[Review] Foolish Hearts by Emma Mills

Foolish Hearts by Emma Mills

Rating: 5 stars

Published: December 5th 2017

Goodreads Synopsis: 

When Claudia accidentally eavesdrops on the epic breakup of Paige and Iris, the it-couple at her school, she finds herself in hot water with prickly, difficult Iris. Thrown together against their will in the class production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, along with the goofiest, cutest boy Claudia has ever known, Iris and Claudia are in for an eye-opening senior year.
When Claudia accidentally eavesdrops on the epic breakup of Paige and Iris, the it-couple at her school, she finds herself in hot water with prickly, difficult Iris. Thrown together against their will in the class production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, along with the goofiest, cutest boy Claudia has ever known, Iris and Claudia are in for an eye-opening senior year.

Smart, funny, and thoroughly, wonderfully flawed, Claudia navigates a world of intense friendships and tentative romance in Foolish Hearts, a YA novel about expanding your horizons, allowing yourself to be vulnerable, and accepting--and loving--people for who they really are.

This book was perfection and everything I love in contemporary - normally a genre I don't even read, too! I've always been a bit iffy with books set in HS because of the age gap between reader and characters - I haven't been able to relate to one until Foolish Hearts.

For the last four years, Claudia has been mostly a wallflower at her all girls preparatory school. That is, until she overhears the breakup of the most popular couple in school - Iris and Paige. Suddenly, she's thrusted into the spotlight as she is forced to work together with mean girl Iris and popular guy Gideon in the school performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream. She's used to spending her time with her only friend Zoe, and her siblings, Alex and Julia. Now Claudia has to navigate the ups and downs of friendships and romance in her final year of high school.

There was just so much I enjoyed, especially with the tropes! There's the usage of enemies to friends, popular boy meets wallflower girl, wallflower girl comes out of her shell, etc. It was just so refreshing to see these tropes having a twist. Everyone in the main cast was just so sweet and lovable and MULTIFACETED. 

For instance, I wouldn't even really call Gideon a stereotypical popular guy. He's super protective of his best friend Noah and he's really accepting of Claudia's interests and goes the extra mile to make sure she's included in everything - which makes him a great friend and love interest. Also really powerful and wholesome guy friendships I feel like I never see - we need more soft, emotionally in touch with feelings guys in books please. 

"Because he loves me," Noah says, and lets out a breath of laughter. "What a dick." A small smile. "Sometimes I wish there were like a combination of a hug and a punch 'cause that's what I would do to him. Like I want to punch-hug him, but also keep anything bad from ever happening to him. Because I... Like, that's how I love him, too. If it were him, I'd wish it were me." - p. 289 

I'd say Iris and Claudia's friendship was what blew me away though. The employment of fandom as a way to bond was honestly the best thing; it reminded me of how I met my friend. Their fangirling over TION just makes me think of how I fangirl over IT and Good Omens...  I loved that Claudia and Iris had that type of friendship where they could call each other out on their nonsense. Plus Iris's character development from someone shunned for being that rich mean girl to someone who opens up and expresses herself! Girl deserves the world. 

"I give a shit about you, too, you know. We all do. And so to say that... it's like saying we're wrong. Do you think that we're all wrong? All of us? To care about you like that? To ... value you, the way we do?"
I blink. The way she says "value" makes it sound strikingly interchangeable with "love." - p. 299

Even when Claudia makes new friends, she's always mindful of the friends she had growing up and she reminds me so much of me! Just having that one best friend from another school, able to share all her secrets with Zoe. And her snark was fantastic. 

"...There was a lot of talk of this year being our year."
"Who did all the other years belong to?" - p. 16

"We need to show Dennings we can work together," she says.
"So this is some kind of... redemption arc?" - p. 63

Beyond that was Claudia's inner growth towards discovering her self-worth. It was beautiful to witness. I cried a little with this book because I related so much. I felt so sad for her because she, too, deserves the world. 

After spending so much time with our guild - with Zoe and Alex and everyone - it's odd to be hanging out with different people online. To see Viola Constantinople with, well... new friends. - p. 192

"You don't want anything to change," she says. "You don't want to get left behind." - p. 231 

I felt the above quote in my soul. 

I think this is the kind of book that could reverberate with anyone, regardless of age. It has a lot of that coming-of-age crisis with relationships and friendships. This makes Emma Mills my go-to for contemporary YA!