There was a lot to like about this book. As soon as I started reading about Cindy's father remarrying and there being two step-sisters in the mix, I honestly anticipated that the story would follow the Cinderella trope and her step-family would be awful to her. But instead, they were wonderfully supportive and protective of her. That was great to read.

And I loved the relationship between Cindy and Henry. The banter was cute, and I looked forward to them finding their happily ever after.

As a fan of the Bachelor franchise, it was entertaining to see how the fictitious reality TV show "Before Midnight" compared. I especially appreciated how supportive (almost) everyone was of one another.

That said, I know there is an emphasis on diversity and inclusion in the publishing world today, yet there were scenes where I felt like the tail was wagging the dog here and it definitely distracted me from the story.

This was a non guilty read for me to enjoy over a weekend to myself. I didn't expect to get swept up in the story, but here we are. I'm left with that strange and possibly sad feeling at the end of a book where you are not ready to say goodbye to the characters yet.

It's always extra fun to see yourself in the story or place of some of the characters. I really enjoy how Henry and Cindy first met. I loved The sisterly relationships within the story. I did not expect the plot to go in the direction it did.

Plus sized fiction has its place in an industry where it has been long neglected. I hope to see more stories on the coming years that feature a diverse character lineup.

I do wish there was a second book and an extension of some of the character lines. I was left with some character and timeline questions and wanting more information. Excuse me while I now go catch up on everything else Julie Murphy.

Special thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this work, in exchange for my fair and honest review.

It always makes me happy to see plus size representation and this book was absolutely perfect for it. Cute retelling and getting to see myself in a character was everything

Great modern taken on this story. Love the lack of cat fighting and the focus on personal growth. Would definitely recommend.

I read this in one plane ride and was praying I would finish before landing because I desperately needed to know how it ended. Thank goodness I was able to finish!

This is the kind of book that you gobble up, but it warms your heart for days after. It’s no secret that Julie Murphy is a master at creating characters with depth and revolved phenomenal stories around body positivity, but I loved this even more than I expected to.

• Plot: “Cindy loves shoes. A well-placed bow or a chic stacked heel is her form of self-expression. As a fashion-obsessed plus-size woman, she can never find designer clothes that work on her body, but a special pair of shoes always fits just right.

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. Showcasing her killer shoe collection on network TV seems like a great way to jump-start her career. And, while she’s at it, why not go on a few lavish dates with an eligible suitor?

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. To make it to the end, despite the fans, the haters, and a house full of fellow contestants she’s not sure she can trust, Cindy will have to take a leap of faith and hope her heels— and her heart—don’t break in the process.

Best-selling author Julie Murphy’s reimagining of a beloved fairy tale is an enchanting story of self-love and believing in the happy ending each and every one of us deserves.”

• Thoughts: Murphy’s adult novel debut is a home run. I don’t even have enough words to properly describe how much I loved it. She gave a more mature and spicier edge to the body positivity and characters that she is well known for. I recommend Murphy’s books time and again, and this one will be no different.

Contemporary romance fans and Disney fans will absolutely love this story, as will any woman that needs some body positivity in her life.

•Rating: Absolutely, hands down five stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

**Many, many, many thanks to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. My opinions are my own.”

#contemporaryromance #disneypublishing #JulieMurphy #Bodypositivity

A fun take on the classic fairy tale trope, set amidst a reality show dating competition. Likeable characters, a fun lighthearted read.

What a sweet story! I needed something light and fun and this definitely fit the bill. This is a blatant modification of Cinderella (Cindy, Anna, Drew, Mrs Tremaine, all of the shoes) but I think it works. It is incredibly easy to compare this book to One To Watch, another fairly recent release with a plus sized female in a role in a Bachelor-esque francise - this one as one of the hopefuls, One To Watch as the lead. I would say I enjoyed both stories almost equally and think both are worth reading. I loved the relationships in this one - Cindy with her stepmom and stepsisters, Cindy and her best friend, and especially Cindy and Henry. It honestly feel like it could happen and just made me smile many times. It's heartwarming and charming. 3.75 stars.

