Totally gushing.
And while my Cuteness Tolerance Threshold is pretty low, if it's pulled off this fabulously the only thong I can do is gush.

I so so loved this!

Also. It's apparently a retelling. And I only know this because Brittany from The Book Addict's Guide shelved it under "retellings".

And now I'm craving Shakespeare... ( )

Mansfield College (near Portland, OR), Contemporary (p. 2013)

1 Austen Retelling (Mansfield Park)

1 Teen Theater Summer Program
3 Shakespeare Shows
1 Nominal Summer Job as Costume Assistant
1 Bit Part in Twelfth Night

1 Former Best Friend
1 Hot Best Friend's Brother
1 Handsome Flirt
1 Sophisticated Beauty
1 Queen Bee

1 Love Domino Chickenfoot
Various Configurations of a Love Triangle
Teen Drama

1 Dated Unnecessary Insensitive Comment that Kind of Ruined Everything

The Short Version:
I loved the setting at theater camp, but I may be Too Old for the Teen Hijinks. I spent a fair amount of time getting cranky at our teen heroine for shirking her summer job responsibilities in favor of hanging out with the other kids.

I liked that there was a fair amount of different configurations of dating & I quite liked Franny not being interested in "competing" over (at least one of) the pretty boys, though I do wish she had been a little more forthright herself rather than waiting to be chosen. I approved of Franny's ultimate choice (as the more charming on-page suitor), but thought a lot of the romance was a bit overblown (though emotions run high end of high school/early college).

Again, I may be Too Old. When Franny turned down her aunt's peace offering of a night in with popcorn and a black & white movie, I just couldn't relate! ( )

Ways to know if your book might be for me(a checklist):

Is your book a Jane Austen retelling?(YES!)
Is your book a retelling of one of the not-so-great Jane Austen novels, such as Mansfield Park, and is MORE fun with a better heroine?(YES!)
Does your book take place during a summer drama camp for teenagers?(YES!)
Is your book fun?(YES!)
Is your book The Trouble With Flirting?(YES!)

As you might be able to tell, The Trouble with Flirting was a complete winner for me. It’s a fun retelling of Mansfield Park, but I don’t think you’d have to be knowledgeable about the Austen novel to appreciate this one. It’s definitely in the “just-for-fun” category of contemporary, but it was a great light summer read.

I liked this Franny a lot. She’s a bit funny and sarcastic, and while sometimes prone to fits of woe-is-me(more so at the beginning of the book), her story was really charming. Even though the ending don’t go quite how I had hoped it might, I thought Franny really showed she was a formidable character in her own right and while at the heart of this story is her torn feelings between Alex and Henry, I never got the impression she was there just to be torn between the two boys. She liked them, but she had interest and talents of her own.

As for the boys themselves, I have mixed feelings on both of them. There’s realistically flawed, and while I’m not sure either was the best match for Franny, I liked them both on their own. Both kind Alex and flirty Henry had their own strengths and weaknesses, which all led to some pretty interesting(and sometimes entertaining) situations. I can’t say the story went in the direction that I wanted, but I really liked Franny for making some of her own decisions.

Also, the setting for this book was incredibly fun. A summer theater camp for high-schoolers? Even though Franny’s not actually in the summer program, I really liked the glances of the program the reader got through her eyes and the way LaZebnik drew all her characters together with this common talent. It was such a fun and different setting that I hadn’t really seen explored before. Plus, using the drama program as the setting of a Mansfield Park retelling was a great choice.

Final Impression: A great YA retelling of Mansfield Park. Perfect for a fun summer read. Some of the situations got frustrating by the end of the book, but on the whole I really enjoyed this one, especially Franny’s character! The love triangle’s all there in the summary, but fair warning if you don’t like them. I recommend this one to people who just like light contemporary and/or readers who are fans of Austen’s novels. ( )

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: Delightful retelling of the classic Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park.

Opening Sentence: When Jasper Snowden’s parents divorced, Jasper got to stay in his bedroom in the big house he’d always lived in, while his parents took turns living there with him.

