*For my personal thoughts on If the Shoe Fits check out my review of the book.
Author: Julie Murphy
Title: If the Shoe Fits
Category/Type: Adult Fiction
Genre: Romance
Subgenre: Contemporary Romance; Romantic Comedy, Fairy Tales
Publication Date: August 3, 2021
Number of Pages: 304 pages
Geographical Setting: Primarily New York City and Los Angeles, California; the reality TV filming takes place in an undisclosed location outside of LA.
Time Period: Present day
Series (if applicable): This book is part of Disney’s Meant to Be series which reimagines their classic fairy tales as adult Romance novels. Each book in the series is written by a different popular contemporary author and includes a more diverse range of characters than the original fairy tale adaptations (The Hollywood Reporter, 2020).
Plot Summary: Aspiring shoe designer Cindy’s senior year of college didn’t go exactly as planned because she struggled with the grief of her father’s passing. Rather than immediately searching for jobs, she agrees to be the nanny for her young half-siblings while her famous producer stepmother works on the next season of a popular reality TV dating show. Cindy is sure her creative juices will come back eventually, but after last minute cast cancellations she throws caution to the wind and joins the reality show as its first plus-size contestant. Cindy is really just there to get noticed for her fashion sense and shoe designs but when the eligible bachelor turns out to be that charming man she randomly met on the plane, she finds that she might be more invested in winning the show than she originally thought.
Content warnings: Grief, death of a loved one (in the past), fat shaming, fat phobia; sex is implied though nothing is described on the page
Subject Headings: Romance—Contemporary, Romance— Romantic Comedy, Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, Legends & Mythology
Appeal/Characteristics of Romance Fiction
Emotionally satisfying, happy ending- This book’s ending follows the newer tradition of Romance novels ending with an implied ‘happy for now’ as opposed to the more traditional ‘happily ever after.’ In fact, this book pushes the limit with Cindy heading off to Europe for work right after the love interests are reconnected, while it’s implied that Henry will be waiting for her return.
Characters are vividly, if quickly drawn. Men are powerful, confident, and slightly dangerous, women are strong, bright, and independent- The characters are vivid and do not have the feeling of being quickly sketched. This book follows the model of breaking the heterosexual norms of traditional Romance. While Henry is arguably powerful because he is wealthy and is the star of a reality show, it’s clear that he’s often not in charge of situations as one would expect and second guesses himself constantly. He does not fit the traditional mould of masculine. Cindy, while struggling through grief, is strong and independent and bright in the face of discrimination. She is confident and self-aware and it is clear why Henry is attracted to her.
A misunderstanding between the protagonists followed by a satisfactory resolution of the romantic relationship- The misunderstanding happens within the framework of the reality TV show that Henry and Cindy are on and is due to the producers of the show, not the characters themselves. This is not all bad as it allows Cindy to focus on herself and her career versus being plagued by guilt or sadness over a romance that didn’t pan out. It is a refreshing twist on the typical misunderstandings that are seen in Romance novels. As expected, the characters do overcome the misunderstanding to get together in the end.
Engaging details of time and place attract readers, and these historical, cultural, and social particulars often frame the stories- The setting for this book is a reality TV show, a modern update to an eligible and handsome prince surrounded by suitors. This firmly places the story in the present day and engages the readers by giving them a cast of characters and outlandish situations to read through.
Love on all levels- While Henry’s character and background are more lightly drawn than Cindy’s he has a few good characters on his side like Jay, a co-worker, whom everyone seems to adore. Cindy has a great supporting cast and her love for her best friend, stepmother, and siblings are clearly illustrated creating a book filled with romantic as well as friend and familial love.
Well-developed and interesting secondary characters- All the side characters help to draw readers into the story and keep them engaged. There’s a queer TV producer, the famous producer stepmother, the somewhat crazy but incredibly lovable stepsisters, the eclectic cast on the reality TV show, and Henry’s co-worker Jay. All are crucial to the story and interesting enough to have stories of their own.
3 terms that best describe this book:
Creative
Fun
Heartwarming
Fiction Read-alikes
The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun- Also set on a reality dating show, this book features Dev, a show producer who is totally a romantic and Charlie, the new star of the show who does not believe in romance at all. As Dev sets out to make Charlie a star and convince him of the power of love, Dev might be in danger of making Charlie fall in love with someone who isn’t a contestant. The reality dating setting of this book will be a draw for fans of If the Shoe Fits.
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston- A US First Son and a British Prince are forced to pretend to be best friends after an altercation between the two leads to tabloid headlines that could destroy both their reputations. While on a fake friend publicity tour to repair the damage, the two might discover that enemies can make for great lovers. The fake friend/fake dating trope that takes place in the spotlight as well as unexpected romance is a great connection to the reality TV setting of If the Shoe Fits.
One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London- Plus-size Bea’s favorite thing to watch is a reality dating show Main Squeeze, but Bea is disappointed by the lack of fat representation on the show. She decides to do something about it by signing up for the show but she doesn’t expect to find love, especially with her past experiences of how men treat fat women. Despite her realistic expectations, Bea can’t helped but be charmed by some of the contestants; maybe she will find love after all. Stayman-London’s novel has several parallels that readers of If the Shoe fits will enjoy from the reality dating setting to the fat representation to descriptions of behind-the-scenes filming action.
Non-Fiction Read-alikes
I Didn’t Come Here to Make Friends: Confessions of a Reality Show Villian by Courtney Robertson- A Bachelor winner shares her experiences from reality TV as well as her own connections to love and heartbreak. For fans of If the Shoe Fits who want to know more about the truths of being on reality TV, this is a good pick.
Bachelor Nation: Inside the World of America’s Favorite Guilty Pleasure by Amy Kaufman- Journalist Amy Kaufman uses this unauthorized novel to explore the history of the Bachelor and its connections to American culture. For readers of If the Shoe Fits looking for more background on reality dating shows, this book is a good choice.
In My Shoes by Tamara Mellon- In this book, shoe designer Tamara Mellon explores her life and career path while also recounting her experiences designing for luxury shoe brand Jimmy Choo. In the process of sharing her story, Mellon also shares the history of the company. For readers who were drawn to Cindy’s desire to be a shoe designer in If the Shoe Fits, Mellon’s book will give them a real-life inside look at the business.
Citations
McMillan, G. (2020, October 6). ‘Cinderella’ Reimagining ‘If The Shoe Fits’ to Launch Disney Publishing Line. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 2, 2022, from https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/if-the-shoe-fits-launches-disney-publishing-line-4071502/#!
Characteristics of Romance Fiction taken from
Wyatt, N. and Saricks, J. (2019). The readers' advisory guide to genre fiction. Third edition. ALA Editions.