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The Stand-In
- Narrated by: Phillipa Soo
- Length: 10 hrs and 55 mins
- Original Recording Audiobook
- Categories: Romance, Romantic Comedy
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Publisher's Summary
How to upend your life:
- Get fired by gross, handsy boss
- Fail to do laundry (again)
- Be mistaken for famous Chinese actress
- Fall head-first into glitzy new world
Gracie Reed is doing just fine. Sure, she was fired by her overly “friendly” boss, and yes, she still hasn’t gotten her mother into the nursing home of their dreams, but she’s healthy, she’s (somewhat) happy, and she’s (mostly) holding it all together.
But when a mysterious SUV pulls up beside her, revealing Chinese cinema's golden couple Wei Fangli and Sam Yao, Gracie’s world is turned on its head. The famous actress has a proposition: Due to their uncanny resemblance, Fangli wants Gracie to be her stand-in. The catch? Gracie will have to be escorted by Sam, the most attractive - and infuriating - man Gracie’s ever met.
If it means getting the money she needs for her mother, Gracie’s in. Soon Gracie moves into a world of luxury she never knew existed. But resisting Sam, and playing the role of an elegant movie star, proves more difficult than she ever imagined - especially when she learns the real reason Fangli so desperately needs her help. In the end, all the lists in the world won’t be able to help Gracie keep up this elaborate ruse without losing herself...and her heart.
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What listeners say about The Stand-In
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- sj
- 2021-07-16
Funny! and T.Dot proud
Phillipa Soo is so good with the voices, I actually fell in love with her male lead's voice. Lily Chu is a funny author, I had laugh out loud moments. Those that love the first Shopaholic book, it will kinda reminds you of it for the humour and the quirky aspects of the female lead. F bombs are dropped and that made the book more real and I actually like it's use. It's 10hrs, could not stop listening to it, and i'd listen to the first 7 hours again and again! Had real issues with the back half - the editor should have got their red marker out.
Love the fact all core characters of the book are Mixed Race, Chinese, and Indian. So refreshing! She also has great real-world commentary about white people's racism, workplace harassment, and mixed-race people's feelings of isolation in a nation that is still new with having mixed races kids. oh and it discusses depression and anxiety! (yah, all of that in a chick-lit book!) But it all works and makes this book richer for the real issues that are wrapped in this over the top romance.
Reviews with Mild spoilers...
Drake has done a lot to make Toronto proud of itself. Usually, books or shows written by Canadians are placed in an undisclosed American city. This book tells you, again and again, it's in Canada. Awesome! The weird thing though is that on July 1st - there is no mention of Canada Day events in T.Dot, even if you chose to protest it, it's still a weird omit, esp since it's the big day where one character is intro'd to the city.
The Romance is earned, however, the lead is really really obsessed with the male's body. This leads to fantastic descriptions, but it's hard to believe that she falls in love with him for who he actually is, rather than him being rich, famous, and hot. The last half of the book really needed an edit. It goes on and on with her never learning, and making the same mistakes over and over again. And repeating over and over her anxieties. Which in real life we can all appreciate, but when it leads to 50 stupid decisions and in a chick-lit it just gets a bit long. This also lead to a very disappointing reunion where she didn't have the balls to do the right thing, so you kinda feel, why why is he in love with her? But everything else with the ending is great.
This book can end as it is, but it seems like if it's successful it can be opened for a series, since you got the family in China still to deal with, if it stays with the 2 leads or it can refocus on 2 other amazing women - one with the potential beau name-dropped several times. Either way, I'll def listen to it. Just hope for better editing for book 2.
2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Shirley M
- 2021-09-19
Excellent read
Thoroughly enjoyable story line with a not so perfect heroine that the reader can relate to.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Shamim
- 2021-09-15
A lovely Toronto Based RomCom
Great narration. I loved the conceit of the plot... Who doesn't dream of being a movie star. There were some flaws with the characterization of Gracie and Sam. I know most romances and romcoms have a dark moment but actually dealing with Gracie being obtuse was annoying. As a Torontonian, I love that it was set right here. Overall, I recommend it and I hope that the author keeps writing more of these sweet romcoms
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Utilisateur anonyme
- 2021-09-12
Super cute, easy listen
I think I finished this in 3 days. Phillipa Soo was the perfect narrator for this Toronto based romance. The characters were compelling and the story was pretty realistic for a modern day Prince and the Pauper tale. Highly recommend.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- TetsuoXIII
- 2021-09-12
so adorable
I loved it! The performance was really good! such a cute and empowering story! give it a try!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- VL
- 2021-09-08
Fun listen
Great to hear a Canadian city (Toronto) highlighted in this fun and light-hearted story. Also, issues of mental illness (depression and anxiety) addressed well as part of the story but not overly dramatized.
