Poppy, 32, has given up on her dream of writing, hindered by a mother who prioritizes weight loss and finding a partner over Poppy's aspirations, while secretly championing her brother’s now-successful writing career. For nine years, Poppy has secretly visited her supportive Aunt Margot, who encourages her dream despite Poppy's lack of progress. After Margot’s sudden death, a cryptic letter urges Poppy to travel to the south of France, pushing her toward self-discovery and revealing family secrets.

The setting is delightful, offering escapism in a stunning villa and Paris, with a lively, diverse cast. Margot’s secrets add intrigue, though the final twist felt exaggerated.

The main flaw lies in Poppy's character; while her struggles are relatable, her selfish actions impact others negatively, and her treatment of the love interest makes her hard to root for. Despite this, many readers may find it a fun, bookish escape, even if it wasn’t for me.

Ironically...I did not like the main character! It was a little too cheesy and predictable for me. The setting was the best part though!

Short Synopsis: Poppy is desperate to leave her job and become a mystery writer when her Aunt dies leaving Poppy the experience of a lifetime going to her Villa on the French Riviera. She quickly finds out that her aunts intention was for Poppy to finish her novel in six months, and the Villa is hers.

My thoughts: I love a book about books, especially the writing process. I loved watching Poppy as she struggled through her writers block and soul searching in general as she's trying to figure out her life and make her way through her struggles. There is so much character growth through this book, and I liked that while I didn't immediately find myself enjoying Poppy, I grew very fond of her as the book progressed and she learned to love herself.

The setting was magical, I found myself immediately transported to the French Riviera.

Read if you love:
- Books about authors
- Self discovery and growth
- Plus size female MC
- French Riviera setting

This book is much more than the cover and description would lead us to believe. It delves deeply into a woman's growth and our own humanity, our feelings of helplessness about change, and how we don't always communicate as effectively as we want to or we should.

I really enjoyed going along with Poppy on her journey. Is she perfect? No. Is her family a mess? Of course. But if you enjoy stories about repairing bonds and growth, this is a good book for you.

I ended up loving this book more than I expected. The beginning didn't draw me in right away and I didn't feel a connection to Poppy. Yet, the story kept improving as it went on and I loved the growth that Poppy went through while breaking away from her family's toxicity. The romance wasn't my favorite, it just didn't progress in a natural way. I loved the setting though, I'm such a fan of exotic locale romances. Overall, 3.5 stars.

Poppy Banks is stuck in a job writing listicles, as she slowly succumbs to writer’s block and begins to give up on her dream of becoming an author. But her aunt Margot has issued a challenge to motivate Poppy to live life on her own terms…in the French Riviera. Can Poppy get out of her own way and overcome writer’s block, family drama, and romantic complications in time?

I connected immediately with Poppy, truly from the prologue. I love a story with a strong female lead who can airs risks, makes mistakes, but learns, and comes back stronger. This was a vacation in a book, along with a later coming of age story and fun romance. So good!

Free copy, review is my own.

The plot I loved. I didn't love all the writing that go there though. It was very obvious what was happening though the main character remained oblivious (and so did the others). It was also very convenient that she hated herself so deeply that it ran her life but the man pops in and she forgets all that...I get where the author was going, just wasn't executed that greatly. Solid entertaining read, and I did enjoy it!

If you like romance novels set in beautiful locations, you'll love this debut from Jamie Varon! It's a quick and easy read that will stick with you long after you read the last page—and as the title of my review states, it WILL inspire you to live your best life, so get ready! :) Thanks to Jamie for sharing Poppy's story with us!

This one has some real serious potential. We love a woman coming into her own, finding herself, growing as a person. And we love a good romantic love interest who supports our main character. There were just a few things plot-wise that I wasn't too crazy about, but that could totally just be personal preference issues. Overall it was a good read and I'd recommend it.

A emotional adult contemporary romance, that I would recommend to those who think it sounds good!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher

Awesome story! I recognize myself in this book as I feel so many others will. Jamie Varon can do nothing wrong in my eyes. This was a story about a woman finding herself and taking chances, the main character she always was.

This was an alright story !! It had so many different elements of it. Some of them played really well together and other didn’t. I didn’t love the the 2/3 in flip back and kill all the growth we had. So that was annoying. As was the getting over the family stuff so quickly. She’d moved to France and didn’t even care to reach out but was suddenly missing the family so much and needed to see them. So that was annoying. Some great bones though !?

