How believable was this to you?

I finally saw this movie for the first time & I have mixed feelings on it. I didn't know it was a book first & most people are saying the book is better & the more I hear about it, the more I think I need to read it. I found the plot lines to be too contrived for my taste & just too unbelievable even for a Christmas movie on the Hallmark Channel. I just don't buy the transformation Ian underwent after wandering in to the Church of the Second Chance. It's not that he was so self absorbed that he couldn't change - it was just not a believable transformation, know what I mean? He quit college to take care of those kids (none of which were actually related to him - Daphne was clearly someone else's love child) & became all religious? It just seemed too fake to me. I guess I just don't believe that people can truly change like that. Has anyone seen someone change like this or anywhere near this? Has anyone changed like this themselves? I'd love to hear your story; I'd love to be a believer that people can change like that.