One of my friends highly recommended Karen Witemeyer's stories to me. I am so glad that she did! This one is a fun, delightful story, filled with enjoyable characters. I highly recommend it and look forward to reading more by the author!

If the Boot Fits is a fun re-telling of a reverse Cinderella story. Karen Witemeyer does a wonderful job of weaving Biblical truths in her stories. I love Asher and Samantha's story and how they work to figure out their future together!

I listened along to the audio version and and enjoyed that as well.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Publication date: 12 March 2024

If the Boot Fits had all the potential to be a brilliant read and (phew) so it was. Cinderella is my favorite fairytale, and Karen Witemeyer one off my auto-buy authors. She’s an awesome writer.

The story focuses on wealthy ranch heiress Samatha Dearing, and down on his luck cowboy, Asher Ellis Asher gatecrashes a ball in Samantha’s honor, to sneak into her father’s study and find proof he treated Asher’s family illegally when he evicted them. When he’s almost caught, Asher runs, leaving a distinctive cowboy boot behind.

Samantha is determined not to be married off, and instead embarks on improving the lives of those around her. In the process, she spends time with Asher and a bond begins to form. But someone wants her dead. Can Asher and Sam’s father figure it out before the killer is successful?

One of the things I love about Karen Witemeyer books is that she doesn’t hold back on scripture but doesn’t get preachy either. Both Asher and Samantha must dig deep into their faith in this book and that’s written with a deft hand. The plot pulled me in quickly and I cared about the outcome, taking extra time to finish the book when I could, potentially, have been doing some housework (thank you for that, Karen).

The romance is a sweet one and as ever with this author, the action scenes ket the pages turning. No one writes a good old Texas shoot out like Karen Witemeyer. If you like adventures set in Texas or wonderfully reimagined fairytales, If the Boot Fits is highly recommended. I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley, the opinion is all my own.

Karen Witemeyer is at her best! She is one of the authors I want to read when they publish something new automately. This book was no exception. The author wrote such deep and sweet characters I couldn't help loving.
The ROMANCE! Goodness, I loved that! It was so beautifully written!
This book kept me hooked from the beginning to the very end. I was so curious to find everything. I wanted to know what kind of stupid obsession motivated Samantha's mother to betray her loved ones in such a way and I wanted to know who the criminal was.
The mystery and crime puzzle-loving part of me thrived reading 'If the Boot Fits'. I can't even tell about the romance part... I loved EVERYTHING! It's such a perfectly perfect book!


* I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley, and this is my honest opinion.*

This is such an exciting spin on the story of Cinderella! Samantha Dearing is the only daughter of a cattle baron, caught between her father’s expectations that she marry, and her own desires to accomplish something on her own. Asher Ellis isn’t fond of the Dearing family because of the way his mother has been treated, but somehow he must push that aside and focus on protecting his brothers. In the meantime, some very suspicious accidents put Samantha in danger, and Asher has developed a habit of rescuing her from peril. They must find out who is behind the accidents, but Asher knows the closer he becomes with Samantha, the more likely his less honorable actions will come to light. This sweet western has some fantastic characters, hilarious moments, and a faith thread that emphasizes forgiveness and redemption. I adored every page! I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a positive review.

4.5 Stars

IF THE BOOT FITS is a gender-bending, smartly rewoven tale of Cinderella set in historic Texas. It's classic Witemeyer with this inspirational western romance full of family, humor, romance, faith, and a bit of suspenseful danger. Fans of the author and genre are sure to enjoy this delightful story!

I'm really enjoying this series where each books stands on its own and is a twist on a classic fairy tale, this one being Cinderella. This time it's not the girls who loses a shoe behind, but the hero of the story instead. He's also the poor one trying to support his family instead of it being the heroine. I loved seeing how this author parallelled the original in this story in such a creative way. It was very well done. Add to that characters who I couldn't help but love, emotional depth between all the different themes, faith that is interwoven throughout in a natural way, a bit of suspense and danger, and romance that literally sparks off the page and you have a story that I thoroughly enjoyed!

Here are a few of the pieces of wisdom I highlighted from this book:

"...you need to serve from a place of humility, otherwise people will likely reject the help you wish to give. . . . Ministry is not about you helping those in need, it's about God helping those in need through you."

