The Cinderella story has been told countless times - sometimes directly, sometimes indirectly, but in If The Shoe Fits, Julie Murphy manages to breathe a bubbly, breezy, at times unexpected new life into the story of the girl with the distinctive footwear.

Our Cinderella - here named Cindy Woods - is a shoe designer and recent graduate from Parsons School of Design, with no idea what she wants to do now. The grief of losing her father in her senior year of high school has finally caught up with her, and she is struggling to put herself back together.

Looking for a way to bide her time, she volunteers to play nanny to her three younger half-siblings. Things take a turn almost immediately upon her return home to Los Angeles. Her step-mother, Erica, is the producer of the wildly popular reality TV dating show Before Midnight, and last minute drop outs mean she is a few contestants short. Her co-producer immediately suggests Erica’s daughters Anna and Drew, as well as Cindy. Though her step-mother is initially hesitant, Cindy comes to see the show as the opportunity it is - to get her shoe designs in front of a large audience - and decides to go on the show.

It’s not as though she’s there to fall in love, right? So she has nothing to lose.

Her world is upended yet again when she finally meets the “Suitor” (aka the Bachelor), and realizes they’ve met once before, on the flight to Los Angeles, where they flirted the entire time, but left without exchanging information. The suitor in question, Henry, is the heir to a legacy fashion empire, and is completely, utterly charming from the word go. Really, Julie Murphy, how dare you make my unrealistic expectations even more unrealistic?

As the season of Before Midnight progresses, Cindy and Henry fall more and more in love as they strive to form a real connection in the midst of all the artifice that is reality TV. Their slowly unfolding romance was so sincere, and sweet, it brought a stupid grin to my face every time they were together.

What really struck me about this book, though, is just how unexpected so much of it was. I am extremely familiar with the Cinderella story, as I’m sure many of us are, and while the beats are generally there, Murphy changes just enough about it to keep it interesting.

Cindy’s stepmother and stepsisters, for instance, are not “evil” in the slightest. Her stepsisters love her unconditionally throughout, and her stepmother does too, albeit in her own way. It’s not that she’s cruel to her, but they’re just different kinds of people trying to figure out how to make their relationship work. Erica does want what’s best for Cindy, even if they don’t always agree on what that is.

For instance, her hesitation in letting Cindy go on the show is not because she would rather showcase her daughters instead, but because Erica knows how unforgiving the world can be, and worries that Cindy, as the shows only plus-size contestant, would be subject to an undue amount of scrutiny and cruelty.

I kept waiting for the other shoe - heh - to drop with Erica and it never did. I didn’t know how much I needed that. Murphy lets the cruelty come from the outside world, and makes sure that Cindy’s home life is a functional one. This makes for a much warmer, less stressful read, which is what you want in a book like this.

Cinderella staples like the ball, and the easily lost footwear are here, but reimagined in a context that makes sense for present-day stories. Easter eggs rather than the focus of the plot. I was particularly impressed by the way she “ran away” from Henry during the climax of the novel. Both her reasoning and Murphy’s execution of it were absolutely brilliant. I can’t remember the last time my heart raced while reading a story I know so well. It takes skill to make me feel genuine suspense when I already know the ending.

On the subject of Easter eggs, because this is being published by Disney-Hyperion, there were little nods to the 1950 animated movie. Cindy’s three little siblings are named Jack, Mary and Gus, after three of the mice that befriend Cinderella. Cindy’s middle name “Eleanor” likely comes from Eleanor Audley, who voiced the stepmother Lady Tremaine. And Cindy’s mother, Ilene Woods, is directly named after the actress who played Cinderella. It’s these little nuggets of trivia that I appreciate as a Disney fan!

This book is listed as being the first in a series of reimagined fairy-tales in the “Meant To Be” series, and if this is an indication of where the series is going, then sign me up!

Cindy is a new grad with a degree in shoe design and leaves New York to visit with her stepfamily - her mother, two stepsisters, and triplet half-siblings - in California before kicking her job search into high gear. Her dad died several years before, and her mom, a powerhouse executive producer of a popular dating reality show, Before Midnight, is busy getting the new season of the show up and running, but wants to take some time to spend with Cindy and the family before disappearing into her cell phone again. On a whim, Cindy and her two stepsisters find themselves cast as prospective suitresses; Cindy hopes the exposure will be what her fledgling shoe design career needs to get her name out there. The thing is, Cindy is a curvy girl: some may call her plus size, some may call her a lot worse, and her stepmother worries that she'll be a target for abuse. Cindy isn't having it. She's as deserving of a spot as any of those other women, and sure enough, the masses respond with love! Week after week, Cindy holds out on the show and, despite a freeze on communication while she's on set, Cindy hears word that she's becoming a body positivity icon! She's also falling hard for her suitor on the show, but we all know that real Hollywood endings don't exist - or do they? Cindy learns that when you don't like the way things in your life are laid out, designing your own future is an option.

