Meant to Be: If the Shoe Fits is just plain ole fun!

Cindy is a plus size girl with a great sense of humor, a sweet spirit and a flair for fashion and shoes. It's not hard to be rooting for her and her "Prince Charming" when she ends up on the reality TV show, Before Midnight, with her two step sisters. Henry is down to earth and they had such a great chemistry between them. You could tell that he really understood Cindy. I loved the banter between them-it just really made the book in my eyes!

This was my first book by Julie Murphy but it definitely will not be my last! Anyone who is a Cinderella or Bachelor/Bachelorette fan would enjoy this book.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Overall, a cute Cinderella themed retelling without the evil step family. I thought it was pretty light on the romance, and didn't find the male lead too swoon worthy or anything. I loved how confident our female lead was and was unapologetic about her size and personality. I like that she went after her goals and didn't let a man get in the way of what she wanted - her character was really refreshing.

3.5 stars rounded up! Thanks to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for an ARC in an exchange for an honest review.

This was sweet and fluffy and the perfect thing to tear through on a day at the beach. It’s a Cinderella retelling with a modern-twist, perfect for fans of One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London.

This is marketed as a romance, but to be honest, the romance was probably my least favorite part of the book. I still enjoyed it, but it was pretty-closed door and the chemistry between Henry and Cindy left a little to be desired. What I really enjoyed was Cindy’s journey as she figures out who she is in this new stage of life—22 years old, post-grad and unemployed. I loved her strong circle of friendships—her sisters and Sierra, and the friends she makes on the show. I thought the discussion of grief was really poignant too. And of course, having a plus-size MC was wonderful, and I liked the way Cindy and her experiences were written throughout the story.

Lots of fun little Disney nods throughout and I enjoyed the BTS of the reality show filming. Skews a little YA, which I believe is Murphy’s background, but cute and quick!

This was a cute romance, it went quickly, and it followed the Cinderella retelling enough to be a little cheesy but switched a few things up that I liked. The fact that it was closed door romance makes the Disney Princess bit a little more realistic, I suppose, but does make this book like a 1 out of 5 on the steam meter. I think the reality dating show storyline was done well. My main gripe with the book is that there was really no villain, no big conflict—it was barely as dramatic as a Disney movie. Not quite tame enough for YA but not as steamy or salacious as I would hope/expect for contemporary romance. Overall, I liked it but I didn’t love it. I would still recommend it for romance fans, it’s a fun read.

My thanks to NetGalley and Hyperion/Disney Publishing for an advance reader’s copy.

Overall, this was a quick, light, fun read that was more engaging than I expected. If you're looking for steamy adult romance, this book isn't that; it's more PG-13.

I found this adorable. It's a wonderful modern retelling of a classic fairytale, and I'm surprised someone hadn't thought to write it sooner. A reality show--titled "Before Midnight," wink wink--is the perfect replacement for a royal ball, and the whole focus of the glass slipper in the original translates to Cindy being a shoe designer. The stepmom has a regal air about her, being the producer of said hit reality show, but is loving to Cindy, and Cindy's stepsisters are wonderful as well. That Cindy's young half-siblings (triplets Cindy's stepmom conceived with Cindy's dad and had via surrogate) are named after the mice in the movie enters into Squee Territory.

That Henry and Cindy meet before the show even starts is one of the differences and shifts in the timeline that keeps the story fresh and original. As a former New Yorker, I'm biased in my love of New York City being featured in the book. I hope Julie Murphy is writing the sequels (this is a Disney franchise after all), because she did great with this.

REVIEW ⭐️⭐️/5
If The Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy
(Advanced Copy)

Never read before - Finished 08/07

I’m gonna start off by saying this book is sweet & colourful and there is absolutely an audience for it. It is inclusive, unproblematic & well written. I encourage you to read it for yourself, because everyone has unique tastes!

If The Shoe Fits is a Cinderella retelling, set in a “The Bachelor” style TV reality series. This book is cute, flirty & fun.

Acknowledging the things I did love about this book - the author is doing a STELLAR job at normalizing curvy leads through her work. Cindy is a wonderful character & I saw myself in her (& her struggles) often. I appreciated the acknowledgment of the lack of inclusion in the fashion industry AND the reality tv industry. Bravo to @andimjulie for creating a spot within this genre for plus sized characters to come alive & be part of the movement for this to happen in ALL books across all genres.

