What a wonderful adult debut novel from Ms. Murphy! I really enjoyed that Cindy was plus-sized--that's a rare thing, especially in romance. Henry was also a wonderful Prince Charming. I thought it was interesting to set it on a reality dating show. It shows behind-the-scenes, and that was an interesting way to contrast the romance in the story.

The only issue I had with the book was the descriptions of the characters. I think there might have been too much physical detail given. The characters seemed to only be what they looked like and what they were wearing. I feel like that would've been fine in a YA novel, but in an adult romance, I was expecting more intricate descriptions.

Other than that, I really enjoyed the uniqueness of the book. It was a fun rom-com and I can't wait to read her upcoming books!

Thank you Netgalley and Disney-Hyperion for the advanced reader copy of this lovely retelling.

This was such a fun retelling! I am a big fan of taking a classic and making it something new, so having the twists with not only a reality show and having a plus-sized lead got me all kinds of excited. I really enjoyed it. This was a quick, fun read and doesn't really need to be described to the masses in a review, like I would usually do. It's a Cinderella retelling, you know? I will say that I didn't feel the "evil" in the step-family and that might have been intentional. Maybe Julie wanted to humanize them, I'm not sure. But all in all, fun read. I really love how Julie Murphy writes and is inclusive with her characters. She helps me, not a stick thin person and someone who loves bread, feel seen and I am so thankful for that.

— Okay, y’all! I’m sure you already know this, but Julie Murphy is the QUEEN of inclusivity & dialogue! —

Thank you to @netgalley & @disneybooks for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Pub Date: August 3rd, 2021

You all know how much I loved One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London (if you don’t know…I LOVED ONE TO WATCH!!! now you know)! This is One to Watch meets CINDERELLA! Hello, what’s not to like?!

This is so modern and fresh, you forget that it is a Cinderella retelling! This retelling has a plus-sized Cindy & a relatively nice step-family! Cindy has had a hard life and has had to continue to grow up during times many would quit. THEN we have the added bonus of reality tv being a major plot point and hello! here we are LOVING Cindy and her “I am who I am” self!

Also — I think this is the first book I’ve read that has a nonbinary character & I LOVE them! I feel like I can see them in my mind and I would want to be their best friend because they are F A B! It was a beautiful way to include any and all pronouns.

Read this book! Especially if you already love Dumplin, Puddin, or any other Julie Murphy gems. This is the 1st book in a Meant to Be series!!! I can’t wait for more!

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC!

If the Shoe Fits is the first in the Meant to Be series and it is a modern take on Cinderella! I’d never really gotten into fairytale retellings and didn’t anticipate liking this one as much as I did. The story follows Cindy, a recent Parson grad who lives with her reality-TV executive stepmom, her two stepsisters, and three younger half-siblings who are triplets. Unlike the original story, Cindy has a pretty good relationship with her stepmom and stepsisters. After her dad died during her senior year of high school, she was left with her stepmom and siblings until she went away to New York City for college.

Now graduated, she’s back home in California and, in a whirlwind of events finds herself as a contestant on her stepmom's reality show, Before Midnight (it’s basically The Bachelor). After a chance encounter on the flight from NYC to LA with a very handsome stranger in which Cindy absolutely trashes the show, it’s only right that when she shows up for the first day of filming, Prince Charming himself is the main event.

Cindy is a plus sized woman and, if you’ve ever seen the actual Bachelor, that pretty much never happens. It doesn’t happen in the world that Julie Murphy has created here either because Cindy takes the audience by storm, capturing both their attention and their hearts. Her fashion school knowledge and style has got people talking about her all over the Internet. I always love plus sized MCs, especially ones who are unashamed and own their bodies! Cindy knows exactly what works for her and what doesn’t, and she’s not afraid to let people know. Her size doesn’t downplay her self-worth but she also understands the role it does play in how other people treat her. Nonetheless, she persists and goes after what she wants even despite some unrelated hesitations. Our Prince Charming, who’s name is actually Henry, is doing this for reasons of his own, however. There’s more at stake here than just finding his true love.

Like any good Cinderella story, they knew they were meant to be from the very beginning, even if the journey there was a little bumpy. My favorite lines comes right before our Happily-Ever-After, when Henry says to Cindy:

"I didn’t know someone like you could exist. Cindy, being with you makes me feel like I can come up for air."

