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First, I’m a huge fan of fairytale retellings and I have an extra soft spot for Cinderella. The way @andimjulie retold this age old story was exquisite. The dynamic between the stepfamily and Cindy (love it) was so perfectly captured - there was still immense love there BUT the idea that there was a certain wall between herself and her step-mom and sisters was executed phenomenally. I must say - this is the first book by Julie that I’ve read (I know, I know 🥟) so it probably comes as no surprise to those who have read her other books that the way she approached Cindy’s weight is so so so important and so well discussed. It’s done in such a natural way, as well, because every single conversation about in the book is grounded in reality (unfortunately, in a lot of cases 🙄) Overall, I’m so darn happy with this book and I’d recommend it to everyone at my library!!! Also - if you love any type of reality tv dating show or fashion - ITS A NO BRAINER. 🧠

great romance and retelling of cinder Ella. I loved the backdrop of the bachelor and finding one's love. I loved that they initially met up on the way there. I loved the sisters and that they were looking out for each other. I also loved that she loved shoes.

Julie Murphy has done it again!! Meant to Be: If the Shoe Fits is a fun, lighthearted YA contemporary romance retelling of Cinderella. Think The Bachelor meets the classic Cinderella tale we all grew up with. This is a Cinderella retelling I didn't know I needed, yet it left me needing more fairy tales mixed into the reality tv world. So fun! The story is fast-paced and the romance is completely swoon-worthy. Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys fairytale retellings. This is one not to be missed!

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for sending me an ARC of this book for an honest review!

This book is exactly the light and quick read that I needed in these crazy pandemic times. A modern (and very loosely based re-telling) of the classic Cinderella story that I grew up watching mixed with a “Bachelor”-esque backdrop (which, being honest, I love to “hate-watch”) made this book a very quick and easy binge-read. I appreciated that this book made a conscious effort to be inclusive both by including a plus-sized (read: normal) main character and other diverse and inclusive supporting characters. More books like this need to be supported and published! (I’m also waiting for the day that reality tv is even a little bit as inclusive as portrayed in the book...sigh).

My only critique would be that I felt that the love story may have gotten in the way of character development (*gasp* it’s a romance novel and she doesn’t want the love story front and centre! *gasp*) Hear me out: I feel like the romance may have developed too quickly to be realistic and I would have appreciated if the main character was a bit more fleshed out. That being said, I wasn’t really reading it for anything other than entertainment, on which this book delivered!

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for the digital advanced reader's copy of this first title in the new Meant to Be series, "inspired by the classic fairy tale stories we all know and love, perfect for adult readers who crave contemporary rom-coms."

This is the lightest of light frothy reads, perfect for escaping real life.

It also combines two of my favorite things: Disney fairy tales and reality TV. How could I not pick this up?

Quick summary: Through various ways and means, Cindy, a recent fashion school graduate with a passion for shoes, ends up on the Bachelor-like reality show, Before Midnight. Will she find love or at least gain an Instagram following for her shoes and style? (This is based on a Disney fairy tale, sooooo . . . how do those usually end?)

I enjoyed all of the cute references to Disney's Cinderella. Some are obvious, and some are more subtle, but these Easter eggs added to the fun.

The romance is also cute. Perhaps too quick for my personal cynicism, but I was willing to roll with it. I was definitely cheering for Cindy.

Most of the dialogue is snappy, and even the secondary characters were likeable (except for the usual reality show villian. Of course, there's one on every show.).

If you need a happy break, pick it up and indulge your wish-fulfillment fantasies.

*some adult situations, but PG-13 at most

This was such a cute and fun read, like all Julie Murphy's books have been. I adored the Cinderella meets The Bachelor type story, the body positivity, and the main character, Cindy, was very lovable and relatable. I also enjoyed Cindy's relationship with her step-mother and step-sisters and that in this version they weren't evil and hateful. 4/5 stars. Would definitely recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read!

This book does not disappoint! A very easy and fun book to read, I love that we have a plus sized MC and well crafted characters

Review posted on GoodReads (May 19th, 2021)
Review linked below.

4/5 stars!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for sending me an E-ARC of this book for an honest review.

This book was one of my most anticipated adult romances of 2021 and I was super excited when I got the E-ARC of this book.

I really enjoyed this romance. I honestly couldn't stop reading it once I got past the first chapter. I fell in love with Cindy's character and loved her voice and storytelling. Julie Murphy's writing was so beautiful, and she created such vivid and lovable characters that I instantly connected and fell in love with.

My only critique is that at times, it did feel as if the romance and the plot progressed a bit too quickly. I would have liked a bit more time with the romance and with some of the amazing side characters.

Thanks for reading!
Caden

This one was really fun! And I thoroughly enjoyed it being a plus size MC. Just know everything about this was fun and lovable,

I will do a more detail review soon.

