In this coming of age, slice-of-life story, we are following Gracie. She has a jerk of a boss who doesn't understand the word no, a mother with dimensia who needs to go into a better home, and an uncanny resemblance to the Chinese actress, Wei Fangli. Fangli happens to be in Canada currently for a stage play, and Gracie is mistaken for her at a coffee shop by the paparazzi. Fangli's best friend and actor colleague Sam Yao also happens to be in town, and he is "perfection" to Gracie.
Fangli has some mental health issues, and isn't getting help for them. When she offers Gracie the opportunity to get the money she needs for her mom, while also spending time with Sam, Gracie almost refuses.
From here, the story is pretty much what you would expect. There is one closed door sex scene, and I have to be honest. This is not a romance. This is clearly a women's fiction story.
I work at a bookstore, and we put this one in the fiction section for a reason. This story focuses on Gracie, and the changes she needs to make in her life more than the romance between her and Sam.
I knew this going in, so I am giving this a 4 star rating, because one really sweet twist was thrown in there that I didn't see coming, but I loved it a lot.
Do give this book a try though. It's a good time. Just be careful if people not getting help for their mental health is triggering for you, or seeing a parent with dimensia.

-- 4.5 Stars --

Alright, complete honesty here, I originally requested this book on NetGalley because of the cute cover! So props to the cover artist because I was intrigued right away! Lucky enough for me, the story inside was just as wonderful as the cover!

We follow alongside Gracie Reed who begins to act as a publicity double for the famous Chinese actress Wei Fangli. I really loved the authenticity of Gracie that we get to see. Her character development is just *chefs kiss* and I loved watching her grow. I also love that she had a problem with every single planner app that she used so instead of complaining about it, she goes out and decides to develop her own. I loved it.

Then there is Sam Yao, the broody and moody best friend of Fangli - also famous. He and Gracie start off on the wrong foot but eventually get to a good place of friendship and even more… I’ll leave you with that thought to ponder on!

There was of course a miscommunication that leads Gracie to run away from both Fangli and Sam. There is also a plot twist with Gracie's mom that I did not see coming, but it made me enjoy the story more nonetheless.

If you are looking for a quick read with a great plot, this could be the book for you!

Thank you @netgalley // @sourcebookscasa // @lilychuauthor for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review! All of the thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

[TW: sexual misconduct, parent with Alzheimer's, anxiety and depression triggers]

I don't generally read what I consider "chick lit", but the premise of this was irresistible. Gracie is a young woman of Chinese descent who lives in Toronto, faced with several life challenges. She is being sexually harassed by her boss and her mother is sliding into dementia and Gracie needs money to move her into a care home. She is fired when paparazzi think she is a famous Chinese movie star and take her photo in a coffee shop on a day she calls in sick. Fangli, the movie star, approaches her with a proposition. Due to their (improbable) uncanny resemblance, she asks her to be her "stand'-in" at public events for a few months so Fangli can relax. Since Gracie needs the money, she accepts. It is fun to read about her trying to navigate her way in this new world of celebrity. She has a prickly enemies-to-lovers relationship with Fangli's co-star Sam, who is in on the scheme. I don't really enjoy romance in novels, but I did really like the developing relationship with Gracie and Fangli. This is a fun, fluffy read.

After being mistaken for Wei Fangli (a famous Chinese actress) by a photographer, Gracie’s world is turned upside down. Not only does she lose her job, but also get a very strange proposition: being Fangli’s stand-in for 2 months. This means moving into a world of luxury and wealth she’s not used to but also, showing up to events and dinners with the one and only Sam Yao: sexiest man alive. Turns out he’s also the most infuriating man and all of this proves to be way more challenging than she ever imagined.

Did I choose this book because of its cover? YES!
Was I disappointed by my choice? NOT EVEN A SINGLE SECOND!
I liked this book a lot! I had high hopes for this one and I was not let down. I did relate to Gracie on so many levels, SO MANY. Reading this made me feel understood somehow. It dealt with a lot of important topics and it was greatly done. The development in the relationships was just wonderful and I mean not only the development between the love interests, but also with Fangli, which was a nice plus. I don’t know if I have read too many dual POV lately, but I really missed it in that book. I so wish I could have been in Sam’s head sometimes! But anyways, I think it was a fantastic read, so easy to enjoy! And now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll go reflect on that: “Why is it so hard to say no to everyone except myself?”

