Very fun and high-stakes novel about "sheng-nu" (leftover women) in China and the patriarchal expectations still perpetuated by the culture. I loved reading about Lulu, Reina and Jane and was fairly surprised and satisfied at the ending.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, Graydon House, for my ARC copy! This review contains my personal thoughts and opinions.

"Women of Good Fortune" by Sophie Wan is the perfect blend of heartwarming and thrilling, bringing together the elements of friendship, found family, and a hard-to-pull-off heist.

The story centers around the friendship between Lulu, Rina, and Jane. As the trio navigates the complexities of life as women in Shanghai, their friendship is tested as they plan and execute a heist that takes place during Lulu's wedding. Each woman is relatable in their own way, and I connected with them, which was nice as a reader.

One of the most compelling aspects of the book is the theme of found family. All three women and the two leading male characters, Harv and Vic, had deep-rooted issues with their respective families. Although there were difficulties between the friend group, they still found a family in one another. It was heartwarming to see how they were there for one another when they could not find love from their biological families.

Although the story mainly focuses on friendship and the heist, Wan did include a little bit of a love story between Vic and Rina. I thoroughly enjoyed the banter between the two of them. I won't give away any spoilers, but I was also satisfied with how things left off with them when the book ended. I would honestly love a follow-up story about the two of them!

Overall, "Women of Good Fortune" is a delightful read. It had humorous elements and valuable lessons, making me feel like my time was well spent.

Rating: 4/5

"He’s not going to stay for your face, so make sure you keep him with your cooking."
Whoa! Harsh much?! Friends Lulu, Rina, and Jane are all victims to the societal pressures of women being good for nothing but taking care of a man and children. And they're sick of it! So they plan a heist to steal all of the wedding cash from Lulu's "fake" wedding. Will they get away with it? Will it provide the freedom they are searching for? The story was lacking a bit of oomph in the planning up to the wedding but, it was a fun story and all of the loose ends tied up neatly at the end.

I was intrigued by the premise of this book but ultimately found that it could not hold my interest enough to make myself finish it.

I was given an ARC by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Women of Good Fortune by Sophie Wan is a contemporary novel focusing on three women in their thirties looking to carve a new future for themselves. Lulu has been pressured into marrying the son of a very rich man while Rina is looking to freeze her eggs as she focuses on her career and Jane is in the first year of her arranged marriage, desperate for plastic surgery to be beautiful. As Lulu’s wedding grows closer, the three women plan a heist to steal the red envelopes from the wedding and start their futures.

I am obsessed with Rina and the best man, Vic’s, romance. Rina and Vic met in college, didn’t see each other for ten years, and then met again when it was revealed Lulu’s fiance, Harv, was Vic’s best friend. Vic had been pining for Rina ever since while Rina is convinced he’s still who he was in college.

Their banter, their arc, the way Vic openly expresses his interest—-I love all of it. I would happily read an entire book on what happens after the novel.

Lulu and Harv have a very calm relationship that is mostly built on pressure from external forces as is Jane’s and her husband’s relationship. The two pairings create a juxtaposition for how relationships based on an arrangement can evolve in different ways.

Jane, Lulu, and Rina’s friendship goes through its own relationship as do their romantic relationships and their characters. It's beautifully done and puts value on female friendships and reminds us that life doesn’t end at thirty and there are more options for us besides getting married.

I would recommend this to fans of contemporary books with multiple romances, readers looking for books on female friendships, and those interested in books set in contemporary China from multiple female POVs.

From the cover of the book, I understand that this is to be a fun story set somewhere in China. As you dig deeper, you discover that the main cast consists of strong women, though each one has a fatal flaw that we the reader hope she'll overcome by the time we're done with the story. A few more chapters in, and we learn that this is also a heist story, almost like an all-female Ocean's 11 set in Shanghai, only this time, the women are stealing a treasure trove of red envelopes stuffed with cash, as well as their own destinies.