I LOVED this book. I adore Julie Murphy, I love the way she writes, I love the characters she creates. She world-builds a fantasy within our reality, and she doesn't give us "feel bad for me" heroines who hide on their couches with a pint of ice cream and Netflix. No, my friend, they charge into the middle of the spotlight and show everyone around them how it's done. With snappy dialogue and strong female relationships, If the Shoe Fits is the kind of romance we all want to read, foundation by Disney and fit into today's reality TV-obsessed landscape. There's a memorable cast of characters, and I loved, truly, truly loved, that the "evil stepmother" and "evil stepsisters" don't exist here. There are tense moments here and there, but it's believable family moments, not cooked up for extra drama. 

If the Shoe Fits is the first in a new series of Disney retellings for new adults, and I can't wait for more.

Full disclosure… I really like the Bachelor franchise. There are many problems with it, but it is the perfect mindless TV. I’m also rooting for MN girl Michelle when she is the bachelorette this fall. All this to say, I was immediate drawn to If the Shoe Fits and was sold when I saw it was written by Julie Murphy — one of my favorite authors! Plus this is her first adult book and I had to support that.

After graduating from Design School in NYC, Cindy moves back to LA to live with her step-mom and step-siblings. Her father had remarried when she was a teenager and while it wasn’t perfect Cindy is grateful for her unconventional family when he passes away. Her step-mom is a TV producer and when they need more cast members for a reality tv show Cindy steps up. She is mostly looking for an opportunity to break into the fashion world, but can she have it all?

If the Shoe Fits is an engaging page turner. At first I didn’t know if it was my type of book (even though I love Julie Murphy) because of the Cinderella vibes. However, the story really did strike me as more of a Bachelor/behind the scenes type story, which I enjoyed! Also, having a plus sized protagonist who was a contestant on a dating reality show = 🔥🔥🔥 Cindy is a strong, fierce, and beautiful character. It was fun to follow her story and growth! I highly recommend this book when it comes out in August. The perfect end-ish of summer read. 🤍

A huge thank you to Disney Publishing Worldwide/Disney-Hyperion and Netgalley for this ARC of If the Shoe Fits. It was perfect and enjoyable read. I’m looking forward to more books in this series. 💕

Ok, this is the perfect book for me at age 16. Apparently its not supposed to be a YA novel, but it felt very YA to me, in a good way. If the Shoe Fits follows Cindy, a plus sized woman, as she competes in a reality television show similar to the Bachelor called Before Midnight. It's a cross between a Cinderella retelling and a reality show.

I thought it was very well done and a super cute, super sweet story. Sometimes you just need to read a sweet, happy book with no drama, and this checked all those boxes for me. Obviously if you're not into fairytale re-tellings or the Bachelor, this may not be for you. But otherwise I'd recommend it.

Thank you to Disney-Hyperion and NetGalley for the advanced copy to review!

One of the best retellings ever! This is not your average take on Cinderella. Cindy is a fierce, self assured, talented woman. I went in expecting the usual wicked step family, and usual roadblocks but that's not what this is at all. Definitely a must read!

Romance comedies are my jam, and Julie Murphy wrote the perfect one for me. This was cute, light and such a heartwarming story! Thank you to the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review! I highly recommend checking this out on PUB day on August 3rd!

Newly graduated from Parsons, Cindy is in a bit of a bind. She's not been inspired much since the death of her father hit her and now she's looking at limited prospects while trying to get her mojo back. When her stepmother, the executive producer of the hit dating show Before Midnight, needs someone to replace a contestant who dropped out, Cindy volunteers. She has no real interest in dating, she's just there for the fame and potential sponsorship offers. To her surprise, she's a big hit with the fans -- a plus-sized heroine for the nation to rally behind. She never expects to actually be attracted to the bachelor, Henry. Oh boy, what a mess this is...

--

Okay, but can we talk about that cover? The dress... The little lean on Henry. The fact that she's stolen his shoe. Like OMG! This cover is cute AF, and I am 1000% here for it.

And unlike so many cute, rom-com styled covers this book is actually a rom-com. We get our first taste of that very early on when Cindy meets a guy she dubs "Prince Charming" at the airport and they immediately get into a discussion about playing "don't step in the lava" and the perils of air travel. I actually laughed out loud with this book. The dialogue was so cute and unexpected. I thought I knew which way things would go, but I was wrong. It was refreshing.

