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Texas Ever After #2
If the Boot Fits
Determined to prove that cattle king Eli Dearing has no justification for evicting his stepmother and half brothers, Asher Ellis uses the cover of a fancy ball to break into the Three Cedars ranch house to search for proof of wrongdoing. On the verge of discovery, he flees, but a boy's cry compels him to make a daring rescue.
Spunky and independent, Samantha Dearing balks when she learns the ball her father is hosting in her honor is nothing more than a matrimonial ambush. Taking a break from her unwanted suitors, Samantha spots a thief fleeing her home. When the stranger ends up saving her brother's life, she hides the only clue to his identity left behind--his boot--and resolves to find him herself.
But when Samantha encounters the older brother of a student she tutors, all thoughts of the bootless mystery man vanish. And although Asher tries to keep his distance from Samantha for reasons of his own, a series of suspicious accidents befall her, and his protective instincts flare, no matter the cost to their future.
This Western reimagining of the classic Cinderella fairy tale is an enchanting story of courage, family, and the power of true love.
Spunky and independent, Samantha Dearing balks when she learns the ball her father is hosting in her honor is nothing more than a matrimonial ambush. Taking a break from her unwanted suitors, Samantha spots a thief fleeing her home. When the stranger ends up saving her brother's life, she hides the only clue to his identity left behind--his boot--and resolves to find him herself.
But when Samantha encounters the older brother of a student she tutors, all thoughts of the bootless mystery man vanish. And although Asher tries to keep his distance from Samantha for reasons of his own, a series of suspicious accidents befall her, and his protective instincts flare, no matter the cost to their future.
This Western reimagining of the classic Cinderella fairy tale is an enchanting story of courage, family, and the power of true love.
350 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2024
138 people are currently reading
4,831 people want to read
About the author
Karen Witemeyer
50books4,096followersFor those who love to smile as they read, bestselling author Karen Witemeyer offers warmhearted historical romance with a flair for humor, feisty heroines, and swoon-worthy Texas heroes. Voted #1 Readers' Favorite Christian Historical Author in 2023 by Family Fiction Magazine, Karen is a multiple award-winning author and a firm believer in the power of happy endings. She is an avid cross-stitcher, tea drinker, and family board game player who makes her home in Abilene, TX with her heroic husband who vanquishes laundry dragons and dirty dish villains whenever she's on deadline.
Karen also loves to reward her readers. Every month she gives away two inspirational historical novels to someone from her newsletter list and offers substantial bonus content on her website. To learn more about Karen and her books, or to join her subscriber list, please visit .
Karen also loves to reward her readers. Every month she gives away two inspirational historical novels to someone from her newsletter list and offers substantial bonus content on her website. To learn more about Karen and her books, or to join her subscriber list, please visit .
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 372 reviews
April 19, 2024
Trigger warning: Affairs, Infertility, & mentions of sexual assault from manipulation.
About this book:
“Determined to prove that cattle king Eli Dearing has no justification for evicting his stepmother and half brothers, Asher Ellis uses the cover of a fancy ball to break into the Three Cedars ranch house to search for proof of wrongdoing. On the verge of discovery, he flees, but a boy's cry compels him to make a daring rescue.
Spunky and independent, Samantha Dearing balks when she learns the ball her father is hosting in her honor is nothing more than a matrimonial ambush. Taking a break from her unwanted suitors, Samantha spots a thief fleeing her home. When the stranger ends up saving her brother's life, she hides the only clue to his identity left behind--his boot--and resolves to find him herself.
But when Samantha encounters the older brother of a student she tutors, all thoughts of the bootless mystery man vanish. And although Asher tries to keep his distance from Samantha for reasons of his own, a series of suspicious accidents befall her, and his protective instincts flare, no matter the cost to their future.�
Series: Book #2 in the “Texas Ever After� series. I did not finished the first book due to content and it seems like no characters from that book were mentioned in this one.
Spiritual Content- Psalm 118:9 at the beginning; Many Scriptures are read, remembered, thought over, quoted, mentioned, & discussed; Bible reading; Many Prayers & Thanking and Praising God (and a blessing over food); Talks about God, trusting Him, & His timing; 'H's are not capital when referring to God; Samantha wonders if her being a girl is “such a sin� that it would alter her father’s love/attention towards her; Samantha wonders why God would allow a tragedy to befall His faithful servants but a woman encourages her that there’s a reason and continues to trust God; Asher wonders why God allows disparity among His people in the way that everyone lives; An unwed mother believes God quit helping her when she let a man sweet-talk her into his bed, which Samantha disagrees with and voices; A few diary entries that have a woman upset with God not giving her a child, saying that another woman can be barren because God needs that woman’s time for His work (this thought it not corrected on page at all), & saying that God has failed her and believes He is withholding His blessing, *Major Spoilers* ; Many mentions of God, trusting Him, & His timing; Many mentions of prayers, praying, & blessings over food; Mentions of thanking & praising God and Jesus; Mentions of Bibles, Bible reading, & books of the Bible; Mentions of those & events in the Bible; Mentions of churches, church going, services, worship, sermons, & preachers/ministers; Mentions of callings & ministries; Mentions of blessings & being Blessed; Mentions of sins & partaking in sin; A few mentions of miracles; A few mentions of a birthmark being said to be where the angels kissed a child; A couple mentions of a pastor sensing a soul in need of salvation (& the person trying to leave the pastor’s presence as soon as possible); A mention of Providence; A mention of the pearly gates;
*Note: Other phrases such as “Good heavens� (x8), “Heavens� (x6), “Heaven knows…� (x4), and “For heaven’s sake� (x1) are all said; A fire being described as “a menacing demon stalking its prey�.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘biddy�, a ‘good grief�, a ‘thunderation�, two ‘shut up’s, two ‘stupid’s, and six ‘shoot’s; A man calls Samantha a ‘cow�; Eye rolling & Sarcasm; Being shot at, being stalked, Being locked in a house on fire, a carriage accident, a rattlesnake being on the character, & shaking and crying after all of these near-death experiences (up to semi-detailed); Gunshots, being shot at, being held at gunpoint, fighting, being hit/attacked, injuries, pain, helping someone who was shot, seeing others shot and bleeding, & seeing someone else being held as hostage at gunpoint (*Spoiler* , semi-detailed); Saving someone from drowning (up to semi-detailed); At the very beginning, Asher trespasses into the Dearing home during a party to gain information that could possibly lead to blackmail (Asher thinks of his plan as just); A drunk man threatens & grabs at Samantha (Asher threats the man with broken bones, up to semi-detailed); Asher threatens a man who means harm to Samantha & wishes to beat another to a bloody pulp for harming her; Mentions of someone nearly drowning & other near-death experiences (a carriage accident, a run in with a rattlesnake, & being locked in a house on fire, up to semi-detailed); Mentions of deaths, deaths of loved ones, & grief (for a wife, a mother, & both parents, barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of injuries, blood/bleeding, pain, & possible deaths (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of gunfire, shooting/shooting at someone; Mentions of thieves, stealing, trespassing, break-ins, jails/prisons, crimes, criminals, & possible hanging; Mentions of fires, arson, being locked in a house on fire, smoke, passing out, & injuries (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of a man grabbing at a woman & pulling her into an alley; Mentions of a young boy being slapped/hit for his mouthy comments to an adult; Mentions of a father kicking his daughter out of the house due to her being an unwed mother (she wonders if she’ll have to give up her son despite it being like ripping out her heart); Mentions of alcohol, drinking, a drunk, & saloons; Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; Mentions of hatred; A few mentions of poison, someone who was murdered with poison, & a plan to do it to another; A few mentions of nightmares; A few mentions of gossip & rumors; A few mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of a dead body; A couple mentions of blackmail; A couple mentions of gambling & poker; A couple mentions of eavesdropping; A couple mentions of cigarettes & tobacco; A mention of a chamber pot;
*Note: Samantha & her father have a strained relationship due to her believing that he doesn’t care about her well-being because he sent her away & her late mother’s comments that implied that Samantha wasn’t enough (we quickly learn that this is not the case and see their relationship improve, albeit still having Samantha’s past hurts because of his actions and believing that he had no use for a daughter; She wonders if her prejudices and bitterness are clouding her thoughts towards him and still works for forgiveness towards him, up to semi-detailed on her emotions and feelings); Samantha becomes interested in a trespasser because that means the man wasn’t afraid to defy her father (a tiny rebellious part of her thinks this) & that she would like to best her father at finding out about the trespasser; A few mentions of the women’s suffrage movement & wanting to be equal; A couple mentions of a character’s “true� father (biological); A mention of a struggling with infertility feeling “darkness� descend over her.