I LOVE A GOOD CHEESY AND ROMANTIC QUOTE LIKE??? HELLO??? YES, THANK YOU HENRY. ALL THE RIGHT WORDS WERE CHOSEN HERE. This may have to do with the fact that he’s a man written by a woman but we don’t have to get into that right now.

Overall, I thought this book was enjoyable! It was easy to read, fun, and fast-paced. It only took me a few hours to finish and honestly, I didn’t want to put it down! So cute and would recommend it as a HEA romance palate cleanser for anyone who’s looking for it. Overall, I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars.

This review will be posted on my blog, KamariAnnamareads.com, and other book forums on June 14, 2021.

Meant to Be: If the Shoe Fits is a super cute update and twist of an old fairy tale. I found the main character, Cindy, to be extremely relatable and likable. A definite good read!

Review coming soon. Thanks to Julie Murphy, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC; the opinions are mine.

Pub Date 8.3.21

I received this ARC from @netgally in return for an honest review. This was a fun twist on the Cinderella story. Instead of Cindy hating her stepmother and stepsisters she actually likes them and they all get along. Cindy grew up with just her dad after her mom passed away. Her dad remarries a woman named Erica with two daughters Anna and Drew. Erica and her dad also have triplets who are born after Cindy’s dad passes away.

Cindy loves shows and goes to Parsons Design school in New York with the hope of one day having her own line of shoes. After college she goes back home to figure out what to do with her life. Erica has one of the biggest reality shows called Before Midnight which is a dating show. One of Erica’s proucters tries to talk Cindy into going on the show while she tries to figure out her life. She is hesitant because she is plus size but ultimately decides to do it, even though Erica tries to keep her from doing it because she wants to protect ehr. But she thinks it is her only option to get noticed and get a job in the fashion world. But she is in for a surprise when she meets the suitore “Prince Charming “ for Before Midnight.


I liked that the twist to this story was the fact that Cindy gets along with her family and loves her siblings. It is inspiring to see a plus size character take a chance even when she is nervous to seize an opportunity in a business that is hard to get into. Especially when you have big aspirations. She and Prince charming develop a special relationship while filming the show along with making some friends during the process. Cind is a strong character who stands up for herself even when it is uncomfortable and always has the support of her family when she needs it.

I was definitely intrigued by the idea of a Cinderella retelling with a Bachelor-esque dating show, and I was not disappointed!

First off, I loved that the stepmother and stepsisters were loving and supportive instead of the cruel characters they usually are in Cinderella retellings. Erica, Drew, and Anna were all very supportive of Cindy and while their relationship wasn't always perfect, I really liked them all as characters!

I also loved the way the author handled having a plus-sized heroine! Her size wasn't really a plot point, and while there were moments where it came up, it seemed a lot more natural and flowed with the story very well. I loved that no one was shaming her just because she wasn't a supermodel, and thought the author did a great job with Cindy! I was very invested in her as a character, and my heart just broke for her when she and Beck had that conversation on the way to the airport.

I loved Cindy and Henry's meet-cute at the airport and on the plane, and thought that their relationship development was very cute. I also loved that Cindy truly bonded with some of the other contestants, as Stacy and Sara Claire were also great women! Love women supporting women! I did feel like the ending was a little rushed, especially with their getting together in the end, but I also think it was very cute.

Overall, a great book that was very enjoyable to read! Thank you to Disney and NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

this was a really nice romance. if you enjoy this author’s previous books, you’ll recognize her easy to read and relatable writing style. her characters are dynamic and the romance felt genuine. overall a fun romance for the summer.

Julie Murphy's adorable update of the Disney version of the Cinderella tale satisfied both my Disney Princess loving heart, and my reality fashion show competition enthusiasm (even though the novel's show is a dating reality show). Little touches like the ways in which she reenvisioned Cindy's relationship with her stepfamily; the helper mice; and her fairy godmother were magical (even though there is no paranormal magic in the book). A stellar launch to the series!

A rom-com about a recent fashion college grad going through it and trying to find her footing in the fashion world, has an amazing family and she’s also trying to find her purpose in life, while finding love in the cutest way ever???!!!!

SIGN ME UP!!!!

This is a modern, very modern take on the Cinderella retellings. We meet Cindy, beautiful, and ambitious. She is living in NYC alone after graduation (well with her roommate of course), and her step mom calls her to see if she wants to come on over for the summer, (ok it didn’t really go like THAT, but I don’t want to give too much away, this book is worth reading), anyway her step mom is a famous reality matchmaking creator and we all know where this is going.