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

3.5 stars
I really liked the premise of this, but something about execution felt childish. Gracie grated on me at times, but she also had a lot going on.

But it is a perfect novel for some escapism. Who wouldn’t want to pretend to be a star!?

I received a copy of The Stand-In by Lily Chu from Sourcebooks Casablanca in exchange for an honest review.

I have a special spot in my heart for books that are set in Toronto - even more so when the MC is Chinese Canadian, which is quite rare. And so when I hear of one, they have my attention and then of course comes actually reading it and deciding if I enjoy it. When it comes to The Stand-In, it was fun, enjoyable, and so relateable, checking off boxes that I didn't even know I wanted to check off. We first meet Gracie Reed as she meets with a lawyer to find out what she can do about her inappropriate boss and quickly find out that she struggles with to-do lists and also looks quite similar to a famous Chinese actress. Such a great start that dives right into the thick of things as these elements of Gracie's story runs throughout the plot. Before she can process things, Gracie finds herself offered an opportunity to impersonate said actress, Wei Fangli, which comes at an opportune time as her inappropriate boss has now also fired her. The story, while fun and at times light, also deals with tough issues - mental health, workplace harassment, identity, family conflict and secrets.

Another element that I absolutely loved and related to was the storyline of Gracie's issue with the current productivity methods and apps. When she realizes that nothing has what she needs to stay organized, she sets off to create her own method. And I just totally understood that - I cannot even count all the ways that I've tried to stay organized for as long as I can remember - and I absolutely loved the final template that Gracie comes up with. In fact, I was thinking just that as I was finishing the ebook when I received a physical copy of The Stand-In and it came with the most adorable notepad of Gracie's Eppy app. And now, I just need someone to really make it into an app! Any bookish app creators out there?

Gracie Reed has just lost her job when she’s approached by one of China’s top movie stars, Wei Fangli, who just happens to be Gracie’s doppelgänger. Fangli wants to hire Gracie to stand in for her at events - which will mean being seen around town on the arm of Sam Yao, the hottest - and most infuriating - man Gracie’s ever met…

An adorable, sweet romance, perfect for all your escapism needs. While I think the ending was a little rushed and tidy, it was otherwise exactly the cute, funny, fluffy story I needed right now!

CW: Alzheimer’s, depression & panic attacks, workplace sexual harassment.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

After losing her job, Gracie Reed accepts to work for a celebrity (Wei Fangli) as her dopplegänger since they look extremely alike. As she dives into the world of fashionable events and famous people, Gracie finds herself falling for Sam Yao, Fangli’s friend and co-star.

This story was a cute rom-com with a nice message. It was a fun read, but I had a bunch of issues with how some things were handled.
The slow-burn relationship wasn’t as slow as I would have hoped, but it wasn’t bad either. The story was mostly focused on more serious issues such as depression, anxiety and sexual harassment and I wasn’t necessarily expecting it. I would have loved to have less clichés and a pinch of originality, but the story was cute nonetheless.
Overall I do believe that this novel was exactly what I needed in order to get out of my awful reader’s block, but I also think that it could have been a bit better.

**I received an e-copy of The Stand-In from the publisher on Netgalley for an Honest review**

This was one of the best romances I’ve read in so long! I loved it so much!

If you like movies like The Parent Trap or The Princess Switch, you’re going to love The Stand-In! It’s a story about family, morals, mental health, and love. Gracie is fired from her job and trying to get the best care for her mom who has dementia. She can’t afford the payment and gets offered the opportunity to stand-in for a famous celebrity she looks just like at publicity events so the actress can focus on her acting and not all the extra events with her co-star.

Gracie didn’t want to but she needed the money. It’s a fun journey and making it to the end was worth it. The ending is what turned this book from a 4 star read to a 5 star read. I loved it!

What if your life was falling apart only to be offered a chance to become a famous persons stand in? Would you take it?