Sexual Content- A hand kiss, two forehead kisses (one that arouses feelings), a cheek kiss, a border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed kiss, and three semi-detailed kisses; Remembering kisses (up to semi-detailed); Touches, Embraces, Warmth, Butterflies/Tingles, & Nearness (up to semi-detailed); Remembering touches, embraces, & nearness (up to semi-detailed); Wanting to touch & embrace (up to semi-detailed); Noticing (barely-above-not-detailed); Blushes; a ‘harlot� and a ‘hussy�; Samantha has romantic daydreams of Asher after he rescues her; Asher panics when he sees Samantha messing with her skirt in a way that could imply she’s disrobing (mentioning Lady Godiva and they are both very embarrassed by it; she was adjusting her skirt, not taking it off); *Major Spoiler but Important Content Note (Affairs and Infertility)* ; Mentions of affairs & illegitimate children; Mentions of a man getting a woman to his bed, her getting pregnant, the man not accepting the child as his and will not marry the woman (who is going to get kicked out of her family’s home because of it), & him seducing and bedding other women (he accuses the mother of the baby of rolling “around in the hay� with other men and says she ruined herself, not taking any responsibilities for the child; She considers herself tarnished because of it and believes God quit helping her when she let the man sweet-talk her into his bed, which Samantha disagrees with; *Spoiler* ); Mentions of a man’s womanizing ways, bragging about a “love shack�, & him taking multiple different women there for years (Samantha’s younger brother knows about the love shack and how babies are made due to breeding cattle & she is horrified by knowing that he knows about such things); Mentions of kisses & kissing; Mentions of flirting & flirts; A few mentions of the women who work at saloons & men paying to meet them in a place to be alone; A few mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of a man being caught while engaged with a woman in “unsanctioned behavior�; A mention of some men seeking “female companionship� (implied to be more than just talking); A mention of a loose woman; A mention of a man’s roguish gaze towards women; A mention of a woman possibly being assaulted by Asher (he wonders if someone thinks he would do this, but he wouldn’t); Love, falling in love, & the emotions;
*Note: Samantha, after being forced into a mothering role at a young age and her dreams being freedom and independence from familial responsibilities, now wonders about holding a baby of her own; Mentions of woman being barren (Samantha assumes that her aunt mourned the loss of not having children and wonders how she and her husband let go of that pain with no resentment towards God; Also heavy mentioned in the Major Spoiler section above); A few mentions of a woman’s monthly bleeding; A few mentions of men having to strip down to their underwear under an officer’s orders (looking for a criminal).
-Samantha Dearing, age 19
-Asher Ellis
P.O.V. switches between them
Set in 1889
368 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- One Star
Older High School Teens- One Star
My personal Rating- One Star
{Trigger warning: Affairs, Infertility, & mentions of sexual assault from manipulation}
Despite not finishing the first book in this series due to content, I was still curious about this book because of it being a light (and reverse) Cinderella retelling. Our male lead is the Cinderella (but with a good stepfamily) and our female lead is the princess. I really liked the family aspect of both main characters and loved seeing their brothers.
Here’s the thing: fairytale retellings are a genre I typically expect to be lighter in terms of content. Sure, the originals are yikes and often disgusting to say the least, but most retellings—at least in the Christian Fiction realm—are light. Not much to note in the way of content. This series hasn’t been that way at all. In this book particularly, I am incredibly disappointed in how heavy that twist in this story is weighing on my heart.
I often figure out the twists in books. My mom is convinced it’s because I read so much that there’s nothing left to surprise me with. It could be that or it could be the fact that my brain goes ninety to nothing when reading and is always trying to figure out what’s going to happen. With this book though, I started to get frustrated that Samantha couldn’t see who the culprit was. It felt incredibly obvious to me and I wanted to smack her over the head with the knowledge. Especially after she learned Very Important Information towards the end of the book. The beginning of the book was very cute and yet it also felt slow paced, I was just waiting for a shoe to drop (no Cinderella pun intended) and when that “surprise� entered in, I knew it was the proverbial shoe.
I was greatly enjoying this book until the last quarter or so which entered in content that dramatically affected these ratings. I won’t say much here, but the details of it is listed in the Sexual Content part of this review. It does have to do with a wife planning an affair, it being treated as a business transaction, and illegitimate children. (Also the woman having messed-up theology.) I unfortunately saw this coming on the horizon it was very disappointing to see that my thoughts were correct. It’s such a bummer because the romance between our main couple was so cute and there was a really good faith content, but that content is just not sitting well with me along with a man who seduced a woman into going to bed with him.
I’ve been sitting here, typing these final thoughts and staring at my screen for over fifteen minutes now, trying to gather my thoughts. This book is not recommended for ages 9-19, the target ages of BFCG. Each reader will obviously decide for themself and I will not be the one to tell you “no, don’t read this book.� I will never say that because my job is to give the information of what’s in the book, the content found within. Yes, I am above the age range of 9-19. I could give it a two star rating, which I’ve been debating as I stare at my computer screen. Because I did like their romance (there wasn’t even that much noticing!) and the faith content. But that just doesn’t feel right to me. I feel weighed down and heavy from the twist this book had and while the ending ends in a hopeful note, there’s still lingering sadness to me. I can’t in good conscience give this book a higher rating because of the content, despite the majority (not all) of the first half being enjoyable because by the end of the book, I 徱’t like it. Which is terribly sad and disappointing.
Link to review:
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
About this book:
“Determined to prove that cattle king Eli Dearing has no justification for evicting his stepmother and half brothers, Asher Ellis uses the cover of a fancy ball to break into the Three Cedars ranch house to search for proof of wrongdoing. On the verge of discovery, he flees, but a boy's cry compels him to make a daring rescue.
Spunky and independent, Samantha Dearing balks when she learns the ball her father is hosting in her honor is nothing more than a matrimonial ambush. Taking a break from her unwanted suitors, Samantha spots a thief fleeing her home. When the stranger ends up saving her brother's life, she hides the only clue to his identity left behind--his boot--and resolves to find him herself.
But when Samantha encounters the older brother of a student she tutors, all thoughts of the bootless mystery man vanish. And although Asher tries to keep his distance from Samantha for reasons of his own, a series of suspicious accidents befall her, and his protective instincts flare, no matter the cost to their future.�
Series: Book #2 in the “Texas Ever After� series. I did not finished the first book due to content and it seems like no characters from that book were mentioned in this one.
Spiritual Content- Psalm 118:9 at the beginning; Many Scriptures are read, remembered, thought over, quoted, mentioned, & discussed; Bible reading; Many Prayers & Thanking and Praising God (and a blessing over food); Talks about God, trusting Him, & His timing; 'H's are not capital when referring to God; Samantha wonders if her being a girl is “such a sin� that it would alter her father’s love/attention towards her; Samantha wonders why God would allow a tragedy to befall His faithful servants but a woman encourages her that there’s a reason and continues to trust God; Asher wonders why God allows disparity among His people in the way that everyone lives; An unwed mother believes God quit helping her when she let a man sweet-talk her into his bed, which Samantha disagrees with and voices; A few diary entries that have a woman upset with God not giving her a child, saying that another woman can be barren because God needs that woman’s time for His work (this thought it not corrected on page at all), & saying that God has failed her and believes He is withholding His blessing, *Major Spoilers* ; Many mentions of God, trusting Him, & His timing; Many mentions of prayers, praying, & blessings over food; Mentions of thanking & praising God and Jesus; Mentions of Bibles, Bible reading, & books of the Bible; Mentions of those & events in the Bible; Mentions of churches, church going, services, worship, sermons, & preachers/ministers; Mentions of callings & ministries; Mentions of blessings & being Blessed; Mentions of sins & partaking in sin; A few mentions of miracles; A few mentions of a birthmark being said to be where the angels kissed a child; A couple mentions of a pastor sensing a soul in need of salvation (& the person trying to leave the pastor’s presence as soon as possible); A mention of Providence; A mention of the pearly gates;
*Note: Other phrases such as “Good heavens� (x8), “Heavens� (x6), “Heaven knows…� (x4), and “For heaven’s sake� (x1) are all said; A fire being described as “a menacing demon stalking its prey�.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘biddy�, a ‘good grief�, a ‘thunderation�, two ‘shut up’s, two ‘stupid’s, and six ‘shoot’s; A man calls Samantha a ‘cow�; Eye rolling & Sarcasm; Being shot at, being stalked, Being locked in a house on fire, a carriage accident, a rattlesnake being on the character, & shaking and crying after all of these near-death experiences (up to semi-detailed); Gunshots, being shot at, being held at gunpoint, fighting, being hit/attacked, injuries, pain, helping someone who was shot, seeing others shot and bleeding, & seeing someone else being held as hostage at gunpoint (*Spoiler* , semi-detailed); Saving someone from drowning (up to semi-detailed); At the very beginning, Asher trespasses into the Dearing home during a party to gain information that could possibly lead to blackmail (Asher thinks of his plan as just); A drunk man threatens & grabs at Samantha (Asher threats the man with broken bones, up to semi-detailed); Asher threatens a man who means harm to Samantha & wishes to beat another to a bloody pulp for harming her; Mentions of someone nearly drowning & other near-death experiences (a carriage accident, a run in with a rattlesnake, & being locked in a house on fire, up to semi-detailed); Mentions of deaths, deaths of loved ones, & grief (for a wife, a mother, & both parents, barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of injuries, blood/bleeding, pain, & possible deaths (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of gunfire, shooting/shooting at someone; Mentions of thieves, stealing, trespassing, break-ins, jails/prisons, crimes, criminals, & possible hanging; Mentions of fires, arson, being locked in a house on fire, smoke, passing out, & injuries (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of a man grabbing at a woman & pulling her into an alley; Mentions of a young boy being slapped/hit for his mouthy comments to an adult; Mentions of a father kicking his daughter out of the house due to her being an unwed mother (she wonders if she’ll have to give up her son despite it being like ripping out her heart); Mentions of alcohol, drinking, a drunk, & saloons; Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; Mentions of hatred; A few mentions of poison, someone who was murdered with poison, & a plan to do it to another; A few mentions of nightmares; A few mentions of gossip & rumors; A few mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of a dead body; A couple mentions of blackmail; A couple mentions of gambling & poker; A couple mentions of eavesdropping; A couple mentions of cigarettes & tobacco; A mention of a chamber pot;
*Note: Samantha & her father have a strained relationship due to her believing that he doesn’t care about her well-being because he sent her away & her late mother’s comments that implied that Samantha wasn’t enough (we quickly learn that this is not the case and see their relationship improve, albeit still having Samantha’s past hurts because of his actions and believing that he had no use for a daughter; She wonders if her prejudices and bitterness are clouding her thoughts towards him and still works for forgiveness towards him, up to semi-detailed on her emotions and feelings); Samantha becomes interested in a trespasser because that means the man wasn’t afraid to defy her father (a tiny rebellious part of her thinks this) & that she would like to best her father at finding out about the trespasser; A few mentions of the women’s suffrage movement & wanting to be equal; A couple mentions of a character’s “true� father (biological); A mention of a struggling with infertility feeling “darkness� descend over her.
