This book was a miss for me. I have several friends that I think would enjoy it and I will recommend- I had expected a lighter, more humorous novel. While it wasn't the tone I expected, I think that Wan built up the main characters beautifully- they are fully fleshed people that you could meet tomorrow. It's not that common to find authors with that skill!

Unfortunately, this book wasn’t for me, and I wasn’t able to finish it. The pacing didn’t hold my attention, and I struggled to connect with the characters. However, I appreciate the opportunity to review it and think it will resonate with other readers who enjoy more feel-good reads!

Women of Good Fortune is all about three friends—Lulu, Rina, and Jane—who decide to pull off a high-stakes heist to snag the gift money from Lulu’s over-the-top wedding in Shanghai. The creativity behind their plan is just awesome!

What really makes this book shine is the strong vibe of women supporting women, plus a whole lot of chaotic shenanigans that keep things entertaining. But it’s not all laughs; the pressure from family expectations hits hard and the book shows how it affects their independence.

Fair warning, it starts a bit slow, but stick with it—you’ll be totally invested in their heist before you know it!

Fans of Crazy Rich Asians, Ocean’s Eight, and Bridesmaids should definitely give this one a shot!

I received a gifted copy of this book.

I received an ARC of Women of Good Fortune by Sophie Wan through NetGalley. This was my first time reading this author, and while the book had its moments, it didn't fully meet my expectations. Set against the backdrop of a high-society Shanghai wedding, Women of Good Fortune follows Lulu, a reluctant bride, and her two best friends, Rina and Jane. Lulu is pressured into marrying one of Shanghai's most eligible bachelors to solve her family's financial woes, despite not being in love. Her friends, each with their own struggles—Rina with her career and biological clock, and Jane with her desire for luxury and freedom—join forces to steal the cash gifts at Lulu's wedding. Their plan, however, becomes increasingly complicated, testing their friendship and resolve. As the central character, Lulu is portrayed as obedient and soft-spoken, yet she harbors dreams of independence and adventure. Her internal conflict between duty and desire is a key element of the story. Career-driven and single, Rina is determined to prove herself in a male-dominated workplace. Her struggle with societal expectations and her own ambitions adds depth to her character. A sharp-tongued housewife, Jane is desperate to escape her unhappy marriage and achieve the luxurious lifestyle she craves. Her boldness and determination make her a standout character. While the plot is engaging and the heist adds an element of excitement, some aspects felt predictable, and the pacing could have been tighter. However, the characters are well-developed and relatable, making the book an enjoyable read overall. Fans of contemporary fiction and stories about female friendship and empowerment might find this book particularly appealing. #netgalley #womenofgoodfortune

What a delightful story! Another review pointed out that this was like <i>Ocean 11</i> + <i>Crazy Rich Asians</i>. I beg to differ. The only similarity to <i>Crazy Rich Asians</i> was how the bride was to marry the heir of one of the richest in Shang Hai. It felt more like if one of the girls of <i>The Joy Luck Club</i> were to marry a megarich man.

I was a little wary at first. Many ARCs I read had not been well written. The plot was confusing. There were grammatical errors. Not the case here! The words flowed very well and kept my attention throughout.

It started out as a simple heist story. Get the money. Get out. The girls would have the funds to pursue their dreams. Sprinkle in some "death to tradition" and "death to patriarchy" which is a common theme in works written by Asian Americans. However, there were more issues hidden under the surface than a simple plot to steal money. I could understand the pressure of pleasing everyone, living up to the family's expectations, and saving the family's face. While my situation was never as dire as these ladies, I could understand just taking a leap of fate to do what I wanted and not what everyone else wanted.

As with all heist stories, the plan went awry, but in the most unexpected way. I did not see this outcome and was delightfully surprised.

Posted on Goodreads and Amazon.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Team for this Advanced Digital Readers Copy, I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

3.5 stars

I listened to it as an audiobook and at first I had some issues connecting with the story. About one third of the story in, I started enjoying it a lot. I love books that have friendship at their core and this was so funny, at a times it felt as if I was watching a movie rather than reading an audiobook.

The social commentary on women and the expectations from society we have to deal with while following the planning of a heist was an attention grabber that got the point across, it gave it that feeling of coming of age but with characters in their late 20s.

I would love to see this story adapted either for TV or as a webtoon.

