Edie was trying to keep her eyes on the prize. She aspired to earn a college scholarship, and start her future the right way. But first, she had to endure several months in her wealthy aunt’s home. While there, she reminded herself of the pact she made with her best friend - NO BOYS, but as she attempted to fit into this new world, she found her heart torn between two. Would she still be able to focus on her future or would these young men be her undoing?

This book is a update of Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park, and for better or for worse, Firkins really stuck to the source material. If you are familiar with the original story, you know what to expect. If not, I think you will still delight in this story of girl trying to make her way in a new world, while working towards her dream and also enjoying a bit of romance.

I really liked Edie. She had a few rough years, and sort of got herself in quite a predicament with her best friend prior to coming to Mansfield. Regardless of her situation, she tried to keep her head up and be true to herself. She had drive and ambition, and how could I not adore such a bibliophile? I found her easy to root for, and shared her pain, when things didn’t quite go her way.

For a good part of this book, she was torn between her affection for two young men. Sebastian, her childhood crush, who was unavailable, and Henry, the resident playboy, who was emotionally unavailable. I enjoyed, when Edie and Sebastian relived parts of their past and engaged in literary wars, but Henry, he made me swoon.

Henry was smooth and debonair, and he came off as superficial, but as the story played out, I got to know him on a different level, and I absolutely fell in love with him. He fostered a beautiful friendship with Edie, and was there for her when needed. I am crying just thinking about his little-grand gesture. It sort of made my heart explode, and I have to commend Firkins on her portrayal of Henry, because he owned my heart.

Overall, this book provided me with a wonderful reading experience. I didn’t just read this book, I inhaled it. I found that I needed to read just one chapter, and blazed through this book in order to learn Edie’s fate. Though, the ending was not perfect, it left me in a happy place, knowing that Edie’s future looked quite bright. I was throughly enchanted by Firkins’ debut, and look forward to reading more of her work.

Thank you to NetGalley and HMH Books for my complementary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Edie Price is forced to traipse back into her family’s high end home in Massachusetts for the last year of high school after the loss of her mother. But even as she’s trying to focus on school, she finds herself drawn to two boys. If Edie gets caught between them, someone's heart is going to get broken. She just hopes it’s not hers.

What I Didn’t Like:
-Inaccurate grief. This book makes attempts at capturing the grief of a lost loved one, but it doesn’t do enough. This is a book about a girl who has lost her mother, but it isn’t a book about grief or struggling with that.
-Stereotypical characters. Edie’s cousins, Henry, Claire; they’re all exactly what you’d expect them to be.
-You’ve heard this story. There are slight variations in it, sure. But ultimately, this is a teen rom-com book.

What I Did Like:
-Adorable. Like you’d expect, it’s absolutely adorable. The awkwardness of first time infatuation is present. Edie’s cute attempts to be different work. The adorable nature of this entire plot and cast are really one of its biggest selling points.
-Heat. This book does a great job of bringing heat in a controlled way. There’s no kissing for a majority of the book, and yet you can feel the electricity zapping away between a few of the characters. This is definitely a slow burn romance that burns hot when it hits.
-Quick. This one moved pretty quickly once you get into it. I finished the entire back ¾ of the book in one sitting. Like any good rom com, once it grasps you you can’t help but enjoy the ride.

Who Should Read This One:
-If cheesy romances are your thing, add this one to your TBR immediately.
-If you’re looking for a feel good, adorable romance--here’s your book.

My Rating: 4 stars. I can’t ignore how fast I read it.

For Full Review (including what I didn’t like): https://youtu.be/JhyVFi3TnN8

This story was eh. I wasn’t really into it. It has moments I laughed, but overall it was underwhelming. I just couldn’t connect to any of the characters. I wasn’t fond of them either.

I wasn’t a fan of Edie basically using Henry, him knowing she really loved Sebastian, and going along with it until the “good times end.” He really cared for her and she lost out on a great guy, but the heart wants what it wants. I’m glad to see they broke it off with mutual terms and still will associate with each other. Edie and Sebastian being together was predictable from page one. I did hope there’d be a twist and she’d stay with Henry. I liked him a lot. With that said I am glad that Edie was aware of what she did to Henry and did apologize.

I did like the interaction Edie had with Sebastian and Henry. I think she has a great connection to each of them. Both the relationships definitely came to life through the book. Each of them brought a different side out of Edie.

Absolutely loved it...it's the typical teenage anguish when dealing with feelings and boys but done in a captivating way. I couldn't put in down. I had to read it in one sitting !

Sometimes it is hard. Do you pick the bad boy? Or do you pick the boy next door? Being in a lovers triangle can be the absolute worse, but it is up to Edie to figure out what she really wants in her life!

