Review: Alterations

Alterations

By Stephanie Scott

Published: December 6, 2016

If anyone saw the prom boards Amelia Blanco makes on her favorite fashion app, they'd think Ethan Laurenti was her boyfriend. They wouldn't know that all the plans she's made for them are just dreams, and that she's the girl who watches him from the kitchen while her parents cook for his famous family.

When Amelia's abuelita enrolls her in a month-long fashion internship in NYC, Amelia can't imagine leaving Miami--and Ethan--for that long. As soon as she gets to New York, however, she finds a bigger world and new possibilities. She meets people her own age who can actually carry on a conversation about stitching and design. Her pin boards become less about prom with Ethan and more about creating her own style. By the time she returns to Miami, Amelia feels like she can accomplish anything, and surprises herself by agreeing to help Ethan's awkward, Steve-Jobs-wannabe brother, Liam, create his own fashion app.

As Liam and Amelia get closer, Ethan realizes that this newly confident, stylish girl may be the one for him after all . . . even though he has a reality TV star girlfriend he conveniently keeps forgetting about. The "new and improved" Amelia soon finds herself in between two brothers, a whole lot of drama, and choice she never dreamed she'd have to make. 

My review:

I wanted to read this book because it is inspired by the film Sabrina. I've never seen the original version sadly but I have seen the Harrison Ford version several times. 

Like the film character Sabrina, Amelia is obsessed with the son of her family's employer. Ethan Laurenti has become Amelia's perfect guy even though she doesn't really know him. Thankfully Amelia has other interests besides Ethan and when her grandmother signs her up for a fashion internship, it is exactly what Amelia needs to put some distance between Ethan and herself and to follow her dreams to become a fashion designer. Unfortunately it isn't smooth sailing when it comes to letting go of Ethan and Amelia lies quite a bit about him to her new friends, something that frustrated me about her. Fortunately she does learn her lesson and she comes home a changed girl. 

Ethan lacks the charm of David Larrabee from the film. He is obviously pretty entitled and a bit of a jerk where girls are concerned but Amelia still doesn't see it. It isn't till she starts to hang out with Liam that she sees Ethan in a new light. At the same time, Ethan suddenly decides to go after Amelia, ignoring his "friend" Haylo (who thankfully is really sweet to Amelia and down to earth for someone from Ethan's crowd). I liked the friendship that develops between Haylo and Amelia and the relationship between Amelia and Liam though it takes her some time to see what he is truly worth. 

Alterations pays homage to Sabrina, Project Runway and scripted reality TV shows as the Larrabees and Amelia become involved in the filming of a new reality show about Haylo's family. I didn't always care for the details about fashion (I'm more like Liam in that area) or Project Runway (though I have watched a few episodes) but I think readers who like that kind of thing would catch the references and enjoy them. 

Overall I thought this was a cute contemporary story and I was glad to see Amelia grow up and move on from her crush on Ethan and not just find a better guy but also pursue her career goals. Readers who like the movie Sabrina and contemporary YA romance should consider giving this a try.