This book was a lot of fun. It felt like I was reading Ocean's 11. I also really liked how the lives of the three main characters were so different from each other; Rina's career driven passion clashed perfectly with Jane's consumeristic obsession. The surprise ending was unique enough that I wasn't able to guess what would happen. I definitely enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more by this author.

I love a good scammer themed book and this was no exception. We follow three friends, Rina, June, and Lulu and I enjoyed getting to see each of their stories. Lulu is getting married to help her family but with her two friends, they decide to try to steal the red envelopes that people will stuff with cash at their wedding. It was a longer story, but I found myself laughing as I read and wanting to keep going.

Heisty, reflective, and chaotic, Women of Good Fortune is a fast-paced read that explores familial expectations and the weight the next generation carries because of them.

Examining beauty standards, the impact of the one child rule, societal and familial standards for both men and women, and relationships (both with friends and love), I was surprised by the depth we got for all these characters. Of course, we couldn't fully dive into everything, but the large cast really helped to build this image of Chinese society and everything that comes with it. All the rot under the glittering facade.

A big focus is the heist and the three MC's friendship. We have Lulu, the bride-to-be who's always been trapped by her family's guilt for letting her (the second child and daughter) live; Jane, who's always been told her face was nothing pretty and is married to a man who originally wedded her for her apartment; and Rina, a workaholic who's afraid to let go of control. They have been friends for years, and want to use the heist to take back the reins of their lives.

I loved the exploration of their friendship along with their personal relationships - with their parents, their partners, and other people in their lives. The development of everything came together so well at the end that I was honestly a bit surprised. There are some relationships that I felt like needed a bit more page-time and a bit more work to get to where it all stands at the end, but overall, I was really happy with this chaotic ride of a story.

Women of Good Fortune is really great at providing an introduction to how Chinese society looks and feels, and shows that gilded cages are still cages. All in all, definitely a strong read and a solid debut from Sophie Wan!

TW: body shaming, emotional abuse, sexism, burnout, classism, misogyny, vomit, alcohol; mentions abandonment

Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
World Building: 4.5/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Pacing: 4/5
Overall: 4/5

eARC gifted via NetGalley by Graydon House via HarperCollins Canada.

Wonderful story of three friends who try to find their way to a better life through an Ocean's 8-esque scheme. I LOVED how each woman had her own problems and trials but take their own journey to find that they can be happier without all of the money that they are hoping to steal. I also really enjoyed the tie-in to the cultural fabric of Shanghai. A wonderful read set in the background of the shining pearl of the East that is Shanghai!

I received this arc from @netgalley.

Rina, June and Lulu live in Shanghai. June is married and has believed she is ugly her whole life and is lucky to have had a marriage arranged. Rina is a career driven woman who is past her prime being older than 27, and Lulu is getting married to help her family.
These three women think up a scheme to steal the red envelopes from Lulu’s wedding so they can each follow their dreams.
Did they succeed? Read and find out.

Thanks to NetGalley for the Advanced Reader copy.
I loved this book so much. The characters felt fully fleshed out and the plot lines all worked together pretty seamlessly. The build up to the heist had me sitting on the edge of my seat and staying up late to get to the end. MY only complaint is that I wanted more--to see what happens for Lulu, Rina, and Jane even further after the wedding. Great job, Sophie Wan.

This is a female heist caper set in. China. Lulu is a hostess at a Shanghai restaurant. She works hard, sending most of her earnings to her family. When she becomes engaged to the only son of a wealthy real estate family everyone thinks she has won the lottery. Everyone but Lulu and her two best friends. Lulu doesn’t want to get married or deal with a micromanaging mother-in-law but her family needs money. Her friends understand. They each need money for their own reasons. Jane wants plastic surgery and Rina wants to freeze her eggs. So they plan a heist. At the wedding people will give the couple a red envelopes stuffed with a fortune in cash. They hatch a plan to steal the cash and help Lulu escape.
I really liked the three main characters and the supporting cast. It was great to see them evolving as they plotted the heist. This was a clever, fun book with insights into society’s expectations of women in China.

