Don’t miss this book

This is a fun, funny and heartwarming book. I fell in love with the characters as soon as I started reading. I look forward to reading the rest of the books in this series! ( )

a well written light story with a good pace. Predictable but that is ok. Lots of good details and descriptions. A great read if you like fashion ( )

Made for Me by Kathryn R. Biel
Book #1: A New Beginnings Series
Source: Purchase
My Rating: 4½/5 stars
My Review:

Michele is on the verge of turning 30 and so far, her life just hasn’t turned out the way she had hoped. Her “boyfriend” is douchebag, her job just got cancelled thanks to dumbassery, and she’s going to have to move back into her parents’ house thanks to her mounting debt. To be fair, it Michelle could find an ounce of motivation and/or focus, she might not be in the colossal mess she’s currently in. What is a girl to do??

Apply for a reality show competition, of course . . . .

The one thing Michele can do better than most is sew. She creates wonderful, wearable outfits that are both retro and relative to her contemporaries. Michele has a knack for discerning proper proportions, body types, and knowing what will and will not work on a woman’s body. The reality competition will pit Michele’s considerable skills against nine other talented designers for a chance to become the personal designer to the future princess of the United Republic of Montabago. Should Michele win, she would be out of debt, her name would become a household one, and her design career would be virtually assured. All she must do is drum up the two things she’s never been able to drum up before, motivation and focus!

From the moment she steps into the competition house, Michele feels at odds with all but a few of the contestants including her roommate, Kira and the resident hotty, Asher. Asher is her fiercest competition who is also smoldering hot and a shameless flirt. Trouble is, Asher’s sexuality is a bit fluid and Michele can’t always tell if he’s actually interested in her or someone else. Kira never turns on Michele, as many of the others do and as the competition (and plot) unfold, she becomes not just an ally, but a friend as well. As the competition unfolds, Michele finds her groove and produces beautiful garments that both flatter and please the future princess. With the very real possibility of winning the whole shebang, Michele has to keep all her ducks in a row and for the first time in her life make smart decisions if she has any hope of finally making something significant of herself and her life.

The Bottom Line: I really, really liked this book! Though I know basically nothing about fashion and even less about sewing, I found those things to supporting details to the story more than the focus. Michele and her to-date ridiculous life are the primary focus of the read and despite all her failings and bad decisions, she is a thoroughly likeable character. Though she lives in the modern world, Michele is somewhat old fashioned and a bit naïve (the bathroom threesome, for example!) which makes her an endearing character. Additionally, over the course of the story you see Michele truly begin to mature, to make smart decisions, and take steps toward fixing all the crap she’s gotten herself into. I appreciated immensely that Michele is character who takes responsibility for herself and her situation rather than blaming others and/or wallowing in self-pity. The romantic elements is certainly present in Made for Me, but it is very tame and almost completely clean. In all Made for Me will certainly appeal to readers who enjoy sweet romances that end in a lovely HEA. ( )