Sexual Content- A hand kiss, two forehead kisses (one that arouses feelings), a cheek kiss, a border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed kiss, and three semi-detailed kisses; Remembering kisses (up to semi-detailed); Touches, Embraces, Warmth, Butterflies/Tingles, & Nearness (up to semi-detailed); Remembering touches, embraces, & nearness (up to semi-detailed); Wanting to touch & embrace (up to semi-detailed); Noticing (barely-above-not-detailed); Blushes; a ‘harlot� and a ‘hussy�; Samantha has romantic daydreams of Asher after he rescues her; Asher panics when he sees Samantha messing with her skirt in a way that could imply she’s disrobing (mentioning Lady Godiva and they are both very embarrassed by it; she was adjusting her skirt, not taking it off); *Major Spoiler but Important Content Note (Affairs and Infertility)* ; Mentions of affairs & illegitimate children; Mentions of a man getting a woman to his bed, her getting pregnant, the man not accepting the child as his and will not marry the woman (who is going to get kicked out of her family’s home because of it), & him seducing and bedding other women (he accuses the mother of the baby of rolling “around in the hay� with other men and says she ruined herself, not taking any responsibilities for the child; She considers herself tarnished because of it and believes God quit helping her when she let the man sweet-talk her into his bed, which Samantha disagrees with; *Spoiler* ); Mentions of a man’s womanizing ways, bragging about a “love shack�, & him taking multiple different women there for years (Samantha’s younger brother knows about the love shack and how babies are made due to breeding cattle & she is horrified by knowing that he knows about such things); Mentions of kisses & kissing; Mentions of flirting & flirts; A few mentions of the women who work at saloons & men paying to meet them in a place to be alone; A few mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of a man being caught while engaged with a woman in “unsanctioned behavior�; A mention of some men seeking “female companionship� (implied to be more than just talking); A mention of a loose woman; A mention of a man’s roguish gaze towards women; A mention of a woman possibly being assaulted by Asher (he wonders if someone thinks he would do this, but he wouldn’t); Love, falling in love, & the emotions;
*Note: Samantha, after being forced into a mothering role at a young age and her dreams being freedom and independence from familial responsibilities, now wonders about holding a baby of her own; Mentions of woman being barren (Samantha assumes that her aunt mourned the loss of not having children and wonders how she and her husband let go of that pain with no resentment towards God; Also heavy mentioned in the Major Spoiler section above); A few mentions of a woman’s monthly bleeding; A few mentions of men having to strip down to their underwear under an officer’s orders (looking for a criminal).
-Samantha Dearing, age 19
-Asher Ellis
P.O.V. switches between them
Set in 1889
368 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- One Star
Older High School Teens- One Star
My personal Rating- One Star
{Trigger warning: Affairs, Infertility, & mentions of sexual assault from manipulation}
Despite not finishing the first book in this series due to content, I was still curious about this book because of it being a light (and reverse) Cinderella retelling. Our male lead is the Cinderella (but with a good stepfamily) and our female lead is the princess. I really liked the family aspect of both main characters and loved seeing their brothers.
Here’s the thing: fairytale retellings are a genre I typically expect to be lighter in terms of content. Sure, the originals are yikes and often disgusting to say the least, but most retellings—at least in the Christian Fiction realm—are light. Not much to note in the way of content. This series hasn’t been that way at all. In this book particularly, I am incredibly disappointed in how heavy that twist in this story is weighing on my heart.
I often figure out the twists in books. My mom is convinced it’s because I read so much that there’s nothing left to surprise me with. It could be that or it could be the fact that my brain goes ninety to nothing when reading and is always trying to figure out what’s going to happen. With this book though, I started to get frustrated that Samantha couldn’t see who the culprit was. It felt incredibly obvious to me and I wanted to smack her over the head with the knowledge. Especially after she learned Very Important Information towards the end of the book. The beginning of the book was very cute and yet it also felt slow paced, I was just waiting for a shoe to drop (no Cinderella pun intended) and when that “surprise� entered in, I knew it was the proverbial shoe.
I was greatly enjoying this book until the last quarter or so which entered in content that dramatically affected these ratings. I won’t say much here, but the details of it is listed in the Sexual Content part of this review. It does have to do with a wife planning an affair, it being treated as a business transaction, and illegitimate children. (Also the woman having messed-up theology.) I unfortunately saw this coming on the horizon it was very disappointing to see that my thoughts were correct. It’s such a bummer because the romance between our main couple was so cute and there was a really good faith content, but that content is just not sitting well with me along with a man who seduced a woman into going to bed with him.
I’ve been sitting here, typing these final thoughts and staring at my screen for over fifteen minutes now, trying to gather my thoughts. This book is not recommended for ages 9-19, the target ages of BFCG. Each reader will obviously decide for themself and I will not be the one to tell you “no, don’t read this book.� I will never say that because my job is to give the information of what’s in the book, the content found within. Yes, I am above the age range of 9-19. I could give it a two star rating, which I’ve been debating as I stare at my computer screen. Because I did like their romance (there wasn’t even that much noticing!) and the faith content. But that just doesn’t feel right to me. I feel weighed down and heavy from the twist this book had and while the ending ends in a hopeful note, there’s still lingering sadness to me. I can’t in good conscience give this book a higher rating because of the content, despite the majority (not all) of the first half being enjoyable because by the end of the book, I 徱’t like it. Which is terribly sad and disappointing.
Link to review:
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
January 28, 2025
I liked this one even better than Fairest of Heart!
The characters were interesting and the writing was fast paced.
There was great faith content and redemption in the end.
No language and no spice.
Recommend!
Tropes: Cinderella inspired, guy chaperones and protects the girl
Triggers: past infidelity, attempted murder
The characters were interesting and the writing was fast paced.
There was great faith content and redemption in the end.
No language and no spice.
Recommend!
Tropes: Cinderella inspired, guy chaperones and protects the girl
Triggers: past infidelity, attempted murder
May 30, 2024
If The Boot Fits by Karen Witemeyer - 4.5 Stars
*Updating review to include some thoughts on the ending*
What a great second book in the Texas Ever After series! A western spin on the classic Cinderella tale! This book can be read as a standalone but I recommend starting with book 1, Fairest of Heart.
In this story, Samantha Dearing is going to the ball that her father is hosting to find her a match! She isn't excited about this so she takes a break from the ball and finds a thief fleeing her home. The stranger, Asher Ellis, was looking for in Samantha's father's room for documentation regarding the rent payments since her father was evicting his mother and family from their property. While Asher is running away, he sees Samantha's brother Clint in distress in the water drowning and he saves his life. While no one saw him in this, he left his boot behind and Samantha decides to find the man that "the boot fits". Samantha and Asher cross paths later as she is tutoring his brother and as someone is after Samantha, Asher is devoted to protecting her at all costs and feelings emerge and the story goes on from here.......
Karen does it again with a great Christian Western Historical Romance with a fairy tale spin and I loved it! The romance in this was so sweet and I loved the faith elements throughout the story. The twist in this was not one I saw coming! The fairytale elements were very light but fun enough added in! Definitely its own unique story.
Editing my review to include thoughts about the twist in this story. I know things that get revealed toward the end in some letters/entries is considered a controversial thing here among some reviews but the more I think about it, the more I want to make sure I am clear on how I feel about it.
Every single one of us has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Neither of us is better than the other. What is depicted in this is an example of someone who made mistakes and repented. Grace and forgiveness were shown. This sin mention in this book is honestly no different than any other sin we have committed ourselves. We are no better than what this person has done in her story. I commend Karen for tackling this topic and showing us what true forgiveness and grace looks like. The character recognized it was wrong and asked for forgiveness. It's so important to show grace, compassion and forgiveness to others and this could have truly happened. I myself have made many mistakes that I am forgiven for in Jesus' name so I found this somewhat relatable for me as well. I just wanted to update this review because I strongly feel this book handled the content in a well manor and Karen was not trying to justify any actions in this.
Thank you to Bethany House for providing a copy to honestly read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
*Updating review to include some thoughts on the ending*
What a great second book in the Texas Ever After series! A western spin on the classic Cinderella tale! This book can be read as a standalone but I recommend starting with book 1, Fairest of Heart.