Women of Good Fortune by Sophie Wan is an adventurous story about three close friends, each battling their own discontentment, who develop a plot to come into a large sum of money so they can change their lives in ways they all feel is necessary to propel them into happiness. What ensues is a story about friendship, trust, stopping to see your blessings for what they are, and a good old fashioned money heist.

Think Oceans 8 meets Crazy Rich Asians. Such a fun story!

Thank you so much to Net Galley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. It was so fun to read!

This was a fun, quick read! The overall premise gave me Ocean's Eleven and Crazy Rich Asian vibes! If you enjoy a good heist, this book might be for you.

This was an enjoyable light read. I flew through it rather quickly.
The heist aspect of the story added an extra element to a contemporary romance that contributed in a positive way.
Lulu, Jane and Rina are each disenchanted with their lives as they currently are and are searching for a way out. Each of them has a considerable amount of pressure and road blocks to overcome. Lulu is expected to have over most over her money on order to support her parents and her mother’s ultimate goal for her is to have them all be supported through her upcoming marriage. Jane married a year ago in a marriage of convenience since there were no other options for a woman of lesser beauty. Rina is trying to rise up the ladder in her career, but as a 30 something female, that proves to be nearly impossible as the expectations on her increases despite being turned down for a promotion.
Their solution - steal all the money at the wedding.
The character development is the strength of this book.
Jane’s insecurities make character growth difficult even though her husband is making a considerable effort to improve the state of their marriage. Lulu really struggles to figure out what her place is the world should be and Rina strives for independence. These woman all grew so much as the story progressed and by the end find their place.
I recommend this book to anyone with pressure on their lives that seems insurmountable and to those that are trying to figure out their place in the world.
Thank you to NetGaller and Harlequin Trade Publishing for a digital arc of the book. The opinions expressed are honest and my own.

I really enjoyed this! Featuring fascinating characters, a unique plot, and featuring strong female friendship. I also loved that it was set against the Shanghai backdrop.

*many thanks to Graydon House and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

I was very excited to read this story based on the synopsis. Though I liked the overall premise, I did not find the characters likeable and eventhough that usually does not influence my rating of a story, I think this time it did.
Jane's extreme self-hate and Lulu's seemingly I-can't-save-myself syndrome really irked me. It is a unique story and has some fun parts.
Thank you to the publishers for this ARC.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

The story is about a bride and her two best friends. They are all unhappy with their lives and decide to steal the gift money to escape. Although the topic, plot and idea are interesting, somehow the execution did not resonate with me. I did enjoy the friendship of the three women but did not enjoy the characters themselves. This is an ok but not memorable read.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this in exchange for a candid review.

I really enjoyed this book. I went into this not knowing to expect and I was pleasantly surprised! Love the relationship between the group and the heist!! The friendship was my absolute favorite part of this book and I can see myself reading it again.

Reluctant Bride’s Heist Plan

Women of Good Fortune is a delightful, high-stakes heist novel centred around three friends in Shanghai: Lulu, Jane, and Rina. The story follows their audacious plan to steal the wedding money at Lulu's high-society wedding. Each woman is driven by her struggles: Lulu is set to marry a man she doesn't love, Jane is desperate for money for plastic surgery, and Rina dreams of a different life. Their scheme unfolds amidst the glitzy backdrop of Shanghai's elite, blending humour, tension, and heartfelt moments.

Women of Good Fortune is a captivating and thought-provoking read that combines the thrill of a heist with the exploration of significant social issues. Sophie Wan's debut novel is a testament to her ability to weave complex characters and themes into an entertaining narrative. Its strengths lie in its character development, thematic depth, and engaging writing style. However, readers looking for a straightforward plot may find the heist's intricacies a bit overwhelming. Overall, it is a delightful and insightful novel that offers both entertainment and reflection.

I really wanted to like this book and there are definitely parts of it that I enjoyed but overall the plot was not well conceived and I desired so much more from it.

Sophie Wan has an intriguing premise for this book - but it fell a bit short of expectation. Found myself disconnected from the story and the motivation of the characters - would have loved more in depth portrayal of the characters' motivations and connection to one another.

Absolutely perfect! I loved the story and the characters so so much! This book felt so good to finally read! Thank you for the chance!

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC! I really enjoy a heist but the characters and their motivations didn’t work for me here. It fell short!