This was a very cute romance about a plus-size woman who falls in love in spite of herself in a Bachelor-style reality tv competition. I picked it up because Dumplin, also by Julie Murphy, is still one of my favorite YA contemporaries and I'm not ashamed to admit that I also watch the Bachelor pretty regularly. So, I was pretty excited to see where this went!

This is where the knowing too much about the concept was not actually helpful - I was kind of expected like a light-hearted version of the TV show Unreal, but this was not that. I thought there'd be a lot of producer manipulation, and there was some, but it was pretty minimal (this is weirdly kind of what I watch the Bachelor for - the "real or not real" game). I liked the characters a lot - I would read a companion novel about Stacy OR Sara Claire in a heartbeat. Stacy is a librarian and I'm biased but she's just the best. The main character is also really lovable and her POV as a fat contestant was really refreshing to read. Due to the conceit of the book, the male lead doesn't get a ton of screen time, but he's easy to root for as well. The insanely likable characters made up for a fairly routine sort of story. And there wasn't any sex and for some reason I thought there'd be sex. There was, however, FASHION. So. 3 stars (on goodreads)! I liked it.

Thanks to Disney Hyperion and Netgalley for the eARC which I received in exchange for an unbiased review. If the Shoe Fits will be availabe in April!

What an adorable story! A Cinderella story with a plus-size main character - I love it! Julie Murphy is such an inspiration for body positive stories! This fairy tale retelling is sure to be a hit!

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Feeling a little lost after graduation, Cindy returns to the home of her stepmother to try to find where her path will lead. Consequently, her stepmother is a producer on one of television's most beloved reality shows and lands Cindy and her two stepsisters roles on the show. But, what happens when Cindy finds how that, the bachelor she is to be vying for, is someone she has already met?
I really enjoyed If the Shoe Fits. I originally picked it up because, um duh, it's Julie Murphy, And I love her. But soon, I also fell in love with Cindy and her love story. Yes, this is a book about body positivity: Cindy is not a typical, tiny bachelorette. Yet, it's not just about that. It's about fashion, and female friendships, and how we are all trying to find our way. I very enthusiastically recommend If the Shoe Fits and can't wait for my fellow readers to get ahold of it!

I absolutely adored this book! Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC! The premise for this book was familiar, as I had previously read "One to Watch" by Kate Stayman-London (another good read if you liked "Meant to Be: If the Shoe Fits"), the major difference being that Cindy is competing against other girls on our bachelor-esque reality TV show (as opposed to being the female that the men are competing for).

"Meant to Be: If the Shoe Fits" is a modern day retelling of Cinderella, but told in a way that I haven't encountered previously. Cindy is a plus-sized, recently graduated fashion student with no job prospects. So, she moves back in with her step-mother to act as a nanny to her triplet half-siblings. On her flight home she meets "Prince Charming," they flirt, but don't exchange any contact information. Step-mom is a producer of a hit reality TV show Before Midnight (think The Bachelor). When contestants drop out, just before filming begins, step-mom decides to place her daughters in the show, it is suggested the Cindy be included as well, but step-mom doesn't want to subject her to harsh criticism that might come from her body type. Cindy decides to go on the show anyway, as it will give her "15 minutes of fame" and possibly jump start her career.

Surprise! When the contestants are introduced to our "suitor" for the show, it is Cindy's "Prince Charming" from the plane. His name is Henry, his mom is a fashion designer, head of a major fashion company that is floundering, Henry has come on the show in hope of saving mom's company. I spent a good part of the book waiting for the "blow-up" that would "end" the budding romance between Cindy and Henry. Would it be the fact that Cindy's step-mom is the producer for the show, and they have kept it a secret? Does Henry have a secret that will be a "deal-breaker" for Cindy? The "blow-up" actually happens in a way that I did not predict, and I was happy with the way the story was wrapped up (though I kind of want more of Henry & Cindy's story).

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.
Meant To Be: If the shoe fits is like the classic Cinderella story with a modern twist unlike I’ve seen before.
Cindy is a recent Parsons grad, with no job prospects, who returns home to LA for the foreseeable future. In a creative rut, she thinks going home will help her get her creative mojo back and will also allow her to spend time with her step mom and sisters. In this modern take on the classic tale, step mom and sisters are kind and step mom is the show runner for a reality tv dating bachelor style show.
Read this cute story if you like a darling meet cute, body positivity, and a typical hallmark ending.

This was fun and I got sucked in because that bachelor-type find a match premise is effective— you want to know who gets chosen! I love a twist on a story and even though Cinderella isn’t a story I’ve ever connected with much this was a fun way to do it. I liked the fashion shoe designer twist and found the plot overall was well done. I could’ve used more depth from the characters which is why this didn’t slam dunk for me. I wanted to believe that the romance was real so badly but they spent so little time together the believability was clunky for me at times.

