Ripped at the Seams (Romantic Comedies (eBook)) [Mass Market Paperback]

Nancy Krulik (Author)

Book Description

Series: Romantic Comedies (eBook) | Publication Date: May 25, 2004

There's a new fashion designer in town, and "Fashion Don'ts" have never been more in style!

Sami Granger is fresh off the bus from the Midwest when some crazy person in the bus terminal warns her that life in New York City won't be what she always dreamed of. But Sami's determined to make it in an industry that is notoriously hard to break in to. Nothing she ever learned in her small town can prepare her for her first job working for a hot-shot designer: He steals her designs!

Now the only place that will hire Sami is a trashy lingerie store that she's too embarrassed to tell her old-fashioned father about. Will a visit from her father land Sami on the catwalk, or out on the sidewalk?

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 9 Up–In this improbable, but charming, hip fairy tale, Sami Granger, 18 and fresh off the bus, sets out to conquer the world of high fashion in New York City. Clutching her portfolio, she survives rejection from the showrooms of 7th Avenue and a murder in her dive of a hotel. Then her so-called boyfriend, who is also her new boss, steals her designs, and poor Sami is reduced to the embarrassment of working in a naughty lingerie shop in the East Village. Nothing in tiny Elk Lake, MN, prepared her for this. Teen girls will enjoy the vicarious thrills of this ultra-chic journey through NYC: the clothes, the boyfriends, the models, the photo ops, and the clubs. Krulik imbues her tale with spirit, good characterizations, and a few genuine New York gems. When she's not name-dropping fashion designers, celebs, and hot night spots, she gives glimpses of the enduring wonders of the Big Apple: the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the artsy funkiness of SoHo and the East Village, and the true kindheartedness of New Yorkers. Ultimately, Sami succeeds as a fashion designer, with a lot of help from her small-town values, devoted friends, the benevolent if eccentric owner of Between the Sheets, and some other surprising sources. The young woman eventually recognizes her true prince and lives happily ever after, albeit in an expensive, tiny, East Village walk-up.–Roxanne Myers Spencer, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Nancy Krulik is the author of more than 150 books for children and young adults, including the New York Times best-seller Leonardo DiCaprio: A Biography. Her long list of biographies includes books about Hilary Duff, Raven, *NSync's J.C. Chasez, and the late TLC rapper Lisa Lopes. Nancy has appeared as a guest expert on several celeb-focused TV shows including Access Hollywood, Extra, and E! Love Chain. She lives in Manhattan with her husband, composer Daniel Burwasser, and their two children. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Simon Pulse (May 25, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689867719
• ISBN-13: 978-0689867712
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,179,493 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Nancy Krulik is the author of more than 100 books for children and young adults, including three New York Times bestsellers. She is best known, however, for being the author and creator of the Katie Kazoo, Switcheroo book series. Nancy currently lives in Manhattan with her husband, composer Daniel Burwasser, their two children, Amanda and Ian, and a crazed cockerspaniel named Pepper.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A cute and charming teen romance., October 26, 2004

By 

Rebecca Herman (USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ripped at the Seams (Romantic Comedies (eBook)) (Mass Market Paperback)

Eighteen-year-old Sami Granger has left Elk Lake, Minnesota, the small town she has lived in her whole life, and moved to New York City to pursue her dream of becoming a fashion designer. But life in New York isn't exactly what she expected, and the only job she can get is working as a receptionist for a designer. Still, she hopes it will be a back way in - until a guy she thought she could trust steals her designs and claims them for his own. Now the only job she can get is at a trashy lingerie store - but it turns out to be a golden opportunity. Before she knows it, Sami is in demand as a nightgown designer. But the city has changed Sami, and she's not sure she likes the person she is becoming. And who is the right guy for her - Franklin, a famous fashion photographer, or dependable Vin, whose has always been there for her when she needed a friend?

I highly recommend this cute book to readers who enjoy teen romances. It's a really fun story and very enjoyable to read. Although the plot can be a bit predictable at times, it doesn't take away from the fun of reading about Sami's adventures as she tries to make her dreams come true.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Stylish New York Romance, June 23, 2005

By 

Book Nerd - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ripped at the Seams (Romantic Comedies (eBook)) (Mass Market Paperback)

Ok, so Sami is an aspiring clothes designer. So she moves into an apartment with a model, Rain. Enter the totally Hott, Vin. Now with a six pack like Nancy describes I've no idea how she could pass him up for Bruce. Yet when Bruce steals her designs she feels a little differently. Yet still can't seem to find the hottness of Vin irresistable. The combination of the main characters (Sami, Vin, and Rain) is a real up-lifting feeling. It'll put you in goos spirits and make you want to jump a plane to New York. Sami is an ambitious girl and I found her to be loveable. I found the book to be funny as well as romantic. I would kill to be in Sami's shoes. It also makes you think a little about your love life. Is Mr. Right starring you in the face? Read the book to see if Sami and Vin get together. It's a fun book to read. I really recommend it!!

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars It passes the time, June 5, 2004

By 

freefallingstar (Georgia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ripped at the Seams (Romantic Comedies (eBook)) (Mass Market Paperback)

_Ripped at the Seams_, the latest in this teen romantic comedy series from Simon Pulse, is about 18-year-old Sami Granger who moves to New York with high hopes of becoming a top fashion designer. After a few shaky experiences, she finds a good apartment and a seemingly great new job. When a designer steals her ideas, she starts work at a lingerie store and discovers she has a talent for designing sexy, but not-too-revealing nighties. Throw an ultra-conservative father, a pregnant best friend, and a sexy across-the-hall neighbor into the mix, and you have what should be a promising romantic comedy.

Sadly, the book falls decidedly short of expectations. Everything about the book, from the characters' dialogue to their personalities to the situations, seems false. Seriously, could you imagine a tough guy from the Bronx *squealing* over two scoops of chocolate sorbet? Also, how could an 18-year-old with no proper training expect to just show up in New York and get a high-end job? The relationship Sami had with her father is not very well developed. Her aversion to her small-town life seems forced, almost as if it was put in there as an after-thought. Everything in the book is superficial. And, of course, it's all wrapped up in a nice little package, moral and all, in the last couple of pages.

If you need something to pass the time, this book is as good as any. Borrow it from a friend or buy it at a used bookstore, though. Don't waste too much money on it. It's very much not worth it.