Many thanks for the free copy of Your Dream For Me! Unfortunately, this novel-while sweet and heartfelt-did fall short for me.
The characters themselves were quite well fleshed out-Scarlett, Nathaniel and Macie are all grounded and authentic. However, the driving conflict of the story was a little bit low on stakes. Scarlett’s inner turmoil regarding building a portfolio, and a lack of access to funds is realistic, but otherwise the obstacles are not true obstacles, particularly considering that the majority of folks she encounters encourage her to pursue her dreams. Had there been a competition, or perhaps an official assignment that she needed to ace, I believe that additional intrigue would have been created and would have greatly aided with the story’s pacing.
The romance between Scarlett and Nathaniel had an innocent quality to it that-perhaps while not entirely realistic-did add a certain element that was appreciated. As a clean, first-romance story this was very appropriate.

Overall, while I did enjoy certain aspects of the characters and the romantic element, the through-line of the novel itself I felt was lacking. I would love to see an updated version, or perhaps a sequel in the future with more hurdles thrown at Scarlett to add some spice to her life.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was a sweet and emotional YA romance. The characters were loveable and realistic. The friends-to-lovers relationship between Scarlett and Nathaniel is cute and bittersweet. Overall this story was a comfort read and I recommend it to anyone wanting a story about dreaming big and teen romance.

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, 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.

I will post to my blog and social media closer to the release date and update the links then. I have already posted to goodreads and included that link.

Reviewed for NetGalley:

I unfortunately found this a bit bland for my liking. The characters didn’t grab me and doubd myself forgetting who I was rooting for.

It’s Scarlet’s Junior year and she is focused on her goal! She wants to be a fashion designer and all her time is invested towards that dream. However after an incident that involves her best friend and causes her to distance herself from Scarlet and the new boy in school who is a total dream but seems to be giving her mixed signals. Scarlet feels all over the place and is not sure how to deal with everything happening around her.

Angtsy teenager stories are not always my preference but this YA is really inspiring. I loved Scarlet, she’s strong and will defend her friends with everything she has but at the end of the day she is still a teenager and has insecurities that show throughout the book.

I’m not going to lie, the way the romance part of the story ended had me with mixed feelings. I don’t want to spoil it, but I guess I just wish I had more for them maybe an epilogue, I don’t know it just fell in complete. Enjoyed the book a lot, just wish for more!

“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

this was your very typical high-school insta-lovey romance! i will give this author brownie points for making the high school setting as realistic as possible! the setting felt very real and believable which I appreciated! that being said, the main love story fell flat for me unfortunately and things were very fast-paced. not one of my favorites, but still a nice read :)

read this book if you enjoy:
-insta-love
-high school romances
-theater
-friendships
-fast-paced reading

thank u so much Level Best Books for this ARC!

Actual Rating: 3.5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. I walked into it, thinking that it was a regular high school romance. Drama (gossip and theatre), first loves, heartbreak, everything that you would usually see in a book like this. It was all of that and more. There was a lot of personal realization, finding new hobbies, difficult decisions, and the author did such a good job incorporating these themes into the book.
Seeing as this was the authors debut novel, I really see her going somewhere with her work.
Thank you to NetGalley and Level Best Books for an eARC copy of this book.

A cute highschool romance. I love how the story not only revolves around the main protagonists but also involve the other side characters and their dynamics. However, I found the pace to be a bit slow.

Rate: 4,5/5

Well, first of all, thanks so much for the ARC because I really loved this!

The book is so cute and somehow talks about problems that a lot of us can relate, and that's one of the things I loved more in this book. I could see myself in them, in the characters, and feel what they were feeling so, yeah, just for that is already a great book.

About the characters, they were such amazing people. Scarlet is a sunshine, so cute, so gentil but a badass either way. I loved her power and her motivation to fight for her dreams even when it's not easy. Nathaniel Wilder? He has my love. I wanted to be mad with him but, at the same time, I just couln't, in the end he didn't do nothing bad he just tried to help. After all, help Scarlet is all he wants to do.

I will not talk much about other characters cause I'm afraid to give you some kind of spoiler but I'll just warn you that there is one character who annoyed me SO MUCH. I swear whenever I read her name I just wanted to put some sense into her, cause girl? You need to see your self worth! But in the end she surprised me positively.

The writing is so good too. It's simple and turns the reading a lot more fluid. After all, I read the book in one day, almost in just one sitting! I think that shows how much I appreciated this book.

If you are a romantic who wants a cute romance with characters that looks real, this is made for you. For me it was great - I even cried a little - so maybe it will be the same or even better to you!

Your Dream For Me Review

A huge thank you to Allison Schaffir for writing this cute book!

Your Dream For Me follows Scarlett, a girl who wants to go after her dreams of becoming a fashion designer. By fate, one day she meets Nathaniel, a new student at her school who is an inspiring actor. After crossing paths, Scarlett goes through all the ups and downs of high school while trying to figure out her dreams, her feelings for Nathaniel, and learn how to use a sewing machine!

I adored this book! I have also loved the idea of learning how to sew and am obsessed with fashion. I loved the development Scarlett had as a character. She was very sweet most of the time, but when it came to fighting for things she believed in she is fierce and passionate. She has such a caring heart and is not shy about showing love for those in her corner. I really related to Scarlett especially in trying to figure out her own thoughts and personifying them. I also loved Nathanial! He was such a great male lead and he did not disappoint on the book boyfriend level. I loved his ferocity for acting and his carefully thought words. The two had great chemistry and completely made the book!

