I absolutely adored this! The fat rep was fantastic, and apparently I'm a huge sucker for romance books set on reality dating shows because I devoured this in one sitting without stopping.

Cindy was smart, witty, beautiful, badass, and went for what she wanted. And Henry was such a good match for her; their banter had me grinning like a fool more than once. I adored that it was obvious from the get-go that she was his top choice and that, despite some conflict thrown in at the end, we as the readers never doubt that he is completely enamored with Cindy. I will say that I had been hoping for a little bit more at the end, but at the same time it was almost refreshingly modern and not the typical "here they are 2 years later married with kids epilogue" that gets so repetitive in romances. This was my first book by Julie Murphy, but you can bet that I'll be picking up any new books she writes from here on out!

***Special thanks to Netgalley, Disney Publishing Worldwide, Disney-Hyperion, and Julie Murphy for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review***

This was really cute! I have read Julie Murphy's YA books (Dumplin') and her children's book (Dear Sweet Pea) so I was really excited to see her voice in an adult romance title. I am not the biggest fan of fairytale retellings but I had to try it out especially since the book has a plus size protagonist. It was a really cute romance and I could definitely see the Cinderella themes but there was enough modern elements that it flowed really well.

Julie Murphy is killing it at making books with strong representation and characters that are super heart warming. I really liked Cindy, her style and her drive for life is awesome. I love the idea of Before Midnight and having such a diverse cast on it was awesome. Henry was awesome but I wish we would have got a bit more of him. Loved the slow burn of this book as well. Can't wait to read more from Julie Murphy.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc for an honest review!

DNF at 10%. An adult romance without smut? Boo. I know this was written with Disney and will probably be optioned but come on.

Disney is very invested in their princess line-up as they aim to produce countless remakes and reinterpretations of their most famous fairy tales. That ambition goes far beyond the realm of film and TV, and that energy to reinvigorate people’s interest in these stories normally meant for children is coming to adults.

The Meant To Be series aims to take our classic fairytale heroines and bring them into a modernized realm, starting with Julie Murphy’s If the Shoe Fits which modernizes the Cinderella tale. It follows the recently graduated up-and-coming shoe designer Cindy. After getting a degree from fashion school, Cindy is unable to get her footing and heads back “home” to live with her stepmother, stepsisters, and three younger half-siblings. The plan is for Cindy to take over nanny duties for the triplets while she figures out her next move. Meanwhile, her super successful stepmother is preparing another season of her super popular dating reality show, Before Midnight, which is effectively The Bachelor. When a spot on the show needs to be filled, Cindy and her stepmother are surprised to find Cindy volunteering for the part and that Cindy is committed to taking on the task. While Cindy is looking forward to the possible career opportunities that would be open to her, things take a turn for the romantic when Cindy has an actual connection with the show’s bachelor, Henry.

For anyone who appreciates the story of Cinderella, they will surely get a kick out of Murphy’s retelling of the classic story. There are many nods to the tale, specifically Disney’s version, but with a twist. The twist is that the story is a lot more kind to its cast of characters and completely recreates the dynamics that make Cinderella what it is. The “evil” stepfamily is nonexistent. For the most part, Cindy’s relationship with her stepmom and sisters is good. Even though her stepmom is concerned for her plus-size stepdaughter, there is never any shame attached and/or abuse aimed towards Cindy, just misguided concern. The three little mice who helped Cinderella are now her half-siblings, lovingly given the names of Cinderella’s most trusted companions. There isn’t a fairy godmother unless you consider Cindy’s confidence in herself and the assistant producer Beck’s encouragement of Cindy as filling the fairy godmother role. The hallmarks of all that make the Cinderella story are present in If The Shoe Fits, but this retelling is far from interested in rehashing any of that and aims to be its own thing. The connections are superficial at best, with specific Cinderella plot points used as story markers along the way.

Julie Murphy’s writing is sweet and sassy. She is more than equipped at handling a plus-sized character and giving them a worthy story and a persona that is more than their clothing size. Cindy is a nice, ambitious and all-around remarkable person, who does not once doubt her worth. However, there is very little given to the other characters to fully flesh out Cindy’s experience and how she relates to them. And while there is no need to give our male lead more of a spotlight, it certainly would have been nice to have either a dual perspective in the book or more time spent building the relationship. While Cindy’s love life is not the most important element in the story, it is integral to her passion for shoe design. If Henry and the romance inspire Cindy to create, then her relationship needs to have a little more depth. That being said, Murphy’s writing is capable of endearing us to Henry and the romance, so for what it’s worth, they will make you smile.