"Feeling fear don't make you weak. It makes you human. Bein' strong means you don't let fear dictate your actions."

In the end, was it what I wished for? This was a wonderful story! It was fun with all the feels and kept me engaged from beginning to end. I'm looking forward to the next western fairy tale retelling in this series!

Content: Clean
Source: I received a complimentary copy through Celebrate Lit, which did not require a positive review. All opinions are my own.

This delightful book is somewhat of a Cinderella style story with the gender being reversed. "If the Boot Fits" concerns fitting the cowboy boot on the unidentified male and it is written in Whitmeyer's style. You will be absorbed in the tale from the very first chapter when the characters are introduced. It you have read any of Whitmeyer's books, then you know she has a certain style that has humor but also has real purpose. You will certainly not be disappointed in this book. Her characters are strong and she describes them and all scenery and actions in such a way, you can see it in your mind's eye very plainly as if you were there when all the action is taking place..... Thanks to Bethany Publishing and the Author for this delightful book. I am very happy to leave my positive review.

If you love fairy tale retellings, make sure you check out this Cinderella-inspired story. With a little gender-swapping and a lot of Texas flair, you'll be swept along on this epic adventure.

Samantha Dearing returns from finishing school in Boston, ready to settle back into the ranch life she loved as a girl. Much to her dismay, her father seems intent on marrying her off to a wealthy suitor as soon as possible, but Samantha isn't going to stand for this.

Asher Ellis is dismayed to learn his stepmother has been evicted from her home, and he sneaks into Samantha's ball in order to search her father's home for evidence of corruption toward his tenants. When things go wrong, he ends up making a hasty escape and leaving a boot behind in the process.

In order to resettle into her community, Samantha begins to get involved in charity work. This leads to her tutoring Asher's younger brother and helping a friend who has fallen into dire circumstances. This allows Samantha's personality to come to life and show the compassionate side of her passionate nature. But it soon becomes clear that someone is out to cause her serious harm. Who could it be? Asher becomes one of her protectors as they try to find the man with ill intentions.

This book has strong faith themes and encourages helping those in need. Overall, I felt the story was a little lacking for me personally. I never quite connected to the characters, and there's a journal that is discovered toward the end of the book that contained a twist I really wish had been handled differently. Was it necessary? It was pretty disappointing to me. However, the Cinderella aspects of the story were top notch and often brought a smile to my face. It was fun to find familiar names and see classic scenes playing out in a unique way.

I received my copy of the book from the author. All thoughts in this review are my own.

A Cinderella tale with a western twist? What could be more perfect than that!

(Not to mention, Karen Witemeyer has been my favorite author for years. I’ll read any snippet of her work that I can get ahold of.)

If the Boot Fits holds many twists to keep readers guessing while including plenty of nods to the original fairytale. And the cover is absolutely fantastic. It gives the perfect elegant/western feel of the story.

Asher was a delightful hero, one whose commitment to his family made him even more appealing. His brothers were so much fun and I loved the idea of a redeemed stepmother. Samantha and her hunt for the man with the missing boot added plenty of humor. On the flip side, the scenes between her and her father touched my heart and brought tears to my eyes at moments. It was a good reminder of how deeply communication can impact a relationship.

I have to mention the plot. It kept me guessing, yet made perfect sense in hindsight. Karen handled some difficult subjects with grace. I always appreciate the way she can present sin, yet show redemption to cover it.

And at the end of the book, there was a scene from the next book that had me wishing for its release day. Why does waiting have to be so hard?

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book, but was not required to leave a positive review. My thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

Attention Everyone. I have an announcement to make. This is Samantha Dearing and I need help identifying the man who jumped into the pond on our property and saved my little brother from drowning. I have one clue that could help identify him, but will not divulge that information at this time. A party was going on at the time of the incident so there was a lot of people there. If you have any information please let me know. Well that’s what I imagine Samantha would write in the local newspaper but instead she keeps a secret of how to identify this person. I wonder why she would not tell her father what she knew of the mysterious person?

Asher is a dashing character who tries to help his family out while trying to not be so angry at Samantha’s father. Asher knows his mother was evicted unjustly and will stand up to Mr. Dearing to prove his point. Asher reminds me of a dashing prince. I love how the author does a retelling of a classic fairy tale with a twist of a cowboy theme. Oh the hard working cowboys who ride horses all day while fixing fences and watch over the cattle are to be commended for their dedication.

