Change of Plans
Contemporary Romance
Forever
August 1, 2023
Paperback, Ebook
368
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?
“Change of Plans” by Dylan Newton is the third novel in a series of stand-alone stories centered around the Matthews’ brothers. “How Sweet It Is” was Newton’s contemporary debut and starred Drake, a horror novelist with writer’s block who secretly decided to write historical romance instead of living up to reputation of the Knight of Nightmares. The second novel, “All Fired Up”, focuses on the story of Zander and Imani, who find themselves with a second chance to get things right. Finally, the third Matthews brother gets his time to shine.
Not that he wants it. Ryker Matthews would do anything to ignore spotlight and hide in his mechanic shop cave if you’d let him. Making small appearances throughout the first two novels as the broody and surly gearhead, Ryker is a rough around the edges kind of guy, but readers who paid attention have known from the beginning that he is a big softie with a heart of gold.
“Love is probably the only thing on this planet worth fighting for. Worth losing everything for.”
How Sweet It Is by Dylan Newton
We Love A Strong Woman
Bryce Weatherford is bold. Unafraid. Honest and straightforward. Raising her three orphaned nieces, balancing a full time job, and handling it all while attempting to gain full custody was not something easily managed, but Bryce handles it all with grace.
She seems to cut through the games and deception, and might really be Ryker’s missing part. He just needs to get out of his own way. Bryce and Ryker speak the same language, and in this crazy world that’s not always easy to find.
Buzz from the Bees
We are not gatekeepers here in the LitBuzz Hive. When we love something, we scream about it to the rest of bees until we’re all buzzing with excitement. Jes and I happened to read the story together at the same time, and happily tossed questions back in forth to each other in excitement.
Val: What is your comfort food? Mine is Mac n’ Cheese with some toasted breadcrumbs on top. I have a feeling Bryce would knock my comfort food out of the park.
Jes: My comfort food is a good roast, with carrots and potatoes and always with a gravy over everything. So I have a feeling that I would like pretty much anything that Bryce concocts in the kitchen.
Val: If you needed a safe space, like Ryker needed his VW bus, where would that be?
Jes: As cheesy as this sounds, my safe space is always in a hug of a loved one. My heart squeezed so much for Ryker and his struggles with PTSD and his military service. I loved that he was able to wade through his thoughts and get the help he needed.
Val: As a parent, do you identify with the shenanigans that Bryce had to handle with her nieces? What are some shenanigans your kids have put you through?
Jes: As a parent, I both loved Bryce’s struggles and did the Hunger Games solidarity whistle and salute multiple times because kids are hard. Having children is so fun and rewarding, but it’s hard. It’s like having a piece of your heart and soul walking around outside of your body. While I’ve never come close to the Easter scene (if you know, you know) I’ve learned the hard way to limit the sugar intake for my kids.
That being said, this last Halloween was the first time I’ve ever seen my daughter practically vibrate with a sugar rush. It was both terrifying and hilarious.
Val: I can only imagine!
Jes: Would you want to live in their town, Wellsville?
Val: I love the idea of living in a small town! I especially wouldn’t mind if PattyCakes and Coffee had a cupcake and hazelnut latte waiting for me each morning.
Final Thoughts
I knew that Ryker was going to be my favorite from the beginning. So much so that I bombarded Dylan Newton’s inboxes with my Ryker love and devotion, and begged her to give us more from his point of view. She knew what she was doing, and thankfully shared that her plan was for each brother to have his own time to shine. What I love about Dylan Newton’s books is that in addition to the love stories, there is always some kind of lesson that shows people being better than when we initially met them.
“How Sweet It Is” will show you that stepping out of your comfort zone can not only be beneficial, but bring you great joy. With big risks comes big rewards. “All Fired Up” tells us that sometimes second chances are worth it, and that we should try to get out of our own way and make room for something new. “Change of Plans” proves that the only constant in life is change, and that we have to be flexible in order to weather the storm.
I’m sad to see the Matthews’ brothers stories end. I’ve enjoyed getting to spend time in Wellsville, New York. I hope we’ll be able to visit again soon.
I’m Val, and I’m excited to share my love of books with you! I’m a sassy Sour Patch kid from New Jersey, dog mom to Chance the beagle, and much like the rest of the Hive, I’m a coffee lover (I think it’s a requirement to be here). The first book I remember reading voluntarily involved a boy wizard who lived in the cupboard under the stairs, and I’ve been chasing magic ever since. I love Happily Ever Afters, and I love love. My favorite genres are romance and rom-coms, fantasy, and young adult/new adult. If I’m not reading, I’m probably kayaking, watching the Great British Baking Show, or discovering a new craft beer.
