I really enjoyed the writing style of this book and loved the overall premise of it. Very interesting and entertaining.

Elizabeth Chen and her sisters Jane, Lydia, Mary, and Kitty live in New York City's Chinatown. Their mother is a real estate agent and their father runs a restaurant. Elizabeth's mother sells their beloved community center to a company who plans to change a lot about it. The two investors are Brendan Lee (the equivalent of Mr. Bingley) and Darcy Wong (the Darcy character). What ensues is very similar to the novel "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen but with modern twists. Jane falls in love with Brendan Lee. His sister and Darcy Wong try to keep him away from her. Elizabeth and Darcy have sparks, but Darcy's prejudice and Elizabeth's pride get in the way. In the background is the fear that the buyers will change the community center so much it will no longer work for the people in the neighborhood. Mr. Collins is part of the book and is not someone there to inherit their father's wealth, but instead works for Catherine de Bourgh and offers Elizabeth (who is unemployed) a job. She does not want to take it, but her friend Charlotte does. Eventually, Elizabeth goes to visit Charlotte. There she meets Catherine De Bourgh, her daughter, Darcy's sister, etc. The pride and prejudice eventually get overthrown and Elizabeth and Darcy fall in love. There are several modernizations, but the basic story line is still there and sometimes gets in the way.

I love Jane Austen, but didn't feel like this kept the spirit while becoming something new. As a former English major, I may be too picky. I give the book 3 of 5 stars,

Since there are so many Pride and Prejudice retellings out there at this point, Good Fortune was a refreshingly fresh take on it. The way Chau captured the essence of all the classic characters and their dynamics and worked in all the major plot points of the original Austen version but with a story involving Asian-Americans in early 2000's NYC truly was impressive. Chau clearly cared about staying faithful to the original story, and I think that elevated this retelling to a higher level than I would place most other "modern" P&P retellings. And while I appreciated the congruence of this version with the original, and I think this is one of those stories that will never get old to me, I think the writing style may not have worked for me.

Let's be honest here, while P&P is a "classic," it's also one of the original HEA romances. The writing style used here, though, seemed more firmly in the lit-fic camp. I mean, I get it, if you're a writer of "literature" (said in a posh accent, of course), it might be hard to shift gears and write to a rom-com audience. We are who we are. But P&P will always need a lighter touch because the story is a HEA romance down to its bones. I think changing the tone and style would have helped to cut back on a lot of unnecessary descriptions, summaries, and reiterations, and that would have addressed one of the other issues I had with the book: its length. The good thing about the evolution of language since Austen's time is that we can get away with saying the same crap but with fewer words...not so much with this book.

In summary, the story was adapted masterfully, but in a style that didn't really let it shine as much as it could have.

This book instantly had me at “Pride and Prejudice retelling”, my all time favorite book. Personally, I think I might despise this Jade more than the original Mrs. Bennett - Lydia too.

It was such a fun version of the original, taking places in early 2000’s NYC, dripping with so much nostalgia and modernization, but the same tale nonetheless. If you have read the original, then you knew what to expect, but the retelling still made every page exciting and fresh.

I’m glad I choose to read this one as one of my AAPI picks for May. Thanks to NetGalley and the author for letting me read this ARC!

When Elizabeth Chen finds out that her relator mother sold a beloved community center to wealthy outsider Darcy Wong, she fears that his influence will gentrify the neighborhood. Fans of Jane Austen will recognize the bones of this classic storyline, but the vibrancy, wit, and lively characters give it a fresh feel. Good Fortune is a perfectly charming retelling of Pride and Prejudice, complete with a swoon-worthy closing act.

I wanted to like this book so much--the summary and other reviews I've read made it sound really interesting and appealing (a retelling of Pride and Prejudice set in contemporary Chinatown) but unfortunately, I could not get into it and stopped reading about 20% of the way through. The writing style was not for me, the names of all the characters were the same as in the original, and it felt like the author was trying too hard to match things up.

I think if you enjoyed Jane Austen's novel, you would like this--but if you don't, then I would skip this one.

Did not finish. Couldn’t get into the story. It was just too long winded for my tastes

Thanks to the publisher for a copy. All opinions are my own

Short chapters, Third person POV, This book is a bit too long for what it is, I think it’s set in the early 2000s but I’m not sure, but it’s definitely not modern since my space is still a thing. Marketed as Pride & Prejudice reimagining set in Chinatown, but the vibes just aren’t there for most of the book. Used the same names to make it more obviously Pride and Prejudice-y but just comes across as trying too hard. Whereas the plot and the feeling of it don’t match up at all. After he “proposed” the P&P vibes started showing up and were amazing. It’s so good after that.