Asher and Samantha may come from different backgrounds but they sure have an attraction to each other. Now we have Asher teaching Samantha to ride a horse. That is very out of character for her. As they begin to get to know each other better Samantha finds out that her own father was responsible for evicting Asher’s mother from her home. I liked how this was resolved in a Godly way.

Mr Dearing has always been known as a hard person to deal with but he shows compassion for one of Samantha’s friends. It is an excellent illustration of not judging someone and offering help with grace. I really enjoyed this part of the story.

Danger surrounds Samantha after an uncomfortable encounter with someone. Revenge is on this persons mind and he won’t stop till he gets what he wants. The dashing Asher steps in to protect her and shows her how much he cares. There is a definite faith element throughout the story which I loved. I liked how Samantha referred to Asher as her, “Cowboy Prince.”

I loved how the author incorporates a mystery in the story of who is trying to kill Samantha. At first I thought I knew who the guilty party was but now I’m not so sure. With a secret journal found belonging to her mother, Samantha begins to understand the lies her mother had told her father years ago. Now those lies are causing danger to her and her family.

The author creates a great story where trusting in God is the key. As the mystery unravels will Samantha find out who fits the missing boot left behind the night of the party? Is he the one to marry Samantha and be her “Cowboy prince?”

Wowza, what a fantastic historical romance from amazing author Karen Witemeyer!
This author has an incredible way of sweeping the reader away to historical Texas, and If the Boot Fits was no exception! Samantha and Asher are fabulous characters and this story is a great twist on the classic Cinderella fairytale!
I love this author’s books so much! Oklahoma! has always been one of my favorite movies, I love the mix of romance, suspense, humor, and the historical western setting, and Karen Witemeyer’s books always give me all the same feels. It’s impossible to be unhappy when reading a Karen Witemeyer book!
Another thing I love about this book is how beautiful and organically the faith element was woven into the story! I also loved the high-stakes suspense and action that will keep you glued to the page!
Highly recommend If the Boot Fits! If you love historical romance be sure to check this one out!


I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and publisher!
My review was not influenced in any way. All thoughts and opinions are one hundred percent my own

I enjoyed this Christian historical romance, which is a unique twist on the Cinderella fairy tale. It captured me from the first page, and kept me reading to the end. Samantha and Ash are both relatable characters.

With twists like misunderstood situations and motives, faith growth and maturity, and relationship development and growth, and even a touch of mystery and romance, you will definitely want to read this tale.

When I first heard of this series I got so excited, Western Fairytale retellings by one of my favourite authors, three of my favourite things, doesn't get much better than that!!! Reverse Cinderella was a nice twist which I enjoyed. Like most fairytales, the characters, especially Asher, were a bit flawless but I was liking the story so much I didn't mind. I really liked watching Samantha's thinking mature from girl to women and her reconciliation with her father. This tale had all the sweet hopefulness of a fairytale with all the sass and adventure of a Western Romance, a perfect combo!

This is the second book in the Texas Ever After series, which takes a Western story and gives it a fairytale spin. This is the first one I have read, and as you can guess, it is a type of Cinderella retelling, with a twist.

Asher has come back home to his family in hopes of helping them more in person and finding out why they were evicted from their home in the first place. He goes about it in an interesting way which begins the fateful changes of his life and those of the cattle ranch siblings, one being Samantha Dearing. The same Dearing family whose father evicted his family.

Samantha has also come back home after being away in the East at a boarding school. She has come back to her beloved Texas and a big hole in the relationship with her father. Reading this part of the story made me a bit teary eyed as Samantha would love nothing better than to have a loving daughter and father relationship. But is everything she assumes, correct? Within this tale is also a tale of family love, too.

