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Before Hannah was a 9-5 working, dinner making, homebody, she was Ashton James: a paparazzi-stalked pop star with more enemies than friends.

These days she has one priority: keeping her sister safe and away from the public eye.

Hannah was doing a great job, until the pesky little brother of an ex-fling discovers where she is, and wants her help launching his career.

Now she has to trust Johnny—whom she betrayed in more ways than one—to protect her whereabouts. Johnny may have an infuriating moral compass and the timing of a storybook hero, but is he immune to the temptation of revenge?

Johnny’s focus has always been his music business, and a bad influence like Hannah is the last thing he needs at work, or around his brother.

But some things are too powerful to be stopped. For someone like Hannah, second chances—in life and in true love—don’t exist. She didn’t think so, at least.

Johnny is about to prove her wrong, and being wrong has never felt so right.

Key Change is a full-length contemporary romance, can be read as a standalone, and is book #3 in the Common Threads series, Seduction in the City World, Penny Reid Book Universe.

535 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 5, 2021

About the author

Heidi Hutchinson

35 books351 followers
Heidi Hutchinson writes slow burn rock star romances for contemporary readers who like humor with their hotties. She has both open and closed door series filled with relatable characters and swooney yumminess. Double Blind Study, her go-to series, is closed door and follows a band in emotional turmoil and the women who love them.

When she’s not writing about wild hearted women and hunky heroes, she’s watching Doctor Who or trying to find the perfect gluten free pizza crust for her pizza shaped celiac heart. She lives in the Black Hills with her alarmingly handsome husband, their fearless child, and a rather large (and spoiled) dog.

She’d fueled by messages from her readers and too much coffee.
And a whole lotta love.
Visit her website or social media for upcoming releases!

heidih.net
Email: heidih.writer@gmail.com



IN BETWEEN DUET SERIES (IN PROGRESS)—
Book 1: In Between the Earth and Sky
Book 2: Love of a Wild Thing (TBD)
Book 4: TBA

DOUBLE BLIND STUDY SERIES (IN PROGRESS)—
Book 1: Learn to Fly
Book 2: In Your Honor
Book 3: Tectonic
Book 4: Deepest Blues
Book 5: The Hope That Starts
Book 6: Brand New Sky
Book 7: Into the Night We Shine (Bonus Novella)
Book 8: Born to Resist (Bonus Novella- in progress)
Book 9: Matter of Fact (holiday novella)

DOUBLE BLIND STUDY WORLD CROSSOVER
Things That Shine (written with Bria Quinlan)

SOARING BIRD SERIES (IN PROGRESS)—
Book 1: Like the Back of My Halo
Book 2: Sushi and Sun Salutations
Book 3: Puppy Love and Peanut Butter
Book 4: Rope a Dope
Book 5: Caught a Vibe (May 2024)
Book 6: TBA

IN COLD MUD SERIES (IN PROGRESS)—
Book 1: Stubborn Hearts (prequel to DBS book 6 Brand New Sky)
Book 2:


THE DOUBLE BLIND STUDY SERIES is an exciting romance series about rock stars in recovery. The Double Blind Study band has already lived the rock and roll cliché. This is life after. Full of humor, heart, and slow burn romance. Each book can be read alone but it is best if read in order. Cliffhanger free.

THE SOARING BIRD SERIES follows a group of extreme sports enthusiasts as they navigate life and love living on the California coast. Slow burn romantic comedies that can be read individually, but best if read in order. Cliffhanger free.

THE IN BETWEEN DUET SERIES is a slow burn unconventional romance that explores the connections of science and poetry. Occasionally intense moments of personal clarity and heartfelt confessions. Filled with touches of humor and real world obstacles. Cliffhanger free.

IN COLD MUD SERIES is a small series revolving around the politics and relationships of horse racing. Not a romance series. Definitely family drama.

NOTE: All of Heidi Hutchinson’s books take place in the Double Blind Study series. Each series can be read on their own but there are often crossover characters you may recognize.

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5 stars
410 (39%)
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435 (42%)
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165 (15%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 195 reviews
Profile Image for Penny Reid.
Author 90 books21.8k followers
Want to read
October 7, 2021


PEOPLE! Key Change by Heidi Hutchinson is LIVE and available for FREE in Kindle Unlimited! You don't want to miss this one!! Go forth and read the goodness <3

★★Grab your copy TODAY!★★
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3jZIOcS
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3CPEshm
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/37MOVMd
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/3AN2uHQ
Audiobook: https://bit.ly/3Aj9onm
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3meb1j1

★ ★ BLURB ★ ★
Before Hannah was a 9-5 working, dinner making, homebody, she was Ashton James: a paparazzi-stalked pop star with more enemies than friends.

