Bellevere House (part of the Vintage Jane Austen multi-author collection) is an update of Mansfield Park set in the 1930s. It’s FDR’s vintage era and Faye Powell isn’t quite as socially vulnerable as the original heroine, Fanny Price. But her situation is in many ways the same as she holds independence from bad messages that permeate her adoptive family. Her complacent aunt and uncle are clueless targets for flattery and her aggressive cousins form wince-worthy, failed romances at every turn. Their actions leave Faye completely frustrated because she was taken into their family at a young age and she cares deeply about Bellevere and its people. She wishes they could be better—but the Havertons prefer to dance in convoluted circles of greed and flirtation to increase their importance. Ed Haverton, her cousin’s half-brother, assumes Faye is pursuing him and showers attention on newcomer Helene under a belief this will matter to Faye. But as the Carter siblings swell the Haverton imperfections to a blistering, popping head, Ed starts to turn towards the light a little bit. And perhaps one day everyone attached to the smooth green lawns and pretty architecture of Bellevere House will be the better for having been exposed.