This was a really cute Cinderella retelling! I was curious as to what an adult book from Disney would be like, and I feel like this was a great start to the line. Julie Murphy's voice translates really well for an adult-YA crossover sort of audience, and I really enjoyed both the individual character arcs and the romantic chemistry. The reality show was a fun setup for the concept, and I'm looking forward to reading more adult romance retellings like this from Disney!

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. This was a fun twists on Cinderella. If you are a Bachelor/Bachelorette fan, this show is for you. I love the connection between Henry and Cindy. I also adored how this book explored relationships between the contestants as well as family relationships.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a perfect summer read to enjoy poolside. I already knew I enjoy Julie Murphy's writing, I've been a fan of Dumplin' for years.

In this book we get a slightly more mature main character, but the same intuitive sarcasm, clear honesty, and sweet romance that we've seen from Murphy before. I thought the reality TV/chasing your dreams plot was woven seamlessly with the Cinderella premise without being cheesy. I laughed and swooned. It was very fun to read. My favorite thing about this book was the way Cindy was presented as a plus size woman, and she wasn't afraid to point out the typical issues larger people deal with on a daily basis, but that wasn't what the book was about. No excuses were made, it was very matter of fact, it was not made into a PSA, the story did not revolve around Cindy being plus sized or ever wishing to be different. She was just living her life as an average to slightly larger than average person in America. It was very refreshing. At the end of the book I was left feeling like I would have liked just a little bit more, but maybe I just wasn't ready to say goodbye to these characters yet.

I quite enjoyed this book. To be honest I think I hyped myself a little more up for it than I thought, because I was thinking it was going to be more of a Cinderella retelling and not a ‘bachelor show’ based book. Which I did enjoy that, where we got to see that aspect. But I feel it wasn’t needed. I feel they could have met on the flight and than Cindy’s step mom’s and Henry’s mom could have a law suit going on and than their connection forms more over time…I don’t know. But it was less of a fairy telling wedding and more based on the bachelor. And now I’m realizing it…Cindy’s half-siblings are named after the mice (which is super cute). I thought this was an interesting and cute romance.

Look, if you are at the point of reading re views to decide whether or not to read this book: read it. If you have ever watched anything from the Bachelor franchise, you will love this book. If you are annoyed by the fakeness of reality tv, you will love this book. If you're ready to see a plus-size woman join the Bachelor franchise, you will love this book. If you love Cinderella and fairytale retellings that turn parts of the original on its head, you will. love this book.
"Meant to Be: If the Shoe Fits" truly is as charming as you are hoping it will be. The characters are sweet but not to the point of being annoying. There are genuinely tender moments, and, yes, it is definitely a thinly-veiled fictionalization/ reference to The Bachelor.

This was an ok story with some really good things to say about positive body image, society's expectations of ourselves, the fashion industry, and reality tv. Cindy doesn't let anyone shame her for what she looks like, she stands up for herself when she needs to but isn't aggressively pushy or in your face. She doesn't believe in fate or happy endings but then fate takes a hand. The guy she cad a moment with ends up being the suitor on the newest edition of a Bachelor-style dating show and Cindy is a last minute contestant. I liked some of the behind the scenes bits, especially with Beck explaining how she uses the show to try and "feed people their vegetables" a bit at a time. I enjoyed how Cindy stood up for herself against the mean crew. I enjoyed the twists with the ending. But I have to admit some of it dragged for me, there was a lot of repeating the same emotional issues about her parents deaths (not that it didn't deserve something, I just felt like it got a little more repeat time here than it needed), very few of the characters got much fleshing out, and I didn't always see the sparks Cindy describes between her and Henry. An interesting mix of stereo-tropes and surprises, a fun, if slow, rom-com for the summer.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Modern day, inclusive Cinderella with much happier family dynamics meets the Bachelor in this delightful, romantic reimagining.

Fan of bachelor type tv shows ✔
Plus size amazing main character ✔
Totally predictable ending ✔
Amazingly funny rom-com that you'll fall in love with ✔

How can you not love Cindy? I loved her relationships with everyone. She's just so real and relatable. This book was so sweet. And while you can guess how it ends, you'll still keep reading because everyone is a sucker for a happy ending.

4 stars
I love a take on a fairytale. When you put together the Cinderella Hook of a shoe that needs to fit the right woman...Why not build the story around a woman who designs shoes? She may not be the perfect size society says is the "one" but her charm is more than her size and the TV show using the selection of a shoe is perfect for her because she designs them.

Meant to Be was an adorable tale of love and finding your happily ever after. Cindy lives a wonderful life with her stepmother and two stepsisters, all of whom respect her and want what is best for her. She enters a dating show hoping to promote herself and her fashion degree. What happens instead is not at all what she planned. Meant to Be is a fun read with a confident female lead. I highly recommend it to those who are looking for a quick and delightful romance.

