Seeking Mansfield

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. Agency: Red Sofa Literary. (May)