These days she has one priority: keeping her sister safe and away from the public eye.
Hannah was doing a great job, until the pesky little brother of an ex-fling discovers where she is, and wants her help launching his career.

Now she has to trust Johnny—whom she betrayed in more ways than one—to protect her whereabouts. Johnny may have an infuriating moral compass and the timing of a storybook hero, but is he immune to the temptation of revenge?

Johnny’s focus has always been his music business, and a bad influence like Hannah is the last thing he needs at work, or around his brother.

But some things are too powerful to be stopped. For someone like Hannah, second chances—in life and in true love—don’t exist. She didn’t think so, at least.

Johnny is about to prove her wrong, and being wrong has never felt so right.

'Key Change' is a full-length contemporary romance, can be read as a standalone, and is book #3 in the Common Threads series, Seduction in the City World, Penny Reid Book Universe.
Profile Image for Lady Heather .
1,304 reviews769 followers
October 8, 2021






So... I finished this book earlier today and I was in total love with the story.
I wanted more Johnny ( Johnny is literally too good to be true).



But, I wanted more of Hannah!

Hannah is possibly one of my favourite characters ever written because she speaks of her past mistakes (we all have them).
Her regrets (ditto).
And, how she was in the "time before".
The time when she'd had enough of trusting the wrong people, giving in to her addiction to cope, and being a selfish bitch.
She was a person who was mean, cold, and used whatever she needed and whoever she needed to get what she wanted at (that time).

Now, after literally walking away from her (then) life, she's trying so hard to be a better person, to make better decisions.
But, she second-guesses her decisions, she lives in self-loathing, and regret.
She can't see that she deserves to be happy and that she's a good person.

She's now living in the "who she's wants to be" period.
Her honesty is humbling.
Her reactions to situations are true.
Her self-doubt and questioning if she's doing the right thing are honest and raw.

Of course, as a part of her personal growth and healing period in the present time, she would have to run into possibly "the one that got away" and who she also kinda destroyed at the same time because he was so good and pure.

Seeing Johnny after so many years, and their journey of discovery of "their new relationship" together was a wonderful, and engaging experience.

I will tell you that this book is not erotica, but the authors build up in Johnny and Hannah's chemistry before they found "their moment" in the library is something that poets have written about.

It was











NIIIIICE!

johnny and Hannah's journey after their moment is wonderful, terrifying, and absolutely beautiful.

I loved this book, and I highly recommend reading it.




"An ARC of the book has been provided by SmartyPants Romance in exchange for an honest review. "
Profile Image for Inna.
1,602 reviews348 followers
March 21, 2023
4.5 stars… so many feelings about this book! I might come back and add more later bc my thoughts aren’t really in order atm. I think it’s making me question my stance on double standards because I KNOW I would hate this book if the MC’s back stories were flipped. OTOH, I like role reversals specifically bc they are rare and not overdone like the manwhore hero trope.

If I’m being critical, as I always am, I do think the hero forgave too easily.

Safe w/ Exceptions
Very slow burn and a FTB scene at the end
No virgins
Hero’s past not discussed AT ALL
Heroine was with MANY men in the past and has an incurable STD as a result
Heroine’s choices were made when she was in a drug/alcohol fog
Heroine celibate for about the last 2 years since she became sober
MCs we’re together for about a week in the past and the heroine pushed hero away
No scenes with OM/OW
No OM/OW drama during this book, but the heroine’s ex is mentioned and it causes a little jealousy from the hero
No cheating

TW: addiction, parental neglect and abandonment (memories), sexually transmitted disease, racism
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Lori R..
1,357 reviews69 followers
October 11, 2021
I couldn’t love this book any harder if I tried. Slow burn goodness that sent all the happiness and giddiness from my head to my toes. It made my heart flutter and soar.

Do you love books full of heart and soul?
Read this book.
Do you love a well-written story with characters you feel you’ve known forever?
Read this book.
Do you need a feel-good story to take you away from reality, to pull you so far in you never want to leave? One that makes you fall HARD to the hero, and even harder for the bad-girl-who-thinks-she’s-undeserving-of-love-and-can’t-be-redeemed heroine?