This is apparently the first in a new series - I would certainly read the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for my ARC of this book - all opinions are my own.

An excellent and fun read about a plus size reality dating show contestant. It reminded me a lot of one to watch and I found myself really rooting for the confident main character. Very inspirational!

Read it in one sitting after getting my copy from NetGalley- so I suppose you could say I dug it! It was just so witty and yummy! So full of fat, too. Which I also really loved. I mean, if I hear one more fat person described as “brave,” (although, let’s be real, it’s always a woman/girl, never a man, because the stakes are different for women and appearance always) I will scream as I pull out my hair. Existing is not brave. Wearing clothes that fit, or expecting them, is not brave. This book? Not brave. But so friggin good. 💜💜💜📚

I really enjoyed this fast paced story! I have always been intrigued by the bachelor series and thought the idea of having a plus size bachelor contestant was a fantastic story idea. Being fat myself.I loved the fat representation and the true comments she made about how others saw her. The love felt very insta lovey but it was a fun and cute concept. This book flew for me and was a great story with a fantastic fat rep! I love love love the cover.

A sweet and breezy take on the reality dating show concept with a confident plus-sized heroine at the center. It's an interesting piece to read shortly after One to Watch, as the two books balance similar plots but with entirely different tones. This one's on the much lighter end of the spectrum, with the conflicts mostly solving themselves and our heroine having positive, joyous relationships with almost everyone she meets, from family, to coworkers, to rivals, to the viewers of the show. Everyone falls in love with Cindy, and readers can enjoy a stress-free journey toward a happy ending. Cinderella lovers will also enjoy the references to symbols like the shoes and the carriage, and Murphy keeps the flirting and physicality G-rated. I'm glad we're seeing more diverse bodies centered in romance novels, and I'm always game for heroines who can sew!

This modern day spin on a classic fairy tale was very enjoyable to read!
When newly graduated from design school Cindy finds herself at a bit of a loss of what to do next. She hasn’t been able to design and has to move home with her step mother and two step sisters. When an opportunity comes up that is out of her comfort zone, but may give her the exposure she needs to advance in her career, Cindy needs to decide her next move.
This is truly a heart warming tale, with a modern twist..

really enjoyed this! It was my first Julie Murphy so I couldn't wait to dive in. I really liked the Reality Show aspect of the show, and really liked and was rooting for both Cindy and Henry. There were a couple minor details about the novel that made me shake my head, but overall such a cute love story. I wish their was bit more pay off at the end, it felt rather rushed and I would've liked more time with the couple together and more loose ends explained. In the beginning it felt a bit heavy handed in the whole retelling aspect, but I got into it as it went along. This was such a good fluffy read.

Notes: Low Drama, Low Steam

Spoilers: [Ok, how are the not-twins both yt influencers but are able to lie about being twins on reality tv without it ever being 'spilled'/addressed. I am torn about their being no true drama with the casting secrets at the end - no one ever found out about them all being related which felt a bit too easy. Also I think there was a lot of unnecessary drama about Lucy being diagnosed with RA - up until that point I thought she was literally dying of cancer or something. She is the head of the huge company I doubt she is sewing the clothes herself? And I'm sure she is still able to design fashion, of course yes it will affect her life but its not career ending? Idk that part was a bit much. (hide spoiler)]

It’s not often that the plus size girl gets a whole romance but this one is good! Cinderella meets the Bachelor meets Devil Wears Prada.

The step family in this Cinderella tale isn’t terrible, the Bachelor isn’t terrible, and neither are all the women in the show, and the fashion industry isn’t full of superficial 2D characters that hate in sight.

Lots of really strong storytelling and good messaging in this book with an amazing love story woven in there too.

Because I really enjoy fairy tales, I expected to enjoy this novel, and I did! There were a couple of factors which drew me to this story, namely, the cinderella character was a plus size girl, not a size 3 person. She had attended Parsons School of Design in NYC, but after graduating, had few options. When I heard she had a great relationship with her step-mother and step-sisters, I wondered how the author was going to create tension in the story, but it came about in a totally different way with the introduction of the reality TV show similar to "The Bachelor". Now I know more than ever why I am not a fan of reality TV shows!

