Change of Heart by Clare Lydon is a fake relationship romance full of heart and the promise that love will conquer all.
Erin Stewart’s parents are celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary with five days of parties and family gatherings. Just once, Erin would like to attend a family function with Ms. Right on her arm. She’s too busy running her own home renovation company with her best friend, Morag, to spend much time cultivating a romantic relationship. Morag has an idea. She’s found a small business that hires out actors to pose as dates. Erin’s interest is piqued, and she’s desperate enough to give it a try.
Steph Mitchell is a hard-working actor who’s still waiting for her big break. A good friend from drama school has started a company providing actors who pose as dates/significant others for people who are often too busy to date. It’s all completely above board, and as Steph is between gigs, she decides to take the job.
Neither Erin or Steph could have predicted how perfectly suited they are for each other or the incredible chemistry that would make their fake relationship feel not so fake. Just as they acknowledge the powerful feelings they have for each other; their pasts collide sending their fledgling relationship spiraling out of control.
Is an untried love strong enough to overcome decades of family pain and dysfunction, and are Erin and Steph prepared to focus on the future rather than on the past?
Pros And My Favourite Parts
Both Erin and Steph are lovely women I was quick to become invested in. It makes perfect sense they would fall for each other. There’s a depth to each character that had me hooked. The fake relationship trope speeds up their courtship and gave me all the butterflies up front. Of course, it was even more devastating when things went sideways for the women. I had an inkling about where the plot might go, but Lydon’s too good for that. I felt every beat of the “Holy cow!” moment. Erin’s relationship with her family is complex and central to the plot. A few of the scenes between Erin and her mother had me gently weeping and reaching for the tissues. The highs and lows in Change of Heart are perfectly paced, and the first kiss is heavenly.
Cons And Heads Up
< tumble weeds >.
The Conclusion
When you ask me, “What’s your favorite book by Clare Lydon?” I’m likely going to name her most current release, but in this case, Change of Heart really is my favorite. It conjured up a broad swath of emotions in me, and I gave myself permission to feel every single one. This romance is delightful. I was grinning from ear to ear when I finished it, and here I sit, waiting for Lydon’s next book.
Excerpt from Change of Heart by Clare Lydon
“I have to say, you’re not what I expected.”
“What were you expecting?”
“I’m not sure, but not someone so… normal. Maybe an actor with a voice that had no dimmer switch.”
“I can get louder if you like,” Steph said in a raised voice, then she lowered it to her normal level. “If it helps, you seem sane, too. I had my fingers crossed we’d get on, so this is a good start.”
“It is,” Erin agreed. Then she flashed her smile again.
It meant that Steph couldn’t look away.
“I want to be honest with you this weekend. If something irks me, I’ll tell you, and vice versa. This is a business arrangement. My friend thinks we’re going to fall madly in love and sail off into the sunset, but we’re not. This is a job, I’ll pay you, we’ll shake hands and swap Instagram handles at best.” She held up her gin. “Can we drink to that?”
Steph blinked. Erin was a woman who knew what she wanted. She’d been right with her first impression.
She tapped her glass to Erin’s. “Five days, and you never have to give me another thought. Here’s to a successful mission pretending to be madly in love.”
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Bits and Bobs
ISBN number: 97819120119168
Publisher: Custard Books
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