I appreciated the insider nods to Chinese culture, such as the valuing of Kirkland vitamins as gifts sent abroad (I am personally familiar with this in my own family) and the use of WeChat as the texting platform of choice, along with the women meeting at their favorite hot pot restaurant. As for the story, there were some elements I wanted earlier, and some elements I wanted fleshed out better. For example, it seemed a logical leap that the ladies mentioned 0ff-handedly to perform a heist with two additional helpers, then the plot suddenly swept us in that direction. I also wanted earlier hints at why the MC and her fiance are getting together at all, since the match is so ill-conceived. When we finally find out, it's gutting, but I felt it asked a lot of the reader to go along with until we got to that point, which was not until the end of the book.

Debut author Sophie Wan blends Chinese culture with a dash of romance, heist, and lots of femme power for a fun story that has a surprise empowering twist at the end. It will be interesting to see what this author does next.

Oh my god, I absolutely devoured this book! Ever since I came across it on NetGalley for request and was intrigued by it right away, I couldn’t wait to read this. It did not disappoint!!

This was so reminiscent of Crazy Rich Asians in the setup of all the characters and their families and the craziness of a wedding, but was 100% female-centric and involved a heist (IKR!). I have to admit it took me at least a week to actually get attached to this enough to go past the first five chapters. However, once I was able to sit with the book, I was through the whole thing in less than two hours. No, seriously.

I just loved the concept of this story, most importantly. Three friends, unhappy with their lives and full of this feeling of being trapped, plan a heist with the backdrop of one of their weddings, while also navigating the changes and realizations in their lives. The execution was just so good here, and I found myself attached to all three of the protagonists, similarly enthralled in all of their POVs. Of course, I did have a favorite (Rina, my girl), but I was invested in their journeys individually and together.

Although Rina was my favorite girl and I adored Vic, I had a soft spot for Jane and Zihao just a little bit more. There was so much to unpack there with their marriage and dynamic, but it was so realistic and the conflict was so heart-wrenching and heartwarming at the same time. I wanted to shake both of them to wake up and not be stupid, but their growth was so gentle and full of yearning — just the type I’m a sucker for.
Of course, Vic though — he was just a dream. I liked the lightheartedness of him and Rina, and the reprieve it gave from the intensity of the other relationship dynamics. That wasn’t without its flaws and angst either, obviously, but just so easy flowing to read.

I also have to mention Harv and Lulu because that was honestly such an ambiguous situation the whole way through. I genuinely couldn’t predict what was it would go, but I was satisfied with what it eventually turned out to be. I think that was the best way to handle their circumstances and give Lulu the “freedom” she had been looking for the whole time.

Basically, all the loose ends in Women of Good Fortune were tied up very well, and I loved all of the endings in this so much. The girls’ individual ones, as well as the ending (new beginning?) they found with each other. Ugh, it was just so so cute. I honestly don’t know what I was expecting from this book, but it has to be one of my favorite reads of the year so far, because even though I couldn’t get into it as quick as I had anticipated, it delivered everything! A definite, definite recommend.

I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Such a fun book, three best friends using a wedding as the ultimate hoax to complete their dreams. Extra fun if you have some knowledge with the Chinese language.

I really enjoyed this novel about three friends in China. Lulu is engaged to a man she doesn’t want to marry, Jane is saving up for plastic surgery because she hates the way she looks, and Rina wants to freeze her eggs so she doesn’t miss out on motherhood. They decide to steal the wedding gift money, a heist that will get each of them what they want most.

I thought this book might be more comedic, like the Aunties books by Jesse Q. Sutanto. And while similar, this book was not laugh-out-loud funny, and in fact really dealt with serious issues, like the pressure on young women in China to marry well and to be good wives and mothers. Shanghai seemed very different from the U.S.; while the underlying issues aren’t so different, the families and spouses exert much more control over women, even independent, educated women.

The three main characters begin the book feeling they are boxed into stereotypical roles. Lulu is pretty but from a poor family, so she’s expected to marry a wealthy man and support her relatives. Jane is expected to be the dutiful wife and be grateful she has a husband. Rina is a career woman who is a slave to her job. They all want more than that. Planning this heist allows them to step out of their comfort zones and I appreciated how clever and devious all of them could be at times. Where Sutanto’s books lean towards silliness, this book will remind you more of those heist movies where many people have a role to play and everything has to be planned to the minute (and of course there are lots of roadblocks along the way).

