Ryker Matthews, Zander and Drake’s brother, is a retired Marine turned mechanic who struggles with PTSD and phantom limb pain after his below-the-knee amputation. Bryce Weatherford is a chef at PattyCakes who is struggling to adjust to her new role as a guardian of her three young nieces after a terrible accident—Addison refuses to take off her fairy wings and is wetting the bed, 8-year-old Cecily won’t bathe, and June has a grumpy and sassy attitude. On top of that, Bryce is struggling with lawyer fees since the Weatherford girls’ grandparents are petitioning the court for sole custody. After Ryker and Bryce bond over a mishap at the grocery store, they strike up a friendship and end up becoming much-needed shoulders for each other to lean on. Despite their instant attraction, Bryce doesn’t feel like it’s the right time for romance…but maybe a “change of plans” is just what she needs.
Change of Plans is part of a series of interconnected standalones about the Matthews brothers with the main moral of the story is that it’s okay to ask for and accept help. This small-town romantic comedy is perfect for fans of books like Knot My Type by Evie Mitchell, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna, Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez, Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake by Mazey Eddings, The Summer Cottage by Annie Rains, and Maggie Moves On by Lucy Score, along with movies like Raising Helen and Gifted. Potential trigger warnings include PTSD and military flashbacks, custody disagreements, loss of parents, vomiting, broken bones, and dementia. Themes include change, communication (and miscommunication), parenthood and motherhood, family, war, mental health, fear of failure, death and loss, love and sacrifice, loneliness, trust, heroism, challenges of growing up, and working-class struggles.
It was enjoyable how Newton described the process of applying for and being matched with a service dog as I thought that this was very interesting and unique; it’s not something that I’ve seen very often (if at all) in romantic comedies. The meaning behind the service dog’s name was also very heartwarming! Personally, I appreciated that Change of Plans was an interconnected standalone as I find that it’s easier for me to get into the plot since I’m already familiar with the setting and a lot of the characters. There was some hesitancy regarding how Bryce’s nieces would appear and if the three of them would distract from the plot, however their hilarious antics were enjoyable, including a “laugh out loud” disastrous Easter party and all the Tinkerbell references.
The custody disputes and the PTSD flashbacks were a little harder to read as these topics as sensitive, so it will be interesting to discover what other readers think of them too. The side story involving the brothers mother, Patty, wasn’t overly interesting as it didn’t seem to do a lot for the plot and lastly, the miscommunication trope was disappointing as it’s one of my least favourite tropes and appeared multiple times.
Overall, Change of Plans is a funny and heartwarming page turner and would be perfect for fans of romantic comedies and single parent romances.
Change of Plans is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of August 1st 2023.
Will you be picking up Change of Plans? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
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?