I really enjoyed noticing all the fairytale aspects the author included in the story. I wondered how a western themed fairytale would unfold, and this one was a fun one. Also, it is an author Witemeyer story so her storytelling that I enjoy so much shines through this wonderfully and cleverly told tale of true love.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book. Has some pretty funny stuff in it and the play on words regarding the title was cool. There is a very interesting twist in the story that catches you by surprise indeed and I appreciate a good mystery. And it was a pleasant surprise in getting one. Samantha seems to know what she wants out of life and is doing her best to remind herself of God’s word as she goes about her day. A very good takeaway because we often times may do something out of habit or something we’ve learned from home. The characters are likeable especially the guy whose foot fits the boot. I received this book for free from Celebrate Lit Tour and the opinions I express are honest and my own.

This creative Texas tale contains so many fun elements—in the engaging characters, the thrilling events included, and even the various names chosen for the people on the pages. The compelling story also has some misconceptions the characters must overcome along with plenty of rapid-paced breathtaking occurrences oozing danger, which ramp up the tension and grip the reader by the throat. Whether or not readers notice the connections to the original fairy tale of Cinderella, this historical novel offers an enjoyable read with intriguing characters that come across as authentic and ones you would love to meet in person. The thrilling plot seems believable as we watch the characters’ choices and changes and realizations, then a major surprise was thrown in that made me gasp. The drama’s heartwarming conclusion seals the story’s memory in your heart. Each book in this series stands alone. I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own. #IftheBootFits #NetGalley

If the Boot Fits is a hilarious new take on Cinderella but set in the Old West and full of loads of laughs plus suspense. I could not read it fast enough! So wonderful! The characters were amazing. I fell in love with them. And yet I did not love the villain. Not a spoiler but a little bit from me to you, even before I knew who the villain was there was something I didn’t like about him! Not telling you who he is or anything but just an FYI.

SAM OR SAMANTHA DEARING IS OUR HEROINE.
Her father owns a very large cattle operation and she and her brother will inherit it together. She comes home from out East and decides she’s not suited anymore because her father is trying to help her choose a suitor. After some fights and make-ups, she finally comes to the realization that he truly does love her but that he isn’t sure how to show it while also honoring promises he made to her mother.

OUR HERO IS ASH.
He’s just a common cowboy. He works on a ranch but not Sam’s. Yet he has a connection to her in that her father owns the land his family used to live on. They were evicted when her father died and the payment was raised. Ash thinks that something if off about this but while he’s trying to find out the real reason that his family was evicted he makes some mistakes. From his mistake comes a wonderful thing though.

Can Ash change his mind? Will Sam ever find someone to love her and not her wealth? And what about the death attempts? Who is behind those? And what’s the big secret her mother kept? Will anything ever be the same again?

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Celebrate Lit. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.

I never knew when I picked up the first book in this series just how much I would love these!! This book was just as good as the first, and I couldn’t put it down!! I found myself picking up this book at any chance possible, and I loved it. This was a cute and unique take on a Cinderella story, with so much more. You get a swoony romance, suspense and intrigue, and a strong current of God and family. It was absolutely perfect.
One thing I love about her stories is how strong each and every character is. They are all brought to life and no matter how small they are to the story, they are so well done. I loved all of our main characters families. Definitely a book worth picking up.

I did not want this story to end! It was so heartwarming and satisfying for this reader. Both Samantha Dearing and Asher Ellis were perfect for each other but they didn’t realize it. Asher was caught exiting the Dearing home through a window after he was snooping in her daddy’s office. He fled to escape but rescued her younger brother drowning in their pond even endangering his escape. A real hero, he seemed to be always saving one of the Dearings on numerous occasions. Samantha was drawn to him early on but Asher knew he wasn’t fit for her with meager rages and a stepmother and two brothers to help support. I loved the development of the characters as the story continued and the love that was shared not only in the two families but also among the community.
This book had it all including a villain hiding in plain sight. Come along to the Three Cedars’ ranch and get immersed in all the going ons!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through Celebrate Lit but was not required to write a review

If the Boot Fits by Karen Witemeyer is the second book in her Texas Ever After series. Samantha Dearing is furious with her father for trying to set her up with a wealthy eligible rancher. She wants to find a husband on her own. Asher Ellis thinks Eli Dearing wrongfully evicted his stepmother and plans to prove it. When Samantha and Asher’s paths cross you can imagine the outcome! Ms. Witemeyer does such a great job of weaving a spell-binding tale. The characters mesh so well. Whenever you pick up one of her books you know you are in for treat.

I received this book from Celebrate-Lit for my honest review.