The Stand-in Dad

Name: The Stand-in Dad
Brand: Harper UK
Availability: InStock
Author: Alex Summers
ISBN: 9780008740689

Author: Alex Summers

Narrator: Candida Gubbins

Unabridged: 10 hr 34 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Avon

Published: 04/24/2025

Categories: Fiction, Romance, Lgbtq+, Family Life, Nonfiction, Family & Relationships, Humorous

Synopsis

A joyful tory about found family and the courage to embrace love’s true colours. 'A book with spring in its step… I read this with a big smile and a soaring heart.' ‘A love letter to queerness and the family you get to choose.' Forty years ago, sixteen-year-old was heartbroken when his family rejected him for coming out. Since then, he has vowed to always help anyone in need. So, when he finds a tearful young woman outside his flower shop, he can’t just walk away. Meg But David won’t let another young person be rejected. He offers to be Meg’s ‘stand-in dad’, diving headfirst into dress fittings, cake tastings, and venue visits to make sure Meg’s special day is unforgettable. Yet Meg’s parents’ absence looms large – and when disaster strikes, can David save the wedding in time? The Stand-in Dad Matt Cain, Mike Gayle and Ryan Love. –––––––––––––––– AUTHORS LOVE ! 'Joyful, uplifting and full of heart – I loved it.' 'A thoroughly heart-warming read, full of lovable characters and with a resounding message of hope for our times.' 'Sweet, uplifting and deeply touching… a delight.' 'A tender, heart-warming story of friends, family and the unexpected joy that's waiting in the spaces in-between. Gentle and uplifting.' ‘Moving and uplifting, is for adults; a love letter to queerness and the family you get to choose.' 'A breath of fresh air. Powered by kindness, community and love, this book is lots of fun and absolutely full of joy.' ‘A sweet and touching story that highlights that true friendship comes in many forms.’ 'What a joy! A vibrant, warm and hopeful story, with a cast of characters I'd love to be friends with and a flower shop I wish was on my street. Loved it.' 'A book with spring in its step… I read this with a big smile and a soaring heart.' 'A gentle heart-warming story… with a dash of humour whisked in to delight.' READERS LOVE THE ! 'This was just. Literally, my heart hurts… This will forever live in my mind. Absolutely .' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ NetGalley review 'This is an and story about love, acceptance and overcoming adversity… Heartily recommended as a queer .' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ NetGalley review 'A lovely and book.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ NetGalley review 'Gosh, what a read… A ending.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ NetGalley review 'I really enjoyed this book and will be looking out for others by this author. .' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ NetGalley review

Reviews

Goodreads review by Shelley's Book Nook on April 29, 2025

My Reviews Can Also Be Found On: The Book Review Crew Blog 2.5 Stars There's no doubt that the story in this book is very heartwarming, surrounding issues of found family and acceptance. But in my book, it fell short of the potential the premise had. I loved the character, David. He was such a kind so......more

Goodreads review by Maddy on April 10, 2025

This was an absolutely charming story. The characters are extremely relatable, and believable, and the situation is one everyone has heard before – both within straight and LGBTQ families. The LGBTQ slant just gives another layer of interest to this delightful story. Meg has recently become engaged t......more

Goodreads review by Karen on March 23, 2025

This novel has a multigenerational storyline covering a timeline leading up to a wedding. The first half of the book unfolded very slowly, and I did not feel connected to the characters, which seemed bland, and the relationships uninteresting. By mid-book, the tension picks up and adds a bit of dram......more

Goodreads review by Lisi on April 01, 2025

David and Mark are a settled couple in their 50s. Meg and Hannah are getting ready to marry but Meg's parents passive-aggressively disapprove and have removed themselves from wedding planning, to Meg's dismay. David's budding friendship with Meg, his involvement in her wedding planning, and Meg's di......more

Goodreads review by Angharad on May 08, 2025

As a Debut Novel I thought this was great🙌🏻 This is in my opinion a very heartwarming read. It felt like I was receiving a hug at times which was lovely. I did really love the Found Family trope, this is one of my favourite tropes to read about and one I’d love to read more of. There’s plenty of grea......more

Quotes

PRAISE FOR : 'Joyful, uplifting and full of heart – I loved it.' 'A thoroughly heart-warming read, full of lovable characters and with a resounding message of hope for our times.' 'Sweet, uplifting and deeply touching… a delight.' 'A tender, heart-warming story of friends, family and the unexpected joy that's waiting in the spaces in-between..' ‘A love letter to queerness and the family you get to choose.' 'A breath of fresh air. Powered by kindness, community and love, this book is lots of fun and absolutely full of joy.' ‘A sweet and touching story that highlights that true friendship comes in many forms.’ 'What a joy! A vibrant, warm and hopeful story, with a cast of characters I'd love to be friends with and a flower shop I wish was on my street. Loved it.' 'A book with spring in its step… I read this with a big smile and a soaring heart.' 'A gentle heart-warming story… with a dash of humour whisked in to delight.' ‘Smiled throughout and teared up towards the end.’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘Loved this heartwarming book about found family and friendship. It was impossible not to fall in love with the characters’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘Gosh what a read and it gave you plenty to think about. A lovely ending.’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘What makes the story work – and gives it its sweetness – is that the reader feels like a part of that found family.’⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘This was a book of inclusion, community, and friendships – both new and old. I loved it! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘This is one of the loveliest stories that I’ve read in a while.’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘I loved this book! A truly uplifting, yet honest insight into the world of relationships, romantic and platonic.’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘Excellent debut novel from this author. Delightfully written with characters that come to life on the page.’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Readers love !