What a fun, cute read! The story follows Cindy as she tries to make it in the world of high fashion and reality dating shows.

I really enjoyed this book because it was so relatable—the main character is not only plus size, but also new to the industry and unsure of her footing. It's hard to know what you're getting into when you try something new, or even if it will work out for you! I loved how Cindy found solace in being herself in the midst of all these changes, and I also really enjoyed her journey as she tried to find her place in the fashion world.

I recommend this book if you want to see a plus size woman who gets what life is like for women struggling with body image issues or trying to find their footing in any kind of career.

3.5⭐️/ 5⭐️

I am definitely in the minority when I say I feel this is an okay read. It is a very sweet and body positive book, which I love. However, I personally don’t love or watch the Bachelor and the premise of this book revolves a very similar plot, so I just wasn’t necessarily wowed.

Overall, it is still a very sweet, fun, positive book that I would still recommend!

Many thanks to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an earc in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great story. As a person who has no interest in reality dating shows, this book was still interesting and fun.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Julie Murphy and Disney Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own and independent of receiving an advance copy.

The first in the “Meant To Be” series, Julie Murphy reinterprets the classic tale, Cinderella. This is the first in a series of books that will take on the Disney princesses and Disney’s first foray into adult novels. Julie Murphy is well know for her “Dumplin” series, the first book turned into a Netflix series.

Here we have Cindy, a recent graduate from Parsons, a famous design school in New York City. Cindy’s first love is designing shoes. As a plus size girl, what her daddy used to call plump, shoes is something that Cindy says always fits and can always make you feel fabulous.
Without any job prospects, she decides to go on a reality show (think The Bachelor) that her stepmother produces. In this version Cindy gets along with her stepmother and her stepsisters are very supportive.

This was a cute story that infuses a fresh perspective on the Cinderella tale. Cindy is a very likeable main character and has the right mix of vulnerability and backbone. You get a fun “back stage” perspective on how reality love shows are produced. I really liked that it didn’t pit the stepmother/stepsisters against Cindy but had them as her cheerleaders. The romance takes a predictable arc but still enjoyable. A nice modern take on a tale as old as time!

Loved this retelling and the characters. It’s so fun and sweet. I love all the nods to the original tale but in a new way. The characters are so well written and feel so right, a must read for any fairy tale rom com fan.

This was just okay for me but also I feel like this book wasn't for me and that's mainly because contemporary has been so hit or miss lately. I wasn't a huge fan of the TV show aspect and generally didn't care about our main characters or Cindy and Henry's relationship.

I did not like the family dynamic and the plus size representation and felt like it was all handled really well. Wish I could have loved this book but overall felt just meh. This book wasn't for me but if you like contemporary romances with a "bachelor" tv show element you will enjoy this!

It took me forever to finally get to this book, which I hate, because I ended up really liking it! It's a Cinderella retelling with a curvy FMC and a plot set against a reality dating TV show. Can you really ask for more?

Cindy was the best FMC. She was strong, a genuinely good person, and a curvy girl! We love to see it. Her journey in this book wasn't focused on her body or loving herself which I was really happy about since many curvy rep books have to do with body image. Instead, she was focused on finding her inspiration to design again. She was so cool throughout the book and I found myself wanting to be best friends with her.

I wasn't *in love* in love with Henry, but I did really like him. It's always hard to see the MMC dating other people as he was as the bachelor in this reality dating tv show. He proved himself in the end which, thank goodness for, but it was hard sometimes in the middle.

I think because I didn't trust Henry completely (going back to him dating like 10 other girls), it was hard for me to commit to the romance in this book. There were some really cute moments towards the end of the book which helped improve my opinion and thoughts on the romance, but it was hard at the beginning.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. The romance could have been fractionally better, but I'd still recommend this book. Also, I'm really excited to read the other books in this series! What a fun concept.

I was fully prepared to hate the stepfamily that Cindy had.

I mean it’s a Cinderella retelling, right? I was wrong.

I absolutely adored it. I did want it a little spicier than what I got but it was so well crafted and, quite frankly, brilliantly nuanced that the spice was the cherry on top.

Julie Murphy did so good at highlighting a lot of the issues that big girls face when it comes to clothes. I haven’t gone shopping for clothes in a new store in years. Nearly all the pants I have I’ve either owned for years or they came from the thrift store.

I legit almost cried the last time I was in Macy’s. I couldn’t find a bathing suit that I liked that fit me. I kept sending my mom to get bigger and bigger sizes. I hated it. And I’m not as big as other girls. I hate that they are going through the same thing. And If The Shoe Fits touched on that.

Julie spoke about how there are unspoken barriers when it comes to sizing and how a lot of “fashion designers” design for the big girls that have a barbie waist but Nicki Minaj boobs and butt.

All in all the book was relatable and captivating and adorable. Cindy and Henry were the cutest I’ve ever read!

They were definitely OTP.

