this is probably the book for you! I did enjoy following the character development of the FMC Cam in this book, but I wish we found out a little bit more about the MMC Ben. I also loved the magical realism element in this story.

I did really enjoy this read, and I can’t wait to see what this author does next.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an eArc of this book.

I really wanted to love this as I have really enjoyed the other books I have read by the author but unfortunately this one just wasn’t for me.

I found the FMC way too rude and unlikable and it meant that I couldn’t focus on the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Publishers for this E-ARC.

I've been a fan on Fallon Ballard books for a while and I've enjoyed all of them, unfortunately I can not say the same about this one. I've got more chemistry with myself and the weigh In scales at the gym than this couple had.

We had zero build up to anything we didn't get to know either main character before they were thrust into bizzaro world so I felt like I couldn't route for them to get together as they didn't connect . Even Mimi the grand schemer was flat and a bit dull as a magical being.

I've read similar books to this before and felt they were done better than this one.
While this isn't the worst book ever, I won't be rushing to read a sequel.

Very disappointing over all. It's only positive is that it was a fast read.

After an unsuccessful and truncated blind date, workaholic lawyer Cam wakes up in a strange place that’s the antithesis of everything she is and believes in. And even stranger, the man from the disastrous date appears to be living next door.
This is a great concept, infusing the small town of a Hallmark movie with a dose of magical realism. I enjoyed Cam’s entirely understandable reaction to her sudden plight and the banter that develops between her and Ben. However, the overall balance of the story felt a little off to me: many aspects were either too much (the town felt over-the-top ridiculous at times) or not enough (Ben’s character: so much potential but ultimately rather one-dimensional). It was clear where the plot was heading but there wasn’t quite enough substance for me to be completely invested in getting there.

This was a fun romcom with some magical realism! I quite enjoyed reading Change of Heart, I liked the premise of the book, and I enjoyed how the “magic” was integrated (although the part of my brain that loves fantasy really wanted an explanation or reasoning behind it).

I really liked Cam, she was such a cool, badass woman, with a strong personality that remained throughout the story, which I really appreciated! I was a bit worried at the start of the book as I did not want her to lose herself and have a personality transplant by the end, which thankfully did not happen. I like that she was still herself, just softer around the edges, because she found the time and space to reflect on her life and start truly loving herself. She was so mature, and it was so refreshing when she didn’t overreact and instead had proper adult conversations with Ben before jumping to conclusions - thank you, Falon! I liked Ben, but I would have liked to see and learn a bit more about him. I do think the romance between him and Cam could have been more explored more in depth. I liked all the secondary characters, especially Emma - I loved hers and Cam’s friendship!

Overall, it was a quick, fun, and entertaining read filled with feminist power. Thank you to NetGalley, Headline Eternal, and Falon Ballard for the opportunity to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Falon Ballard has quickly become one of my favourite authors, and this was another book that didn't disappoint. I absolutely loved Campbell's character arc in this, and seeing her grow to love both herself and the small town life when she's transported to Heart Springs. I adored the setting and the magical realism aspect of the story, and it felt perfect for me being a fan of both Hallmark movies and small town settings like the Gilmore Girls!

3.5*
Note to self carefully read the blurb...
I was very confused at the beginning of the book, since I thought it was giving horror vibes instead of romcom.
I mean of you suddenly wake up one day in a town you can't escape from and everything is scarily happy and organised, I feel like you would be a little freaked.

It felt like both satire of hallmark movies and a hallmark movie. While the love story was central to the plot and characters, it wasn't paced like a typical love story.

It's definitely one of those stories you can't think too hard about and just accept the nonsense magical rules. Which isn't my favorite thing to do....however the speed run timeline of the year was very funny to read.

Overall it was well techincally written, even if the style wasn't really for me, and it was an entertaining and slightly absurd break from other books I've been reading.

Though I do wish some of the characters weren't so one dimensional. I liked Ben, but except him being a good dude and just being /there/, I didn't really get a sense of chemistry or saw why things would work or who he even was.

