Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for an EARC of this book in exchange for my honest review

I enjoyed this book but I was also confused. It was slow and also fast. I was expecting more heist and less romance. It had really interesting topics and the plot was good but just something was missing. It reminded me of crazy rich asians and I loved that but I just couldn't connect to the characters and maybe thats why overall the book wasn't super exciting to me. I think there could of been more added to the heist plot line and it would of made the book flow better

3.5 Rounded up for Netgalley! The premise of this was super interesting and I was very excited for this, but the execution itself was a bit lackluster. I just really struggled to understand the motives for the heist since realistically, none of their lives were as horrible as they made them out to be? I still enjoyed it though, there was just a bit of disconnect.

Women of Good Fortune is a novel set in Shanghai and features a strong female friendship and the events leading up to an elaborate wedding celebration. I am glad that I had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook as I probably would have mispronounced names and words used in the book. I enjoyed the themes of equality between men and women, family, familial bonds, friendship and even a bit of a romance element. There is even a bit of comedy in this book.

I recommend this book for readers who enjoyed Crazy Rich Asians.

This book was good but could have used a bit more character development. I really liked the way it ended, I think it allowed for the characters to grow as people and come together.

I do think the three main people’s friendship could have used more building, especially how it fell apart and what hadn’t worked over the years. Similarly, I wish I’d seen a bit more about how they come back together.

The romance and heist plotting was very interesting in this book.

So many things in life we don't think about, how are others affected? This was a fun romp. Plenty of twists in what will happen.

Set against a high-society Shanghai wedding, a heartfelt, funny, dazzling novel about a reluctant bride and her two best friends, each with their own motives and fed up with the way society treats women, who forge a plan to steal all the gift money on the big day

Good, story line. I highly recommend it and will read again. I also enjoyed the cover of this novel. I will definitely check out the other wirks by this author.

A fun, quick read. It's a great read to celebrate Asian and Pacific Islanders month. The heist made it feel a bit like the Finlay Donovan books.

Three women plot to steal the wedding money of one of them since she is not in love with her fiance. As they plot though, they realize there might be bigger consequences than expected.

I wanted to like this one, but I think my biggest problem was the way time passed in the book. At some times, we just got a brief chapter and then it was suddenly a month alter. I think it just made it feel jumpy and less cohesive.

I have to stop reading y'alls reviews when I'm still reading the book because it really does fuel the unkind belief I have that we are losing reading comprehension as a society.

Now I wouldn't say that any of the women featured here have snuck their way into being my favorite character, and at times they weren't the most fun to listen to. Still, most of the issues I had with them were actually addressed by the narrative and were brought up by characters in the book. It feels silly to penalize what was so clearly a deliberate decision on the part of Wan to craft this particular book.

I'll also say that I might not be the worlds biggest believer in the heist novel. I've read a few, and few have worked. I think that it's simply one of those things that works better in a movie where the moving parts feel cinematic in montage, but the feat of keeping all the moving pieces in the air in a book is harder. It's easier to pick out the flaws when there's nothing for them to hide behind. I don't think that's necessarily what I was doing here, but still actually reading about the heist wasn't as fun as reading about the planning.

I do appreciate stories about friendship; particularly stories where friendship starts to be tested and people start to call into question how real it all was and how much of it was self serving. Wan was able to strike that balance really well and have all the tensions really boil over in the third act. Honestly I thought that it was smart to move some of the conflict to the interpersonal connection of the three women and the strain the whole endeavor on their friendship and not rely on the actual heist to deliver all of the conflict and tension of the story.

So yeah, there were times where I did struggle to see the issues in their lives as they did. As an outsider it was easy for me to think that at times they were reacting in a way that felt outlandish, but it gave the characters somewhere to grow. Or even for them to convince me that I was simply in the wrong and not seeing things as they did. In the end it was an enjoyable time, certainly a good time, and one worth reading.

This was a thoughtful book about misogyny and the way women are undermined and underestimated wrapped in a crime caper. While the book leaned heavily on the insecurities of the characters, in the end Wan gives us the growth and change that each character needs. It was also a realistic portrait of women's friendships and how they can be challenging, but in the end loyalty wins out. I also really loved how the caper plays out in the end. Overall it was a fun read that manages to also keep you thinking. It could have been a bit better paced in the first half, but I would recommend.

I was excited for this book - best friends pulling off a heist set against the backdrop of Shanghai? A fun and engaging read that weaves the tension between loyalty, family expectations, and adventure between life-long friends.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Graydon House for an ARC!

Had the opportunity to devour this tale on a flight back and fell in love with these characters. I'd like to think of it as the anti-Crazy Rich Asians book and I absolutely adored every minute of it!