The Review:

Franny Pearson never dreamed that she would spend her summer at Mansfield Summer Theater Program. She has always had a love for acting, but this program is for wealthy children and she is certainly not one of those. Luckily (or not so lucky) for her, she lands a job as an assistant costume designer, working with her Aunt. Sewing the costumes is not only making her money, but it is also giving her a chance to hang out with her long time crush, Alex Braverman. Franny fell in love with him in middle school, but hasn’t seen him in years. Being reunited has brought back lots of fond memories for Franny, it’s too bad Alex doesn’t seem to feel the same way. He is too busy being smitten with the very sophisticated and beautiful Isabella Zevallos. Isabella is from L.A. and came to the program with her best friend, Harry Cartwright.

Harry is gorgeous and flirts with anyone and everyone. So when he starts to flirt with Franny, she thinks nothing of it. Harry is a fun distraction while she waits around for Alex to notice her. Then when things with Harry start to heat up, can Franny keep pretending that everything is all fun a games? And why is Alex suddenly starting to pay more attention to her now that she doesn’t seem as available? What’s a girl to do? Pick the notorious flirt that has somehow wormed his way into her heart, or choose the sweet boy that she has crushed on forever?

Franny is a sweet girl with a great sense of humor. She is full of snarky comebacks and fun banter. But underneath all that sarcasm, she has an insecure side. Her family life is not ideal, and she has never really had much luck in the boy department. She tries to protect herself so she doesn’t get hurt, but she realizes that it is better to put yourself out there and take a chance. She was such a cute character, and I found her really easy to connect with.

Alex is a really great guy. He is good looking, and is always trying to do nice things for others. He is someone you can rely on. Alex is just one of those people that try to please everyone, which isn’t always a good thing. The relationship between him and Franny starts off friendly. They take long walks filled with deep conservations about their hopes and fears. It was sweet, and full of stolen moments. I actually really liked Alex, even though he was a little clueless at times.

Harry is strikingly good looking, and he knows it. Full of confidence, swagger, and charm, no girl is able to resist him. The few people he lets himself care about are very important to him, and he is very protective. When he wants to be, he can be really sweet and caring. For most of the book he is flirtatious and never serious until he sets his sights on Franny. Their relationship is full surprises and butterflies. He sweeps Franny off her feet, but she doesn’t trust that anything with Harry could ever be real or lasting. Personally, I loved Harry. His character has a lot of depth that I wasn’t expecting and really enjoyed.

This was a delightful retelling of the classic Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park. I am a huge fan of Jane Austen, and unlike a lot of people, I actually really love the original tale of Mansfield Park. LaZebnik did a brilliant job integrating the original plot with her own twists and surprises. I thought that the characters were fun and engaging. The romance was endearing and very well developed. The writing style is appealing and easy to follow. This was a light and quick read that I was able to finish in one sitting. I would highly recommend it to anyone that is looking for a cute, fast contemporary novel.

Notable Scene:

“I’m sure you’ll have plenty more opportunities—I’m the world’s biggest klutz.”

“Well, I’m not going to hope that you get hurt, but if you do, remember that you’re my damsel in distress, and no one else is allowed to carry you.”

“I don’t remember signing that contract,” I say.

“All the more reason to promise me now.”

“What if you’re not around when I get hurt?”

“Send word. I’ll come running.”

“How big an injury does it have to be? Because sometimes I do this thing when I stand up too quicly and my ankle kind of twists a little—“

“Sounds serious,” he says gravely. “You don’t want to put weight on that. I’d carry you the next time that happens.”

“What if I skin my knee?”

“I’ll carry you.”

“Chipped Toenail?”

“Not worth taking a risk. I’ll carry you.”

FTC Advisory: HarperTeen provided me with a copy of The Trouble with Flirting. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. ( )

LaZebnik is just really fantastic at properly adapting Austen into a modern teen setting. Just as good as Epic Fail. A cute, flirty, quick read. I can see if you haven't read Mansfield Park the whole bad guy=good guy good guy=bad guy trope might feel obvious and trite. But seeing all the perfect little nods to the original text make it such a fun read without it being too *nudge nudge wink wink*. ( )