What I appreciated most about this book was the character development of the three main characters, and the way they struggle in their friendships and relationships. Each has serious issues they are dealing with, in many cases stemming from family abuses or losses. The men in their lives are also multi-dimensional, each dealing with their own issues, and also struggling with gender-based pressures to be in control and support their families. Often with books like this, it’s hard to keep track of the different narrators, but in this book that was never a problem because the characters are so different.

For these three friends, planning the heist should bring them closer together. But what happens when their interests conflict? That, for me, was the most interesting part of the story. Because as time goes on, it’s less and less about the money. This book starts a bit slow and develops thoughtfully as the book goes on, which is something I always like.

Wan is a graduate student and a Bay area native. This is Wan’s first novel and I look forward to reading more from her.

Note: I received an advanced review copy from NetGalley and publisher Graydon House. This book published March 5, 2024.

women of good fortune is like. well it's like if joy ride was a heist and made in china so needless to say its oodles and oodles of fun and sadness and it's great!

women of good fortune centers three women in a friend group, (lulu- the epitome of filial piety and buckles under the pressure of providing for her family, and who's currently getting married to a rich, wealthy man who she maybe sort of likes, rina- the no-nonsense businesswoman who's tired of getting passed over for promotions that not only is she is overqualified for but promotions she needs if she wants to win the war against her biological clock, and jane- the sharp-tongued housewife in seemingly desperate need to a way to look pretty to succeed in life) in their journey through self-discovery set against a heist that is set to secure them for life.

this book was incredible from start to finish--the heist was fun but the self-discovery was where it truly hit. i loved each woman so much, their struggles were so real and fleshed out and you coudn't help to love them in all their flaws. i feel like every romance was done incredibly well and it's just like. you can't help but have fun! and also feel sad sometimes, but mostly fun! that's the whole point of the novel and i loved it! so yeah <3

thank you to harlequin trade publishing and netgalley for the arc!

This is an enjoyable story that revolves around planning and pulling off a heist but is really about three women struggling with China's intense cultural expectations for women. The heist is their way of covertly pushing back against the stifling expectations: being a submissive wife, yet working to the point of exhaustion to secure a coveted professional role, honoring one's parents but still dreaming of a different future. The author does a nice job of balancing the gritty reality of what it means to be a modern woman in China with elements of humor and romance.
The interactions between the women and their love interests are especially appealing, and I appreciated how each character demonstrated tremendous growth from the beginning of the novel to the end.
The subtle romance, clever plot twist, and satisfying conclusion made for a delightful reading experience. Highly recommend!
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the complimentary copy. All opinions shared here are my own.

The female friendship shown in this book was so heart felt and real! The ups and downs that are portrayed are life like and really give the characters the depth that some novels are missing. As an American it was eye opening to see how China views marriage and to see how family dynamics work in the Chinese culture. Lulu has a family that depends on her, but her dad is the shining star to her. Jane and her mother’s relationship shows the beauty standards of China. Rina’s story brings light to women’s role in the workplace and how unfair it is. I love how Sophie Wan wove all three stories into one and there was a lesson for each woman that we as readers can take away from reading Women of Good Fortune, and that there was a bigger picture takeaway from all of the ladies stories being woven together. I would recommend this book to anyone who will listen!

Sophie Wan's debut novel - Women of Good Fortune - is newly released.
The cover and description of the book caught my eye - but it was the characters that kept me turning pages.

Shanghai, China is the setting. Rian, Lulu and Jane are the best of friends. They get together regularly to commiserate about their lives. Customs, societal expectations, family pressure, women's hopes versus what will happen and more. But what if...

Oh, I quite liked all three of the women. They're three very different personalities. Each of them is given a voice with their own chapters and we come to know them better. Wan has does a great job creating the women.

Now...what about that 'what if'. I'm just going to put this out there - heist! I am a sucker for a good heist. I'll leave you to discover the details of this one.

