4.5 stars! I LOVED this book! Rebekah Weatherspoon writes characters that are so easy to root for! The heat and chemistry between Sam and Amanda was 🔥🔥🔥🔥. This is the second book in its series but I had not read the first one and had no issue so it can definitely be read as a stand-alone. Now, that I’ve read and loved this one, I’ll be going back to read the first one.
This book gave me all the feels and I will be adding it to my comfort reads shelf to be re-read many times in the future! I also reviewed on Amazon but it’s waiting to get approved so I don’t have a link yet

A Hollywood Cinderella tale with a delightful twist, that makes this re-telling just right.

Samuel Pleasant is the youngest brother of three and a recent Best Supporting Actor Oscar winner. When he spends the night with a mysterious beauty who disappears in the early morning hours without leaving her name or number, Sam knows he should just leave well enough alone. Except, something about this woman makes him want to put on the hot pursuit. This man can rock a Stetson, has mastered the fine are of being corny and sexy at the same time.

Mystery woman is none other than Amanda McQueen, screenwriter in her dreams and personal assistant to an evil actress in reality. Her hookup with Sam is the stuff of fantasy, and like Cinderella she knew when her fairy-tale night was up. Let’s not mention how she accidentally stole his Oscar statue and had to get a delivery service to return it. Or mention how her evil actress employer treats her like she’s worthless and is constantly talking about how she will hook up with Sam and make babies. Whatever, psycho.

This book was easy to get lost in and such is the magic of Witherspoon’s writing. I immediately rooted for Amanda and loved how Sam respected the heroine’s everything. I mean, Sam is true Prince Charming material. He lives in a town called Charming after all, so it’s fitting. All these little weaves in and out of this book show the true author spell at work. The dialogue, setting, and the way every day occurrences become so much more made all of this work.

Witherspoon also has this fantastic way of writing plus-size women that make me look at myself and think, I should be happy with this gorgeous body of mine. In the case of Amanda, she’s curvy, smart, and absolutely knows the right thing to say and when. She doesn’t possess a poker face, but from what people tell me – I don’t either.

Now, the romance and the falling for each other is like something out of Disney movie. It’s fast, furious, and while Amanda tries to fight it, Sam is just what she needs. There is plenty of external conflict to keep things going. Sam is a Hollywood star with lots of attention, where Amanda is used to rolling in the backseat. I won’t give too much away, but I eagerly turned the pages hoping Amanda and her animal whispering heart would get the guy.

This book is a winner, perfect for curling up on the couch as the weather turns cooler, and though it wrapped up faster than I expected, I’m primed for book three.

~ Landra

If The Boot Fits is the second story in the Cowboys of California series and had me hooked from the engaging beginning right through to the ending that was all I could hope for. So, now I’m kicking myself a bit because I somehow missed the first book in the series, A Cowboy to Remember – but that is easily fixed. Although I will always suggest reading a series from the beginning if you can’t (or missed it like me) Sam and Amanda’s story can easily stand on its own yet I would like to know what I missed so I’ll go back.

I happen to love a retelling of a classic fairy tale romance, so putting Cinderella in the cutthroat world of Hollywood put a fun and unique spin on that trope for me. Complete with an evil woman to despise on principle alone, I felt for Amanda’s situation and for the struggle to have her own dreams become reality while dealing with a bullying diva constantly. There was a point where I thought Dru would find a redeeming quality… but nope, not happening so she really was a woman to hate throughout this story for several reasons.

I adored Sam, it really is as simple as that. He’s a realistic figure in a profession where it’s often difficult to tell the real person from the constant role-playing. His love of family and their traditions, his willingness to respect Amanda’s boundaries spoke volumes about the values he was raised with. And… hotness in a cowboy hat. Yeah, adored is a good word for my reaction to Sam.

Amanda I loved. She’s a woman who gives off the feeling of being comfortable in her own body, curves and all. She’s also vulnerable in realistic ways that she acknowledges as she works toward what she sees as her future. She’s talented but those dreams are being drowned by the woman she works for. Sam sees all of her and wants every aspect of her personality in his life, that’s obvious.

I loved the banter between Sam and Amanda (and the other members of the Pleasant family as well), yet what made this couple realistic were their conversations, at times heavy and complicated, but they talked and that is as sexy and loving as a romp in bed… sure different ways, but to really be seen and respected by actually talking to each other is something often under-used in Romance, or it seems that way with all the misunderstandings about what someone did or didn’t say. Yes, there was hot and heavy chemistry between them, and there were also thoughtful conversations… that was a combination that worked so well for me.