See answers to the first two questions above.

We all love a swoony hero. And Johnny is that and so much more. He is so good. Like really good.
Like too-good-to-be-true-and-I-want-him-all-for-myself good.

Hannah Lee was not a nice person. Keyword: Was. And she knows that. She’ll be the first to admit it. But after leaving the music industry plus putting all her bad choices along with toxic people behind her, she’s slowly trying to redeem herself and do better. And my goodness, she is so dang lovable! So real and honest and protective and sassy and smart. I want to be her best friend.

This quality story checked all my boxes and covered all of my emotions. Some moments squeezed my heart, many had me smiling big, and quite a few made me look like a heart-eyed emoji.

It’s full of pain and regret, humor and heart, forgiveness and redemption and understanding and loyalty and allllll the love. So much love. I love this book. Have I mentioned that?

This author never ceases to amaze me with her talent. Ms. Hutchinson is one of those authors who I want more readers to know about. I want to scream from the rooftops about how amazing her words are, how superb her writing is, how frickin’ awesome her stories are.

Have you read a Heidi Hutchinson book? If yes… *high five*…read more. If no…please do so ASAP. You won’t regret it.
Profile Image for Elizabeth.
2,804 reviews238 followers
March 21, 2023
4.5 stars. I loved this book, with caveats.

I listened to the audiobook and the male narrator sounds like he's talking around marbles. He was irritating... but not enough to make me stop reading and I'm so glad.

This is a beautiful story of a second chance where the heroine who broke things the first time around and then forgot. She was a famous pop star, took drugs, and drank alcohol. She did a lot of crap and blacked out often. She partied too hard and took a lot of risks and made enemies.

The book picks up when she's been sober for about two years. She has become a guardian to her 12-year old sister.

She meets the hero again. He remembers her. And he's guardian for his teenage brother. About 15 years ago, she broke his heart when she got him fired after having one magical week together. She doesn't remember him or anything about their past together.

Over the last two years, she's done a LOT of work on herself to become a better person. And it's beautiful to see her lean into this better side of herself while still worrying she could backslide. She is REALLY concerned about her evilness in a way that does seem a bit over the top. She was a "mean girl", but the author seems to really focus on how much she's afraid she'll be a jerk.

This is a SLOOOOOOW burn. There is one kiss in the second half and then discussion of, and fade to black, sex at the very end.

We only hear about the hero's history with the heroine... no other sexual history. And there are no other men for her during the story though we do hear that she slept around a lot in the past.

I loved how she slowly starts to trust him and he starts to see that she is a different person now. I love how they both relate to their younger siblings. The found family is strong in this story when she starts opening up to new people.
Profile Image for Smartypants Romance.
79 reviews954 followers
Want to read
October 7, 2021


★★NOW IN KU★★⁣⁣
Ahhhh! ‘Key Change’, book #3 in the Common Threads series of standalones, is ALIVE in #KindleUnlimited!! This swoonfest of epic proportions is Heidi Hutchinson‘s latest release, and we are so THRILLED that she’s been abducted, I mean, JOINED the Smartypants Romance family.

★★Grab your copy TODAY!★★
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3jZIOcS
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3CPEshm
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/37MOVMd
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/3AN2uHQ
Audiobook: https://bit.ly/3Aj9onm
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3meb1j1

★ ★ BLURB ★ ★
Before Hannah was a 9-5 working, dinner making, homebody, she was Ashton James: a paparazzi-stalked pop star with more enemies than friends.

These days she has one priority: keeping her sister safe and away from the public eye.

Hannah was doing a great job, until the pesky little brother of an ex-fling discovers where she is, and wants her help launching his career.

Now she has to trust Johnny—whom she betrayed in more ways than one—to protect her whereabouts. Johnny may have an infuriating moral compass and the timing of a storybook hero, but is he immune to the temptation of revenge?

Johnny’s focus has always been his music business, and a bad influence like Hannah is the last thing he needs at work, or around his brother.

But some things are too powerful to be stopped. For someone like Hannah, second chances—in life and in true love—don’t exist. She didn’t think so, at least.

Johnny is about to prove her wrong, and being wrong has never felt so right.