Erica, her step mom, is amazing, but she worries that TV won’t be too kind to her because of her size, well let me tell you guys!!! She was HELLA wrong! The show gave me major The Bachelor vibes which Is a franchise I really dislike, but this book made it very bearable to read.

On Cindy’s way back home to California to visit her family she meets this amazing guy, they hit it off so well, but they never exchanged numbers, but leave it up to FATE to do it’s magic!

This book was inspirational, I related so much to Cindy being a fashion student struggling and trying to find her inspiration again, and finally finding love, and living her happily ever after. And did I mention FUNNY??!!!

Thanks Netgalley and the Publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars!

This was a genuinely cute romance! I would say it's geared more towards actual young adults - late teens, early twenties - but still very enjoyable for romance lovers. I liked multiple things in this retelling of Cinderella.
1. She's a size 18 woman who absolutely doesn't apologize for her size. I also liked that she didn't view "fat" as a negative word, just another descriptor.
2. There's an actual good relationship between Cindy and her step family. I really didn't want to see that tired trope again. She and her step family genuinely love and care for each other.
3. The conflict at the end of the book wasn't what I thought it would be. So being surprised in that way was great.
Definitely will recommend this to everyone, but especially those who are looking for a softer romance book with no adult content!!

The Cinderella story has been told countless times - sometimes directly, sometimes indirectly, but in If The Shoe Fits, Julie Murphy manages to breathe a bubbly, breezy, at times unexpected new life into the story of the girl with the distinctive footwear.

Our Cinderella - here named Cindy Woods - is a shoe designer and recent graduate from Parsons School of Design, with no idea what she wants to do now. The grief of losing her father in her senior year of high school has finally caught up with her, and she is struggling to put herself back together.

Looking for a way to bide her time, she volunteers to play nanny to her three younger half-siblings. Things take a turn almost immediately upon her return home to Los Angeles. Her step-mother, Erica, is the producer of the wildly popular reality TV dating show Before Midnight, and last minute drop outs mean she is a few contestants short. Her co-producer immediately suggests Erica’s daughters Anna and Drew, as well as Cindy. Though her step-mother is initially hesitant, Cindy comes to see the show as the opportunity it is - to get her shoe designs in front of a large audience - and decides to go on the show.

It’s not as though she’s there to fall in love, right? So she has nothing to lose.

Her world is upended yet again when she finally meets the “Suitor” (aka the Bachelor), and realizes they’ve met once before, on the flight to Los Angeles, where they flirted the entire time, but left without exchanging information. The suitor in question, Henry, is the heir to a legacy fashion empire, and is completely, utterly charming from the word go. Really, Julie Murphy, how dare you make my unrealistic expectations even more unrealistic?

As the season of Before Midnight progresses, Cindy and Henry fall more and more in love as they strive to form a real connection in the midst of all the artifice that is reality TV. Their slowly unfolding romance was so sincere, and sweet, it brought a stupid grin to my face every time they were together.

What really struck me about this book, though, is just how unexpected so much of it was. I am extremely familiar with the Cinderella story, as I’m sure many of us are, and while the beats are generally there, Murphy changes just enough about it to keep it interesting.

Cindy’s stepmother and stepsisters, for instance, are not “evil” in the slightest. Her stepsisters love her unconditionally throughout, and her stepmother does too, albeit in her own way. It’s not that she’s cruel to her, but they’re just different kinds of people trying to figure out how to make their relationship work. Erica does want what’s best for Cindy, even if they don’t always agree on what that is.

For instance, her hesitation in letting Cindy go on the show is not because she would rather showcase her daughters instead, but because Erica knows how unforgiving the world can be, and worries that Cindy, as the shows only plus-size contestant, would be subject to an undue amount of scrutiny and cruelty.

I kept waiting for the other shoe - heh - to drop with Erica and it never did. I didn’t know how much I needed that. Murphy lets the cruelty come from the outside world, and makes sure that Cindy’s home life is a functional one. This makes for a much warmer, less stressful read, which is what you want in a book like this.

