Fiction-Net > Book Reviews > If The Shoe Fits

Book Review Title Author Publisher If The Shoe Fits Jaye Carroll Poolbeg Press Fiction-Net Rating Buy It - Buy This Book Cover Story Twenty-five, single and just a little paranoid, Susan meets Sam. He's everything she wants - good-looking, fun, intelligent and as mad about movies as she is. Out of the blue, happiness has kicked in. Or so she thinks. The shoe fits and at last she's going to wear it. Then her boss goes on holiday and leaves her in charge. She suddenly has to find a new place to live, she answers a very odd ad in the personal columns and life doesn't seem such a perfect fit anymore. We Say "Size does matter!" proclaims a headliner on the shocking pink cover of If The Shoe Fits by Jaye Carroll. So tell us something we don't know. A few other things that also matter are a gripping plot, good characterisation and skilful writing. If the Shoe Fits doesn't completely fail on these things but it doesn't succeed either. For a book of its kind (one of the ever-increasing number of sexy modern romances), the best I can say is that it is competent. There were times when I quite enjoyed reading it - like when I was tired or feeling particularly brainless - but then there were other times when it just was not satisfying enough. The best thing about the book is probably the main character, Susan. She is not annoyingly perfect but neither is she completely dizzy and daft. I did feel a certain amount of empathy with her at various points. Another good aspect of the book is its humour. There are some neat little jokes and funny observations throughout. On the negative side, the plot comes across as very contrived and unconvincing. At times, the characters are able to guess someone's motives or deduce their secret based on very scanty evidence. For example, Susan manages to work out that her boss is getting married based simply on the fact that she is taking time off and because she is fiddling with her fingers "as though she was getting used to wearing a ring". Strangely enough, at other times, the characters seem oblivious, unable to see the thing that is right in front of their noses and increasingly obvious to the bored or frustrated reader. Many of the so-called revelations at the end will only confirm your suspicions. In short, this book is predictable. "If the Shoe Fits is not all that bad really and if you're after a nice easy read, it's probably as good as many others like it but believe me, there are better books out there. Review by: Rachel Taylor Buy It - Buy This Book