The stand-in is a cute rom-com that follows the main character Gracie as her life falls apart. First loses her job, now unsure of how to afford her mothers room at better care home or the single room, she is lost on what to do next. Then a suprise opportunity arrives after her photo is taken and she is mistaken as a famous actress Fangli. Fangli approaches her with the offer of being her stand in for events while she’s in the country, filming her newest movie. All Gracie has to do is act like Fangli for the events and not embarrass her. How hard can it be?

Although predictable, I really enjoyed it a lot. It was light and humorous. If your a fan of Netflix rom-coms this is definitely a novel you will enjoy. This story is one of the things I love about fiction, it’s not realistic in a way that it’s likely to ever happen to us but the story in such a way that it’s a fun ride of what ifs.

The author writes wrote this story in a way that makes the characters hard not to like. The main character Gracie is relatable, she’s not famous and living life like the rest of us. It’s just a chance encounter and a striking resemblance that changes everything. Fungli is a celebrity but she also is pushed past her limit due to the pressure her management puts on her. Even The male protagonist, Sam, is a great addition to the characters with his wants to protect Fangli and keep her safe as his close friend.

I think its a great read if you’re wanting something enjoyable and fun.

The Stand-In by Lily Chu was an absolute delight to read! I didn’t expect much when I started it, but Chu’s writing style was captivating and relatable, making the plot even more enjoyable. There was a lot of drama that was involved in the storyline just due to the nature of it, but it never felt superficial or enhanced for the sake of creating more tension and interest — all of the elements occurred and developed naturally, and there was well-placed humour mixed into (and in between) discussions very serious topics. I loved how Chu brought in so many real struggles and dealt with them in a realistic way, and how the characters that she created were flawed and aware of where they can grow. All in all, this book was a delight, causing me to laugh out loud at several points and feel what the characters were going through. I am very excited to read what Lily Chu comes up with next!

The Stand-In is dressed up as your typical switcheroo story - it has all the elements of a tried and true Hollywood romcom: the rich and famous look-alike, the sexiest man in the world, and the ordinary girl caught in the mix. However, underneath the guise of an outrageous plot, we get these incredibly real interactions between the characters. In fact, the most wild part of the book is the decision to switch places - everything that follows is made up of quiet, sincere moments between the three main characters. 

My favorite parts of the book were the discussions and the development between the three main characters that felt really genuine. Although written as a rom-com, I loved that the book gave equal weight to Gracie’s relationship with Fangli as much as her relationship with Sam. This book takes on mental health, Alzheimer’s, and workplace harassment, and instead of using them simply as plot devices or mere footnotes, they’re grounded and discussed with sincerity and honesty. In no way did Gracie’s struggle with her identity as half-Chinese half-Canadian in the light of pretending to be Fangli, a Chinese superstar, ever feel forced. Especially when these doubts and insecurities played a part in her growing relationship with Sam, Fangli’s best friend and sexiest man alive. 

My only issue with the book  came in the beginning and the end. With any switcheroo plot, there’s always going to be an underlying doubt/skepticism of how realistic it really is. Although we did have Gracie questioning the whole thing, the buildup to the meeting was lil too far-fetched. As for the ending, I think it could have been more developed - I wish we had more information on what happens with Gracie, Fangli, Sam, and Gracie’s mom in the aftermath.

The Stand-In was everything I was looking for in a fun spring/summer novel: an enemies-to-lovers romance, fake-dating, Asian characters, and a plot that was MORE than just the romance (finding your inner strength, mental health, etc). While I had some gripes with parts of the romance and a plot point that was a little too predictable, I was hooked on The Stand-In and enjoyed it a lot!

Overall Rating - ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Spice - 🫑(a bell pepper, cause they're sweet not spicy!)
Character Development - 8/10
Trigger/Content Warnings - SA, racism
Tropes/Themes - Enemies to lovers ish, forbidden love, two person love triangle, overbearing parents, third act breakup
Representation - Asian (Chinese), Depression

Plot; I kind of adore the plot of this. As far fetched as it is, it's also very realistic. The convenience of finding someone who looks like you conveniently where you're working is a little out there, but that is kind of the point anyways. The plot progression is fantastic. It is very well planned out, and it feels like a real life timeline. Everything that happens doesn't feel too fast or too slow, the pacing is great. There is always something pushing the scene forward, and there is always a development for a character in every situation. It was so smooth all the way through.

