Reviewing
Meant To Be: If The Show Fits
By Julie Murphy

If you love reality TV and rom-coms, then you need to add this one to your TBR list right now!

Okay....now that you’ve done that, let’s get into it.

Murphy introduces readers to confident and sassy Cindy, a plus size beauty who truly loves her body just as it is, thank you very much! Her positive body image and acceptance leaps off the pages, inspiring readers to reconsider how they think of their own bodies.

All of the fun characters, the chemistry between Henry and Cindy, and the reality show set up is sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats with anticipation. I have no doubt that this modern day nod to the classic Cinderella story will fly off the shelves and be a book club favorite for years to come.

Julies writing style flows effortlessly from page to page at a wonderful pace with just enough give and take to keep readers happy.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 fun stars for this splendid read with a brilliant self love message for rom-com lovers around the world. 14+ rating.

This was such a fun, body positive, Cinderella retelling! I love how shoes were incorporated throughout. Perfect for fans of The Bachelor, it would make a great beach read. Highly recommended for grades 9 & up.

This was such a sweet and inspiring retelling of Cinderella and I’m still swooning as I’m writing this.💕

I loved this book so much and how beautifully the author tackled so many important topics for today’s society.

First, I have to say I loved how wonderful her step-family was. They cared so much about her and tryly loved her. Their support was truly heartwarming. I also loved the dating show concept and dynamics and all the aspects of the fashion world I learned about. It was very interesting to see Cindy interacting and bonding with other contestants and putting her fashion knowledge into action. She was such a gentle soul and kind spirit. I loved how she never lost her authenticity, even being surrounded by cameras, that’s why she became a T.V. icon and role model. I loved seeing her and Henry having a real connection because of how deeply they got to know each other and shared so much.

Henry was charming and sweet. I loved how despite of being influenced by the expectations of his family and all the falshood and pressure of the show, he was able to show his true self to Cindy and found in her the love he didn’t know he needed and wanted.

This was an enjoyable, fast paced read and I definitely recommend it!

This book comes out on August 3, 2021.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me this ARC.

Julie Murphy is an absolute gem, and her novels are a wonderful addition to any shelf. Cinderella gets a modern remake better than you could have possibly imagined. It's Dumplin' (Muprhy) meets The Bachelor, with a sprinkle of Devil Wears Prada..

This was so cute! Absolutely adorable and wonderful retelling of modern Cinderella without being too predictable or similar. It was light, but still very enjoyable. There's funny banter between the characters, and it's always so nice to see more representation in the romance genre. I'd like to think that it's a pretty truthful portrayal of reality television, but it's heavily inspired by The Bachelor which I do like to watch from time to time. The cover is also beautiful and I loved everything about it. Would recommend!

4.5 stars rounded up! I adored this sweet, modern story that’s Cinderella re-telling meets the Bachelor.

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and the author for the gifted ARC copy - I’m thrilled to leave my honest review and share that I LOVED this story 💕

So exciting to see Julie Murphy writing in adult romance! This sharp and funny Cinderella retelling will definitely be popular with adult fans of Murphy's YA as well as romance readers who enjoy authors like Jasmine Guillory and Olivia Dade.

Overall: 5 /5 Stars

Summary of review:

I loved this book a lot. The characters, the reality show, body positivity, etc. It was such a cute and modern re-telling of Cinderella.

OMG! If this is how the Meant To Be series will be…. I am reading them all!

Summary:

Cindy just graduated with a degree in fashion. Her passion is designing shoes! Cindy moves back in with her stepmom and stepsisters. Her stepmom is the exec producer of a reality show (similar to The Bachelor) called Before Midnight. Cindy volunteers to be on the show in order to “jumpstart” her career.

Cindy goes on the show, and the viewers love her. She is a plus size woman and very confident on the show. Viewers at home are eating it up. Cindy not only impresses the viewers at home but also…. She may have a chance at winning the grand prize too! Sparks fly and romance is in the air! Can Cindy start her career, find love, and be America’s sweetheart?

My thoughts:
I love reality shows, rom-coms, and to read books. I knew this book would be a 5 star read.

I would like to tell the author that I LOVED how she portrayed the main character. The main character is an EXCELLENT example of positive body image. A pet peeve of mine is when a main character says that they do not care about their weight, but then they are self-conscious about their body image, have others put them down, etc. This book was NOT like that at all. I loved the main character so much. Cindy was confident, knew she could win the competition, and owned it. It was so refreshing and encouraging to read about Cindy! I wish other authors would take note on how it is done!

I also loved every character! I loved the sweet interactions between Cindy and Henry so much. They had so much in common, and you could feel the chemistry. When I got to the end of the TV show….I mean book, I was on the edge of my seat.

