Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advanced reader copy of Main Character Energy by Jamie Varon. This is the story of Poppy, a writer who has writer’s block and suffers from body issues and self esteem from her mom as well as society. She inherits a writing retreat in the south of France where she begins to learn that the stories we hear and then tell ourselves often trap us in fear. And as a character in this story says, doing something in spite of the fear is courage.

I really liked how the author developed Poppy and shared the shame and negative self-talk that kept her down. I am sure a lot of us can relate to a character like this. From the way she moved her body through a room to descriptions on how she felt she wasn’t good enough, especially after interactions with her mother, we see the deep shame she carries. I really enjoyed seeing Poppy grow and believe in herself. And as a writer, I really found the discussions about imposter syndrome and rejections a balm on my soul-who hasn’t struggled with wondering if they were good enough?

Definitely worth a read!

This book was quite the journey. Where we start Poppy has kind of reached a crossroads so to speak, there are a lot of things stacking against her and making her feel like she needs a change. Cue changing things up and challenging herself, while also trying to get back into her groove so to speak. I did really enjoy the journey and definitely found this read to be very fun read. I would say it has a very similar vibe to some other books about women going to a foreign country to find themselves, especially after a hiccup in life, but it definitely had enough that set it apart to make it a unique experience.

This book is perfect for women’s who are looking for answers in their lives. This story follows Poppy Banks who wants to write her mystery stories but is stuck at her job and is self-conscious of herself from her mom because she’s plus-sized. Varon is a great writer and I loved how she introduced Poppy into this story. I really loved her character and was instantly hooked into the story. The writing style was well done and I loved the self-development in this book. Plus it takes place in France! I went in thinking it had a lot more romance in it because of the genre it’s under but it’s very light (backstory) in the book. It was still a great book and I enjoyed the story that Varon delivered to her readers. It was very uplifting for me and as a woman who’s also discovering herself, I’m a bit more confident than before. Perfect for fans of Emily in Paris (but without the romance).

*this arc was sent to me by the publisher to give an honest review in return*

This book was so good and I enjoyed it a lot. It dealt with some pretty heavy topics around body shaming and dysfunctional family relationships really well, while still managing to still keep some of the book lighthearted and fun. There was even a little romance thrown in there too, which I found compelling as well. The main character was well written and I really appreciated how believable her character arc was. I also liked the plot and the surprising twist at the end.
I do wish there had been more time dedicated to Poppy repairing her relationship with her family. I felt like with so much of the book dedicated to how her relationship with her family shaped a lot of her insecurities and major issues she had, I would have liked to see more than a few scenes dedicated to how it was fixed. That part I thought could have been so much more. I also did kind of get annoyed with the mention of living with “main character energy” because it felt a little cheesy to me and this book actually had a lot more depth, but this mention sometimes made it feel a little awkward for me. I also think on that same note that the title could have been something different and it would have felt a little better of a fit for it. Overall, I got a lot more from this book than I was expecting and I was very pleasantly surprised by it!

This was a great debut featuring a fat MC struggling in life who gets the chance to travel to France and start a writer's colony when her aunt dies. The catch, in order to inherit the estate officially, Poppy has to write her own novel by a certain deadline.

Full of found family, complicated family relationships, an empowering FMC, a bit of fun vacation romance and a great message about taking a chance and trying and not living life on the sidelines. I really adored Poppy and her Aunt. It was great to see how she was able to mend the toxic, body-shaming relationship with her mother and reconcile with her successful author older brother.

Great on audio read by new to me narrator, Tara Sands. This is definitely a standout for me and perfect for fans of authors like Olivia Dade or Jenny L. Howe. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Poppy Banks has a dead-end job at Thought Buzz and feels like she's living her entire life on the sidelines. Her aunt Margot keeps telling her to live out her dreams at their secret yearly lunches, but Poppy hasn't been able to start yet. When her aunt dies, Poppy is left a writer's residency in the French Riveria—if she can finish her novel in six months. When the writing countdown begins, Poppy realizes she has more to confront than her writer’s block.

From the start, Poppy didn't have a great relationship with her mother or with herself. She had given up on her authorial dreams, especially with her brother having a much easier time making it with a multibook deal, being on the bestseller list, and having their mother's support. Her friends were also getting deals. As much as she wished them well for their success, she was also jealous and felt sorry for herself. Giving up was easier than setting herself up for even more grief, something we all understand and have probably done at some point in our lives. We don't have someone handing us a residency program to work on our dream job, but now we get to live vicariously through Poppy.