Cinderella meets The Bachelor, with a plus-sized protagonist is a compelling enough narrative; however, it’s missing the dramatic tension to hit home the body positivity narrative. While our protagonist is rock solid and infallible (for the most part), the supposed narrative of her being an instant icon is not relayed believably. One does not want someone to outright fat-shame Cindy, but other than Cindy standing up against the lack of diversity in fashion sizing, and snarky comments from another contestant, most of the body positivity on display is surface level. Perhaps if the narrative revolved around modelling or fashion design, then Cindy’s character arc and what she represents would have folded in neatly with a narrative about fashion and diversity of body types. But since it is a narrative about a love story, with a love interest that barely registers in the story, everything built around Cindy is flimsy, contrived, and haphazardly put together. This book moves at breakneck speed, with much of Cindy’s triumphant moments feeling abrupt and rushed into. And with the characters around Cindy being so underdeveloped, including her stepfamily, the book feels ultimately like a one-and-done sort of reading to pump some serotonin into your system while you bathe under the sun this summer. Everything other than Cindy is too simple, and with such low stakes, this summer read doesn’t warrant a re-read.

If The Shoe Fits is a fun, quick read, that is light on drama but bursting with positive energy. In many ways, it reads like a treatment for a limited series or movie, and perhaps it ultimately would have been served better in that format. While the story will ultimately leave you feeling a little unsatisfied, there is solace in knowing that Cindy, our beloved shoe-obsessed plus-sized queen, gets her happy ending and the career boost she so rightly deserves.

Romance. Fairytale retelling. Reality dating show. Mean to Be: If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy checks all my favorite boxes.

Thank you to Disney and NetGalley for my advance copy in exchange for my review.

Reframing the classic Cinderella story on the set of a reality dating show may just have been a stroke of genius. When her step-mother's Bachelor-esque reality show has a sudden opening, Cindy agrees to fill in. If nothing else, maybe it'll help launch her fledgling fashion career. Instead of blending in, Cindy stands out and becomes the newest body-positive role model. And Prince Charming takes notice.

While written for an adult audience, If the Shoe Fits will also be enjoyed by a YA audience. (It's a strictly low-steam kind of romance.) I love seeing more plus-sized heroines. If, like me, you were a little disappointed by One to Watch, I think you'll find that If the Shoe Fits is the story we were all hoping to read. I love that romance is slowly becoming more representative of real life. Feeling comfortable in one's skin is important, and we need to learn to love the skin we're in. I will say it again and again, representation matters--and Murphy delivers.

Murphy writes with energy and enthusiasm, making the slightly tired story of Cinderella modern and a whole lot of fun. I can't wait to see what other retellings she has up her sleeve.

Cindy just graduated with a degree in shoe design but without any job prospects, she starts working for her stepmother, a producer of the reality show Before Midnight. She volunteers for a spot on the show but being the only plus sized woman on the show makes a larger impact than she anticipated. She finds inspiration for her designs and love in the process.

This was a cute modern Cinderella meets The Bachelor story. It was a little cheesy with how all of the characters in the book had names similar to the ones in the movie. I really appreciated all of the body positivity and how it showed Cindy handling her depression due to her father’s death. It did not shy away from the hard topics at all.

Three of my most favorite things are romcoms, shoes and reality TV so it should come as no surprise that I loved IF THE SHOE FITS.

This modern retelling of Cinderella (Oh, wait! I also love Disney princess movies. This checks off another of my favorite things!) finds Cindy, a recently graduated plus-size shoe designer, going on her stepmother's reality show (a Bachelor-spoof called "Before Midnight" and Murphy does a fabulous job of giving the dating show tropes a Cinderella spin) where the suitor happens to be the heir to a fashion empire with whom she had a previous meet cute.

There are so many great things about this book. I was so happy that Cindy's stepmother, Erica Tremaine, and step sisters, Anna and Drew, aren't evil like in the fairytale and Murphy gives a lot of emotional depth to all of the characters. Cindy is still reeling from the loss of both of her parents as well as having to deal with being a plus-sized woman in both the world of fashion and on a reality show. For me, one of the best parts was how exactly right Murphy gets reality TV production. It's what I do for a living and I often have a hard time reading books about TV but this one is an exception. At one point, one of the women is crying and Wes, a producer on the show, yells into his walkie "No, let her spiral! I need those tears!" I'm 99.9% sure I've said those exact words at least once on set myself. And Beck, Erica's right-hand woman and Cindy's sort of fairy godmother, uses the same explanation I do about why I'm in reality TV - that it opens audiences up to new types of peoples and experiences. "Sometimes you gotta sneak people their vegetables. Give 'em the good stuff with a little but of what they need but aren't ready to digest." For once, TV producers aren't shown as complete opportunists. I mean, we still want the tears but our hearts are in the right place....