Unfortunately, the rest of the book fell flat for me. I received an ARC & the description / genres the book is marketed in gave me a lot of hope of loving it. The publisher has marketed the book as Woman’s Fiction Romance - and this book is not that. I went in expecting some spice, some mature storyline, and well … it was a YA novel. Aside from some language that may have bumped it into the New Adult category, I strongly felt it was on the young side of YA. (Which, hey! If it was marketed as a YA book, my rating would be MUCH higher knowing I was reviewing a book in that genre for that audience). Perhaps Disney Publishing was trying to break into adult romance with this one; but they missed the mark. As a romance novel, it lacked so much. While reading, I felt like a pre teen watching The Bachelor & my mom kept turning the channel whenever things started to get saucy. Sigh. I ALWAYS felt I wanted more more more (love! spice! connection! maturity!) & it just didn’t come. Even as someone who loves a good cheesy Hallmark read, I felt this book was watered down. A great young YA novel, a mediocre Adult Romance.

Thank you @netgalley @disneybooks for the gifted ARC e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review & rating!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital copy in exchange for a fair review of this book.

I’m a big Julie Murphy fan and this did not disappoint. This loosely-based Cinderella story hits some of the original story points while still keeping you guessing on what’s to come. This book is not at all spicy, so perfect for the HEA focused readers. I enjoyed Cindy’s journey and that she’s a plus size protagonist!

This is a light and quick read and would definitely recommend and read again!

“America might love me, but Henry does not.”

If the Shoe Fits is a new adult romance, spin on Cinderella about a shoe designer who finds herself in a rut after returning home with designer’s block. Still grieving the death of her father, Cindy Woods hopes to rekindle her passion while living with her ( not wicked ) step mother and step siblings, two not-twins and triplets. There, also missing her life in New York, she encounters a chance to get her name out, with a price. The price is Henry, the son of a famous designer, who must be the eligible bachelor on Before Midnight, a show produced by Cindy’s step mother Erika.

There’s more to the price: True Love. After a meet cute at the airport on her way home, Cindy and Henry match. Then, they part. Only to meet again on the show, both having personal agendas. Until they fall in love.

I would like to praise myself for finding a book that I devoured, lovingly, in one sitting, within a few hours.

This is a splendid take on the original Cinderella story. This wasn’t about a woman suffering from abuse, at the hands of tormentors at every wake, a beautiful lady awaiting a rescue by a handsome prince. Yet, it’s still about wanting to be free, specifically from grief. Cindy is a wholly funny, realistic character on what it’s like to have a big dream and wonder if it’s in reach. And she’s plus sized, which made all of this book a dream come true to me.

Murphy has such a way with combining modern humor and an old fairytale to create a romance that hooked me at every chapter and kept my heart racing at all the possibilities and hurdles our main character had to face. I thoroughly appreciated the take on fatphobia, how television warms and fabricates reality to gain attention, and how rather than continuing to give in to pitting women against women, it went against that.

Cindy was a remarkable character, as well with plenty of resourceful, kind and uplifting side besties who really made this book better without feeling like the plot was passive.

Each chapter brought me near to tears, to laughter or to triumph. And even, as it had me at the first half, to hanging onto my last breath until the ending was revealed. Overall, I loved the themes, characters and ultimately everything about this book. And the ides that, although Cindy could have passed off her job to see the man she was in love with one last time, she chose herself.

This empowering novel is a start to something incredibly important. Not even this novel itself, but Julie Murphy’s career alone. I look forward to reading her past works and future ones as well.

This is a cute, dramatic, love story you won’t want to miss.

I loved this book. It's very loosely a Cinderella story, but the nods to the fairy tale are more in the surface details, than in the actual story. For example, the heroine is named Cindy, she just graduated from Parsons design school after a difficult senior year complicated by grief after the death of her beloved father, and her dream is to design shoes. Her only surviving family are her powerful, Bachelor style reality TV show producer stepmother, 2 close to her in age stepsisters, and 4 YO triplet half-siblings. However, in this story, her stepmom and stepsisters most definitely are not villains. They've had bumps on the road, but consider her to be part of their family. In fact, in addition to the romance (which was pretty dreamy), the family bonds between Cindy, her stepmom and her stepsisters are some of the best parts of the book and gave me a warm, fuzzy glow as it's obvious that her stepfamily loves and accepts her.

