Gosh what a read and it gave you plenty to think about. Meg and Hannah are getting married and you follow their story and a community . Prejudice in any form is just terrible. It was a lovely read. Told in chapters between two of the main character, not my favourite way of reading but it worked.A lovely ending.

Everything feel a little terrible lately so I was very happy to get to dive into this feel good book.
Meg is getting married to the love of her life, Hannah. But casting a rather dark shadow over what should be one of the happiest days is her parents and the general sense of disapproval they have for Meg and her “lifestyle”. After her mum stands her up at the florists Meg breaks down in tears on a bench outside. David has been running his flower shop for years, and loves people. When he sees a young woman crying outside his shop he tries to help. Meg’s story about her parents disapproval hits a nerve from years back when he came out to his own parents. Deciding Meg deserves support for her wedding he offers to be her person as she plans her wedding. As the wedding draws nearer Meg will find joy in planning her special day while also struggling with her family. David will see some of his own fears and insecurities play out in his new friend and will possibly have to confront some of his own skeletons.
This was a beautiful book about love. From romantic love to friendship to community. The strength of found families plays a huge role in this cozy novel. This is the kind of book I needed to read right now, it beautifully showcases that love wins, and kindness build community.
Thank you so much to @netgalley and @avonbooks for letting me have an advanced copy for review.
Look for #thestandindad April 24, 2025
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A lovely and heart-warming book about intergenerational friendship, chosen or found family, and an inclusive community. Indeed, just because someone might be slightly different (for want of a better word) doesn't make them other, or even a hassle. There is no such thing as normal.

That said, with the current state of the world, it is easy to feel less or not welcome even if you know you are not. Therefore this book deserves to be on my being-good-enough shelf here on Goodreads.

Indeed, of parents you expect them to be the adult, they are the grown-ups who should be looking after their children, to have their back when facing difficulties. But you don't have to put up with being treated poorly, because no one deserves that - no matter the reason of a disagreement (in my case being ill with ME turning my life upside down).

Alex Summers has a winner in The Stand-in Dad. It was such a good book that kept me turning pages until the very end.

This is a really uplifting story with great characters which kept me eagerly turning the pages.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review.

This is one of the loveliest stories that I’ve read in a while. The Stand-in Dad has warmth and friendship, happiness and sadness, kindness and community. This is a story that truly illustrates that you are what you make of yourself and that you can do anything.
Hannah and Meg are due to get married. When Meg goes to a flower shop to meet her parents and they don’t turn up then she is devastated. But a kindly florist called David steps in and she finds a community and friendship that she could never have imagined. I loved this story and it made me feel warm and cosy.

Meg and Hannah are getting married. When Meg's parents don't arrive to help her choose the flowers, florist David steps in. He can relate to Meg's story, after his own parents struggled to accept his sexuality. The story follows their budding friendship, and the joy of a community that pulls together to help.

A beautiful story of friendship and found family. The book is funny and emotional, and very well written. An easy read, that I definitely recommend.

A really sweet feel good book about found family. I loved the characters and the story line was brilliant. Really uplifting. Highly recommended.

The Stand-in Dad by Alex Summers is a heart-warming and uplifting book about love, acceptance, and the power of found family. It beautifully explores intergenerational friendship and the importance of standing by those who need support, particularly in the face of rejection.

The story follows David, a florist who, decades after being disowned by his own family for coming out, has made it his mission to help others in need. When he meets Meg, a young woman devastated by her conservative parents' refusal to accept her relationship with her fiancée, Hannah, he steps in as her ‘stand-in dad’. Determined to make sure Meg gets the wedding she deserves, David throws himself into the role, attending dress fittings, cake tastings, and venue visits with the enthusiasm of a proud parent.

As Meg’s wedding day approaches, her parents' absence is a painful shadow over the celebrations. But with David’s unwavering support and the warmth of an inclusive community, she begins to realise that family is about love, not just blood. When an unexpected disaster threatens the big day, David’s commitment is put to the test—can he ensure that Meg’s wedding dreams come true?

This book is a celebration of love in all its forms. With a touching mix of humour, emotion, and hope, it highlights the importance of the chosen family and the idea that there is no such thing as ‘normal’. The bond between David and Meg is beautifully written, showing how people from different generations and experiences can come together to lift each other.

Filled with heart and compassion, The Stand-in Dad is a feel-good read that reminds us that love and acceptance will always triumph over prejudice.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. David and Meg, in fact all the characters are lovely. Built totally on friendships which are very heart warming. I managed to read this book in 3 days, which is very quick for me. I just wanted to keep reading to see how it all worked out. A very emotional and very well written book. Would love to read more by this author.

