Reviews with content warning for Death of parent - If the Shoe Fits

This was a fun ride! It was an enjoyable twist to Disney's Cinderella and had me laughing out loud on occasion. It is a modern day retelling except Cindy is a plus-size freshly graduated shoe designer who is trying to figure out her next steps in life and ends up on a Reality TV Show called Before Midnight that seems to be similar to The Bachelor. I really enjoyed Cindy's interactions with the other characters especially her dynamic with her family and the new friends she makes on the show. Her dalliances with Henry were cute and he had his moments but honestly, he wasn't all that swoon-worthy. I did like his sense of humor and he seems like a decent guy overall but he felt a little flat. I think if the story had been in dual POV, we would have had a more fleshed out male lead. The story honestly kind of sidelines our male lead and instead focuses more on Cindy and her internal confidence and her dreams. It was nice to see a version of Cinderella where the stepmother and stepsisters weren't "wicked" but were actively trying to have a healthy relationship. I did enjoy how the finale for the TV show ended up going but I honestly felt like the producers missed some golden opportunities.

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jazhandz's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

This is really not a Cinderella retelling so much as a shoe-centric reality dating competition with a protagonist named Cindy. Then again, I read most of this book while waiting for car repairs between the hours of 1AM and 4AM, so I don’t have the most insightful commentary. Better than One to Watch, not as good as The Charm Offensive.

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ashleybeereads's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

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bedtimesandbooks's review against another edition

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hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

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tashtash93's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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beklovesbooks's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted fast-paced

4.5

This rom-com was really fun. Representation matters, and I appreciated how the main character was fat, but portrayed as having a healthy relationship with food, healthy self-image, healthy friendships. Her size came up a lot in practical matters, and occasionally cruelly or stupidly from family and acquaintances and trolls- but it did not seem to matter to her love interest or some attractive friends. So rare.

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