Ocean’s 11 meets Crazy Rich Asians. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4. I enjoyed the plot, three main characters (plus Mei and Michaelangelo) and the setting, but felt like the book could have been a bit shorter. Overall, a fun, lighthearted read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Thank you NetGalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I throughly enjoyed the plot and characters within this book. It was relatively easy to follow and laugh out loud funny at times.

There were times that the story seemed to stretch on for me and I felt that some aspects could have been shortened a bit.

However, this was a great read overall!

Shanghai. Three women; Lulu, Jane, and Rina, Lulu is getting married though she's not in love with him, it would solve her family’s financial problems. Jane, is housewife in a loveless marriage. Rina, is a workaholic.
The three come up with a plan to perform a heist at Lulu’s wedding hoping to solve all their problems with the wedding gifts.

Shenanigans!!! Readable and fun!

Fans of Crazy Rich Asians (either the movie or the book) and Oceans 8 will love Sophie Wan's latest novel, Women of Good Fortune. Three friends once known as 'The Leftovers' find themselves immersed in the world of high society in Shanghai when Lulu is set to wed the city's most eligible bachelor. When Lulu realizes that getting married isn't what she wants (even though it will solve all her family's financial issues) her friends Rina and Jane step in to plan the perfect heist all right beneath the noses of Shanghai's elite.

Crazy Rich Asians meets Oceans Eleven!

This was a fun heist story that has more substance beneath the surface. I particularly enjoyed the underlying messages about self-acceptance, and the epilogue was the perfect ending touch. Wan also showcases Chinese culture in ways that allow readers who aren’t familiar to learn about it. I found the standards surrounding beauty and the rules around fertility to be fascinating and eye opening.

4.5/5: A wonderful debut that can best be described as Crazy Rich Asians meets Oceans Eleven.

Short synopsis: Three best friends plan an elaborate wedding heist in hopes that it’ll bring them happiness.

Thoughts: The short chapters, engaging plot, descriptive setting and lighthearted feel made this book a win for me. Sophie Wan did a great job giving readers a glimpse of the extravagant life of Shanghai’s elite all while exploring societal norms and gender expectations. Heist plots can be a hit or miss for me, especially if the book gives off too much of a “cozy” vibe. And while this had that same comedic feel, I loved how it really centered in on the friendship between the three woman and the decisions they made for themselves. Plus, there were some amazing romance side plots that had me swooning (always a win).

Read if you like:
-Shanghai setting
-Three POVs
-Rich people behaving badly
-Stories about female friendships
-Heist plots

Thank you HTP for the ARC! Pub 3/5

Women of Good Fortune is a fun and engaging read. The cover caught my eye, and I enjoyed the story immensely.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the chance to read a digital ARC.

I had the wonderful opportunity to read Women of Good Fortune by Sophie Wan, and this is one you’re going to want to put on your TBR. If you’re a fan of Crazy Rich Asians and Ocean’s Eight, then this book is right up your alley!

The Good:
I loved the humour in this book. So many laugh out loud moments, and not from just one single character. They all had scenes that either had me silently smirking or giggling to myself. And the friendships these ladies have was so fun to watch unfold. The growth they experienced individually and as a unit was heartwarming and delightful. Lulu, Rina and Jane each captured a piece of my heart with their unique voices and not so subtle quirks. I love a good heist, whether it is books or movies and this one didn’t disappoint. While there was a sense of somethings going down here, it also wasn’t fully predictable, which I liked.

The Bad:
Really not much, the build up to heist was a bit slow, but sometimes that’s just needed. I was incredibly irked by some of the characters and their behaviour, but again I think that’s just the roll they needed to play.

The Mentionable:
Trigger Warnings to be aware of: Bullying, language, theft, mention of drugs, alcohol consumption, closed door romance, toxic relationships, elitism, vomiting and verbal abuse. There was also a lot of insight into cultural expectations and roles, which isn’t a bad thing, but something to be aware of.