I was really excited for this novel and thought it had so much potential, but unfortunately it fell a little short for me. The main character was not my favorite and I felt like she was just constantly feeling sorry for herself. I really wanted her to come out of her shell and grow as a character but I never saw that from her and it was disappointing. I thought the other characters were interesting, but none of them really felt realistic and I felt like I was caught in a bad love triangle the whole time. This one was a miss for me. Thank you netgalley and HMH for sending in exchange for an honest review.

2/5

This was a fun read and was a Jane Austen re-telling which I always love! With fun characters, two swoon-worthy love interests and lots of hijinks, this is a quick read and I can attest perfect for readers of To All the Boys I've Loved Before!

When I first read the synopsis for this book, I rolled my eyes. It sounded like the generic YA plot that has been done thousands of times before.
And then I started to read. My assumption was way off base. This an engaging and thoughtfully written story, with strong characters who are easy to connect with and relate to, it has lots of parallels to Jane Austen's Mansfield Park which was a really fun element.

Wouldn't say it's my favorite book I've read, but it was nice read and one I would recommend.

Edie Price is reluctantly returning to Mansfield, Massachusetts--her late mother's hometown--to be the poor relation in the land of private schools, mansions, and garden parties. The only upside is that she's once again living next door to Sebastian Summers, her first love. Except things have changed. And he as a girlfriend... Her attention is soon grabbed by the charming playboy, Henry Crawford. Who happens to be the older brother of Sebastian's snooty girlfriend, Claire. Can you say drama?

Firkins retelling of Jane Austen's "Mansfield Park" is full of drama, discovering who you are, and where your heart lies. A great novel for older teens, and full of witty dialogue and leaving you wondering, "What crazy thing will happen next?" Then there is the ultimate question: who will Edie choose? The boy-next-door, or the local bad boy? Only one way to find out...

**Thank you to HMH Books for Young Readers, Jacqueline Firkins, and Netgalley for this ebook in exchange for an honest review**

Hearts, Strings and Other Breakable Things follows upcoming high school senior Edie in her adventures as a foster child who has just been taken in by her wildly rich aunt in an effort to show off for her wildly rich friends and use her as a charity case. She will be going to the all girls prep school nearby with her spoiled cousins. She used to spend a lot of time at that house before her grandparent's died, so she also gets to catch up with her childhood crush, who has gotten very attractive over the years... until she finds out he has a girlfriend. Then, a new boy, Henry, comes onto the scene and she's confused. Henry is a stone cold player, but he seems legitimately into her. Which boy is right for her?

Edie has a lot going on. She ruined her friendship with her best friend from home by making out with her boyfriend and getting caught. She has no job or money for college, and is constantly put down for being poor by just about everyone in the book. She's got it rough, but man I was not a fan of her character, or most of the characters actually.

I have real mixed feelings about this book. I liked it through most of the book, but the ending really lot me. The characters are not redeemable and not to spoil anything, but I did not agree with which boy Edie ends up with. I feel like it was so obviously the wrong choice and I'm still bitter about it.

This book didn't end up being my favorite. It was not bad, by any means, just not as much my cup of tea. I enjoyed several pieces of it, especially Edie's special lexicon blog where she posts fun definitions of words that relate to what's going on in her life. There were redeemable parts to this book, and I do enjoy contemporaries, which is why I still rated this fairly highly.

If you like books with irredeemable characters and contemporaries, this will be the book for you.

My Thoughts
Austen, All the Boys, and Other Related Things
The name of the town the story is set in should have been a dead giveaway – or so I thought, after I finished reading the book. I had wondered at its vague familiarity. And when I checked what other people thought about it, it hit me – this is an adaptation (or is it a retelling?) – of Jane Austen’s ‘Mansfield Park’. I read Austen’s book decades ago now so can honestly say my recall of it is mild-ish (but somewhere in the labyrinth that is my mind, it was there).

‘Hearts, Strings..’ reminded me of other books and movies and TV shows (Gilmore Girls, for one) but not by so much as to become repetitive. Just the right amount of familiarity and a wonderful amount of freshness in the writing to make me keep reading till the end.

side-note, I am yet to read ‘To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before’!

What Kept Me Going
The writing was charming, funny, sweet, smart; and the characters endear themselves to you effortlessly while confounding you at the same time.

Oh! Why did he…she…they.. make that choice? What is he… she.. thinking?! And so on and so forth went my inner dialog as I read(devoured) the book in a few hours. To be honest, I did not expect to get caught in it.

But the storyline and the characters hooked me from the start.
And oh, how can I forget all the really ‘lit’ literary references (Age of Innocence, for one)
Or the smart use of words – especially the apt, artful alliteration – and also the cool definitions of common words Edie makes up for her shared lexicon with Shonda.
& those ‘walks into a bar’ jokes Edie shared with Henry
as well as Edie’s exchange of quotes with Sebastian
also, that ‘evil-ish’ aunt, the cousins, the whole circle of family and friends, and
more…
And yes, can’t forget about the hearts, strings, and other breakable things too!

