3 audiobooks : The Stand-In by Lily Chu – Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon – The Unsinkiable Greta James by Jennifer E. Smith
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The Stand-In by Lily Chu
Narration : Philippa Soo
Genre : Contemporary Romance
Stand alone
About the Book :
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.
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…
My Thoughts :
This was my favorite of the 3 audiobooks mentioned today. I thought the story was a lot of fun, with some serious themes that weren’t taken lightly but that didn’t weight too much on the story either.
I loved Gracie and Sam’s relationship. I felt their friendship and then romance grew at a believable rate, and I enjoyed each moment they passed together. On top of that, Gracie was all around a pleasant character who was easy to relate to.
Bonus points for the narration, which I really love. Overall, this was a sweet and heartwarming romance, and I’d love to read more from the same author.
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Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Narration : Sarah Mollo-Christensen
Genre : Contemporary Romance
Stand alone
About the Book :
Ari Abrams loves almost everything about her job as a TV meteorologist. Her boss, legendary Seattle weatherwoman Torrance Hale, is too distracted by her tempestuous relationship with her ex-husband, the station’s news director, to give Ari the mentorship she wants. Ari, who runs on sunshine and optimism, is at her wits’ end. The only person who seems to understand how she feels is sweet but reserved sports reporter Russell Barringer.
In the aftermath of a disastrous holiday party, Ari and Russell decide to team up to solve their bosses’ relationship issues. But their well-meaning meddling backfires when the real chemistry builds between Ari and Russell.
My Thoughts :
Sadly this didn’t work for me. I read The Ex Talk by the same author last year and enjoyed it from start to finish, even when I didn’t think the plot was the most believable.
However, I found Weather Girl to be quite boring. The pace was turtle slow and the promised shenanigans were not as big a part of the story as I would have liked. I also didn’t see chemistry between Ari and Russell, though I liked that Russell was quiet and sweet, which I think will please readers who enjoy cinamonroll main characters.
This was a wholeseome romance, just not one that was right for me.
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The Unsinkiable Greta James by Jennifer E. Smith
Narration : Mae Whitman
Genre : Contemporary Fiction/Romance
Stand alone
About the Book :
Greta James’s meteoric rise to indie stardom was hard-won. Her first fan was her mother, but her father, Conrad, saw only a precarious life ahead for his daughter.
Greta has spent her life trying to prove him wrong, but three months after Helen’s sudden death, and weeks before the launch of her high-stakes sophomore album, Greta has an onstage meltdown that goes viral. Attempting to outrun the humiliation and heartbreak, she reluctantly agrees to accompany her father on a week-long Alaskan cruise, the very one that her parents had booked to celebrate their fortieth anniversary.
This could be the James family’s last chance to heal old wounds and will prove to be a voyage of discovery for them, as well as for Ben Wilder, a historian also struggling with a major upheaval in his life. In the end, Greta must make the most challenging decision of all: to listen to the song within her or make peace with those who love her.
My Thoughts :
I enjoyed this one, though I think I went into it with the wrong mindset. The couple reviews I had seen had focused on the romance, but really, the family dynamics are probably the most important part of the book.
I thought this was a beautiful exploration of grief in all its aspects. I felt Greta’s pain through the book and the way the loss of her mother had completely upended her life. I honestly think I would have personally preferred the story without the romantic aspect, but overall I appreciated what the book was aiming to do.
I read Weather Girl, but I liked her next book, See You Yesterday much better.
I listened to See You Yesterday soon after and enjoyed it much more too! I loved both the story and the characters.
I gave the book, The Stand In, a five star. I want to listen to the audio too, to compare. I’ll be posting my review on sunday on the Sunday Salon post on my blog. Hope you will comment.