The Stand-In
(Ever After #3)
by Kelly Collins
One tackle. Two very different emergencies. And a fake relationship that’s about to become dangerously real…
I’m Ivy Sullivan—professional bridesmaid and crisis manager who can keep any wedding disaster from becoming front-page news. What I wasn’t prepared for? Tackling a groomsman into a marble cherub during the “speak now or forever hold your peace” moment.
Brooks Taylor is an accountant with a concussion, a conspiracy theory, and evidence that the wedding I just saved was funded by embezzled money. Now the man I literally knocked out needs my help to expose a financial scandal that could destroy everything I’ve worked to protect.
The solution? Fake being his girlfriend to get close enough to the real criminals.
I’m professional chaos management. He’s color-coded spreadsheets and social anxiety. But somewhere between charity galas and breaking into offices, our pretend relationship starts feeling dangerously real.
The problem with fake dating an accountant? He’s got receipts for everything—including all the reasons this could never work.
In River Bend, where love stories write themselves and wedding bells never stop ringing, sometimes the most unexpected partnerships lead to the most beautiful disasters.
Some relationships start with a meet-cute. Ours started with a tackle and a police report.
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My Rating:
Favorite Quotes:
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I see at least three chimneys from here, Brooks. Do you know how many chimneys I have? Zero. I have a radiator that clangs like a prisoner of war.
She’s wearing a sensible navy dress and an expression that suggests she knows where all the bodies are buried and has personally polished the shovels.
She’s wearing sunglasses that are too big for her face, likely borrowed from Savvy, and clutching her purse like it contains state secrets.
“I can do brunch,” I say, taking another bite. “I invented brunch. Mimosas are just fruit salad with ambition.”
The way he looked at you when you were on that stage. That wasn’t management, honey. That was a man who had finally found his heartbeat.
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My Review:
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This was a highly amusing yet highly perceptive read that kept me engaged while a little anxious for the main characters, as they were on edge and involved in deflection and deception. The storylines were entertaining, busy, and craftily laced together with delicious snark, clever wit, and challenging characters. Just some of the lovely skills that Kelly Collins has mastered and excels at.
ABOUT KELLY COLLINS
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Kelly Collins is a bestselling, award-winning author of feel-good small-town romance filled with heart, heat, and happily-ever-afters. Her books are perfect for readers who crave heartwarming contemporary love stories, sassy heroines, and slow-burn romances with cinnamon roll heroes you’ll wish were real.
With humor, charm, and emotional depth, Kelly brings to life tight-knit towns, unforgettable characters, and the kind of love that feels like coming home. When she’s not plotting her next happily-ever-after, she’s sipping strong coffee and dreaming up heroes who are tough on the outside and gooey in the middle.
Come for the charm, stay for the swoon—and don’t be surprised if you fall in love with the whole town.