Taking a spin on the outskirts of a well-known fairy tale, this book holds all the magic and cleverness to become a fairy tale in its own right.

Murray is a meek and mild shoe maker, who secretly harbors feelings for one of his employees, but she, in turn, only has eyes for the prince...a man she'll never get on her own. When the Fairy Godmother begs Murray for help on a glass slipper issue, he unwittingly opens the possibility for his heart's desire to wrangle in the prince. All she needs is a little more help from him. And if it means making the love of his life happy, he'll do about anything. Even risk losing her if it seals her own happiness.

While many Cinderella re-tellings have appeared of the years, this one ranks under my favorites. It steers clear of Cinderella, in many ways, and concentrates on those glass slippers instead. The tale weaves into a story of its very own, making Murray a character to love and root for thanks to his selflessness and true caring for another individual. There's a nice bit of humor and just a dash of 'what-will-happen-next', and a sprinkle of magic as well. The moral to the story is clear, and the smiles of a fairy tale ending are guaranteed.

The illustrations are amazing and make the tale really take flight. The style has a traditional flair and yet allows the characters to mold into their own style, making the connection to Cinderella fall away even more. It's one of those books to be treasured and read again and again.
I received a complimentary copy and we thoroughly enjoyed the story. So, I'm leaving my honest thoughts. ( )