This was a lot of fun! I didn't know whether or not I was going to be the hugest fan of the Bachelor-esque premise, but I ended up totally hooked by it and could not put this book down. My only real gripe with this one is that I felt like the ending was kind of.. unspectacular? But I will definitely cut it some slack as this is a Cinderella retelling and I feel like (while maybe a little boring) the ending really did the Cinderella elements justice lol. Honestly y'all this was a LOT of fun and Julie Murphy is an absolute dream come true when it comes to writing positive fat representation. I couldn't be more excited to hopefully read more adult titles featuring fat characters from her in the future and I definitely recommend checking this one out!

CW: death of a parent, terminal illness, car accidents, fatphobia

This is not your typical Cinderella retelling...thankfully! I absolutely loved it. It's a beautiful mash-up of Cinderella and The Bachelor. I thought I would lie in bed and read for a bit, but oh no I was up until 2am because I had to read it from start to finish. It was sweet, heartfelt, catty, & fun all rolled into one.

What I loved:
- The positive twist to the Cinderella retelling
- Cindy, she's relatable & lovable
- The behind-the-scenes look at Before Midnight aka The Bachelor
- All things fashion - I want her shoes!
- Everything from the meet cute to the walkie-talkies to the ending. I love a good romance.

Fans of One to Watch will love this one too!

Julie Murphy has written some of my all-time favourite protagonists. Honestly, Cindy is now my absolute favourite from Murphy.

Cindy makes me feel seen and understood more than I can even explain.

This entire book was lovely to read. As retellings go, Murphy definitely made it her own, which I appreciated. I fully recommend this book.

This book is amazing, and I literally could not put it down!!! The relationship Henry and Cindy have is so well developed and just adorable overall. I could definitely see how the story seemed to be inspired by The Bachelor and, obviously, Cinderella, while still having things that made it completely original. All of the friendships and family relationships were wholesome and relatable and made the story just that much better. Cindy's love of shoes adds a whole other dimension to the story. The way her confidence in her body grew as the story went on truly inspired me to love myself more, Cindy is such a powerful woman and we need more of that! Overall, an amazing story told wonderfully!!!

Ever since the death of her father, Cindy been in a slump. A slump in work, in love, and in life. Her stepmother insists she comes home after her she finishes college. On her flight home, Cindy encounters a handsome young man named Henry. She leaves the flight wanting his number but does not have it. Her stepmother Erica is a front runner for a reality TV dating show called "Before Midnight" which Cindy ends up decided to star on after some of the contestants drop out. Will she find love or forever be thinking of Prince Charming from the plane?

Pros: a fast paced, easy to digest read, beautifully well designed side characters and a main character you can't help but rooting for, body positivity and queer positivity, a romance that builds quickly but believably, and a look into reality TV.

Cons: There aren't any particularly steamy romance scenes, quite a few extraneous extra characters, and there were some role reversal if this is being portrayed as a Cinderella themed tale.

Overall, a very lighthearted and speedy read. I don't know if this hit all my buttons, but it did hit quite a few. I liked the incorporation of many of the original fairy tale characters and I loved Cindy's depth.

6/10 would recommend to those who enjoy light hearted romances, seriously strong flirting, body positivity, and Cinderella retellings!

I had such a hard time putting this one down! If my reading it in less than a day was any indication.

Let me start by saying that I am not someone who watches reality dating shows a la The Bachelor, etc., but I was sucked in to this literary version. I appreciated that this book gave more of a behind-the-scenes take on that idea to talk about how dramatized and disappointing the reality of such a show could be.

I LOVE Cindy! She is such a wonderful character. She’s fat and she’s not apologetic about it. While this fact is brought up numerous times, it’s also not done in a poor way - it’s not the entire focus and Cindy never shames herself or lets others slow her down. She just lives her life, which THANK YOU! There’s zero mention of how much or little she eats. Cindy does not skinny shame anyone except the faceless fashion industry. While she admits things are changing there, she does point out it’s a little too slow, but she does not begrudge skinny people their ability to wear art - she’d just like to be included.

