I love a good fairytale retelling so this one was right up my alley! I loved the additional aspect of Cindy having a degree in shoe design and her being really passionate about having her own fashion business! I also loved the plus size and body positivity rep. Julie always writes amazing stories and I can’t wait to read more!

IF THE SHOE FITS is the perfect blend of Cinderella and The Bachelor, with a wonderful cast of supporting characters and a closet full of fabulous shoes. Cindy Woods is a recent design school graduate who has grand dreams of becoming a shoe designer in her found-home of New York. After graduating, though, she finds herself back in Los Angeles with her stepmom and siblings, trying to figure out how to make her dream a reality. Her stepmom Erica also happens to be the producer of one of Hollywood’s hottest shows, Before Midnight, a Bachelor-esque reality show where women hope to find true love. When some contestants drop out of the running, Cindy takes a spot on the show, hoping that it’ll help get her name into the spotlight and hopefully jumpstart her career. What she didn’t expect was actually falling in love with Henry, the show’s suitor, who also happens to be the cute stranger she met on her flight home just a few weeks ago.

This book gave me everything that I love in a story: a supporting family, fun secondary characters, an intriguing plot, and—of course—a swoony love story. I was a little weary going into the story that Cindy’s stepmom and stepsisters would be horrible to her (since it’s a Cinderella retelling), but they were just wonderful. Anna and Drew, her stepsisters, are fun and supportive and you can tell that they’re all really close. Erica, her stepmom, is also in Cindy’s corner and you can see that though their relationship isn’t perfect, they’re working through it.

I’m not a huge follower of the Bachelor franchise, but it made for a great premise in the book. The reader is essentially behind the scenes on the show, and I loved being able to read about the hijinks and the friendships that form in that kind of environment, and honestly, it was just a fun ride to be on. I love that Cindy was able to make friends and band together when other contestants weren’t as friendly. I can’t say that I’d personally decide to go on a reality dating competition, but reading about it was entertaining!

Of course, when there’s love, I’m invested, so I loved reading about Henry and Cindy and how their own relationship blossomed throughout the book. From their chance meeting at the airport to recognizing each other when the show starts, to their secret walkie-talkie dates and then secret in-person dates, I was rooting for them the entire time. I don’t want to give too much away, so you’ll have to pick up this book to see how the Before Midnight finale played out…

One thing I will highlight is Cindy’s body positivity in the book. Being a plus-sized woman on the show—and in life in general—she discusses how hard it is for her in society and the rude remarks she gets from others for being “brave” when making certain fashion decisions. I love that clothing obstacles and snarky remarks never deterred her, and that she always felt comfortable in her skin. Pair that with her amazing shoe collection, and her confidence radiated off the pages. It was so wonderful to read! I’d recommend IF THE SHOE FITS for anyone looking for a fun twist on Cinderella and The Bachelor, and anyone who wants to celebrate the notion of choosing yourself and choosing joy.

A big thank you to Disney-Hyperion and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy for review! IF THE SHOE FITS is out now.

An incredibly fun romance with an important message on body positivity! The central romance was powerful and I found myself laughing with them. A charming spin on the Cinderella story that left me smiling from ear to ear.

I LOVED LOVED LOVED this book. The audio is incredible and this one is so sweet. It's also a grief story and hello, I love that! Add in a reality show, a plus sized heroine with amazing fashion sense, wonderful friends and pending life after college - I ate it up! Can't wait for more of this series!

A modern day Cinderella, I loved this one. The beginning took a little bit to get into, but once it picked up I finished in a single sitting!

4, 5 stars out of 5 stars | thank you to netgalley for the arc!


Firstly I thought I have had enough of Cinderella retellings but HECK was I wrong because this was definitely a Cinderella retelling I've needed without knowing.
And you do too!

This is a cute romcom book with :

- good & authentic representation and diversity

- an amazing and addictive writing style

- likeable, fantastic and authentic characters

- a storyline basically like 'The Selection' by Kiera Cass (without the Dystopian features)

- all the things you want to read!!


I never thought I would adore this as much as I did!

The only things I've got to criticize are that the love between the main characters felt kind of like Insta love (which I'm not a fan of) and the ending was way too rushed for me.

But otherwise pls SOMEONE NEEDS TO TURN THIS INTO A MOVIE! I BEG YOU!

I received this book from NetGalley as an eARC in exchange for a review.

A romcom based of the Bachelor? With a fat MC? And a bunch of other LGBTQIA+ side characters? I mean I don't watch the show IRL but count me in. This story was so fun and enjoyable. The "game" element of the story really helped push the plot along. I liked that our MC wasn't trying to apologize for her size but rather get the fashion industry to see that fat people deserve to be stylish too. The love interest was a bit boring for me but our MC truly shined.

A Cinderella re-telling featuring a Bachelor type reality TV show, the first plus size contestant on said show, and lots of shoes and fashion.
I do love a good fairy tale re-telling, so I was excited to get my hands on If the Shoe Fits. I'm not going to lie, I almost DNF'd this one based on the first third. Cindy's dialogue just seemed very unnatural and the end of the story became so predictable right away, however I'm glad I kept going because Cindy really came into her own. It was like she became her best self when she was with "the suitor" Henry. The real star of the show was Tracy, the bisexual roller derby librarian - I loved her. I do recognize that books with good representation are important and I loved how Julie Murphy tackled fat-shaming, however If the Show Fits was just okay.
If you're looking for a super quick and cute G rated romance with good plus size rep, check out If the Shoe Fits.
Thanks to NetGalley and Disney Publishing for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great modern retelling of Cinderella. I absolutely love watching anything Bachelor Nation, and if you are a fan of The Bachelorette, you will love this.