This book was definitely hit and miss for me. I love having a book with plus size representation. As a plus size person myself, it's nice to see a main character who shares some of the same feelings that I have, and see those feelings represented on the page. But I can also understand how that might alienate some readers and be a place where they wouldn't connect with the main character and find it whiny over endearing. And towards the end, you do find her to be a little over the top- she needs to find a way to deal with her insecurities instead of always using them as an excuse. Overall, I found the story to be fairly predictable- you knew what would happen in the end. But I loved the villa setting and some of the supporting characters as well.

I wish I could say I enjoyed this book more than I did - it had an interesting premise and a cute cover. Unfortunately, the author's voice/style just didn't work for me, and there were no content warnings for toxic parental relationship and attempted SA (which was very disappointing).

I loved "watching" Poppy leave her comfort zone and a toxic family to find herself. Everyone deserves to be their own main character, and the journey for Poppy was fun and well written!

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

In full disclosure, I have been a long time fan of Jamie Varon’s work. Her Instagram posts have been saved and screenshot more times than I can count (if you don’t already follow her, do yourself a favor and go now). When she started posting about publishing a work of fiction, I knew I had to get my hands on it. Turns out not only is the plot incredibly soul searching and life changing, but the backstory of how it came to be is as well. Jamie literally wrote a book she wanted to read. It sounds so simple and yet we know it’s not. So while Poppy is the hero of the novel, I think the real life hero of this story is the author.
Main Character Energy introduces readers to Poppy. Poppy is thirty-two and about one second away from giving up on all her dreams. She’s burnt out at a dead-end job, bogged down with rejection letters from editors and caught up in an endless cycle of family drama. It turns out that a half-hearted promise she made to her estranged aunt lands her with the opportunity of a lifetime. Fueled by her aunt’s surprise passing and her legacy of living life to the fullest, Poppy jets across the ocean from LA to France. She’s thrust into a life that she feels she doesn’t deserve and is surrounded by a slew of incredible characters. Jamie has done an amazing job writing a romance novel filled with depth. She tackles incredibly complicated issues with care and charisma. I inhaled Main Character Energy, highlighting passage after passage, rooting for Poppy, but making notes for myself. This book is for all women in all the seasons of life. It’s a reminder, a nudge if you will, that it is ok to set boundaries, that we should be seeking out new experiences and to live fully, not waiting in the wings. I finished Poppy’s story on a true book-high, I was genuinely sad to see it end, but eager to put the messages to play in my own life. I’m following Margo’s advice and saying yes to “doing it for the plot!”
Main Character Energy is the feel-good novel I didn’t know I needed and it is out today!. It is one of my favorite 2024 reads for sure.

A sincere thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Not only did I love the romance element of this book (of course I did, I love a romance), but I came away feeling very inspired. Poppy was written in such a way that I really empathized and even saw bits of myself in her. In turn, that really made me root for her and made this story such a page turner for me!

Jamie Varon's "Main Character Energy" whisks you away to the sun-drenched French Riviera for an adventure of self-discovery with Poppy Banks, a plus-size writer grappling with a mountain of rejection letters and a heaping dose of self-doubt. When her beloved aunt bequeaths her a charming villa in Nice, it becomes the catalyst for a hilarious and heartwarming journey of reinvention.

Embrace the "Do it for the Plot" Mentality: Poppy's inner monologue is a relatable roller coaster of insecurities and aspirations. You'll giggle at her quirky observations, cringe at her awkward moments, and cheer for her as she embraces the "do it for the plot" spirit and takes on challenges like learning French and navigating a glamorous French marketplace.

More Than Sunsets and Romance: Sure, the setting is picture-perfect, and there's a sprinkling of charming romance, but this book is about so much more. It's about finding your voice, breaking free from societal expectations, and building unshakeable friendships. The supporting cast, from Poppy's sassy BFF Becky to the eccentric residents of the villa, provides a vibrant tapestry of personalities that add humor and depth to the story.

A Few Clouds on the Horizon: The pacing can feel a bit slow at times, and some subplots don't fully reach their potential. However, these are minor bumps in an otherwise delightful read. The ending, while heartwarming, might leave some readers craving a touch more closure.

Verdict: Overall, "Main Character Energy" is a feel-good escape full of sunshine, soul-searching, and enough self-love affirmations to fill a baguette. It's a reminder that everyone, regardless of size or past rejections, deserves their own grand adventure – complete with stunning sunsets, unexpected connections, and the courage to finally write their own happy ending.

Main Character Energy had all the things I'd thought I'd love in a book. The setting was beautiful and the side characters were interesting. The secrets her aunt was hiding were enjoyable. As someone who is Poppy's supposed age, I wasn't a big fan. She wasn't a really nice person.

Thank you to the publisher and #NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and publishers for the opportunity to read this book!

Poppy is an interesting character but I wasn't a big fan. There was just...something about her that I couldn't handle. I did finish it and it was alright. Just not for me!