She’s just graduated fashion school, but is heading back to her step-mother’s home, because she has no job prospects after barely graduating. Her mother died when she was young, her father remarried when she was a young teen, then her father died when she was a senior in high school. She has two step-sisters and triplet half-siblings after her step-mother decided to move forward with the surrogate plan following her husband’s death.

Cindy had the best meet-cute on her flight, but they barely even exchanged names. The whole situation was honestly laugh out loud funny. I loved the back and forth with Cindy and Prince Charming (as she calls him).

Cindy’s step-mother runs the biggest reality dating show and two girls just dropped out right before the newest season was set to air. Cindy’s step-mother finally agrees to let her daughters be on the show, but vetoes Cindy, because internet trolls and a big girl are not a good match. Cindy approaches her step-mother again and won’t take no for an answer. This show could be a good chance at exposure for Cindy - it could mean fashion job offers! Her step-mother relents and lets her on the show.

Cindy really isn’t sure what to think about the other women in the competition, she wants to like some of them, but also recognizes they’re all mostly going for the same thing - to win the guy as well as the $100,000 prize. Cindy will be happy with even just a little name recognition to break her into the fashion industry. Then, in walks none other than Prince Charming from the plane. Now, she doesn’t know what to think.

Cindy can’t tell how Henry really feels about her. Sometimes he seems to really like her and she thinks their connection might be real. Then, something else happens to remind her they’re filming a show and maybe everything is all an act. As the two try to get to know each other around the show and discover their real feelings for each other, life is moving on outside. Before the finale, Cindy gets a job offer and has to choose between an uncertain ending or following her dreams. But does choosing really mean giving up on having both?

I loved that for a Cinderella retelling the step family are not evil, but instead are extremely lovable. I loved that there was a good representation with LGBTQ (non-binary, lesbian, and bi characters). I loved the subtle nods to the Cinderella tale splashed throughout, that would be easy to miss and not upsetting for non-Cinderella fans (this isn’t a Disney exclusive space!). I wished there’d been a little more between Cindy and Henry. What was there was wonderful, I just would have liked a little more - what can I say? I’m a sucker for good banter.

Thank you to Net Galley and Disney Publishing Worldwide for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Excellent story of a plus size woman on a reality show. Enjoyed the characters and the storyline. Now what would happen if those TV reality shows REALLY put a few men and women on their shows who were older, larger, and/or different from what we've seen over the years. After all, everyone deserves the HEA too!

The good:
I loved Cindy, the main character. She was the perfect protagonist for this modern day Cinderella retelling. She's charming, sweet, creative, and funny. The narrator does an excellent job bringing her personality to life.
The body positivity is so refreshing. Cindy is plus sized, and while her struggles are real (finding designer clothing in her size, hotel towels and bathrobes being too small, social media body shaming), she has such a good attitude throughout.
The bad:
I couldn't tell whether this is YA or adult. It's so sugary sweet that it reads like a ya fairy tale but Cindy is in her 20s. I think she seems younger than she's supposed to be.
There is very little conflict or angst. Some examples: her stepmother and stepsisters--why aren't they evil? I feel like this could have made the story so much better. Everyone is so nice throughout the novel. Even the villain "Addison," hardly gets any screen time and doesn't really do anything vicious--would expect more from reality TV. The love story was also just too easy. She meets Henry and they instant like each other. He sought her out throughout the show. Any "obstacles" to their relationship felt minor and I never felt the angst of "does he like me?" which is necessary for a romance, especially one set during a reality dating competition.

While this was a cute story, I couldn't tell who the audience is meant to me. It was quick and fun but nothing special.

If you're looking for the grown up versions of your favorite Disney Classics, the "Meant To Be" series is going to be for you!


"If The Shoe Fits" is a contemporary retelling of the iconic Cinderella. Our modern Cindy is a fan of shoe design and fashion who is working for her stepmother while between jobs. Oh, and her stepmother happens to be the executive of a Bachelor-type dating show called "Before Midnight" where women vie for their Prince Charming. When a spot opens up, Cindy volunteers hoping for some exposure to help her land her dream job in fashion.

This retelling was so captivating and so fun for me to read!