Performance by Phillipa Soo is outstanding! Would love to hear more from her.
There are some other stories tagged on at the end but they aren't complete. Bizarre.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Rob Asuchak
- 2021-09-03
Cute and captivating
I downloaded this book because of the good reviews. It’s was good. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the narrative was very well done. I will be listening to more by Lily Chu. She’s a great story teller. Not redundant, overly cutesy trying to hard to fill pages and repetitive like some.
~T
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Isabelle Dupuis
- 2021-09-02
I had a really good time
I had a really good time listening to this book. The narrator is phenomenal, I LOVE her impersonnation of Gracie--the main character, she is perfect. Gracie is lively, modern and really funny, I liked her personality a lot. The book tackles difficult subjects like the reality of non caucasian people in Canada and mental illness in a light but very authentic way, it made me reflect. The story, on the other hand is very predictable. You can literally guess how everything will turn out the moment said thing turns up. I wish it had been more original, but the other aspects of the book make up for it.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Professional Commuter
- 2021-09-01
Cute, fun, and Canadian!
I really enjoyed this one! I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a classic ‘Parent Trap’ type switch around and it’s based in Canada! Finally!!!!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Victoria Bien-Aimé
- 2021-09-01
Great book and narration!
This already well-written book came to life on another level by Phillipa Soo's narration. It felt like I was watching a movie!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Heather85
- 2021-07-16
Wow!
This story was absolutely fantastic! the characters were fun, there chemistry was insane, and the banter-- OMG! Gracie and Sam were an absolute perfect pair! I went excited to see if this was going to be another prince and the pauper retelling, which it isn't by the way, it's something truly its own. I love retellings, but I'm not at all disappointed that I got this story all wrong. I loved that this book brought forth positive Asian representation, and the fact that people may sometimes say things unwillingly that could be offensive to individuals of dual racial backgrounds. it was addressed in a classy, not aggressive way. I loved how Gracie learned to love herself, and her identity, and then came to realize that she deserved to love too. That Sam may be famous, but he's just like her in many ways. That he's just as lucky to love someone like her. This story is empowering, and fun, and romantic, and hilarious, and cute! The plot is adorable, and heartwarming, and slightly suspenseful. I could not put this story down! This is an absolute must read clean, fresh Romantic comedy, and I would recommend it for any age really. It was truly a delight to experience. I can't wait to ready this story again! Phillipa Soo performed the story well. I was very engaged in her reading, and look forward to more performances by her.
69 people found this helpful
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Cathy
- 2021-07-16
Language
I turned it off. When they said the “F” word twice in the first 5 mins. That was enough. Don’t like to hear it so I choose not to waste my time on a story like that. It might of been a good store , but come on why the words.
58 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- AJ
- 2021-07-15
Wonderfully written and narrated story!
Oh, I love this book! A wonderfully entertaining and deliciously heartwarming romance between a woman plucked from the streets to be a ‘stand-in’ for a famous actress, and the Hollywood heartthrob who reluctantly guides her along the way. It’s smart, witty and fully of heart, and I adored every moment of it!
Gracie Reed’s life is a bit of a mess. Between avoiding her skeezy boss, getting her beloved mother into a nicer nursing home, and finding the perfect planner to keep track of the many lists swimming around in her head, she’s struggling to keep her head above water. But an incredible opportunity arises when she is randomly approached by Chinese cinema’s golden girl, Wei Fangli, who pleads with look-alike Gracie to act as her stand-in, pretending to be her at a series of social events while she is working in town. Desperate Fangli offers Gracie an obscene amount of money for the job, and it seems like the answers to all of her problems… except that Fangli’s best friend, fellow actor, rumoured love interest, and sexiest man alive, Sam Yao, hates the idea - and, it seems, Gracie by extension. And he’ll be the one escorting her to glitzy events around town. It’s such a fun set-up, and I was so excited to see how it would all play out!
I love Gracie! She’s flawed, awkward and kinda graceless, and she’s so relatable! Watching her enter the completely foreign world of wealth, privilege and celebrity is so funny. And watching her do it while snarking and bantering with a very standoffish Sam is even better! Their dynamic is so much fun, and the chemistry that very clearly brews between them is awesome to watch.