Things don't flow smoothly for Poppy, because she doubts herself and what she can do. She tries writing a romance instead of the thriller she wants to, and tries dating and visiting areas outside the villa. All the while she's distant from her family and the person she wants to be. Life does go well for a while, but she doesn't trust it. I can understand that; the heartfelt talks that we know have to come for the novel's resolution are necessary for Poppy to move on, but doesn't feel like something that would happen in real life. She needed the conversation and perspective to see what she wanted out of life is just as important as a safety net, and that living a life of regrets is even more painful. That's certainly a lesson we all can use. New things are scary because it's unknown, but not everything new is going to be awful. Sometimes, with a little Main Character Energy, we too can do it for the plot.

Synopsis:

Poppy Banks would rather be writing mysteries than listicles for her dead-end job, but after several rejections, she's ready to accept life on the sidelines as a plus-size woman. Her aunt Margot is unwilling to give up on her and leaves her a grand surprise when she passes away - a trip to her villa in the French Riviera. Poppy realizes her aunt wants to leave her the villa and secretive writer's residency if she can finish her novel in 6 months. With writer's block, family drama and a complicated romance, her self0doubt threatens to throw her off course.

Review:

Ok, I literally cried on and off through the second half of this book. I felt so seen as a plus-size woman myself. The doubts that creep in, and the feeling that if I were thinner life would be different. Well to nobody's surprise, I wasn't satisfied with my body even when I was at my thinnest. Poppy is so relatable, and so lovable; I was cheering for her the entire time. I truly enjoyed watching her grow through this book, it reminded me of my own journey to self-acceptance. I like that this book also looked at mother/daughter, sibling and friend relationships - there was something relatable for just about anyone.

Aunt Margot always told her to "Do it for the plot" and I honestly try to live my life this way - I try to take as many opportunities as I can, because it's rare that I regret doing something or trying something new, and at worst, I'll have a story to tell. I loooved this debut and can't wait to read more by this author!

Thank you so much to Park Row Books for my ARC.

Main Character Energy by Jamie Varon.
Poppy Banks would rather be writing mysteries than writing listicles for her dead-end job at Thought Buzz. But after a series of rejections, she’s ready to accept life on the sidelines as a plus-size woman. Her aunt Margot is the one person unwilling to give up on her niece’s dreams and tells her so at their secret yearly lunches.
A good read with likeable characters. I did like poppy. 4*.

MAIN CHARACTER ENERGY – Jamie Varon
Park Row
ISBN: 978-0778334200
September 5, 2023
Contemporary Fiction

Nice, France – Present Day

Poppy Banks is living a ho-hum life working at a job she hates. She’d rather be writing mysteries but gave that up after her older brother Jackson signed a lucrative contract for his books and her belief in herself fell flatter than a pancake. Her family celebrates his successes while her dreams are considered impractical. Her mother keeps harping at Poppy to get married and churn out babies, but with no man in sight, this is not what she wants in life. She ends up in a big fight with her mother. But one day, Poppy’s life changes. First, she learns that her Aunt Margot died, a woman whom her mother hated but Poppy managed to meet secretly once a year. Then, Poppy learns that she has been left a legacy by Margot, though there are certain conditions she must meet before she can actually inherit.

Arriving in Nice, France, she is picked up by two men, Oliver and his uncle, Sebastian. Oliver seems angry at Poppy when they first meet, which puzzles her. Arriving at where she will be staying, she is stunned to learn that her aunt owned a beautiful oceanfront mansion. It could be Poppy’s, but she must fulfill the terms of her aunt’s will. Margot had established a writing residency program at the mansion where women come to write a novel and encourage each other. Poppy must live at the mansion for six months and write alongside other women as they complete their first novel. If Poppy completes her manuscript by the end of six months, then she inherits the mansion.

Needless to say, Poppy is overwhelmed by what she is going through in MAIN CHARACTER ENERGY. When she was younger, she did write but after her brother’s success, her self-esteem took a hit, especially with her mother telling her that didn’t have the talent to write…but her brother did. It has led Poppy to resent her brother and argue with her mother. At the beginning of this tale, she has had enough. She quits her job and has a big fight with her mother. The letter telling her to come to Nice is a chance for her to get away and think. To her surprise, it is much more. I won’t give away any spoilers, but I did figure out the big secret that is revealed at the end of MAIN CHARACTER ENERGY.

