Quick Summary: A second chance, cowboy romance
My Review: Change of Hart by Bailey Hannah is book #3 in the Wells Ranch series.
About the Book: "...a jaded woman reluctantly returns to her hometown—and to the cowboy who broke her heart and drove her away."
In My Own Words: A cowboy and his best friend/true love reunite after fourteen years apart. What brought them together and what drove them apart finally merge, allowing them to meet in the middle and find the reconciliation that they always needed.
My Final Say: This story was a complicated one. It was heavy and emotional. It dealt with various serious issues, ranging from life after loss to mental health. It explored a number of relationships and showed the healthy and unhealthy tendencies that impact those relationships.
In terms of the featured couple, this novel presented a dual POV. It shifted between the past and the present, allowing readers to glimpse the characters from their initial meeting until their final end and more. There were clear, precise indicators that showed what went wrong and what went right in their relationship. Along with dealing with the conflicts that arose in their relationship, the book also showed a lot of steam and spice, which will appeal very much to many readers.
I really wanted to love this book, but I am, unfortunately, the odd man out. In the end, I will say that the story was alright. I liked it okay enough. I appreciated the emotional tone, especially related to the great losses that were revealed. That is what impacted me the most. The k**k play and the hot spice took over at times and became somewhat repetitive, which took away from the heavier matters that weighed in.
In my opinion, the story pacing was mixed. It was both fast and slow. The story kept going, even though there were several places where an obvious end seemed to be appropriate, as weird as that may sound. It was an up and down reading experience, overall. With that said, I think this story would do well as an audiobook. I think the rhythm will level out via that means, allowing readers to be paced more so by an external agent.
Other: This gets a mixed bag rating. I think it will appeal to many, but I also think that it may not appeal to others. There is definitely something to the underlying love story between the main characters that warrants looking further.
Readers who enjoy cowboy romances, second chance love stories, friends to strangers romances, small town love stories, family rich fiction, and time gap novels may like this one.
Rating: 3/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Status/Level: 👍
Series: Yes
Thank you to the author, to the publisher (Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Dell), and to NetGalley for granting access to a digital ARC of this title in exchange for an honest critique. The words I have voluntarily shared are my own thoughts and opinions. I am most appreciative for the opportunity.