Characters; I love every single character. They are all so different, even the two look alike characters. There's never a question of who is involved in the scene. I am also LOVING the developments for all the characters, even the "villain" (I use that term loosely). The ups and downs for Gracie's development are so real it's crazy the author thought of this instead of experienced it. She's extremely relatable at all times. Sam and Fangli's developments, while fewer, are also beautiful and made me so happy in the end. Overall great characters, great development.

Romance; The romance was nice. It wasn't spicy, it was sweet beyond belief and I'm kind of here for it. The fade to blacks were creative and witty, which I also appreciate. The thing with this relationship that I liked is that Gracie's thoughts through out. She deals with a lot of opposite feelings because the situation is complicated and it is well executed. Also the third act break up hurt me more here than it has in a book in a long time.

Writing; The writing is the only reason I'm losing a point - not because the writing is bad, but because I think it there are a few things that could have been different. Specifically that I think that book would have benefitted greatly by it being a multi pov. The number of times that I wanted to be in Sam's head were insane. Like I would 100% read a version of this book from Sam's perspective. Because while the author did a very good job of giving queues for his thoughts, I just need to know. I want to know both sides so badly. I will say however the writing is good. Gracie's thoughts are well explained, the descriptions of actions were good (changing in a car, for example), and the writing was compelling. The text outside of the dialog held so much information, and it was all great.

Overall Thoughts; I loved this so much. I was trying to think of something I didn't like about it, and aside from how is broke my freaking heart I can't find any. There are some actions that happen that I don't like, but they all fit character, plot, and logic wise. The way the racism is addressed in this is also stunning. I am from the GTA, and I know it to be a very accurate representation of a lot of people's thoughts of Chinese people (and by in part Asian people) in Canada. I also like that is was a subplot, at best. It was addressed without it being super traumatizing (I think, I'm not Chinese so I may be speaking out of turn with that one) or aggressive. Also as a SA victim, YES. YES AND YES. That is all. I loved this.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me an ARC!!

This was such a nice and lovely read!
It is true that the main trope and some minor ones in the course of the novel were kinda cliché, but they were all handled with a good care so it never really bothers the reading process. Also I was so happy to see also the portraying of mental illness, but showed in a lighter way, showing th importance of therapy and that a life despite the illness is of couse possible and can be happy.

But some things didn't stick out to me enough. One of the point was the lenght of the novel, even if it was nice to see the things Gracie did when she was impersonating Fangli, some scene felt unnecessarily too long, and made the narrative pace seem more slower than it actually was.
Another thing was the romance, it was not bad, but I wished we had seen something more. We passed from almost disdain by San that suddenly became a truce and some days later they were dating. I don't know, like I said, it was a good romance but I guess that didn't seem strong enough since it was developed mostly in the second and last part of the novel. It is true tho that the story touches several themes, but since it is mainly a romance I hoped we would have seen it more.

But overall it was a good book, a cool story and the final plot twist was great (it is true that this one is in a way cliché too, but putting it closer to the end was a great mmove, it seemed very unexpected), so I'm very satisfied nonetheless

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for providing me with an arc in exhcnage for an honest review!

It was actually a really great book and such a fun read - even though it did tackle some really tough issues. The book looked at depression, sexual harassment, Sinoracism, struggles of biracialism, lost family amongst other. However, the issues were dealt with nuance and sensitivity. The issues weren't glossed over and neither were they thrown in the readers' face.

The relationships were great (obvs the romance <3). However, I enjoyed the friendships a lot more because it showed the greatest depth for the MC. The book also for some reason reminded me of the drama/movie I Married An Anti-Fan - just in terms of the misunderstanding and comedy aspects.

Can't for Lily Chu's next books!

A romance book mixed with the lives of celebrities and pretending to be one?! Not to mention the Asian Representation in The Stand-In. You KNOW I just had to read it and I’m so glad I did. I’m just going to say it now, if you don’t have this book on your tbr or didn’t plan to read it, READ IT NOW!