This book is a fun twisted retelling of the classic Cinderella story, complete with evil stepsisters. I love reading books with plus size heroines, and this was no exception. I’d recommend this for anyone wanting a breezy beach read and a whole lot of fun!

I've loved every book that Julie Murphy has written, and this book was no exception. I was interested in the reality TV dating show setup but wary because I never enjoy the evil stepmothers/stepsisters part of Cinderella retellings. Luckily, Murphy must agree with me because the stepsisters and stepmother are all delightful people in this version. I enjoyed the reality TV setup but LOVED that Cindy is a designer straight out of Parsons and ready for her big break. It was so fun to see her chase her dream.

I LOVED THIS BOOK! Perfect if you’re in the mood for a romcom. This book is inevitably going to get compared to One To Watch, as the main character is a plus sized woman on a dating show. What sets it apart is how amazing Julie Murphy is. I’ve never read a book by her I didn’t love. Her characters are always so well developed. It’s a sweet, fun, lighthearted book.

I absolutely LOVED this twisted retelling of Cinderella!! Murphy hit it out of the park. I love how the situation was vastly different in that her stepsisters and stepmother didn't hate her nor she them. Some of it was a bit predictable, but overall thoroughly enjoyable.

In case you didn’t know from my real life, I am an absolute, 100% total Disney nut. Like I am one of those people who has an annual pass to Disneyland (or I did in the before times), sees all the movies, buys all the merch. So when I first heard about this series, I was super stoked because it looked to be combining two of my favorite things: romance novels and Disney. But I do just want to be clear, I don’t know if this series is actually affiliated with Disney or not. There are many, many details from the book that clearly tie back to the Disney version of Cinderella, but Disney isn’t mentioned anywhere of prominence (like on the cover), so I’m not really sure what the deal is there. But that certainly didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book.

Cindy has just graduated from fashion school, and after a lackluster senior year, she is without a job and returning home to California to be a nanny for her triplet younger siblings. On her flight home from New York, she sits next to the perfect man, calling him Prince Charming in her mind. But the two don’t exchange info and she assumes she will never see him again. Cindy’s stepmom is the executive producer of a Bachelor-esque show and while one of her producers is at the house, she suggests Cindy join the season to replace a contestant who dropped out. Cindy and her stepmom have reservations. Cindy because she thinks the whole thing is kind of dumb, and her stepmom because Cindy would be the first plus size contestant and she is worried about the audience targeting her and bullying her. But when her stepsisters also join up, Cindy decides to go for it, mainly because it could be good exposure for her and her fashion brand–she wants to be a shoe designer. Lo and behold, the suitor of the show turns out to be Prince Charming. Henry and Cindy have immediate chemistry, but it isn’t as easy as Cindy thought it would be, especially when Henry has to date the other women and doesn’t show her any sort of signs that he really likes her. Henry also happens to be the son of a seriously famous designer and he is tasked with bringing the family business into the 21st century. Henry and Cindy are clearly made for each other, but Cindy doubts his feelings and Henry isn’t great at expressing himself. All of that combined with the pressures from the show, and it’s a recipe for misunderstanding. Luckily, they manage to live happily ever after.

So first and foremost, this book is compulsively readable. Once I got started, I found myself not wanting to put it down. I love the way Julie takes the original story and makes it new and fresh. One of my favorite parts was turning the evil stepmother and stepsisters into supportive family members. I was really dreading cattiness among the women, and luckily there was none (well, a little with one of the contestants, but overall not much). I am always here for women supporting women, and even the cast members of the show were overall a very loving bunch. I also really loved Cindy’s fashion sense and the way she and Henry connected over their shared interests. Their relationship felt organic and sweet. I guess the main thing I didn’t love was trying to nail down the age bracket for this book. Cindy is 22 so that makes it not YA, but it definitely read like YA and on Amazon is listed as YA. I was under the impression it was an adult romance, but it didn’t really feel like one (to me). But again, that didn’t stop my enjoyment of the book. It was a fun and entertaining read!

Thank you Disney Publishing Worldwide for sending me an ARC of Meant to Be: If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Bachelor and Cinderella walk into Project Runway, with glitz and garments, what’s not to love?

If the Shoe Fits follows fresh out of college Cindy as she tries to find her love of fashion design again while grappling with the loss of her parents. When her reality TV empire building step-mother has an empty slot left on Before Midnight; America’s favourite bachelor style show, Cindy joins hoping it can start up her career and love for fashion again. Being a plus sized woman on reality tv is no picnic in the park, but if the shoe doesn’t fit, why not design a new one?