Cinderella staples like the ball, and the easily lost footwear are here, but reimagined in a context that makes sense for present-day stories. Easter eggs rather than the focus of the plot. I was particularly impressed by the way she “ran away” from Henry during the climax of the novel. Both her reasoning and Murphy’s execution of it were absolutely brilliant. I can’t remember the last time my heart raced while reading a story I know so well. It takes skill to make me feel genuine suspense when I already know the ending.

On the subject of Easter eggs, because this is being published by Disney-Hyperion, there were little nods to the 1950 animated movie. Cindy’s three little siblings are named Jack, Mary and Gus, after three of the mice that befriend Cinderella. Cindy’s middle name “Eleanor” likely comes from Eleanor Audley, who voiced the stepmother Lady Tremaine. And Cindy’s mother, Ilene Woods, is directly named after the actress who played Cinderella. It’s these little nuggets of trivia that I appreciate as a Disney fan!

This book is listed as being the first in a series of reimagined fairy-tales in the “Meant To Be” series, and if this is an indication of where the series is going, then sign me up!

Cindy is a new grad with a degree in shoe design and leaves New York to visit with her stepfamily - her mother, two stepsisters, and triplet half-siblings - in California before kicking her job search into high gear. Her dad died several years before, and her mom, a powerhouse executive producer of a popular dating reality show, Before Midnight, is busy getting the new season of the show up and running, but wants to take some time to spend with Cindy and the family before disappearing into her cell phone again. On a whim, Cindy and her two stepsisters find themselves cast as prospective suitresses; Cindy hopes the exposure will be what her fledgling shoe design career needs to get her name out there. The thing is, Cindy is a curvy girl: some may call her plus size, some may call her a lot worse, and her stepmother worries that she'll be a target for abuse. Cindy isn't having it. She's as deserving of a spot as any of those other women, and sure enough, the masses respond with love! Week after week, Cindy holds out on the show and, despite a freeze on communication while she's on set, Cindy hears word that she's becoming a body positivity icon! She's also falling hard for her suitor on the show, but we all know that real Hollywood endings don't exist - or do they? Cindy learns that when you don't like the way things in your life are laid out, designing your own future is an option.

I LOVED this book. I adore Julie Murphy, I love the way she writes, I love the characters she creates. She world-builds a fantasy within our reality, and she doesn't give us "feel bad for me" heroines who hide on their couches with a pint of ice cream and Netflix. No, my friend, they charge into the middle of the spotlight and show everyone around them how it's done. With snappy dialogue and strong female relationships, If the Shoe Fits is the kind of romance we all want to read, foundation by Disney and fit into today's reality TV-obsessed landscape. There's a memorable cast of characters, and I loved, truly, truly loved, that the "evil stepmother" and "evil stepsisters" don't exist here. There are tense moments here and there, but it's believable family moments, not cooked up for extra drama. 

If the Shoe Fits is the first in a new series of Disney retellings for new adults, and I can't wait for more.

Full disclosure… I really like the Bachelor franchise. There are many problems with it, but it is the perfect mindless TV. I’m also rooting for MN girl Michelle when she is the bachelorette this fall. All this to say, I was immediate drawn to If the Shoe Fits and was sold when I saw it was written by Julie Murphy — one of my favorite authors! Plus this is her first adult book and I had to support that.

After graduating from Design School in NYC, Cindy moves back to LA to live with her step-mom and step-siblings. Her father had remarried when she was a teenager and while it wasn’t perfect Cindy is grateful for her unconventional family when he passes away. Her step-mom is a TV producer and when they need more cast members for a reality tv show Cindy steps up. She is mostly looking for an opportunity to break into the fashion world, but can she have it all?

If the Shoe Fits is an engaging page turner. At first I didn’t know if it was my type of book (even though I love Julie Murphy) because of the Cinderella vibes. However, the story really did strike me as more of a Bachelor/behind the scenes type story, which I enjoyed! Also, having a plus sized protagonist who was a contestant on a dating reality show = 🔥🔥🔥 Cindy is a strong, fierce, and beautiful character. It was fun to follow her story and growth! I highly recommend this book when it comes out in August. The perfect end-ish of summer read. 🤍

A huge thank you to Disney Publishing Worldwide/Disney-Hyperion and Netgalley for this ARC of If the Shoe Fits. It was perfect and enjoyable read. I’m looking forward to more books in this series. 💕

Ok, this is the perfect book for me at age 16. Apparently its not supposed to be a YA novel, but it felt very YA to me, in a good way. If the Shoe Fits follows Cindy, a plus sized woman, as she competes in a reality television show similar to the Bachelor called Before Midnight. It's a cross between a Cinderella retelling and a reality show.