The Stand-In follows Gracie Reed, a Chinese-Canadian, how looks a lot like a famous Chinese actress Wei Fangli. Gracie loses her job due to a build up of problems, notably sexual harassment from her boss (which she couldn’t leave because she was paying for her mom’s healthcare) she gets the opportunity of a lifetime. Be Wei Fangli for all social events and be seen out and about with escort and also famous actor, Sam Yao. The real Fangli is tired and needs rest especially after a long day of rehearsing for a play and offers a hundred and fifty thousand dollars.

I had never read a book like this in the past, although I’m sure there are a lot. I loved how the concept of this was so out there and would in no way actually happen in real life but in the way the story was told, it felt real and entirely possible for it to happen. There are deep themes in this book that I didn’t expect but thoroughly enjoyed reading more about. It was balanced well with the funny and wholesome moments.

I think the biggest thing the book touches on is self-perception, how others perceive us, and how we balance them out. Gracie definitely came from a low point. She was lonely, in a job that sucked, paying for her mother’s healthcare, etc. Sadly, none of this was her fault and it was just a bad mix that was forced upon her. From this low point, she is suddenly living the celebrity life; eating in fancy restaurants, wearing designer clothes, attending big events, and more. I could see as I was reading, how Gracie struggled to be a person she was definitely not and also how Fangli and Sam couldn’t ever put their guard down to maintain a good public image.

The romance in this book was wholesome and sweet. Sam was the cutest and grumpiest love interest contrasting with Gracie’s bubbly personality (at least on the outside). There were emotional moments between them but also a lot of chemistry. While I appreciated the romance, I think I loved just as much the friendship between Fangli and Gracie. Gracie was always there for Fangli and Fangli was there for Gracie. It was evident that they both just needed a friend.

This might be random but I loved how through the entire book, Gracie is working on finding the perfect “to-do” list for her. As someone who loves writing down to-do’s and scheduling everything, I could relate to her a lot.

Additionally, The Stand-In touches on toxic families, mental health, having a family member with Alzheimer’s, etc. The book mentions how Gracie has anxiety and depression but it doesn’t hide that she takes medication, goes to therapy, she spirals into a panic pretty often, but also that she has enough awareness to know that she needs help and is willing to speak up to help others. The way that her mental health was inserted into the book made it seem like while these do affect her life, she doesn’t make it her life and bring her down.

Again, this book wasn’t sad. Lily Chu balanced the happy moments with the emotional ones. I definitely recommend this book for the sunny days and this month, AAPI Heritage Month. While Gracie isn’t American, I think it is still important to read more diverse characters.

this was so cute and fun and perfect for fans of emily henry and christina lauren! a super cute summer read

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of The Stand-In by Lily Chu. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca for providing an ARC to review.

After getting fired and in need of money for her ailing mother's hospice care, Gracie is offered the chance of a lifetime. Take the place of her doppelganger, Chinese actress Wei Fangli, and give the actress some much-needed rest. Accompanied by Wei Fangli's equally famous co-star and all around heartthrob Sam Yao, Gracie must learn to step up to the spotlight. As well as keep her heart sheltered since this is all fake...right?

The Stand-In started a little slow, but by chapter three, I was hooked. Gracie was a leading lady that is relatable and had everyday problems. But then you add the crazy doppelganger swap story and a slow burn romance, and you have that little plot pep that every book should have. I recommend this novel to anyone who wants a fun romantic read with great Asian representation.

Lily Chu knocked it out of the park with The Stand-In! I have gotten to both listen to this audiobook and read the ebook. Both formats were great for this story.

Gracie has a lot on her plate. She was just fired and is trying to get her mom into a different nursing home. When she meets famous Chinese actress Wei Fangli and actor Sam Yao, her whole life changes. Since they look so much alike the actress asks Gracie to be her stand-in.

Gracie was a relatable character, and I really enjoyed following her adventures and experiences in a world that she's never been part of before. The story is nicely paced with interesting characters, drama, and romance that make it impossible to stop reading. I cannot wait to read more from Lily!