If the boot fits

I loved Asher and Samantha’s story. A great historical. Someone is trying to kill Samantha. They didn’t realize what was happening at first. Will they figure out who it is and why? I loved how close Samantha was to her family, especially her brother. A lot of great characters in the book. I never suspected the bad guy.

I received an advance copy of the book from NetGalley. This book review is my own opinion.

An installment of the Texas Ever After series by Karen Witemeyer, If the Boot Fits is a western version of the classic Cinderella story. However, readers will find more than one role reversal in the tale and what fun it is! I can always count on this author for a romantic drama laced with humor and often a bit of mystery and suspense. This one has it all.

Samantha Dearing is the daughter of a wealthy rancher. Their relationship has been filled with misunderstanding since the death of her mother and Sam feels unloved and unwanted. When her father plans a ball in her honor and invites all the eligible bachelors in the area, she is convinced he wants to be rid of her.

Asher Ellis is convinced that Eli Dearing has wrongfully evicted his mother and is determined to find evidence while the household is preoccupied with the ball. As luck would have it he is discovered and manages to make a quick getaway. Unfortunately Samantha’s younger brother chases him and falls into the pond. During the rescue, Asher loses one of his distinctive boots and of course Samantha finds it. So thus begins the retelling of Cinderella.

Be ready to put all your preconceived notions of the Cinderella story to rest because Witemeyer has managed to upend them all. Few of the characters are what you expect and their interactions are both heartwarming and fun. Faith plays a strong role also with prayers and scripture featured often. Danger and mystery, forgiveness and reconciliation are all deftly woven together in a delightful tale that will brighten the reader’s day.

Karen Witemeyer hits it out of the park again!

I loved this book because it showed Witemeyer's trademark humor and heart. The romance between Samantha and Asher was beautifully done. And I am always impressed that the author doesn't choose to use miscommunication as a way to propel the story forward. Instead, she showcases how honesty can grow a relationship AND how a story can still develop without the unnecessary drama.

As much as I loved the book, it also broke my heart at one point. I won't spoil it, but my goodness. I felt it for a couple days. The author handled it masterfully, but it still got me.

Overall, fans of Witemeyer certainly can't miss this one! It's my favorite of the series so far.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. All expresses opinions belong to me.

Samantha Dearing returns from school and is the guest of honor at her welcome home party, thrown by her father. Unbeknownst to her, he has invited all of the eligible bachelors from his social circle and given them the impression she’s looking for a well to do husband. Coincidentally, they also seem to be good prospects to help her father expand his ranching business, Three Cedars.

Asher Ellis used the cover of the fancy party to sneak onto the Three Cedars ranch to search for evidence of wrongdoing. When he hears a boy’s cry as he flees the grounds, he saves the boy and accidentally leaves a boot behind as he hurriedly leaves the ranch.

I have really enjoyed this series so far! I love the spin on the fairy tale Cinderella - he loses his boot instead of her losing a slipper and her being the daughter of the cattle king (aka a “princess”).

Read this for:
- A sweet love story
- Excellent setting in the Wild West
- Protective hero
- Gender-bent fairy tale retelling
- Natural interweaving of faith into the plot
- Action and an engaging plot

Thank you to Bethany House Publishing for the gifted copy. All thoughts are my own.

A whimsical retelling of Cinderella mixed with romance, danger and intrigue.

I knew that I was going to fall in love with this book even more than the first one in this series by Karen Witemeyer. I'm happy that these were the first books I've ever tried of hers, because they make me want to pick up more. I loved the nod to Cinderella in this story, the touches of the boots as the glass slipper, magical mice and not so "evil" Stepmothers.

*thank you to Bethany House and NetGalley for a copy of this book to read and review. All thoughts are my own.

"After being banished to finishing school for the last three years, she'd calculated her rank to be somewhere below the steers and above the chickens" (location 84). I was immediately intrigued as Samantha returned home to Texas only to find her dad getting ready to marry her off. When she meets a mysterious man, he lingers in her memory long after he's fled the scene, leaving his boot behind.

I enjoyed Asher and Samantha. I appreciated that Samantha didn't freak out when she found out who he was. There was a lot of danger that she faced and I enjoyed trying to figure out who the culprit was along with them. There were some crazy, unexpected twists. It was a great read. I'd highly recommend it.

Thank you to Bethany House for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I loved these characters, the setting and the faith content. Samantha has returned to Texas from finishing school in Boston and discovers her father has set up a ball in her honor to find her a match. She feels like he is trying to get rid of her and takes offense. Meanwhile, Asher has a grunge against Samantha's dad and is trying to find proof he did wrong to Asher's family. As the story progresses, it appears someone is out for Samantha. Can they catch this person before she gets seriously hurt? There was one scene that really frightened me and made me want to skip ahead a few pages, but I didn't want to miss anything. I enjoyed watching the friendship develop and grow to romance. I also really liked that Samantha confronted her father with her feelings and didn't hold back when she discovered information that could help figure out who was behind things. There is a strong faith message shared, and I absolutely loved the way Eli responded to the revelation.

What a fun, fresh Cinderella retelling! I loved that the roles were reversed in this novel (hint: it’s the man who loses the shoe!). I really liked the heroine and hero, Samantha and Asher. Samantha is compassionate and has a huge heart for those less fortunate. I loved her growth from an immature girl to a mature young lady who developed a love and respect for her father. I also really liked Asher’s growth as he learns more about the cattle rancher who has driven his family off their land. And the romance between Samantha and Asher is the perfect blend of spark-filled romance and realistic love. In addition to fantastic characters, there are twists and turns that add mystery and danger to the novel. And, of course, the wonderful tidbits of faith are so well woven into the story. I absolutely loved this novel and cannot wait for the next one by this talented author!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

FLIPPIN THE SCRIPT ON CINDERELLA in such a fun way!
Another wonderfully westernized fairy tale from award-winning author, Karen Witemeyer.
This book had a bit of everything to suit my fancies, from never-ending danger, heroic rescues and gently growing romance between Asher Ellis and Samantha Dearing. Faith was masterfully woven throughout and the nods to the Cinderella story were charming. The story had me both laughing and crying at times.
Quotable: "Friends share thoughts and worries with each other. It's how we lighten the burden and find the strength to keep moving forward when situations try to beat us down."

"Gallopin' goose feathers, Fergus! Don't scare like that," His youngest brother snickered as he rounded the lean-to, milk bucket in hand.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND: I cannot wait for the next fairytale reimagining later in December!

I received an eVersion from the publisher and NetGalley. All opinions are mine alone without expectation or compensation.

This book was so fun. Though If the Boot Fits is a Cinderella retelling, it was not predictable. I loved the twists Witemeyer included.

Asher, though imperfect, is a wonderful hero. I loved the way he doted on his stepmother and two younger brothers. And Samantha is wonderful too. Not only because she shows her younger brother such devotion but also how hard she tries to be an example of Christian charity.

It was also great seeing Asher and Samantha overcome the glaring differences between them. The romance isn’t too fast or too slow, but a perfect balance.

Overall, If the Boot Fits is an imaginative retelling of Cinderella with a western twist.

I absolutely loved this twist on the Cinderella story!!!! I love anything this author writes and this was no exception! I can't wait for the next book in this series!!!

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.