Your Dream For Me

by Alison Schaffir

Seventeen-year-old Scarlett, unlike her theatrically gifted parents, is not one to spend time near a spotlight. Scarlett dreams of becoming a renowned fashion designer, where she can flex her creative talents away from a crowd. So it's no surprise when she sneaks into her school's costume shop to explore the racks. Unexpected, however, is coming face-to-face with Nathaniel Wilder, a talented theater student who piques a new interest.

With fashion still as her main priority, Scarlett vows to learn how to make a 50s-inspired dress for her best friend, Macie. After all, she needs a strong portfolio of work to help her get into her dream school, the Fashion Institute of Technology. The one problem? She has no idea how to operate a sewing machine. Thanks to Nathaniel's encouragement, Scarlett decides to shadow the school's drama teacher to practice her skills, hoping to fuse her passion for fashion with theater...and be closer to him for the spring play.

Scarlett's designs are unfolding, but a distressing event involving Macie shakes everyone in Scarlett's world—causing their friendship to falter and Nathaniel to unexpectedly pull away. With building stressors threatening the rest of the year, including a rival who wants to tarnish Scarlett's reputation, Scarlett must rely on her determined spirit and newfound sewing skills to keep her fashion dreams—and her most important relationships—from unraveling.

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary

244 pages, ebook

Published March 7, 2023

Reviews

[Leah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGallery for this ARC.

I want to begin by stating that all these opinions are my own, and I recognise some people may really like this book and rate it 4/5 stars, but it just wasn’t for me.

I know this is a teen/ya novel but my goodness, I felt like I was reading the inner monologue of a 13 year old, rather than 17. I genuinely couldn’t believe some of the sentences I read, for example, ‘jealousy hit me like a splash of water to the face.’ … yeah, I know. This is really YA, and I honestly skipped half of the writing on 80% of the pages because it was just useless, it was unnecessary and probably just filler to lengthen the book.

Scarlett was interesting to say the least, I understand she is 17, but at points she felt like a literal child, and some of her thoughts were so stupid like?? Why are you acting so childish for no reason? This girl was gifted a sewing machine and instead of going onto youtube or something like a normal human being, she decided instead she would wait a few months until someone decided to teach her. Please, I was so frustrated it’s ridiculous.

The main love interest, Nathaniel, was actually rarely in the book because it consisted of Scarlett droning on about how he can’t like her or her friendship issues with Macie, or her need to get into FIT, and other useless thoughts that I definitely do not recall thinking when I was 17. There were so many unrealistic and face-palming moments but it’s one of those books you need to finish even if you can’t stand it.

The ending? I really feel like all of my patience and persevering was really for nothing, because I could have screamed at how the author ended the book. Honestly?! Like how can you end a book like that and agree it’s for the best. So honestly, if you’re looking for a feel happy book with a happy ending. This is not it. Though, saying that, I do think I would read a sequel if it came out. Only if it was about the same two characters so I suppose it wasn’t all that bad in the end.

[Trisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very cute and sweet YA romance. This felt maybe a bit younger than the 17 the mc is but it was still a quick, cute read.

I liked how Scarlett went after her dreams and how she met Nathaniel. I liked the interesting reality of the ending. Sweet, quick read.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you, Level Best Books, for the advance reading copy.

I feel this ya is really a very young ya read which I feel would be best enjoyed by younger readers and beginners.

I appreciate the perfect length of the book and the short chapters.

This is the story of Scarlett who wants to become a fashion designer and has to start from the very beginning. She meets Nathaniel when she tries to sneak into her school’s costume shop.

And there starts their story.

I love how easy it is read and follow the story. I like the involvement of the side characters. However, I would have liked it more if the chemistry between the characters was better and the best friends to be better than this. But you know teens. We know. We all go through this phase.

Well, it’s a fun short ya book I say. Do not expect too much. Choose this book for the cute cover and the short story.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very sweet young adult romance book. It brought me back to my high school days when just a mere conversation with someone that you find cute makes you all of a sudden develop a crush. Or when there’s a simply misunderstanding and people rush to judgments about what they think you did or didn’t do. Shaffir really hit the nail on the head, as if she was just in high school! This was a slow burn kind of romance, but I do wish there was a little more romance to it. The characters were well developed so that I knew their personalities well. The ending is a bit of a shocker for me, something I didn’t see coming. I wanted to be able to talk to the characters at the end, and give them advice. This book is perfect book to be made into a movie! I highly recommend this book to anyone that likes young adult romance.