If the Shoe Fits was such a fantastic read! I loved so much about it but especially the fat girl representation in romance!
Obviously, I loved the character of Cindy. She was cute and intelligent and just so creative. I loved her body positivity. Since it’s something I struggle with, it was nice to read a book about someone comfortable in her own skin and speaking up for herself. I also loved Beck and her character, believing in and supporting Cindy!
This is a Cinderella retelling, and it could have been done in many ways, especially in line with the original. However, I was so happy to see how they handled the step-mother and step-sisters. It is lovely to see that people can have a good and loving relationship with the step-relations and that no all step-mothers are evil!
Finally, as a former Bachelor watcher and a lover of the show Unreal, I loved the dating show setting! I liked how skeptical most of the characters were about the whole dating show idea. But, of course, the romance was great! I felt a real connection between Cindy and Henry, and I loved their story!

If the Shoe Fits is an exciting step into the world of Disney adult romance novels that begins with a Bachelor-esque Cinderella retelling. Cindy lands a position on a reality show when an opening needs immediate filling, propelling her into starlight being the only plus sized woman on the show. This did not focus on her body and instead on her accomplishments and skills. The classic tale has Cindy (Cinderella) suffering under the cruelty of her step-mother and sisters, but this retelling thankfully steps away from that and give her a family that is supportive and loving.

I was hesitant at the thought of an adult Disney romance, but I will definitely continue reading the series.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review!

If the Shoe Fits… wear it and wear it with confidence! This book is just what I needed. An amazing love story with a plus size woman as the main focus. Cindy is done with college and returns home to spend some time with her family. After the loss of her dad, she has found home with her stepmom and brothers and sisters. Trying to figure out her next step in the fashion world (shoes specifically), she gets an opportunity to go on a dating reality TV show produced by none other than her stepmom. It’s not every day that a plus sized woman appears on these shows to try to win the heart of an eligible bachelor. What Cindy doesn’t expect is the spotlight and people actually rooting for her to win. Can she possibly win the heart of this bachelor? Will she be able to promote her career? Or will this all be a huge disappointment and for nothing? This book was a fantastic read and I could not wait for the ending to see what happened. Definitely one for us bigger girls and wanting to be accepted for who we are! Hoping to see more from this author!

If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy is a fun Cinderella retelling. Featuring a plus sized main character who ends up on a reality show. Although this book didn’t wow me, I did find it to be quite a cute read. A nice, light read.

This was a super cute retelling of Cinderella. All the expected characters but not with the same characteristics. I loved the love in this book. This was my first by Julie Murphy, but it won't be my last since I own Dumplin' and it's on my TBR for this year.
Highly recommend if you like retellings, Disney, POSITIVE body image, and some romance. I look if forward to the next book in the series!!

I'm so glad Julie Murphy decided to venture into adult romance! This was a delight. I especially loved that it was low on the fatphobia, because sometimes that can be a really overarching theme in books with fat rep and it's nice to see something overwhelmingly positive instead for a change. I also loved how, even though this was a Cinderella retelling, Cindy actually has a really good relationship with her step mother and step sisters. Overall a super fun read!

After reading some heavy historical fiction, I was in need of a pick-me-up and this book did the trick! This was such a fun story, loosely based on the Cinderella fairytale. It was a very quick and easy read. I highly recommend and I plan to read others if they continue the series.

Thank you, Disney Publishing and NetGalley, for a digital ARC!

Gah, I loved this book. Read it in one session, that I unfortunately started around midnight. While the subject is similar to One to Watch, I just found this one to be more readable for me. Could just have been timing, not sure why.

This is sometimes laugh out loud funny, gets you in the feels, and is just an all around feel good book, which I really needed today.

Highly recommend for a fast read that will put a smile on your face. One thing I really loved is that while there are definitely some Cinderella references, don't worry, stepmom and stepsisters aren't evil!

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

TW: death of parents off page

This is a loosely inspired by Cinderella contemporary romance with a Bachelor esque show. I was a bit skeptical of the retelling aspect since I hate mean girl plots but was pleasantly surprised that the step family was not evil. But as clever as this was, I did not like the romance part. Maybe because my bias against dudes on the bachelor came through.. I just hate how unfair it is to the girls on the show. But I did love that this featured a plus sized lead and that the story didn’t revolve around her body so I will likely continue this companion series.

I throughly enjoyed reading this book. It was cute, loving and fun. I was glad that the character was a plus-size woman, which you do not see often. I thought the character developments throughout the book was engaging and amazing to read. The name of the title is also very creative and it tied in with the story very well. I would recommend this book.