Some funny moments for me where her disastrous first days at her new jobs; as a bookseller, she sold It by Stephen King to an 8yo and Priest by Sierra Simone to the preacher's teen daughter. Oh and as a wedding planner, she almost convinced a bride not get married on her wedding day (which tbh I stand by the FMC's choice, given the information she had, I would've done the same thing)

Cam & Ben ❤️

🎬Cam is a single female New Yorker, a hard nosed lawyer trying to win the affection of her emotionally icy grandmother and her family.

🎬When she goes on a blind date with paediatric surgeon Ben, she’s brutally honest with Ben, ignoring him. But the elderly waitress Mimi is convinced they are made for each other.

🎬When Cam wakes up in the equivalent of a small town Hallmark movie set, Ben is living next door and the only coffee shop in town is run by the same woman Mimi, she gives Cam a series of tasks to complete to get back home.

✏️I have either absolutely adored Falon Ballard’s previous work (I loved Lease on Love), or felt rather meh about it (Just My Type). Her latest story grew on me towards the end, but it wasn’t the easiest read, and at times I would have easily put it down had it not been an ARC. Cam is a rather mean protagonist, unfeeling and cold, and I only warmed to her my later in the story. It’s a stretch to understand why Ben has feelings for her at all. But the universe seems to be dishing up karma in spades and maybe that’s the whole point to this?

Read an eARC copy courtesy of Netgalley and the publisher
My rating 3.5/5 - ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 💫

‘Change Of Heart’ by Falon Ballard is a tremendously enjoyable, chemistry-filled romance novel starring Cam - who made Partner at her New York law firm by thirty four and has no time or motivation to date any of the hapless men acquaintances insist on setting her up with - and kind and focused Paediatric Surgeon Ben. After a short and terrible blind date, the pair wake up in Heart Springs, a sweet Stars Hollow-esque town full of seasonal festivals, eligible suitors and small businesses to save!

I love that despite the setting and the sugary baking, this isn’t just a Hallmark film where the big city corporate-type realises the error of her ways, but a life-affirming, funny and emotional tale of love, fulfilment and the beauty of unique passions. The author is fabulous at creating strong, flawed female leads who take pride in their careers and achievements and stay true to themselves while finding joy, and Cam is no different!

Ben is an adorable and delicious male lead - from the way he calls Cam “sweetheart” to the fact that he has his own ambitions and hobbies that feel central to the story. There is so much sizzling tension between the characters, and when their slow-burn attraction catches fire, the book gets hot!

There have been a few books recently with somewhat similar premises - including ‘A Novel Love Story’ by Ashley Poston, ‘Prime Time Romance’ by Kate Robb - but I think this novel still feels fresh and has so much to love… I’d highly recommend giving this one a read if you enjoyed those, and picking all three up if nostalgia is your cup of tea! I smiled from ear to ear throughout and the main character really resonated with me, so I’m giving five stars.

I received an advance Digital Review Copy of this book from the publisher Headline via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for granting my request to read this e-ARC and provide my honest opinions.

Who doesn't love a mix of a little magic and love? I know I do—as soon as I read magical realism in the synopsis, I knew I just had to read this book!

Big Grumpy Grandmother? When big-shot lawyer Campbell Andrews got matched with Dr. Ben Loving by her grandmother, she knew that meeting him would be a mess, and failure to meet him would cause Granny to be angry, and she didn't want that.

A Failed First Date and Maybe a Fairy Godmother? Campbell meets Dr. Ben, and as you would have guessed, it went badly, but this is where things get interesting 😅.

Whimsical Small Town Romance? Campbell and Dr. Ben are magically transported to a magical small town where they are given quests in order to return back home.

I loved the absurdity of the whole plot; the two MCs' chemistry was everything 😍, and oh my goodness, the character development was so on point, especially Campbell's 🤭😍❤.

Thank you once again for the e-ARC.

Encantada con el realismo mágico que tiene este libro, me ha gustado mucho el cambio de la protagonista pero en el caso del personaje masculino me hubiera gustado más foco en su personaje.

Buena segunda experiencia con la autora