[zaikanshu · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the fashion and acting themes on this book, and I wished that these themes could be explored more rather than brief mentions here and there, Few cliche moments between Scarlett and Nathaniel but they were executed smoothly. The ending was the winner for me, it was realistic and it showed both main characters's developments. Thank you NetGalley and Level Best Books for the eARC

[Gigi ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, give me romance and a FMC having a passion in fashion design and I'm so in! Can't wait to read more from Alison!

[Tanvi Pawar · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐️
A sweet, cute, romance and a bit emotional novel with loveable characters. Being this book as her debut novel, the author has done a great job :) The main character’s relationship with her best friend kind of reminded me of the same with my best friend. So, that felt quite personal. The last scene was written so well that I felt like I’m the one who’s saying that goodbye.

PS: Grateful to NetGallery for providing the e-ARC. This doesn’t affect the honesty of my review:)

[Shirley · Rating 2 out of 5]

A typical YA romance book imo! I think if I were reading this when I first started high school, this would be way more enjoyable and cute. Lots of typical relationship cliches and problems, miscommunication, spiraling reactions-- all of the typical things that happen when you're young and haven't fully developed yet (but these actions will lead to that growth). I wasn't able to really connect with the characters too much and the love part even fell a little flat to me. But it also reminded me of when I would get a crush on some rando in high school after saying literally 1 word to them so...i get it !!

Thought I would love it way more because I love reading about fashion and sewing and cute lil romances but didn't hit the spot for me. I WILL SAY, I didn't expect this type of ending for a YA book! they parted ways and decided not to try long distance. vs the typical HEA that YA has

[Aurora Herondale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the e-arc of this book 🥰!

GUYS THIS WAS SUCH A CUTE BOOK!! The perfect ya romance…I wish it existed when I was in school lol

It’s a heartfelt book about falling in love for the first time, figuring your life out and beautiful friendships that last a lifetime! Very fast-paced, but genuinely I had a smile on my face the wholeee time because SCARLETT AND NATHANIEL??? Literally meant-to-be, I felt like I was right there with her every time she saw him and my heart was pitter-pattering with hers 🥺!

I just wish it was a tiny bit longer, because there were some parts I felt like didn’t get enough emphasis and I wasn’t ready for it to end 🥲, but I have to admit the ending was bittersweet and absolutely beautiful ❤️!!

I can’t WAIT for you all to read it 💕

4.5⭐️

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Level Best Books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Seventeen-year-old Scarlett, unlike her theatrically gifted parents, is not one to spend time near a spotlight. Scarlett dreams of becoming a renowned fashion designer, where she can flex her creative talents away from a crowd. So it's no surprise when she sneaks into her school's costume shop to explore the racks. Unexpected, however, is coming face-to-face with Nathaniel Wilder, a talented theater student who piques a new interest. With fashion still as her main priority, Scarlett vows to learn how to make a 50s-inspired dress for her best friend, Macie. After all, she needs a strong portfolio of work to help her get into her dream school, the Fashion Institute of Technology. The one problem? She has no idea how to operate a sewing machine. Thanks to Nathaniel's encouragement, Scarlett decides to shadow the school's drama teacher to practice her skills, hoping to fuse her passion for fashion with theater...and be closer to him for the spring play. Scarlett's designs are unfolding, but a distressing event involving Macie shakes everyone in Scarlett's world—causing their friendship to falter and Nathaniel to unexpectedly pull away. With building stressors threatening the rest of the year, including a rival who wants to tarnish Scarlett's reputation, Scarlett must rely on her determined spirit and newfound sewing skills to keep her fashion dreams—and her most important relationships—from unraveling.

Scarlett is meant to be a 17 year old young lady but feels incredibly immature instead. Her thoughts and feelings were so scattered that it was hard to keep up with what was going on. She expressed this massive love for fashion and desire to be a designer and yet we saw so little of her actively doing it. The one time she did, she miraculously made a perfect dress. There is such a thing as raw talent but I think this feat of Scarlett’s is impossible. There was no development of her character across the book as I had hoped to see. A rather disappointing character to me, I’m afraid. The only redeemable thing going for her was her friendship with Macie - but even then, when that was rocky, I didn’t like the way she handled it at all.
Nathaniel seems like he could be a promising character but just didn’t do it for me. He gradually seemed to become cockier and more interested in his wants. He felt rather creepy at times actually. I really thought I’d like him considering my love for the arts but he just did not appeal in any way to me.