I really loved the changes to the Cinderella story. Yes, there's definite shout outs to the fairy tale and the Disney retelling, but they are just that shout outs. This is not your grandmother's Cinderella story. I was so pleasantly surprised by the relationships between characters as well as the women supporting women storylines. I loved that this book just had casual representation without making a big production out of it. PoC, LGBTQIA+, and other marginalized identities were just there... like they are in real life. And I loved that all of the characters had their race/skintone indicated and not just the people of color. A+ lack of othering.

But it's the characters and the message that really make this book special. I adore Cindy. She's not perfect but she's fun, real, and well-rounded. I love that she's comfortable in her skin and that she knows her worth and isn't willing to settle. I loved Henry. He was such a complex man with complex feelings who was such a good fit for Cindy. I loved so much of the supporting cast too... including Drew and Anna. They were so good. The message of this book was also well done. That there needs to be a place for people of all body types and all body shapes need to be welcomed and celebrated. This is particularly true when fat people are still acceptable targets for ridicule and disdain. (As of the writing of this review the New York Times had an article that advises people to ditch their "fat friends" because apparently obesity is contagious.) So seeing Cindy navigating the world that isn't meant for her, where finding clothing is a challenge, is honestly refreshing.

I loved the ending of the book. I didn't see it coming and that was great. Frankly I love this book so much that I'm going to want to reread it again and again.

Five stars

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley

This was absoloutly adorable and should be added to TBRs far and wide! I stayed up devouring it until 2:30 AM!

Some highlights: Cinderella retelling but the stepmother and stepsisters are *not* evil! Inclusive race / gender / sexuality / size representation! Delicious fashion descriptions! Reality TV setting! Love at first sight! This cover!! 😻😻

Some content notes: deceased parents, fatphobia, closed door

I'm still waiting for a book with a fat heroine where at the beginning they note "she was fat" and then barely ever speak of it again, and certainly not as a plot point, but ALAS... someday!! All that said I did like how they treated her size more than some books with fat heroines.

Lastly, I loved how the author handled character descriptions in this book, not a damn simile to be found. She just says "a tall guy with light brown skin" or "a petite white woman" or "a beautiful person with short, perfectly edged lavender hair, a manicured beard to match, razor sharp eyeliner, and nude lipstick rounds the corner..." 😘👌

Loved this! Bravo Julie Murphy! 4/5 stars

I would like to begin by thanking Netgally and Disney Publishing Worldwide for the advanced reader copy!

If you are a fan of the Bachelor and other reality show dating to shows definitely read this book! Even if you don’t like those type of shows still a super good book! The main character Cindy goes to fashion school and loves creating shoes. She moves from New York to California in with her step mom after she loses both her parents. This is her new start. Her step mom Erica is a creator/producer on the tv show “Before Midnight”, she goes on the show for exposure for her fashion/shoe career and it quickly becomes more. She meets the suitor, Henry and her life changes.
This book was really great and will keep you hooked the whole time.
5 stars, recommend!

Love the updated take on the classics we all know and love. Cute, heartwarming, delightful read! Well done, Murphy! Looking forward to reading more.

Loved this adorable romance!

Cindy just finished fashion school and has lost her spark. Heading home from New York to California for the summer seems like a great idea.

However life never goes as planned. After an adorable meet-cute, will Cindy and Henry find their way back together?

Cindy is then convinced to join the cast of a reality television show to try and find true love. Will she find her true love on the show or is Henry her true love.

At first I was worried this Cinderella Retelling would be as tired as most others of its kind. However having Cindy be plus size and proud of it, made my heart happy. We need more of this in the world.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I have never loved a romcom as much as I love this one. This book is everything. A plus size girl on the Bachelor? You would never ever see it. This book gives all of us bigger girls some hope that some great catch of a man might actually like us too. I'm absolutey obsessed and have nothing bad to say. I give this book the highest recommendation!

Thank you Julie Murphy, Disney Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC!

**Also please make this a series or a trilogy because I love Cindy and Henry. I need to see them take on the fashion world.

A light and fun beach read! I thoroughly enjoyed the plus-sized fashion perspectives, diverse characters, and playful integration of "Cinderella" attributes. Thank you for making me (and many of my students) feel seen and heard.

Aspiring shoe designer and fat girl Cindy signed up to join the cast of a reality dating series called Before Midnight to raise her fashion profile. But when she meets the bachelor, she recognizes him from a recent flight to LA. Henry agreed to try and find his perfect match on TV in return for help with his mother's struggling fashion business. Away from the camera, sparks fly, but can Cindy trust Henry's motives? Will her five minutes of fame be worth it in the end?

