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. Readers get to know Finley and Oliver better through third-person narration, which alternates between them. Another new addition to the growing library of Jane Austen retellings, Seeking Mansfield is a young adult adaptation of Mansfield Park. 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. When teen movie stars Emma and Harlan Crawford move across the street, Finley and Oliver find themselves conflicted over their new crushes. To make matters more complicated, Finley has been living with the Bertrams for two years, ever since her abusive mother went to jail.

Originally from Canada, she attended college in the States and holds a BA in Philosophy from Brigham Young University. But the two are old friends, and Oliver worries about losing Finley’s trust if he makes a move. Seeking Mansfield by Kate Watson: New Publisher: North Star Editions Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Fiction Topic: Performing Arts / Theater & Musicals, Romance. Kate Watson is a young adult writer, wife, mother of three, and the tenth of thirteen children. Sixteen-year-old Finley Price dreams of being accepted into the prestigious Mansfield Theater program Oliver Bertram dreams of being Finley’s boyfriend.