An adorable modern day Cinderella story. I enjoyed the plausibility of a prince with many female suitors being likened to a Bacholer-like reality show.

Loved this book. It was a cute whimsical book that kept my attention. It may have been predictable, but it kept me going until the end.

I have really enjoyed Julie Murphy's books, especially Dumplin', and her latest offering may be my favorite yet. If the Shoe Fits is a Cinderella retelling set in a Bachelor-type matchmaking television show. Cindy has recently graduated from fashion school where her focus was shoe design, but with no job prospects, she moves back home to live with her stepmother, two stepsisters, and triplet half-siblings. When the last-minute opportunity arises to appear on the show, Cindy doesn't let herself consider if her curves will make her a target for trolls. Instead, she focuses on the exposure her designs will receive... and the cash prize at the end. It's a risk, but one she's willing to take.

This was an adorable adventure into a very familiar fairytale. The characters were darling and I really enjoyed the relationships between the women. The real world is a bit chaotic right now and this was a sweet escape into fantasy land. I highly recommend you add it to your list of fun reads.

If the Shoe Fits is a modern day Cinderella retelling and part of the Meant to Be series where different authors will recreate fairytales.

I thought Cindy’s story was cute. A plus-size woman forced to be a part of her step-mother’s reality TV dating show similar to The Bachelor. Cindy isn’t doing it to find live though. She thinks this will help launch her fashion design career. However, when Prince Charming turns out to be someone she connected with on a plane ride things may turn out differently.

I love the idea of a plus-size contestant on a dating show. However, I did find this premise a bit too similar to One to Watch which is one of my all time favorite romances. I do think body positivity is important in writing though and loved how Cindy quickly became the fan favorite on the dating show.

I personally felt there were some parts that dragged a bit, but overall I thought this was an enjoyable romcom, and I look forward to seeing what book two in the series brings us.

Thank you NetGalley and Disney Publishing for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book was exactly what I needed when I read it. Full of good humor, body positivity, and relatability. It is a quick read with an immersive story and inspirational character. Her confidence is uplifting and in a totally believable way. The author really makes you feel like its attainable and that is something a reader might not always come across and reading from a plus size point of view makes it that much better! A very creative way to retell the story of Cinderella.

I absolutely loved this story! The characters were extremely relatable and it was such a fresh take on the classic story of Cinderella.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of Meant to Be: If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy. All opinions are my own!

I'm a big Murphy fan, stemming from her Dumplin series. I was nervous about how to writing would translate to adult fiction but ended up pleasantly surprised. This was a fast paced and refreshing read- the characters had a lot of representation that you don't see frequently in contemporary romance.

#juliemurphy #iftheshoefits #disneyprincess this is a first in an adult contemporary series. Where each princess will appear in adaption. So this is a twist on #cinderella if you love fairy tales and happy. Pick it up. Get lost. And enjoy. #bookstagram #netgalley #reading #netgalleyreview #bookrecommendations #disneystories #adultprincess

If the Shoe Fits
Meant to Be, Book 1

I Picked Up This Book Because: Looked interesting.

Media Type: eBook
Source: Netgalley
Dates Read: 1/15/22 - 2/17/22
Stars: 4

The Characters:

Cindy Eleanor Woods:
Henry McKenzie:
Erika, Drew and Anna Tremaine, Gus, Mary and Jack Woods (the triplets), Sierra (Cindy’s BFF), Beck

The Story:

I really really enjoyed this reimagining of Cinderella. I loved how the step family was an actual loving and supportive family. The triplets were beyond adorable. I think this is one of the only times I’ve actually enjoyed a reality dating show. Most of the time is just drama and nonsense but this was up close and personal with the contestants and behind the scenes of how a reality show is taped (no idea how realistic that part was but I liked it). The other contestants added personality and I could see some of them being life long friends with Cindy.


The Random Thoughts:

I never figured out if Beck or Sierra was the godmother, what do y’all think?

Challenges:

A to Z Reading Challenge 2022 - I
Prompt Maze - A2

Can I just say that I would really like for Cindy to be my personal fashion designer? K thanks!

Onto the review.
This book was honestly adorable. I loved the slow burn! Building up the love just makes the romance that much sweeter. Also, Cindy just stays in her own lane and knows her worth. I wish more women could be like her. Julie Murphy did not disappoint and I am beyond grateful to her for writing books about body positivity that are actually positive and enjoyable!

If the Shoe Fits is the first book in a new adult contemporary series, each novel adapting a different Disney Princess. If the Shoe Fits is a twist on Cinderella.

I didn’t actually know the synopsis when I started reading this, I was pleasantly surprised by the plot.
For someone who doesn’t watch The Bachelor, I really like books similar to the show.

I really enjoy fairytale retellings! It’s always exciting to see how the author switches it up. I ended up really loving this and I’m upset with myself for not reading this sooner.

Our MC Cindy was so relatable and a breath of fresh air. I loved that she was unapologetically herself!
The supporting characters were fantastic, I especially loved her relationship with her her stepsisters and stepmom.

While I did love this book, I felt like I was reading a YA novel and not an adult one. The lack of steam was surprising, but I’m not mad at it.

Overall I thought this was a great story and I’m looking forward to the rest of the series.