I also loved the similarities and changes from Cinderella. For example, Cindy’s stepmom and sisters were nice to her! This is not an actual Cinderella story. This felt like a rom-com and not a Cinderella re-telling. Every once in a while, I would be reminded of something in Cinderella. For example, she is into fashion and designs shoes.
I loved the writing style. I have read other books by Julie Murphy, but this one was my favorite.

Conclusion:
I loved this book from the body positivity, to great characters, and a reality show….this book will have you keep reading until the end. This book is excellent for any rom-com fans.

Really enjoyed this modern fairy tale that had a less than perfect sized woman as the main character - but with a family that supports her. Finished the book in one sitting. Great beach read.

The description hooked me immediately. I was a bit worried going into it that it might be too cheesy. Cinderella re-tellings tend to lean in that direction. I was pleasantly surprised within the first couple of chapters. This was a perfect re-imagining of Cinderella. It was far enough away from the original inspiration to be unique, but with little Cinderella elements within it. My second worry was that this was going to be too YA – not that I don’t enjoy a YA, but some can feel too young. This was definitely adult with the ability for a YA crowd to still be able to read it and enjoy it.

The characters were interesting and likable. I enjoyed the relationship between Cindy and her step-family. The “evil stepmom” trope is so tired, so it was really nice to have Cindy’s relationship with her step-mom be a positive one, albeit a little awkward at times as happens with joined families. Her relationship with her step-sisters is also positive, but with a past filled with some clashing which is typical of teen girls trying to fit in. And even better, half-siblings (triplets) thrown into the mix as well. It was such a realistic look at what combined families can look like – despite the whole “stepmom is a reality show executive producer” bit.

I’m a sucker for books about reality shows, especially ones about plus-size characters. I.E. One To Watch, The Next Big Thing, etc. But this one felt different. Cindy is a plus-size contestant on a Bachelor-esque TV show, who decides to be on the show to jump-start her career in the fashion world designing shoes. She isn’t expecting love, and frankly not expecting to stick around for very long due to her shapely figure. But when the lead is revealed, her viewpoint begins to shift. Is she still there for the exposure/money or is she now there for love?

Although Cindy is plus-size, that isn’t the main focus of the book. It’s not a shock that an attractive man likes her. In other books with plus-size characters, it’s a main focus. Cindy is confident in herself. She knows who she is. She’s fat and that doesn’t affect her viewpoint on her talent in designing and she’s not completely in shock when a man is attracted to her. I really liked this viewpoint. Not every fat person is self-conscious about their weight and most times stories will latch on to the otherness of fat people – because someone is fat then they have to hate their fat. As a person in the fat community, I appreciated seeing a different perspective. Of course, there are times where a self-conscious side comes out, but that happens to everybody regardless of size.

The story was fun and I flew through the pages. I could not put this book down! It was light-hearted and sucked me in from the very first page. I enjoyed every second reading it. It says “Meant To Be #1” so I hope that means there will be more in the series. If not, it ended perfectly. The last line was perfection!

I haven’t read Julie Murphy’s other books, but I definitely intend to after reading this one.

Rating: 4.5/5

I was so excited when I received notification that the publisher gave me access to the ARC of Meant to Be: If the Shoe Fits. As a plus size woman it is so refreshing to have the heroine of the story be plus size as well. The way she is described, the issues she faces being able to find clothes in her size, even the issue of standard towels not fitting all the way around her body; I found myself nodding and "mhmming" and yelling "You go girl!" throughout the entire story. You really root for Cindy. There are nods to the Cinderella story without the unpleasantness of the evil step-mother and evil step-sisters. In this story, women support other women. I read this book in less than 24 hours and laughed and smiled the whole way through. I will definitely be checking out more stories by Julie Murphy. I highly recommend this book.

Julie Murphy can do no wrong! Her YA books smack and so does this one! If you need a cute, feel good, laugh out loud book..this is your go to! I can't wait for more from this author! If you ever have the chance to watch a video or webinar with her as a host, I highly recommend!!!

I loved this book! This time the not-skinny girl gets the boy. There are so many elements of this book that I love including: the main character being fat/normal, goat yoga, a sexy librarian, the entire Cinderella retelling vibe (shoes!), and an awesome stepfamily.

Cindy's mother died when she was in elementary school, her father died when she was in high school and left her with a (nice) stepmother and stepsiblings, and she recently (barely) graduated from fashion school in New York. She's flying home to LA when she hits it off with a guy on the plane, but then she never expects to meet him again. She doesn't even know his name. When she gets home, her stepmother Erica is preparing for a new season of the hit reality TV series Before Midnight (basically The Bachelor/Bachelorette). Cindy doesn't know what to do with her life since she has no job offers on the table, so she decides to represent fat girls by going on the TV show (and she might get some career exposure while she's there). What she doesn't expect is that the suitor is the guy from the plane! Will Henry, the son of a fashion icon, fall for Cindy or was the plane ride just a fluke? Whose secrets will be revealed first? Will Cindy get her happily ever after?