‘Key Change’ is a full-length contemporary romance, can be read as a standalone, and is book #3 in the Common Threads series, Seduction in the City World, Penny Reid Book Universe.
September 15, 2021
Key Change: Common Threads book #3 by Heidi Hutchinson


‘Johnny’s deep voice, blending with the guitar, the chipped paint on the base of the instrument, the lyrics…

Maybe it had been there the whole time, like a perfectly ripe pear on a limb. It just needed a little shake to break free.

And Hannah was there to catch it with both hands, saving it from a bruised landing.’


Key Change by Heidi Hutchinson is one the most profound, provoking and breathtaking romances I’ve read all year. For so many different reasons.

It’s an audacious, reflective and absolutely inspirational romance story, written with clear passion, an abundance of intensity and love and stripped back, in order to bare all of the ugly truth. It is a story made up of so many fascinating and complex layers.

Redemption, forgiveness, loyalty, love and trust all play a huge part in this book, but it was the moments of total and utter vulnerability, the difficult truths and painful acceptances that shot this whole experience into the stratosphere for me.


Writing a heroine of Hannah’s calibre not only takes remarkable courage, but also unparalleled talent from the author. To have the ability to write a character, like Hannah, who was once so disgraced and loathed by the world, to have her fight to be a better person, push through what would have most people on their knees, is nothing short of brilliant. Redeeming the seemingly unredeemable is no easy feat and here, writer Heidi Hutchinson has gone above and beyond for her heroine. Hannah isn’t a nice person, and she’ll tell you that herself, but the love I had for her from start to finish was unprecedented.


Hannah Lee James is simply astounding. She is astounding in her strength, in her determination and in her convictions. She’s astounding because although she strives to be a better person for herself and for her sister, underneath this impressive transformation, she’s still the same woman. She recognises she will never be one hundred percent pure and good but it’s in her willingness to *try* achieve that, that she dazzles as a very real, very raw and exposed, incredibly alluring heroine. She has issues, she swears, she’s sarcastic, but she is also human. She’s kind, she feels too much of everything and you see those enticing glimpses into her vulnerability throughout the story. Particularly when it comes to writing music, to loving Piper and to forging new and real friendships.


Johnny’s character is precisely why I read romance novels. To see and feel and experience everything that comes with a great hero loving a complicated heroine. Someone who can be surly, grumpy, reluctant and a little reserved but who is so full of love and empathy. When Johnny finally got to a place of understanding - watching him edge into a gentle and forgiving mode, had me mesmerised by him. Watching him slide completely into a sweet, funny and flirtatious mode had me falling irrevocably in love with his character. He’s so wonderful and attentive, he truly cares and he isn’t afraid of the hard times.



Individually, Hannah and Johnny were so spectacular. Together, Hannah and Johnny create a symphony of extraordinary emotions for the reader. Add in the soul-stirring music you can practically hear, the lyrics that read like poetry, the family dynamics and the exhilarating slow-burn love story that re-connects them and weaves through it all, Key Changes from author Heidi Hutchinson is a truly beautifully, awe-inspiring love story, just with an added edge.
Profile Image for Angela Jones.
165 reviews13 followers
October 11, 2021
This is the first ever book that I have read of Heidi Hutchinson’s, but it will absolutely not be the last. To me, it takes a gifted writer that can show the reader how awful a character has been and can be at times, but can still convince us that that same character deserves a chance to be forgiven for the changes they have made in the name of love. Whether that’s for themselves (for the right reason) or for others. I quickly developed a love for Hannah and Johnny and their situations, as well as their love for their families. This book and author are such a fantastic addition to the Smartypants Family and I’m so glad I’m here for all of it!!
Profile Image for Heidi Hutchinson.
Author 35 books351 followers
Want to read
October 19, 2021


It's LIVE!

