This is a cute and quirky retelling of Mansfield Park, placing Finley and the Bertrams in the world of theatre. I love all the pop culture and theatre references.
The duel narrative allowed us to see the actions of the characters from two different and interesting povs. There is some diversity through this story and it looks at mental health in a fairly positive way, Finley in the end uses what has happened to her as a strength. There were also some poignant remarks made in reference to growing up.
Mansfield Park was the first Austen book I tried to read an it didn't go well. Luckily I read the rest of her work an came back to it. Seeking Mansfield will delight those who have read Austen's work and will inspire those who haven't.

I received this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchanged for an honest review. This however, did not effect my opinions. Every opinion below is my own.

Okay, now that we've gotten that out of the way...

Seeking Mansfield is a cutesy contemporary about a girl (Finley, or Fin for short) who has lost a lot of things in life and slightly lives the life of a modern day Cinderella. She currently lives with her dad's best friend and his family including his (cute) son, and evil daughter. And the one thing she really wants out of life is to go to the ball prestigious theater academy, and be an assistant director. But, her calm and calculated life change for the better and worse, when two teen actors move across the street from her.

But, the romance...

You have Harlan, a HOT actor.

And Oliver, the boy she's known all her life.

I really loved how Ms. Watson showed the differences between two kinds of love. How one can be controlling, and one can just lend a helping hand. But she also didn't make Finley feel sorry for her sometimes steamy romance. Just confused. Which is understandable.

One thing I really loved about Seeking Mansfield is that it was more than just a typical teen romance novel. It was a book full of lessons that young adult readers can learn from and grow from. Everyone can relate to Fin in some way shape or form. Everyone has lost something, or has felt inadequate, or nervous about stepping outside of your comfort zone. And that's what makes this book so real. The author mentions several times how the main character needs to stand up for herself, but also makes it obvious that it's okay to have help from those who love you.

"It's okay to let someone else do the fighting for you sometimes."

Another theme that is incorporated very well, is how people are not always black and white, or good or bad. Sometimes people are a little of both, and it's important to remember that.

One thing that kind of irked me the wrong way, was the way the other characters treated Juliette, Oliver's sister. Juliette is mentioned several times as an uncaring teenager, who's only concern is the way she looks to other people. She and other characters even mention how she's only using her boyfriend since he may become a pro baseball player. But, in the end she is also mentioned as being too smart for her own good. And I really think this book would benefit greatly from a sequel, not just for her benefit, but to see the growth of other characters as well.

I would highly recommend this to any fans of Anna and The French Kiss or Love and Gelato as these two could be cousins of Seeking Mansfield .

Plot: 5/5
Character Development: 4/5
Character Diversity 2.5/5
Cutesy Feels: 5/5
Possibility of ending book slump: 4/5
The Feels: 4/5


Blog post run date: Friday, 5/12 @ 12:00 PM EST

I really wanted to love this. I adore Jane Austen retellings and I even enjoyed reading the original, Mansfield Park, despite its being arguably the most difficult Austen novel to read. But I just don't think the story modernizes well. While I do appreciate the effort in not dropping out many plot points from the original, I found the result in the modernization to be confusing and a bit convoluted. Although I did think that the potential romance between Finley and Oliver would ultimately be satisfying, I found that I wasn't much interested in taking the journey with the characters to get there. Ultimately, this was a miss for me, although I do see why others enjoyed it.

When I saw this modern YA retelling of my favorite Jane Austen novel I knew I had to read it. I'm in the minority of Austenites with Mansfield Park as my favorite Jane Austen novel so I knew this one wouldn't quite live up to my hopes for a YA retelling but I kept an open mind. I actually really enjoyed this one. There were a few times when the main characters - Finley Price and Oliver Bertram - got on my nerves a little but that can be explained by my love for the original Fanny Price and Edmund Bertram. Juliette Bertram is just as maddening as the character she is based on (Maria Bertram) and I still find myself drawn towards Harlan (Henry) Crawford. I would definitely recommend this YA Jane Austen retelling to my fellow Austenites who also enjoy YA novels.

If you know me at all, you probably know about my love for Jane Austen. So, of course, when I saw a YA retelling of one of her novels on Netgalley, I immediately requested it! I’ll admit that Mansfield Park is my least favorite of Austen’s novels, but I thought Watson did well with this retelling. Her modernization of this story– a story (and, especially, a heroine) many people have trouble relating to– was done so cleverly, with nods to the original text sprinkled in here and there.