This book started off charming, with mostly really likeable characters. As I kept reading, it got better and better. David and Meg are too of the nicest characters you could ask for, and it is heartbreaking to read about the prejudices they face. I recommend this book to anyone and I would like to force some of the bigots I know to read it. It’s a real shame Meg’s parents hadn’t read a book like this.

I really enjoyed this book and will be looking out for others by this author. Very impressed.

The Stand-in Dad by Alex Summers is a feel good book that highlights the importance of community, found family and of course true love.
Meg is newly engaged to her fiance Hannah and is starting to get ideas for her upcoming wedding when she plans a visit to David's flower shop with her Mum. Unfortunately her mother does not show up and it turns out that this is just the latest in a series of things that has shown her parent's disapproval of the wedding. They have never really accepted that Meg is gay and her marrying a woman seems to be too much for them to handle. Of course Meg is devastated and finds herself in floods of tears. David understands only too well, as a gay man his family rejected him decades ago and though he is now happy with Mark, his partner of many years, he can't just stand by and see Meg struggle so he offers to help her out with the wedding planning. Through David Meg finds a community of people who love and support her, while David starts to build a network of support for his flagging business and also begins to rethink his fear of marriage. As the wedding draws closer it seems like everything is going to work out, the only unknown is whether Meg's parents will turn up, but when disaster strikes it will take a whole community working together to save the day.
As I said, this is very much a feel good read with a happy ending but it does tackle some difficult and upsetting topics, most notably the rejection that both Meg and David faced from their families, and some readers may find that upsetting. The characters were what kept me reading this book, I could feel Meg's hesitation and struggle and I loved seeing her grow in confidence and strength so that she was finally able to face her family on her own terms. David is such a kind and empathetic character but at times I found it a little frustrating that he was so willing to ignore his partner's needs and concerns, so I was pleased to see growth in his character too. This book is a timely reminder that kindness builds community and that is something the world needs more than ever at the moment.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

This was just beautiful
Literally my heart hurts
I adored it and couldn’t put it down read it in one sitting.
I absolutely loved the characters
This will forever live in my mind
Absolutely stunning

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for this ARC.

When I was offered a widget for this I gladly took it as it seemed a heartwarming story, and I was right. Both main characters, David and Meg are lovely people who have been hurt by their parents' reactions for outing themselves as gay. David has been happy with school counsellor Mark for 20 years but sees no reason to marry, while 30 year old Meg desperately wants to marry Hannah but is hurt by her parents' refusal to get involved.

When David takes Meg under his wing after he sees her crying in front of his flower shop in Milton Keynes, standing in as her Dad in wedding preparations, good things start to happen. A whole network of small business owners called Work With Pride, most of them queer (not sure how realistic that is) offer their services, and David rethinks his attitude to marriage. Then, shortly before the wedding, disaster strikes, and everyone has to work together to save the day.

I liked the strong sense of community and found family. All characters are lovely and helpful, except for Meg's parents who take too long to come around, after first behaving outrageously badly. Your jaw will drop when you discover what they do three days before the wedding. It is mostly the mother really, who is a total "how do you speak to me, you're not even grateful" harridan.

I absolutely loved the inclusion of troubled teenager Benji and his mates, not only showing how great David and Mark are as mentors but also that you should never write someone off who seems to have no potential. Benji's social media contribution is instrumental in saving David's florist shop "Savage Lilies" (so obviously a hommage to Lily Savage that it didn't need spelling out).

This is an uplifting and joyful story about love, acceptance and overcoming adversity, incoporating a kind community coming together to organise a very personal wedding (and who doesn't love wedding preparations?), while not neglecting how devastating outdated views on gay people still are and hurt people. Heartily recommended as a queer pick-me-up. The punny names of all the street food vendors are hilarious!

Meg has recently moved back to her hometown and is planning her wedding to her longtime partner Hannah. She's had a complicated relationship with her parents since coming out, but is hoping to rekindle with them since moving home. When her parents don't show up to her appointment at the florist, she ends up befriending David, the florist who also had a complicated relationship with his parents after he came out. David ends up stepping in and helping Meg plan her wedding.

I loved the premise of this book and was so excited to read it. I felt the pacing of this book was a bit slow for my taste and I had a hard time getting into it. I did enjoy seeing Meg and David's friendship develop, but I do wish there was more of Hannah (Meg's fiancée) in the story. It felt odd how little she was part of and when she was there she wasn't fully developed. I did really love the community and especially loved the inclusion of Benji and the other teenagers. Meg's parents arc felt rushed and unrealistic of a turn in the amount of time it was given. Overall I feel like this story had good roots, but maybe could've been developed differently.

