If the Shoe Fits (A Meant to Be Novel)

by Julie Murphy Narrated by Jen Ponton

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

A Disney retelling meets rom-com? Yes! Yes! WE LURV the premise and all the cute nods to the original Cinderella. Perfect for your summer beach read!

"If the Shoe Fits encompasses everything I love about rom-coms. I laughed, I swooned, I smiled. Another hit for Julie Murphy!" -Colleen Hoover, #1 New York Times best-selling author of Hopeless If the shoe doesn't fit, maybe it's time to design your own. 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.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"If The Shoe Fits encompasses everything I love about rom-coms. I laughed, I swooned, I smiled. Another hit for Julie Murphy!"—Colleen Hoover, #1 New York Times best-selling author of Hopeless

"A refreshing take on the classic Cinderella story."
—Forbes

"In Murphy's breezy and fun rom-com, there's enough of Cinderella in the story to be charming, yet overall it sparkles like an exciting new tale. indy is immensely lovable, and readers will root for all her dreams to come true. Murphy brings the wit, sensitivity, and imagination that has made her a YA star to the start of her adult romance Meant to Be series.”—Booklist

"In this charming and modern retelling of Cinderella, Murphy hits the mark again with a body-positive novel that makes everyone feel included."
—School Library Journal


"Murphy’s adult debut is a binge-worthy modern take on Cinderella. Readers will love Cindy and Henry’s back-and-forth banter; when the duo find ruses to sneak away for some time alone with each other, hearts will melt."
—Library Journal


Accolades
A GMA Buzz Book
An Amazon Book of the Month
An Apple Best Book of the Month
Indie Next Pick
#1 Library Reads Pick
A Popsugar Best Romance Book of Summer 2021
A Country Living Best New Book

"If the Shoe Fits is so much more than a modern retelling of a classic tale. It’s a swoon-worthy slow burn romance that’s filled with heart and humor."—Farrah Rochon, USA Today best-selling author of The Boyfriend Project

“[An] inventive Cinderella retelling, Murphy cleverly blends the conventions of fairy tales and reality TV to create an incisive commentary on both…readers interested in a smart exploration of the intersection of romance and reality TV will be overjoyed.”—Publishers Weekly

“An enchanting Cinderella-inspired story.”
—Culturess

“Forget the animated Cinderella! If the Shoe Fits brings a fresh, charming, and deeply empowering perspective to the classic fairy tale.”—Katharine McGee, New York Times best-selling author of American Royals

Library Journal

07/01/2021

Recent design-school grad Cindy Woods flies home to act as a nanny for her three younger half-siblings, at least until she figures out how to land a job in shoe design. When Cindy gets a chance to compete on Before Midnight (the reality dating show produced by her stepmother), she can't turn down the opportunity to get her shoe designs on TV. As far as competing for the hand of bachelor Henry, she expects to last only a few episodes. She doesn't expect that Henry will turn out to be the same cutie she just saw on the plane. She also doesn't expect to like him so much. At some point, the relationship born of this totally fake reality show starts to feel real, but a happily-ever-after finale episode might not be in the cards. Murphy's (Dumplin') adult debut is a binge-worthy modern take on Cinderella. Readers will love Cindy and Henry's back-and-forth banter; when the duo find ruses to sneak away for some time alone with each other, hearts will melt. VERDICT Murphy's signature wit and style shine through, and libraries will do well to purchase this fantastic contemporary romance.—Amanda Toth, Lane Lib., Hamilton, OH

School Library Journal

08/01/2021

In this charming and modern retelling of Cinderella, Murphy hits the mark again with a body-positive novel that makes everyone feel included (shout-out to correct nonbinary pronoun usage). The book is filled to the brim with one-liners that will make teens and adults alike laugh out loud (or at least grunt in appreciation). Readers will almost immediately feel like they are friends with Cindy, the orphaned-recent-fashion-school-grad-turned-reality-TV-star and share a mutual hatred for the mean girl, Addison. In classic reality TV dating show fashion, there are tons of side-eye glances and catty situations that mostly make the suitor, Henry, shine even brighter. The lens of fashion as art gives the book a broader reader audience. An atypical family dynamic, with a widowed stepmom, stepsisters, and half-sibling triplets, may seem complicated, but seamlessly comes together, pun intended. VERDICT With a lot more depth than a typical love story, from fashion references to art and questions about fate, this novel can be added to the shelves of high school and public libraries with fans of Murphy's Dumplin', reality TV, or fashion.—Samantha Hull, Ephrata H.S., PA

Product Details

BN ID:	2940178692929
Publisher:	Hyperion Avenue
Publication date:	08/03/2021
Series:	Meant to Be Novels , #1
Edition description:	Unabridged
Sales rank:	1,250,419

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