I’ll go ahead and say this up front: Seeking Mansfield is “angsty” YA at its finest. There is SO MUCH drama, and the relationships between characters comprise pretty much the sole focus of the book. This definitely kept me reading, though! I never mind a little drama (probably because I was an incredibly dramatic teenager, haha). The story is told through two POVs… which, I’ll be honest, I didn’t really care for. Oliver’s POV felt a bit unnecessary. It didn’t detract from the story, but I didn’t feel it added much, either, especially since Finley seemed to have twice the amount of POV chapters as Oliver. Anyway, Seeking Mansfield follows Oliver and Finley’s family, the Bertrams, after famous Hollywood siblings Harlan and Emma Crawford move in next door to them for the summer. Just like in the source material, the Crawfords’ arrival in their neighborhood completely upends life in the Bertram family. The four become fast friends, and relationships begin to develop messily among them.

One of the main critiques of the original Mansfield Park I see time and time again is that the heroine, Fanny Price, is unlikeable and weak. Therefore, I was particularly interested to see how Watson would build the character of Finley in Seeking Mansfield. Finley ends up living with the Bertrams following the death of her famous movie star father and her mother’s subsequent alcoholism and abuse. I will say, I felt hesitant at first, because Finley begins the novel incredibly shy and insecure (she is also dealing with PTSD as a result of her mother’s abuse), but she undergoes tremendous character growth over the course of the book. She finds herself and realizes her potential.

As far as relationships, this book features a rare love triangle that I actually think worked well. Nothing, and I mean nothing, keeps me reading a book or series like a love triangle I’m truly invested in, lol. I think it worked for me because it was about change and growth, rather than about a girl trying to choose between to guys she’s in love with. Even though the author pulled off the love triangle, I will admit I preferred one person over the other. Oliver and Finley’s chemistry felt very stagnant. At the beginning of the book, it held promise, but they rarely interacted on the page once the Bertrams became entangled with the Crawfords. I actually liked Harlan and Finley together, and I felt that Harlan’s character flaws at the end of the novel, though unforgivable, came out of nowhere. I WAS ROOTING FOR HIM. WE WERE ALL ROOTING FOR HIM.

There are so many characters in this book, y’all. I loooved seeing Finley’s relationships with the Bertrams, especially her Uncle Thomas, evolve over the course of the book. All of the Bertram siblings, as well as Finley’s brother, Liam, had an interesting family dynamic. As for Harlan’s sister, Emma, I never cared for her. She does have her redeemable moments, and she’s a good friend to Finley, but overall, she lacked depth. This is a critique I have of most characters in Seeking Mansfield. Because there were so many different characters, and they were all entangled in some way, the characterization of all of them felt lacking.

One thing I loved about this book was the focus on theater. Harlan and Emma originally move to Chicago to star in a Shakespeare production there. Finley, Liam, and Oliver are all obsessed with theatre and movies, as well. Finley’s dad was a famed actor of stage and screen, and Finley is also in the process of applying to a prestigious theater program and directing a local community theater production. I got the sense that, for all these characters, the theater felt like home for them, and this is a feeling I definitely share.

Overall, though the plot felt a bit clunky and the characterizations felt a bit lacking, I did enjoy Seeking Mansfield. I sped through it. I would recommend it to any Austen fan, anyone who loves the theater, and anyone who enjoys romance-focused contemporaries!

Have you read Seeking Mansfield? If so, what are your thoughts? If not, do you plan to pick it up?

SEEKING MANSFIELD is an expertly crafted work full of romance, family, and life’s tough throws. But what makes this book stand particularly high on the scale is its unwavering and undeniable grounding in reality. From complex characters to twisting plot lines, this story is one that will captivate you with both its enchanting reaches and its gritty roots.
-Pooled Ink Reviews

I was drawn to this book because of this singular cover and the title ,and because I am a fan of Jane Austen and had not read any retelling of the classic Mansfield Park. And I can say that the writer did not disappoint in her debut. With a fluid and dynamic writing, she was able to maintain the personality of each character of the original book in a modern way and setting everything in a delicious young adult plot.

Finley went to live at the home of her father's best friend Mr. Bertram after her father died. She is a shy and broken girl who is passionate about theater having the dream of studying at the famous Mansfield Theater but think she is not capable of such a feat. She and her best friend Oliver are inseparable and he is her great enabler. The two are inseparable and have many things in common. Oliver is kind and caring, he does everything to be always close to Finley and thinks the girl is much wronged and left out by his family.

With the arrival of new neighbors, the pair of famous teens Emma and Harlan Crawford, the dynamics of Oliver and Finley's friendship will change. Everybody is enchanted by the arrogant and disguised Emma and Harlan and they end up perceiving the harmony between Finley and Oliver and they are willing to do everything to separate these friends.

