I recently got into crafting and sewing so this book kind of hooked me with the cover. It was a really sweet read and I think that it would keep anyone with a smile on their face. Loved it!

I may not be part of the targeted audience for this young adult and teens book, but this genre usually delivers nice feel good reads to pass the time. So I like to indulge every now and then.
Unfortunately, this one didn't do it for me. It was definitely more on the young side than the adult side. It might appeal more to high schoolers. I wasn't rooting for any of the characters and the stakes weren't high enough to hold my interest.

Thank you for the ARC, Alison.

I'm honestly sorry to only give a 3 star review.

I didn't finish the book, I had to stop at about 40% in because the style was too young for me and there were also some triggers for me personally - Macie getting sexually assaulted and then immediately focusing on her best friend's feelings, genuinely, which, to me, minimizes the importance of her experience.

Contrary to some of the other reviews I've read, I thought the MC was believable, immature, sure, but well defined. What I couldn't get over was the dialogue. It was at times inconsistent with the situation, either it had no purpose, or it was just plain exposition, and often characters just voiced their thoughts out loud, in the most blunt ways. It's not how people talk, not even inexperienced teenagers.

With some more editing, you might be on to something here. You finished the first part of the road. I'm excited to read more from you in the future.
(I won't post this review to GR)

Thank you, Netgalley & Level Best Books, for the arc!!!
I want to start by saying I could not get into this book as I could not resonate with any of the main characters. A lot of it was wither too fast for me or it felt like I was reliving high school, which I did not enjoy at all.

Your Dream For Me was a lovely and quick read. I think some themes and scenes could have been fleshed out a bit more, though. It is also notable, that the characters (especially the MC), read very young, so I would definitely recommend to younger readers within the YA-span.

While the main female character (FMC) didn't entirely resonate with me due to moments where she seemed somewhat immature for her age of 17, I found solace in the growth and maturity displayed towards the end of the book. The unexpected conclusion departed from the typical YA book endings, which added a refreshing twist. This adorable YA story captivated me with its easy-to-read narrative and short chapters, a characteristic I always appreciate. However - overall, I regretfully concluded that this book was not my cup of tea. Nevertheless, I believe that a younger audience may find it enjoyable. Lastly, I would like to express my gratitude to NetGalley and Alison Schaffir for providing me a copy of this book.

I mean, it wasn't bad. I am a younger reader but I didn't enjoy it all that much. It was really fast and sometimes had a good moment but it just felt slightly juvenile.

Thank you netgalley and the publisher.

Whilst this is a YA book I definitely feel that it is aimed towards the younger end of that scale. It was a nice read but I felt like the relationship between scarlet and Nathaniel could’ve been developed more.

That being said I did really enjoy the relationship between Scarlett and Macie! Loved the way that eventually they worked out the issues between them and that Scarlett gave Macie the time to process what had happened.

I also really enjoyed the theatre and fashion aspects of the book!

Overall, it was a nice read and I liked the fact that it wasn’t a predictable HEA at the end.

Seventeen year old Scarlett wants to become a fashion designer. After running into a theater student named Nathaniel Wilder, she develops an new interest. She starts shadowing the drama teacher in the hopes of practicing and developing her skills. She hopes to mix her passion for fashion with theater and to get closer to Nathaniel. There is angst, rivalry, and newfound relationships. Overall this book was okay but a little too childish age for me. I feel like it's meant more for middle school age versus an adult. It was also a shorter book so not much to it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

2.8

Thanks to Netgalley and Level Best Books for an ARC of this title. Your Dream For Me is about two characters that honestly felt like ships passing in the night. Scarlett herself was a particular brand of bland and didn’t stick out much as far as protagonists go (how in the world can you want to go into fashion design and have never touched a sowing machine in her life?!) and stuck out as much as a brunette white woman in a Broadway audition. Not much to say about Nathaniel. Additionally, the book had an extremely contrite and childish writing style that bored me a great amount. It just felt like there should have been more side plots added to take away from the basic plot. Which is why I decided to give this book a 2.8 out of 5 stars. With just a bit more added detail and character information, I believe that this title could have been a better read.

A quick read which was cute in places, but just not for me. Probably more suited to a younger reader (28 over here!). Thanks to Netgalley and Level Best Books for this ARC.

Thank you, NetGalley, Alison Schaffir, and publishers for gifting me Your Dream For Me in return for my honest opinion.

