I was disappointed. The Blanchards sound like very nice, fun, hard-working people who embrace change and roll with the punches. They see opportunities and they seize those opportunities. I admire that and would probably like them in person.
The book, however, annoyed me. Aside from its Trump-like self-congratulatory tone and phoney sounding dialogue, there was a bigger issue that I could not get past.
The book talks about how the Blanchards live out their dreams after coming back from the brink of financial ruin, following the long-term hospitalization of their very prematurely born son. They do this by "following their hearts." I don't dispute the importance of that, but maybe the fact that the hospital decided to pick up the tab for the Blanchards had just a LITTLE something to do with it.
I was so happy for the Blanchards when I read about the hospital's kindness to them. I could not wait to read about how the Blanchards would be inspired by that act and someday do something kind for someone else... how they would incorporate that kindness into their lives and business ventures. What goes around, comes around, right? Maybe they'd donate a percentage of book profits toward medical research? Or do restaurant promotions to support families with sick children? I was disappointed that there is never any mention of them doing anything to help anyone but themselves.
Then, there's the "financial struggles." At times, they are legitimate. But then, when they miss Vermont and want to get back somehow, it sounds as though the Blanchards scrimp and save to buy a piece of property in hopes of "someday" building a small house they could retreat to for 2-3 months a year. A few pages later, they're building the house and struggling to make it happen on a tight budget. I'm not sure their definition of "budget" is the same as most people's, considering it's a majestically situated 6400 square foot home and art studio.
For all I know, the Blanchards may be two of the most generous, philanthropic people around but that never comes across in the book. Perhaps it was the book's "preachy" tone that made the absence of any mention of selflessness so conspicuous. My impression of this book is that it is nothing more than a marketing tool to promote their other books, restaurant, and possibly upcoming resort. They seem to view themselves as free-spirits, but what comes across in the book is that they are really good salespeople.