It’s good to see romance with more inclusive characters, and it was refreshing to read a ‘Disney’ retelling with a plus sized ‘princess’. The writing was very well done, and the cast of characters was very clever. I will say this felt more new adult than adult, but the romance was well done even if it wasn’t what I would consider a traditional romance. Cindy was a relatable character for me, and Henry was a lovable hero. I enjoyed it, it was a quick read.

In this Cinderella retelling, shoe obsessed Cindy is moving back to LA after a less than stellar senior year at Parsons. With little job prospects, she moves back to LA nanny her triplet half siblings, but finds herself competing on her step-mother's reality dating show. Only entering the competition to gain notoriety and prize money to start her own fashion line, Cindy is shocked to discover that the suitor she's competing for is none other than the Prince Charming she met in the airport on the way back to LA. When Cindy starts falling for Blake, are the feelings real or a product of doctored reality TV?

This book is such a breath of fresh air! From the opening pages, I could already tell this would be a five star read for me and I was obsessed. I had a hard time putting down the book and binged it in 24 hours. It completely got me out of a major book reading slump.

Cindy is everything. She is confident, knows her strengths and won't back down. I love her obsession with shoes and how she believes each pair tells a story. But I also appreciated her journey through grief and trying to figure out her life after the death of both of her parents.

Mr. Prince Charming, Henry, is super swoony. The banter between Cindy and Blake was easy and hilarious. I adored their meet cute in JFK. I found myself falling for Henry right alongside Cindy. In this closed-door romance, their interactions are adorable and easy. The pair just fit together.

Even though this is a retelling, I loved the strong female relationships in the story. Her step-mother and step-sisters were extremely likable and supported Cindy no matter what. The complicated relationship with the other front-runner, Sara Christine, was totally relatable. Cindy wanted to be friends with her, but when she realizes they are both falling for the same man, it pushes Cindy to figure some things out. The deceptions, unique dates and the comical mean girls kept me engaged and entertained. I loved the behind the scenes antics and workings of reality dating shows.

⚠️CW: death of parent, body image

Thank you NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for the advanced copy.

IF THE SHOE FITS is Murphy’s first adult novel. Cindy’s stepmother is the executive producer of America’s favourite reality show, Before Midnight. When a spot on the show suddenly opens up, Cindy agrees to fill in hoping that the exposure and the prize money will help her start her career as a shoe designer. What she doesn’t expect is to become a fan favourite for being a body-positive icon and falling in love along the way.
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This was such a fun, fresh story to fall into. I loved Cindy and Henry’s chemistry. All of these characters made for an entertaining read, but I especially loved Cindy’s family. It’s refreshing to read a Cinderella retelling with a good, well-rounded family instead of the usual evil stepfamily. I enjoyed seeing Cindy’s self love and body positivity, and I’m glad she has truly loving friends and family around her. Her grief struck a chord within me, too. I just loved this book. I can’t wait to see which retelling Julie tells next!
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I’m sure you’d enjoy this one if you enjoyed I’LL BE THE ONE by Lyla Lee!
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4.5/5 stars, IF THE SHOE FITS by Julie Murphy is available August 3, 2021!
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Thank you to Penguin Teen and Netgalley for sending me an eARC to review!

I absolutely ate this up.
Like, this was a three-course meal and I am sitting here, eating the last few bites and luxuriating in how full I feel.
I love Cinderella. I love retellings. I love plus-size romance.
This book gives me all three.

Ngl I felt like this was a slight mix between The Selection and Cinderella.

Cindy decides to be on her stepmom’s show “Before Midnight” to get exposure as a newly coming shoe designer (see the Cinderella themes). But she never knew she’d also end up falling for the Bachelor who was on the same plane to LA.

okay so the romance was a bit like instant love/attraction which is not what i typically read but i was fine with ir. however because Cindy is a plus-sized woman who much of society deems “unattractive” (because we all know the media’s unrealistic beauty standards) i feel like it could be nice for other women to see and feel that they are attractive. but because it was instant, I didn’t feel like much of the romance really evolved. for being marketed as an adult retelling it felt very mild so if you’re looking for that, read this.

Cindy was a strong and confident MC which I absolutely love and she was rational throughout the story.

Thank you NetGalley, Julie Murphy, and Disney Publishing Worldwide <33.