All in all, this was a fun book that I recommend checking out on its publication day, March 5th. These 3 amazing ladies will have you rooting for them from page one.

Thank you @harpercollinsca @frenzybooks for the gifted eArc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really wanted to enjoy this book more than I did. A girl-power heist with elements of Crazy Rich Asians sounds like a rollicking good time. For me it was the opposite. The plot sounds great in theory, with three best friends planning on stealing the wedding gift money at a high society wedding where one of them happens to be the bride. I was imagining that hilarious hijinks would ensue with bits of heart dashed throughout to ground it.

However, it was hard to root for any of the characters- some because they were just written to be unlikable and bristly, and some because they never were given any development at all. The pace is fast, and the plot is in motion almost immediately but there just isn't enough time spent building up these friendships and personalities. The women are watered down to three types: The Pushover, The Workaholic and The B*tch. Somehow they are all friends. Somehow their friendship is supposed to be strong enough to carry them through this wild scenario, but it starts to disintegrate almost immediately. It doesn't help that the smaller players in this drama just don't seem evil or unlikable enough to risk a prison sentence to steal and run away from them. Maybe if the future mother-in-law was deliciously fairy-tale evil, or the fiance was an absolutely simpleton, or the friend's husband was abusive, it would have worked better and given it some higher stakes. I just felt like the whole thing fell flat, and the 'happy ending' seemed rushed.

Thank you NetGalley and Graydon House for the ARC. This review reflects my own opinions.

A heist story with a heart! I was not expecting such poignancy in what I thought would be simply a fun escapade tale. This novel has nuanced characters whose stories pull at your emotions while ringing entirely true.
I alternated the egalley with the audio galley and thoroughly enjoyed both. Highly recommended.

This book almost felt like I was talking to or watching a friends life unfold. I really enjoyed it. I felt like I was apart of the story. Fully engulfed.

Women of Good Fortune is at its heart a novel about female friendship and loving yourself. The main three protagonists plan a heist, but while doing so are made to think about their friendship with each other, their romantic relationships, and their insecurities. I loved how each of Jane, Lulu and Rina had distinct voices so that the story being told in three POVs wasn’t disruptive— I actually looked forward to each of them. The novel taking place among Shanghai’s elites did have a bit of Crazy Rich Asians vibes, but I think there was quite a bit of depth as well. The countdown to the wedding also helped the pacing and the book flew by—I couldn’t put it down. There was a moment when I was worried that the friendships wouldn’t survive and there wouldn’t be happy endings for all, but I think everything was wrapped up well and I left the book feeling like Jane, Lulu and Rina were good friends about to embark on a new adventure. I think the book has sequel potential, so I’m hoping Sophie Wan brings these fabulous women of good fortune back!

I read on Sophie’s blog that she hopes to introduce to those not familiar with Chinese culture more about it, and to provide for those of us who have lived through similar cultural experiences something that feels familiar. It definitely did the latter for me and I’m looking forward to more of her work.

Thanks to Netgalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, Graydon House and Sophie Wan for the ARC.

Have you ever wondered how much cash is gifted at a grand wedding and what would happen if you stole it? That’s what Lulu, Rina and Jane are about to find out!
Each of them is affected differently by Chinese culture, and this debut explores how the pressure gives these three women in Shanghai a reason to participate in a heist — and change their lives..
I appreciate how this book shows the evolution of female friendships, how it changes as you get older. It also has a lot of important things to say about responsibilities, obligations to your family and how that can interfere with your own dreams.
Although this is a short book, it dragged in the middle for me. The actual heist lacks a faster, more exciting pace and tone. The wedding, that is supposedly a lavish affair, comes off as lacklustre - where is the glamour? Great idea, I wish the execution was more lively, fast paced and less focused on checking off one task after the other.
Special shoutout to the title and book cover, very catchy!

*Thank you to NetGalley for providing me a free ARC against an honest review*