Lauren     Campbell

The Stand-in

I’ve gone back and forth on how to rate this book among others. What I’m realizing is that you could have a really great story that would be highly rated and then end up with a lower rating because of morally gray characters. I think that’s what makes it difficult for me to rate. Especially when we are talking about the problematic enemies to lovers trope vs the rivals to lovers trope and the differences between them. But a good book is a good book, right?

Overall the story is ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ /5

The problematic rating is ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ /5

Don’t ask me why my chili rating is out of 10 and the stars are 5. It just make sense to me. 

Tess meets a handsome, drunk man who was passed out underneath the bench that her and her coworker/friend were sitting on. How did they not noticed a large, drunk man under their bench before sitting on it? I don’t know. But here we are. Fast forward and we learn that he’s going to chase after his ex gf to win her back. 

We then fast forward several months and Tess runs into him getting gas. Her car breaks down so she tells him he owes her and should help. She’s apparently been thinking of him for several months, which, I guess can be realistic. When he says no she chases him down and forces the issue. 🚩 

Let’s skip to this man bringing her to his parents house so he can pretend she’s his girlfriend in order to prove to his family that he’s ready to take over the family business. 🚩 I also don’t understand how they’d believe this since they’d only been dating for a month. It also turns out that the first man she met was Nate and the guy who is paying her to fake date him is his twin brother Rhett. 

I will say, although these characters can be toxic and problematic, the plot twists are insane. I was on the edge of my seat waiting for what was going to happen next and what was going to be said. Lauren Campbell is hilarious! 

Lauren has a way of writing that makes the book effortless to read. It didn’t feel like a chore and I was engaged the whole time. 

If you’re interested in enemies to lovers then this is the book for you!

Courteney Taylor

I’ve gone back and forth on how to rate this book among others. What I’m realizing is that you could have a really great story that would be highly rated and then end up with a lower rating because of morally gray characters. I think that’s what makes it difficult for me to rate. Especially when we are talking about the problematic enemies to lovers trope vs the rivals to lovers trope and the differences between them. But a good book is a good book, right?

So I’ll rate it like this: 

Overall the story is ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ /5

The problematic rating is ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ /5

The chili rating is 🌶 /10

Don’t ask me why my chili rating is out of 10 and the stars are 5. It just make sense to me. 

Here are the spoilers: 

Tess meets a handsome, drunk man who was passed out underneath the bench that her and her coworker/friend were sitting on. How did they not noticed a large, drunk man under their bench before sitting on it? I don’t know. But here we are. Fast forward and we learn that he’s going to chase after his ex gf to win her back. 

We then fast forward several months and Tess runs into him getting gas. Her car breaks down so she tells him he owes her and should help. She’s apparently been thinking of him for several months, which, I guess can be realistic. When he says no she chases him down and forces the issue. 🚩 

Let’s skip to this man bringing her to his parents house so he can pretend she’s his girlfriend in order to prove to his family that he’s ready to take over the family business. 🚩 I also don’t understand how they’d believe this since they’d only been dating for a month. It also turns out that the first man she met was Nate and the guy who is paying her to fake date him is his twin brother Rhett. 

I will say, although these characters can be toxic and problematic, the plot twists are insane. I was on the edge of my seat waiting for what was going to happen next and what was going to be said. Lauren Campbell is hilarious! 

Lauren has a way of writing that makes the book effortless to read. It didn’t feel like a chore and I was engaged the whole time. 

If you’re interested in enemies to lovers then this is the book for you!

Audrey Vandecauter 

Omg what can I say appart from: I freaking loved it ! I can’t wait to read more? Loved the characters and omg the end of that 7th chapter !!! Probably going to read Lauren Campbell’s other books in the meantime.

The Stand-in

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