But back to the book! This was such a fun read and I'm excited for more in the Meant To Be Series. I can't wait to see which Disney princess will story will be updated next.

Thanks to Disney Publishing, Disney-Hyperion and NetGalley for a copy to review.

I’m not someone who watches reality TV shows like The Bachelor or The Bachelorette, but the premise of this book sounded like fun. And it was! In addition to the plus-size-Cinderella-themed story, you get a good look at what goes on in the background during the casting and shooting of these reality shows. As someone who at one point in her life had to shop in the plus-size department, I totally related to the main character, Cindy, in her struggle to find fashionable clothing that would fit her.

There’s a meet-cute and then a twist on the Cinderella story near the end that had me laughing out loud. I was happy to see that Cindy was career-minded in her dreams, and that most of the other contestants on the show were drawn sympathetically and with individuality (and the staff on the show as well!), with only one of the contestants portrayed as a sort of “mean girl.” It was also great that the stepmother and stepsisters in this retelling were wonderful people that had Cindy’s back. Extra props for including diverse characters of all sorts in natural ways.

Recommended as a fun, light read! I look forward to whatever the next book in this Meant To Be series will be.

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Julie Murphy has a wonderful way of writing. Her characters are interesting and thoughtfully written. I love the diversity and how realistic they feel. What is even better, is Murphy's writing is very recognizable. If I were to read something written by her and not known it was by her, I think I would still recognize her talent. If the Shoe Fits is no exception to this. I love Murphy's embracing of diverse characters and painting plus sized characters in a positive light. The main character, Cindy, reminds me a lot of Dumplin towards the end of her story. There is a level of confidence, originality and understanding to the character. Henry is also interesting. He is less cookie cutter than I originally anticipated. The dialog between the characters is fun and inventive. The cadence, and humor interjected through out the book really resonated with me. I think over all, this is a really good retelling. With all it's positives, I will say I the story was faced paced. I would have loved just a little more tension throughout the story. Some of that 'drama' is missing. This is a personal preference of course, and probably has a lot to do with my going into the book knowing it was her first dip into New Adult/Adult fiction. Will I read more from this series? Definitely! Despite wanting more, I am absolutely enamored with Murphy's writing and characters.

I have to say that I went into If the Shoe Fits without any expectations that I'd like it. In part I was skeptical of how compelling a Disney-sanctioned adult romance could be, and I was also feeling burned out on fairytale retellings. I've also read and loved a few books recently that are also clearly inspired by The Bachelor, and I was skeptical that yet another book with that premise could feel fresh and fun. I'm so happy that I was wrong on all counts.

Compared with other recent fairytale retellings, If the Shoe Fits is more on the nose in a lot of ways. For example, Cindy, our protagonist, is a recent grad of the Parsons School of Designs whose passion is shoes and shoe design. At a pivotal moment in the book, Cindy dons a modern rendition of Disney's classic Cinderella look. She even has a little brother named Gus Gus! While ostensibly this should have been too much, Julie Murphy somehow managed to make me embrace the nostalgia of it all while also writing a compelling romance. Seriously, that this book had heat and tension and gave me butterflies and felt adult while still being totally PG was an incredible feat, and I was endlessly charmed by Cindy and Henry. I also really loved how Murphy wrote Cindy's stepmom and stepsisters, providing an endearing twist on this pivotal part of the Cinderella story.

What is really great here is the representation. I knew going in that Cindy was fat and obviously we can never get enough of that rep in romance but I was so pleasantly surprised to see some of the other representation in this book, including multiple queer characters as well as a non-binary character.

At the end of the day, I didn't really love Cindy and Henry's meet cute and I thought the end was a bit rushed (my kingdom for an epilogue!) but overall this was a smart, sweet romance, and I cannot wait to see what's next in this line of fairytale retellings.

Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

When there is an modern day interpretation of Cinderella with a plus-sized heroine and Bachelor style reality series, there was no way I wouldn't jump at the opportunity to read this one. It was absolutely adorable, enjoyed all the drama and was a delightful read. The way she worries over various issues that she alone had to face as a plus-sized woman were spot on and did not sound preachy at all. The behind the scenes work for a show like Bachelor also got me hooked as that was very informative.