In this story, Samantha Dearing is going to the ball that her father is hosting to find her a match! She isn't excited about this so she takes a break from the ball and finds a thief fleeing her home. The stranger, Asher Ellis, was looking for in Samantha's father's room for documentation regarding the rent payments since her father was evicting his mother and family from their property. While Asher is running away, he sees Samantha's brother Clint in distress in the water drowning and he saves his life. While no one saw him in this, he left his boot behind and Samantha decides to find the man that "the boot fits". Samantha and Asher cross paths later as she is tutoring his brother and as someone is after Samantha, Asher is devoted to protecting her at all costs and feelings emerge and the story goes on from here.......
Karen does it again with a great Christian Western Historical Romance with a fairy tale spin and I loved it! The romance in this was so sweet and I loved the faith elements throughout the story. The twist in this was not one I saw coming! The fairytale elements were very light but fun enough added in! Definitely its own unique story.
Editing my review to include thoughts about the twist in this story. I know things that get revealed toward the end in some letters/entries is considered a controversial thing here among some reviews but the more I think about it, the more I want to make sure I am clear on how I feel about it.
Every single one of us has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Neither of us is better than the other. What is depicted in this is an example of someone who made mistakes and repented. Grace and forgiveness were shown. This sin mention in this book is honestly no different than any other sin we have committed ourselves. We are no better than what this person has done in her story. I commend Karen for tackling this topic and showing us what true forgiveness and grace looks like. The character recognized it was wrong and asked for forgiveness. It's so important to show grace, compassion and forgiveness to others and this could have truly happened. I myself have made many mistakes that I am forgiven for in Jesus' name so I found this somewhat relatable for me as well. I just wanted to update this review because I strongly feel this book handled the content in a well manor and Karen was not trying to justify any actions in this.
Thank you to Bethany House for providing a copy to honestly read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 21, 2024
With a heaping of faith, sweet romance, and an enjoyable perspective on an ages-old fairy tale, If the Boot Fits meets every requirement for a delightful retelling.
PLOT
I'll admit Cinderella retellings are not usually my favorite. Perhaps because so many feel so...cookie cutter. The same, with no deviation or true creativity woven within the retelling's plot. This book, however, puts a refreshing and engaging spin on this oft-told fairy tale, and while it certainly remains true to the mandatory elements (mice, a lost slipper--or boot, and a ball), Witemeyer puts such a unique twist on those elements. Combine that with this being a historical western retelling, and that makes it all the more interesting.
The plot is genius. Sheer genius. I found myself taking notes on the pure creativity Witemeyer put into it. You'll recognize the fairy tale elements, but I loved how it went beyond a normal retelling. You'll see when you read it.
CHARACTERS
I'm a massive fan of genderbent fairy tale retellings, and If the Boot Fits did not disappoint. Ash and Samantha are great! I enjoyed the depth Witemeyer gave their characters, and their character arcs are so satisfying to read. Especially Samantha, who first comes across as spoiled and a bit of a brat, but her true personality soon shines forth and makes her a character you can't help but like. Ash is my favorite, though. As an eldest child, I connected with his need to protect and care for his family. We need more loyal and protective heroes, both in fairy tale retellings and real life.
The secondary cast were superbly-written, as well, from Mama Bess (I love Witemeyer's spin on her), to Mr. Dearing, to Clint (who deserves his own story. Just sayin'.), and everyone else. The villain was a truly sordid sort who fully deserved what came to him.
FAITH
This is the best part of this book. The faith is so beautifully interwoven into the plot. Natural, deep, and providing an excellent reminder for the reader.
Characters pray, attend church, ruminate on Bible verses, and learn some faith-filled lessons.
ROMANCE
Perfect and entirely wholesome. I hope the third book is the same.
Couples kiss, think about kissing, and are attracted to one another. Everything is tasteful.
VIOLENCE
A buggy is sabotaged, a character's life is targeted with fire, bullets, and a rattlesnake, and poisoning is alluded to. Men get in a skirmish, women are threatened, and men are shot. Nothing is gratuitous.
OTHER
It is discussed that two children were born outside of wedlock. One child's parents were not married, and the other woman cheated on her husband. No extraneous details are provided and everything is kept tasteful.
CONCLUSION
If the Boot Fits is quite the satisfying fairy tale retelling and contains Witemeyer's trademark humor and faith elements. I wholeheartedly recommend this to anyone seeking a Christian historical fairy tale retelling.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in conjunction with CelebrateLit in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
PLOT
I'll admit Cinderella retellings are not usually my favorite. Perhaps because so many feel so...cookie cutter. The same, with no deviation or true creativity woven within the retelling's plot. This book, however, puts a refreshing and engaging spin on this oft-told fairy tale, and while it certainly remains true to the mandatory elements (mice, a lost slipper--or boot, and a ball), Witemeyer puts such a unique twist on those elements. Combine that with this being a historical western retelling, and that makes it all the more interesting.
The plot is genius. Sheer genius. I found myself taking notes on the pure creativity Witemeyer put into it. You'll recognize the fairy tale elements, but I loved how it went beyond a normal retelling. You'll see when you read it.
CHARACTERS
I'm a massive fan of genderbent fairy tale retellings, and If the Boot Fits did not disappoint. Ash and Samantha are great! I enjoyed the depth Witemeyer gave their characters, and their character arcs are so satisfying to read. Especially Samantha, who first comes across as spoiled and a bit of a brat, but her true personality soon shines forth and makes her a character you can't help but like. Ash is my favorite, though. As an eldest child, I connected with his need to protect and care for his family. We need more loyal and protective heroes, both in fairy tale retellings and real life.
The secondary cast were superbly-written, as well, from Mama Bess (I love Witemeyer's spin on her), to Mr. Dearing, to Clint (who deserves his own story. Just sayin'.), and everyone else. The villain was a truly sordid sort who fully deserved what came to him.
FAITH
This is the best part of this book. The faith is so beautifully interwoven into the plot. Natural, deep, and providing an excellent reminder for the reader.
Characters pray, attend church, ruminate on Bible verses, and learn some faith-filled lessons.
ROMANCE
Perfect and entirely wholesome. I hope the third book is the same.
Couples kiss, think about kissing, and are attracted to one another. Everything is tasteful.
VIOLENCE
A buggy is sabotaged, a character's life is targeted with fire, bullets, and a rattlesnake, and poisoning is alluded to. Men get in a skirmish, women are threatened, and men are shot. Nothing is gratuitous.
OTHER
It is discussed that two children were born outside of wedlock. One child's parents were not married, and the other woman cheated on her husband. No extraneous details are provided and everything is kept tasteful.
CONCLUSION
If the Boot Fits is quite the satisfying fairy tale retelling and contains Witemeyer's trademark humor and faith elements. I wholeheartedly recommend this to anyone seeking a Christian historical fairy tale retelling.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in conjunction with CelebrateLit in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
April 10, 2024
A whimsical retelling of Cinderella mixed with romance, danger and intrigue.
I knew that I was going to fall in love with this book even more than the first one in this series by Karen Witemeyer. I'm happy that these were the first books I've ever tried of hers, because they make me want to pick up more. I loved the nod to Cinderella in this story, the touches of the boots as the glass slipper, magical mice and not so "evil" Stepmothers.
*thank you to Bethany House and NetGalley for a copy of this book to read and review. All thoughts are my own.
I knew that I was going to fall in love with this book even more than the first one in this series by Karen Witemeyer. I'm happy that these were the first books I've ever tried of hers, because they make me want to pick up more. I loved the nod to Cinderella in this story, the touches of the boots as the glass slipper, magical mice and not so "evil" Stepmothers.
*thank you to Bethany House and NetGalley for a copy of this book to read and review. All thoughts are my own.
February 15, 2024
If the Boot Fits is a delightful retelling of the Cinderella story set in the Wild West. While I was expecting a sweet historical romance, the edge of the seat suspense took me by surprise.
I found Samantha to be a fascinating blend of a warm, caring young lady, but also full of spunk. Upon her return home from an eastern finishing school, she encounters one mysterious accident after another. Asher is everything a hero should be. A man willing to sacrifice for the needs of those he loves. As the story is told from both POV's, the main characters' inner monologue had me smiling and laughing out loud at times.
As the accidents targeting Samantha begin to escalate, Samantha begins to look for answers. While I eventually figured out the identity of the 'bad guy', I did not figure out his motivation until an unexpected twist towards the end of the story.
This is a heartwarming story of family. One of repairing relationships, of understanding and forgiveness. I found this book to be a wonderful blend of history, mystery and romance and eagerly look forward to the final book in The Texas Ever After series.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley and the author/publisher. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
I found Samantha to be a fascinating blend of a warm, caring young lady, but also full of spunk. Upon her return home from an eastern finishing school, she encounters one mysterious accident after another. Asher is everything a hero should be. A man willing to sacrifice for the needs of those he loves. As the story is told from both POV's, the main characters' inner monologue had me smiling and laughing out loud at times.
As the accidents targeting Samantha begin to escalate, Samantha begins to look for answers. While I eventually figured out the identity of the 'bad guy', I did not figure out his motivation until an unexpected twist towards the end of the story.
This is a heartwarming story of family. One of repairing relationships, of understanding and forgiveness. I found this book to be a wonderful blend of history, mystery and romance and eagerly look forward to the final book in The Texas Ever After series.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley and the author/publisher. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
April 27, 2024
WHAT A STORY OF GRACE & FORGIVENESS! This book had some of the best faith content I’ve read in a while, while also representing human nature and our shortcomings.
