Follows two women who I didn’t really jive with. This book was way more emotionally driven than what I expected.

I was excited to read this book based on the description (and the cover, if I’m being honest), but it ended up falling short. I expected a mystery or thriller based on the cover, but it did not read like either. I enjoyed following the characters’ journeys but it was not a page-turner for me.

Two women who couldn't be more different are tied by a pivotal moment in their lives. Jasmine is a Chinese immigrant to America, where she is hoping to escape from her abusive husband while searching for someone from her past. She reconnects with an old friend, yet is tied down by her debts to those who helped her illegally enter the U.S., and is trying to hide from her husband. Meanwhile, Rebecca is an affluent publisher who has the picture-perfect life. She has an adoring husband and the perfect adopted daughter, yet things start to go south once her daughter's nanny comes into the picture.

I really enjoyed this one! I loved how the mystery developed, and there were plot lines that really surprised me. There were several idioms scattered throughout that began to annoy me, and I felt like the romance in Jasmine's storyline was a bit weak. However, there were so many aspects that I loved. The various struggles that both women faced due to their culture and social status were very impactful, as well as the pressures of being a mother. I loved the focus on the disparity between the two women, yet the ending was very satisfying as many self-realizations were made. Some of the ending was a bit too tidy, and I would have liked some more conflict before the final pages. However, this book was really engrossing and I read it in 2 days!

This was a bit of an emotional read for me but I lived it. Author Kwok is a very good writer and I have always enjoyed her books. No exception here. Thanks to Netgalley and the editor.

3.5 rounded to 4 stars. This book took me a while to read, which is usually an indicator that it isn’t one for me, but I’m glad I stuck with it! I love how the author tied everything together by the end in a perfect package. I also enjoyed the character development of both Jasmine and Rebecca. Overall a good contemporary fiction novel with a taste of suspense

Jean Kwok is one of the best contemporary fiction authors out there for a reason, and THE LEFTOVER WOMAN might just be her best work yet! I can't wait to read more from this author.

From plot twists to minor plot holes, thought-provoking situations to gut-wrecking emotional wreckage, Jean Kwok's "The Leftover Woman" is an intensely deep journey about motherhood, womanhood, China's One Child Law, adopt, and what a mother's love and determination means when a child is taken from her and when her whole world is crumbling around her. Jasmine and Rebecca are both such well-developed characters that I found myself tearing up as I read their stories. My heart went out to them both as I rode on each of their emotional rollercoaster rides. If you are looking for a story that will rip your heart out in the best ways possible, this one is for you. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC opportunity!

A young woman flees from China, hoping to leave behind painful secrets, and build a new life in the US. She starts figuring out that disappearing from one life as nd creating a new one is much harder than she anticipated.
This was overall pretty good, even though it went slightly off the rails toward the end.
Thanks to #netgalley and #williammorrow for this #arc of #theleftoverwoman by #jeankwok in exchange for an honest review.

I read this back in October 2023. Apologies for the late review.

I am a huge fan and supporter of Jean Kwok's work. Ever since I read "Searching for Silvie Lee," I try to read all of Kwok's works.

This one tugged at my heart strings as it starts with the red string of fate, and then a mother's desperation to find her daughter that was adopted out without her knowledge or permission. There were so many heartbreaking moments in this book, but I admired this woman's desire to do what she needed to do in order to be with her child. The sacrifices she made!

This story was very moving. Enjoy is not a word I would use to describe how I felt about this book afterward. I think "appreciated" is the correct word. With Jean Kwok, I am always learning about the struggles we API/AAPI women go through. We are all feeling it. We just don't know how to put those feelings down into words. Jean knows how. She's unraveling those emotions we have cooped up inside and explaining to us... this is not okay. That's why I love her work so much. I'm learning about myself through her stories.

was expecting this novel to be more of a thriller than it was. I did enjoy the storyline and the references to the one child policy in China. I liked the MC - and the fact that she does anything to see her daughter and get her back. This was my first reading of this author's work and I am now curious to read her other novels.

3.5 stars

I read Searching for Sylvie Lee back in 2019 and while I remember few details, I remember enjoying it! I was looking forward to the author’s latest.

