Posted by Hey All!
I finished another read, this time an #Audible Audio Edition. “The Stand-In” by Lily Chu is a super quirky and kind of predictable read that I enjoyed from start to finish.
Synopsis: Gracie Reed struggles with love and work, both ending unexpectedly when a car pulls up to change her life one day. The passengers include Chinese movie stars Wei Fangli and Sam Yao with a proposition for Gracie: she pretends to be Wei Fangli for a while, a literal stand-in; they look so similar, almost as if they’re related. The two spent some time researching Gracie while in Toronto filming a new movie. The offer comes with all expenses paid and a final compensation of money that could help Gracie and her mother. She accepts and what happens is a world of luxury, fashion, and movie-star glamour instantaneously.
After weeks of working closely with the handsome Sam Yao, it’s only a matter of time when Gracie starts to fall, and hard! But more twists come to light when the nearly identical Gracie and Wei learn more about each other, their families, and long-buried secrets.
This book was too cute. The story, the characters, the plot were all in sync for sure. The biggest takeaway for me was the reminder that when people migrate to new worlds, they start new lives, but it doesn’t erase the past. Everyone is going through something, whether people share or keep it to themselves.
I loved how the author included bits of Mandarin throughout the story. It made the audio experience more authentic, in my opinion.
The writing was clear, unpretentious—just a simple Rom-Com that was entertaining. The characters were fun and sort of believable for what they each offered (i.e., the strong Sam being soft and vulnerable; the beautiful and seemingly perfect Wei being an imperfect person, etc.)
I loved this #audiobook and thoroughly enjoyed this story.
4.5 stars
Super funny, quirky book. Easy to put down and pick up again. I did roll my eyes at how Gracie, specifically, was selected for the stand-in role, but I’ll chuck that up to creative licensing.
Think of this as #TheParentTrap meets #CrazyRichAsians
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