Hearts, Strings, and Other Breakable Things by Jacqueline Firkins

Hearts, Strings, and Other Breakable Things

by Jacqueline Firkins

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 suburban mothers 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. She's got her own plans, and they don’t include any prince charming.

But as she dives into schoolwork and getting a scholarship for college, Edie finds herself drawn to two Mansfield boys strumming for her attention: First, there’s Sebastian, Edie’s childhood friend and first love, who’s sweet and smart and . . . already has a girlfriend. Then there’s Henry, the local bad boy and all-around player who’s totally off limits - even if his kisses are chemically addictive.

Both boys are trouble. Edie can’t help herself from being caught between them. Now, she just has to make sure it isn’t her heart that breaks in the process.

Reviewed by Sam@WLABB on

5 of 5 stars

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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 an unfamiliar 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 into 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 she needed him. 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.
"Is that your real endgame here?" she asked. "Are you hoping to break my heart?"

"Actually, I was hoping to put it back together."

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.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 27 October, 2019: Finished reading
  • 27 October, 2019: Reviewed