Finley begins to gain strength, realize the potential she has and fight for her dreams. Kate Watson writes in a crescendo and just like in Jane Austen's book, the ending is very good by leading the family to face the problems they has and to become more united.

I'm a young adult fan and this one took me on a roller coaster of emotions between rage access and romantic sighs of love.
Highly recommended.
5 / 5stars
Kisses, Myl

WOW! This book was excellent. It was seriously everything I had been wanting in a contemporary lately. It was cute, without being too cutesy. It was real, without being too real. It was gut wrenching, but not all the time. It was a little bit of everything rolled into one. I ate this book up in just a few short sittings because I simply couldn't get enough. I was completely lost in the world of Finley and Oliver and the things they navigated each and every day. From the absurd to the 100% real, I was all in all the time.

Mansfield Park is a Jane Austen novel that I have struggled to finish. I am known to pick it up and put it down quite regularly. Kate Watson breathed fresh air into this story and made it something all levels of Austen lovers can enjoy. She made a fierce main character who is trying to find herself in the mess of her life. She made a male character that respected the female character in ways I hardly ever see, but we also saw the struggle of him wanting to protect her and shield her from everything. We got to meet the bad boy movie star that I honestly couldn't help but make heart eyes at (I just kind of loved him and hated him at the same time).

Watson throws us deep into Finley and Oliver's world and we, as readers, get so caught up in the drama. I am a notorious love triangle hater, but I couldn't help but be totally consumed by all the romantic happenings in this book. I didn't know who was best (though I had ideas and thoughts) and I had zero clues as to how it would end up. There is friendship, betrayal, heartbreak, and lots of family drama that constantly has the reader turning the page. I was so consumed by this novel and am so glad I was able to read it. I cannot wait for it to be out in the world for other readers to experience.

If you are any level of a Jane Austen lover (from slight appreciation to obsession) then I highly suggest you pick this book up!

Full review will be posted on my blog, Midwestern Book Nerd, on Thursday May 11, 2017.

In this modern retelling of Mansfield Park by Jane Austen we follow both Finley Price and Oliver Bertram-- their thoughts and actions. Finley finds her voice as well as the ability to see her real value in the Bertram family. Ollie, well, he discovers how to get over his feelings for Finley... or at least tries to for the majority of the story. We all know how that ends, right?

In the original telling of this tale I went back and forth between cheering Fanny on and abhorring her timidity, that wasn't at all how I felt about Finley. All the way through I cheered her on--feeling for her as she navigated speaking up for what she really wanted and no longer fearing being seen.

I struggled right along with the characters in their feelings for one another, with the love triangle-mess that happens all the way through the book. It is hard to tell how Finely, Emma, Harley and Ollie will land relationship wise and part of me, even knowing the storyline in it's original formatting, wanted Finley and Harley to end up together--they really seemed to be better for each other. Watson does the transitioning nicely. Bravo, it isn't easy to write one affection being moved to another well but she did it.

I was impressed with this retelling of Mansfield Park.

I am a fan of all things Jane Austen, including her lesser-loved novels. Novels such as Mansfield Park.

Therefore, there’s always a slight trepidation when I read something that is a modern-day take on one of my favorite author’s stories. But I have to say, there are several people doing these extremely well these days. And Kate Watson is right there in the mix.
In the same vein as the Lizzie Bennet Diaries and Emma Approved, Kate Watson takes a classic, beloved story and makes it better, more relevant for 2017.
Once I started reading this book, I could not put it down. Finley Price is so much more likeable than Austen’s Fanny Price. Finley’s painful, tragic past makes you want only the best things for her. Harlan Crawford is never quite likable enough to be good enough for Finley, either.
I also loved that readers get Oliver Bertram’s perspective in this book. You get to see his motivations behind his treatment toward Finley. And his journey to acceptance that he’s in love with her.
With the perfect mixture of pop culture and classic literature, Kate Watson delivers a stunning debut. And I, for one, am thrilled to know she’s already got a companion novel to this one in the works for 2018.


Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including Netgalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Thank you to NetGalley! I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this modern-day retelling of Mansfield Park, it was very sweet and well written! Although love triangles are not my favourite storyline it worked well in this story. Also the slow burn romance was great! It's a very fun read with great characters, definitely recommend!

