{"product_id":"9780008740689","title":"The Stand-in Dad: A heart-warming, uplifting love letter to LGBTQ+ inclusion and found family","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\n          \u003cstrong\u003eA joyful \u003cem\u003es\u003c\/em\u003etory about found family and the courage to embrace love’s true colours.\u003c\/strong\u003e\n        \u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A book with spring in its step… I read this with a big smile and a soaring heart.' \u003cstrong\u003eJACK STRANGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘A love letter to queerness and the family you get to choose.' \u003cstrong\u003ePJ ELLIS\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eForty years ago, sixteen-year-old \u003cstrong\u003eDavid \u003c\/strong\u003ewas 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMeg \u003c\/strong\u003eis newly engaged to the love of her life, Hannah. She should be overjoyed, but her conservative parents have made their disapproval painfully clear – leaving Meg devastated and wanting to call the whole wedding off.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eYet Meg’s parents’ absence looms large – and when disaster strikes, can David save the wedding in time?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n          \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Stand-in Dad\u003c\/em\u003e is a joyful story about found family and the courage to embrace love’s true colours, perfect for fans of\u003c\/strong\u003e\n          \u003cstrong\u003eMatt Cain, Mike Gayle and Ryan Love.\u003c\/strong\u003e\n        \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n          \u003cstrong\u003e\n            \u003cem\u003e––––––––––––––––\u003c\/em\u003e\n          \u003c\/strong\u003e\n        \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n          \u003cstrong\u003eAUTHORS LOVE \u003cem\u003eTHE STAND-IN DAD\u003c\/em\u003e!\u003c\/strong\u003e\n        \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Joyful, uplifting and full of heart – I loved it.' \u003cstrong\u003eSARAH TURNER\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A thoroughly heart-warming read, full of lovable characters and with a resounding message of hope for our times.' \u003cstrong\u003eKATE STOREY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Sweet, uplifting and deeply touching… a delight.' \u003cstrong\u003eJUSTIN MYERS\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A tender, heart-warming story of friends, family and the unexpected joy that's waiting in the spaces in-between. Gentle and uplifting.' \u003cstrong\u003eJULIETTA HENDERSON\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘Moving and uplifting, \u003cem\u003eTHE STAND-IN DAD\u003c\/em\u003e is \u003cem\u003eHEARTSTOPPER\u003c\/em\u003e for adults; a love letter to queerness and the family you get to choose.' \u003cstrong\u003ePJ ELLIS\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A breath of fresh air. Powered by kindness, community and love, this book is lots of fun and absolutely full of joy.' \u003cstrong\u003eELEANOR RAY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘A sweet and touching story that highlights that true friendship comes in many forms.’ \u003cstrong\u003eCHARLOTTE BUTTERFIELD\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'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.' \u003cstrong\u003ePENNY MIRREN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A book with spring in its step… I read this with a big smile and a soaring heart.' \u003cstrong\u003eJACK STRANGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A gentle heart-warming story… with a dash of humour whisked in to delight.' \u003cstrong\u003eCHARLIE LYNDHURST\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n          \u003cstrong\u003eREADERS LOVE THE \u003cem\u003eSTAND-IN DAD\u003c\/em\u003e!\u003c\/strong\u003e\n        \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'This was just\u003cstrong\u003e beautiful\u003c\/strong\u003e. Literally, my heart hurts… This will forever live in my mind. Absolutely \u003cstrong\u003estunning\u003c\/strong\u003e.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ NetGalley review\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'This is an \u003cstrong\u003euplifting\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003ejoyful\u003c\/strong\u003e story about love, acceptance and overcoming adversity… Heartily recommended as a queer \u003cstrong\u003epick-me-up\u003c\/strong\u003e.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ NetGalley review\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A lovely and \u003cstrong\u003eheart-warming\u003c\/strong\u003e book.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ NetGalley review\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Gosh, what a read… A \u003cstrong\u003elovely\u003c\/strong\u003e ending.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ NetGalley review\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'I really enjoyed this book and will be looking out for others by this author. \u003cstrong\u003eVery impressed\u003c\/strong\u003e.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ NetGalley review\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn this up-coming fiction, Alex Summers explores the humorous and heartwarming side of relationships, particularly focusing on the LGBTQ+ community. The Stand-in Dad is a testament to the power of chosen family, long-term bonds, and the courage to embrace love in all its forms.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor fans of Lauren K Mckellar (A Cowboy for Christmas), Sophie Ranald (The Fall-Out), Sharon M. Peterson (The Fake Out), Brooke Harris (The Secret Life of Beatrice Alright), and Nicola May (Starry Skies in Ferry Lane Market).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHarperCollins 2025\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Alex Summers, Read by Candida Gubbins","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46889225912469,"sku":"9780008740689","price":45.99,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0484\/3175\/9509\/files\/9780008740689.jpg?v=1776888489","url":"https:\/\/harpercollins.com.au\/products\/9780008740689","provider":"HarperCollins AU","version":"1.0","type":"link"}