Rating: 3.5 stars

The following book contains language, suggestive content, LGBT characters, pop culture references

"This isn't real life. This is reality television.

My fairy godmother must work at Disney Publishing because your girl got a copy of an early galley of If the Shoe Fits!

Unlike Julie Murphy's characters, I usually don't have a problem buy clothes; I do, however, have the hardest time buying shoes because of my weird feet, so I am very familiar with that feeling when you find the perfect fit. For a minute, I thought Julie Murphy's new book was going to be my illusive glass slipper. The story starts with a meet cute and the prologue gave me major A Cinderella Story vibes. If we're keeping with the glass slipper analogy, If the Shoe Fits would be a comfortable fit, but I wouldn't be whisked off to the palace to marry Prince Charming.

What I Liked:
💎 The Twist on Cinderella: I wouldn't necessarily call this a modern Cinderella, but there are definitely elements of the familiar fairy tale with some refreshing twists. (I also JUST realized made the connection between triplets and the Disney movie and now I feel dumb.) I have a soft spot for Cinderella retellings and thought this was a fun one.
💎 The Nuanced Story: This is more than a simple love story. Maybe it's because Murphy is diving into the world of adult fiction, but this was much more nuanced than the Dumplin' books. Yes, there's romance, but it also address grief, family and, of course, body positivity.
💎The Family Feels: I like the fact that we don't get an evil stepmother and stepsisters. The relationship between Cindy and her step-family is a little complicated but endearing and, in this case, makes for a better story than the simple good vs evil dynamic would've.

Could've Been Better:
🧹The Preachy Dialogue: There are some moments when the story starts to veer off course and gets a little preachy. I'll admit, this is a bit of pet peeve of mine, so it probably bothers me more than most people. Look, I don't mind if you have an agenda--it probably isn't going to be a very good story if there isn't some kind of point--but don't straight up lecture me. Use your storytelling to get your point across and save the orating for an article or something. I'm here for a story, and when you get up on your soapbox, you're blocking the view.
🧹The Awkward Pacing: The story is too fast in some places and too slow in others. Goldilocks would not approve. The romance is a little too rushed to be convincing, and it just feels like we go around in circles with the supposed obstacles to Happily Ever After.
🧹Bland Characters: I hate to say this, but Henry is almost as personality-less as the original Disney Prince Charming. Some of the banter is cute, but some of it is just kind of mediocre. Cindy is a bit interesting, but I feel like a little more depth would make her an even stronger protagonist. I like some of the other contestants (though I'm still not sure what exactly Murphy was trying to do with Sara Claire's character) and think the Tremaine family member are cute; I just wish they were more developed. These relationships have a lot of potential but never get developed enough.

TL;DR: Modern Cinderella meets Miss Congeniality meets The Bachelor.

Julie Murphy hits it out of the park again! I am a little (well, a lot) older than her intended audience but I truly enjoy all of her novels. I wasn’t sure what to think about a Cinderella retelling but I love how she veered from the traditional plot and made it more enjoyable. The main character, Cindy, is so very likable and I enjoyed going on this journey with her. She didn’t have a “poor me” attitude about being plus size, but instead owned it and showed what body positivity looks like. Her relationship with her stepmother and stepsisters was refreshing as well.

I used to be a big fan of The Bachelor and I still follow the gossip somewhat, so I loved the spoof of it. The only thing missing for me is I wish we had been able to follow along his date with Addison or Sara Claire, or at least get a recap of what happened. It wasn’t integral to the plot, but I think Addison could’ve been played a more multi-dimensional villain and the friendship with Sara Claire could’ve been deepened.

Overall, it was another fun read and the things mentioned above only would have expanded the story but were not necessary to seal this as a 5 star book and must read for lovers of Julie Murphy.

It was the cover that did it for me. I love a book with a curvy woman on the cover.

Cindy is a fun, loving fashion designer. She has a passion for shoes and clothes and she just an all around great person.

I loved the relationship that Cindy has with her stepfamily. It was so nice to see. I expected them to be horrible but they were super nice and genuine.

Henry and Cindy has the cutest meet cute on a airplane. Soo adorable.

This is a fun-loving sweet romance about two people who weren't looking for love but found it anyways

First off let me start by saying I love Julie Murphy's previous books, so when I saw her adult book was available on NetGalley I was like please sign me up. I admit I was a bit disappointed in reading the summary that this was a cinderella retelling, because that story has been told quite a few times. So let me tell you now if you are having similar thoughts let me just say this book is Cinderella but with enough twists that it doesn't truly feel like Cinderella in the best ways possible. Instead of just losing a shoe, our protagonist designs shoes, collects them and basically loves them. This book has fashion, the struggle of post college life, interesting family dynamics, a reality show, being true to who you are, and of course romance. Once I started this book I could not put it down, so I didn't and finished it in one sitting. While I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I do wish that there was more detail/focus towards the end of the book, it felt like it wrapped up a bit too quickly. But huge thanks to Julie Murphy for writing this book, I can't wait to see what she writes next!