Unfortunately, this book did not tickle my fancy. It drew me in initially with its synopsis but the story just fell incredibly flat in my eyes. The pacing felt off - too quick and glossing over details that should have been embellished to really allow the story to shine - and that, in turn, meant the story just didn’t flow from one event to another. It seems rather stilted and bitty. The characters felt very one dimensional and had very little substance to them. I can understand it with smaller side characters like Scarlett’s parents who scarcely feature, but even Macie who is meant to be the narrator’s best friend had very little to her. The insta-love was too much for me. I don’t mind a story where there are instant heart eyes and a great connection but this isn’t one of them. We went from nothing but embarrassment to suddenly “I’m in love with everything that makes you.” It just didn’t make sense in my mind. The ending just felt off too, like it didn’t work with the rest of the plot. If the story weren’t so short, I would have DNF’d this one early on. Sadly, this isn’t a book I will be recommending.

Overall, Your Dream For Me is a story that fell very flat for me.

⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you again to NetGalley and Level Best Books for an advanced copy of this book.

[Ailurophile · Rating 3 out of 5]

I absolutely love debut authors, not least because you never know what you're going to get-- is this going to be your new favorite book? Are you going to put it down at 10% and wonder how on Earth you can possibly go on? Or will it be like this book-- aggressively unremarkable?

Your Dream For Me follows Scarlett, whose dream is to one day be a world-famous fashion designer. She is bizarrely nicknamed Scar, which reminded me of The Lion King. Early in her Junior year she becomes infatuated with Nathaniel, a theatre kid. I'd like to say that sparks fly, but meh. I spent a large portion of the book rooting for her to decide to get with a minor character called Gavin instead. The rest of the book follows "Scar's" largely self-inflicted trials and tribulations as she attempts (in the most passive way possible) to get with Nathaniel. A substantial sub-plot focuses on her efforts to maintain her friendship with her best friend, Macie, whose life appears to be headed on a different path than 'Scar's'.

I truly wanted to love this book. I'm a sewist, I used to be a theatre kid, and I absolutely love both the YA and romance genres-- bonus when they are together! And to it's credit, in many ways this book avoided any major pitfalls-- it's hard to rate it lower than 3 stars despite the fact that a lot of what I feel about it is negative. While there's nothing specific I'd praise as amazing, the writing is clear with a good flow, the main characters all well enough developed that I felt I had a good sense of who they were, and this was a quick read-- I never felt I had to put it down to take a break or else I'd go mad as I sometimes do even with books I rate higher.

However, this book was ultimately forgettable to me, and the parts that stuck out more in my mind weren't favorable.

My largest issue with the book was the main character, Scarlett, and, relatedly, how every single thread in her story resolves. Scarlett grated on me. She had an unfathomable sense of humor-- at times I almost felt she might be on the spectrum because how she reacted to some things was truly bizarre. However, this wouldn't fit with how the other characters seem to basically think she is the best thing ever despite her mind blowing mediocrity. One example is that she rolls her eyes when her crush/boyfriend asks if he can walk her to class, because she thinks the answer is obvious. In my world people don't roll their eyes at one another to express agreement. In a similar vein at one point Nathaniel, who she has a huge crush on, is opening up to her about his insecurities, and instead of responding with compassion she chooses to be sarcastic and biting about it, like oh no poor you. In my world after you do something like that the person doesn't confide in you again, much less fall in love with you. Maybe she's incredibly attractive, which might explain how differently other characters see her than I do, but if so the author doesn't make that clear.

Despite her attitude, and the fact that she is probably one of the most passive and whiny people I've ever seen in literature, everything always always works out for Scarlet. Her broken friendship with Marcie is repaired because she purchased and wrote on some poster board. Nathaniel keeps chasing her no matter how rude she is to him or how much she ignores him. She learns how to sew well enough to sew a very complex dress for prom in approximately 4 months-- as a sewist myself, this is impossible with a full school schedule on on top of it. Almost all problems that Scarlet encounters are just thoughts in her own head-- once she decides okay I do want this it falls into her lap. Also, the author appears not to know about 'the cloud'. We are a full decade away from when deleting a video off a phone meant the video was gone.