I am fully in love with this book, Julie Murphy wakes up every morning and SERVES with each release, this is a series sure to be a bestseller. Fairy tale retellings are very fickle when it comes to the plot, the storylines and characters, trying to keep it authentic yet still a retelling true to the tale is always a hit or miss. I can guarantee without any spoilers that this book hit the mark! I went into this excited but with not many standards. Too many times have I read a book with a plus sized main character that completely misses, fetishizes, objectifies, degrades or boils down the character to just their size. Cindy is so perfectly Cindy. Her weight was not her entire identity, but rather serves as an inspiration that she gave everything her 100% and even when most would turn her back, she kept charging on. She had passions and emotions, confidence and insecurities that were natural. At every point in the book she made the best with her circumstances (many of which were so frustrating I wanted to scream “WHY WOULD YOU PUT THIS ANGEL OF A PERSON THROUGH THIS??”) which I respect so much. Her heart is so incredibly genuine and her mind is so realistically her that I have no choice but to bow down to the fashion queen at every moment. As a plus sized girl and fashion lover myself, shopping has never been my favourite. The size injustices, the clothing designed for only a certain body type and all of that insecurity causing stuff was addressed in such a good way I have so much respect for it. It’s a tough conversation, but was handled beautifully.

Now, one of my main pet peeves with fairytales, especially Cinderella, is that at the very end, Cinderella is super unrealistic in her choices (I mean, at least make the prince buy you a taco first!) and it always felt like to me that she wasn’t authentically herself, her choices felt wholly reliant on another person and she’d just traded one cage for another. Cindy woke up and chose herself. From the first page to the very last (perfect) line, she chose herself. There’s an ugly notion that bigger girls should be thankful for “whatever they can get”, and I just can’t imagine a story more perfect than a creative, strong woman who is ambitious and fights for what she wants and deserves. As the story unfolds you’ll definitely question why certain choices were made, but after finishing the book I sat outside for 20 minutes replaying everything and the motives, I honestly wouldn’t want this story to unfold any other way.


I fell in love with Julie Murphy’s writing when I read Dumplin’. We saw a girl who didn’t have to give up different parts of herself to fit into a “picture perfect” narrative, to get the guy, to have confidence and be herself, just like in If The Shoe Fits. Growing up, the narrative pushed to me was always that I had to give up, cut down and shrink parts of myself to fit into this perfect cookie cutter box, an idea I painfully held so close to my heart, it burned. I’m slowly unlearning what it means to be plus sized, be a woman and live my life. It’s hard, it’s really really hard, but having authors like Julie Murphy spotlighting and crafting stories about women who can kick ass no matter the size? That’s what makes it worth it so that one day if I have a kid, they don’t grow up with the mentalities I did.

Beautiful, infectious and swoon worthy, this is definitely your perfect read!

What part of tv culture should be made fun of more than reality shows? Add some likeable, and of course, non likeable characters and you have a great book to read.

I was so excited for this book and it did not disappoint!!! Modern fairytale meets total girl power. Can it get any better? Only the rest of the series will tell.

My only complaint is no epilogue. :(

This book was a much needed breathe of fresh air.
The heroine , Cindy, was so lovable and relatable. She obv is a plus sized woman but I love how body positive she is without it being in your face and forced. The way the author wrote so many fresh unique characters was so inclusive in the most natural way. I loved seeing the world through cindys eyes and how she is just a girl living her best life and isn’t pulled down by her weight or insecure but very much aware of the inequalities.

The chemistry between Henry and Cindy is one of the best I’ve ever read. Every moment of
Them was the perfect amount of sweet and slow burn and steamy and friendly.

I loved the sisterhood, the friendships, and I especially loved the relationship between Cindy and Erica.

The only big issues I encountered were the repetitive description of people by calling them “white” over and over again. Also there is a lot of editing that I hope will be corrected before publication date.

Overall I left wanting more of this world. Like this should’ve been a Mariana zapata long kind of book and I would’ve loved every moment.

Unfortunately this one was not for me. It’s been a long time since I’ve DNF’d a book but I really disliked the writing style. The plot was too fast paced and felt like a first draft, with no substance along with the plot points. The voice felt immature and inexperienced, nothing like I’ve come to know from this author. I don’t know what she did so differently with this book but I’m not going to finish reading. sadly.

3.5 stars

If the Shoe Fits is basically a body positive play on Cinderella meets The Bachelor.

What was great about If the Shoe Fits is that the evil stepmom is missing. Cindy’s stepmother is incredibly loving and supportive and the relationship Cindy has with her stepsisters is #goals. Her mom is a producer on a reality TV show that is EXTREMELY similar to The Bachelor and when a couple of contestants drop out right before filming, Cindy and her stepsisters take their place.

The suitor ends up being the hot man she met on her airplane ride home and their chemistry is still there. But for me the story was less about the romance and more about the show, friendships formed, and the sisters. Cindy barely gets any one-on-one time with Henry so their romance felt forced and rushed.

If the Shoe Fits was still a fun and easy book to read. The author included characters of all size, nonbinary and queer, and BIPOC, which almost made it feel like it was trying too hard to be inclusive, yet it worked and felt natural.

Fun and light with no steam, it was a nice start to this new series.