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A review by alyanah
The Stand-In by Lily Chu
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
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.
Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!
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.
Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual assault, Dementia, and Sexual harassment