Samantha grew so much throughout this book! She went from thinking the worst of every man, a bit immature, a little self centered to someone who realized sometimes there is more to the story. She stopped acting like a girl who only thought of herself, and became a woman who listened to others. While still staying true to her protective, loving, spitfire self!
Asher was such a sweet character! He went from hatred and bitterness to understanding and forgiveness. He was a fierce protector & just an overall loving person!
I loved the whole cast of characters and how they worked with & off each other. They all felt like family, loving yet ready to point them to God when they lost sight.
This book was such a great representation of God’s love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness! How we as people make such stupid mistakes, but He is there! And we are called to forgive others as He forgives us.
I think Karen did a masterful job creating this story, and all of its plot lines that wove together.
4.5/5 stars
*I received this book from the author**All opinions are my own*
Samantha grew so much throughout this book! She went from thinking the worst of every man, a bit immature, a little self centered to someone who realized sometimes there is more to the story. She stopped acting like a girl who only thought of herself, and became a woman who listened to others. While still staying true to her protective, loving, spitfire self!
Asher was such a sweet character! He went from hatred and bitterness to understanding and forgiveness. He was a fierce protector & just an overall loving person!
I loved the whole cast of characters and how they worked with & off each other. They all felt like family, loving yet ready to point them to God when they lost sight.
This book was such a great representation of God’s love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness! How we as people make such stupid mistakes, but He is there! And we are called to forgive others as He forgives us.
I think Karen did a masterful job creating this story, and all of its plot lines that wove together.
4.5/5 stars
*I received this book from the author**All opinions are my own*
April 21, 2025
4.5 rounded up to 5 stars. I loved that this was a gender flipped Cinderella retelling. I love this author’s writing and I kept getting sucked into the story. I just wish it had been a shorter book, but I liked the characters and storyline. Can’t wait to read more in this series and by this author.
February 28, 2024
A Western twist on Cinderella!
Even though If the Boot Fits is the second book in the Texas Ever After series, it can easily be read as a standalone. There was no connection as far as I could tell other than that both the first and second books in the series were fairy-tale retellings.
Asher and Samantha were both well-developed characters. I appreciated Asher's devotion to his family and Samantha's desire to help her friend. I did think Asher had a bit of a bland personality, and Samantha frustrated me at times. The side characters were probably my favorite part of this novel. Eli Dearing, Mama Bess, and Ida Mae were great. I think Eli and Bess would make a great match ... just saying :)
The plot had plenty of action and twists and turns. One of those twists and turns was a little weird to me, but it had to be in there for the plot. I appreciated that Karen Witemeyer kept both the romance and language clean.
Overall, I found If the Boot Fits to be an interesting read that I'd recommend to those who love Christian fiction, historical romances, and fairy-tale retellings.
Disclosure: I received this book free from Bethany House through Interviews & Reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Even though If the Boot Fits is the second book in the Texas Ever After series, it can easily be read as a standalone. There was no connection as far as I could tell other than that both the first and second books in the series were fairy-tale retellings.
Asher and Samantha were both well-developed characters. I appreciated Asher's devotion to his family and Samantha's desire to help her friend. I did think Asher had a bit of a bland personality, and Samantha frustrated me at times. The side characters were probably my favorite part of this novel. Eli Dearing, Mama Bess, and Ida Mae were great. I think Eli and Bess would make a great match ... just saying :)
The plot had plenty of action and twists and turns. One of those twists and turns was a little weird to me, but it had to be in there for the plot. I appreciated that Karen Witemeyer kept both the romance and language clean.
Overall, I found If the Boot Fits to be an interesting read that I'd recommend to those who love Christian fiction, historical romances, and fairy-tale retellings.
Disclosure: I received this book free from Bethany House through Interviews & Reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
March 10, 2024
1889 Texas
I enjoyed this second in the series even more than the first. I'd call this a Cinderella inspired novel rather than a retelling. And what a cute western twist...a cowboy boot left behind rather than a glass slipper.
Karen's trademark humor is in the pages. In addition to humor, there is a great story line that includes family secrets and helping others. Both Asher and Samantha are wonderful main characters. The speed of the romance was just right.
Recommended for fans of historical romance! It can be read as a standalone.
I enjoyed this second in the series even more than the first. I'd call this a Cinderella inspired novel rather than a retelling. And what a cute western twist...a cowboy boot left behind rather than a glass slipper.
Karen's trademark humor is in the pages. In addition to humor, there is a great story line that includes family secrets and helping others. Both Asher and Samantha are wonderful main characters. The speed of the romance was just right.
Recommended for fans of historical romance! It can be read as a standalone.
January 28, 2025
This was cute and fun with some crazy plot twists thrown in! I loved all the nods to the Cinderella story, but they weren’t always super obvious. There were also some profound pearls of wisdom hidden in the story. The audiobook narrator was great, but I sped the audio up a bit because there were some times when I felt like the story was dragging a bit. But overall it was great!
March 12, 2024
4.5 stars!
This was such a cute story! Samantha is the daughter of Cattle King Eli Dearing. Asher Ellis is looking for proof of wrongdoing against his Stepmother and breaks into the Dearing household to find it. They chase after him, and after saving Samantha's younger brother from drowning he leaves behind a boot. This story is really good, and I really liked it! I thought Samantha and Asher's relationship was great and I loved their siblings. I was a little disappointed, because I thought it would be more like the first book in the series that was so like the fairy tale it represented. This story didn't feel very Cinderella ish to me. I would have liked to see more. However, if you take the Cinderella part out of the story it is still a great story. And I did like the "Cinderella" ending.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
This was such a cute story! Samantha is the daughter of Cattle King Eli Dearing. Asher Ellis is looking for proof of wrongdoing against his Stepmother and breaks into the Dearing household to find it. They chase after him, and after saving Samantha's younger brother from drowning he leaves behind a boot. This story is really good, and I really liked it! I thought Samantha and Asher's relationship was great and I loved their siblings. I was a little disappointed, because I thought it would be more like the first book in the series that was so like the fairy tale it represented. This story didn't feel very Cinderella ish to me. I would have liked to see more. However, if you take the Cinderella part out of the story it is still a great story. And I did like the "Cinderella" ending.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
April 16, 2024
***CONTENT SPOILER MARKED BELOW***I 徱’t give a ton of details but it does give away a turning point in the story, so skip that if you’d rather not know!
3⭐️ for the positives I mention below, but I don’t recommend for under 18 (or for overly sensitive readers) due to some very heavy content later in the book (parents be advised)
I really liked a lot about this book, and it was WAY better than the first in the series (which I 徱’t finish) I was thinking it was a 4⭐️+ but some things closer to the end just really got to me� that being said I’ll clarify below, but first the good things�
❤️ � The Cinderella retelling aspect was so fun and fresh! I enjoyed finding bits that correlated the stories and others that made it unique! I absolutely adore that neither the Stepmother nor Samantha’s father were evil! Asher Ellis—oh and his name was perfect too, such a play on words—and Samantha were likeable leads. It was easy to root for them. There were a few overly shared thoughts that dragged a bit but nothing inappropriate or overly awkward! Then the mystery started and I was trying to figure out “who done it!� All excellent aspects. I also loved all the spiritual growth especially in Samantha. There were some extremely great themes and my favorite was the reminder to lean on God and His Word not trusting in our own strength. The verses references were fantastic!
💔😞 ***SPOILER ALERT***:
Ok so i haven’t seen anyone else mention this, but i think it bears mentioning that Samantha’s mom’s journal really was� a shocker…a horrific finding…I just was blind sided, but not in a good way. It really weighed heavy for me. And maybe I’m a tender hearted soul but it just was a lot after what seemed like a lighter story. Sin is ugly. Believe me I know. I’ve seen it in my own family, life, and ministry. Maybe, if the affair was shared second hand instead of as a diary, it wouldn’t have felt as heavy and distressing. There is a big difference in reading a second hand story vs the inner thoughts and feelings of a person in the middle of something so long and wicked. The scenario/twisted thinking she has should appall us as believers� I do want to point out the author clearly believes that, and it wasn’t painted as acceptable. But My personal opinion is that with Samantha’s tendency to passionate responses and her previous anger at her father for things, she would have expressed some more grief and emotion about it all. It just felt like those who learned were sad but recovered super fast. (Granted there’s a bit of “excitement� right after she finds out, but still later processing…I mean personally I was like 😳😱😰 how could a loving wife do that for a year…it was not a one time thing…it wasn’t natural clearly and it should be confusing I guess.) Anyway I’m rambling. I just 徱’t like having to work through all that mentally! I was surprised and don’t want others to be if they are grieves/empathizers/senstive. I AM glad it seems she repented to the Lord in her journal.
***END SPOILER***
Conclusion: I did like the story as a whole (excluding the details of what I mention above) and parts were lighter than others. I DO NOT personally recommend the first in these series (you can see my personal review under that book), and I won’t be rereading this one. I’m not sure about the next. I have liked most of the authors earlier books.