Mom being called Jade when Jane exists is getting confusing, kept misreading lines.

Love the slight fourth wall break in chapter one to explain what the aaas were for but the aaas were still excessive. There are just too many and the meaning/need of each one rarely was clear to me. Feel like they required tone and that tone wasn’t coming through but could have been interesting if it was a show or something where you could hear the tone and inflection each time.

Charlotte in this “reimagining” isn’t just making the best out of a situation she is genuinely insufferable and a terrible friend.

All in all enjoyed the book it was just a little hard to get into and the vibes weren’t matching the description for a while so that cost the one star. How amazing the last 40% was is the reason it is still 4 stars with all its issues.

A fun retelling of P&P. I’m not overly familiar with China Town culture, but I enjoyed the intro to it!

Oh my heart! This was such a lovely read!

Like every good romance reader, I am obsessed with pride and prejudice. And when Good Fortune went live on NetGalley I didn't walk, but ran to request this arc.

This book was a delightful combination of Jane Austen characters and a modern day setting, Good Fortune puts a new face on a story we all know and love.

This book had such an elegant writing style, it truly felt like I was reading classical literature. At times this made it a little harder to connect with the characters, but I loved reading it anyway.

For me the main issue with l this book is that I only started truly loving it at 65%. I love reimaginations, but this one specifically seemed a little too similar to the original story, the elements that would differentiate it didn't seem strong enough making the story very predictable.

For me the highlight of the book was LB and Darcy's relationship, they were the real reason for the 4 stars review. With a lot of enemies to lovers and a very slow burn, this duo won me over by the very end.

In all general it was an enjoyable and fun read even with some small issues.

'Good Fortune' by C.K. Chau is a retelling of Jane Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice' taking place in New York City's Chinatown in the 90's. I had never read 'Pride and Prejudice' or any retellings prior to this, so I was not able to compare the likenesses.

I did really love 'Good Fortune' once I got into the flow of the book. The interactions of the characters and how the dynamics of family, social class, community, romantic relationships and finding your self were very relatable and (at times) humorous in 'Good Fortune'. It's quite difficult to stay true to yourself when you're getting pulled in every direction to please others.

I'll definitely be reading more from Chau and also pick up a copy of 'Pride and Prejudice' because 'Good Fortune' was a thumbs up from me.

*Thank you NetGalley and HarperVia for the ARC for my honest opinion.

This book was such a delight! I was in the mood for a good Darcy and GOOD FORTUNE delivered tenfold. If you are a Pride & Prejudice diehard, like myself, then you need to add this book to your TBR right now! It does an excellent job of bringing a classic story into the modern century. I had so much fun reading the parallel scenes and seeing how they'd play out for the Chens in comparison to how they went for the Bennetts.

And I was not disappointed!

Now, if you're looking for a new take on P&P, this book is not it. The storyline is practically identical, down to the plot twists and dialogue. HOWEVER, reading the scenes of Jade yelling and parading around (yelling "laaa!") and comparing them to a good "MY NERVES" was my favorite part of reading this book. I found myself highlighting all of the scenes that made me laugh or that I thought was such a clever way to bring the original scene to life in the Chens corner of Chinatown.

If you do nothing else with this book, you need to read the Darcy Proposal scene. It's so good.

(However, Mr. Darcy saying "Ray" does not give off the same venom as "Mr. Wickham," but I guess I'll let it slide.)

Word of Caution: I don't think I would have loved this book if I didn't know the original story as well as I do and if I didn't love it to pieces. I feel that you really need to enjoy Austen's original work to fully appreciate what Chau is bringing to life here. But that's just one woman's opinion.

This book was a DNF at 22% for me. I just couldn’t get into it. The story is a Pride and Prejudice retelling and I know absolutely nothing about P&P so that could have contributed to my DNF. I do think that this book could appeal to many readers, and when browsing other reviews of the ARC I saw that other readers have rated it well.

Good Fortune is a Pride and Prejudge retelling based in NYC Chinatown. And if you’re a fan of the Jane Austen original, you’ll enjoy this fun, sorta-modern (I think? It doesn’t really say…) take on the classic.