I loved this book. I'm not a huge romance reader but I question why every time I read one. Why don't I do this more. Its a book lke this that draws me back to the genre. I loved Cindy and all she represented both physically and emotionally. Her character was smart and sassy and empowering. She was in touch w herself and all she represented to others. The relationship w Henry was a slow burn and I was there for it.

I realize the book has been out for over a year, I'm just sorry I didn't get to it sooner.

Being fat, I am always drawn to fat main characters and this was such a fresh and fun book. Low on fatphobia, high on cuteness. Cindy is a very likable character and of course she deserves a happy ending that she'll carve herself if the reality around her doesn't fit because others may thing one size fits all. I've always loved Julie Murphy's stories and this adult romcom was just as nice as I thought it was going to be. I love retellings with a twist!

Decent story Meant to Be has an interesting plot but the characters could use some depth I felt like I didn't get to connect with them enough

So I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I don't really watch the kind of shows it's set in, but still ended up enjoying the plot and setting. Loved the details of who the protagonist was, and that twist at the end! My favorite part.

What a great twist on Cinderella and The Bachelor! I read this all in one sitting! Also, the body positive inclusion, though with truthful hardships from others, made it even better than you would think.

If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy is such a cute and fun read. I really really enjoyed this one. I was so happy to have a plus sized woman finding love in a book for once. This book stole my heart. It is like a modern day Cinderella story.

Cindy is plus-size and she has never really fit in. I really liked the take on the step-family in this one. Cindy seems to be part of a very loving family and her step-mom really seems to love and care about her.

I really loved the plus-size representation in this novel. I think we need more books where plus-size women get to shine. Plus-size women deserve love too. I think the characters were well written and I really enjoyed them. This story was so fun and enjoyable.

The cinderella switch from having an awful family to such a sweet one is part of the book I really enjoyed. I'm also a sucker for a fairytale retelling with a plus sized main character!

If the Shoe Fits
By Julie Murphy

As a new quirky twist on Cinderella, a plus sized Cindy just graduating with a degree in shoe design school in New York City. She moves back home, to California with her step-mom to nanny her 3 step-siblings until she figured out her next step. Cindy’s step mom is a executive producer for a reality love show Before Midnight, where there are 25 women and 1 man. Beck, executive assistant on the show and to her step-mom, talks Cindy into being on the show. Little does Cindy know that the dreamy Mr. Perfect on the show is the dreamy guy Cindy was flirting with on her plane ride from New York. Cindy is on the show for publicity and to get her name out there as a designer but then she starts to fall for Mr. Perfect. How will she make it through the show with him dating 25 other women?

Cinderella is one of my all time favorites and this story was a nice spin on the classic. I am not a reality show person at all but I have to say I loved this quirky tale of love! Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide for the advanced copy in turn for my honest review.

First and foremost, I LOVED Cindy. She’s a fantastic heroine. Strong, independent, smart and sassy. Her ability to hold her own among others was one of my favorite parts to the book.

Henry, when he interacted with Cindy, was a fun, kind of quirky, hero. I enjoyed that he didn’t fit any type of mold and felt he really was a perfect match for Cindy. However, something I really think the book could’ve benefited from was either a dual POV or at least more scenes between him and Cindy. Henry seemed to have more personality in the minds of the woman than we actually were able to see. It was rather lacking where he was concerned and for a good chunk of the book it unfortunately felt more like it was about a house full of woman rather than a romance.

The woman in the house were a mix for me, some were likeable others felt very stiff. The character descriptions in general were a bit odd for me, when describing someone the first characteristic was often their race or sexual identity. While I appreciate the diversity in the book, Beck being my absolute favorite character next to Cindy, it didn’t read well to have that be for some characters their only characteristic, it just doesn’t paint much description and makes it seem like that’s their whole personality.

When I saw this was a plus sized take on the classic Cinderella story I was so excited, the premise from the blurb was very intriguing and it seemed like I would really enjoy it. I think it had a strong start, the middle dragged with little interaction between Henry and Cindy and the ending…I wish there had been a bit more to the ending OR an epilogue as it felt a little unfinished.

So while I enjoyed the concept and certain parts to the story I think other things tended to weigh it down for me.

I really wanted to like this book and I picked it up several times but just couldn't get into it. I couldn't connect with the female main character and honestly found her annoying. The romance didn't connect with me and although I love a good Cinderalla retelling, I've read better Bachelor-esque type books to finally give up on this one.

Thank you to Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book!

I very much enjoyed this fun, light-hearted modern-day telling of an old tale. While the majority of the story revolves around a reality TV show, it is a clever variation of the story. Before Midnight (wink wink), is the TV show that is promoted by her step-mom (yes her father has passed) and involves a shoe tycoon. The banter is endearing! I cant wait to read the others in this series!

A cinderella retelling. This book was fun, but not earth shattering and I wasn't completely focused while reading. I'm glad I finished it, but it was just okay.