Thought this one was cute and fun for a fairly quick romance read! I would recommend it to any romance lover!

Before I jump into my review, I would like to thank Disney Book Group and Netgalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Meant To Be: If the Shoe Fits is the first book in a new adult contemporary series, each installment adapting a different Disney Princess movie into a contemporary setting. If the Shoe Fits is a twist on Cinderella. Cindy, who has a passion for shoes, has just graduated from fashion design school, and finds herself jobless and moving back in with her stepmother, Erica Tremaine, to take care of triplet half siblings. Erica also happens to be the brains behind the popular reality show, Before Midnight (a fictional version of The Bachelor). When a few contestants for the upcoming season drop out, Cindy and her step-sisters - Anna and Drew - step in to help fill a few spots. Cindy not only finds herself thrust in the spotlight and a body positivity icon, but she might just fall in love in the process.

Alright, full disclaimer, from this point on, spoilers are very likely!!!!

f the Shoe Fits went way above my expectations. I fully expected this to be just an okay read for me, but I really enjoyed it. It was light, fluffy, and very low on the steam. I also liked catching all the references to the original Cinderella movie. First, how the show Cindy goes on is Before Midnight. Second, her stepmother is Lady Tremaine - although a lot nicer - and her stepsisters Ana -Anastasia- and Drew - Drusilla. Also the triplets are named after the mice: Jacques, Gus, and Mary (it took me way too long to catch on to this detail). I loved discovering these references and easter eggs throughout the book.

Admittedly, I am not really a fan of The Bachelor and its different reiterations, but it was still interesting to read about! I liked getting to know some of the behind-the-scenes stuff that happens on reality TV shows, which I am assuming is a somewhat accurate portrayal.

I loved getting to know all the characters throughout the book, especially Cindy. I found her relatable, especially as someone who is also plus-sized, but I also loved how confident she was. I also liked seeing her relationships with various characters throughout the novel. I also liked our Prince Charming character - Henry. However, I wish we had gotten just a little bit more depth to his character.

Overall, this was a fun, light read that is low on the steam factor as far as romances go. This was a great contemporary take on Cinderella, and I am looking forward to seeing how the other Disney princesses get the contemporary treatment. 4/5 Stars.

Absolutely adored this book! It was such a charming retelling. The twist of not having a real evil step parent was amazing. I also loved how their meet cute worked.

Super cute read that was a little mix of Cinderella and The Bachelor type tv shows. It was a fun book with some moments I really enjoyed and some characters that I wouldn’t have minded in a different setting or their own books.

I really like the premise of this book and thought that it was executed well. There is definitely not very much plus-size rep in real life dating shows, so having one in this book was refreshing and showed how much this is needed on the real life versions of these shows. It was also kind of cool that there was a lot of discussion of the behind the scenes action that happens on dating shows. My favorite parts of this book was the twist on the classic Cinderella stepmom/stepsisters relationship, I think the struggles and feelings that Cindy showed for these family members was more relatable and realistic for this modern retelling. The romance was definitely a wild ride and I feel like more moments between them would have maybe made the connection feel stronger.

This book’s plot is a crossover of Cinderella meets The Bachelor/Bachelorette and I loved it. I loved getting a behind-the-scenes look at the show depicted in this book and watching Cindy gradually begin falling for Henry as the season and the novel progress. I thought this was a very cute YA rom-com and I’m excited to read the other books in the series as they come out.

I've wanted to read a novel by Julie Murphy for years, so when I heard her speak about If The Shoe Fits during an online event, I was excited to be given access to a review copy - thanks Hyperion Avenue and NetGalley!

This is the first Meant To Be novel, a series for adult readers featuring updated and contemporary takes on classic Disney princesses. From the title and cover, it's obvious this story reimagines Cinderella. In this delightful book, she is a plus-size shoe designer named Cindy who's exploring the next chapter of life after graduating from the Parsons School of Design in NYC. She unexpectedly finds herself competing on a Bachelor-like reality show, and her body positivity generates lots of interest among viewers.

I have zero interest in (or respect for) the Bachelor franchise so I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this story. I appreciated the smart humor, witty banter, strong writing, and clever nods to the source material.

I related so much to the challenges Cindy experiences as a plus-size women, like buying only for accessories and shoes while shopping with friends because most clothing stores don't carry your size or the embarrassment of requesting a seat belt extender while flying.

I look forward to By the Book by Jasmine Guillory, the second Meant to Be novel.

I love a book with a Bachelor-esque premise, and reading from a plus size perspective was very refreshing. Having more plus size representation in romance is crucial. But, this Cinderella re-telling fell flat for me in the romantic aspect. This book is meant to be an adult romance, but the kisses felt somewhat generic and the closed door nature of the sexual encounter makes me question if anything even happened. 0 spice in this book. But, it is an incredibly cute story and the writing is fantastic.

As a huge fan of Julie Murphy, I loved her first adult romance book so much. The reality show elements were so fun and felt familiar as a romance novel trope while also feeling fresh and new. The fairytale connections to Cinderella were beautifully done, and I loved the representation of a fat heroine finding love exactly as she is. I'm looking forward to reading more romance from Julie Murphy in the future.