Cinderella's Shoe Size

Rating:
Summary: Needs a tighter focus
Review: Cindy Rawlins works two jobs, selling shoes during the day and serving for a catering service in the evenings, hoping to save enough money to put herself through veterinary school. She recently borrowed a pair of three-hundred-dollar pumps from the store for a wheelchair bound friend, and lost the left one. The cost of the shoe equals two weeks' salary, and Cindy cannot afford to replace it. So she places a personal ad in the paper for a red pump, size eight narrow. Although many responses arrive, none have found the missing shoe.

In addition to her weakness for aiding wounded friends, Cindy also has a perchance for lending aid to wounded animals. Unfortunately, landlords frown upon her endeavors and frequently demand that she move. Now that she has been evicted again, she reluctantly accepts a friend's offer to help her move. Her friend brings along a burly guy with a truck - one Parker Davis, to whom she recently sold two pairs of shoes. With an instant attraction between them, Parker had been eager to see Cindy again. But Parker has his job cut out to convince Cindy that it is okay to need someone.

Perky dialogue and sympathy to the working class make CINDERELLA'S SHOE SIZE a dynamic read. While she attempts to cover a bit too much territory in this multifaceted tale, author Kathleen Webb does avoid the typical clichés that often weaken a modern fairy tale. Comedic moments, unexpected opportunity and the clash of opposites keep the plot interesting as Cindy learns to accept Parker's help. Parker is everything that hero should be, wealthy, sexy and charismatic, but he is also realistic, seeing beneath Cindy's desperate need for independence and recognizing her hidden vulnerabilities. Complete with a happily-ever-after romance lovers expect in a modern fairy tale come true, CINDERELLA'S SHOE SIZE comes recommended.