There is no doubt in my mind that Cindy, the protagonist of Meant to Be: If the Shoe Fits, and I would be good friends if we ever got the chance to meet. I can't get enough of Julie Murphy's characters, storylines or books. They keep a smile on my face, warm my heart and make me want to sing in the rain. Her books show good things do happen to good people and that sometimes you might just be in the right place at the right time. 10 stars!!!!!!!!!!

I loved this book and I could not put it down!! I was excited to see the premise of the book was a Cinderella / Bachelor mash-up, but I was not expecting to love it as much as I did!

Knowing it was a Cinderalla retelling, I was expecting a similar storyline, evil stepmother/ stepsisters, protagonist continously mistreated, etc., but I was pleased to see the author's take was a completely different path and she kept it much more positive and upbeat!

I loved the main character and everything she brought to the novel and I loved the behind the scene aspects with the reality show. This was such a clever concept and I enjoyed the author's unique take on this storyline! I can't wait to read the sequel in this series and see where it takes us!


***Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an advanced copy of this book!

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC for an exchange for an honest review.
Cute read, a bit predictable but still enjoyable.

Two things I really love: The Bachelor and Cinderella. This book manages to mix the two in a way that made it so fun to read. I could predict what most of what happened but I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I actually say down and didn't get back up until I finished it.

I would love to see more books in this series.

I love Julie Murphy's Dumplin' series (which actually has a new book coming out soon, Pumpkin, and I can't wait to read that as well!), and I also love classics turned into contemporary rom-coms, so I started this modern-day Cinderella retelling as soon as I got a copy from Netgalley. In the same vein as Dumplin', she takes a fat, generally comfortable protagonist and makes her star in the story in an unexpected way that brings a little discomfort to her life: here, as Cindy, a recent Parsons design school grad who is struggling with an artistic block and thus ends up as a contestant on the new season of her high-powered TV producer stepmom's Bachelor-like show. And truly falls for the "Prince Charming"... with the rom-com swoons (though not steamy) and emotional swings that ensue. Found it quite refreshing actually that the step-family is not horrible to Cindy (but there's still plenty of chance for mean-girl action with the show contestants, of course), but instead, while they love her, they're just so different from her (Hollywood types, with the stepsisters being skinny model-type influencers) that she has trouble finding her place in their world, especially as she grieves her father's death. The shoe-loving Cindy works perfectly as a modern-day, fresh Cinderella, and I loved the parallels to last year's One to Watch, with the plus-sized protagonist who is very into fashion trailblazing on a Bachelor-like show; I will say that while they both take on some critique of this type of show and of how the fashion world and society in general, especially on social media, treat fat people, One to Watch goes a bit deeper into it, partly because the protagonist is a bit more mature, and partly because you get to see more of the response with Bea in One to Watch being the star of the show, whereas in this one Cindy is cloistered away from social media as just one contestant vying to "win" the show. I believe this is Murphy's first adult (rather than YA) book, but it's not too far off from YA with the main character being just out of college, so the transition worked well for me. If you like rom-com reads, modern-day retellings, and/or Julie Murphy's work in general, check this one out.

Cindy’s beloved father passed away while she was at university; her mother died years ago. Upon graduation, having nowhere else to turn, she moves in with her father’s widow, Erica, and her family. The household is full: Erica has two daughters Cindy’s age and a surrogate-borne batch of adorable triplet toddlers. Cindy intends to work as a nanny until she figures out what to do with her passion for shoe design. When last-minute vacancies open up on Erica’s reality TV show (based on The Bachelor), Cindy and her two stepsisters step in. Cindy is shocked to see the bachelor is a guy she met on the plane, a guy who sparked instant chemistry. Will they be able to thwart the manipulative, domineering show managers and run off into the sunset together?

This book started a bit slowly, but I was pulled in by the main character. She’s a plus-sized woman with confidence. I liked her, and wanted to see what happened. The stepfamily is loving and kind toward her, so the Cinderella premise takes a pleasant turn. It was interesting to look behind the scenes at how gimmicky and staged a reality show is, and to learn about shoe design from this perspective.

Here’s how I could sum up the story.
Modern day Cinderella where she actually gets along with her step family meets reality TV (my guilty pleasure).

This book has the absolute perfect amount of body positivity and fat talk where you don’t feel like it is being thrown at you but it’s put into very real scenarios. Easy to read and easy to love.

The family aspect of this book and the feelings the main character feels are so real and true, Allowing people to see the better side of blended families had my heart full.

I already have a list of people to recommend this book to.

Cinderella meets The Bachelor with some bopo and self-empowerment thrown in as well. While the ending seemed a bit shocking and not quite what my little contemporary romance heart would have imagined, I still loved Cindy as a character and the shout-outs to some of the memes and modern-day references (Pelton girl, anyone?). Gave me ONE TO WATCH vibes.

(Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Publishing for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!)

Julie Murphy...you did it again! Absolutely amazing novel. If the Shoe Fits is a cute romance that can easily be read by teens and adults. And the parallels between the Cinderella story we all know are just enough to keep it on track, but not too much that the story feels cliche. Cindy finds herself at a crossroads and decides to take a chance on “putting herself out there”. I loved the witty banter between Cindy and Henry. I wish that some of the other contestants were more well rounded, or that readers got to see the other solo-dates, but as the novel is told from Cindy’s perspective it wouldn’t have made complete sense, but I so wanted to be a fly on the wall in Addison’s date.

This sounds like a cute story, but not one I was super excited about. Since I have so many books I decided to pass on reading this one. Just didn't stand out as something I HAD to get to this season.

After having just graduated with a degree in shoe design, and trying to get her feet on the ground, Cindy is working for her stepmother, who happens to be the executive producer of America's favorite reality show, Before Midnight. When a spot on the show needs filling ASAP, Cindy volunteers, hoping it might help jump-start her fashion career, or at least give her something to do while her peers land jobs in the world of high fashion.

This book was really cute! Super romantic and dreamy.

What a great book this was! Was instantly intrigued by the plus-sized lead + the modern retelling of a Disney classic. The author did a great job weaving the traditional elements of the Cinderella story into this fun + lighthearted read.

It's so easy to root for our leading lady, Cindy. I loved watching her get more comfortable going after what she wants as the book progressed. So many great supporting characters too!

If you love fashion, Disney, the Bachelor, meet-cutes --- you'll enjoy this one. Looking forward to see what the author does with the rest of the series!

O-M-G! This book is everything!! I am not a fan of the Bachelor or reality dating shows - and this book is based in one - but I still enjoyed every second of it!

For fans of the show UNreal this book is a must-read! It gives the same dive into the behind-the-scenes moments of the producer's storylines and agendas, but with the added touch of a real fun-loving romance and a touch of diversity in the plus-size main character!

I can't wait to pick up everything Julie Murphy writes!!!

Thank you Netgalley and Hyperion Avenue for this ARC of IF THE SHOE FITS by Julie Murphy.

I love a fairy tale-retelling and I love Julie Murphy, so when I found out she would be publishing her first adult romance novel as a Cinderella re-telling (featuring a plus size lead and a Bachelor-esque connection), I was sold. I love Julie Murphy's YA work and this felt like such a great grown up version of that.

Cindy is at a crossroads in her life. Recently finished with fashion school in NYC, she moves back home to LA to crash with with her step-mom, step-sisters, and three half siblings while she figures out her next move. Her mom is the executive producer of Before Midnight, a Bachelor-esque reality dating show -- and when contestants start dropping, Cindy volunteers to go on the show, ignoring the love aspect & hoping this will kick start her career. Naturally, things are never as black and white as that -- and as Cindy finds her place in this reality TV world, she may also find a few other things too.

What I loved: It turns out Bachelor-esque writing is really my sweet spot (may we remember ONE TO WATCH by Kate Stayman-London - this one had some similar vibes), and the Cinderella re-telling reminded me a lot of A CINDERELLA STORY (a classic). I also love the way the retelling didn't play with the same villain tropes - I found that refreshing and surprising. And I loved Cindy, her friends, and the main characters.

What I was just fine with: Cindy's grief over losing her father is mentioned in some interesting ways, but I wish it had gone a little deeper for how much it was mentioned. I liked the lightness of the story but found myself craving maybe a bit more depth.

Overall, I really liked it and this will be a great romance for you to read on the beach this summer!

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publishing team for sharing this ARC with me!

What a delightful read! I've always been a sucker for retellings and this was a great one.

Cindy is fresh out of college and trying to figure out what's her next step. She has a meet-cute with a <i>delightful</i> stranger on a plane whom she dubs as Prince Henry. Fast forward and the next thing she knows, Cindy has the opportunity to score some exposure in the fashion field while also trying to win the heart of The Suitor on a reality TV show...surprise, surprise, the Suitor is none other than her Prince Henry.

I loved learning about Cindy as a character and seeing her struggles and emotional journey missing her parents as well as navigating her relationship with her stepmother and stepsisters. Not to mention, she's an awesome representation. I think my favorite part about this retelling is how wonderful the relationship was with her step-family. No evil stepmother/stepsisters here and it was breath of fresh air.

The chemistry between Henry and Cindy was fun to read but like Cindy, I was so frustrated with Henry sometimes, especially with him not being as clear as he should be. However, it all worked out for the best and Cindy learned to choose herself first and we love her for it! The ending was so cute, I got cavities.

Overall, an easy, feel-good kind of read that I definitely enjoyed!

I was very skeptical of an adult Cinderella tale published by a Disney Press. I’m so glad I was wrong! This is such an amazing book full of body positivity, powerful female relationships, and of course, an intriguing love story.