3⭐️ for the positives I mention below, but I don’t recommend for under 18 (or for overly sensitive readers) due to some very heavy content later in the book (parents be advised)
I really liked a lot about this book, and it was WAY better than the first in the series (which I 徱’t finish) I was thinking it was a 4⭐️+ but some things closer to the end just really got to me� that being said I’ll clarify below, but first the good things�
❤️ � The Cinderella retelling aspect was so fun and fresh! I enjoyed finding bits that correlated the stories and others that made it unique! I absolutely adore that neither the Stepmother nor Samantha’s father were evil! Asher Ellis—oh and his name was perfect too, such a play on words—and Samantha were likeable leads. It was easy to root for them. There were a few overly shared thoughts that dragged a bit but nothing inappropriate or overly awkward! Then the mystery started and I was trying to figure out “who done it!� All excellent aspects. I also loved all the spiritual growth especially in Samantha. There were some extremely great themes and my favorite was the reminder to lean on God and His Word not trusting in our own strength. The verses references were fantastic!
💔😞 ***SPOILER ALERT***:
Ok so i haven’t seen anyone else mention this, but i think it bears mentioning that Samantha’s mom’s journal really was� a shocker…a horrific finding…I just was blind sided, but not in a good way. It really weighed heavy for me. And maybe I’m a tender hearted soul but it just was a lot after what seemed like a lighter story. Sin is ugly. Believe me I know. I’ve seen it in my own family, life, and ministry. Maybe, if the affair was shared second hand instead of as a diary, it wouldn’t have felt as heavy and distressing. There is a big difference in reading a second hand story vs the inner thoughts and feelings of a person in the middle of something so long and wicked. The scenario/twisted thinking she has should appall us as believers� I do want to point out the author clearly believes that, and it wasn’t painted as acceptable. But My personal opinion is that with Samantha’s tendency to passionate responses and her previous anger at her father for things, she would have expressed some more grief and emotion about it all. It just felt like those who learned were sad but recovered super fast. (Granted there’s a bit of “excitement� right after she finds out, but still later processing…I mean personally I was like 😳😱😰 how could a loving wife do that for a year…it was not a one time thing…it wasn’t natural clearly and it should be confusing I guess.) Anyway I’m rambling. I just 徱’t like having to work through all that mentally! I was surprised and don’t want others to be if they are grieves/empathizers/senstive. I AM glad it seems she repented to the Lord in her journal.
***END SPOILER***
Conclusion: I did like the story as a whole (excluding the details of what I mention above) and parts were lighter than others. I DO NOT personally recommend the first in these series (you can see my personal review under that book), and I won’t be rereading this one. I’m not sure about the next. I have liked most of the authors earlier books.
April 9, 2024
I loved these characters, the setting and the faith content. Samantha has returned to Texas from finishing school in Boston and discovers her father has set up a ball in her honor to find her a match. She feels like he is trying to get rid of her and takes offense. Meanwhile, Asher has a grunge against Samantha's dad and is trying to find proof he did wrong to Asher's family. As the story progresses, it appears someone is out for Samantha. Can they catch this person before she gets seriously hurt? There was one scene that really frightened me and made me want to skip ahead a few pages, but I didn't want to miss anything. I enjoyed watching the friendship develop and grow to romance. I also really liked that Samantha confronted her father with her feelings and didn't hold back when she discovered information that could help figure out who was behind things. There is a strong faith message shared, and I absolutely loved the way Eli responded to the revelation. (I received an advance reader copy of this book, but then bought my own physical copy when it was released).
April 14, 2024
Audiobook (narrated by Barbara McCulloh)
Another enchanting fairytale (this time, Cinderella) retelling. The hat tips to the Disney version came through the names of some of the characters. The romance was gentle, and the faith element is strong. The conflict came more through the villain and that worked well for this story. I got a kick out of how the title works in at the end; clever and unexpected.
Robin’s Ratings
5🌟 = Out of this world. Amazing. Unforgettable. A personal favorite.
4🌟 = Loved/really enjoyed it. Will recommend to others.
3🌟 = Liked it. Glad I read it. Engaging/entertaining/interesting.
2🌟 = The book was okay, but I’ve enjoyed other books so much more.
1🌟 = For whatever reason, I 徱’t like it and can’t recommend it.
Another enchanting fairytale (this time, Cinderella) retelling. The hat tips to the Disney version came through the names of some of the characters. The romance was gentle, and the faith element is strong. The conflict came more through the villain and that worked well for this story. I got a kick out of how the title works in at the end; clever and unexpected.
Robin’s Ratings
5🌟 = Out of this world. Amazing. Unforgettable. A personal favorite.
4🌟 = Loved/really enjoyed it. Will recommend to others.
3🌟 = Liked it. Glad I read it. Engaging/entertaining/interesting.
2🌟 = The book was okay, but I’ve enjoyed other books so much more.
1🌟 = For whatever reason, I 徱’t like it and can’t recommend it.
February 21, 2025
My Review
If The Boot Fits was the second book in the "Texas Ever After" and its been a book that I received ages ago from Netgalley but honestly I just never got around to it. I think I was intimidated due to the backlash that this author received some years ago, which after reading this book, I think was probably false rumors and making a mountain out of a mole hill because its inspirational romance lol
This book kept me on my toes and I honestly never wanted to put it down. I fell so hard for this one here, the audio was great but I really loved the Cinderella twist on this book. It was so unique. The hero was the "Cinderella" and the heroine was the prince of sorts in this story. It starts off with this ball, where the hero has come home to find his mother and brothers kicked off their land when his father died and looking for evidence the man in charge of the land is corrupt and did it for a evil reason. But fails to find evidence, and ends up in saving the life of Samantha's younger brother. Samantha is seeking to contribute to her community and help those in need. She is determined to make a life here. She connects with Asher in tutoring his younger brother in his school studies. But when her life is threatened, Asher is there to be her protector.
I fell so hard for this one and I think the only thing that kept this book from being a five star was I would have wanted a slight more focus on some swoons, but it was still there. It also reminded me that I want to read more inspirational romance for sure. I loved the soft spiritual focus mixed with the danger themed plot and the romance which builds between Asher and Samantha. I loved the western theme and I definitely want to read much more of this author because I fell hard for her writing and I can't wait to explore the rest of this series. I have such a soft heart for retellings and I can tell you this was beautifully done.
If The Boot Fits was the second book in the "Texas Ever After" and its been a book that I received ages ago from Netgalley but honestly I just never got around to it. I think I was intimidated due to the backlash that this author received some years ago, which after reading this book, I think was probably false rumors and making a mountain out of a mole hill because its inspirational romance lol
This book kept me on my toes and I honestly never wanted to put it down. I fell so hard for this one here, the audio was great but I really loved the Cinderella twist on this book. It was so unique. The hero was the "Cinderella" and the heroine was the prince of sorts in this story. It starts off with this ball, where the hero has come home to find his mother and brothers kicked off their land when his father died and looking for evidence the man in charge of the land is corrupt and did it for a evil reason. But fails to find evidence, and ends up in saving the life of Samantha's younger brother. Samantha is seeking to contribute to her community and help those in need. She is determined to make a life here. She connects with Asher in tutoring his younger brother in his school studies. But when her life is threatened, Asher is there to be her protector.
I fell so hard for this one and I think the only thing that kept this book from being a five star was I would have wanted a slight more focus on some swoons, but it was still there. It also reminded me that I want to read more inspirational romance for sure. I loved the soft spiritual focus mixed with the danger themed plot and the romance which builds between Asher and Samantha. I loved the western theme and I definitely want to read much more of this author because I fell hard for her writing and I can't wait to explore the rest of this series. I have such a soft heart for retellings and I can tell you this was beautifully done.
April 19, 2024
I loved this even more than book 1! The author's clever way of combining two of my fav things: classic fairytales and the West made this an extremely delightful read. Samantha's charismatic, yet bold and stubborn personality made her a very enjoyable character, and Asher's relationship with his brothers and loyalty to his family was so fun. The stakes were high and the plot kept getting twistier, making this a suspenseful and adventurous story. Faith played a big role in this as well with several Bible verse references and prayer moments as the characters' faith was tested and increased. I also loved how Samantha and her Father's reconciliation and relationship growth was highlighted throughout the story, portraying an encouraging belief in familial change and restoration for the better. Needless to say, this definitely made this Disney-loving Western-hearted girl proud. If you love stories with wholesome romance, Wild West vibes, or fairytale retellings; this story has it all and more. Yeehaw!! 😋🐎👏
May 12, 2024
Story Enjoyment Rating: 10/10 Christian Faith Rating: 3/3
If the Boot Fits by Karen Witemeyer is a Christian historical fiction novel set in Texas in 1889
The story follows Asher, who believes his stepmother has been wrongfully evicted from her house by her landlord. Asher breaks into the house of the wealthy landowner to look for evidence to prove this. While there, he is almost caught by the owner of the house and his daughter Samantha. Samantha is furious that her father has invited so many men to his party as potential husbands for her. Asher escapes, leaving only one boot behind.
This book is inspired by the fairytale Cinderella. However, it is not a retelling as most of the story follows its own path.
I liked the author’s combination of feisty main characters with the gentle romance that plays out between them. The first half of the book focuses on the romance, but there is another subplot that is introduced later on that adds more jeopardy to the story.
There was a lot of good Christian faith content in the book with several Christian characters. Faith plays a definite role in the characters� lives and their decisions.
If the Boot Fits by Karen Witemeyer is a Christian historical fiction novel set in Texas in 1889
The story follows Asher, who believes his stepmother has been wrongfully evicted from her house by her landlord. Asher breaks into the house of the wealthy landowner to look for evidence to prove this. While there, he is almost caught by the owner of the house and his daughter Samantha. Samantha is furious that her father has invited so many men to his party as potential husbands for her. Asher escapes, leaving only one boot behind.
