by Aimee Ferris
Paperback, 240 pages
Published February 8th 2011
by EgmontUSA
ISBN 1606841416
4.5 stars

Quigley Johnson has, reluctantly, given up the rest of her last year of high school to take part in her best friend Ann’s Betterment Plan, which will turn them into the best-dressed, most sought-after, most admired girls at their senior formal. Because – hey – who doesn’t want the perfect prom, complete with a dream dress and a devastatingly handsome date?

But the prom costs money – lots of money – and even though the girls could easily have Ann’s mom design their dresses (she’s only Victoria Parisi, one of the most famous designers in the world), Ann insists that they pay their own way. And that’s how Quigley gets stuck making artistic topping masterpieces on frozen pizzas canvases, before becoming a live model for Ms. Parisi’s fashion design class, where she meets Zander.

He’s cute, and cool, and funny, with a killer design sensibility (even if he can’t sketch). But is he too good to be true? And what about David, the hot, talented artist at school, who’s also kind of a jerk, but won’t leave Quigley alone? And Ann – she started the Betterment Plan to improve Quigley and herself, but it seems like it’s ripping their friendship to shreds.

This road to the prom dream may just end in disaster.

Quigley and Ann are in their last year of high school and on a mission to improve themselves just in time for prom. Their Betterment Plan includes eating right, exercise and plenty of off the wall jobs to pay for the perfect dress. The girls find themselves in a frozen pizza factory making artistic creations with sauce and pepperoni, sitting in as the dead man at a mystery murder dinner and even part of a float in their local parade. Quigley always seems to get the short end of the stick in every finagled job, so she is hesitant when Ann’s world famous designer mom, Victoria Parisi, offers them a gig as models for her fashion design class at the local college.

Quigley is everything your average student, not overly concerned with her body or standing out. So it’s no surprise when her perfect beautiful friend Ann lands all of the votes for first pick as model in the class. Zander sides with Quigley and in his humble sincere way slowly wins his way to her heart. Meanwhile, Ann is busy with Lance, the Spikester, who has a past of his own. But both design class boys have competition awaiting them at the High School.

As a reader you’ll never know until the very end if Ann picks T-Shirt, the local rich boy who wears his daily motto on his tee or if Quigley will turn arch nemesis self-proclaimed art King David into more than just an enemy.

Author Aimee Ferris will have you laughing out loud with the funny, awkward situations going on and the richly developed characters. But hidden beneath the pre-prom fluff are many real life lessons about choosing a college, making amends with parents and finding yourself amidst peer pressure. She does a great job of teaching that bad choices have life long consequences and you can’t judge a person by your first impressionWill Work For Prom Dress is a clean, light read that I would recommend to all readers. It offered me a nice break from heavy writing and I loved the artistic elements of photography, drawing and dress design sprinkled into the plot. I can’t wait for more from Ms. Freeman. Her blog alone is enough to have you in stitches as you travel back to the scary days of big hair in YA promapalooza. Thanks so much to Goodman Media for sending me such a fun pick. “Measure twice, cut once!”