There’s nothing better than love-hating a book to the point of shouting it to the skies, which was my exact reaction to this book. Did I absolutely fall in love with it? YES. Did I also hate the way that it ended? ABSOLUTELY, and I would read it all over again just to experience the agony of the ending, with the hope that it might be a little different each time. Like any good romantic comedy, it’s fun, dramatic, and full of cheesy moments that will melt your heart. If that’s not enough, it’s also a retelling of a Jane Austen novel, which I feel will make a perfect holiday season read.
Our story begins in Mansfield, Massachusetts, where Edie Price has come to live with her aunt and uncle the summer before college. It’s the last place she’d want to be, considering she’s still grieving the loss of her mother. The town is also crawling with wealthy elites like Edie’s cousins, who are doing everything in their power to distract her from her grief with makeovers and cute boys. However, boys aren’t included in Edie’s plans. As she’s diving head first into scholarship applications two Mansfield boys are vying for her attention. There’s Sebastian, her best friend and first love who wears his heart on his sleeve, but also has a girlfriend. Then there’s Henry, a local heartbreaker who’s technically off limits, despite his addictive kisses. Someone’s heart is going to break during this process, and Edie has to make sure it isn’t hers.
I think the reason I loved this story so much was because of the fact that despite it being a clear retelling of Mansfield Park, there’s a lot more going on in there. Despite Edie not wanting to move with her aunt and uncle, the distance is giving her a reprieve from something that she did wrong. I can’t spoil anything, but this was another thing that I enjoyed about the story. I didn’t immediately sympathise with Edie. As the story progressed, I grew quite fond of her and her conundrums, especially the ones that involved her cousins. Her cousins were definitely characters that I felt became a little more complex in this retelling. Their antics are definitely ridiculous, but at the same time, you almost feel sorry for them because of who’s raised them.
This story manages to convey how Edie is handling being isolated, ostracised socially, grieving, and the expectations of others using equal measures of humour and drama. I adored that Edie isn’t the only one experiencing growth. Sebastian is also going through his own turmoil, due to performing to parental expectations and denying your own self expression. Henry is my favourite character, if I’m being honest. He’s got all the charm you’d expect of a playboy, with some sleazy actions to back that up but with a secret heart of gold. I think I liked seeing him grow the most. If there was one character who I would have loved to see grow a little more, it would have been Edie’s best friend. She comes off as a very flat character for most of the novel, told mostly through our leading lady’s perspective.
Even when you’re wanting to stay away from boys, who could possibly resist when you’ve got Sebastian and Henry on the case. I honestly wasn’t sure who I wanted Edie to be with more (that’s a blatant lie I’m telling here). I think readers will have this same dilemma and I’m still pretty sore about it. I can’t get into it much without spoiling it for everyone, so I encourage you to pick this up. I need someone to yell about this story with. The romance were definitely the cheesiest parts of the story to be sure, in the way that kids cover their eyes when they see grown ups kissing but still peek through their fingers kind of way.
Let’s be honest though, the story is certainly not complete without some antagonists making the road a little bumpy for Edie. While this story does have a main antagonist, it can be argued that there are several smaller antagonists that Edie also struggles with. I had a lot of feelings about the main antagonist because I felt some sympathy for her. In some way, Edie served as a catalyst for the insecurities that she was feeling. It ramped up everything a little more in my opinion. It’s interesting, because while the antagonist was definitely in the wrong for some of her actions, Firkin was able to unveil how often people can mask their insecurities as confidence and it doesn’t take much to bring that all crumbling down.
When I looked at the novel as a whole, I really did want to see more of the best friend. The story moves along so well, with creative definitions to words that Edie sends her bestie but I really wanted to see something more meaningful established. I can’t complain about the ending, but I can definitely tell you it was not how I wanted to end. A girl can certainly dream though. I’d rate this story a 9/10. It’s a hilarious story that’s perfect for the upcoming holiday season, when you just want to stay in and read that fun, feel-good romantic story.
Hearts, Strings, and Other Breakable Things is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers as of December 17th 2019.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
In this charming debut about first love and second chances, a young girl gets caught between the boy next door and a playboy. Perfect for fans of To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before.
Mansfield, Massachusetts is the last place seventeen-year-old Edie Price wants to spend her final summer before college. It’s the home of wealthy suburbanites and prima donnas like Edie’s cousins, who are determined to distract her from her mother’s death with cute boys and Cinderella-style makeovers. Edie has her own plans, and they don’t include a prince charming.
But as Edie dives into schoolwork and applying for college scholarships, she finds herself drawn to two Mansfield boys who start vying for her attention. First there’s Sebastian, Edie’s childhood friend and first love. He’s sweet and smart and . . . already has a girlfriend. Then there’s Henry, the local bad boy and all-around player. He’s totally off limits, even if his kisses are chemically addictive.
Both boys are trouble. Edie can’t help but get caught between them. Someone’s heart is going to break. Now she just has to make sure it isn’t hers.
