Reviews with content warning for Infertility - If the Shoe Fits

THIS WAS SO CUTE!

If you're looking for a fluffy, make-you-smile-from-ear-to-ear, butterflies-in-your-tummy romcom this is the one for you! AND it's a body-positive, Cinderella retelling (with a different family dynamic than we're used to seeing in the original)?! Set in a Bachelor/Bachelorette-esque television show?! With a confident, talented, and funny female lead who has goals beyond finding a partner?! This book is literal perfection and it's being shelved in my mind as a book to pick up whenever I'm feeling sad and need a little pick me up!

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allisonwonderlandreads's review

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.0

I was charmed by this one from "Once Upon a Time." Our story follows Cindy, a shoe designer in a creative rut, and let me tell you that her profession speaks directly to my shoe-hoarding soul. This twist on Cinderella involves complex family dynamics, including the weight of Cindy's grief for both of her parents, but the stepmother and stepsisters certainly aren't evil. That was a new approach that I took to immediately. There's also a trio of preschool half-siblings (Gus, Mary, and Jack 😉) out to wreak havoc with childlike wonder and general shrieking, hugging, etc. Our Cinderella is fat and fabulous, and she's headed for reality TV à la The Bachelor, seeking the exposure to get her first shoe line off the ground. In terms of romance we have a meet cute gone wrong (or right?) when Cindy's charming airplane seat neighbor turns out to be the Suitor on the show-- Henry's the guy who's about to date Cindy and twenty other women on TV.

Ohmygod this book was so sweet. First, of my several attempts to read a book that brings the joys of reality TV to the page, this is the first to completely nail it. I loved the drama, the behind-the-scenes, and the human elements swept up in TV manipulation. In terms of a retelling, Cindy is a kind and caring Cinderella. I loved that her conflict came from her internal struggle with grief and the external machinations of TV producers, not going toe-to-toe with an evil stepfamily. I also think the way the story champions fat women is heart-warming and badass, especially for calling out inequity in fashion and the passive-aggressive cruelty of women. I hope romance as a genre continues to give opportunities for these voices to be heard and these characters to shine. It shouldn't even be something that requires discussion, but we need more and better representation like this one. Finally, I loved that the romance was adorable and not trying to do it all. It's not about wedding bells or 2.5 kids at the end, just two people taking a chance on each other and choosing joy together. Heart eyes all around.

This fabulous reimagining of a Disney classic kicks off a new series, and I CANNOT WAIT to see where it heads next. This was a perfect read to close out my summer. You can find it on shelves 8/3. Thanks to Disney and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy.

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