Book Review – Hearts, Strings, and Other Breakable things by Jacqueline Firkins + Author's Playlist – FFBC Tours

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Hearts, Strings, and Other Breakable Things by Jacqueline Firkins is a sweet young adult contemporary romance written by Jacqueline Firkins. The book, published by HMH Books for Young Readers, will be released on December 17, 2019.

I want to thank the publisher and FFBC Tours for providing an e-copy of this book.

Synopsis

Hearts, Strings, and Other Breakable Things book cover

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.

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Author: Jacqueline Firkins
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: December 17, 2019
Book Length: 384 pages
Genre: YA Contemporary, Romance, Retellings

Review

Hearts, Strings, and Other Breakable Things is a swoon-worthy young adult romance novel written by Jacqueline Firkins and published by HMH Books for Young Readers. The book will be released on December 17, 2019.

Seventeen-year-old Edie Price only has a few months left before she graduates and finally starts college. The last place she wants to spend this time is at her aunt’s lavish home in Mansfield, and the last thing she expects is to find herself torn between two Mansfield boys vying for her attention. A heart is bound to be broken, and she only hopes it will not be hers.

This book was a fast and sweet read, where the main character, Edie, finds herself in a home where she feels unwelcomed and at a school full to the brim with mean girls. The love triangle/romance makes the story interesting. The text was easy to read, and overall, I enjoyed the story, even if I struggled with a couple of things.

What bothered me a little was that all the characters were mean to Edie in one way or another. Her best friend is largely absent from the story, and there could have been more interaction between them. because I did not think much of their relationship in the end. I was not able to see the bond best friends share. The family was impossibly selfish and superficial. Even the make-overs organized by Edie’s cousins seemed like charity cases.

As for the boys, I would have walked away from them both if I were Edie. I cannot deny that they are portrayed in ways that make them attractive and fascinating to Edie. The boy next door is perfect for her, even if he already has a girlfriend; however, he does not seem to know how to stand up for himself or even to have an opinion. The bad boy is funny, but he does a 360 too fast. There are also parts that make me think that he is not being truthful.

That said, I found the way that Edie navigated through this toxic environment engaging, and I was curious to know who she would pick in the end. I also enjoyed the witty banter between Eddie and the two boys. This is a 4-star read for me.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

About Jacqueline Firkins

Jacqueline’s a writer, costume designer, and lover of beautiful things. She’s on the fulltime faculty in the Department of Theatre & Film at the University of British Columbia where she also takes any writing class they’ll let her into. When not obsessing about where to put the buttons or the commas, she can be found running by the ocean, eating excessive amounts of gluten, listening to earnest love songs, and pretending her dog understands every word she says.

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