Summary, Not Quite
Well, I sure am glad I read this (way too many pages bookmarked is one proof). A story of love, family, friendships, dreams, goals, priorities, texting, tattoos, music, quotes, jokes – all this and more! A story you will enjoy…

I certainly am looking forward to more reads by Firkins.

A couple of randomly chosen quotes (from the many I bookmarked)
“Long-held secrets, missed opportunities, and one hell of a held hand.” –> Edie’s one line description of Edith Wharton’s ‘The Age of Innocence’.
“……I envy my words once spoken, for they’re closer to your ear, closer to your heart than I am. They live, inked in your memory, when I’m absent…..” –> Part of one of the quotes Sebastian exchanges with Edie
In Summary
A book I know that a reader will enjoy simply because…..It is a sweet and fun read that will make a great gift for that chick flick reader or that Jane Austen fan or anyone looking for a light yet smart YA romance..

Rating: 5/5
Reading Level: 14 years and above

Disclaimer: Thank you to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children’s Book Group and NetGalley for this opportunity to read this eARC.

RATING: 2.5/5 STARS

I liked that this book had many parallels to Jane Austen's Mansfield Park, but at the same time I felt a little disconnected from the characters because of the similarities. Fitting the story to YA felt slightly forced in this novel. It's always tricky to retell classic books in an exciting way that's still a little unpredictable. I am always willing to try new adaptations, but had trouble clicking with this one. However, if you're a fan of Mansfield Park you should still give it a try. The MC is very sweet and relatable (like Fanny Price)!

A sincere thanks to NetGalley and HMH Books for Young Readers for providing an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Social: @_shelf.awareness on Instagram

***Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***
I had a hard time with this one. I love everything Austen and so I had to read this Mansfield Park retelling. I liked the Fanny Price stand-in Edie, but the love story and high school setting was a little hard for me to get into. I appreciated what Firkins was trying to do and I'm glad I read it, but I found myself struggling in the middle to stay interested.

I really liked this!!! I think I’m the only one though that didn’t know this was a Jane Austen retelling lol. This gave me everything and more. The aunt is a total B though and I wish she could have gotten a drink thrown on her lol. Sebastian ugh love him. I do wish we got a little more time with him but it’s okay. The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars was that I feel like we kinda focused a little to much on the cousins and how such a man whore Henry is. We wasted our time, but that’s how life is. Leave it to hot Henry to waste time hahaha.

I received an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Cute story though the middle bit dragged on a bit. The friendship with Shonda seemed a bit forced at the end. Fun, uplifting story nonetheless.

Couldn't get into this one as much as I was hoping to. While it was well-written with good characters, I found something lacking in it, and it couldn't hold my full attention.

As a Jane Austen devotee, I HAD to read this book, and I’m so glad I did! Firkins’s high school-set MANSFIELD PARK is a cute and sometimes cheeky romance that has everything you’d hope a MANSFIELD PARK retelling would have. Firkins has made her protagonist Edie Price (her analogue for Austen’s Fanny Price) far more relatable to a modern reader—she creates song lyrics in her head, creates clever word definitions that had me smiling, and she’s a bit of a smart-ass, to boot—yet she still *feels* very much like Fanny Price. It also wouldn’t be MANSFIELD PARK without annoying relatives and frustrating men. Firkins has done a great job of creating a Henry Crawford who—for all his faults—the reader doesn’t feel bad rooting for. The updated dynamic between Edie and her cousins is another delightful surprise that feels real. Firkins’ contemporary voice is equal parts strong and clever, and I can’t wait for whatever she comes up with next!!

This is a retelling of Mansfield park - if you enjoy Jane Austen retellings it is a must read. If you are unfamiliar with the story, you may find that you don’t enjoy the characters as much as a typical YA romance. For Austen fans, they will enjoy seeing the parallels between the contemporary and classic novels.

I am a huge fan of YA books and I love when I come across one that is so much fun to read. This is my first book by Jacqueline Firkins but it won't be my last. The characters in this book drew my in and not in a cheesy, unbelievable way. I felt sorry for Edie and everything she had faced and yet she tried to remain strong and independent. I loved her friendship with both Sebastian and Henry, although I was rooting for one more than the other. This book pulled me in every direction with every emotion, but I was quite satisfied with the ending.

This was a fairly good book, it kind of gave me Kasie West vibes with the cover and title. However I didn’t really like it, the main character wasn’t my favorite but the book had som great moment around the end. But the beginning didn’t captivate me and I honestly thought the main character was like 9 in the beginning.