KEY CHANGE, an all-new slow burn rockstar romance from Heidi Hutchinson is coming October 7th to Kindle Unlimited
🖤Bad girl in recovery
💗A hero so good…just SO good
🖤Jalapeños
💗Rock star shenanigans
Reserve your copy TODAY!
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3jZIOcS
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3CPEshm
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/37MOVMd
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/3AN2uHQ
AppleBooks: https://apple.co/3iMUK2l
Nook: https://bit.ly/3smfz7W
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3iRy3dj
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3meb1j1
Profile Image for Laura (laurapedenjones).
378 reviews23 followers
September 21, 2021
Key Change, the third book in the Common Threads series set in Chicago, is one of my new favorite Smartypants Romance books. It can be read as a standalone, but readers who have already enjoyed the first two books in the series will be delighted when the main character goes to the yarn shop, Mad About Ewe, featured in the previous book, and titled the same. There are also cameos from Alex and Quinn, beloved characters from Smartypants Romance creator, Penny Reid's Knitting in the City series. Hannah Lee James, also the huge music star Ashton James, moves to Chicago to continue in a long recovery from a life of bad decisions fueled by addiction, while also taking care of her teenage half-sister, Piper, who is 12. Hannah has no intention of ever going back to the famous life she lived as Ashton, and her goal is to live under the radar and out of the public eye, with the help of her landlord and security guru Quinn. Hannah sees a therapist and a sponsor for her alcohol addiction, and is so far sober and making it one day at a time. One day she hears a young kid busking and singing his heart out on own of her songs, and she can't help but get a little closer and marvel at his talent. Little does she realize, but Shawn, the teenager recognizes her, causing him to tell his older brother, 36 year old music producer Johnny Torres. Johnny knows her all too well, but the woman he knows is Ashton James, and Hannah Lee, who shows up on his doorstep with a bribe to keep quiet about her whereabouts, throws him into a tailspin. He can still remember the night spent with Ashton, as well as the moment when she got him fired from the tour after promising him so much. Hannah has no recollection of Johnny, which causes him even more pain. Johnny is no stranger to pain, however. His own mother left 15 years ago, leaving Johnny fully responsible for caring for his younger brother Shawn. Now Shawn is a high school senior and a very talented musician. He is obsessed with Ashton James, and he makes it his mission to use her connections to help him make it in the music industry, against his older brother's wishes. When Hannah shows up in Johnny's studio while he's recording a record for a top selling rapper named Sunshine, Hannah becomes a key player in the project. Hannah finds Johnny's grumpy on-the-outside demeanor hilarious, and she doesn't mind being around his gorgeous looks, either. If you like enemies to lovers and second chance romance, this is the book for you! Johnny and Hannah has so many similarities that really allow them to connect on a deep level: the lack of a mother in their life, raising a younger sibling as their own, and their insatiable love for music. The romance in this book is mostly closed door, which really works perfectly for this story because it has such a tender/fragile relationship developing between two very complex, broken characters, both dealing with loss, pain, and regret of the past. The angst between Johnny and Hannah is so well-written and gave me so many feelings. I also loved the hilarious banter between the characters, whether between sisters Hannah and Piper, between Johnny and his assistant Nikki, or Sunshine the rapper trying to hit on Hannah. I dearly loved this story, and I hope you do as well!
23 reviews
September 15, 2021
This is a five-star read. I found the main characters not to be likeable with certain life views that I could not relate to. However, this book is remarkably well-written. It is raw, powerful, and deeply thought-provoking. Be prepared for a no holds barred, authentic and reflective examination of a series of choices made in an unforgiving world. It is best read either before or after reading Heidi Hutchinson’s Double Blind Study (DBS) series. I read this in less than a day. Best book I’ve read this month.
Profile Image for JP.
654 reviews19 followers
October 19, 2021
Super cute story that had a swoon worthy romance. I really didn’t like the heroine in the beginning but I suppose that was the point. I love to see people redeem their lives and start over doing the right thing.
It had chemistry and a adorable, kind and sexy hero. I really enjoyed this fun story and recommend it if you love romance.
I chose to listen to this book on audio. The narrators were Samantha Brentmoor and Wayne Mitchell and they did a great job. This was 10 hours and 46 minutes of easy listening.
Thanks Dreamscape Media via Netgalley.
Profile Image for Brenda Beasley Ellis.
26 reviews2 followers
September 15, 2021
I was given an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. I LOVED this book! Heidi is a fantastic author. I really appreciated that she redeemed a character from her first series in this cross-over and she did it in a beautiful, meaningful story.
Profile Image for Jes.
589 reviews
October 22, 2021
I’m not making this claim lightly: this might be one of the best rockstar romance books that I’ve ever read.

Hannah Lee isn’t a rockstar currently, but she was at one point before she cleaned up her act and disappeared. Key Change is her redemption and her apology note.

Heidi Hutchinson has achieved something truly special with Key Change. There’s the allure of the plot that smacks you in the face from the first chapter but overall — there’s oodles and oodles of book magic. That special thing that weaves through every aspect of a story, holds on to you, and doesn’t let you go until the final word has been read.

