4.5 stars--rounding down because it wasn't quite a 5 star read for me.

If the Boot Fits. Such a great title for this fun tale. It's not quite a remake--but it has loving nods to the always loved Cinderella tale. This time it's a "princess" and a Cinder-fella. ;) I loved the relationship between Asher and his stepmother. And when Jimmy called Fergus "gus gus" I grinned. ;) I also love that there is a Jack that needs help. And a BRUNO!!! :)

But wow--I never saw that twist at the end coming! Oy. That one came from left field and made me go--"ohhhhkaayyy then." I did figure out the villain. But the whole thing leading up to it. wowzer.

This was a lovely fun tale that kept me engaged to the end!

ps I also love the tidbit from the next book included at the end which will OBVIOUSLY be a nod to Little Red Ridinghood since I saw things like "a dark wolf" and the lead character's name is obviously going to be Scarlet. ;)

There is a LOT of nods to trusting in the Lord for guiding your steps and for your protection. Also the idea that our perspective on a situation may not be reality. I loved seeing the repair of the father daughter relationship.

*I received this complimentary copy of the ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. I wasn't required to write a positive review and all thoughts are my own!

I have read only a few fairytale retellings but when I learned author Karen Witemeyer was writing a series of them, I knew I wanted to check it out. Am so glad I did because this Cinderella role-reversal story grabbed my attention from the opening chapter and didn’t let go! The Dearing family drama was so riveting with complex emotions going on between Samantha and her father as she sought to reframe her previous perceptions of him. Samantha’s love for younger brother Clint was so heartwarming. The Ellis family were all endearing characters who felt like old friends. Asher Ellis was a sigh-worthy hero with not only his care for Samantha but his love for his family. I couldn’t stop reading when events happened that put Samantha’s life in danger and stayed up way later than planned to finish the book. Amid all the great dialogue and action, personal faith in the Lord was a natural part of the story as characters sought God’s guidance and protection through prayer. I can’t wait to read the first book in the series and any subsequent ones. Another 5* read from this author!

I received an advanced reader copy from the publisher and Celebrate Lit via NetGalley. A positive review was not required and the opinions stated here are my own.

“Feeling fear don’t make you weak. It makes you human. Bein’ strong means you don’t let fear dictate your actions. You kept your head out there. Sure, you were scared. I woulda been, too. But you lassoed that fright and kept it tied down until it was safe to let it go . I’m proud of how you handled yourself.” loved this advice.
Some people don't know how to handle their fear and it makes enemies as this story shows. Good always wins over evil no matter what.
I rather enjoyed this story. When I first read the title I thought it was going to be another Cinderella story and in a way it was but without the long words I got frustrated over in the last book.
I knew just how Samantha felt in this fearful scene. I ended up being proud because I probably would have just fainted away!
This book kept me up all night cause I loved so much. I had to see what our girl would do laugh out loud.
I was definitely happy to see all the characters back from the previous books.

A cute gender swap retelling of the classic Cinderella. The plot is a common one done many times before, and is completely predictable. The characters are interesting enough to keep the reader invested, and the pacing is good.

Overall, a nice, lightweight, easy to read book that can be finished in an hour.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in return for my honest review.

If the Boot Fits by Karen Witemeyer is a unique perspective on Cinderella, the widely-known fairy tale. This time around, the Cinderella character centers around a male character. Not that he is mistreated by his step-mother, he actually has a loving mother and two loving younger brothers. The story features his missing boot and how brave and gentle his spirit is. While similarly, the heroine, is smart, humble, and wanting the best for others. She is willing to sacrifice her time and money to help others in need. Of course, the romance between the hero and heroine develop as the story comes to its climactic moment. The plot has a mystery element to it, which I actually enjoyed. More historical romance novels are featuring mystery elements to the plot. I guess as a way to capture the attention of readers like me who adore tons of action in their stories. Witemeyer does have the two main characters question what they think about God and grow closer to him as the tension tightens around them. Overall, If the Boot Fits by Karen Witemeyer was a wonderful way to spend a day. I enjoyed the story and can't wait to see what fairy tale Witemeyer will conclude this series with.

I received a complimentary copy of If the Boot Fits by Karen Witemeyer from Bethany House Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.