3.5 stars

I enjoyed this book for many reasons, more so than any that the story is told by two main characters, one male and one female. Its interesting to hear both emotional side of the story, especially when the male lead character is older which is quite unusual. One that I will definitely be recommending to others.

oh what a beautiful book. i dived right into this one just from the blurb i felt better. its original and brilliant in doing so. it felt so apt. so real. so relatable. it was just such a tender and warming book. i couldn't have needed this book more.
prejudice is not ok. ever. and this book is such a balm for that.
Meg is getting married. shes found the love of her life, Hannah. but things are all sunshine and roses for the happy couple. because her mum and dad have made their feeling on the pair known. its cruel and horrible and i was so angry at them. after her mum stands her up it breaks Meg. standing outside a shop in tears she is spotted by David. ah our dear David, can we all have one of him please!? David is pulled in by Megs story and tears. they hit something so very close to his own inner heartbreak as his family did the same thing to him all those years ago. so of course he steps in. and hes going to be by her side throughout all the planning for this wedding. hes not going to let her feel she's got no one who will stand up and be there for her.
it wont be easy. because Meg is still hurting. and this bring up alot for David now too. can they both heal, can they do it for each other and together? i think you will want to find out.
this book is a heart healer. its so much about love in all its roles. and however it comes it just fixes it all. somehow love will always find way to fix it all whether that just in the small things or if indeed it can do so with the large things.

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 to her girlfriend Hannah, so why is she crying her eyes out outside the florist? Her parents aren’t happy about the union and haven’t turned up to help chose the flowers for the wedding. Enter David, the florist, who knows all too well what happens when your parents don’t approve of your partner – or your lifestyle, and he vows to help Meg in any way he can. David offers to be her stand in Dad and helps her to organise the wedding – at the same time as setting up a network of LGBTQ tradespeople who can also help each other and boost their wedding sales. David has a secret you see, his florist isn’t doing too well, and if things don’t improve, they could lose the florist, and the flat they live in upstairs. Will Meg’s parent’s actually turn up for the wedding? If they do come, how will they behave, and will that upset David who is enjoying playing ‘Dad’?

A gorgeous story of families, and the families you make for yourselves. I would be very happy to read more Alex Summer’s stories.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7469080990

https://maddybooksblog.blogspot.com/2025/04/the-stand-in-dad-by-alex-summers-this.html

Reinventing Woburn Sands as a Gay Village

Although the author of this pleasant and engaging novel sees Woburn Sands as a satellite village of Milton Keynes, the village was there when Milton Keynes was a much smaller “satellite village” of Bletchley. The village is also on the Beds/Bucks border which always used to be crossable at the back garden gate of a very old house known as The Dene. The location matters, because although the gay and lesbian characters might be found anywhere in that region, a trendy gay florist’s selling coffee and cakes as a sideline wouldn’t have the same magic if it were set in Flitwick, for example. And none of the characters earn enough to live in Hitchin, let alone St Albans or London. The equations of economic reality and romantic fantasy require it to be set in Woburn Sands, so it is.

David identifies as a gay florist, but is also a middle-aged man too concerned for the well-being of young women to be trusted to look after his own interests and there are straight men like that, too. A young (by comparison with David) illustrator, Meg, has booked an appointment to discuss flowers for her upcoming wedding to fellow illustrator, Hannah, with David and her parents. Who don’t turn up. Meg is very upset, and David takes her into his shop and starts trying to make things go right for Meg. He persists in doing this for the rest of the novel, with results which veer from acceptable and promising, to muddle, misunderstanding, omission and utter catastrophe, before ending in a most unexpected triumph.

The sub-plot is David’s “significant other” Mark, who really wants them to become a married couple too, patiently trying to steer the man he loves in a less self-denying direction. David reacts to the behaviour of Meg’s parents in a very complicated way, because he had an even worse bust-up with his own parents, who both died before he got around to even seeking a reconciliation. The relationship difficulties are not simply homophobia, because there’s no clear boundary between that and misunderstanding, which on one occasion causes David a lot of hurt even though the other person had no malicious intent whatsoever.

The last quarter of the book, from catastrophe to triumph, has more twists than Tony Blair running the 100 metres sprint and salvation comes, not so much from facing reality as making the best of what you’ve got, even if it’s intangible or outright fantasy. In his determination to hang on to Meg’s dream, David is able to make it a reality, but only after his attempts to do so sensibly have been destroyed by circumstances beyond his control.

Interestingly, part of the solution comes from the youth club which David and Mark are involved with, because whilst the middle-aged gay men fail pretty miserably at communicating with Meg’s elderly and “homophobic” parents, the teenagers simply tell Meg’s parents what the score is and what they need to do. One of the teens also saves David’s business with a social media campaign, but that only takes off due to the wedding being made to happen despite the odds, which is too good a story for broadcast media to ignore.

There’s a lot in this book, and if it has a flaw it’s perhaps that the novel takes on a few too many issues at once. But it’s not a serious fault.