This is an interesting book that has a lot of layers - from a main character who throughout the book is on a journey to gain her confidence and stand her ground, family secrets, mental health, romance, betrayel, entreprenuership... It has all this and more, and yet it falls a bit flat. Is it a nice story, did I like it? Yes. But is this memorable, will I read it again? No. Honeslty most of the little plot twists, and even the big plot twist, are entirely predictable. Not that there is anything wrong with that, just means that it never gripped me or grabbed my attention, and I finished it because it was a pleasant read, not because the story gripped me so tight I had to finish it.

This was an ARC that came out this month (according to NetGalley but last year according to some editions so who knows) and I picked it up mostly because of the cover. It's pretty, it's fun, it speaks to a good contemporary romance. I'm normally a bit hesitant on body double/switch plots but this surprised me with how enjoyable this was.

Gracie is a woman struggling with a boss who manages to toy the line with sexual harrassment just enough to make her uncomfortable but not enough for her to actually be able to report him. Her mum also has dementia and Gracie needs to get enough money to pay for a spot at this private nursing home she wants to put her in. Along comes a famous Chinese actress and an offer Gracie can't refuse (though she tries at first) which is to be her stand-in for publicity so the actress can focus on the play she's in and recovering from what she thinks is burn-out. This actress is perfect on the outside, elegant, charming and has never put a foot wrong in her life, so Gracie has big shoes to fill. Plus she'll be standing in along with Sam Yao, Wei Fangli's closest friend.

I really enjoyed this book. The reason why I have trouble with the body double/life swap plots is that my sensitivity to secondhand embarrassment is very high and I normally just feel sorry for the people who interact with the body double or the person they're replacing. Also with Sam Yao, there are shades of the fake dating trope in there which isn't my cup of tea either. However, this book neatly skirted all those issues altogether by making Gracie competent as acting like Wei Fangli and those mishaps she made weren't life-altering/career damaging ones. And her and Sam's relationship developed really nicely, from enemies to friends to lovers and I really enjoyed seeing the two of them together.

But I absolutely loved the whole plotline between Gracie and Wei Fangli, not only because Gracie helps Fangli but she supports her in seeing things from a different POV (especially after she had heard so many things about how she should just cure herself). I love how there isn't a love triangle between Gracie, Sam and Fangli and I really love the ending between Gracie and Fangli. I loved the building of their relationship too and I wish we could have seen a little more of the two of them in the second half of the book becasue it felt like Fangli disappeared for a little while there.

That said, there were two major sources of conflict between Gracie and Sam and I feel like the first source of conflict (with Gracie's mum) could have been expanded on and then the second one (with the phone conversation) could have been lessened down so Gracie actually thought to talk to Sam or Fangli before she made the decision. It made it feel like Gracie was being foolish for the sake of the plot which I didn't appreciate. When a source of conflict could be solved with two characters having a conversation, I'm not a fan generally.

The romance was nicely developed, I loved the friendship between Gracie and Wei Fangli as well the subplot about Gracie and her job, and the writing style was really easy to get on with. Gracie was a character I could root for from the start and I could definitely recommend this book.

4 stars!

Loved this book! I have seen it everywhere and was so excited to have been gifted the arc! The beginning of the story kept me hooked, I so badly wanted to see how the “body double” would play out! I relate to Gracie with my love for lists but she did strike me as a little whiney. I wasn’t totally put off by that though, I was curious to see how it would unfold!

"The stand-in" was such a fun book and I enjoyed every second of it! The beguining was a bit slow at times, but you then get pushed into the story very quickly.

The book follows Gracie Reed, who after being misstaken by paparazzi as the famous Chinese actress Wei Fangli while out getting coffee. However, she doesn't think any more of it and goes back to work, where she gets called in to the bosses office. The boss has been harrassing her for a very long time and at that moment, she gets enough of it and finally stands up for herself. But because of these recent photos spreading around, she gets fired and is left there, jobless and in a bad position since she's trying to get enough money for her mother to be able to move to a better nursing home. All of a sudden, a SUV pulls up beside her and reveals Wei Fangli and Sam Yao, two of the most famous Chinese actors. But what do they want with her?

This book was a nice read. I absolutely loved all the characters and my favorite is definately Gracie and Fangli's friendship, and how we get to follow along with it. I also loved Gracie. She was kind of annoying at times, when she accidentally did a series of embarrassing events, but besides that, I really liked her. She was funny and sweet, and it was easy to love her.

It was so easy to feel for and to like these characters, and the story was amazing. I would definitely recommend this book!

This was such a fun read! I loved the main character and all her quirks. This is the perfect spring/summer beach read.

A beautiful doppelganger of a book featuring an interesting comedy of errors. While masquerading as a high profile actress, Gracie Reed must find a way to deal with the man escorting her, as infuriating as he may be. Grace must learn to keep her head on straight for her mother's sake and her hearts

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! When Gracie Reed is fired by her overly friendly boss she unexpectedly becomes famous actress Wei Fangi's stand-in. This is such a fun, witty read that also tackles mental health, identity and belonging. It deals with so many struggles, stigmas and assumptions really well. The romance was also incredibly cute!

