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*

The setting: Shanghai. Three women of different circumstances--Lulu, Jane, and Rina, Lulu is getting married to one of Shanghai's most eligible and WEALTHY bachelors [though she's not in love with him--it would solve her family's financial woes], Jane, a housewife in a loveless marriage who is obsessed with changing her [not good] looks and acquiring status symbols. Rina, a workaholic, endlessly passed over for promotions, who is watching her biological clock.

The three come up with a scheme for a major heist at Lulu's wedding--thinking all those red envelopes stuffed with cash will solve their problems.

A fun, fast read that I can definitely see as a movie! Lots of humor but also poignancy because --well, being a woman in China has it's limitations.

Some great descriptions:
"aggressively defined cheekbones"
"Peng Ayi and Lulu's mom are aruging...Lulu and Harv watch...like it's a tennis match"

Loved some of the minor characters--especially Mei and Michelangelo.

Saw a trajectory coming a mile away/didn't much care--didn't really spoil it for me

Ace means gay in China--didnt know.

Enjoyed reading about Chinese culture/traditions.

Many reviews liken to Crazy Rich Asians and Oceans Eleven--yes!

3.5 but not rounding up becasue basically was fun/fluff.

Lulu accepts marriage proposal from Shanghai’s most eligible bachelor, because his family’s fortune would solve all her parents’ financial issues. But she's not marrying for love. When she confides in her best friends, Rina and Jane, they decide to steal all the money on the big day to solve all their money problems.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for my advanced electronic copy. My opinions are my own.

Lulu was plucked from her life as a restaurant hostess in Shanghai by Harv, a crazy-rich bachelor. All her life she's been told she owes it to everyone to provide what they need, especially her family. Now she’s traded her cage of poverty and and her family’s expectations for the cage of her rich in-laws expectations. And the kicker is, she doesn't even love Harv--and she's pretty sure he doesn't love her either. So when her friends Jane (trapped in an unattractive body and longing for acceptance for who she is), and Rina (a career woman desperate to stop time by freezing her eggs for when she finally has time for a relationship) come to her with a plan, she's ready to listen. And what they are planning will be the heist of the season in Chinese high society. But in the end will they be willing to pay the price to pursue their dreams?

What a rich, immersive story! Such well-rounded, realistic characters, all of whom I rooted for despite their flaws. And the attitudes and actions of main and side characters alike reminded me so much of what I saw while I was working near Shanghai). This had Crazy Rich Asians meets Ocean's 11 vibes, and was oh-so-cinematic! I couldn't turn the pages quickly enough to see if this team of women--all different but united in purpose--would go through with it and get what they wanted in the end.

So clever!

I am obsessed with this book's premise. High stakes heist with a bunch of complex women! Three friends with three personal struggles come together in such a unique premise.
I found myself relating to each of the girls for so many reasons.
I am also the type of reader that supports women's rights but ALSO women's wrongs lol
so the whole planning, plotting, finding your own slice of something good, is right down my alley.

Three women, all from vastly different backgrounds, become friends and then make a decision to change their lives. Rina, Lulu and Jane are all living in Shanghai in the modern day. Rina and Jane had educations abroad while Lulu has come from the country to support her family. Lulu is engaged to be married to a rich Chinese man, Jane is in an arranged marriage that she hates and Rina has chosen work over marriage, for now. They all want more and different lives and with this Jane proposes that they steal the wedding money from Lulu's nuptials. The planning of the heist and what follows really are the best part of the book but it was an enjoyable read. It took me nearly half this book to finally get into it and want to continue but I am glad I did.

This was a fun read! It was kind of like Crazy Rich Asians meets Ocean 11. The premise is that 3 friends are down on their luck in different ways. Lulu is set to marry a man from a rich family she's not keen on, Jane is in a lackluster marriage and Rina just lost out on a promotion. They decide to set up a heist to steal all the wedding red envelopes in order to help solve their problems.

You'll love this book if you love:
- women friendships!
- hijinks
- strategy meetings at a hotpot restaurant
- seeing characters and relationships change and grow throughout the book
- a happy ending

Thanks to Harlequin and Netgalley for getting an advance copy for me to read and review!

This was such a fun, interesting read. Loved learning about Chinese culture, specifically around classism, misogyny, and family ideals. The characters were funny and infuriating, the heist was ridiculous yet unpredictable and therefore somehow believable. The relationships were complex and the chemistry between Vic and Rina was palpable. That being said, the ending left me wanting more.

3.5/5

This was a very fun read - I love a heist plot and this did not disappoint in that regard. I agree with some of the other reviewers that I'm not sure each of the three friends' reasons justified the heist, but it was still exciting to see how they planned to pull it off. I also enjoyed learning more about Chinese customs, culture, and societal expectations. I would have loved to see a more developed ending, but I'm glad we got a glimpse at and some closure for each story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Lulu accepts the proposal of her rich boyfriend, who she was basically bullied by her mom into dating and saying yes to. She and her friends decide to steal the safe holding all the cash gifts at the wedding, with each friend planning to spend their share in her own way. Lulu plans to run away to Thailand. Rina plans to freeze her eggs. Jane plans to get plastic surgery and leave her husband.

I thought of this book as a mix between Ocean's 8 and Four Aunties and a Wedding. At the beginning, it seems like they have everything together, but since they aren't thieves by trade, obviously things are going to go wrong. I did find the way the events played out to be unbelievable, but I grew to like the characters so much that I didn't care. A lot of the story focuses on the lives of the three friends and their relationship, which kept me invested in the story.

Women of Good. Fortune- follows the POV of three friends.

Lulu who is about to marry Harv- who is from a rich family has reservations about whether she truly wants to get married or not.

Jane, who feels her husband and family does not support her and feels like she is in a loveless marriage.

Rina who is a workaholic who never feels appreciated at her job and being passed on from promotions.

They realize that a way to solve their problems is money and devise a.plan to steal the wedding money from Lulu's wedding.

This story me thinking it was a cross between Crazy Rich Asians, Kdramas, and the Oceans movies. It was great seeing each character grow in the story and continued developments of each relationship in the story.

Overall this book had some drawn out parts but it was entertaining. I enjoyed that we had multiple POVs that provided more insight on each of the character.

Enjoyed.

This book did not get or keep my attention. I couldn’t finish it but I think for the right audience it would be ok