I'd recommend this to fans of young adult romance who just want something quick to read and not think about too much.

[Ash · Rating 4 out of 5]

A big thanks to YABC for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The sewing pains of love in the spotlight. How sweet and unique.

Your Dream for Me by Alison Schaffir is YA contemporary novel that follows Scarlett, attempting to follow her dreams of becoming fashion designer. But the fact that her life is nothing short of a fashion disaster, keeps her from achieving said dream. Until she stumbled through the costume racks of her high school theater club, where she meets the classic love interest Nathaniel Wilder. Tasked with creating 50-unqiue fashion pieces as part of her admissions process for her dream school, Scarlett relies on Nathaniel with his expertise in the dramatics and the simple use of sewing machine. What's the worse that could happen?

What I liked most about Schaffir's novel, was her characterization of Scarlett. Instead of being the softy and lofty expected protagonist, she wasn't afraid to kick butt and take names. Though I really wanted to like Nathaniel, I found him to be a bit whiny and cookie-cutter-esque in terms of being exactly the love interest I expected, discombobulated to the point of frustration and nearly throwing this precious book against a wall. In a good way.

However, I found this book to be quite confusing in the sense that the plot was a bit messy in terms of it's pacing. Especially in the way, it was setup with no clear indication that time was shifting forward. Like, one chapter was about the winter formal. Then the next would be about prom. I just wish Schaffir included all the juicy details of the in-between. Don't even get me started on that ending, either.

Regardless of my many aggravations with pacing and the ultimate need to know what happens to Scarlett following the final line, I will most definitely pick up anything by Alison Schaffir. Especially if she writes a sequel to this lovely piece. Goodbye for now.

[Tin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC

She dreams of becoming a fashion designer; he imagines himself at the Oscars giving speech for winning the Best Actor award. She hides behind the curtains, carefully sketching costumes, gowns and anything fashion; he captivates the crowd through his words and gestures, leaving the audience at the theater in awe.
Scarlett is a 17-year old junior high whose parents were both inclined to theater. One morning, she finds herself inside their school’s costume shop, standing in front of a boy he’s never seen before. With all the stress and pressure from work, school, and college applications nearing, her little crush on the new theater senior adds in the equation.
With a little support from her best friend Macie, and few encouragements from the theater guy, Nathaniel, Scar was able to practice her sewing skills by shadowing the school drama’s teacher during their prep for the 3-day theatrical show which she participated in as an usherette. Using the skills she learned from it, she made her very own Scarlett original gown. All of these brought her opportunities she never would have imagined of being offered before.
This book transported me back to my high school days. At first I thought it was too immature and I was too old for it. But as I turned to the next page, which I’m warning you you’d be compelled to do, everything just went smoothly.
The author was able to capture typical day-to-day scenarios in a high school student’s life. While it didn’t have the typical happy ending of a romance story, it had one that was closest to reality and just what was appropriate to the target audience. Simple and straightforward.
At a glance, this would have been just perfect for teenagers. But this kind of story is sometimes what we all need to read to remind us of what it felt like to have dreams, whether they may appear silly or unreachable at the moment. And after all, we were all once teenagers.

[Justina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

While this book is marketed as YA, it read as middle school. The main heroine Scarlett felt a bit naive, judgmental (the dance scene and her reaction to dancing made me laugh out loud) and passive. While she says that her dream is to become a fashion designer, she doesn't act much to get there. Scarlett finally gets a sewing machine and instead of immediatly starting learning to use it, she spends time waiting for a teacher, that randomly appears. In this age of Youtube, people can find loads of tutorials that would help them in learning-especially when you're driven. Also, making a perfect dress without any corrections/try outs as your first project-I don't buy it.

The romance was cute, but very superficial. I don't mind instant love, but I still hope that characters will take time to get to know each other. In this book, we're told that Scarlett and Nathaniel talk to each other, but the talks that are shown feel very shallow.

I think that a younger audience would like it, but this wasn't to my taste. The ending was a good twist, that surprised me and made the book more interesting

[Maya Botha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spoiler Free Review:

Finished reading 14 - 29 January 2023

Your Dream for Me is a cute and compelling story about first love, and following your heart and dreams.

