I never watch Reality TV shows, it's not something I enjoy for the most part but If the Shoe Fits looked like a really fun and entertaining story and turns out I was right.

This book follows Cindy as she is thrown into a dating competition. She and other women will have to "compete" for the love of the man who she just met in a plane. If that's not a sign for love, I don't know what is, ahah. However, Cindy is the only plus size woman on the show and she believes this is the perfect chance to get a boost on her career. She just didn't expect to fall in love.

Overall, this was a fun story and I like how the subjects were handled. I liked getting to know her story and her family. The romance was nice too.

(Thank you for letting me read and review an ARC via Netgalley)

I really enjoy Julie Murphy's prose. Her writing style just really jives well with me and is very easy to consume. I don't know that I knew what this book was about at any point, but it's Cinderella but also not. This story follows Cindy who has experienced the loss of her mother at a young age, followed by her father before she hit adulthood. She has a stepmom, 2 stepsisters, and 3 half sibling triplets, but none of them are evil and she has a great relationship with them. Cindy is struggling to get her footing in the fashion world - her favorite thing is shoes and she collects and makes them. She ends up landing a spot on her stepmom's reality dating show and the story goes from there. I am no stranger to reality tv and it's 100% a guilty pleasure that I don't get to enjoy much nowadays, so this was a really fun guilty pleasure read. I also really enjoyed the behind-the-scenes stuff as far as tv production goes - it's something I see in my day job, so I'm a little obsessed with it at the moment.

Obsessed with Julie Murphy and even more obsessed with Julie Murphy writing adult novels featuring retellings of fairy tale romances. Man, this was so enjoyable! I love a dating show plot in a rom-com so this was right up my alley, and the characters were all immensely loveable. I'm really glad Cinderella's abusive stepfamily didn't make it into this retelling.

Ahhhh I loved this book!! Our heroine is adorable, and as a fat girl myself I felt so represented by her. i loved that she was fully herself and didn't give into anyone's desires for her to change. Julie Murphy's book Dumplin sealed her for me as an author I trust with fat representation. On that note, I would've loved a bit more steam, since I feel like fat girls don't really get steamy scenes, but it's just something I would've liked to have seen added, nothing big. Overall, I rank this as an adorable Cinderella-type rom-com and am excited for the next book in the series. Thank you to the publisher for my copy.

DNF at 40%

I honestly just could not get into this book. I think it mostly had to do with the writing style, it just didn't work for me. I didn't feel connected to the characters and honestly didn't care what happened

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This Cinderella retelling was a lot of fun and super cute. The perfect book for The Bachelor fans to sit down with and binge in a few hours, letting yourself get wrapped up in the romance! Julie Murphy is an incredible story-teller and I love how wonderful she is at writing positive fat rep. Another aspect that I loved is that the step-family weren't evil! They loved and accepted Cindy as their own and were so, so supportive. This romance was super sweet and adorable. This is a new adult but this is teen friendly! Some steamy make-out scenes but is closed door. My only gripe is the ending... it was too sudden. I wanted more!

‘With a shiny new design degree but no job in sight, Cindy moves back in with her stepmother, Erica Tremaine, the executive producer of the world’s biggest dating reality show. When a contestant on Before Midnight bows out at the last minute, Cindy is thrust into the spotlight…’

‘But being the first and only fat contestant on Before Midnight turns her into a viral sensation—and a body-positivity icon—overnight. Even harder to believe? She can actually see herself falling for this Prince Charming.’

I LOVE This Book! I laughed, I cried, and I gasped in surprise. If you’re looking for a modern-day Cinderella story with a twist, I Highly Recommend reading IF THE SHOE FITS, Book One in the Meant To Be Series by Julie Murphy.

More, Please!!

Thank you, NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue (Disney Publishing), for providing me with an eBook of IF THE SHOE FITS at the request of an honest review.

Generally a good book, kept my attention. The story was great, characters well thought out, and the pacing was good. Overall, I enjoyed the book and would read more by this author!! Thank you so much for the ARC!

A delightful book full of adventure, action, and thrills. Fun to read, engrossing world building, and very descriptive imagery made it feel like it was cinematic. It's hard to resist the story as it drives forward. Would recommend.

Lovely book! Great pacing, nice love story. And although you know as a romance reader what is going to happen, there is enough tension to keep reading. I really liked the main characters and how the author updated the Cinderella-esque story. Complicated step-family relationships instead of cruelty. Will definitely continue with the series. Mainly closed door romance.

Wow, what a fun read! Julie Murphy provides a fresh take on Cinderella while also serving up a juicy, reality TV drama. Add a plus-sized main character (Cindy) and a few LGBTQ+ side characters, and bingo! A modern twist on a classic tale. I would recommend this book to any friend, coworker, or fairy-tale loving family member looking for a fun and light romance read.
While the plot was fast and the romance gave me whiplash, that's also the nature of most romance reality TV shows, so I'll give it a pass. I did feel this book was lacking on the character development, and could have leaned harder into the looking-for-love-while-fat angle. I deeply loved Cindy as a character, but many of the characters/men in her orbit were flat and archetypal.
I'll be excited to pick up more from Julie Murphy and the Meant to Be series!

I am so mad I waited so long to read this book!!! It was everything I wanted and needed to read at the moment!!!

This was a light, fun and quick read. Reminiscent of the bachelor, you’ll be rooting for our protagonist the entire way through. A delight!

I love subversions of fairy tales and this one is a charming example of that trope. Murphy is a skilled storyteller and her prose and characters sparkle in this one.

Absolutely delightful! Thank you so much for an early copy. Everything about this book made my heart so happy!

I love this take on Cinderella. It was fun see one where the steps are not evil people. It was a fun mix of reality tv and love story with the main girl being a plus size girl. I like the reference to shoes and why she was obsessed with them because it didn't really matter you body size shoes are made for everyone.

What I loved the most about this book was the Plus Size rep. It made me think about One To Watch.

I am personally not a fan of dating show trope so that's an entirely personal op_inion that shouldn't affect the readers if you do like them. I always struggle with finding the connection between two people in this setting and have a hard time believing the romance.

I did appreciate the modern twist on Cinderella, one of my favorite Disney!

I loved "If the Shoe Fits" by Julie Murphy! It was definitely predictable and didn't really do anything new, but I think that was why I loved it! It was like a nice hot mug of your favorite tea. I could just sit back, relax and enjoy the story. This is the second book that I have read by Julie Murphy and I have thoroughly enjoyed both of them. I would love to get around to reading more of her backlist.
#MeanttoBeIftheShoeFits #Netgalley

I truly enjoyed reading this book. It definitely brighten my day up as I continue reading this book. And I'm loving that we are bringing more representation in the book community. Everyone should have representation in the communication. It makes the read so much more relatable.

A fat positive Cinderella retelling? Yes, please!! In case you're wondering why I am now buying all of Julie Murphy's other books it's because this one was absolute perfection!

I loved evey minute of reading this story. I was filled with joy and kept gushing about it to my loved ones. I never thought I would be so obsessed with a story set on a reality tv set since I don't watch reality tv but here we are. I loved the characters, especially Cindy, and the "meet-cute" was so sweet. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars for sure!