If the Shoe Fits is the first book in Disney’s new Meant to Be series. Advertised as Disney’s first foray into contemporary romance, this book is a Cinderella retelling set during a dating show. It felt more like New Adult Chick-Lit to me than your typical adult romance, but I actually adored it for that.

Cindy has just come home from a difficult final year at college. She’s in a creative rut, and she doesn’t know what to do. Her step-mother is the creator of the popular reality show Before Midnight, a show similar to The Bachelor featuring plenty of balls. Cindy goes on the show as an opportunity to show off her shoes and what she can do. But what if she meets Prince Charming whilst she’s there?

We all know and the story of Cinderella. We may not all love it. But we definitely know it. This story isn’t just a Cinderella retelling, but it’s specifically a retelling of the Disney film. And that added to some fun. I might not have noticed most of the names until I finished the book. Mostly, as I devoured it late at night when I was supposed to be sleeping as I couldn’t stop. But once I recognised them, I was thrilled.

Some of those names for characters are obvious. We have our Cindy and our Henry. Henry is the canonical name of this Prince Charming if you didn’t know. We also have the Tremaine family and her step-sisters Anna and Drew. But Henry’s mum is called Lucy and her Cindy’s triplet half-siblings? Gus, Jack and Mary. It only hit me when she referred to Gus as Gus-Gus, and suddenly I was having flashbacks to the mice in the Disney film.

I’ll be honest. I’m not actually a fan of the Disney film. Even the music and the live-action remake more recently are kind of meh to me. But I loved this retelling so much. I loved that Cindy was actually close to her family. I love that she made other friends and that she was plus-size. I love that Cindy was smart and determined and that she made the right decision for her life.

This book did feel very chick-lit like to me. Though the romance was obviously there as the main plot point. You also got to see Cindy grow herself and see her friends and family grow too. There was no smut, and it was a very light and funny read. Cindy puts her career first at one point, and it’s the right decision. But it’s not exactly the romantic option. I was still cheering her on.

Some people might make comparisons between this book and One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London. Though I loved that book too last year, the two stories felt so different. And a lot of that will do with the fact that in this novel? Cindy is just one of many women after one guy. Most of Cindy and Henry’s romance doesn’t happen on-screen. They sneak around a lot, and it wouldn’t have seemed obvious that they were going to get together as a viewer. Even though he was on the show, Henry doesn’t really show any romantic interest in the other girls. So though it was a competition, it didn’t really feel like one. Though I still wanted to slap Addison.

I adored this book so much. And I will definitely be getting a copy as soon as I possibly can. This book was wonderful, and I’m so excited to see how the rest of the retellings turn out.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of If the Shoe Fits!

If the Shoe Fits is a delightful retelling of Cinderella, featuring a plus-size woman Cindy who goes on a reality dating show to help get publicity to start her own fashion line. She becomes an inspiration to plus-size women everywhere, and she gets the opportunity to show off her own designs. Of course, she also falls in love and has to decide how to balance love with starting her career.

Honestly, I didn't expect to love this one as much as I did. I expected it to be a bit silly and too lovey-dovey for my taste. Instead, I found Cindy to be such a refreshingly honest character, and I felt that the romance between her and Henry really worked. I also liked all the little nods to Disney's Cinderella, even though the story was retold in a fresh way. I loved Cindy's relationships with her stepmother and stepsisters and also with the other women on the show. This was just such a fun read!!

Highly recommend to anyone who likes retellings and fun, light reads with poignant moments!

4.5/5 stars.

“The best part about crossing any bridge is the chance to look back and be able to fully understand where you came from.”

I am really blown away by how much I enjoyed Julie Murphy’s adult debut. If the Shoe Fits is a fresh, modern take on your traditional fairytale retelling; on your traditional dating-show. I absolutely adored all of the campy trashiness of this Bachelor-esque world, but there was SO much heart. I have traditionally not enjoyed Julie Murphy’s stories - but this one completely worked for me and it’s an absolute joy to read.

At times, I forgot that this was a Cinderella re-telling and I think that’s partially why I enjoyed it so much. Most Cinderella stories are stale…relying heavily on antiquated tropes and cliches. If the Shoe Fits draws upon the classic Disney story, but remains entirely its own. I absolutely loved that I was able to lose myself within this story - so much so that I read it nearly in one sitting - and just *enjoy* it. There was a comfort of knowing Cinderella, but I was still shocked and pleasantly surprised by the direction that this took.