Oliver starts out as a bit of an adversary for Poppy. He knew Margot and didn’t think Poppy would have the courage to continue her aunt’s legacy at the writing residency. But Poppy agrees to the plan, though she is tempted by a couple of outsiders to sell when she has possession of the title to the mansion. She is introduced to the new participants and starts to write. At first, things go well, and she begins to think she will indeed finish her novel. Poppy even becomes friends with Oliver. The months go by, and a feeling of contentment grows, as does a relationship with Oliver. But despite this, her teetering self-esteem comes back to give her doubts. Readers will have to read MAIN CHARACTER ENERGY to discover what happens to our poor Poppy.

MAIN CHARACTER ENERGY pulls you into the story because Poppy is a person one can relate to. Haven’t you ever wanted to do something, but fear of rejection holds you back? She has to overcome her doubts and her journey is an incredible one for readers to watch. Poppy thought she couldn’t reach for her dreams, but she just might prove herself wrong as she becomes the main character of her life.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

Thank goodness for Aunt Margot! Poppy's miserable in her life and at her work. She's jealous of her brother, a famous novelist not only for his success (she hasn't been able to sell her own novel) but also because her mother (truly awful) worships him. Once a year she has lunch with her aunt Margot, who has not seen her mother in 30 years. And then Margot dies, leaving Poppy a villa in the south of France and a challenge- she gets to keep the villa if she finishes writing a book in 6 months. Margot had a big secret (which I gotta admit, I guessed very very early). She also ran a writing program that Poppy will now enter. While this is largely about how Poppy comes to appreciate herself, there's also a love interest. There aren't many twists here but the characters are good (even the ones you'll dislike) and the setting, well that's delightful. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. A good read.

Title: Main Character Energy
Author: Jamie Varon
Genre: Romance
Rating: 4 out of 5

Poppy Banks would rather be writing mysteries than writing listicles for her dead-end job at Thought Buzz. But after a series of rejections, she’s ready to accept life on the sidelines as a plus-size woman. Her aunt Margot is the one person unwilling to give up on her niece’s dreams and tells her so at their secret yearly lunches.

But all of Poppy’s beliefs about herself are challenged when her beloved aunt dies and leaves her niece a grand surprise—a trip to her villa in the French Riviera. There, she learns her aunt intends to leave her stunning villa and secretive writer's residency to Poppy—if she can finish her novel in six months.

When the writing countdown begins, Poppy realizes she has more to confront than her writer’s block. Family drama, complicated romances and self-doubt all threaten to throw her off course. In this fun and heartwarming debut, Poppy must decide if she can live up to her aunt’s—and her own—desire to be the main character in her own life.

This was a solid romance read. I liked that Poppy won her own mental and emotional battles and learned how to be herself without apology—but also to see things from others’ points-of-view. There weren’t really any surprises in this novel. I figured out Margot’s big secret about page five, but it was a fun read.

Jamie Varon lives in California. Main Character Energy is her debut novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/Park Row in exchange for an honest review.)

Content Warning: Grief

The thing that drew me to this book was the title, Main Character Energy. I knew it was going to be a woman on a self-journey and when I saw that the synopsis mentions the French Riviera, I had to request it.

Poppy feels like she is at a dead-end in life. Her dreams of being a writer is stalled, she doesn’t get support from her family – especially from her mom and Poppy can’t believe this is her life. It is her life, until an opportunity arises after the death of her estranged aunt Margot who passes away. Margot leaves her a chance to be the “main character” in her life and what a chance it is.


The story is set on the French Riviera and I’ve only been to Nice, France once but it is a beautiful place so I could picture Poppy in France and really blossoming and working on her writing and herself really. There is even some romance in the air for her with Oliver, the man who was practically raised by her aunt. I loved the romance, the sense of community at the writing retreat Poppy lives at, and the magical setting of the French Riviera.

I enjoyed Poppy’s self-journey because she has a lot of things to fix. She’s afraid and this opportunity makes her face some fears and push through them. There are a lot of issues she has with her family and it does get resolved. I will say Poppy is forgiving towards her mom, because a relationship like that could have really ended in a “no contact” situation and I wouldn’t blame Poppy at all!

