A Shoe Story

By: Jane L. Rosen

Narrated by: Beth Hicks

"I LOVED THIS BOOK! ...smart, sensitive and incredibly satisfying." —Elin Hilderbrand

"Jane L. Rosen has a forever fan in me."—Emily Henry

A young woman has one month and a closetful of shoes to discover the future she thought she'd lost in this captivating new novel from the author of Eliza Starts a Rumor and Nine Women, One Dress.

Esme Nash is eager to leave her small town and begin her carefully planned post-grad life: a move to New York City, an apartment with her loving college boyfriend, and a fancy job at an art gallery. But when tragedy strikes, instead of heading to Manhattan, she returns home to care for her ailing father, leaving every bit of her dream behind.

Seven trying years later, Esme is offered a dog-sitting job in Greenwich Village by a mysterious stranger, giving her access to all of her long-buried hopes and dreams—as well as to an epic collection of designer shoes. Esme jumps at a second chance to step into the future she's sure was meant to be hers.

As she retraces her steps, one pair of borrowed shoes at a time, making new friends and reconnecting with her old love, Esme tries on versions of herself she didn’t know existed. But the hazy August days and warm summer nights pass too quickly, and Esme must decide how much of the life she imagined still fits, and what—and who—is on the road ahead of her.

Critic reviews

“I'm tempted to write this blurb in all-caps bold face: I LOVED THIS BOOK! It is a smart, sensitive and incredibly satisfying romantic comedy, studded with fun insider tidbits about New York City. Count me as Jane L. Rosen's biggest fan—and make your summer sweeter by reading A Shoe Story."
—Elin Hilderbrand, #1 New York Times bestselling author of 28 Summers

"Read A Shoe Story and fall in love—with its heroine Esme Nash, with its big-hearted cast of characters and with New York City, whether for the first time or all over again.”
—Katie Couric

“Beach Read meets The Notebook in this utterly absorbing Greenwich Village tale of first loves and second chances.”
—Jo Piazza, New York Times bestselling author of We are Not Like Them

"This is Jane L. Rosen's best book yet… Her sense of humor, excellent character depictions, fabulous dialogue and strong sense of place make this story extra sole-ful (can't help myself)."
—Zibby Owens, author of Moms Don’t Have Time to Have Kids

“Readers will identify with A Shoe Story’s heroine Esme Nash as she grapples with figuring out if what she once desired is still the life for her in this charming, clever and irresistible tale. Trust me, you’ll want to walk a mile or more in Esme’s shoes.”
—Elyssa Friedlund, author of Last Summer at the Golden Hotel

"Perfect for fans of Rosen’s Nine Women, One Dress, A Shoe Story shows us the power of the right shoe to change our mood, or even our lives.”
—Brenda Janowitz, author of The Liz Taylor Ring

Satisfying and inspiring read

The love stories are satisfying, but this book also made me think about uncovering the secrets of my upbringing that made me who I am today.

Very well written, and enjoyable.

I loved the authors creativity. It was a enjoyable book. The characters were well developed. The storyline was interesting. And the author was very creative and naming all the chapters after shoes. I highly recommend it.

Absolutely Perfect.

This book is beautiful. I loved every character, every storyline, every ending.

Extra credit points for every chapter being named after shoes. 😍👠👡👢🥿

Good read

The story is light hearted & predictable but I enjoyed it very much. If you are looking for something that isn’t too heavy this is a great choice.

Loved it

This book was such a surprise.
I loved all of it, especially the way the plot lines intertwined and then became clear. Esme Nash is a star.