More gushy review to come closer to the release date over at the LitBuzz.
Profile Image for Kate.
2,204 reviews341 followers
November 1, 2021
8I have read a couple of books from Smartypants romance and they have been thoroughly enjoyable. Key Change was in as a sneak peek for another book I read so I went for this one as well.

Key Change is slow burn at its best and I enjoyed it very much. For one story and characters are very engaging and a pleasure to get to know.

Hannah Lee formerly known as Ashley James is trying to be a different person as the guardian of her twelve year old sister she has given up her previous lifestyle. Not that the lifestyle was doing her any favours. Her ambition was everything to her and she didn’t mind crushing a few people on the way. Her rise to fame was instant her fall was a long time coming.

Now Hannah works a 9-5 job until one day she is outed by a busker at a Chicago underground and then things start to get messy. No one can find out where she is turns out however that when she goes to bribe the kids brother to keep hush, hush about it. They actually know one another. Well he knows Hannah, she can’t remember.

I adore Hannah as she knows she isn’t nice but she is real and I think that is what we should all strive to be. She had my full support and I also got the waterworks with her. She deserved a HFN.

Johnny Torres knows Hannah Lee or who she was before and he has no interest in refreshing what they had especially after the way she behaved to him. She was awful and to be honest Johnny is too good to be true. He is a fantastic Hero. A unicorn. Captain frigging America. Johnny hated her to begin with but she saved her arsed and so they formed a tentative relationship that turned to friendship that in the end turned to more. I loved the build-up of the chemistry between these two. They sure did take their time and that is absolutely fine.

How Hannah behaved before she sorted herself out killed me. It wasn’t and isn’t pretty but she owned up to it and all she can do, is all she can do, we all can’t do more right?

Full disclosure here this is where some things might get dicey for some of the readers. Now I’m not big on double standards and it goes both ways. For men as for women. Spoiler alarm

This series can be read as a standalone.
2,487 reviews52 followers
September 18, 2022
MIND BLOWN!!!! I have just a few questions. How can I give this story more stars? How can I scream louder "please read this?" How can I talk the author into making this a series? After all Shawn is going to make it big in the future and will be needing Quinn's security team.

Key Change is a lesson in love. Key Change is a lesson in second chances. Key change is a lesson in making positive changes for a better future. Key Change is a lesson of success. Ket Change is a lesson in forgiveness and trust. Most of all, Key change is a love story packed with drama.

Ashton James was the ultimate bad girl of pop rock. Her antics graced tabloids and entertainment television. Then she disappeared. The she found family. No one, but Quinn's team, knows where she is as she hides in plain sight in Chicago. Then she is confronted with her past, a past she didn't remember.

Johnny Torres was a rising star in the music industry. Time with a pop star ruined everything. Johnny is back in Chicago making music for others in a recording studio and taking care of his little brother, a brother who figures out where Ashton James is hiding.

The drama packed into this story is intense. As if all the romantic drama wasn't enough; the author brought in high school drama, close family drama, musician drama and pasts that were mind blowing. The author made me cry. I don't remember her ever making me cry before.

I have never hid that I adore Heidi's books. I have a shelf of signed books to prove it. To me this is her best story. I will still be thinking about it next week, next month.

I will remember the lessons in love. "You make it possible not to love you." Let's swoon together. "Sometimes we find someone. Or the find us. And there is rescuing on both ends." My heart is beating so fast right now.

Most of all I will remember life's greatest lesson. "All I can do is all I can do." All I can do is ask you t read Key Change. All I can do is hope that you enjoy it as much as I did. All I can do is wait patiently for Heidi Hutchinson's next story to burst free from her head.

09/17/22 after reading Lost Track, Key Change called to me for a reread. How could I say no? I couldn't.. Now I am off to read Lost Track again.
Profile Image for Lu.
172 reviews2 followers
Read
September 17, 2021
✨ 4.5 stars! ✨

This was such a great story. And the writing was so beautiful! You wouldn’t believe the amount of sentences and paragraphs I highlighted in this book.

Hannah blew me away. I love how she owns all the bad things she did in the past with blunt honesty, without making excuses for herself, but still tries to be a better person. And how fiercely she loves. She is real and human and I really felt for her. She stole the show for me. But I also loved Johnny and how he sees her and her heart.

Hannah’s sister, Piper, and Johnny’s brother, Shawn, are very lovable too, and there are quite a few appearances from characters from the Knitting in the City series by Penny Reid that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Another gem from Heidi H. and a great new addition to the Pennyverse!
Profile Image for Cassandra Martin.
808 reviews51 followers
September 23, 2021
This book is one of the most powerful books I’ve read. The absolute grit and honesty that the heroine, Hannah has just grabs your heart.