The premise: After Darcy, a foreign investor, comes to purchase a beloved community center, Elizabeth, or LB, will fight him tooth and nail to keep him from changing her neighborhood. And everything goes exactly how you’d imagine, full of plenty of pride and prejudice.

Thank you to C.K. Chau, HarperVia, and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this one early!

A modern rewrite of Pride and Prejudice, Good Fortune takes place in New York City and centers on Elizabeth Chen. Elizabeth lives with her Chinese immigrant parents and her four sisters in a small apartment, helping her parents with their restaurant while trying to find a satisfying career. Elizabeth’s mother Jade also works as a real estate agent, and ends up selling the beloved community center to atypical New York City buyers, Brendan Lee and Darcy Wong. Elizabeth worries that these buyers will destroy everything she loves about the community service and is determined to fight for her neighborhood, even if it means going head to head with the arrogant and condescending Darcy. Eager for her daughters to get ahead in the world, Jade keeps the investors close and Elizabeth is begrudgingly forced to spend more time with Darcy. Elizabeth forms her own prejudice towards Darcy, which she is forced to confront when betrayal and secrets are revealed.

Firstly, thank you so much to @netgalley and @harperviabooks / @harpercollins for the advance copy! This book was EVERYTHING. Adaptations of popular favorites can be so tricky, but Chau’s work was impeccably executed. It managed to keep all of the things I love about Pride and Prejudice—the witty writing and banter, the well developed characters, the complex relationships—while also providing an entirely new perspective. I definitely think retelling the story through the Chinese-American experience made the original Pride and Prejudice’s themes of family dynamics and class issues even more poignant. The storyline closely followed that of the original, and had excellent pacing and sharp dialogue. The tension between Darcy and Elizabeth was perfect. Lovers of Pride and Prejudice should RUN to get this book when it releases on July 11!

I absolutely loved this book! Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite books, so it comes as no surprise that Good Fortune was just the read for me. I loved the characters and the bonds between the sisters. It was such a fun story and the writing was whip smart and propelling. I highly recommend this one to fans of P&P and/or those who love a good family drama.

AAPI Heritage Month #3

rep: Chinese American, Hongkonger

Just as fairytale retellings have a special place in my heart, even if I don't enjoy most of them, so do Pride and Prejudice ones. They never live up to the original, but I almost always enjoy the spins. This one makes it Chinese American in Manhattan's Chinatown. The younger three sisters remain duds, but I always love Jane and Lizzy. Sorry, LB.

You'll see your favorites. I didn't enjoy updated Darcy, but the Wickham character is a hoot. Or a fuckboi. Whatever you please. I like that CK modernized this for the times and made this about work, not marriage. I'm sure someone will criticize that. The overall feel of the story fell flat for me, but I wouldn't say no to reading more of the author's work.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

I always get a little nervous about a Pride and Prejudice retelling but this one… no need.
It was great.
I loved the snarky-quick dialogue, the changes to make the story modern and the what was kept from the original story.
Huge fan.
It’s definitely going to the top of my pride and prejudice retellings list.
I definitely want to read more from this author.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an eARC.

The characters in Good Fortune are well-crafted and multi-dimensional, and Chau's prose is sharp and witty. The novel is a celebration of cultural identity, community, and the challenges that come with falling in love. It also touches on contemporary issues, such as gentrification, and the struggle to balance tradition and modernity.

Overall, Good Fortune is an entertaining and compelling novel that will delight fans of Jane Austen and contemporary romance alike. Chau's debut is a promising start to what is sure to be a successful writing career. I would highly recommend this book and give it 5 stars.

This was my first modern pride and prejudice retelling and I loved this version of Elizabeth. She was unapologetically herself despite often being underappreciated and pressured to be something she’s not. Elizabeth’s protectiveness for her family and advocacy for the well-being of the neighborhood was admirable. As for Darcy, I found him to be kind of bland compared to Elizabeth but liked how they were constantly challenging each other's viewpoints. I just wasn’t head over heels for their romance as I wanted to be. I thought Darcy’s confession was abrupt and had little ground so I wasn’t convinced of their affection for each other. The humor and banter among all the characters were my favorite parts to read. The writing was atmospheric and thorough. I could completely immerse myself in the environment. Overall It was a faithful P&P retelling! Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the arc.