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BOOKWORM REVIEW: Change of Plans by Dylan Newton

 

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
SPICE: 🔥🔥🔥

This is probably the most pleasant surprise read of the summer!

Bryce Weatherford is not ready for the ask her late brother Bentley and his late wife Heather have asked of her. Appointed guardian of their three rambunctious daughters, Bryce has had to pause her life to deal with the girls as they too navigate their own grief. It certainly does not help that Heather's parents are contesting the will and Bryce's guardianship at every turn.

Just when she was about to be at the end of her rope, she runs into Ryker Matthews -- the town recluse, her boss' son, recovering veteran, and ever-helpful hot guy. He seems to be everywhere when she needs help and delivers on what she needs. He has his own struggles to deal with: mental demons from his military service and a never-ending pain where his leg had been amputated. 

Falling in love is something they have not anticipated, but here it is anyway. Can they deal with their own baggage before they can pledge a HEA?

I love the premise of the story, and it delivered heart-wrenching moments, gut-clutching laughter, and self-fanning romance. Bryce and Ryker were freaking amazing from the moment they met -- which is one of my favorite meet-cutes -- to the epilogue. The progression of their relationship was easily relatable, and it was nicely balanced with their respective character arcs.

As a parent, I appreciated how REAL the girls were in dealing with their loss and how that affected their relationship with their once "cool aunt" now turned "insta-parent." I can only imagine being shoved on the deep end of the parenting pool and having to take care of THREE instant children without any prior experience, with in-laws second-guessing your every move, and while dealing with your own grief. Dylan Newton created a masterful story around that situation that resonated so much with me.

This book did well as a standalone, though Ryker's brothers and their respective families play a big role in this read. As someone who is new to Dylan Newton, this sold me on going back to the previous books.

** I am voluntarily reviewing an advance copy of this book. Thank you to Dylan Newton, Forever Publishing, and NetGalley for providing an ARC. **

ABOUT THE BOOK

When disaster strikes and chef Bryce Weatherford is given guardianship of her three young nieces, her life goes from cooking with fire…to controlling a dumpster fire. Five‑year‑old Addison refuses to remove her fairy wings, eight‑year‑old Cecily won't bathe, and tween June is majoring in belligerence. With all this chaos, Bryce jettisons hope for a life outside of managing her family and her new job.
 
It's been years since Ryker Matthews had his below‑the‑knee amputation, yet the phantom pain for his lost limb and Marine career haunts him. To cope, he focuses on his vehicle restoration business. He knows he's lucky to be alive. Yet, “lucky” feels more like “cursed” to his lonely heart.  
 
When Ryker literally sweeps Bryce off her feet in the grocery store's baby aisle, they both feel sparks. But falling in love would be one more curveball neither is ready to deal with… or is it exactly the change of plans they need?  

MEET DYLAN NEWTON

Dylan Newton was born and raised in a small town where the library was her favorite hang-out. After over a decade working in corporate America, Dylan quit to pursue her passion: writing books. The gamble paid off with four published novels, and more to come! 

Dylan’s debut romantic comedy HOW SWEET IT IS (2021) received a starred Kirkus review as, "A hilarious rom-com romp that delivers on both sweet and heat," was tagged as a rom-com selection by The Nerd Daily, and was named to PopSugar’s list of “12 Swoon-Worthy Romance Books to Read in 1 Sitting,” and selected as a book club read in the July 26, 2021 edition of Woman’s World.

Her second rom-com, ALL FIRED UP (2022) was hailed in a starred review from Booklist as an, "...utterly charming romance," and was compared by The Nerd Daily as a book for fans of Abby Jimenez, and she is currently working on the final book in the series, CHANGE OF PLANS (coming Aug 2023).

When she isn’t writing, Dylan is pursuing her own happily ever after with her high school sweetheart as they split time between Florida and Upstate New York with their two much cooler daughters. 

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