It was nice that stepmom and sisters are not bad in this case. It was fun, cute and a quick read and looking forward to seeing more representation in romcom genre.

I LOVED THIS BOOK! I listened to the audiobook so I will be posting more thoughts under that listing.

This book is so so adorable and is easily one of my favorite comfort reads this year. I loved the added Cinderella undertones, as well as the trashy reality television shenanigans that go along with the experience of dating numerous girls. The characters were constantly involved in drama and Cindy is a vulnerable, candid, and strong heroine. She fights for larger sizes in fashion and stays true to herself. This an optimistic and delightful romance that is a joy to read!

Julie Murphy does it again! If the Shoe Fits is a modern-day Cinderella story, featuring a plus-sized heroine named Cindy who becomes a contestant on a fictionalized version of The Bachelor. If you enjoyed One to Watch, I think you will really like this one as well. Cindy is a great character and I adored her relationship with Henry (aka the prince who in 2021 is just a reality show contestant.) I also really loved that Cindy had a good relationship with her step-sisters and step-mother because honestly, I hate reading books about mean girls bullying other women. If the Shoe Fits was a fresh twist on the Cinderella story, packed with romance and great characters. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a fun read

My take: 3.75 out of 5. This was an adorable novel. I mean you had me at a mixture of modern cinderella, plus size heroin and Bachelor style show. But the actual telling of it is good, and I got quite invested in the characters. Cinderella being plus size was amazing, but it wasn't preachy, it was just a natural occurrence which I really enjoyed. Also i dug the fact that the stepmother and the stepsiblings were cool, it was a fresh take that made it more relatable. A cute, very fast read (i read it on a quick flight), that i could easily see adapted as a made for TV movie.

Started out as a fun, promising romantic book. However, the ending felt bumpy, disjointed, and incomplete.

Meant to Be If the Shoe Fits is a modern retelling of Cinderella. Cindy is a recent college graduate from Parsons Fashion School and having major artist block for designing shoes. In the introduction, Cindy relocates from New York City to Los Angeles to work as a nanny for her three siblings. Cindy’s stepmom is an executive producer on a dating show called Before Midnight. When a contestant drops out at last minute, Cindy volunteers to go on the show for visibility as a shoe designer and maybe launch a brand or land a job. She never expects to fall for the lead, Henry.

Three phrases to describe this book: Walkie-Talkies, Reality television. Fairy tale.

Cover: I love the cover – the blue backdrop with yellow font is appealing to the eye. I also love that they depict Cindy as a fat woman on the cover.

Character Development: Murphy does a wonderful job with character development in this book. The reader gets a sense of where Cindy is in her life right now and how she got there. It feels authentic – like Cindy is a real person. As someone who has lost a parent, watching Cindy continue to process her grief several years after the deaths felt genuine and resonated with me. The pain never goes away and pops up at weird times. I do wish there were a tad bit more development of the supporting characters like her stepmom Erika, her half-sisters, and Henry. We get some context but not enough for me!

Representation:
The book also touches on at least three experiences that Cindy goes through as a fat woman – concern trolling, the idea that a love interest is into you but is hiding you from the world, and not having access to clothes that fit during group activities. These are all things I’ve experienced in my life and have heard discussed in the fat community. I want more books that talk about the experience of being fat and existing in the world.

World-Building: The world of this novel is that of a reality television dating show like the Bachelor. You get a sense of what it would be like to be on a show like this and live with all these women. I would have loved a bit more development in the reality television aspect.

Plot & Pacing: The pacing of this novel was perfection. Read it in two sittings. The plot elements were perfectly placed. Loved that the Cinderella retelling was not heavy handed and far more subtle.

Verdict: Absolutely recommend. As a fat woman, I rarely see myself in books, so this book was such a treat. This book is a delightful, quick read and I really hope you will pick it up!

ARC was provided to me by Disney Publishing, in exchange for an honest review.
Meant to Be If the Shoe Fits is a modern retelling of Cinderella. Cindy is a recent college graduate from Parsons Fashion School and having major artist block for designing shoes. In the introduction, Cindy relocates from New York City to Los Angeles to work as a nanny for her three siblings. Cindy’s stepmom is an executive producer on a dating show called Before Midnight. When a contestant drops out at last minute, Cindy volunteers to go on the show for visibility as a shoe designer and maybe launch a brand or land a job. She never expects to fall for the lead, Henry.

