Seeking Mansfield
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4.5 • 2 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
Sixteen-year-old Finley Price has perfected two things: how to direct a world-class production, and how to fly way, way under the radar. The only person who ever seems to notice Finley is her best friend and godparents' son, Oliver Bertram. Since Finley moved in with her godparents after the death of her father, she and Oliver have grown close. If Finley could just take Oliver's constant encouragement to heart and step out of the shadows, she'd finally chase her dream of joining the prestigious Mansfield Theater. But when teen movie stars Emma and Harlan Crawford move across the street from the Bertrams, they shake up Finley and Oliver's stable friendship. As Emma and Oliver grow closer, Finley realizes that Harlan’s attention is shifting to her. She discovers she might have feelings for him too. Or, is she only interested in Harlan because Oliver is taken? Finley doesn't want to be won, and she doesn't want to see Oliver with anyone else. To claim Oliver's heart-and keep her own-she'll have to find the courage to do what she fears most: step into the spotlight.
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Sixteen-year-old Finley Price dreams of being accepted into the prestigious Mansfield Theater program; Oliver Bertram dreams of being Finley's boyfriend. But the two are old friends, and Oliver worries about losing Finley's trust if he makes a move. To make matters more complicated, Finley has been living with the Bertrams for two years, ever since her abusive mother went to jail. When teen movie stars Emma and Harlan Crawford move across the street, Finley and Oliver find themselves conflicted over their new crushes. Based on Jane Austen's Mansfield Park and set in present-day Chicago, Watson's debut novel begins slowly as she introduces a clutter of characters with intersecting lives, families, and stories. Readers get to know Finley and Oliver better through third-person narration, which alternates between them. Although it's satisfying to see them wind up together, the plot can get repetitive Oliver's older brother winds up in the hospital, Finley's mother tries to make amends after being diagnosed with cancer and several characters' struggles revolve around finding the courage to pursue their desires, professionally or personally. Ages 12 up.