This was a fun idea but missed on the execution. I struggled with the main characters and their arcs through the novel. In the middle, they fell flat and lost what felt like their purpose. While characters certainly don’t have to be likeable, the middle of the book lagged significantly when all three were hard to connect with. The actual heist was interesting and I could see it translate to the tv screen.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

Women of Good Fortune
by Sophie Wan

In the bustling metropolis of Shanghai, where tradition clashes with ambition, Sophie Wan's debut novel, "Women of Good Fortune," weaves a tale of three women bound by friendship and a daring plan that could change their lives forever.

Lulu, the protagonist, finds herself at a crossroads when she accepts a marriage proposal from Shanghai's most eligible bachelor. While the union promises financial security for her and her family, it comes at the cost of her freedom and the stifling of her true desires. Lulu's internal conflict is the heart of the story, as she grapples with societal expectations and her longing for a life less ordinary.

Her confidants, Rina and Jane, are equally complex characters. Rina, a career-driven woman, faces the ticking clock of societal norms, while Jane, a sharp-tongued housewife, yearns for a divorce and a chance at a more luxurious life. Together, they embody the struggles of modern women against the backdrop of a society that often values them based on marital status and wealth.

The novel's central plot—a heist to steal the gift money from Lulu's high-society wedding—serves as a thrilling metaphor for the women's fight for autonomy. It's a bold statement on the lengths to which they will go to reclaim control over their destinies.

Wan's writing is both humorous and poignant, capturing the essence of her characters' plights with empathy and wit. The narrative is a dance between satire and sincerity, making "Women of Good Fortune" a standout in contemporary fiction.

As a reflection on the pressures faced by women, particularly in modern China, Wan's novel is a compelling examination of the pursuit of happiness and the cost of conformity. It's a story that resonates with anyone who has ever felt trapped by circumstances and dreamed of a different path.

Sophie Wan's "Women of Good Fortune" is a mirror held up to society, reflecting the complexities of life and the universal quest for fulfillment. It's a reminder that sometimes, fortune favors the bold.

4 stars from this reviewer, I found the story enjoyable and thought-provoking.

3 stars.
⤿ comedy fiction <3

how fun! women of good fortune follows lulu and her two best friends, rina and jane, as they plan a vengeful heist to steal all the money on lulu's wedding day. this heartfelt and funny novel was a lovely breath of fresh air from the high-stakes fantasy books i had been making my way through, and i always fall for a "girls supporting girls" theme that was prevalent throughout women of good fortune. what i liked most was the contrasting female friendships, rina being career-minded and realizing that perhaps work won't always be the primary focus for her, jane who is desperate for a divorce but wonders if she can even make it on her own, and the girls' musings about how their parents + upbringing affected their current states. the comedy was fluffy and cute, touching on topics like "how women are treated." the pacing did feel off at times, and i didn't like how there weren't any consequences for negative actions, but overall, it was a fun debut and I'll definitely look out for more work from this author.

thank you to the publisher and the author for the arc!

Thank you to NetGalley & Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing me with an ARC of Women of Good Fortune.

I enjoyed reading about Lulu, Rina and Jane and their wild scheme to conduct a wedding heist. While the book takes place in modern-day Shanghai, each woman grew up in different circumstances and they live very different lives. Their POVs carry the story and provide a glimpse into their motivations for the heist. This was a quick, fun read and I look forward to more books by Sophie Wan.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

Really enjoyed Women of Good Fortune. It’s marketed as a cross between crazy rich Asians and Oceans 8 and that… is very accurate.

The love stories in the book are fun but not terribly engaging or interesting but I did enjoy Wan’s writing. All in all, this book is good! Not great. But a fun short read.

Fans of Crazy Rich Asians will want to dive right into this fun novel about three friends, Lulu, Rina and Jane who cook up a wild scheme in order to change their lives. Lulu dreams of running away, Jane dreams of a new face and Rina dreams of being a mother - three unique challenges that can all be solved with one thing...money. With Lulu's wedding to a man from a prominent family looming, the group assembles a plan with the help of some friends to pull off a major wedding day heist. With so many eyes on the happy couple, no one could possibly suspect anything nefarious...right? This novel was a fun yet emotional ride, and would recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Graydon House for ARC access in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley & Harlequin Trade Publishing for the early copy in change for an honest review. Sadly, I DNF'ed at 10%.

I really could not stand the fast-paced and weirdly written story. The self-centered jerks called protagonists didn't help either.

I know this was probably meant to be empowering, but I can't take seriously a brand of feminism that says the solution to sexism is to...steal money from a wedding one of the women enters into under false pretenses.