An adorable Cinderella retelling with a gorgeous fat girl protagonist, amazing shoes, and not-so-evil stepsisters, IF THE SHOE FITS by Julie Murphy is just right for readers that would love a fluffy romance with endearing characters and a lively reality show setting. For fans of fashion, The Bachelor, or rom-coms, this is an easy recommendation! I can't wait to read more from the series.

This re-imagined Cinderella story brought joy and laughter to my life, and I can't wait to book talk it with my students when it's released in August!

When Cindy graduates from Parsons with a degree in fashion design, a passion for shoes, and no job prospects, she moves back home to LA to nanny for her young siblings (cleverly named Gus, Jack, and Mary). Overnight, her plans change when she and her step-sisters become contestants on their mom, Erica's, Bachelor-like reality TV show. While Cindy is hiding the fact that her stepmom is the show's producer, she is also hiding the fact that she met the eligible bachelor on the plane from NY to LA. Will sparks continue to fly with Henry during filming, or is this pseudo-relationship going nowhere?

Julie Murphy brings such fun, modern twists to the classic Cinderella story--it was such a fast, heart-warming read! If the Shoe Fits is also full of diverse characters to love, including a plus-size Cinderella and a non-binary fashion designer. I highly recommend this closed-door romance for fans of fairytale-retellings and feel-good stories. I am eagerly waiting for the next installment in this new Disney series! Thanks to Netgalley and Disney-Hyperion for the librarian preview copy.

2.5 Stars

Cindy has just graduated from Parsons and dreams of a future in fashion, but the job offers she'd hoped would flood in just haven't materialized. She heads home to nanny for her 3 young half-siblings until she can figure out what to do, but then her TV producer stepmother offers her the chance of a lifetime: go on a Bachelor-style dating show with 24 other women to get exposure for her career (everyone knows you don't go on those to actually fall in love). Cindy feels good about the opportunity to be a "contestant" who doesn't fit the usual mold, even as she worries about whether the costumers will have styles to fit her plus-size frame. And once she's on set, despite anticipating Mean Girl-antics, she finds herself making a few friends. Not to mention that the man whose attentions they're all vying for is someone she met on the plane ride home to LA and had major sparks with. The whole experience is not at all what Cindy expected. Can she be brave enough to risk her heart for real when her future is on the line?

Ok, I really, really wanted to like this book. I've loved Julie Murphy's YA novels. Her breezy writing style is so easy to read, and her sense of humor really shines through in her characters. However, this one, Murphy's first foray into the New Adult genre, just didn't work for me for 2 major reasons: 1) the tone is still entirely YA and 2) One to Watch just came out a few months ago with exactly the same premise (minus the Cinderella part) and was just better. Funnier, edgier, hotter, more clever. Now, if this had been shelved as a YA book, maybe I'd have been able to just roll with the simple, innocent tone a little more. And since it's being produced by Disney, maybe there's a show or movie in the works that will help explain the really young-sounding voice? I also know that, because this is an advanced copy, my issue is something that might be addressed in future editing passes. But as it is, this one was pretty disappointing for me.

Kudos to Murphy for trying out a new genre, but New Adult generally involves more swoon, more than just an implied love-scene, and just a little more maturity. I mean, who am I kidding? A lot of YA books have those things. I think this is the first in a series, so here's hoping that she can age-up her characters and tone a bit in the next ones.

**Thank you to NetGalley and Disney/Hyperion for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!**

For anyone who wants a "Dumplin" book for adults-well here you go! What a fun romp this book was. Thankful to NetGalley for allowing me to read this title for review.

A fun, fast read that takes a positive, yet realistic spin on reality dating shows, the Cinderella myth and step-family dynamics. Once again Murphy gives us a female protagonist with flaws, dreams and feelings about her body that don't fall into the "cheery fat girl" stereotype. There's lots to root for here!

What a delightful book! I can't wait to read the follow ups in this series.

A retelling of Cinderella told through the storyline of a "Bachelorette" type dating show. I found the characters enjoyable and endearing. It was fun to pick up on all the "nuggets" of the classic Cinderella storyline throughout the book.

Cindy was a great protagonist and someone you were really rooting for. Her arc was well developed and I found the ending to be satisfying.

What a great idea to reimagine the classic Disney princesses. This series is sure to be a hit! The cover of the book was also amazing as an added bonus!

This was a very cute romance about a plus-size woman who falls in love in spite of herself in a Bachelor-style reality tv competition. I picked it up because Dumplin, also by Julie Murphy, is still one of my favorite YA contemporaries and I'm not ashamed to admit that I also watch the Bachelor pretty regularly. So, I was pretty excited to see where this went!