3/5 stars

Seventeen-year-old Scarlett is not like her theatrically gifted parents, she has dreams of becoming a fashion designer. One day while she is sneaking into the school's costume rack to explore the racks. She happens to bump into the school's most talented actor, Nathaniel, who piques her interest in different areas. Will Scarlett get into her dream school, the Fashion Institute of Technology, or will she lose it all?

This is a very young adult, young adult book. I really enjoy most YA books but this one didn't work for me. When I read the blurb it sounded interesting, will she be able to achieve her dreams and what happens with her friends? But really I just didn't really care that much.

Scarlett wants to become a fashion designer and she is dreaming about getting into fashion school, so she must know how to sew and use a sewing machine correctly. Nope, she has a sewing machine but instead of teaching herself how to use it or look on youtube, she decides to let it sit until someone will teach her how to use it... Like really, this is your dream, do something about it! I would like to say that I enjoyed Nathaniel but you don't really see him all that much, we hear about him. From what we do see he is a caring young man who is very supportive to Scarlett.

This is a very quick read that is cute at points but it wasn't for me. I can see why some might like it but it is not for me.

a quick, cute and easy read. I didn't love Scarlett, and felt she was childish at times, but I'm not the prime YA audience, so a younger audience would love this even more!

A quick and easy read that I couldn't put down. Well written with a compelling and slow burning storyline and well developed characters

I loved the length of the book and the short chapters. It helped keep my attention a lot better than some books do. The characters were so well developed, I felt that I knew the characters personally. It was a great slow burn romance but there could've been a tad bit more romance to it. Other than that, great book, great character development, and great plot!

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.

I thought this was a really cute YA novel! This was the authors debut novel and I thought it was super well done! The characters were so sweet and cute, centered around fashion and theatre. I wish I had this cute book when I was in high school!

I do wish it was a tiny bit longer and more flushed out, as I wasn't ready for it to end but maybe we'll get a sequel!?

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

Your Dream for Me is such a sweet book, delivering on the promise of a lighthearted read that I had going into it. The characters grew on me with each passing chapter. I appreciated the healthy relationship Scarlett has with her parents. They are so supportive of her and her dreams, while also setting important boundaries. Of course, Scarlett occasionally tries to bend their rules but she also has to bear the consequences. That is a refreshing aspect given that Your Dream for Me is a YA contemporary book.

Speaking of YA, Scarlett’s voice comes across as a little younger than I expected. The setting is high school junior year. Scarlett is 17. Yet, the writing style seems a little more suited for 15-year-olds. That’s not too far off the mark but confused me. Arguably, Your Dream for Me could be an entertaining means to prepare sophomores for junior and maybe senior year. Still, I found it a bit jarring that as the narrator, Scarlett spends a lot of time spelling out her thoughts and interpretations of situations. On the proverbial scale of “show, don’t tell” Your Dream for Me leans heavily towards “tell.” Perhaps presenting the story as a collection of diary entries would have worked better.

In any case, the thematic explorations are strong. Schaffir built on the themes of friendship, family, ambition and romance. These brought me back to my high school years. Reflecting on where I was at 17, I had no idea what I wanted to become. I wondered what it was like for those who knew what they wanted to do when they grew up. Scarlett gave me an insight I wish I’d had back then.

At the same time, Your Dream for Me brought me back to my theatre days. I think it’s great that acting isn’t Scarlett’s goal. Instead, she wants to design clothes, in line with her ambitions to break into the fashion industry when she is older. I loved that because the non-acting parts of theatre haven’t factored in other theatre-focussed novels I’ve read, even though they are important. Be it ushering, set design, sound or tech, they all contribute to the experience. Your Dream for Me captures that.

Even though Your Dream for Me is on the shorter side, the stakes of conflict pack a punch. They drew me in, and I wanted to know how things would be resolved, if at all. I found myself smiling, getting angry, feeling relieved, which for me means I was invested, especially because I enjoyed getting to know Macie, Scarlett’s best friend, and their relationship is a huge driver of the plot. I do wish there was more character development for the swim team but with the length of the book, I am satisfied with what Your Dream for Me entails.

This book is too young for me! I tried to get into it, but I found myself bored and annoyed with the characters. I think someone who reads middle grade or ya would enjoy it. But I primarily read upper YA/NA. I’m just the wrong audience! I tried though!

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!!!!!!!