Change of Plans
by Dylan Newton
Publisher: Forever
Release Date: August 1, 2023
Reviewed by PJ
In this charming romantic comedy, a hometown hero comes to the rescue of a chef unexpectedly left to care for three little girls—who may end up saving him too.
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?
PJ's Thoughts:
Oh my gosh, I loved this book so much. All three Matthews brothers' stories have been fun but Ryker's story, in this third book of the trilogy, is my favorite.
These characters - Ryker, Bryce, and all three girls - will not leave me anytime soon. Newton absolutely nailed all five of them. They are so vividly depicted, and wonderfully developed, that by the time I was halfway through the book I had totally forgotten that they were fictional. They had me laughing out loud, cringing with embarrassment, aching for all of their hurting hearts, and cheering them on to a happy ending.
I loved how Bryce responded to Ryker's war wounds, both physical and emotional, helping him deal with them better instead of burrowing into his previous hermit life. These two developed a strong connection in addition to deepening romantic feelings. The scenes between Ryker and the girls and Bryce and the girls were especially heart-tugging and had me both laughing and crying, sometimes at the same time. Newton guided them through grief, fear, anger, growth, acceptance, and love as they slowly rediscovered their joy and came together to form a solid, united, family unit looking forward to the future. Even the disapproving parents of Bryce's late sister-in-law had enough growth for me to actually like them by the end of the book. Nothing like a full week with the grandkids to alter those feelings of superiority. ;-)
The other members of the Matthews family weave in and out of this book, giving fans of the series a chance to catch up with their favorite couples. However, if you haven't started the series yet you really can jump in at any point without feeling lost or confused. If you enjoy emotional stories brimming with plenty of humor, meddling family members, charming small towns, and heartwarming romance, I enthusiastically recommend Change of Plans as well as the first two books in this series, How Sweet it Is and All Fired Up.
