- Date Read: May 1, 2022
- Publication Date: May 3, 2022
- Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
- Format: Digital Book
- Page Count: 384
- Listening Time: 10 hours 55 minutes
- Print Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
- Audio Publisher: Audible Originals
- Link to Blog Post:
This was a fun and quick romance read that didn’t shy away from embracing topics like multi-racial identity, depression, anxiety, dementia, workplace harassment, racial and gender microaggressions, and more. In the author’s debut romance novel we meet Gracie Reed who is living in Toronto and just lost her job, all while caring for her mother who has Alzheimer’s. Two globally famous Chinese actors, Fangli and Sam, are in town for a play and discover that Gracie and Fangli are nearly identical in appearance. From there a somewhat wacky plan to have Gracie act as Fangli for networking and social events is hatched in order to give Fangli a much-needed rest from the spotlight.
The premise is a bit far-fetched (perhaps not for a romance novel) and the romance story between Gracie and Sam is a slow build, however the bond and relationship between Gracie and Fangli is what made me love this book. I liked that there was no competition in romance and they were able to find each other in challenging times. The way mental health was represented as a central part of the story was wonderful to see and I was happy that the author wove in a career change for Gracie so it wasn’t all centered on her love story. The romance and relationship building is on point, however if you are looking for a spicy or explicit romance book this is not it.
I would LOVE another book so we can see how all three of these characters transition to their new lives together.
The Stand-In was released as an audiobook through Audible, performed by Phillipa Soo, in 2021 and the print copy is available May 3, 2022. It’s Target’s book club pick for May so snag yourself a copy and let me know what you think.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my review – I enjoyed reading it! I also found this author interview transcript in case you’re interested in learning more from the author herself.
Content warnings: workplace discrimination, mental illness, dementia, racial microaggressions, abandonment