I received “The Stand-In” by Lily Chu from the publisher as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All my opinions in this post are my own.

I feel like the cover itself is pretty self-explanatory that it is a girl who is a stand-in for a famous Chinese actress in order to make money to send her mother to a better care facility, and - as a result - her life is transformed.

From the very first page of reading this book, I was hooked. I’m not a huge fan of present tense books, but I’m still really glad I read this book! The story was fun and lighthearted and would be perfect for a summer romance read, so I would definitely recommend it for people who enjoy books and/or movies where there is a swap of lives and/or a person takes over another’s.

I mostly enjoyed the characters and found it a fun and fluffy read which I really needed. I could identify myself with Gracie, especially as someone who is very much a detailed planner/organizer, and I understood her qualms, her problems learning to be Fangli, and I really loved watching her journey unfold.

In terms of problems that I had? I found the pacing for a few elements to be a little too quick, but honestly for this type of book, it's almost to be expected.

I should note that this book was not all happy-go-lucky rom-com because it does handle some heavier topics which was even mentioned at the very beginning of the book in the first chapter (i.e. workplace harassment) and then later on had some heavy topics (i.e. handling a family member with Alzheimer’s, handling mental health, and death). Still, I would highly recommend. A quick and fun read that I found hard to put down!

POV and Tense: First person POV in present tense.

This was a charming, light-hearted read that helped me out of a book slump, so of course, I would recommend for anyone looking for a romantic comedy that is fluffy with mild steam. It is closed door, so be aware of that before reading, because it's a slow burn where normally we all like to see everything reach a climax...so to speak. While the emotional intimacy is clear as day, what I liked most in this book wasn't the relationship so much as the character growth. The way they opened up to each other throughout the course of the story, I felt very much connected to their journey. I really appreciated the mental illness representation that is so rarely discussed outright, with an accurate view of what depression looks like and how anxiety can wreak havoc in day-to-day life. There is a strong element of sexual harassment at work, so be aware of that trigger in case it's a problem for you.

Gracie Reed is stuck in a the rut of life, forced to stay in a job with a horrible misogynistic boss in order to help care for her mother who is suffering from Alzheimer's. When visiting a friend in her cafe, she is in the middle of eating a muffin when a light flashes and her picture is taken. Turns out she has been mistaken for a famous celebrity, Wei Fangli, and now that their similarity has been captured on film, Fangli has a plan. She proposes that Gracie act as her double for the next two months, so that she can get some rest in between performances. At first, Gracie is reluctant, but when she realizes the money will get her mom into a better home, she agrees. Too bad the job comes with a side of jerk - Sam Yao. Wholly against the idea, he is rude and antagonistic. Gracie hates him. As they are forced together, with Sam acting as her escort to events, they slowly soften towards each other. But this is only a temporary life she is living, and eventually she must return to her life of just Gracie. And she can't take Sam with her...can she?

This book had me laughing so often, I was really glad I picked it up. Are there parts that seem crazy, like it could never work in real life? Yes, absolutely. But that's the beauty of a romcom book, it's not about realism but rather making light of life in general. Lily Chu understood the assignment. Alongside the humor were several very serious topics, like depression and racism, and I appreciated seeing that side of the story. It created a camaraderie between Gracie and Sam, and they were able to work through things together. Fangli had her own concerns, and while Sam always had to look out for her, he slowly came to realize that Gracie could be there for them too. This was a serious case of Grump/Sunshine and Enemies to Lovers at first, as they had a battle of wills. Once Sam realized Gracie was on their side though, and it wasn't a mercenary need for money that drove her to take the job but rather a familial motivation, things calmed down. There were *several* third act conflicts that popped up in the last part of the book, to the point where I was scared to keep reading. What else could go wrong? It threw me for a loop a bit, and then things were tied up quite neatly. It wasn't your usual flavor of angst though, which I found interesting. It was a passive sort of angst, not really any doom and gloom but rather this very realistic sense of change. Things weren't going to stay the same, people had to forgive each other, before life could move on.

I look forward to reading more by this author! Her talent is clearly shown in her debut novel, and I'm sure her next book will be just as enjoyable.

This took me a long time to actually finish but I did enjoy it. Gracie was a complex character and very well developed. I liked being in her head. It was also very realistic even though it's a trope as old as time. I liked the setting, the story, the characters and the melancholy of it. Definitely good and I would recommend!!

The Stand-In came out last week on May 3, 2022 and you can purchase HERE.

My day is tidily laid out on my new LifePlanX app. It's a work of art, to be honest. Here, the Life of Gracie Reed is beautifully organized and color-coded in neat little rows, a guarantee against indecision and inaction.

This book was really over the top and far fetched but I LOVED it! 

I don't read a lot of contemporary or romance books but I was intrigued by the cover and the premise, having loved previous movies in the same vein. I really just needed a light, easy, fluffy read and this was all of that and more, in a good way and I couldn't be any more surprised that this has ended up being five stars for me.

