Review: If the Shoe Fits: A Contemporary Fairy Tale by Sandra D. Bricker

January 23, 2014

Title: If the Shoe Fits: A Contemporary Fairy Tale 
Author: Sandra D. Bricker
Publisher: River North
Pages: 284
ISBN: 978-0-8024-0628-6
Publication Date: May 15th, 2013

Synopsis:
Julianne used to believe in fairy tales; she's been watching for Prince Charming to come charging in on his white steed ever since the day her mother read her Cinderella for the first time. But she's never come close to finding the perfect man-instead she's always tripping over her childhood best friend, Will. And who finds their Prince Charming on a 10-speed bicycle on the other side of the cul de sac? Well... Julianne does. Only she doesn't have a clue.

She and Will are attorneys now, and they've joined up in private practice in a beautiful Cincinnati office building that overlooks the Ohio River. And then one day Julianne is on her way to court, and runs right smack dab into Prince Charming. But when she looks again, all she finds is a metaphoric sign she is certain came straight from Heaven: The Prince's toolbox has fallen off the back of his truck, and a work boot along with it. What better way for God to grab the attention of a Cinderella-in-training than to show her a glass slipper...errrr, work boot?...waiting to be reunited with its owner?

So she sets out to track down the mysterious Prince Charming. He's the most gorgeous guy she's ever seen...and a caring animal rescuer, too. Surely he must be the soul mate God has prepared her for.
But, Julianne's prince is starting to look less and less charming all the time. No matter how she tries to romanticize him, he just keeps tumbling down off that dumb pedestal. And with the Bar Association dinner coming up that will honor her for her outstanding charity work over the year, Julianne wants so much for her friends and colleagues to see her with someone besides her best friend Will. To make matters worse, Prince Charming has no designs on wearing a penguin suit and attending a stuffy old dinner. With her pride pressing in on her like sticks from a cactus, Julianne sinks to the bottom of the proverbial barrel and actually offers to pay Paul to be her date.

Julianne is on a collision course with God's perfect plan for her life...if only she could open her eyes and see it before it's too late.
Review:
I'm a lover of all things fairy tale, I started young with all the wonderful Disney princesses and it has morphed into more than just cartoons. It has expanded into TV shows and now into the wonderful world of books!

When I saw If the Shoe Fits, I knew I had to read it. There is just something wonderful...magical about fairy tales. They can be set in the past, in another world, or in a contemporary setting and they work. Sandra Bricker offers a wonderful and modern version of a classic, Cinderella.

Julianne has worked hard her whole life to get where she is at today. She is opening a law firm with her best and dearest friend Will. They met when they were ten-years-old and haven't been separated since. They went through all their schooling together, high-school, college, and law school. Will went through a pretty difficult breakup, but he is doing well despite it. Julianne is determined to find her prince. She is a girl who can see signs from God in anything. As Julianne looks, Will gets to watch and listen to her play-by-play.

Throughout this story, we watch as two characters battle with themselves and each other over what is really right for them. Is what they always imagined what they really need, or is just a dream that they hope they can squeeze someone into. Julianne has always loved fairy tales and hopes her prince will sweep her off her feet one day. Even though she is a grown woman, she hopes, it's interesting to see how she reacts in certain situations in the book. There are times when she is a bit frustrating, but I get where she is coming from. Julianne is not perfect. Her flaws are displayed. She is a character I enjoyed watching as she learned and grew. Will, you just want to hug him and then slap him! Even though he doesn't live in the dream of a fairy tale, he still has a lot to learn.

Even though this book is a modern fairy tale, it is also a wonderful book on friendship and the importance of the relationship. What we say to one another and how we act can effect that relationship. Even though things are said without much though, can leave a lasting impression. It's a good reminder.

Too Read
4 out of 5

About the Author:
For more than a decade, Sandra D. Bricker lived in Los Angeles. While honing her chosen craft of screenwriting in every spare moment, she worked as a personal assistant and publicist to some of daytime television’s hottest stars. When her mother became ill in Florida, she walked away from that segment of her life and moved across the country to take on a new role: Caregiver.

“I guess most people would see my career as a publicist as a sort of dream job. But giving it up turned out to be the best thing that could have happened to me!” she declares. “Not only was I given the gift of getting to know my mother as an adult woman before she passed away, but I was also afforded the blessing of being able to focus completely on my dream of a writing career.”

Sandie’s real-life role as cancer survivor has parlayed into her steadfast commitment to raising awareness and funds for ovarian cancer research.

Thank you to Moody/River North, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.


2 comments

  1. I read this book last year. As you, I was also interested by the 'modern fairytale' synopsis. But unfortunately I didn't like it very much. I thought it was a bit too predictable and the side-plots were resolved too quickly.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Birdie, It was a light read. Sorry you didn't like it as much. Thankfully there are many other fairytale type books out there to try! :-)

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for stopping by. Leave a word, leave a line, I would love to hear what you have to say.

Latest Instagrams

© The Shelf Life. Design by FCD.