As the book progresses, the outlooks of the three change. And its not quite what the women expected. Me either. But it's absolutely a perfect ending.

What a great debut novel! I would happily pick up Wan's next title!

As a woman of Asian descent, I’m all too familiar with how unmarried women over 27 are viewed and treated, especially in Asian countries. What I loved about Women of Good Fortune was how the heart of the book is the stories of these women, whom the Chinese culture would consider “leftover women.” We don’t often get stories about Asian women where the end goal wasn’t marriage or romance but instead was about fighting against societal pressure and arbitrary “timelines,” and we can use more…

Full review can be found in attached link

This book was so fun and I devoured it. Basically, three besties plan an elaborate wedding heist with the hope that they will find happiness. Set in current-day Shanghai, the story is told from various perspectives and does a great job of exploring wedding culture in China. I felt that while the women all had very different backgrounds they were still all very strong and determined women.

A fun read that kept me engaged throughout.

I thought this novel was fun and there were even a few surprises! It's a classic caper story, but also about relationships and knowing what you want. Honest review 3.5 but giving 4 stars because I want others to read it. Also note that I read part (thank you Netgalley for an ARC) and I listened to part (thank you Libro.FM for an ALC).

It was a little too similar to Ocean's 8 for me. I did not care for the descriptions of the main female characters or the pacing of the book. Some spots the story was very fast paced and in others it was very slow. I was never given a chance to get to know each of the 3 main characters and their backgrounds. There was a lot of just telling me things happened or plopping me in different scenarios without context of how we arrived at that point.

This was such a fun book - I absolutely enjoyed it. I loved seeing the friendship between Jane, Rina and Lulu, and I felt like there was so much action. I couldn't put the book down because I wanted to find out what happened next so badly. Heads up, this is definitely women's fiction not romance, but if you're looking for heist action and well developed characters, definitely check out this book!

First and foremost, thank you to Netgalley and Graydon House for this arc. My opinions are my own.

Set in Shanghai, Lulu is getting ready to get married to a rich man whom she doesn’t love for her family's sake. Her best friends, Rina and Jane, are struggling with their own circumstances. Rina is a career-driven woman who is constantly looked over by her male counterparts. Jane is a housewife who is unhappy in her marriage and wants a divorce. All of their problems have a simple solution, money. When the three of them come up with a plan to steal the gift money from Lulu’s wedding, they are thrown into a world of lies, deceit, and security cameras. However, what they find from the heist may not be what they really wanted after all.

I was so excited to get this arc since it had one of my favorite things, female friendship. Nothing makes me happier than seeing women supporting each other. Although this technically had it, I didn’t like their friendship very much. I had a love-hate relationship with the girls, especially Jane. They were so incredibly selfish, but they were also entertaining. They all had their own trauma to process through and unfortunately, this trauma put the idea of this heist in their heads. The three of them represent different sides of the societal norms in Chinese culture. All three of them are looking for different things in their lives and this book had good commentary on these issues. Although I understand the desperation of their actions, it still doesn’t justify the harm done to those around them. I liked that the men in their lives were overall good people. It added a lot to the conflict of the story. The romances in this were good too. I loved Vic and Rina so much. I also rooted for Jane and her husband by the end.

Overall, a good start to hopefully a long career for Sophie Wan!

3.5 stars

I was hoping for more Oceans Eleven and less Crazy Rich Asians. I love a good heist story, and I was looking forward to reading about three women performing one vengefully. But the details of the heist were sparse, and it was more of a serious look at Asian culture, the dangerous allure of money, and friendship among women. I also got sick of the wealth flaunting. I'm poor. I don't want to read about all this ostentatious wealth. The characters were mostly unlikeable - whining about not getting what they want, and not caring who they hurt on their path to get what they "deserve." There's some redemption toward the end, but I wasn't completely satisfied with the ending. Mostly meh for me.

Content considerations: lots of swearing, references to sex but nothing explicit

I received a complimentary ARC from Harlequin Trade Publishing and Graydon House via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.