This is where the knowing too much about the concept was not actually helpful - I was kind of expected like a light-hearted version of the TV show Unreal, but this was not that. I thought there'd be a lot of producer manipulation, and there was some, but it was pretty minimal (this is weirdly kind of what I watch the Bachelor for - the "real or not real" game). I liked the characters a lot - I would read a companion novel about Stacy OR Sara Claire in a heartbeat. Stacy is a librarian and I'm biased but she's just the best. The main character is also really lovable and her POV as a fat contestant was really refreshing to read. Due to the conceit of the book, the male lead doesn't get a ton of screen time, but he's easy to root for as well. The insanely likable characters made up for a fairly routine sort of story. And there wasn't any sex and for some reason I thought there'd be sex. There was, however, FASHION. So. 3 stars (on goodreads)! I liked it.

Thanks to Disney Hyperion and Netgalley for the eARC which I received in exchange for an unbiased review. If the Shoe Fits will be availabe in April!

What an adorable story! A Cinderella story with a plus-size main character - I love it! Julie Murphy is such an inspiration for body positive stories! This fairy tale retelling is sure to be a hit!

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Feeling a little lost after graduation, Cindy returns to the home of her stepmother to try to find where her path will lead. Consequently, her stepmother is a producer on one of television's most beloved reality shows and lands Cindy and her two stepsisters roles on the show. But, what happens when Cindy finds how that, the bachelor she is to be vying for, is someone she has already met?
I really enjoyed If the Shoe Fits. I originally picked it up because, um duh, it's Julie Murphy, And I love her. But soon, I also fell in love with Cindy and her love story. Yes, this is a book about body positivity: Cindy is not a typical, tiny bachelorette. Yet, it's not just about that. It's about fashion, and female friendships, and how we are all trying to find our way. I very enthusiastically recommend If the Shoe Fits and can't wait for my fellow readers to get ahold of it!

I absolutely adored this book! Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC! The premise for this book was familiar, as I had previously read "One to Watch" by Kate Stayman-London (another good read if you liked "Meant to Be: If the Shoe Fits"), the major difference being that Cindy is competing against other girls on our bachelor-esque reality TV show (as opposed to being the female that the men are competing for).

"Meant to Be: If the Shoe Fits" is a modern day retelling of Cinderella, but told in a way that I haven't encountered previously. Cindy is a plus-sized, recently graduated fashion student with no job prospects. So, she moves back in with her step-mother to act as a nanny to her triplet half-siblings. On her flight home she meets "Prince Charming," they flirt, but don't exchange any contact information. Step-mom is a producer of a hit reality TV show Before Midnight (think The Bachelor). When contestants drop out, just before filming begins, step-mom decides to place her daughters in the show, it is suggested the Cindy be included as well, but step-mom doesn't want to subject her to harsh criticism that might come from her body type. Cindy decides to go on the show anyway, as it will give her "15 minutes of fame" and possibly jump start her career.

Surprise! When the contestants are introduced to our "suitor" for the show, it is Cindy's "Prince Charming" from the plane. His name is Henry, his mom is a fashion designer, head of a major fashion company that is floundering, Henry has come on the show in hope of saving mom's company. I spent a good part of the book waiting for the "blow-up" that would "end" the budding romance between Cindy and Henry. Would it be the fact that Cindy's step-mom is the producer for the show, and they have kept it a secret? Does Henry have a secret that will be a "deal-breaker" for Cindy? The "blow-up" actually happens in a way that I did not predict, and I was happy with the way the story was wrapped up (though I kind of want more of Henry & Cindy's story).

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.
Meant To Be: If the shoe fits is like the classic Cinderella story with a modern twist unlike I’ve seen before.
Cindy is a recent Parsons grad, with no job prospects, who returns home to LA for the foreseeable future. In a creative rut, she thinks going home will help her get her creative mojo back and will also allow her to spend time with her step mom and sisters. In this modern take on the classic tale, step mom and sisters are kind and step mom is the show runner for a reality tv dating bachelor style show.
Read this cute story if you like a darling meet cute, body positivity, and a typical hallmark ending.

This was fun and I got sucked in because that bachelor-type find a match premise is effective— you want to know who gets chosen! I love a twist on a story and even though Cinderella isn’t a story I’ve ever connected with much this was a fun way to do it. I liked the fashion shoe designer twist and found the plot overall was well done. I could’ve used more depth from the characters which is why this didn’t slam dunk for me. I wanted to believe that the romance was real so badly but they spent so little time together the believability was clunky for me at times.

I’m loving the shift towards more plus size curvy fat women in romance and fiction. More please and thanks!

3.5 rounded up to 4 for clever twist/ enjoyable plot/ good rep we need more of!

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was given a free advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Julie Murphy is an author I’m familiar with from her YA work, and I’ve loved enough of her books that I will pick up anything new she puts out. And, of course, I’m a sucker for plus-sized romance. It still blows my mind that I get to read novels with women who look like me not only as heroines, but as love interests who are sexy and interesting.

