If the Boot Fits + Giveaway

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.

My Review:

While I wouldn’t call this a true Cinderella reimagining there are some light nods to the fairy tale, the major one being the boot left behind at the ball. I like the gender swap with Asher in the Cinderella role (clever name) and Samantha the western ‘royalty’ on the hunt. But after that eventful opening scene the story becomes very much it’s own Western romance with not nearly enough connections to the fairy tale. Still a rollicking good story, I just wouldn’t define it as a retelling.

There’s action and adventure and a building threat that leads to a mystery which needs solving so be prepared for a fast paced read that’s hard to put down. And a solid faith thread that winds through it all. I really appreciated the scriptures shared and snippets of wisdom from certain characters.

Then there’s the romance. Happy sigh. Asher’s loyalty and dedication to his family make him perfect hero material…even if it drives him to do something regrettable. Samantha is no pampered princess, well, she is sort of, but she doesn’t let it go to her head. She has a heart for service and that leads her to Asher’s family and, voila, sparks fly and energy sizzles and things get delightfully complicated.

I listened to the audible edition aptly narrated by Barbara McCulloh. She’s a favourite of mine and has the perfect voice for a Western — if that makes any sense — and I thoroughly enjoyed the way she brought these characters to life.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a print or ebook copy. Winner’s choice.

US – available in print or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada – available in print or ebook or audible (if available) — winner’s choice

International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of If the Boot Fits, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday April 20 2024.

44 thoughts on “If the Boot Fits + Giveaway”

  2. I love Karen Witemeyer’s books–they’re so fun and creative. I really enjoyed Fairest of Heart. I haven’t read this one yet, but it’s definitely on my radar! I’d love to win a copy of If the Boot Fits.

    kcrhoades AT roadrunner DOT com

    I don’t have a wordpress account, so I’m not sure what the problem is. Anyways, I’d like to have my name put in the hat for winning If the Boot Fits! 😊 Thanks!

    Karen Rhoades

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    1. WP can be trick sometimes. I have to login every morning (it doesn’t save my log in from day to day like it used to) but you can comment with a WP account, Facebook or email — you just might have to log in every time. I’m not sure how you sent this comment, but it came through in my pending file and I had to approve it so I now I think WP will like you again. 🙂 Good luck, Karen!

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    1. Yes — can’t be compared to the first book for fairy tale retelling finesse. That first book was brilliant they way she fit so many familiar details in while still making the story fresh and appealing. Happy Reading, Mark!

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  5. Sounds like an interesting twist really of the Cinderella story retelling, if you want to describe it like that.

    But I do have a question for you Kav. Can you pick and choose who the narrator will be for your stories? I just finished an audible book and although I did enjoy listening to it while I worked, I would definitely pick another narrator if it was possible.

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    1. The publisher and or author choose the narrator so the listener doesn’t have any options. There are some books that I would love to listen to but I can’t stand the narrator so I’ll just read the book instead. Thankfully there are enough amazing narrators to keep me happily listening for years. 🙂

      Oh — and some authors have used AI narration…where a computerized voice ‘reads’ the story without much inflection. Those don’t appeal to me so I avoid them. Some people use that technology to have their ebooks read to them though.

      Good luck, Becky!

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      1. I love to read but wouldn’t mind doing some audible books once in a while. But I can see me turning from the AI ones for sure. Thanks for the information.

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  7. Love the cover! You can just imagine her sass from her stance and oh what a view. And the name Asher just conjures up a wonderfully handsome face for some reason. :) 

    Thank you for your review on “If the Boot Fits”, which is already on my TBR list. I’m extremely anxious to read this one too. Appreciate the chance to win a copy!

    2clowns at arkansas dot net

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  8. I read this one and enjoyed the story. I didn’t see much connection to Cinderella and thought maybe it was just me, so happy to see you thought the same! I’m looking forward to the next one in the series. Thanks for the review!

    Sandyavery at comcast dot net

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    1. I read some reviews where they said there were some characters named after the Disney Cinderella? But I still don’t think that’s enough to call it a fairy tale retelling. Part of the fun of reading retellings is spotting the classic elements in a fresh way. The author did that brilliantly in the first book in the series. I wonder which fairytale will be featured in the third book? Happy Reading, Sandy!

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      1. The next one is Cloaked in Beauty, a mix of Little Red Riding Hood and Sleeping Beauty, releasing in December. My library book included a preview chapter!

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  9. Light nods to the fairly tale are probably about as far as some western stories will stretch! A total escape western tale sounds a good break from national news and world situations lately. Enjoyed the review!

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  10. oh my goodness but this sounds so wonderful. even if it is only slightly similar to Cinderella. I love her story telling and cant wait to read this one. Thanks Kav.  quilting dash lady at comcast dot net

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  12. I’m actually glad to hear it’s not close to the original story because Cinderella is generally my least favorite fairy tale for retellings, I’m not sure why! I always enjoy Karen’s stories so I’m excited to read this one.

    colorvibrant at gmail dot com

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    1. I think Cinderella is likely the most popular fairy tale for retellings so maybe that’s why it’s not your fave. I love finding retellings created from less popular ones. Good luck, Heidi!

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  15. I have long enjoyed Karen Witemeyer’s books, and even longer loved fairy tales–so this book is a winning combination! I really liked Fairest of Heart, and look forward to the rest of the series!

    rachaeldalquist AT yahoo DOT com

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