I’m loving the shift towards more plus size curvy fat women in romance and fiction. More please and thanks!

3.5 rounded up to 4 for clever twist/ enjoyable plot/ good rep we need more of!

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was given a free advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Julie Murphy is an author I’m familiar with from her YA work, and I’ve loved enough of her books that I will pick up anything new she puts out. And, of course, I’m a sucker for plus-sized romance. It still blows my mind that I get to read novels with women who look like me not only as heroines, but as love interests who are sexy and interesting.

In Cindy, we get a character who is definitely sexy and interesting. Cindy’s shoe obsession is a cute twist, and I was almost immediately set at ease that this would not be a rote retelling- something we certainly don’t need in an already oversaturated market. I also loved the careful balance of what I call “fat girl experiences,” accurate and sometimes painful illustrations of the challenges plus-size women face in the world. Too much of these moments and the story becomes weighed down, depressing, or even whiny. Too few, and it feels like the author just slapped the word “plus-size” in somewhere and patted themselves on the back. There’s a balance in the middle that’s required to create a reading experience where the character feels real and authentic, but the story remains light and fluffy. Murphy achieves that balance here.

I appreciated the reality TV concept. I was a HUGE fan of “One to Watch” by Kate Stayman-London (a must-read if you’re into well-written plus-sized romance), but Murphy’s book presents the opposite concept where the main character is facing off against other women for the attention of one guy. I thought the concept was executed well, and in a way that was definitely lighter than Stayman-London’s take, which didn’t shy away from the realities of the inevitable public response to something like a plus-sized woman on a romance show.

While parts of the book were predictable in the way you’d expect from a contemporary romance, there was still enough twist to keep it interesting. I’ll admit that as I got further into the story, there was a long period where I kept feeling as though I was waiting for the other shoe to drop (no pun intended, lol), and when it finally did, it was not in any of the ways I’d expected.

The main love interest felt more adorable than sexy (not a bad thing!), though that could also be due to the lack of any explicit scenes in the book. The characters never move beyond making out, and there’s only one scene that -might- be considered a ‘fade to black’ scene if you squint. I didn’t feel the book was lacking for it in any way, and the lack of smut added to the light, fluffy feeling this book maintained from start to finish.

If you like low key, warm-and-fuzzy romances with plus-sized heroines, you can’t go wrong here!

This was a quick and fun read. I liked the premise of using a body conscious protagonist and instantly found both Cindy and Henry likable. My only criticism is the author’s continuous naming of races in the book when introducing characters. I’m not sure what the point of that was and didn’t find that it contributed to character or plot development, so it could have been left out. If the attempt was to create a more diverse world, it could have happened more organically.

I received this ARC from NetGalley.

I am a huge fan of Julie Murphy's, and have read all of her books. I especially love the kind and funny characters in Dumplin and Puddin. I was looking for the same sweetness in this book, and while I did find it in parts, something about it being an adult book did not quite translate all the way for me. There were clever moments when the Cinderella story was updated and changed (I liked that the stepmother and stepsiblings weren't evil, and I liked the shoe plot-twist at the end). Overall, though, without the Cinderella gimmick, would it have stood on its own as a novel, as a romance? It was cute, sure, and the Prince is charming in that he is cute and nice, but I wanted him to have more substance. I wanted him to fight more for Cindy. The thing that really saves this novel for me is that Cindy ends up choosing herself (not a spoiler, don't worry).

Freshing up Cinderella with a reality show spinoff! I fell in love with Cin and Prince Charming; I also adored that the "evil" queen was portrayed as a loving and vulnerable mom and stepmom! I had a hard time putting this down once I started. You'll love it too!

Compulsively readable, adorable rom-com blending fairy tale elements from Cinderella and modern day dating reality television. The heroine is plus sized, and beautiful, but best of all, she stays true to herself. I enjoyed most of the book, but at times the author does drag on a bit about the protagonist's deceased parents. I understand it, but it got a touch heavy handed and could just use a bit of trimming. I hope to see more from this author.

When the fat girl enters the cast of a reality tv show, "Before Midnight" (think: "The Bachelor") she's in it for just two things: the prize money and the recognition it will give her name. Cindy is straight out of fashion design school and has no job prospects when this story begins. Living with her stepmom and two stepsisters seems like the begiining of another Cinderella fairy tale, but THIS Cindy gets along with everyone and is treated well too. Easily my favorite book of 2021 so far (although that's not hard because it's early in the year and I've only read 5 books so far), If you loved Julie Murphy before, you're really going to love her now. I hope to see Cindy and Henry in another book.