In all, I had a fun, laughter-filled, emotional time with Amanda and Sam in If The Boot Fits – and if you love a Romance that feels more like real life with all its ups, downs, and baggage then you’ll want to pick this one up today.

I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher, Kensington Books via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

3.5 stars

Weatherspoon is one of my favorite authors and I loved the first book in the series, A Cowboy to Remember, so I was excited to pick up this one!

The good:

- The story is solid and interesting, loosely based on Cinderella. It comes through in the characters' circumstances more than the story beats.

- The scenes on the ranch are cozy and comforting - sitting in Miss Leona's kitchen, a late night movie marathon, family that is lovable while also being flawed. ...expect for Miss Leona. She's perfect.

- As in the first book there's a beautiful friendship between the heroine and her best friends, and I will always be here for it.

- The ending tacked on the extra half star - Weatherspoon does some wonderful things that I wasn't expecting and are pitch perfect for the characters. Success is the best revenge, for sure.

The so-so:

- Being a Cinderella retelling Amanda's boss is awful. I dreaded scenes with them together but your mileage may vary.

- The boss doesn't get what she deserves... but this is more realistic. It would come across at petty otherwise.

- Our couple is pushed apart at several points and I didn't always buy the reason. Kinda sorta, but not completely.

All in all If the Boot Fits is a solid read with a cast of recurring characters I love, and I'm sad that there's probably only one more book left in the series.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I actually really enjoyed this read! I’m a Rebekah Weatherspoon fan, for sure, and so of course I was excited to read something from her latest series. Black Cowboys? Yes please.

Amanda is a plus-size woman (yaaas for the rep) who has a one night stand with Sam Pleasant, an award winning actor and real life cowboy. She’s sure she’ll never see him again and it’s not like she has time in her busy schedule as a personal assistant for a relationship anyway so she’s willing to accept the one night stand for what it is and carry on with her life. Sam unintentionally ruins that plan. Turns out, her best friend’s wedding is being held at his family’s ranch! Good times, good times While she still completely attracted to Sam and Sam is obviously attracted to her, Amanda is trying her best to stick to the plan. A relationship, especially with the very sexy, very famous Sam Pleasant has no chance of working out, especially not when she’s got to deal with her bitch of a boss Dru on a regular basis. But apparently, fate has something else planned.

Overall this book was a really easy and fun read. I loved Sam and Amanda’s chemistry from the beginning. They’re drawn to each other and it’s clear they have a ton of fun inside and outside of the bedroom. What I really enjoyed is that Amanda being plus size is never really an issue here. Sam doesn’t think anything of it except that he loves her curves. Amanda doesn’t count herself out just because she’s a big girl or even talk down about herself. Her size does come into play later, but it’s done by a character that we know is an asshole. It’s not discussed throughout or made into a big deal which is great. All plus-size rep shouldn’t focus on the fact that the character is plus size, if that makes sense. The biggest issue with Amanda’s self-esteem has nothing to do with her size, but is more focused on her career as an aspiring writer and current personal assistant. She’s stuck where she is and trying to figure out how exactly to make it out on her own. Sam Pleasant is a complete sweetheart through and through. He and Amanda actually have their career insecurities in common. Both want to do something more, but aren’t exactly sure how to accomplish that. The sex scenes were steamy, but not too over the top. I love a good explicit scene, but I think this one is mild which is great for people who don’t necessary like all the steamy and sexy details. On the hotness factor, I’d say it’s about a 3 out of 5. Honestly, this book read like a fairytale, but in the best possible way. It had just the right amount of cheesiness in the romance that kept you smiling, but didn’t make you want to roll your eyes.

Ohhhh I think I found a new favorite author! Rebekah Weatherspoon has such a great writingstyle! I was sucked into the story from the first page on and that also happened in her other books.

I was a bit confused in the beginning. The story starts with Amanda, a personal assistent of a celebrity and then we meet Sam, a moviestar. Where is my cowboy? Why has the book a cowboy on the cover? But I was to quick, because later on this all becomes clear.

Sam and Amanda are great characters. I loved their chemistry and I particularly loved that they were able to communicat. I hate the miscommunication-trope and luckily, that was not a part of the story.