Seeking Mansfield by Kate Watson will be released on May 16, 2017 by Flux. I must admit that I fell in love with this book and the characters after reading a few chapters. Kate Watson has a style of writing that makes this young adult novel hard to put down. I did read this book in one sitting because it is the type of book you want to know what happens between the characters. Finley and Oliver are the two main characters with the story being told from both points of view. I like how the story tells both sides because it adds to the story so much more. Finley is a typical teenage girl who has survived many hardships with the help of Oliver. When her dad was killed in a car wreck by a drunk driver she is forced to live with her godparents who are Oliver’s mom and dad. Oliver is just the person to help Finley with her past demons and with his helps she faces her biggest fears. This books theme deals with loss, hope, love, and family. I also liked how the supporting characters in this book play just a big part in the plot line. I am hoping for a sequel to this novel and look forward to reading more of Kate Watson’s work. I highly recommend this book.

This book was a good book as far as a little mystery and the love between the two and the fight among themselfs. But the one thing I didn't like was the ending there was no seeing what happened after. Is there going to be a next book on the other characters?

"Seeking Mansfield" is a fun read. The writing flows really well and Finley is a good lead with an interesting backstory and it's easy to root for her. Watching her coming into her own is really satisfying. The only reason why I didn't rate the novel wit five stars is that the male characters got on my nerves at times. Oliver is nice enough and a rather sympathetic characters but his possessiveness did get tiring at times.
Still, this is a great modern adaptation of Jane Austen's "Mansfield Park" and an interesting read on its own.

I enjoyed this book SO much more than I expected to! And I knew I was going to like it, so essentially I LOVED IT.

A modern retelling of Jane Austen's Mansfield Park, Seeking Mansfield follows Finley Price, and her journey to following her passions, and figuring out who she wants to be. To put it very simply. There's a lot more going on under the surface of this book, particularly touching on a lot of family issues and abuse.

I really loved the character arcs in this book, particularly of course with Finley. Her childhood experiences really started to define how she saw herself, and how she believed others saw her, and seeing her progress through that and coming out the other side was special. Seeing her grow throughout this book, and seeing how hard the people she loved tried to make her believe just how special she is was a joy to read.

This book certainly had a lot of swoon moments, it was hopelessly romantic! But also such a wonderful glimpse into the theatre world, especially in Chicago. I had such a great time reading this, it was the sort of book where I tried to squeeze in a couple of pages everywhere I went. I will definitely be getting a physical copy of this book - I loved it!

Mansfield Park is my least favorite and least read of Jane Austen's novels. I know the storyline but have never really loved the characters. This retelling was great. It hit most all the plot points of the original story while bringing it into an updated modern setting and circumstances. I actually really liked Finley and could see how she got caught up in the admiration from Harlan, after spending so much of her life avoiding attention, while still holding on to her love for Oliver. I thought it was very well done and loved that the relationship with Harlan wasn't a mistake but a stepping stone to finding her voice and truly figuring out what she wanted.

Seeking Mansfield is about Finley Price, who lives with a family friend after her actor father died and her mother went to jail for abusing her. She lives with Oliver, who is secretly in love with her. Their dynamic is interrupted when the Crawford siblings move in next door. Oliver starts to fall for Emma while Harlan tries to win over Finley, who is convinced that he is nothing but trouble. But Finley starts to realize that she is in love with Oliver.

I really liked Seeking Mansfield. I was sucked in from the first few pages. The writing isn't the most impressive, but I couldn't stop flipping through the pages because of the characters. This book alternates chapters between Oliver and Finley but I loved reading from Finley's perspective the most. She is basically an orphan who is still recovering from her traumatic childhood with her mother. Finley is still working on being okay in the spotlight and struggles with the generosity of her adoptive family. She was just so interesting to read about and her emotions just came off the page vividly for me. I loved reading about her relationships, especially with Harlan. Finley's character growth as a result of her relationship with Harlan and Emma was so fascinating.

I was a tiny bit annoyed with Oliver sometimes though. He was just quite wish-washy. In one paragraph he would be like, I LOVE Finley, but then would be like, but Emma is beautiful and lovable. I get the purpose of this, but by the end of the book, I wasn't completely convinced about Oliver's affections.

Anyways, I really liked Mansfield Park. It was everything I wanted in a contemporary retelling of a Jane Austen: it had a LOT of drama, some really powerful messages and interesting characters. I would recommend it if you're looking for YA retellings of Jane Austen.

Finley has spent the last few years living with her godfather and his family in Chicago after her famous father's death. She has been taking care of them and thinking of herself as nothing even though Oliver keeps trying to make her feel like she deserves to have some of the things she wants. It is a slow love story, and a story about her finding her voice.

The only failings in the book are about Oliver constantly wanting people to see Finley and in his essentially wanting to change what she is. Finley is a selfless and loving introvert and she is strong and can be what she wants to be. Some people are happy in their shell. Respect that. Other than that little irritation, this book was wonderful.