A precious, easy to read romance! I wasn’t sure about a Cinderella retelling, but I loved the modern updates and twists that Julie Murphy added.
Cindy has just graduated from Parsons School of Design and wants to start her own shoe line, but she has no job offers, and she moves back to LA to help out her stepmom until she can figure out her next step.
I loved that Cindy and her stepmom had a good relationship, and that Cindy and her step siblings also had a good relationship. Obviously there were a lot of issues to be worked through, but I was glad that her family wasn’t terrible like in the original.
Henry felt a little flat to me, but I really enjoyed reading about the girls competing on Before Midnight and I liked reading about what the show looked like behind the scenes.
An enjoyable and quick read that I would recommend to anyone!

This was a delightful Cinderella re-telling. I really liked that she actually has a good relationship with the step mom and step sisters. They are people who have their flaws but it felt more realistic then them just being "evil". I always enjoy a bachelor style tv show setting and this one didn't disappoint. The publisher is Disney so needless to say it is all fade to black.

Julie Murphy does yet more wonderful work in this book. It’s a powerful story of identity, selfhood, and self-acceptance. So ready for young readers!

Any review that starts with "I wanted to love this." is not great. Yet....I wanted to love this. And I did not.

I'm not clear on who the audience is supposed to be for this. New Adult? YA? It doesn't feel like an adult book, I'll tell you that. It felt very YA to me, and I'm not sure if that's because that's what Julie Murphy has really written before now. (And for the record, I adore her YA books.) But hiding the sex behind a closed door was a really weird decision to me, and part of me wonders if it's the Disney factor ('we can't have princesses doing SEX') or what....but it super did not work for me.

Then there's the complicated truth that another book about a plus-size dating show contestant came out last year and is frankly, superior to this book is almost every way.

Anyway.

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for the ARC.

Julie Murphy author of awesome YA books like Dumplin' is making her foray into New Adult with If the Shoe Fits, the first book in the Meant to Be series.

This contemporary retelling of Cinderella is a total delight! Cindy's just graduated from design school with no true plans or prospects so she moves back home with her stepmom, stepsisters, and triplet half-sibs. Her stepmom is the executive producer of America's favorite reality dating show (think The Bachelor/Bachelorette), Before Midnight.

Cindy's most intense dream is to design shoes. Yet due to lingering grief from her father's sudden and unexpected death has left her feeling uninspired. Then an assistant producer from Before Midnight approaches Cindy and asks her to be a contestant on the show. At first hesitant because of her weight, Cindy agrees to do it. She hopes that being a contestant will give her a moment of fame that she can use to jumpstart her design career.

Imagine Cindy's surprise when she discovers that the Prince is Henry, the hottie she shared a moment with on her flight from New York home to California. Maybe their connection was real but what does that mean now that she's one of two dozen women vying for Henry's attention.

This book gave me so many reasons to love it. Cindy was consistently relatable. I appreciated that she was fashionable and unapologetic about her size, even when surrounded by thinner, more conventionally attractive women. Despite her grief, she was determined and mostly upbeat. While she was open to a relationship, she wasn't seeking one out to "complete" herself. In fact, I'm glad that she got to show that what she valued most was herself.

The storyline is character-driven and as a fairy tale retelling, I'm so glad that the author made the choice to update Cindy's stepmom and stepsisters. They weren't cruel or evil. All of them were kind, loving, and supportive of each other. The same with the other contestants (mostly) - while they were competing for Henry's attention, they weren't usually cruel to one another. I'm so over women being depicted as shallow, backstabbers competing for men's attention so THANK YOU, Julie Murphy!

Also a shout out for If the Shoe Fits including LGBTQ+ and nonbinary rep in an honest way instead of a "hey, look, we have a Token Character here" fashion.

If you're a fan of One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London, you'll enjoy If the Shoe Fits. Both books feature fashion-conscious, plus size women who call out the industry for its lack of options for plus size women and are determined to find happiness and success.

Hello, body positivity!

This was a sweet NA romance with lots of sweet charm and only a little trope.

Recommend.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the digital ARC of this title. I was so excited to see a new Julie Murphy book. As much as I wanted to love it, though, Cindy seemed like a repeat of some of Murphy's other spunky, body-positive characters. Don't get me wrong, we need a whole lot more body-positive protagonists (and what about non-female body-positive characters, publishing?) I just want more substance and depth to my characters than I found here. Also, some of the momentum of the story got lost in all of the reality TV drama. All around though, it was a light, fun read.

Meant to Be : If the Shoe Fits was the first book I read written by Julie Murphy and I fell in love with her writing. When I read the description my first thought was oh another cinderella remake. But, I loved this twist on the classic story and enjoyed how different it was. The world needs more characters like Cindy in movies, books, and tv. Also, Henry was amazing and definitely book boyfriend material. Great Book and I can't wait to read the next one.