The ending was very sweet but a bit to easy and predictable for me. Although I'm very satisfied with their happy ending.

This book was heartwarming and excalty what I needed after reading a dark dystopain. The book follow Amanda a strong independent woman who works for the cruelist B-list actress in Hollywood and Sam Pleasant an up and coming actor who has jsut won a oscar. Could this be a match made in heaven?

As I said before this book is light hearted and a good romance book and I wouldn't expect anything less from Rebekah Weatherspoon. However, I did feel that this book was rather formulaic and didn't really push the boat out very far when it comes to the romance genre.

I think the best thing about this book is the fact that the Weatherspoon did not fall into the trap of needing to break up to make up and that the whole romantic gesture has to come from the man.

The representation was great. The animals were great and the cowboy were just hearteye emojis.

Read this book if you want a lighthearted, heartwarming book that will leave you warm and fuzzy on the inside.

This was my first book by Rebekah Weatherspoon but it is not going to be my last! Also my first cowboy book and it had the perfect amount of cowboy to introduce me to this genre. Amanda and Sam were people I really want to hang out with. They start their relationship with a one-night stand after Sam wins his first Oscar. Amanda is a personal assistant to a horrible starlet, and the conflict of the book comes from her trying to preserve her privacy and keep her relationship with Sam separate from the press and her horrible boss. These two were caring and funny and they were a ton of fun together! This was overall a very low-stress book and I loved that Amanda and Sam had very little conflict between the two of them. It was just really nice to read. The time they spent together at the Pleasant family ranch was the exact kind of escapism I want in 2020. I am interested in getting the stories of the rest of Sam’s family members - it felt like Jesse’s book was being set up and I am very curious about him. I would absolutely recommend this book!

I really enjoyed this second book in the Cowboys of California series. I loved getting to know Sam more after meeting him in the first book. I loved the dynamic between him and Amanda and absolutely disliked the horrible person she worked for. One of the things that keep me coming back for more books by this author is how she writes strong, fierce women. No bull, they are honest as hell even when they don't want to be.

I so wanted to read and love this book but it just wasn't gelling with me and by 50% I was bored and decided to DNF. I didn't have any idea who Sam was beyond being a nice guy and I was tired of the saga with Amanda and her spoiled little brat of a boss.

One of the things I loved is that this book opens with a one night stand on the night Sam wins an Oscar. They have a great time and Amanda sneaks away...with his Oscar on accident, but still! This cracked me up to no end that she wanted nothing to do with him OR his Oscar beyond the one night.

I really enjoyed this book for a variety of reasons, and one of the main ones is that Sam was just so supportive of Amanda throughout this book. I love a quietly supportive type and that’s what Sam was - just kind of there, in the background. And that makes it sound like the romance isn’t there but the balance was sweet in that it let Amanda shine throughout the book and have her take center stage.

Amanda is dealing with a toxic work situation with her boss, Dru, that is extremely complicated. Dru had some nuance to her and wasn’t exactly a black and white villain in that we get to see why Amanda is so willing to give her multiple chances in the beginning. I felt a little like that eventually wasn’t fleshed out as much as I’d like to have seen it be in the end but in the first half of the book it was really refreshing.

I also really appreciated the glimpse into Sam’s take on Hollywood and being a Black person trying to make his way in that world. Overall I thought this was a delightful book - at times I wanted the romance to be a little more center stage but I did really enjoy this one.

Howdy Bookworms,

I rarely ask for advanced copies of books anymore, but I couldn't resist when I saw a new Rebekah Weatherspoon on Netgalley. If the Boot Fits is the second installment of the Cowboys of California series. You'll recall when I read A Cowboy to Remember, surely? If not, check it out HERE. A Cowboy to Remember was a loose retelling of Sleeping Beauty and If the Boot Fits takes on Cinderella. (I'm still waiting on Jesse's story. Fingers crossed it's based on Beauty and the Beast!) I received a complimentary copy of If the Boot Fits from the publisher for review consideration. This review is in no way biased because I got a free book. My good opinion cannot be bought! At least, it would be much more expensive than the price of a book. 