As Gracie grows more comfortable in her role, she gets to know Fangli, and their friendship is just gorgeous. It soon becomes clear that even though it looks like somebody so beautiful and talented is living a fairytale, the reality is far from that. It’s emotional, and so beautifully written, and I loved the care that was taken with Fangli’s story, and her growing relationship with Gracie.
And, of course, Gracie spends a whole lot of time with Sam. He’s such a great character – again, so very real and his shift in attitude throughout the book is natural and so well written. Their friendship is slower developing, but Gracie’s honesty, wit and openness win him over, and we get this beautifully slow-burning enemies-friends-lovers story that completely swept me up. It’s so sweet, with so much heart, and that sense of fun and snark between Gracie and Sam builds into a fun, banter-filled romance that is an absolute delight to read.
There are multiple storylines running throughout the book, and they all blend together perfectly to create a clever, fun, dramatic, funny and heartfelt story that I couldn’t get enough of. There are twists and turns that kept me on my toes, I laughed out loud so many times, and I loved watching Gracie navigate her new world, new relationships, and all of the subsequent changes in her life.
I listened to this as an audiobook, narrated by Phillipa Soo, and she does an incredible job with it! She brings Gracie to life with so much heart and relatability, and this story was a joy to listen to. Though I’ll have to reread it again once it comes out on kindle, because there were so many times I wish I could highlight what I was reading – the dialogue, and Gracie’s inner monologue, are just gold.
This is a wonderfully written story that is smart, funny, romantic and full of heart. It’s definitely a fave of 2021.
42 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Alicia Kindle Customer
- 2021-06-18
entertaining and easy listening
I really enjoyed the story, it was entertaining and definitely had funny moments. I was glad the main character had some sass and back bone and stood up for herself. I like Sam and Gracie as a couple. I thought the narrator did a good job with the pace of the story
29 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Melena
- 2021-07-15
a fantastic audiobook!
I can be picky about audiobooks. It has to be just the right combination of engaging story and a narrator that embodies the characters. Lily Chu and Phillipa Soo knocked it out of the park with The Stand-In!
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 listening. I cannot wait to read more from Lily and to listen to more books narrated by Phillipa!
20 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- kay
- 2021-07-17
yes!!!!
What a great story! This book warmed my heart, made me laugh, shake my head in embarrassment with the characters, and left me feeling happy. I loved that the main character was biracial. While that’s only a part of the story, it also helps carry a theme of being “in between”. Not being fully in one world or another. It’s a theme throughout the story (impersonating an actress vs. being herself, being confident vs. docile, etc etc).
I just really liked this story, and the narrator was perfect!
14 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Christina
- 2021-07-16
highly annoying main character
Maybe I'm being too harsh but the main character is an idiot. The setup has plot holes you can drive a semi truck through. This woman is apparently a functional adult who cannot make rational decisions. You can be a meek person without being an idiot. It is all first person stream of consciousness so there is no break from her stupidity. I like the premise and can usually slog my way through until it gets good but I gave up at chapter 5. The narrator was good and did her best with what she had to work with.
14 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- KD
- 2021-06-24
Love it
The Stand-In by Lily Chu, narrated by Phillipa Soo, is a stand-alone own voices, rom/com.
Gracie loves her lists, her plans. But life has other plans and now she's out of a job, her mother needs financial help, the list goes on.
When she gets proposed to be the Stand-In for part of a superstar couple, what to do??? Take the job, what else? And that throws her into the world of glitz and glamour.
The storyline is diary style, set in Canada, with a chinese-candian heroine.
A literally unputdownable story where worlds are turned upside-down, enemies become lovers, twists and turns and more, much, much more.
The story is perfectly narrated, a voice fitting for the story and the character I build in my head.
I enjoyed this early listen very much. A great story, unique, lovable.
13 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- DragonflyReads
- 2021-07-16
So much fun!
The Stand-In was a fantastic debut. Phillipa Soo’a narration was spot-on for the storyline. Quick-whirred writing and an original storyline, The Stand-In was a blast to listen to!
12 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sexy Vixen Reader
- 2021-06-26
Cute and funny
This is a cute and funny story with a bit of heavy but definitely, an enjoyable read, and Phillipa Soo did a wonderful job can't wait to see what else she decides to narrate.
12 people found this helpful