Her family dynamics provide context for her desire to maintain solitude for the most part and keep most intimate romantic connections at arm’s length. She’s more shy and guarded, which I relate to, even if her background doesn’t entirely resemble mine. But he’s also deeply complex, and I love seeing the layers of how his image impacts his sense of self, navigating the world as a bisexual Asian comedian with depression. He’s funny and super sweet, even if he can be a bit abrasive at times. I love that he’s not the most conventionally attractive (compared to his friend and co-star Ryan), but he more than makes up for it with his personality. Lau is a master of creating distinct characters, and that’s something I feel was missing in book one that she more than made up for here.įirst off, Melvin Lee is everything. I personally liked both characters in this one a lot more than its predecessor, because they both feel more nuanced and three-dimensional. It can be read as a stand-alone, although I do recommend reading the first book, even with some of the issues I had with it. The Stand-Up Groomsman picks up shortly after where Jackie Lau’s previous Berkley title, Donut Fall in Love, left off, this time following supporting characters from that book. I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGallley and am voluntarily posting a review. With the wedding underway, maybe more than one happily ever after is in the future. The only thing uniting them is their goal for the wedding to go off without a hitch.Īs they collaborate on wedding cake and karaoke parties, Mel realizes he might have seriously misjudged this bridesmaid, while Vivian discovers the best man might just be as dazzling off-screen as he is on. She’s a smart, talented artist-which is why he thinks she’s wasting her life as a corporate finance drone. Mel is used to charming audiences as an actor and stand-up comedian but can’t connect to Vivian. It’s none of his business how she chooses to live her life, no matter how charismatic he is.

He’s just as funny and handsome as he is on-screen…but thinks she is a snob and a sellout. They say to never meet your heroes, but when Vivian Liao’s roommate gets engaged to her favorite actor’s costar, she has no choice but to come face-to-face with Melvin Lee again. ISBN-13: 978-0593334324 | $17.00 USD | 368 pages | Contemporary RomanceĪ bridesmaid and groomsman put their differences aside to get their friends down the aisle in this opposites-attract steamy romantic comedy.

Donut Fall in Love by Jackie Lau