Amanda is an aspiring screenwriter, but pays the bills by working as a personal assistant for one of Hollywood's nastiest actresses, Dru Anastasia. (I see what you did there with that name, Ms. Weatherspoon, and I love you for it!) One night she's invited by a friend to be her plus one to the Oscars. Because Hollywood. These things can totally happen. Anyway. Amanda gets all dolled up and meets Sam Pleasant, newly minted Oscar winner. The two share a memorable night, but Amanda sneaks off early the next morning... Accidentally taking the wrong swag bag WITH THE ACTUAL OSCAR STATUE IN IT. You know you love it. Sam is intrigued by Amanda, accidental larceny aside. He is pleasantly surprised (pun intended) when he runs into her again the following weekend at a mutual friend's wedding hosted on his family's ranch. (Yes, because he's not just a movie star. He's a movie star slash cowboy with mad rodeo skills.)

Honestly, after reading Xeni (review), I think any Rebekah Weatherspoon love scenes I read will seem a bit tame in comparison, but that doesn't mean that If the Boot Fits wasn't plenty spicy. My favorite part of this book is that Amanda is a size 20 with absolutely no hang ups about it. She's super confident in her skin and body, and no amount of time trying to take care of her ugly stepsister-esque employer (who definitely has an eating disorder) manages to destroy her feelings of self worth. Sigh I love Amanda so much. Sam is fine too, but Amanda is the real super star here. What I wouldn't give for a fraction of that body confidence! Alas, her confidence falters somewhat when it comes to her work, and she has, unfortunately, settled for a less than fulfilling job to pay the bills. She's brilliant and talented, though, a fact that isn't lost on Sam. Can he encourage his Cinderella to truly seek her Happily Ever After in all areas of her life? (I mean, DUH, of course he can. It's a romance novel. And it's lovely.)

If the Boot Fits is a fun, flirty take on the old Cinderella tale, and I thought it was fabulous. The book will be available for purchase (though you can totally preorder now) on Tuesday, Oct 22. Do yourself a favor and enjoy this fun, sweet romance!

Q: have you had any experience riding a horse / have you had a horse? We had a couple growing up & my grandparents raised minis!

Would you believe that If the Boot Fits is my first Rebekah Weatherspoon book? Probably *won’t* surprise you to know how much I enjoyed it.

A low-angst one-night-stand-was-so-good-I-want-more romance with a curvy & confident heroine & a cowboy/Oscar-winning hero, this book is a delight.

Amanda McQueen is an assistant to an actress who treats her horribly. On a night off she attends an after-Oscars party where she meets Samuel Pleasant, recent winner of an Oscar. They go back to his hotel room for a night of no-names, no-strings sex & Amanda leaves the next morning without saying bye.

Fast forward to a short while later when she goes to Samuel’s family ranch for a wedding & sees the man she set the sheets on fire with.

Can they bridge the gaps between them & will she tell the truth about what her job is? That she’s an assistant and not quite the writer she says?

So many things about this book are so well done: the Cinderella angle, the tension between leads, their banter—this heroine is a smart ass & . Their substantive convos including about the challenges of finding the right roles in Hollywood if you’re a Black man, how important family is to them both, how freaking sexy she is & how she owns it.

If the Boot Fits is fun & steamy & obviously written by a really talented author. Really looking forward to reading more by Rebekah Weatherspoon!

4 ⭐️. If the Boot Fits is out on 10/27. Thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

This was a very good follow up read in the series as it's much better than the first book imo… Sam and Amanda were a good couple to see on page. Enjoyed the banter between them but not going to lie, I liked Amanda the most; her quick wit and humor was charming. Sam was a good supportive guy (especially for a Hollywood star…) but at the end of this read, it’s Amanda for me.

Although I liked the chemistry between our couple, I felt like the romance wasn’t as steamy as it could have been...
Also, the pacing was a little dry towards the middle of the book but still...I wanted to see where Amanda and Sam landed by this story's end.

For the most part, I enjoyed If the Book Fits and with a bit of pen magic, this author gets readers to a conclusion that will keep them intrigued.

I LOVE cowboys...and fairy tales. A great continuation of the Cowboys of CA, "If the Book Fits" was awesome. It's deliciously sexy with a well-built plot. Amanda and Sam journey to HEA is full of twists and turns that will keep you intrigued and on the edge of your seat!! I am looking forward to the next book in the series. I received an advanced copy of this book and am enthusiastically leaving an honest review. #IftheBootFits #NetGalley

4.5 stars. This was a really cute twist on the celebrity romance!