This is the retelling of Cinderella we all have been needing in our lives. More to to life then fairy tale, Julie Murphy takes a childhood classic and turns it on it's head. Being plus sized has never sounded or looked so good. Inclusive and diverse this book should set the bar for authors going forward in literature.

A cute, modern Cinderella story? Sure, why not, I can dig it, Julie Murphy is an author whose work I love(Dumplin' is such a treat!) so I was really thrilled to receive this book,

Much like One To Watch, another book centred around a plus size contestant on a bachelor-style dating show, I liked seeing a plus-size lead who felt like a real person. What set this book apart for me though, was that Cindy was really, really the right kind of fat representation. She didn't harp on her diet or exercise routine, didn't seem concerned with restricting herself, or living to gain the approval of anyone. Which is to say, she felt like every other female romantic lead in that her body didn't control and dictate every little aspect of the story. I'm sad that this is progress, but I'll also take what small wins I can get. She just gets to live in her body. I loved it.

I did find the pacing a little off at times, but overall nothing confusing or terribly difficult to get through. There was no steam to be found which is also to be expected given that it's, you know, Disney, so if that's your thing this isn't for you. I will definitely be grabbing this one again for a chill summer picnic read, highly recommend giving it a look.

Thank you to NetGalley, Disney Publishing Worldwide, and Disney-Hyperion for the advance copy.

A fun Cinderella retelling, but with no fun twists or surprises and a cast of mostly dull characters that I wasn't invested in enough to cheer for.

Meant to Be: If the Shoe Fits is a modern Cinderella retelling where instead of a prince and a ball, the story has Cindy being a contestant on a Bachelor-type reality show. Since I'm a suck for both those tropes, this book was basically meant for me. I read this in one sitting and was entertained the whole time.

My favorite parts: In this retelling, Cindy actually has a pretty good relationship with her stepmother and stepsisters. It's such a refreshing twist on the story (and any book that isn't pitting every single woman against each other gets props from me.) I also really appreciated that the book shows plus-sized and minority/diverse characters as just people. The author Julie Murphy includes diverse characters without any of them feeling like a "token character," but rather, just someone you'd encounter (sort of like real life....it's refreshing).

Note: It is similar to One to Watch in that it is a plus-sized heroine competing on the show (except in this one, she's a contestant instead of the bachelorette) but this one is well written and fun enough that I didn't even mind the similarities.

Special thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Let me start by saying that I am a huge fan of Julie Murphy’s writing! Her YA books are some of my all time favorites. So of course I was super excited when it was announced that she was writing an Adult Romance! If the Shoe Fits sounded right up my alley and I’m so happy to say that I absolutely loved this book. It was such a cute and quick read.

The main character Cindy was wonderful and I related to her so much! I adored her passion of design and shoes. Even with lots of ups and downs, it was nice to see her follow her dreams. Cindy is unapologetically fat and I was definitely here for it! I loved that she was vocal about the fashion industry and how they are failing plus size people. Julie Murphy always does an incredible job discussing body positivity in her books. As a fat human myself, I know I can always count on her books to make me feel represented!

I’m a sucker for books that are set in the entertainment industry. The Bachelor style dating show was a lot of fun to read about and it introduced us to so many great side characters!

The romance between Cindy and Henry was super sweet. The chemistry was there from the very beginning and I was rooting for them the whole time. I do wish that we could have learned more about Henry though. I feel like we barely got to know him. A few chapters in his POV would have been great!

If the Shoe Fits is a loose retelling of Cinderella. I particularly loved that Cindy’s step mom and step sisters weren’t awful. We all know that in the original story these characters are so mean to Cinderella, but that isn’t the case with this book! Cindy loves them and they love her. Her step sisters were supportive and hilarious. Her step mom, while she did have her moments, always tried to do what she thought was best.

Overall, If the Shoe Fits was fabulous! If you are looking for a cute rom-com this summer, I highly recommend adding this to your TBR!

There were many aspects of this book that were very interesting! I love the shameless body-positivity, and I think it was super refreshing from past portrayals of big body types. I also love how the author explained the fashion industries relationship with plus-sized clothing, and I thought this book was just as informational as it was enjoyable.

I also thought the romance was super cute. This whole trope is a whole lot of fun, and I love seeing portrayals of it. All in all this book was really solid! Definitely a must read for the rom-com genre, especially if you're looking to learn more about body positivity.

This was a very fun rom-com that is perfect for escape reading. Cindy is not expecting much from the reality show that she is on, but she has quite an adventure. I smiled through most of the book and appreciated it as a nice diversion. It's a delightful Cinderella retelling that is very refreshing. I love fairytale retellings as novels because the characters get to be more than a cardboard cutout. I definitely recommend this one. :)