This book is inspired by the fairytale Cinderella. However, it is not a retelling as most of the story follows its own path.
I liked the author’s combination of feisty main characters with the gentle romance that plays out between them. The first half of the book focuses on the romance, but there is another subplot that is introduced later on that adds more jeopardy to the story.
There was a lot of good Christian faith content in the book with several Christian characters. Faith plays a definite role in the characters� lives and their decisions.
December 9, 2024
I read this book all in one sitting during a very boring shift at work a few weeks ago.
My favorite line from this book was when the FMC, Samantha, objects to people shortening her name to Sam. One of my best friends is named Samantha, and I’ve had to correct SO MANY people who make the mistake of nicknaming her before she has to.
The MMC is SO SWEET!!!!! I love how protective he is of his family!!!!!!!!!
One of my favorite scenes is when Samantha is explaining to the little boys why algebra is important. I always hated when teachers couldn’t explain why we need to learn what they were teaching. But my favorite calculus lesson was when a student asked the teacher why when we would ever to know whatever was being discussed. The teacher said basically I know most of you won’t ever use this, but if you pass the AP test, you won’t have to pay as much for college, and that counts for something. (Sorry, I squirreled)
Overall, I loved how fast paced this book was. The characters were amazing, and the premise was INCREDIBLE!!!!!
My favorite line from this book was when the FMC, Samantha, objects to people shortening her name to Sam. One of my best friends is named Samantha, and I’ve had to correct SO MANY people who make the mistake of nicknaming her before she has to.
The MMC is SO SWEET!!!!! I love how protective he is of his family!!!!!!!!!
One of my favorite scenes is when Samantha is explaining to the little boys why algebra is important. I always hated when teachers couldn’t explain why we need to learn what they were teaching. But my favorite calculus lesson was when a student asked the teacher why when we would ever to know whatever was being discussed. The teacher said basically I know most of you won’t ever use this, but if you pass the AP test, you won’t have to pay as much for college, and that counts for something. (Sorry, I squirreled)
Overall, I loved how fast paced this book was. The characters were amazing, and the premise was INCREDIBLE!!!!!
March 13, 2024
I absolutely loved this amazing fairytale retelling! Karen Witemeyer's If the Boot Fits is a clever, creative, Western twist on Cinderella. From the first, I was completely drawn into this action packed, swoon worthy, faith-filled story. It’s a gender swapped Cinderella with Samantha Dearing as the wealthy cattle princess and Asher Ellis as the poor, noble orphan. I loved the way the author incorporated so many little details from the familiar fairytale yet made it a fresh, completely original story.
Samantha Dearing’s the daughter of a wealthy cattle baron who’s been away at finishing school. She returns home to find her father’s organized a ball for her with several eligible suitors. Samantha’s not interested and resents her father’s interference. Getting some fresh air, she unexpectedly finds a man escaping out of a window. As he’s leaving, he notices her brother struggling in a nearby pond and stops to rescue him, leaving his boot behind. Without a good look at the stranger, Samantha’s determined to find the boot’s attractive owner.
Asher Ellis returns home to visit his stepmother and step-brothers only to find they’ve been evicted by Mr. Dearing. He sneaks into the Dearing home during the ball to find proof of wrongdoing. Though almost caught while leaving, he stops to rescue Clint Dearing from drowning. After seeing Samantha again, he’s determined to avoid her in case she recognizes him. When she volunteers to tutor his younger brother, he finds there’s more to the spoiled young woman than he first thought. As they grow closer, Samantha experiences a series of near fatal accidents, but who’s out to get her and why?
Loved this book so much! Cinderella’s a favorite fairytale and I enjoyed how the author included so many clever nods like Gus Gus, Bruno, and the shoe/boot. I loved the romance between Samantha & Asher and especially how Samantha grew as the story progressed. At first she seemed a little spoiled, but after growing closer to Asher and his family and learning more about her parents and their relationship, she becomes a more compassionate, understanding person.
While Cinderella’s stepmother and stepsisters were awful, Asher’s family is endearing and kind. I loved how they helped Samantha and took her into their home. There are several nail-biting, shocking twists in the story that lead to an exciting conclusion with a villain who’s particularly devious.
Highly recommend this compelling, unputdownable, faith-filled story with a delightful romance and plenty of action. Though part of a series, it can easily be read as a standalone. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the author and publisher. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided.
Samantha Dearing’s the daughter of a wealthy cattle baron who’s been away at finishing school. She returns home to find her father’s organized a ball for her with several eligible suitors. Samantha’s not interested and resents her father’s interference. Getting some fresh air, she unexpectedly finds a man escaping out of a window. As he’s leaving, he notices her brother struggling in a nearby pond and stops to rescue him, leaving his boot behind. Without a good look at the stranger, Samantha’s determined to find the boot’s attractive owner.
Asher Ellis returns home to visit his stepmother and step-brothers only to find they’ve been evicted by Mr. Dearing. He sneaks into the Dearing home during the ball to find proof of wrongdoing. Though almost caught while leaving, he stops to rescue Clint Dearing from drowning. After seeing Samantha again, he’s determined to avoid her in case she recognizes him. When she volunteers to tutor his younger brother, he finds there’s more to the spoiled young woman than he first thought. As they grow closer, Samantha experiences a series of near fatal accidents, but who’s out to get her and why?
Loved this book so much! Cinderella’s a favorite fairytale and I enjoyed how the author included so many clever nods like Gus Gus, Bruno, and the shoe/boot. I loved the romance between Samantha & Asher and especially how Samantha grew as the story progressed. At first she seemed a little spoiled, but after growing closer to Asher and his family and learning more about her parents and their relationship, she becomes a more compassionate, understanding person.
While Cinderella’s stepmother and stepsisters were awful, Asher’s family is endearing and kind. I loved how they helped Samantha and took her into their home. There are several nail-biting, shocking twists in the story that lead to an exciting conclusion with a villain who’s particularly devious.
Highly recommend this compelling, unputdownable, faith-filled story with a delightful romance and plenty of action. Though part of a series, it can easily be read as a standalone. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the author and publisher. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided.
February 19, 2024
A delightfully enchanting Texas fairy-tale romance, filled with humor, faith, family, and romance.
A fun, original twist on a classic romance inspiration, with a full cast of characters, great interaction, growth, and a solidly paced plot. Such a great read that pulled me in quick and kept a smile on my face, I loved how Sam keeps the mystery man's secret, while silently searching for him. Asher is a strong, family oriented man, and he can't pass up a chance to do good. Which leads his and Samantha's paths to cross often.
A charming read, that combines all of my favorite things in this terrific western Cinderella, faith filled romance. I loved the themes of family, forgiveness, and repairing relationships. Clint is a spirited younger sibling to be sure, and I loved his hilarious turns of phrase!
A fantastic feel-good western romance that you won't want to put down!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
A fun, original twist on a classic romance inspiration, with a full cast of characters, great interaction, growth, and a solidly paced plot. Such a great read that pulled me in quick and kept a smile on my face, I loved how Sam keeps the mystery man's secret, while silently searching for him. Asher is a strong, family oriented man, and he can't pass up a chance to do good. Which leads his and Samantha's paths to cross often.
A charming read, that combines all of my favorite things in this terrific western Cinderella, faith filled romance. I loved the themes of family, forgiveness, and repairing relationships. Clint is a spirited younger sibling to be sure, and I loved his hilarious turns of phrase!
A fantastic feel-good western romance that you won't want to put down!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
January 19, 2024
4.5 stars
This was cute and exciting! I love fairytale retellings and I was so excited to read this new one by Karen Witemeyer. If the Boot Fits is the second book in Karen Witemeyer’s Texas Ever After series. It is inspired by Cinderella and it was so fun to read!
Asher and Samantha were great characters. They were both relatable in different ways and I was able to connect with them. Samantha had a lot to learn as she navigated what it looked like to love others. She had to grow on me a bit but I grew to love her by the end. I really liked her growth throughout the book and how she learned that no one was perfect. Asher was super sweet and I loved how he cared for his family. He had to learn to look past first impressions. Both characters had to learn to trust God and truly love others.
I loved the characters and the small parallels to Cinderella. I was drawn to the story from the beginning and it was such an enjoyable read. I adored the side characters and the way the story was fleshed out. There was so much going on and I wanted to see how everything would work out. The romance was sweet and fit the story. They seemed to fall in love more quickly but it made sense because of the circumstances.
I would definitely recommend If the Boot Fits! It was romantic but it did deal with some heavy topics. I also love the way that faith was woven into the story. If the Boot Fits is a christian historical romance with some hints of mystery/suspense.
Content warnings: death of a parent, infidelity,
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.
This was cute and exciting! I love fairytale retellings and I was so excited to read this new one by Karen Witemeyer. If the Boot Fits is the second book in Karen Witemeyer’s Texas Ever After series. It is inspired by Cinderella and it was so fun to read!
Asher and Samantha were great characters. They were both relatable in different ways and I was able to connect with them. Samantha had a lot to learn as she navigated what it looked like to love others. She had to grow on me a bit but I grew to love her by the end. I really liked her growth throughout the book and how she learned that no one was perfect. Asher was super sweet and I loved how he cared for his family. He had to learn to look past first impressions. Both characters had to learn to trust God and truly love others.