I thought it was very well done and a super cute, super sweet story. Sometimes you just need to read a sweet, happy book with no drama, and this checked all those boxes for me. Obviously if you're not into fairytale re-tellings or the Bachelor, this may not be for you. But otherwise I'd recommend it.

Thank you to Disney-Hyperion and NetGalley for the advanced copy to review!

One of the best retellings ever! This is not your average take on Cinderella. Cindy is a fierce, self assured, talented woman. I went in expecting the usual wicked step family, and usual roadblocks but that's not what this is at all. Definitely a must read!

Romance comedies are my jam, and Julie Murphy wrote the perfect one for me. This was cute, light and such a heartwarming story! Thank you to the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review! I highly recommend checking this out on PUB day on August 3rd!

Newly graduated from Parsons, Cindy is in a bit of a bind. She's not been inspired much since the death of her father hit her and now she's looking at limited prospects while trying to get her mojo back. When her stepmother, the executive producer of the hit dating show Before Midnight, needs someone to replace a contestant who dropped out, Cindy volunteers. She has no real interest in dating, she's just there for the fame and potential sponsorship offers. To her surprise, she's a big hit with the fans -- a plus-sized heroine for the nation to rally behind. She never expects to actually be attracted to the bachelor, Henry. Oh boy, what a mess this is...

--

Okay, but can we talk about that cover? The dress... The little lean on Henry. The fact that she's stolen his shoe. Like OMG! This cover is cute AF, and I am 1000% here for it.

And unlike so many cute, rom-com styled covers this book is actually a rom-com. We get our first taste of that very early on when Cindy meets a guy she dubs "Prince Charming" at the airport and they immediately get into a discussion about playing "don't step in the lava" and the perils of air travel. I actually laughed out loud with this book. The dialogue was so cute and unexpected. I thought I knew which way things would go, but I was wrong. It was refreshing.

I really loved the changes to the Cinderella story. Yes, there's definite shout outs to the fairy tale and the Disney retelling, but they are just that shout outs. This is not your grandmother's Cinderella story. I was so pleasantly surprised by the relationships between characters as well as the women supporting women storylines. I loved that this book just had casual representation without making a big production out of it. PoC, LGBTQIA+, and other marginalized identities were just there... like they are in real life. And I loved that all of the characters had their race/skintone indicated and not just the people of color. A+ lack of othering.

But it's the characters and the message that really make this book special. I adore Cindy. She's not perfect but she's fun, real, and well-rounded. I love that she's comfortable in her skin and that she knows her worth and isn't willing to settle. I loved Henry. He was such a complex man with complex feelings who was such a good fit for Cindy. I loved so much of the supporting cast too... including Drew and Anna. They were so good. The message of this book was also well done. That there needs to be a place for people of all body types and all body shapes need to be welcomed and celebrated. This is particularly true when fat people are still acceptable targets for ridicule and disdain. (As of the writing of this review the New York Times had an article that advises people to ditch their "fat friends" because apparently obesity is contagious.) So seeing Cindy navigating the world that isn't meant for her, where finding clothing is a challenge, is honestly refreshing.

I loved the ending of the book. I didn't see it coming and that was great. Frankly I love this book so much that I'm going to want to reread it again and again.

Five stars

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley

This was absoloutly adorable and should be added to TBRs far and wide! I stayed up devouring it until 2:30 AM!

Some highlights: Cinderella retelling but the stepmother and stepsisters are *not* evil! Inclusive race / gender / sexuality / size representation! Delicious fashion descriptions! Reality TV setting! Love at first sight! This cover!! 😻😻

Some content notes: deceased parents, fatphobia, closed door

I'm still waiting for a book with a fat heroine where at the beginning they note "she was fat" and then barely ever speak of it again, and certainly not as a plot point, but ALAS... someday!! All that said I did like how they treated her size more than some books with fat heroines.

Lastly, I loved how the author handled character descriptions in this book, not a damn simile to be found. She just says "a tall guy with light brown skin" or "a petite white woman" or "a beautiful person with short, perfectly edged lavender hair, a manicured beard to match, razor sharp eyeliner, and nude lipstick rounds the corner..." 😘👌

Loved this! Bravo Julie Murphy! 4/5 stars