Working as the personal assistant to one of Hollywood’s cruelest divas has left Amanda Queen more determined than ever to sell her screenplay and gain her independence. In the meantime, she’ll settle for a temporary escape. When her employer is felled by the flu on Hollywood’s biggest night of the year, Amanda gets her glam on, struts out the door, and parties with the glitterati. But she never expects to come face to face–and closer than close–with one of the hottest stars in the game…

Following up his first Oscar win with a steamy after-hours romp with an enigmatic woman seems like the perfect way for actor Sam Pleasant to celebrate–until she suddenly disappears. Worse, she’s vanished with the wrong swag bag: the one containing his Oscar statue, leaving Sam even more intrigued about the beauty’s identity–and wondering if a repeat performance of their amazing night is in the stars. And when a second-chance encounter happens, only a trip to Sam’s family ranch–and revealing the whole, not-always-glamorous, truth about themselves–will give them a chance to turn one magical night into forever…

Titles in the Cowboys of California series include — A Cowboy to Remember – If The Boot Fits –

Title:  If The Boot Fits
Series:  Cowboys of California
Author:  Rebekah Weatherspoon
Genre:  Modern Western Romance, Contemporary Romance
Published:  October 27, 2020
Publisher:  Kensington Books
My Rating:  4.5 stars

If The Boot Fits is the second story in the Cowboys of California series and had me hooked from the engaging beginning right through to the ending that was all I could hope for.  So, now I’m kicking myself a bit because I somehow missed the first book in the series, A Cowboy to Remember – but that is easily fixed.  Although I will always suggest reading a series from the beginning if you can’t (or missed it like me) Sam and Amanda’s story can easily stand on its own yet I would like to know what I missed so I’ll go back.

I happen to love a retelling of a classic fairy tale romance, so putting Cinderella in the cutthroat world of Hollywood put a fun and unique spin on that trope for me.  Complete with an evil woman to despise on principle alone, I felt for Amanda’s situation and for the struggle to have her own dreams become reality while dealing with a bullying diva constantly.  There was a point where I thought Dru would find a redeeming quality… but nope, not happening so she really was a woman to hate throughout this story for several reasons.

I adored Sam, it really is as simple as that.  He’s a realistic figure in a profession where it’s often difficult to tell the real person from the constant role-playing.  His love of family and their traditions, his willingness to respect Amanda’s boundaries spoke volumes about the values he was raised with.  And… hotness in a cowboy hat.  Yeah, adored is a good word for my reaction to Sam.

Amanda I loved.  She’s a woman who gives off the feeling of being comfortable in her own body, curves and all.  She’s also vulnerable in realistic ways that she acknowledges as she works toward what she sees as her future. She’s talented but those dreams are being drowned by the woman she works for.  Sam sees all of her and wants every aspect of her personality in his life, that’s obvious.

I loved the banter between Sam and Amanda (and the other members of the Pleasant family as well), yet what made this couple realistic were their conversations, at times heavy and complicated, but they talked and that is as sexy and loving as a romp in bed… sure different ways, but to really be seen and respected by actually talking to each other is something often under-used in Romance, or it seems that way with all the misunderstandings about what someone did or didn’t say.  Yes, there was hot and heavy chemistry between them, and there were also thoughtful conversations… that was a combination that worked so well for me.

In all, I had a fun, laughter-filled, emotional time with Amanda and Sam in If The Boot Fits – and if you love a Romance that feels more like real life with all its ups, downs, and baggage then you’ll want to pick this one up today.

I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher, Kensington Books via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story.  It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

Available in paperback or for your favorite e-reader, mine is the Kindle.