Series: None
Author: Emma Mills
Published December 5th 2017 by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Goodreads Synopsis
A contemporary novel about a girl whose high school production of A Midsummer Night's Dream leads her to new friends—and maybe even new love.
The day of the last party of the summer, Claudia overhears a conversation she wasn't supposed to. Now on the wrong side of one of the meanest girls in school, Claudia doesn't know what to expect when the two are paired up to write a paper—let alone when they're both forced to try out for the school production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.
But mandatory participation has its upsides—namely, an unexpected friendship, a boy band obsession, and a guy with the best dimpled smile Claudia's ever seen. As Claudia's world starts to expand, she finds that maybe there are some things worth sticking her neck out for.
Goodreads
Review
Emma Mills is slowly but surely becoming one of my favourite contemporary authors. Foolish Hearts is my third book by her, and I've already preordered her next, she's that good. In Foolish Hearts, Claudia's senior year should be perfect, but everything seems to go wrong from the get go. At a back to school party, she overhears two of the popular girls, and the it couple of the all girls school she goes to, break up. What makes it worse is that one of the girls, Iris, is a bona fide 'mean girl', and she has Claudia in her sights. They end up being forced to work together on a paper for class, and, as you can imagine, it doesn't go well. To make up their grade, their teacher makes them audition for the school play, a performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream, that will be performed with the linked all boys school. As they slowly start to work together, they form an alliance that quickly becomes a friendship that helps each other through school and relationships and a mutual love for the same band.
Claudia was one of the best characters I've read in a YA contemporary. She honestly felt like a 'real' person, who acted like her age would warrant, and had proper relationships with family, friends, and beaus. In her family, she has older siblings, as well as a brother-in-law, and they are all really close. There is an online game, Battle Mage, that they keep in touch through, and seeing that kind of family dynamic was wonderful. The friendships in the book all were natural too, with Claudia and her best friend Zoe - who goes to a different school - and Claudia's fledgling friendship with Iris. As a new friendship, which didn't start off all that well, we see how they struggle to get used to each other, to their quirks, and likes and dislikes, but also how they grow closer, and understand each other as if they've been friends for years.
Honestly, the same could be said for the love interest, Gideon. Gideon was someone who you just had to like from the get go. He got along with everyone, and though he was a bit of a flirt, it was harmless. He likes everyone, and they can't help but like him back. Claudia is a bit clueless when it comes to boys, and from their very first meeting, I just knew that she and Gideon would be together, and it would be perfect - the chemistry was just so good. She is really quite awkward around him, not knowing what to make of him, and whether he actually like likes her, or just as friends. It's only through the other characters, and especially Iris, that she realises he's not messing about, and whenever they're on the page together, it is seriously cute and fluffy. Be warned though, it is a slow burn of a romance.
As much as I've loved Emma's previous books, I think this is my favourite of the lot. I can't recommend this enough, and if you haven't already tried one of her books, you need to get on it, ASAP!
Dates Read:
June 25-26, 2018Rating
5 Stars
