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A review by allisonwonderlandreads
The Stand-In by Lily Chu
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Gracie Reed finds herself hired as a double for a famous Chinese actress in this Toronto-based romantic comedy. It's a fun premise with an element of wish-fulfillment as Gracie turns her collapsing life around while falling for a handsome, famous action star and impersonating a glamorous actress in need of a break from the limelight. The voice acting in the audiobook is superb and adds to Gracie's strong voice as a character that comes through in the writing. The story thrives on relatable life details that are funny and specific. It also loops in strong feelings and dilemmas both absurd yet plausible (see: spanx incident) and truly heart-wrenching (see: Grayci's struggle to get her mother high quality care for Alzheimer's).
Honestly, the romance was the weakest point of this ostensibly romance novel. It's closed door, with not a lot of tension or attention compared to the other, stronger strands of plot. We still get details as Gracie falls for her co-conspirator, Sam, but it doesn't feel very in-the-moment the way it is relayed. I believed in their adjustment from enemies/antagonists to colleagues and friends, but that last romantic step didn't convince me. Intellectually, I liked the way the two complemented and bettered one another, but emotional oomph is where it lacked.
Emotions were high elsewhere in much more powerful ways. Gracie grapples with the aftermath of sexual harrassment at work, tries to get her mother into a better care facility, faces down casual racism, grieves the memory of a father lost to cancer, and tries to feel like her life isn't spinning out of control in obscurity. Then we have her parthers-in-crime: Wei Fangli has unaddressed depression weighing her down due to stigma about asking for help and Sam Yao is micro-managed and manipulated by a motivated, high-powered mother. The way they come to support one another through these moments was the most special part of the book for me.
This was a just ok romance in the midst of an otherwise complex, moving story.
Honestly, the romance was the weakest point of this ostensibly romance novel. It's closed door, with not a lot of tension or attention compared to the other, stronger strands of plot. We still get details as Gracie falls for her co-conspirator, Sam, but it doesn't feel very in-the-moment the way it is relayed. I believed in their adjustment from enemies/antagonists to colleagues and friends, but that last romantic step didn't convince me. Intellectually, I liked the way the two complemented and bettered one another, but emotional oomph is where it lacked.
Emotions were high elsewhere in much more powerful ways. Gracie grapples with the aftermath of sexual harrassment at work, tries to get her mother into a better care facility, faces down casual racism, grieves the memory of a father lost to cancer, and tries to feel like her life isn't spinning out of control in obscurity. Then we have her parthers-in-crime: Wei Fangli has unaddressed depression weighing her down due to stigma about asking for help and Sam Yao is micro-managed and manipulated by a motivated, high-powered mother. The way they come to support one another through these moments was the most special part of the book for me.
This was a just ok romance in the midst of an otherwise complex, moving story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual harassment
Moderate: Abandonment, Death of parent, Grief, Mental illness, and Dementia
Minor: Cancer, Emotional abuse, Racism, and Xenophobia