If the Shoe Fits is a fun story with a happy ending. I loved that the character was not the typical romance beauty. Julie Murphy knows how to write outside the expectations of a typical romance. I’m happy to see her a non-YA book from her and look forward to the next one.

This Cinderella story's biggest strength is that it features a plus size character, which you don't often see in romance novels.

This was such a fun read! I'm a big fan of the bachelor franchise so it was super fun to read a book with a similar premise! The characters were all amazing and I had a hard time putting this one down!

For fans of Cinderella and The Batchelorette who always wanted to see the protagonist have a little more agency, this is the book for you. A fun, frothy retelling that focuses on size inclusion and healthy body image as well as positive female relationships and dynamics rather than pitting women against each other. Perfect for anyone who loved Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld.

A wonderful modern retelling of Cinderella. I loved the bachelor aspect of the novel and the romance was beautiful!

This has been on my radar for so long. The story was super cute and refreshing! Also, after reading two thrillers back to back, it was high time for me to go back to romance, and If The Shoe Fits was the perfect lighthearted read to welcome me back!

Knowing Cinderella's abusive background, I was a little apprehensive about how Cindy's step-family will be portrayed in the book.

Good thing the author managed to make Cindy's relationship with her family healthier than the source material. I really enjoyed Cindy's bond with her step-sisters, Drew and Anna, as well as the triplets. Her relationship with her stepmother, Erica, wasn't the best but I love the stark contrast from the original story. It was so refreshing and surprising, I have to admit, seeing them be supportive of each other. Of course, Cindy feels a little out of place at times but her family always has her back.

Julie Murphy is one of my favorite authors, although I have to admit that I wasn't able to follow through with her release of Puddin' and Pumpkin which I need to bump up my TBR. I really love the way she makes her protagonists relatable to the core. As a plus-sized woman, I can definitely relate to her adorable characters.

I loved how Cindy always breathes her ambitions. She's very much goal-oriented despite having a little setback with her creative block. Her confidence is totally inspiring! How I wish I could be the same. I really REALLY enjoyed how she always speaks her mind and stands up for herself, especially highlighting how the fashion industry needs to be more inclusive for people of different shapes and sizes.

Another addition to my apprehension was the fact that the plot revolves around a reality TV show. Basically, The Bachelor-style. I'm not the biggest fan of those but I quite enjoyed it here. Speaking of the things I enjoyed, the chemistry and banter between Cindy and Henry were super adorable. I called myself out for falling in love with them not even 5% in the book. I just wish that there was a little more depth in Henry's character. I would've loved to see more layers to his personality.

If The Shoe Fits spins a fun and refreshing twist to the classic Cinderella tale. It was the perfect lighthearted romance that served as an adorable palate-cleanser to my recent spooky run! I love the idea of having these contemporary romance fairy-tale retellings and I can't wait to read more of them in the future!

My issue only stems from Henry's character depth and I guess the book's pacing? I found it a little too fast-paced for my liking. But overall, I really enjoyed reading this book and having to experience the magic of Julie Murphy's writing all over again!

Did we need another retelling of the Cinderella story? It turns out, we did. I ended up loving this book so much and I honestly didn’t expect to, but If the Shoe Fits is an incredibly sweet, heart-warming and emotional modern take on a classic tale. I adored it for its representation, its ability to make me smile and fall in love with a shoe-loving Cinderella and her Prince Charming. I also loved that this featured a plus sized lead and that the story didn’t revolve around her body. This is book is too complex to be "just a romance" and the steam factor is on low. I am looking forward to seeing what comes out in the companion novels that will come after.

There were so many things I loved about this book. - it was such a fun re-telling First of all, the plus-sized rep was SO well done. I am a big fan of taking a classic and making it something new, so having the twists with not only a reality show and having a plus-sized lead got me all kinds of excited. Cindy is stylish and funny and gorgeous… and fat. And that is okay. We need more books that show that just the way this one did. This was a quick, fun read. I really love how Julie Murphy writes and is inclusive with her characters.

This was my first Julie Murphy book and it will not be my last. I was familiar with her YA titles but I was thrilled to read her adult romance novel in the new "Meant to Be" series. The nods to Disney's princess fairytales were cute and not stretched thin as I was worried it would become. It always felt natural and just the story. Not ever trying to get the wrong foot in the glass slipper if you know what I mean. I appreciated that the stepmother and stepsisters were not portrayed as the stereotypical "evil" step family and in fact were charming and multifaceted people as they should be.
The romance was sweet and totally PG (appropriate for a Disney Publication) and I didn't mind in this story because the characters were genuine and their romance seemed natural and not forced. As a plus size woman, I loved how her size was acknowledged but never become the entire focus of the storyline or made to be as something to overcome. I appreciated Cindy's confidence and especially how it was never like "how could this hot guy like that fat girl" like it is in so many books. My one negative comment would be in the very beginning, we get that odd story about the free pizza and the delivery driver. Although I understand giving us more of Cindy's backstory with her father/childhood, I was uncomfortable with the emphasis on food and eating right in the beginning of a fat positive romance. It almost fell into a stereotype to me of the fat girl being obsessed with food. I'm glad it didn't keep going with a focus on food and instead on Cindy's career and love/family life.
Overall, I found this to be a very enjoyable read and I will recommend it to my patrons looking for a sweet contemporary romance.

One of my favorite writers took a classic tale and made it plus sized, and I’m HERE FOR IT PEOPLE. THANK YOU Julie Murphy for CONSISTENTLY providing us with characters of all sizes - you are the real MVP. My first girl crush. I adore thee.

Great book, loved the story and the characters. I will be recommending this book to my friends and book club!