Amanda is an aspiring screenwriter, currently an assistant to a young up-and-coming actress. Sam is an actor who has just won Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars. At the Oscars after party, they meet one another, and end up sleeping together that night, but Sam never got her name. Amanda snuck out the next morning to get back to her job, but can't stop thinking about that night. Sam decides he's going to try to get his former co-star, and Amanda's friend who got her the Oscars after party invite, to give him Amanda's info. Then they run into each other at his family's ranch during the wedding of said mutual friend.

I will say, I was super nervous for most of this book because I thought it was going to go in a certain direction. Luckily, that's not what happened! I don't want to give away too much, but I really appreciated that Rebekah Weatherspoon didn't utilize an easy, obnoxious (at least in my opinion) crutch to create drama. Also, I now definitely want to read Jesse's story, so I hope it comes out soon!

Amanda Queen works as a personal assistant to a wicked diva. That job was supposed to be a starting point to her career as a writer. But, her screenplay remains untouched as she strives to meet the needs of this demanding actress. However, one night at a party leads to a hot encounter with a hot, Academic Award-winning actor.

Sam Pleasant ended his award win in bed with a plus-sized beauty. But the next morning she is gone and she mistakenly has his Oscar. Sam is intrigued to find this woman he calls, Cha-cha but it is like she has vanished. Fortunately, he will be given a second chance to see if this woman is the right fit for him - for a lifetime.

Rebekah Weatherspoon starts off this Cinderalla-esque tale with a bang! Amanda and Sam have spent a memorable night together that is need to fan yourself H-O-T. I was hooked from the first page onward. This was filled with great character development. I loved Sam's integrity and Amanda's work ethic. I especially enjoyed how they bonded and how she developed self-confidence to go after her dream. Dru - the diva - was Cruella Deville good and fun to read. It was satisfying to see how love conquered all.

This was my first read in the series and I must go back to read the first and I can't wait for the next book. I loved the family dynamic and of course, the cowboy theme never gets tired.
Thank you, #Netgalley #Harlequin

A fantastically entertaining Cinderella retelling with a sassy heroine and a charming hero who experience a modern fairytale ending.

Overall - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Heat - 🔥🔥🔥🔥

If the Boot Fits is the second in Rebekah Weatherspoon’s Cowboys of California series. This story is about Sam Pleasant the hottest actor in Hollywood who’s just won an Oscar and scored with a sexy lady all in one night. But in the morning the beautiful woman and his statue are missing. Amanda Queen doesn’t usually get to interact with celebrities on the same level, since she’s just a lowly PA. But the night of the Oscars her evil boss gets sick and Amanda takes her place. The one night stand with Sam wasn’t planned, but it sure was welcome.

Rebekah never fails to deliver romances that feel so incredibly real and relatable. While at the same time fulfilling some serious fantasies. Though this book does come second and other characters reappear you do not need to have read the first to enjoy this romance. The story between Sam and Amanda stands on its own as a sweet and steamy love story that I’m sure I’ll be rereading several times over.

The only issue I had with this story was the use of Dru as the antagonist. It felt a little too predictable as a plot device, and I found myself wishing Weatherspoon had chosen another conflict to explore. With a book filled with such wonderful fluffy, steamy, and yummy goodness I just didn’t want to read about an “evil stepsister”. I know this was kinda intended as a Cinderella retelling so maybe this is just more about me not enjoying that trope.

Overall, Weatherspoon’s writing more than makes up for any minor quibble I can ever find. I devour everything she releases and eagerly anticipate whatever else she wants to write. If you love books with smart, caring, and real characters then you cannot go wrong with this book.

I haven't read a book this fast in a long time, this is a keeper. If the Boot Fits is a low conflict, m/f Black romance with characters that you want to be friends with. Both Amanda and Sam are just genuinely NICE. No alpha hole, no ego that's out of control in this Hollywood star that's Sam. Amanda is not lacking in self-confidence, she has dreams, she's a good friend, and she's fun. I really enjoyed both of them so much. I also love the Pleasant family, all the different dynamics at play just like in a big family. This is family that's got your back and will call you out when you need it. There are other friends involved and they are also the rock solid friends we need. Heat is on the page, fully satisfying and sexy.
CW for an abusive boss and some nasty social media that includes some fat shaming. This is not the core of the story and is not something that brings down the characters, it's nasty gossip and handled as such.

I highly recommend this one, a great second story in the Cowboys of California series. It will go on the keeper shelf.