“All I can do is all I can do.”

This book definitely touches on some very emotional and tough subjects, but it’s done with such grace.

Hannah’s character, in her previous life (approx 2 years before this book) was not a good person. At all. Her journey through this book highlights her challenges, normalizes therapy, and gets a second chance at someone she pushed away.

Heidi Hutchinson did an amazing job at redeeming Hannah. This book will be on my mind for a long time to come. I guarantee it.
Profile Image for M.E. Carter.
Author 51 books1,061 followers
Read
August 19, 2021
This book has a small plot line in the middle of the big plot that I've never read before. Ever. We need more stories like this!!
Profile Image for Kahea.
2,152 reviews119 followers
October 20, 2021
Check out an Excerpt HERE

***5 ‘I Don’t Think You’ll Ever Know How Much of Me You’ve Healed Just by Being You’ Stars***

This is a new to me author, so even though the blurb raised my curiosity, and the book is set in the Pennyverse world, I went in a little wary but hoping for the best and guess what? I didn’t want to put the book down. I started it (at my lunch) and was so into the story that all the background noise just faded away and I had to remind myself that I HAD to stop reading and do that #workthing (sometimes real life seriously gets in the way of my reading). This book was just so, SO good! It may not have been AS smexy as most of what I read, but that didn’t matter. It had everything else and more and I didn’t want it to end.

I ADORED Hannah and Johnny. ADORED. Hannah hasn’t always been the best person, but she is working on being better than she was. What I loved about her was her honesty about herself and how she doesn’t make excuses, she just tells it like it is. She’s fierce, determined and protective of those she calls her own, but does tend to punish herself more than she should. Johnny is total book boyfriend goodness. The man can be grumpy and growly and need a little nudge, but he has such a good heart, it’s just makes him that much more interesting.

Their journey to their HEA was definitely an interesting one. There was some attitude and angst at the start, but I really liked how music brought them together. They had a great flow and the chemistry between them was intense. There isn’t a lot of smexy in this baby, but I barely noticed because there was so much goodness going on between them as they worked through the issues of their past and realized how golden their future could be together.

I’m seriously happy to have stumbled upon this author, one who has quite a few books out already and I will be adding to my TBR list, because I loved her writing style and how she brought all the characters to life for me. And speaking of characters ~ I ADORED Piper, Shawn, Ana, Sarahi, Sunshine, Nikki and all of the other people who mattered in their lives ~ I also loved the Q & A moments, so toes crossed that we’ll get more of this crew in the future.

~ Copy provided by SmartyPants Romance & voluntarily reviewed ~
Profile Image for Kelly.
5,235 reviews203 followers
October 19, 2021
Hannah's a former hard-partying, hard-living, viper-tongued pop star who I wasn't sure I was going to like AT ALL. Let me tell you, watching her work on herself and learn to be a better person through trial and error and therapy was pretty darn captivating. I mean, she's a mess, but she's not nearly the mess she was two years ago and that means something.

Probably the thing she had to learn most was that she didn't have to change every aspect of herself. She had to distance herself from her vices and teach herself not to react in certain ways that were permissible when she was living high (literally) as a star, but that didn't mean she wasn't worthy of happiness or love or anything good.

She also had to face up to her mistakes. She might not remember all the people she trampled on in her rise to the top, but that doesn't make what she did any less painful for those she hurt along the way. Johnny being one of them. A person she hurt, not a mistake. Unraveling their shared past while finding her footing in the future (which, surprisingly, was with this man who'd she'd hurt so deeply) was messy and painful in it's own right. For both her and Johnny.

As for Johnny, he knows what Hannah was capable of as Ashton and he doesn't want his little brother anywhere near her. Hannah being in the right place at the right time and saving his bacon has him seeing her in a different light and the more he sees of this Hannah, the more he likes. She has talent and drive and music is in her blood.