This was a fun, lovely Cinderella-inspired story from Julie Murphy. I'm pretty much over fairytale retellings, but enjoyed Faith Takes Flight and was cautiously excited about the idea of a fat romance heroine. I'm so glad I took a chance on this book because (1) it's not THAT much of a Cinderella story (okay, there are special shoes, a step-mother, step-sisters, and a dead father, but those are the biggest connections and they don't all turn out as you might expect) and (2) wow did I love Cindy and her story. After just reading another romance novel that featured an ugly, fat, angry aunt as a joke secondary character (don't worry, she's secretly a thin, beautiful, happy witch), If the Shoe Fits was such a breath of fresh air. Murphy skewers some of the typical comments fat women get, like "wow, you're so brave for wearing [insert form-fitting piece of clothing]" and the inability of the fashion world to accommodate fat bodies. At the same time, she doesn't turn Cindy into some sort of body positivity warrior/martyr--she's just a young woman trying to find her way in the world.

The one (small) critique I have is that most of the secondary characters are underdeveloped and I would have liked to see a few more things tied up at the end, but otherwise I would highly recommend this book. I can't wait to read whatever Murphy writes next!

When a Cinderella story meets the Bachelor, you're met with Meant to Be: If the Shoe Fits!

Cindy's life has plateaued. She's graduated design school with no job in sight so she's headed home to California to nanny for her triplet step-siblings. When she meets a mysterious man on the plane, she chalks it up to a "what if" moment, and continues full steam into nanny life.

Life picks up as soon as she's home, as her stepmother is the producer of a major reality show. As two cast members drop out right before filming begins, Cindy and her stepsisters agree to jump in and set off on a world of adventure.

It's so refreshing to see a body-positive plus-size protagonist, as she represents so many women today. Light-hearted, cute, and a quick read, this should definitely earn a spot on your reading list!

I adored the fat representation and the subtle nods to the Disney film (naming one of the triplets Gus-Gus, etc,). I didn't think I was going to enjoy the reality show setting, but I found that the pacing and personalities were easy to get invested in. I definitely recommend this to fans of Olivia Dade and Jasmine Guillory.

Murphy gives readers a legitimate heroine that actually gets her HEA and the guy against all odds. Set against the background of 'reality' television, Meant to Be: If the Shoe Fits, contains many of the behind the scenes secrets that show a little more of the reality than flash. This is a quick, solid read for any fans of the genre.

This is a modern fairy tale loosely based on Cinderella, but with nice step-relatives, an all-too-human prince charming, and a plus-sized Cinderella who designs shoes. Cindy becomes a contestant on a TV reality show much like the Bachelor and finds that the male contestant is her seatmate from her cross country flight. It is rather predictable but entertaining and it is nice to find a strong female character in Cindy and other characters from all walks of life. It was a fun read.

I wasn't able to finish this one. The premise was just too much. I like the message of body positivity and I usually like modern fairytale retellings. However, this one tried to hard to make the dating show premise fit the fairytale. It started to become predictable, but not in any good kind of way. There are library patrons that may enjoy this title, but this one seemed to be trying too hard.

Fashion school graduate Cindy is low on job prospects, so she moves in with her reality-show-producer stepmom for the summer. When a spot just happens to open up in the newest season of the Bachelor-style series, Cindy finds herself with the opportunity to get nationwide exposure for her designs – and the chance at winning a hundred thousand dollars. The very last thing she expects is to actually find love – until she finds that the “Bachelor” in question is a familiar face.

If The Shoe Fits is a cute little romance novel inspired by Cinderella. But if fairy tale retellings aren’t your thing, don’t worry – it’s a pretty loose inspiration. For the most part, the inspiration ends with shoes and a stepfamily (who in this version are actually pretty nice). This book features fantastic representation – in addition to a plus-sized heroine, we have a multicultural cast including bisexual, lesbian, and non-binary side characters.

If The Shoe Fits also had something that I always love to find in a romance novel – an extremely competent and capable heroine. I loved that in addition to being fat as well as fabulous, Cindy is a genuinely talented fashion and shoe designer. This, in addition to exploration of themes like grief and female friendship, helps to flesh out her character and the book as a whole. Henry, the “hero,” was also an enjoyable, if slightly less well developed character.

There are a few things that aren’t quite believable – how she got cast in the show in the first place is frankly a stretch – but sometimes, especially in romance novels, you just kind of have to roll with these things, and in this case, I felt like the rest of the story made it worth going with the stretch.