The story focuses on Buffy, a retired actor, who inherits a B&B in Wales and moves there to escape the noise of London. To get it up and running, he goes through minimal preparation hoping the shabby but chic look will appeal to potential residents. He then talks with his daughter who expresses a desire to fix her own car following a break-up in which she was reliant on her partner. This sparks the idea of turning the B&B into a "destination workshop series" of sorts. Recently divorced or separated persons who might have relied too heavily on the talents of their former partners could come and learn to cook, clean, garden, repair their car, etc. and be self-sufficient. These classes couldn't possibly all be taught by Buffy, but he gets some help along the way in leading them.
Basically, the residents then help Myrtle House look better through their work in the classes. For example, the jungle of a yard is tended to and made to look beautiful by the newly trained green thumbs. And by the end of the novel, Myrtle House has moved from divorcee retreat to become an executive retreat bringing money to the community. I found this ending transformation to be a bit of a stretch. Sure, executives might be searching for something a little less Marriott for their retreats, but they wouldn't likely choose an isolated house with a few leaky, drafty bedrooms for their location. But then again, in these retreats they're practicing hands-on skills and getting dirty - not polishing portfolios and sealing deals.
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| Author, Deborah Moggach |
As far as the characters, I really appreciated Buffy's struggles. He's overwhelmed immediately upon moving into the B&B as any person his age (70's) and jumping into an adventure like this would be. He also works to reconnect with his children and to possibly explore a relationship. But when this relationship begins to blossom, I find it a bit unbelievable. The characters involved, Monica (botox-injecting woman who can find a bed partner, but not a life partner) and Buffy, become too neat and tidy. Monica takes the slightest offense at the smallest unintended arrangement of words and is intimidated by Buffy's younger days when he had multiple partners. Buffy wants desperately to alleviate her worries, but she runs away so, naturally, he abandons the B&B temporarily and chases after her. It all ends too tidily. I felt that the last third of the book was a rush to the finish. It tied up the loose ends, but I feel like the imperfect Buffy I met in the beginning became a polished character, dipped in gold, by the final chapter.
Perhaps one of the most interesting conflicts in the novel is the one between Voda and her ex-boyfriend Conner. She's in love with Buffy's daughter, India. He's a drug-influenced and alcoholic mess of a jail fly. When Conner, quite possibly abusive, is in trouble Voda still cares. When he bursts into Myrtle House and discovers her new relationship, she doesn't lose her mind. These two imperfect characters were the most interesting to me of the novel. Though Amy, a makeup artist for the stars, was interesting as well in watching her transform from childless and happy to longing for a relationship and child.
All in all the book is a pleasant read. Not too deep, but not too shallow either. A neutral read, you might say. And though I wasn't particularly moved by Heartbreak Hotel, Moggach's writing tone still kept me engaged. I will, in the future, seek another Moggach novel.
You can check for Heartbreak Hotel at a library near you or purchase it from Amazon.
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