Family, friends, standing up when needed, pushing forward despite self-doubt, and one steamy encounter in the library. Like I said, I honestly didn't know how I was going to feel about Hannah when we first met, but she worked her magic and had me rooting for her. *thumbs up*

-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
Profile Image for Melissa.
2,370 reviews243 followers
October 14, 2021
I didn't know how she could make this chick likable but she did! The tension was awesome! The love hate thing worked so well! Dang! I like the way Heidi writes. It takes me back to California and high school. It has a little flavor of Amy Harmons early stuff. A Different Blue is like this, and if you liked this you might love that. Just an all around good read. I love to get into the characters heads like you do in this one.
More swearing then in her other books. F words are plentiful but not every other word.
Sex before marriage but no sex scene. Some good kisses tho!
She is sober but others drink.
PG 13
Profile Image for Michelle.
1,684 reviews60 followers
October 7, 2021
3.5 stars! This was a really interesting story. I loved all the details of the music making process and the slow burn romance.

Hannah (formerly Ashton James) was a bit difficult to relate to because she not just a recovering addict and alcoholic, but she’s also a recovering selfish jerk. In order to facilitate her recovery and provide a stable environment for her sister she created a reclusive, robotic life for herself with none of the trappings of her famous lifestyle.

Johnny is her potential love interest, but their history makes trust very difficult to establish. And, it was hard for me to give her a second chance because Hannah is not a very sympathetic character. This a slow burn and it takes a long time for them to feel comfortable together, but when the time comes for them to finally act on their feelings, it’s a closed door situation.

I loved the fun cameos from Alex and Quinn from Cipher Security and their elevator meetings!

I received an advance copy of this book from Smartypants Romance and these are my honest opinions.
Profile Image for Jessica Alcazar.
4,190 reviews587 followers
Shelved as 'probably-more-than-likely'
October 12, 2023
My second attempt at listening to this audio and it is a #fail

I can't *review* the book itself because I haven't finished the story, which I'm pretty sure will be great, but I cannot *listen* anymore.

My total discomfort with this audio rest very heavily on the male narrator. There are a quite a few different voices for him to narrate and he is not versatile enough for this kind of endeavor, in my opinion. Honestly, he is cringe-worthy at best. I made it as far as 15% and I just cannot go a minute further.

I will be purchasing the ebook and *reading* this story soon, but the audio is a no-go for me.

My rating reflects ONLY on my listening experience and NOT on the story itself.
Profile Image for Quinn's Quippy Quotes.
1,350 reviews139 followers
January 12, 2022
This just wasn't my cup of tea. I just really couldn't get into it, and knowing Hannah's behavior prior to truly becoming Hannah, was a hard pill to swallow. IDK, this was really slow in the beginning and just didn't really peak my interest.
Profile Image for Melena.
3,007 reviews72 followers
October 21, 2021
Hannah and Johnny's story is a great addition to the Common Threads series and the Smartypants Romance world.

This slow burn romance was really interesting and I was hooked from page one. Hannah is a former rock star who now just wants to stay out of the public eye. She isn't perfect and has made a lot of mistakes in her life. One of those mistakes hurt Johnny and now she has to rely on his help. It was interesting seeing how their feelings changed and relationship evolved.

One of my favorite things about this series/Smartypants Romance is discovering new-to-me authors. Heidi is one of them and I am looking forward to trying more of her books!

Thank you to the author for providing an ARC for an honest review.
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Bookstagram Post: https://www.instagram.com/p/CVS4UePl23S
Profile Image for Laurajoyl.
67 reviews
September 15, 2021
Wow- this book was….beautiful ! There are amazing characters, characters that only Heidi can write, people in a book that seem so real you want to hang out with them. Only Heidi can make the most vapid and hated person into a heroine who is tender hearted and inspiring. And Johnny- he is just perfect. This book made me feel all the feels and bonus- Quinn and Alex. I can’t wait to read it again!
Profile Image for Asma.
511 reviews101 followers
September 5, 2022
4.5/5

WOW!! I loved every page of it! Why I keep be surprised everytime I read one of Heidi Hutchinson's books!! I should know better!

The plot, the romance, the characters' development. Hannah's growth makes total sense. She grew up. She grew the mean girl who thought that she must step on everyone to get to her goals. She grew the party girl. She was bad and she knew it. Hannah oh Hannah you can't but love her.
And Johnny is another story 😍.

“Johnny.. You’re so good.”
He snorted.
“No, really. You’re the kind of man who they design superheroes around.”
“I’m nowhere near perfect.”
“Of course not. You have terrible taste in women, for one.”


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✔A slow burn.
✔A bad girl in the change.
✔A good man.
✔Hate to love.
✔Powerful female character (Heidi Hutchinson's female characters are kickass).
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