Happily, since I'm not that into Cinderella, the story itself was much more focused on the Bachelor style show that Cindy finds herself in after she and her stepsisters agree to fill in for some contestants who dropped out at the last minute. Imagine her surprise when she's introduced to the bachelor, and he turns out to be the adorable hottie that she had a meet-cute with on the plane from NYC to LA. From there, it's inevitable that the sparks that flew when they first met would continue throughout the show. As always, I feel a bit gipped when we don't get into the hero's head, and that was the case here, with Henry remaining as a bit a of cipher throughout the story, but I didn't mind that much, especially since Cindy was such a relatable, down-to-earth heroine. This book is going right to the top of my list of favorite summer reads.

Cinderella meets The Bachelor in this very modern Cinderella retelling. Meant to Be: If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy. I really liked this book. It was fast paced and fun. I loved how relatable our main character, Jenny, was. The rest of the characters are also likable and relatable, especially Henry. Jenny & Henry's relationship was the perfect mix of flirty and fun without being too cheesy. This book is definitely a fun read that will leave you smiling.

Many thanks to Disney and NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion!

I absolutely LOVED this book. I’m not sure why I love books that feel like The Bachelor when I don’t even like watching the show in real life, but the trope is always so good and entertaining. Sure, this book is mostly a romcom that doesn’t have much weight to it, but I felt like I couldn’t stop listening (side note: the narrator for the audiobook was EXCELLENT and I think added to my enjoyment overall). I loved that we actually have a likable stepfamily, we have amazing side characters, Cindy has a purpose outside of her romance, AND we have queer representation in some side characters (especially since it doesn’t feel forced). No spice, but that’s okay, I adore a good amount of fluff. All in all, amazing book and I highly recommend!

I love, love love Julie Murphy! I love this book! In Dumplin', Julie tackles body positivity from an internal perspective. My favorite thing about the book was watching Willowdean learn to stop standing in her own way. But in If the Shoe Fits, Cindy's weight is present in a more everyday way. There is an uncomfortable airplane ride, clothes that are made for models and not real people, finding her love of fashion in shoes and accessories because of the universal sizing, and generally just being bigger in the fashion industry. But Cindy's emotional growth comes largely from dealing with the loss of her father. Also the romance is adorable. I don't watch reality TV, I don't usually care for romances, but this book had so much more going on that it was completely engaging and adorable.

This is a very fun and entertaining Cinderella retelling. I am *here for all the could-be-cheesy parallels* like the names (Gus!) and the orange taxi! I think I feel that way because the author did a great job balancing the retelling aspect with a modern reinterpretation of Cindy's pursuit of joy. If you are looking for a quick, entertaining romance novel for the end of summer, this would be a great choice.

Reviewed for Shelf Awareness:

With her upbeat and witty novel If the Shoe Fits, Julie Murphy starts off Disney's "Meant to Be" series, a collection of modern adult romantic comedies based on beloved Disney princesses.
If the Shoe Fits hits some of the beats readers expect from a Cinderella retelling, but subverts others. Rather than featuring a downtrodden and unwanted family member, Cindy's step-family is kind and Cindy herself is an aspiring shoe designer waiting for her chance to break out.
When Cindy's stepmother's reality dating show, "Before Midnight," is short a few contestants, Cindy and her two step-sisters join the cast. But it turns out that Cindy's already met The Suitor on a flight and he's a real-life Prince Charming. As Cindy progresses through the elimination rounds in the competition--not without more than her fair share of adversity--she becomes a reluctant media sensation and navigates fame, love and the impact of both on her career in footwear fashion.
Those familiar with Murphy's young adult work, including Dumplin' and Puddin', will cheer for the plus-size protagonist who is self-confident but still a fully-realized, vulnerable and flawed character. Murphy excels at writing characters who feel like real people and Cindy, her family and her friends are no exception. Crisp banter, a sweet love story and a thoroughly heartwarming character arc make this Disney-for-adults novel a winner.
Readers looking for a closed-door rom-com with writing that sparkles and a refreshingly updated fairytale theme will be absolutely charmed.

I was worried this was going to feel too cutesy without the "evilness" of the stepfamily and the closed-door sex scenes, but it actually worked really well for me! It also didn't feel TOO much like One to Watch, which was also on my mind.

Cindy's stepfamily feels loving and supportive while also having their own flaws, which lends a bit of realism that prevents the whole dynamic from feeling sugary-sweet. I also appreciated the way Cindy's relationships developed, both with "Prince Charming" and with her fellow reality show contestants. As a fat main character, Cindy's body positivity is conveyed without straying into the "brave martyr" trope; she acknowledges it as a part of her life and moves on from there.