Schaffir's debut novel centers on Scarlett, a high schooler and aspiring fashion designer whose world changes when she meets the talented, kind, and handsome aspiring actor Nathaniel Wilder. Their romance is tested by unforeseen events, one of them being Scarlett's best friend's unfortunate occurrence, that they could never expect.

The writing is both fun and excellent.
The characters are an intriguing blend of likeable and complex.

Recommended to those who enjoy:
*Theatre
*Fashion
*Slow burn romances
*Sisterhood dynamics
*Rival who also likes the love interest

Thank you so much NetGalley, Level Best Books, and Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) for this awesome E-ARC. I really appreciate it.

[Alex Glenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

The main character, Scarlett, had major “pick me” energy. And what was that ending? I have so many unanswered questions.

The writing felt more middle grade, while some of the themes and topics were on the mature side. I did enjoy the interactions with Macie, Scarlett’s best friend. The “relationship” with Nathaniel didn’t feel fleshed out enough. It didn’t seem like they spent enough time together to be that obsessed with each other. Maybe it’s just because I’ve been out of high school for 10+ years now but so much of this book felt unrealistic.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

[Maddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Well then, it stinks for the world,” he says, “because I kind of like the two of us together.”

My heart constricts. “I kind of like the two of us together, too.”

-high school romance, theatre setting, YA romance
-17 yo Scarlett is a fashion designer in the making 🧵🪡
-I enjoyed Scarlett and Nathaniel’s meet cute 🥰 they had really cute moments too
-I felt that the pacing was a bit rushed at the beginning but it got better after and I enjoyed the read overall
-thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC

[Ivanka Fear · Rating 5 out of 5]

A charming story of high school romance and big hopes for the future, Your Dream for Me deals with the ups and downs of transitioning from childhood to adulthood. When Scarlett meets Nathaniel in her junior year, she feels an instant spark between them. To spend more time with him, Scarlett volunteers to usher at the school’s drama presentation, which stars Nathaniel. As they get to know each other, they share their dreams for the future. Scarlett wants to become a fashion designer, and Nathaniel’s wish is for a career in acting. Scarlett develops an interest in behind the scenes wardrobe, and she hopes their futures will be intertwined. Their mutual attraction to each other and love of theatre makes for a sweet love story.

But what is high school without a little 'drama'? Enter Tina, who plays the lead opposite to Nathaniel and who wants Nathaniel for herself. Willing to do anything to keep Nathaniel away from Scarlett, she creates a rift between the two couples. Added to that, Scarlett’s best friend, Macie, is convinced that Scarlett has betrayed her confidence. Separated from the boy she loves and the friend who no longer trusts her, Scarlett attempts to find out the cause of their estrangement.

A strong young woman, Scarlett works toward her personal goals, but looks out for Macie’s best interests, advocating for her friend when she gets involved with the wrong boy. She roots for Nathaniel and supports his dream of going to NYC to study theatre, even through their breakup.

The romance and friendship between the characters was heartwarming, and I was compelled to read on to find out how they resolved the challenges in their path. Alison Schafer has woven mystery and intrigue into the story, leaving the reader to wonder why Scarlett’s friends have abandoned her. This was a fun romantic read about young love and carefree days, but it also dealt with some very real social issues and provided great insight into the trials facing young people on their way to becoming adults.

A great debut for Alison Schaffir, and highly recommended whether you are a teen looking for a romantic story or an adult reminiscing about your high school crush, your dreams for the future, and all the related drama of growing up.

[Mara Martinez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Your Dream For Me | 3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Your Dream For Me is a lovely story about a girl whose dream is to be a fashion designer and falls for the new theater kid at her school. They’re confronted with various situations that they have to work out in order to be together.

Your Dream For Me had me smiling at a lot of the romantic scenes but the main character’s actions sometimes seemed ruthless, impulsive, and out of place which lowered the likeness. Also the timeline confused me for the first half of the book, it wasn’t until later on that I understood the main character and her best friend where juniors and her love interest was a senior in high school.

I liked that the author included some real life topics, like the situationship with Macie, but i didn’t like how that wasn’t really solved at the end and she didn’t get the Justice and comfort she deserved. The communication in the book was a topic to be worked on. Nathaniel’s intentions at the end of the book were good and pure, but without communicating them in the right way it seemed as if everything was going upside down, same with Scarlett.