While I liked this overall and really liked parts of it, this book is extremely mismarketed as a thriller. It’s barely a mystery - this is contemporary fiction about motherhood, race and class. There’s a “twist” this is not even remotely a twist at all, it’s so obvious from the very beginning. The cover is all wrong for what you’re getting and I fear that people will unfortunately be quite disappointed vs. expectations.

This book is told from two perspectives - one of the rich white adoptive mother and one of the poor Chinese birth mother. I enjoyed both stories a lot, especially the birth mother growing up in rural China and the focus on the one child policy. Some of the commentary got a bit heavy handed at times and I found the ending a bit clunky, but overall I liked it. It felt like a similar vain to Little Fires Everywhere and I think it would have been much more successful if it was edited and marketed as such.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

Under China's One Child Policy - Jasmine was a girl born into a world that only wanted boys. Married to a controlling man at an early age, she wants out. She finds out a secret her husband has been keeping from her and plots her escape. Large sum paid and indebted to the Snakeheads, gets her to New York City.

Rebecca Whitney has life by the tail - successful publishing executive, a Professor husband, and an adorable daughter they adopted after finding out she could never carry to term. Their daughter is Chinese and at the insistence of her husband, they hire a Chinese nanny to care for her. This way, she can learn more about the language and the culture.

Jasmine and Rebecca's worlds collide in this thriller about life, love, family, and the desire to belong.

This book encompassed a story of motherhood, marriage, immigration, exploitation of women, and so much more. With a bit of romance, mystery, and a lot of intrigue - I really enjoyed this book.

Following the two different stories of two women who’s path collides in the most unexpected, yet tragic way kept me entertained until the last page.

The author’s writing was very well done, almost poetic at times. I also could see this has a movie or short series since it’s such a unique story and highlights the trials immigrant and poor women go through.

I had high hopes for The Leftover Woman since I loved Jean Kwok’s Searching for Sylvie Lee, but this one didn't quite hit the mark for me.

The story follows Jasmine Yang, who flees her controlling husband in rural China to New York City. She’s on a desperate mission to find her daughter, taken from her at birth. At the same time, we meet Rebecca Whitney, a high-powered publishing executive with an adopted Chinese daughter, Fiona.

Jasmine’s character had depth, and her struggles felt real. Her journey from a small village to NYC, working as a nanny by day and a cocktail waitress by night, was enthralling. However, some of her decisions were frustrating.

Rebecca’s side of the story was less engaging. While her challenges at work and at home added some suspense, the plot twists felt predictable and too convenient. The book’s themes of identity, motherhood, and belonging were poignant but not well executed.

The narrative alternates between Jasmine and Rebecca, which kept the story moving but also made it confusing. The timelines and plot points sometimes felt jumbled, detracting from the overall impact. While intense, the ending was too neatly tied up.

One thing that stood out was the audiobook performance, which was excellent. However, the writing in the eBook version didn’t quite match up. At least it was a quick read at 288 pages. 3 stars.

** I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions are my own.

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I have been fascinated (in a weird way) by China's One Child Policy, and have wanted to read a novel that tackles it from both angles- the parents giving up their child for adoption, and the parents adopting that child.
Behold- Jean Kwok's The Leftover Woman.
The book is written from the female parent's perspectives, Jasmine and Rebecca, and the reader sees how their lives have been changed by the adoption of Jasmine's daughter by Rebecca.
What follows is a shocking, tense and poignant story that will stay with the reader long after the last page.

While it seemed a little overwritten (literary) at times, this was an engaging story. I saw one “reveal” coming from a mile away, but another was harder to see. Some say there are plotholes, but I direct feel they took away fun the storytelling.

Wonderful characterization! Really loved the two central characters and the ways they were similar despite being so different in so many ways. Dramatic emotional ending. Really enjoyed it!!

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book! I will be posting my review on social media, to include Instagram, Amazon, Goodreads, and Instagram!

Surprisingly, The Leftover Woman took me a while to read for a short book, but worth it. Jean Kwok explores a wide range of topics, including complex family dynamics, the challenges of motherhood, and struggles with identity. Although I don't want to give away too much of the plot, I found the story gripping and thought-provoking, albeit sad. Despite guessing the twist, the journey was still engaging. Overall, this book would spark great discussions in a book club.