There is some salty language in this book, but not more than one might hear walking down the street. I would certainly recommend this book to YA readers who are trying to develop that sense of self. Not everyone achieves that happily ever after, but you definitely won't achieve it if you don't follow your dreams.

This was a cute read. It was fast paced and I read it quickly, which I appreciated because I have been in a bit of a reading slump lately. I love a fairytale retelling, but appreciated the things the author changed from the original; most importantly, that Cindy has a good relationship with her stepfamily. I do wish that the characters were just a little bit better developed. I thought that Henry and Cindy had good chemistry, but I wanted to understand them a little bit better as individuals so I would believe that their instant attraction could grow into something more. Because we hear the story from Cindy's perspective, I particularly wanted to understand Henry better. One thing that I didn't love was that the ending of the book went way too quickly and left me unsatisfied. I kept trying to turn the page on my kindle because I really felt like there should be more. I definitely needed a more complete reunion, or an epilogue, or something about how other people reacted to them getting back together. Especially with clean romance, I need them to stick the landing and make me really understand why these characters are perfect for each other and make me believe that they're gonna be together forever. This book didn't quite get there for me.

I just really enjoyed this. I love anything "Bachelor" related & love a real size woman in these stories (if only the real show would do the same) - but love the ease of Julie Murphy's writing & I was here for every detail of the story. I was anxious to get the "Cinderella" portion & have Cindy mistreated by her family but nice to see the twist of the support of her family. I really enjoyed Cindy as a character & really enjoyed Henry not being focused at all on her weight or making it an issue. YES - need more of that!

Pub date: August 3
⭐️⭐️⭐️

👠Having just graduated from Parsons, Cindy is hoping to jumpstart her fashion career by going on a “Bachelor” type show as the only plus size contestant.

👍🏼This is a great palate cleanser if a book. The characters are fun and enjoyable and a setting in reality tv is always going to bring the juicy drama.

👎🏼The characters were fun but super under developed. The plot wasn’t always believable and the pacing felt off sometimes.

✅It’s a Disney novel, it makes you happy and is a fun beach read. Suspend your disbelief and just go with it. It’s not as good as One to Watch but still worth the read if you’re in the mood for something light and fun.

4/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Thank you to the publishers and Net Galley for giving me a copy of this book! This is my honest review, all views are my own.
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This was a really good adult rom-com with a cheeky spin on the classic fairytale. While I wouldn’t say this is a Cinderella retelling, it is clearly inspired by it, and what can I say? I’m a sucker for Disney princesses. The book was flirty and fun, and I really appreciated how we not only experienced a reality dating show from a contestant’s perspective, but also got to peek behind the scenes at the hidden shenanigans. The characters were all very endearing and I instantly connected with them. Speaking of characters: I loved Cindy! She’s a real showstopper, and she knows when to go all out when she needs to. I also loved her relationship with Henry; it was lighthearted, but also had some touching moments... as well as a few stolen make-out sessions and secret dates! It was fast-paced enough to never have a dull moment, but I wish it paused to have a more long-lasting cast of characters, as well as take its time lingering on some more touching scenes. The book was great, but it was over all too quickly! I mean that in both an “I want more” sense and a “maybe the plot went too fast and could have afforded to have things like more descriptions”. Overall, a very cute read: 4 stars!

Okay, I really, really enjoyed this book! It's a retelling of Cinderella, but is still its own story. I love, LOVE that the MC is a plus size girl, but she is comfortable in her own skin, and isn't apologizing for her size. I really appreciated that the author's depiction of a plus size life was so true. The struggle to find clothes that fit, that make you feel good, not a moo-moo, that hit home for me. I know it's a silly love story, but I really appreciated reading about the MC in this light.

The romance was lovely. I loved the secrets and the struggles.

I highly recommend this if you enjoy rom-coms and retellings!

The cover looks a bit like YA, but the MC is out of college and there is a bit of adult action in a very non-descript way.

I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.