This book had a lot of potential, there were just some factors that mixed the story and my feelings for it. Still, it is a nice book.
-
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Nádia (weebna) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Chapter one was interesting but the rest just didn’t make it for me.
Despite the way too insta love from the fmc, it overall felt a but boring for me. Rushed in some way and it looks like a high school first romance, which isn’t bad, but it’s usually not what I look for.
Would probably recommend for ya first readers looking for something cute.

Many thanks to NetGalley for sending me an arc of this book in exchange of my honest review.

[May Christin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book.

This was a cute, YA story that was easy to read with short chapters, which I always enjoy.

I didn’t really care for the FMC in this as she felt a bit childish to me at certain points, despite being 17. I did however enjoy the growth and maturity in the ending of the book, which was a different ending than what I would’ve expected from a YA book.

In general, this book was unfortunately not for me, but I still think that a younger audience might enjoy it.

[The Paperback Place · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC! This book was such a cute read. I loved the characters and the love story blossoming between Scarlett and Nathaniel. I also loved the friendship between Macie and Scarlett as well. Definitely recommend this book and can’t wait to see more from the author.

[TBHONEST · Rating 3 out of 5]

Your Dream For Me is a fun and easy read. Scarlett at times feels more pre-teen then actual teen with some of her inner monologue and it can feel a bit tedious as it's not things teens would overly be concerned with. But overall it's an enjoyable read.

[Fionnuala Russell · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5
This book was absolutely adorable. I loved how realistic and refreshing the characters and the setting were. I haven't read a 100% YA high school romance book without spice in a long time but it was so refreshing. Nathaniel and Scarlet met during the first scene and I loved watching their friendship grow🥹.I wish there was more conflict from the get go. I know that if I had read this book 4 years ago, I would have rated it higher. I wish there had been more closure for the Macie SA story line, but other than that, this book was great!

Tropes:
-Friends To Lovers

Spicy Rating: 0/5🌶️
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this novel. All opinions are, as always, my own.

[Annette Jordan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Your Dream For Me by Alison Schaffir is a sweet young adult story of love and friendship. Scarlett is seventeen and has dreamed of becoming a fashion designer for years, a dream that is supported by her parents and her best friend Macie. While waiting for Marnie and exploring the costumes in her school's theatre room , Scarlett meets Nathaniel, a new student with an artistic dream of his own, to become an actor. When Scarlet is gifted a sewing machine by her parents she turns to the drama teacher for help as they produce the school costumes for performances, and soon she is stitching away with the added benefit of being close to her new crush Nathaniel. Everything in Scarlet's world seems to be going to plan until she has a falling out with Macie , and then to make matters even worse Nathaniel starts to pull away. As the end of the year approaches it looks like her friendships are unravelling and even her newly found sewing skills may not be enough to save them.
I really wanted to love this book, the premise sounded really fun but unfortunately it was something of a let down for me. The writing style was stiff and a lot of the dialogue felt stilted and unnatural . The characters didn't feel very realistic, particularly Scarlett who was depicted as incredibly sheltered for a seventeen year old on the verge of moving to New York. Also what teenager dreams of being a designer without any skills other than drawing, surely she would have done some sewing by this point in her life, and then to be able to flawlessly execute a fifties inspired prom dress within weeks of learning to sew a straight line , it was all just a little too easy.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Your Dream For Me is the perfect combination of fashion/theatre and a heartwarming romance.
We follow badass Scarlett with a passion for fashion and the theatre kid Nathaniel. The book contains your typical meet-cute and high school drama. The FMC is fierce and compassionate about het friends. Sometimes she makes choices without thinking about it first, which made me a bit annoyed sometimes. However she quickly comes to realize her mistakes and her growth in the book is truly inspiring. It was emotional, funny and cute all at ones. Sometimes a bit predictable, but totally worth the read if you love fashion and the arts. It discusses themes like friendship, love and self-discovery in a fast-pace.

[abby · Rating 5 out of 5]

YOU HAVE TO READ THIS BOOK! This was book was fantastic start to finish! Schaffir is such a promising writer — can’t wait to see what she does next. Her characters are well developed, dialogue is meaningful, plot moves at a great pace, and her writing style is so enjoyable. Definitely see Schaffir being a HUGE name in the YA romance space. Write another one please!!!!!!!

[Jazelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Major thanks to the author and publisher for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

"Our relationship was a singular experience—as unique as a snowflake falling from the sky. At some point, every crystal dissolves, melting away. Yet this doesn't invalidate that, for a brief period of time, each beautiful pattern was the only one to ever exist."

Despite her theatrically-gifted parents, high school junior Scarlett always found herself behind the scenes, rather than standing in the spotlight. She would much rather bring her passion for fashion design to life than take to the stage. After watching her friend Macie perform, however, Scarlett's attention lingers on that very stage as the new boy in school, Nathaniel Wilder, captivates her with his performance of a monologue from Dorian Gray. After volunteering as an usher for a school performance and seeking her drama teacher's expertise in sewing, she and Nathaniel spend more time together—only for a little high school drama to tug them apart.

Alison Schaffir's debut novel is a reminder that our dreams are always within reach. Having someone beside you to encourage that passion makes all the difference. Your Dream for Me is a cute, lighthearted coming-of-age story ideal for readers on the younger end of the YA spectrum. The relationship between Scarlett and Nathaniel is pure; honestly, a refreshing change from what we see in so many YA romances today. The greatest relationship in the novel, however, was between Scarlett and her best friend Macie. Their friendship felt real and genuine. This book also gave real attention to many of the secondary characters, who have their own lives, motivations, and problems, which gave more depth to Scarlett's story.

However, some of the dialogue felt unnatural, especially for modern-day high schoolers. Too many lines sounded like a mature adult was speaking, rather than an inexperienced high schooler. There's also a lot more "tell" than "show" in the novel. In some cases, the exposition is redundant because the dialogue or action echoes what Scarlett was thinking only a line before. The metaphors and similes used are often cliches, so the novel lacks a unique insight into the world from the author that would have otherwise helped the prose stand out. The story's climax and resulting explanation weren't much of a surprise; it's easy to anticipate where things are headed from the beginning. It's also a little difficult to believe that Scarlett, who only received a few brief lessons from her drama teacher, could sew an entire prom dress on her own, but perhaps that reflects the determination her father saw in her. While many situations were high school-appropriate, Scarlett's exposition and reactions came off as too mature. The final scene was perhaps the strongest—a reminder that some moments in our lives are exactly that: brief, fleeting moments meant to help us grow.

Overall, this was a comforting read. Recommended to anyone eager for a story of romance, friendship, and dreaming big.

[cande ✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I want to thank NetGalley for an ARC in return of a honest review, this thoughts are my own.

I have mixed feelings with this one.
The writing felt weird, there were info dumps, descriptions and thoughts really long and dense that I just skipped those over until there was a conversation.

The characters are kinda plain and flat, I didn't connect with anyone.
the main character, Scarlett, was like vanilla, so simple, mundane and childish like. Her whole personality was fashion and her crush over some boy. Her mindset didn't match with a 17 y/o girl, she feels like she is 13 at most.
Her love interest, Nathaniel, was vanilla too. His whole personality was Scarlett and theater. Just that.
I didn't feel anything with their relationship, not even ashes much less a spark or fire between them. Their story is just so rushed.
Scarlett's antagonist felt unnecessary, what was the point of that?

The plot and the story was kinda flat, kinda a straight line, I didn't care what happened to them really.

But even after I said all of this, the book wasn't that bad. The main character handled important stuff and topics really well, the pace was good, a really good and sweet read. I wouldn't classify this as a YA, more like a middle school read.

[yenbookthings · Rating 3 out of 5]

THANK YOU FOR THE ARCS (NETGALLERY)
if you are looking for a good short read this right here
your dream for me by Alison Schaffir
honestly i really like this the beginning was a bit slow and i didn’t love that part but by the middle of it which came really quickly really made up for it i think no i know for a fact i definitely have a crush on Nathaniel the way he treats Scarlett and just everything about him honestly and for me at least a mmc that does theater (well honestly any theater character i have never read about that before) was definitely different for me but from the way this book was written definitely wanna read more book similar to this it was such an easy simple read but even then you got so much detail but not so much that the book became unbearable just the perfect amount however it want to know what would have happened between Gavin and Scarlett if there weren’t a Nathaniel like don’t get me wrong her and Nathaniel are perfect like they are meant to be but i really liked Gavin and how he help Scarlett and the way he also treated her overall this is definitely a good ready you might need some patience in the beginning and a little bit in the end for this book but in all it a good read