REVIEW: The Stand-Up Groomsman by Jackie Lau

The Stand-Up Groomsman by Jackie Lau is the second book in the Donut Fall in Love series. We met the main characters, Mel and Vivian, in the previous book when their best friends introduced them which turned into a disaster. They had an instant dislike for each other and that carries over to this book. They managed to avoid each other until their friends Ryan and Lindsay (from Donut Fall in Love) got engaged and asked them to help with their wedding. Now they must work together to make sure the wedding is perfect for their friends.

“Sometimes laughing at things is a survival technique…If I didn’t try to find the humor in them, I wouldn’t be able to get out of bed in the morning.”

Melvin “Mel” Lee was a comedian who liked making people laugh and usually everyone loved him. His first impression of Vivian was she was attractive but cold and stuck-up. When he learns she is the artist who did an excellent illustration of him in a sitcom, he thought she was wasting her talent by working in finances. He had been in such a situation himself and he thought to encourage her to pursue her art but instead, he insulted her. As they work together, Mel learns Vivian has many hidden layers behind her persona. She hides her uncertainty behind a stoic mask, while he hides his behind jokes. He always feels like he must be “on” but with Vivian, he can show vulnerability and be himself.

Vivian Liao always heard the saying “don’t meet your heroes” and after meeting Mel, she understands it. She liked him on-screen but in real life, he was a jerk who made fun of her life choices. She likes working in finance and wants to be able to enjoy her art, not depend on it to live. She was the oldest child in her family and instead of enjoying her childhood she spent her time raising her siblings. She was honored Lindsay chose her to be her bridesmaid because she has a hard time making friends and had never been asked. Working with Mel is the downside to being the bridesmaid, but she is determined Lindsay’s wedding will be beautiful. As they work together Vivian comes to understand Mel and how he hides his emotions behind his comedy. Can she overcome her fears of Mel wanting her to change if they are in a relationship? Like everyone in the past has.

While reading the first book in the series, I couldn’t connect with Mel and Vivian’s characters. Unfortunately, that didn’t change with this book, and I never felt the connection between them. Their characters never grew and redeemed themselves. All that made the book’s pacing slow for me and hard to finish. So, this book was not for me and didn’t leave me with a good impression.

Book Info:

Publication: October 25th 2022 | Berkley Books | Donut Fall in Love #2

A bridesmaid and groomsman put their differences aside to get their friends down the aisle in this opposites-attract steamy romantic comedy.

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. He’s just as funny and handsome as he is on-screen…but thinks she is a snob and a sellout. It’s none of his business how she chooses to live her life, no matter how charismatic he is.

Mel is used to charming audiences as an actor and stand-up comedian but can’t connect to Vivian. She’s a smart, talented artist–which is why he thinks she’s wasting her life as a corporate finance drone. The only thing uniting them is their goal for the wedding to go off without a hitch.

As 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. With the wedding underway, maybe more than one happily ever after is in the future.