I did feel like some parts of the book felt rushed. Maybe because Poppy goes weeks without talking to Oliver because she’s busy writing but those are time jumps that I felt like rushed the story. Also I did wish for more “main character energy” but I get that Poppy was really new to this and she’s her own person. She made herself the main character in her way, even if it’s not as bold as I was expecting. Other than that though I think this is a great summer read.

Super cute, but lacked some diversity that I am looking for in my books. Easy read, will rec to friends I know will appreciate the story told!

WARNING: it's unpopular opinion time again!!

I'm still surprised this happened again to be honest. The blurb of Main Character Energy sounded like a perfect fit, because I always love a good contemporary with a bookish element and a foreign setting. The main character possibly inheriting a villa in the French Riviera with a secret writer's residency and all sounded like such a fascinating premise, and I've been looking forward to meet Poppy and learn more. Sadly, I somehow ended up havig mixed thoughts instead...

First of all, I do have to say that I still love the premise of this book. The French Riviera setting is without doubt a bonus, and the many descriptions of the different locations and French food made me wish I could visit the region myself... The villa itself sounded absolutely wonderful, and it makes for a great backdrop for this story. I also loved the incorporation of the many bookish elements, with both references to the process of writing, reading, publishing and author life itself. Both the idea behind the residency and Margot's vision are fascinating, and I appreciate how it promotes women to stick together and celebrate each other.

I wasn't expecting Main Character Energy to be this focused on self discovery and self improvement though. This is not necessary an issue on its own, but there was just something about Poppy that was extremely frustrating. She is so insecure, negative and ready to self destruct during most of the plot, and she didn't really fit the main character vibe that she was supposed to have until the very end. There were quite a few cliches involved in general, and I also thought that certain issues weren't resolved in a satisfactory way. Especially when it comes to her mother; I just don't believe that they just 'solved' everything after one conversation. The ending was likewise a bit lackluster, and too much like the author wanted to wrap the story up with a shiny red bow.

The writing itself is quite engaging, although the story starts out a bit slow and it took me a while to get a proper feel for the story. Once the setting changes to France things get better... Although there is a lot of repetition going on when it comes to Poppy's insecurities and her looking down on herself. Seriously, I was getting SO annoyed by her actions and thoughts! In fact, I liked most of the side characters way better than I liked Poppy herself. As for the big 'twist': I literally guessed that twist right from the very beginning, and I just don't find it credible others wouldn't know. It was a bit of a disappointment to be honest, because I kept hoping I was wrong.

In short, there were things I liked in Main Character Energy, while there were other elements that didn't work as well for me. I ended up having mixed thoughts myself, but I seem to be in the minority as most reviews have been positive so far. Definitely don't give up on my account if you think this story is a right fit for you!

I went into this book without reading the description and with no expectations at all and I loved it. I didn’t want to put the book down!

I really liked the idea of this book. Poppy was constantly told “do it for the plot” by Aunt Margot, which tied in perfectly to the title of the novel. She has to be brave and take risks, just like the main characters of Poppy’s favorite books.

I loved how this book was more focused on her self discovery rather than only the romance. In fact, I would have liked for the romance to be less prominent than it actually was. I felt like it was distracting from the plot at times.

I would really enjoy another book set at the residency! I think that the side characters (the four other writers) didn’t get as much page time as they should have. They were mainly there because the author needed people to go to the residency. They didn’t help with moving any plot forward, and I can’t actually tell you the difference between any of the writers. I think a future book from either Aunt Margot in the past or a future resident would be great.

The plot twist towards the end of the book was amazing. I did not see it coming at all! It was a great way to connect the beginning of the book to the end.

Overall, I loved this book a lot! Poppy’s journey was a great one to read about.

It’s tough to read a book that has a lot of negative energy surrounding it. The main character has a poor relationship with her family, is frustrated with her writing progress, hates her job, and could use a change in her life.

After clandestine meetings with her aunt because of a family feud, this character has the chance to make a huge change in her life.

Beat down and continually feeling less than perfect with extremely low self-esteem, this is the chance she’s been waiting for. The author treats us to beautiful details of France, wonderful characters, and a delicious potential love interest.

There are many levels of soul searching that our main character goes through; some I identify with, some I empathize with. All I would embrace.

I love this book. The author pours herself into the character’s emotional journey and we suffer through some tears and joy. Pain and happiness. Recognizing many parts of myself too.