I really enjoyed all of the characters (well apart from Todd but that's a given), I found them really three dimensional and they developed really well come the end of the story. I was absolutely sold on all the relationships between the main characters (Gracie, Sam, Fangli and Agatha) and I loved how their storylines ended.

As previously mentioned it was a very farfetched storyline to begin with and even more so with the twist, which I actually had had a guess at but thought it was too farfetched 😄, but that didn't make me enjoy it any less. 

I can't wait to see what else the author comes out with as this book is one of my favourites of the year so far.

*Thanks to NetGalley, SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca and Lily Chu for the copy of this book. All views are my own.*

This took me so long to finish. The story was dragged out a lot and I got bored at some moments but it's an okay read I guess??? It's quite predictable but all romcoms are like that. I didn't really like the main character and reading all the other reviews I think she's just not an easy to like character. 2.75 stars.

A sweet charming, but predictable story for romcom lovers. I do wish we got to know more about Wei and Gracie's mother.

I got this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Gracie Reed gets offered an unusual job by Wei FangLi and Sam Yao, Chinese cinema’s golden couple. The job is to be a PR double for famous actress, Fangli. And with Gracie being recently fired and having her mom’s medical bills to take care of, this well paying job should being a no brainer. But the job doesn’t come on a silver platter, as she has to deal with Sam Yao, who is seemingly set on disliking her.

Initially I was intrigued to this book because of the cover, and then found out it was set in Toronto; a rom com set in Toronto? Say no more. Majority of this book felt kind of like a Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus situation where she was able to experience the pros and cons of both the celebrity life and normal life. Though this book does touch on deeper topics such as untreated&treated mental health disorders, dementia, workplace harassment, and the disconnect between immigrant parents and the children. Although these topics were well talked about, it didn’t take away from the rom com feeling of the book.

One of my favourite parts about this book were the to do list drawings/diagrams, I am a sucker for an effective to do list 🤤I felt that Gracie was a pretty likeable character, she definitely has her flaws and her moments but that just made her more realistic and relatable


Full review post on Instagram at this link: https://www.instagram.com/p/CdTfvrwrKNN/

Thank you so much Netgalley for this ARC. This is one of the most heartwarming contemporary novel I've read this year. It was a little bit of a slow burn but so worth it.

First of all, the cover is beautiful and that's why I requested this. This book is about Gracie Reed, half Chinese and recently fired from a job who's looking for the perfect list to organise her life. When her doppelganger Wei Fangli, a huge international star, beseeches her to take her place for some time, Gracie is a little skeptical but agrees. Gracie's narration was so fun to read. I loved being in her head and reading about her insecurities. I also loved Sam, Fangli's long term friend and also a huge star. I loved the banter between Sam and Gracie. Enemies to lovers/ grumpy-sunshine tropes are my favourites. The Stand-In also deals with some heavy topics like sexual assault and anxiety/depression . One of my favourite things was Gracie's relationship with her mother who has Alzheimer's and his Gracie tries to make life comfortable for her mom. I absolutely loved this book. It was wholeheartedly sweet but also heartbreakingly sad. Overall, this was a really good read and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I'll definitely recommend this.

The Stand-In follows Grace as she is mistaken for the actress Fangli, and agrees to impersonate Fangli in order to give her a break from events and the media.

Overall, I thought this was a really lovely book! I loved that the storyline wasn’t predictable, despite how easily it could have gone that way. The themes around mental health, racism, family, and ethics were dealt with care and compassion, and I really appreciated the depth in which they were explored. Of course I loved the relationship between Grace and Sam, but the friendship and sisterhood that grew between Gracie and Fangli was such a pleasant surprise! Likewise, I really enjoyed the friendship between Gracie and Anjali, and the realistic view it gave of what it’s like to make friends as an adult. Gracie’s entrepreneurial spirit was another highlight for me. On the whole, I highly recommend this book for anyone who likes reading romance, books about celebrities, or even anyone just wanting to try something new!

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I haven't read many books where characters trade places. This was a fun read! Its always interesting to read about people who live rich and famous lives but its nice to get depth as well. A fun read!

4.5 stars — If you're looking for a book that provides breezy entertainment while also addressing real struggles with grace, The Stand-In knocks it all out of the park. Watching the heroine gain confidence and learn to break unhealthy patterns was gratifying, and I love that she had friends in her corner who saw her many amazing qualities, even when she didn't. The found family aspect was so well done and really got to me, too — dare I hope Fangli will get her own romance? Lastly, of course, the romance: funny, swoony, and tender all at once, it manages to be meaningful and satisfying without overshadowing Gracie's personal growth. I definitely recommend The Stand-In for fun, glamour, and plenty of heart.

My thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a fun, entertaining book! I love the “lets switch places” trope and this was so cute. Gracie learns a lot in this book, especially that the world of fame, riches, and glamour is not all its cracked up to be. I loved the romance between Gracie and Sam!! I was rooting for them the whole time and fell in love with Sam myself.