Restless Heart is the debut novel by Wynonna Judd that is as much about family, friendship and love as it is about pursuing a dream in a seemingly glamorous industry. Loosely based on her experiences, in Restless Heart, Wynonna provides a glimpse into the intensely hard work, personal struggles and sacrifices it takes to achieve a dream in the music industry. It’s a storyline, she comes by honestly and reveals in this much-anticipated novel.

After 20 million albums sold as the other half of the famous, Judds, Wynonna embarked on a solo career that has been as successful as it has been ambitious. Already a best-selling non –fiction author, Restless Heart comes as no surprise to be the same, packing a punch and delivering a message very human and relatable particularly in the age of ‘Idol’ and other reality shows.

A selfless performer ready to share her challenges with the world, Wynonna does so readily with her remarkable candor and forthright manner that are delivered with such ease, you can’t help but admire her and connect to her happiness as well as her struggles.

Destiny Hart has won the Kentucky ‘Idol’ contest and armed with raw talent, sheer determination and a belief in her dream, she heads to Nashville intent on pursuing a career in music. Much to the dismay of her newly retired Air Force father, Col. John Hart but not without the grudging admiration and support of her mother Sarah and sister Grace who eventually assumes the role of Destiny’s assistant.

The heartfelt emotion and need to follow her musical dreams (come from an insider who has been there) is strongly conveyed through Destiny. Readers definitely feel the struggle, yearning and need to chase and fulfill her ambitions. Of course that is not without a regular stream of self-questioning and long distance boyfriend, Seth, who wants the same for Destiny but a different life for them.

As strongly as her mother Sarah and sister Grace need to figure out the next direction in their lives, somehow, Destiny becomes the become for guiding those to do the same even though a few years before, no one could completely comprehend her need to chuck college.

While Destiny pays her dues as a waitress taking every opportunity to perform and write her songs, she begins a relationship with childhood friend Seth from her hometown of Wilmot and gets a break that opens the door to the life and career she has drawn a bead on. When her song, Restless Heart debuts, her star has risen. As only an insider can do, Wynonna skillfully weaves the struggle between Destiny’s tug of wanting to pursue her musical dreams, being on the cusp of achieving it and longing to remain the same person she always was.

We experience Destiny’s vulnerability in the music business through her second guessing of her abilities, stage fright and whirlwind schedule as the machine takes over cranking out its newest celebrity. In fact, Wynonna’s own challenges with stage fright and on camera interviews are portrayed through Destiny’s first month as a new talent coping with the demands of stardom, performing and trying to maintain a life. Something those of us on the outside often wonder at but never see through the glare of glitz and glamour. Readers definitely feel the impact of Destiny’s struggle with achieving her goals and sacrificing much of her personal life to do so. The veil of stardom is pulled aside as country star Tammy Turner sets the record straight on what it takes to make it and the amount of hard work required. Here again, we seem to be treated to another peak inside a country music star’s world.

Restless Heart takes readers along for an unparalleled journey through the music industry from start to rising stardom from an insider’s view with well-developed characters, a solid plot and a variety of real and relatable conflicts that will make potential ‘Idol’ participants take a deep breath and those of us on the outside admire all it takes to have a successful music career.

Reviewed by: Helena