Heart Restoration Project
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In Provence, a burned-out reality show star embarks down a path of self-renovation in a witty and enlightening novel about celebrity, love, sacrifice, and the resilience of the human heart. Who is the real Plum Everly? Wouldn't she like to know. Raised in front of the cameras on her family's hit reality show, Plum has reluctantly ridden the wave of D-list fame for way too long. Fading under the spotlight, she's ready to ditch Hollywood forever when a new opportunity arises: a DIY in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Château Mirabelle and Plum's identity. Both in need of restoration. Bienvenue en France. The village is gracious and welcoming. Elliott Schaffer, the flirty head of production, isn't bad either. But it's Mirabelle itself--a symbol of courage reaching back to World War II--that pushes the show in a new direction. Focusing on its profound connection to history, Plum and Elliott are developing a greater appreciation for the legendary château and, along the way, for each other. The best part of this makeover of the heart and soul? Plum gets to write her own ending. This time, for the first time, her life is going to be the real thing.
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(3.75 stars) A heartfelt story of a woman finding herself and her way forward by diving into the past.
Heart Restoration Project follows Plum Everly, a longtime reality TV star, as she takes on a new project renovating a chateau in a small French town. It reminded me of early 2000's romantic comedies in the best way. There's romance, small town charm, foreign language mishaps, and mouthwatering descriptions of delicious food, but the book's true strength comes from unearthing the rich, important history of the chateau and the people connected to it.
I anticipated that a majority of the plot would focus on a love triangle and the reality show, and to some extent that is what it is, but within that framework you also get to learn about the bravery and strength the town's families showed during World War II. The secrets of the past are still affecting the present. It's rewarding to see Plum restore not only the heart of the town, but her own confidence and reputation.
As much as I truly enjoyed reading this, some aspects feel like they're just shy of hitting their full potential. The romance feels almost like a subplot by the end and, while I didn't mind, I think I may have been disappointed if that's what I was most looking forward to. The pacing really hits its stride once we get to France, but the beginning set up is a little chaotic. There's a lot going on, a lot of backstory to establish, and it felt a little rushed to me. The book has a ton of pop culture references that pulled me out of the story. Intentionally setting this in the real world made me think more critically about the accuracy of home renovation, the region in France, and the making of a reality TV show. I think it would have been beneficial to replace these with made up references so this world could exist in its own bubble. I can't speak for the accuracy of the French dialogue but there is a lot of it and a French town of the same name does exist but the one in the book seems fairly fictional.
Overall, Heart Restoration Project has fun romcom energy in a beautiful setting with charming side characters and an unexpectedly deep plot. With great character development and a few surprises, it would make an excellent vacation read.
This ARC was provided through NetGalley from Montlake. All the above is my own, honest opinion.