I’ve been pretty critical of other books with plus-sized heroines because I haven’t felt seen or appreciated in many of them. That’s not the case here at all. Murphy (and Cindy) acknowledge that she’s fat - openly and proudly. But we’re not meant to pity Cindy or love her in spite of that - she just exists. As someone who has a deep love of the high-fashion industry, I really loved the discourse on anti-fatness and inclusivity. There are also really important conversations on identity, family, and grief that should not be overlooked.

I really can’t recommend this enough!

This is a fun. bingeable romance. You will feel light and fluffy after reading. I always love to see plus size rep in books, although I think One to Watch does this better within the reality TV trope realm. The love in this book seems too easy and instant for me. I would have liked to see a little more conflict, but for 290 pages, this book did what it needed to do to be a fluffy, HEA read. It gave us happy feelings, made us smile, and made us love the protagonist. Is it the best Julie Murphy book? No. But it's fun and would make a great weekend read, especially if you need some happy vibes.

This book just made me smile the whole time! It was such a cute, fun, and fluffy romance and a quick read that's perfect for the end of summer.

"If the Shoe Fits" is a book that follows what would happen if Cinderella were a contestant in "The Bachelor." Thus, it tells the story of Cindy, a recent Parsons grad with a passion for footwear, who fills a last-minute spot in "Before Midnight," a "Bachelor"-type show produced by her stepmother, Erica Tremaine, as a way to springboard her fashion career. Her stepsisters, Anna and Drew, are also late additions to the show, where they all compete to win the heart of Henry Mackenzie. As part of the story, we see the challenges that Cindy faces as a plus-sized contestant in a show that had never had a plus-sized contestant.

Given how popular "One to Watch" was last year and how similar the two storylines are, it's impossible to avoid comparing the two books. However, while Bea in "One to Watch" is basically the bachelorette, Cindy is one of the contestants vying for the bachelor's proposal. This difference in their participation in the show allows for varying character dynamics and plot lines. All in all, I think that "If the Shoe Fits" is a stronger book in terms of character development, plot, and romance, but "One to Watch" seems to be better a portraying the reality TV show aspect of the book by means of the mixed media.

Nevertheless, "One to Watch" never truly felt like a romance for me while "If the Shoe Fits" did. The scenes between Cindy and Henry were cute and heartfelt. I could see their attraction and connection growing, and I cared about whether or not they would end up together. I also loved reading about Cindy's relationship with other characters, particularly her stepfamily. While I love reading fairy tale retellings, I hate how often they are disparaging towards blended families, particularly towards stepmothers. The evil stepmother trope is so common in fairy tales and usually "Cinderella" retellings never really stray away from it. However, here we see a blended family that loves and supports each other and the conflict is not hatred towards a child and child abuse. To me, this was the highlight of the book.

I also think the plus-size representation is much better in this book than in "One to Watch." We see Cindy much more sure of herself and her body than Bea. She reminded me more of April in "Spoiler Alert," which I read earlier this year. I loved that there were no mentions of Henry caring and being attracted to Cindy despite her body, but instead that he was just found her attractive. However, since I'm not plus-sized myself, I think it would be best to read what plus-sized reviewers thought. In addition to discussions of body positivity, the book also featured discussions about how fashion and clothing are related to access to opportunities.

As a romance novel, this book doesn't include any on-page or fade-to-black sex scenes. which might turn off some readers, but I know plenty of others who look for romance novels without "spicy" (I hate that word, but I guess that's what people call them) scenes.

I can't wait to pick up the next installment of the new "Meant to Be" series when it comes out.

"If the Shoe Fits" comes out August 3, 2021.

This is one of those books that just sucks you in and you can't put down. It's a great retake on Disney's version of Cinderella including young triplet siblings named Gus, Mary, and Jack. I loved picking up on all the nods to the movie throughout the book while completely appreciating the story Julie Murphy was telling herself. I will let own voices reviewers comment on the representation that is in this book and how well it was done, but for me it worked well.