In Cindy, we get a character who is definitely sexy and interesting. Cindy’s shoe obsession is a cute twist, and I was almost immediately set at ease that this would not be a rote retelling- something we certainly don’t need in an already oversaturated market. I also loved the careful balance of what I call “fat girl experiences,” accurate and sometimes painful illustrations of the challenges plus-size women face in the world. Too much of these moments and the story becomes weighed down, depressing, or even whiny. Too few, and it feels like the author just slapped the word “plus-size” in somewhere and patted themselves on the back. There’s a balance in the middle that’s required to create a reading experience where the character feels real and authentic, but the story remains light and fluffy. Murphy achieves that balance here.

I appreciated the reality TV concept. I was a HUGE fan of “One to Watch” by Kate Stayman-London (a must-read if you’re into well-written plus-sized romance), but Murphy’s book presents the opposite concept where the main character is facing off against other women for the attention of one guy. I thought the concept was executed well, and in a way that was definitely lighter than Stayman-London’s take, which didn’t shy away from the realities of the inevitable public response to something like a plus-sized woman on a romance show.

While parts of the book were predictable in the way you’d expect from a contemporary romance, there was still enough twist to keep it interesting. I’ll admit that as I got further into the story, there was a long period where I kept feeling as though I was waiting for the other shoe to drop (no pun intended, lol), and when it finally did, it was not in any of the ways I’d expected.

The main love interest felt more adorable than sexy (not a bad thing!), though that could also be due to the lack of any explicit scenes in the book. The characters never move beyond making out, and there’s only one scene that -might- be considered a ‘fade to black’ scene if you squint. I didn’t feel the book was lacking for it in any way, and the lack of smut added to the light, fluffy feeling this book maintained from start to finish.

If you like low key, warm-and-fuzzy romances with plus-sized heroines, you can’t go wrong here!

This was a quick and fun read. I liked the premise of using a body conscious protagonist and instantly found both Cindy and Henry likable. My only criticism is the author’s continuous naming of races in the book when introducing characters. I’m not sure what the point of that was and didn’t find that it contributed to character or plot development, so it could have been left out. If the attempt was to create a more diverse world, it could have happened more organically.

I received this ARC from NetGalley.

I am a huge fan of Julie Murphy's, and have read all of her books. I especially love the kind and funny characters in Dumplin and Puddin. I was looking for the same sweetness in this book, and while I did find it in parts, something about it being an adult book did not quite translate all the way for me. There were clever moments when the Cinderella story was updated and changed (I liked that the stepmother and stepsiblings weren't evil, and I liked the shoe plot-twist at the end). Overall, though, without the Cinderella gimmick, would it have stood on its own as a novel, as a romance? It was cute, sure, and the Prince is charming in that he is cute and nice, but I wanted him to have more substance. I wanted him to fight more for Cindy. The thing that really saves this novel for me is that Cindy ends up choosing herself (not a spoiler, don't worry).

Freshing up Cinderella with a reality show spinoff! I fell in love with Cin and Prince Charming; I also adored that the "evil" queen was portrayed as a loving and vulnerable mom and stepmom! I had a hard time putting this down once I started. You'll love it too!

Compulsively readable, adorable rom-com blending fairy tale elements from Cinderella and modern day dating reality television. The heroine is plus sized, and beautiful, but best of all, she stays true to herself. I enjoyed most of the book, but at times the author does drag on a bit about the protagonist's deceased parents. I understand it, but it got a touch heavy handed and could just use a bit of trimming. I hope to see more from this author.

When the fat girl enters the cast of a reality tv show, "Before Midnight" (think: "The Bachelor") she's in it for just two things: the prize money and the recognition it will give her name. Cindy is straight out of fashion design school and has no job prospects when this story begins. Living with her stepmom and two stepsisters seems like the begiining of another Cinderella fairy tale, but THIS Cindy gets along with everyone and is treated well too. Easily my favorite book of 2021 so far (although that's not hard because it's early in the year and I've only read 5 books so far), If you loved Julie Murphy before, you're really going to love her now. I hope to see Cindy and Henry in another book.

A precious, easy to read romance! I wasn’t sure about a Cinderella retelling, but I loved the modern updates and twists that Julie Murphy added.
Cindy has just graduated from Parsons School of Design and wants to start her own shoe line, but she has no job offers, and she moves back to LA to help out her stepmom until she can figure out her next step.
I loved that Cindy and her stepmom had a good relationship, and that Cindy and her step siblings also had a good relationship. Obviously there were a lot of issues to be worked through, but I was glad that her family wasn’t terrible like in the original.
Henry felt a little flat to me, but I really enjoyed reading about the girls competing on Before Midnight and I liked reading about what the show looked like behind the scenes.
An enjoyable and quick read that I would recommend to anyone!

This was a delightful Cinderella re-telling. I really liked that she actually has a good relationship with the step mom and step sisters. They are people who have their flaws but it felt more realistic then them just being "evil". I always enjoy a bachelor style tv show setting and this one didn't disappoint. The publisher is Disney so needless to say it is all fade to black.