Three phrases to describe this book: Walkie-Talkies, Reality television. Fairy tale.

Cover: I love the cover – the blue backdrop with yellow font is appealing to the eye. I also love that they depict Cindy as a fat woman on the cover.

Character Development: Murphy does a wonderful job with character development in this book. The reader gets a sense of where Cindy is in her life right now and how she got there. It feels authentic – like Cindy is a real person. As someone who has lost a parent, watching Cindy continue to process her grief several years after the deaths felt genuine and resonated with me. The pain never goes away and pops up at weird times. I do wish there were a tad bit more development of the supporting characters like her stepmom Erika, her half-sisters, and Henry. We get some context but not enough for me!

Representation:
The book also touches on at least three experiences that Cindy goes through as a fat woman – concern trolling, the idea that a love interest is into you but is hiding you from the world, and not having access to clothes that fit during group activities. These are all things I’ve experienced in my life and have heard discussed in the fat community. I want more books that talk about the experience of being fat and existing in the world.

World-Building: The world of this novel is that of a reality television dating show like the Bachelor. You get a sense of what it would be like to be on a show like this and live with all these women. I would have loved a bit more development in the reality television aspect.

Plot & Pacing: The pacing of this novel was perfection. Read it in two sittings. The plot elements were perfectly placed. Loved that the Cinderella retelling was not heavy handed and far more subtle.

Verdict: Absolutely recommend. As a fat woman, I rarely see myself in books, so this book was such a treat. This book is a delightful, quick read and I really hope you will pick it up!

ARC was provided to me by Disney Publishing, in exchange for an honest review.

#NetGalley #MeanttoBeIftheShoeFits

*I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide for this ARC!*

I am always a sucker for a fairytale retelling, and this Cinderella-esque retelling was so much fun! If you are a fan of reality dating shows like The Bachelor and fairytales, then this book is for you!

I loved the premise of this book. Getting to see what happens behind-the-scenes on shows like The Bachelor is something that has always fascinated me. I would love to see what makes people make the decisions they do on these shows. The show in the book, Before Midnight, gave me all of The Bachelor feels that I could ever want. Also, I would absolutely love to see more diversity on these types of shows. The main character in this book is plus size, which is fantastic. I would also love to see some contestants with disabilities, just to mix things up.

I was a big fan of Cindy. She was spunky and talented. To top it all off, she was also very kind and had so much confidence without being cocky. I loved her meet cute with Henry on the airplane. It was so fun to see such instant chemistry between the two, but that it wasn’t insta-love, which can be unbelievable to the extreme. I was also happy to see her relationship with her stepsisters and stepmom were actually really positive and well-adjusted (for the most part). This was a different take on the Cinderella tale that I found to be very refreshing.

I liked the relationships that Cindy developed with the other girls in the house. My only complaint is that I wish it had delved into those relationships even a little deeper. I wanted to see more from her friendship with Sara Claire and Stacy. I loved that Cindy was also close to one of the producers, Beck. It gave the behind-the-scenes parts some more depth.

Overall, I thought this was a really fun and cute romance. It gave me all of the reality dating show fun with some extra sweet romance too. Also, the main character’s professional ambition gave this story an extra edge that I think it needed. This was a really fun read!

My Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

I gave If the Shoe Fits 4.5 Stars!

This was one of my most anticipated reads because I’m a fan of Julie Murphy’s YA series Dumplin’! Happy to say I really enjoyed Cindy as a character! She was funny, flirty, and I loved her fashion sense! She was also very career oriented and passionate about her work. I saw a lot of myself in Cindy because I also work in the fashion industry and I would love to see it cater more to plus sizes. It’s disappointing that most of the stores who have advertisements all about “body positivity” don’t go over an XXL or a 3X at the most. So Cindy’s experience with the stylist of the show felt really realistic to how hard it is for fat women to find trendy clothes in their size.

The romance plot was also cute! Henry and Cindy had some cute meet-cute moments and I enjoyed seeing them get to know each other. This is published by Disney so there are no explicit steamy scenes, but you could still tell the two had chemistry. I’ve seen this book compared to One to Watch by ​​Kate Stayman-London simply because they both star fat women on dating tv shows, but I think both books stand on their own. I’d recommend this to everyone because I love the conversations on plus size fashion and it’s overall an enjoyable and drama filled romance! This would also be a good romance to start with if you’re new to the genre!