I loved the characters and the small parallels to Cinderella. I was drawn to the story from the beginning and it was such an enjoyable read. I adored the side characters and the way the story was fleshed out. There was so much going on and I wanted to see how everything would work out. The romance was sweet and fit the story. They seemed to fall in love more quickly but it made sense because of the circumstances.
I would definitely recommend If the Boot Fits! It was romantic but it did deal with some heavy topics. I also love the way that faith was woven into the story. If the Boot Fits is a christian historical romance with some hints of mystery/suspense.
Content warnings: death of a parent, infidelity,
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.
May 30, 2024
RTC - I need to think about how to gracefully put my review together since this one has negative opinions.
March 22, 2024
Oh my word! Where do I even begin? I guess by saying I read this in less than 12 hours…👀 I was invested in this ok😅😁
First of all, Cinderella has always been my favorite since I was a little girl. 🥰 Was it because she and I are both blonde and blue eyed…probably. 😅 But I’ve always been attached to the story, and I will always read the retellings, especially when they’re set in my home state of Texas 🤠
The nods to Cinderella in this book were superb 👌🏻 I won’t go into them here because I don’t want to spoil anyone, plus half the fun is being surprised when you see them!😃
Asher and Samantha😍 oh my word I love them! 🥰 they were so cute and sweet together and you can’t help but cheer for them! I also loved their relationships with their little brothers!🥹 so sweet and cute! Fergus, Jack, and Clint have my heart 💙
I also really liked seeing Samantha’s relationship with her dad progress through the story. 🥹 It was so wholesome and precious!
The whole book was just wholesome and precious!! 🥰 It brought me to tears multiple times. 🥹🥹 I loved everything about this book, and I will read it over and over again!🫶🏻 Now I want to reread Fairest of Heart soon😅
First of all, Cinderella has always been my favorite since I was a little girl. 🥰 Was it because she and I are both blonde and blue eyed…probably. 😅 But I’ve always been attached to the story, and I will always read the retellings, especially when they’re set in my home state of Texas 🤠
The nods to Cinderella in this book were superb 👌🏻 I won’t go into them here because I don’t want to spoil anyone, plus half the fun is being surprised when you see them!😃
Asher and Samantha😍 oh my word I love them! 🥰 they were so cute and sweet together and you can’t help but cheer for them! I also loved their relationships with their little brothers!🥹 so sweet and cute! Fergus, Jack, and Clint have my heart 💙
I also really liked seeing Samantha’s relationship with her dad progress through the story. 🥹 It was so wholesome and precious!
The whole book was just wholesome and precious!! 🥰 It brought me to tears multiple times. 🥹🥹 I loved everything about this book, and I will read it over and over again!🫶🏻 Now I want to reread Fairest of Heart soon😅
February 5, 2024
FLIPPIN THE SCRIPT ON CINDERELLA in such a fun way!
Another wonderfully westernized fairy tale from award-winning author, Karen Witemeyer.
This book had a bit of everything to suit my fancies, from never-ending danger, heroic rescues and gently growing romance between Asher Ellis and Samantha Dearing. Faith was masterfully woven throughout and the nods to the Cinderella story were charming. The story had me both laughing and crying at times.
Quotable: "Friends share thoughts and worries with each other. It's how we lighten the burden and find the strength to keep moving forward when situations try to beat us down."
"Gallopin' goose feathers, Fergus! Don't scare like that," His youngest brother snickered as he rounded the lean-to, milk bucket in hand.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND: I cannot wait for the next fairytale reimagining later in December!
I received an eVersion from the publisher and NetGalley. All opinions are mine alone without expectation or compensation.
⭐⭐⭐⭐�
𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓴 3 𝓖𝓸𝓸𝓭𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓼 𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓵𝓵𝓮𝓷𝓰𝓮 📚 2024
Another wonderfully westernized fairy tale from award-winning author, Karen Witemeyer.
This book had a bit of everything to suit my fancies, from never-ending danger, heroic rescues and gently growing romance between Asher Ellis and Samantha Dearing. Faith was masterfully woven throughout and the nods to the Cinderella story were charming. The story had me both laughing and crying at times.
Quotable: "Friends share thoughts and worries with each other. It's how we lighten the burden and find the strength to keep moving forward when situations try to beat us down."
"Gallopin' goose feathers, Fergus! Don't scare like that," His youngest brother snickered as he rounded the lean-to, milk bucket in hand.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND: I cannot wait for the next fairytale reimagining later in December!
I received an eVersion from the publisher and NetGalley. All opinions are mine alone without expectation or compensation.
⭐⭐⭐⭐�
𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓴 3 𝓖𝓸𝓸𝓭𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓼 𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓵𝓵𝓮𝓷𝓰𝓮 📚 2024
March 14, 2024
Daring rescues! A swoony and smitten hero! A courageous and kind heroine! Mystery and adventure! Important spiritual truths! A fun and unique twist on the Cinderella fairytale! Subtle nods to the classic Walt Disney Cinderella film we all know and love! This story has it all and is an enchanted delight!
This Cinderella retelling is one of Karen Witemeyer’s most creative, touching, exciting, and overall fantastic books yet! How is possible that Karen Witemeyer delivers nothing but five star reads and hits the nail on the head every single time? If the Boot Fits delivers her signature mix of adventure, romance, and Gospel truth wrapped in her uniquely magical storytelling talent. It will delight readers near, far, young, old, new, and familiar!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes, but a positive review was not required. I honestly LOVED it!
This Cinderella retelling is one of Karen Witemeyer’s most creative, touching, exciting, and overall fantastic books yet! How is possible that Karen Witemeyer delivers nothing but five star reads and hits the nail on the head every single time? If the Boot Fits delivers her signature mix of adventure, romance, and Gospel truth wrapped in her uniquely magical storytelling talent. It will delight readers near, far, young, old, new, and familiar!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes, but a positive review was not required. I honestly LOVED it!
February 28, 2024
If you like sweet Western romances, then this book is for you. Karen Witemeyer has penned a retelling of Cinderella. In this story, the hero loses his boot while escaping a ball that he trespassed into. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book because of the wonderful characters, mystery, suspense, and romance. This book has it all! Mostly, I appreciate the Biblical inspiration the author sprinkles throughout. I highly recommend it!
*I was given a copy of this book by the publisher. This is my honest opinion.
*I was given a copy of this book by the publisher. This is my honest opinion.
June 11, 2024
If the Boot Fits was such a fun historical romance story! I loved the characters and the reverse retelling of Cinderella. So cute!
The Story had danger, mystery, and I loved trying to figure out what was really going on. The romance was so good and I really liked Samantha's character. She wasn't quick to jump to conclusions and seemed to be level-headed.
All in all, If the Boot Fits was a great read and I loved it. Excited to read the next book in the series whenever I can.
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*
The Story had danger, mystery, and I loved trying to figure out what was really going on. The romance was so good and I really liked Samantha's character. She wasn't quick to jump to conclusions and seemed to be level-headed.
All in all, If the Boot Fits was a great read and I loved it. Excited to read the next book in the series whenever I can.
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*
March 14, 2024
If the Boot Fits by Karen Witemeyer is a western reverse retelling of the Cinderella story. Samantha Dearing is daughter of the cattle king, but really does not want anything to do with marriage and settling down. Asher Ellis sneaks into Samantha’s home during a ball. On his dramatic exit loses his boot.
This story exceeded my expectations. I enjoyed the fabulous charters, the western setting, and the mystery of who is bothering Samantha. The story kept me guessing to the end. The cast of secondary characters were interesting, transformative, and gave the story depth. So many beautiful life lessons in the story. I enjoyed my journey along with the characters.
I enjoyed this story and the twist on a classic fairy tale. I highly recommend If the Boot Fits by Karent Witemeyer.
I was given a copy by the publisher and not required to write a positive review.
This story exceeded my expectations. I enjoyed the fabulous charters, the western setting, and the mystery of who is bothering Samantha. The story kept me guessing to the end. The cast of secondary characters were interesting, transformative, and gave the story depth. So many beautiful life lessons in the story. I enjoyed my journey along with the characters.
I enjoyed this story and the twist on a classic fairy tale. I highly recommend If the Boot Fits by Karent Witemeyer.
I was given a copy by the publisher and not required to write a positive review.
March 6, 2025
3.5 �
This was a fun and engaging read and I enjoyed reading it. I definitely recommend it as a fairy tale retelling (although it's VERY loose, so there's that), as Christian fiction, and as a lighthearted escape read.
What brought it down for me was the saccharine perfection of the MC, which I occasionally encounter in Witemeyer's novels. Fairest of Heart, the first in this series, also had quite a bit of that, but given that the MC was supposed to be Sleeping Beauty in that one.... that's kind of her character type. For some reason, in this one, it was too much for me.
This is overall a lighthearted read, but it does have some heavier/deeper elements to it.
This was a fun and engaging read and I enjoyed reading it. I definitely recommend it as a fairy tale retelling (although it's VERY loose, so there's that), as Christian fiction, and as a lighthearted escape read.
What brought it down for me was the saccharine perfection of the MC, which I occasionally encounter in Witemeyer's novels. Fairest of Heart, the first in this series, also had quite a bit of that, but given that the MC was supposed to be Sleeping Beauty in that one.... that's kind of her character type. For some reason, in this one, it was too much for me.
This is overall a lighthearted read, but it does have some heavier/deeper elements to it.
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