Overall, the romance and plot are both light, and it's a quick read. Those who know and appreciate Murphy for her Dumplin' series (which I still have to read!) will likely enjoy her first adult novel.

Murphy’s Meant to Be: If the Shoe Fits was a fun, lighthearted read and a pleasant modernization of Cinderella. Cindy’s relationship with her stepmother and stepsisters was authentically complex yet positive, which was a nice twist. The reality dating show works but I could not help making comparisons to Kate Stayman-London’s One to Watch. Cindy and Henry’s chemistry never quite lived up to being an adult romance but Murphy delivers a happy ending that allows readers to believe that the protagonists’ love has the potential to mature as they do.

I loved this book! I'm a big fan of Julie Murphy's DUMPLIN series, so I was excited to see her try her hand at adult romance. This is a Cinderella retelling that leaves out all of my least favorite elements of Cinderella: the hate-filled stepmother and stepsisters, the poverty, the lost identity. Instead, small details of Cinderella are incorporated in unexpected ways. The protagonist, Cindy, has a stepmother and two stepsisters, but they are loving and appreciative. Her stepmother is the showrunner of a Bachelor-like tv show called "Before Midnight" and Cindy, a fashion school grad, wants to be a shoe designer.

I was worried this book, which is marketed as close-door, would feel flat without sex scenes because in most romance, sexual attraction plays a large role in relationships and in the development of intimacy between two characters, but Murphy accomplishes all of that and then gently closes the door. Instead of dodging around sex or pretending it doesn't exist (I've read adult romances like that), she hints at it, teases at it, implies it. It's smoothly done and doesn't distract from the fun of the book.

The romance in this book, between Cindy and Henry, whom she meets on a plane and then later finds out is the lead on the new season of "Before Midnight," is fun and flirty and kept me reading way past my bedtime. I also love how Murphy subtly criticized the limits of the Bachelor franchise by making her fictional show more inclusive and diverse. This book has a full cast of fun, lively side characters who support and challenge Cindy on her journey. The fashion industry elements of the book were also wonderful. The love interest, Henry, is set to take over his mom's giant fashion brand, and Cindy's affinity for fashion makes her stand out amongst the other contestants on "Before Midnight."

Overall, this book was a delight. I highly recommend it to lovers of romance and dating shows.

4 stars

Having read nearly all of Julie Murphy's books, I can attest to the facts that (1) I really enjoy Murphy's writing and (2) my enjoyment of this book is certainly impacted and enhanced by considering its source.

This novel is a truly uncomplicated and enjoyable mashup of a modern Cinderella story, _UnREAl_, and _The Bachelor_. While this would normally sound like a literary hellscape to me, again, I love Julie Murphy, and in this one I got all (and more!) of the fun and flair I expected. So much of the appeal comes from Cindy, the m.c., who is a quintessential Murphy character: hilarious, smart, caring, a good friend, body positive, and at a crossroads. Cindy is the kind of character readers want to be friends with, and it's easy to cheer for her because she is so good natured and has been through so much heartbreak (the deaths of both parents at young ages). Also, Cindy doesn't sit around wallowing. She is a self-starter, she is brave in a good and not patronizing way (to be clear since there is a memorable reference to her "bravery" in a gross way), and she is willing to do what is right for her even when there may be public consequences. While the mashup of the aforementioned shows and tale may not sound like the most innovative plotting, Cindy is a truly original and worthy character.

Murphy proves again here that readers can count on her characters, feel-good-after-some-struggle plot lines, and well defined atmospheres to keep us coming back for more pageants, swim meets, drag shows, and now balls. Folks looking for a light, PG summer romance will find what they're looking for - and more - here.

Rating: 3.75/5
Genre: Contemporary Romance and Adult Fiction
Warnings: fatphobia, death of a parent
Read if you liked: One to Watch
Steam: 1/5 (Closed Door)

Thank you to Disney Hyperion and NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If the Shoes Fits will be released on August 3rd.

Things I loved: Shoe designer is such a unique job! The original meet-cute and adorable dates. Cindy’s relationship with her family, in a Cinderella retelling you don’t expect a lovely “step-family”. Triplets! Nice amount of pop culture spread throughout. Good plus-size representation without the whole story being about it. Likeable main and side characters. Good chemistry between Cindy and Henry.

Things I didn’t care for: This is a me thing, but I have now read 3 “dating show” books in the last year and I’m at my limit for a while. The final conflict/ending was a little rushed for me, I would have liked more!