But not fond of the title. Main Character Energy tells nothing of what this book truly gives you. Passion, desire, and journey for acceptance, love, and an amazing journey to France that will inspire you too!

I liked Poppy and was glad she was able to turn her life. I was a bit perplexed when I read the blurb defining her by the curves.
I'm quite curvaceous but I don't my BM or weight defines me, I'm my plus-size body but I'm also a person with dreams, ambitions and on a diet because I'm diabetic.
That said Poppy's aunt was a great character and I wanted to love this story but I found it very slow at the beginning and I had to be patient before the fun started.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This had a bit of a slow start and took a while for me to get invested in the story; however, I ultimately enjoyed the characters. I thought the main character Poppy would be very relatable for many readers. I wanted to see her succeed! Thank you for the ARC, NetGalley!

In Main Character Energy, Poppy has reached the end of her inspiration. She's been trying to make it as a writer for over a decade, but all she's managed to do is write clickbait articles as her day job and anxiously not-write at night. She's ready to give up her dreams of becoming a novelist. In addition to her persistent writers block, her older brother - the Golden Child of her family - is the newest publishing phenom, "reinvigorating" the romance genre. And then, her beloved aunt passes away and leaves her a posthumous treasure hunt (plane tickets to France, mysterious clues...) leading to an incredible inheritance: a villa on the French Riviera that houses a writer's residency. All she's got to do to inherit? She's got six months to finish a book of her own.⁠
⁠
This was a fun book, but it was a "surface" fun for me. For example, why did Poppy's Aunt Margo wait until after her death to reveal the secret of the writer's residency? She knew that Poppy had been struggling to write her own book for years, but never mentioned a residency seemingly perfect for her? Or that Margot knew this suuuuuper hot guy who worked there and would also be perfect for Poppy? (This dude is a privileged 3rd country kid - dad is British, mom is French, they all immigrated to the US, and he grew up in the south of France from the age of 13.) ⁠
⁠
It should come as no surprise that when Poppy moves to an idyllic new country, she falls in love with the place AND the man, and her creativity is inspired anew. The writing is sharp, and besides some French flubs (which won't pose a problem to non-francophones) is a pleasure to read. If the "Eat, Pray, Love" / "How Stella Got Her Groove Back" sub-genre of women's fiction is one that you like, Main Character Energy hits all of the high points with some added commentary on fatphobia and women's solidarity. ⁠

On a personal note: I saved this to read while I was in the south of France, and that may have been a mistake. I know the locations mentioned in the book very well - I lived and worked in Nice for a year as a professional - and my experiences as an immigrant (as opposed to an expat) were very different from Poppy's. The book never describes her as interacting with a named French person except for Caroline, an employee of the residency. I get the appeal of a new place sparking new epiphanies - I really do! - but it feels like the residency uses the French setting as an exotic locale rather than a real place. (It doesn't help that the French words Poppy uses are sparse and sometimes incorrect - paperie? Bucherie?)

Admittedly this is something I am particularly sensitive to, as someone who went through the full immigration process of moving to France, but none of the logistics are discussed at all. Immigration? Language issues? Culture shock? No need to worry about that, Poppy's rich now. (To be fair, that's probably true, but it ignores the complex reality of the immigrant experience for most people.) While Poppy is certainly aware of her disadvantages (she is a fat women living in the country where "French Women Don't Get Fat" - and I don't discount that experience!), she never acknowledges her privilege. Again, these elements probably won't bother many readers; France, especially the Riviera, is enough of a fairyland that it works as a catalyst for change. That said, it was jarring enough for me that I wanted to mention it here.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

I just finished reading an advanced copy of Main Character Energy by Jamie Varon, being published on September 5th, 2023. Poppy Banks has taken a backseat in her own life, letting other people dictate her feelings and experiences - so much so that Poppy is so overwhelmed that she's about to give up on all her dreams and wishes. When Poppy is at almost at her lowest, she learns her beloved Aunt has died, spinning Poppy even further into despair. As Poppy gives up on herself, she gets a mysterious letter from her Aunt with a one-way plane ticket to France. What is this all about and what does Poppy have left to lose if she goes? Can Poppy rewrite her story to be the Main Character in her life? Find out as the setting, characters, and story have you enthralled and rooting for Poppy to learn the truth - that she deserves everything she has ever wanted. #MainCharacterEnergy #NetGalley