One of my favorite quotes from them:

“Ah, I see you’ve inhaled your milkshake. Is chocolate your favorite flavor?”
“Yes”, “Vanilla pales in comparison. Chocolate all the way.”
“I’ll have to remember that for next time.”

I also loved the side characters, Macie in particular. She was such a great best friend and had such a kind heart! Her and Liam, their other best friend, made the story even more enjoyable.

Overall, I would recommend this story for anyone looking for a cute romance read!

Rating: 4 stars

This was a cute romance but I just felt it lacked a bit for me

I didn’t really connect with the characters, I think they lacked depth and we could have done with a few more chapters to begin with to really connect with the characters.

Also the SA story line didn’t quite hit it for me, the fact that Ashton didn’t suffer any consequences for his actions didn’t sit right with me. Macie deserved better than that

Also gavin deserved better I felt like Scarlett massively used him and he seemed like such a kind and caring character.

But overall it was a nice little read

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC

I was so excited about the concept of this book. I met my husband when we did a play together in high school. Because of this, I always have a soft spot in my heart for high school plays and romance. This book really didn't have that much to do with fashion or school plays, as it stated in the description.

I liked the cute romance between Nathaniel and Scarlett, but it was all too brief for me. I didn't like how things wrapped up in the end either.

I had a lot of problems with the handling of the "distressing event (wording from the book's summary)' that happened to Macie. I think that situation was completely mishandled, and I was disappointed about that.

I wish that I liked this book more, but it was really lacking for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Level Best Books for an ARC of this book.

I would like to thank Netgalley, Alison Schaffir, and their publisher for a copy of this e-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

While I felt that this was a cute book, I do have to rate it at a 3.4/5. There were parts of the writing that felt stuff and dialogue that was stilted and unnatural to me. I love when people have big aspirations, but what really made me stop and have to take a second was the fact that Scarlett wants to be this big fashion designer but has never touched a sewing machine and is somehow planning on making it into the Fashion Institute of Technology. Then once, she gets her hands on a sewing machine she's able to create a flawless dress?

This was a cute read. I definitely would consider it young adult, both in writing style and focus, although it does deal with a few difficult 'triggers' like consent. The romance was cute, I liked that the ending was not wrapped up in a neat bow, and it was a quick and easy read. I also happen to love the Scarlett/Nathaniel names (Hawthorne fan, perhaps?)
If there is anything I could critique, it would be just HOW self aware Scarlett is. I was a teenage girl once...and we just AREN'T that self aware. Whether its parenting, romance, friendship: Scarlett not only acts a teenager, but then corrects her actions and recognizes how much of a teenager she really is. I wanted a bit more humanity out of her, but I don't think it really took away from the story line.
So its a cute read! Not ideal for an adult reader, but I would lend it to a young adult.

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.

This book was so cute! I can't believe this is a debut for this author! I really adored the plot and the characters and will continue to read anything Alison writes.

𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪
𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗗𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗲 - 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗿

First, I want to thank the author and publisher via netgalley for the electronic version of this ARC. This will not affect the honesty of my review. ***

Being that this was a debut novel for Alison Schaffir I think she did a wonderful job! The book was a little to young for me, but the story was VERY cute, emotional, and it brought back a lot of nostalgia from when I was young navigating highschool. I think trying to figure out who you are and who you want to be is a feeling we can all relate to when we’re young.

Scarlett’s and Macie’s friendship was my favorite thing about this story and it reminds me so much of my best friend and I. I love a story with strong female friendships no matter the age! We all need more strong female characters at a young age to look up to.

The only thing I disliked was most of the story was predictable for me, I had a good idea of what was going to happen before it did.

Read if you like:
YA novels
Strong female friendships
Coming of age
Finding oneself/maturity


Review has been posted on Goodreads (review rounded up) and StoryGraph, will be posted on Instagram.

Sadly I had to DNF… I thought I would enjoy it after reading the blurb and the beautiful cover but it just wasn’t for me. I think the writing was a little immature for my liking and I didn’t really enjoy the MC to much.

A cute high school romance that was an easy read!
The book follows Scarlet as she navigates her journey through her junior year, beginning to form her dreams for the future and her career. When she stumbles into a chance encounter with an interesting, theatre loving senior, she finds herself having to make difficult decisions as graduation looms.
For those readers who just want a cute romance without the spice, this is perfect and would be great for teenagers making their first dive into romance novels. However if you want spice, this isn’t for you!

Your Dream For Me serves both the magic and realness of high school. Scarlett, an aspiring fashion designer, is also working part-time, hanging out with friends, volunteering for the theater department, learning to sew, and maybe catch some feelings for the new lead actor in the school's play.

Sound like a lot? It is, but its normal. Scarlett doing everything and feeling everything is real life. This is what made Your Dream For Me enjoyable to read. I know Scarlett, heck, I was Scarlett. And I definitely know her bff Macie.

This was reminiscent of Ai Yazawa's manga, Paradise Kiss. ParaKiss is definitely Explicit / Adult rated, so check the CWs before you read.

Speaking of, as they were omitted here and not readily found on the publisher's website, a content warning should be noted for sexual assault.