This was a lighthearted, fun and easy read! A
book about a heist isn’t something I would usually gravitate towards, but it was nice to read something a little different! I enjoyed the themes of strong female friendships, but the story lacked some of the depth needed in order to make it a 4 or 5 star read for me.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the e-ARC of this book.

Lulu moved to Shanghai to find a better life and now is getting married to the most eligible bachelor in Shanghai, because he asked, and she felt she had to say yes. Her friends have decided to save her from a loveless marriage and make themselves rich in the process by planning a wedding heist - they will steal all the red envelopes at the wedding and plan Lulu’s escape. Now the social event of the season is also going to be the biggest heist of the year if the three women and can pull it off.

I thought this would be a fun read but much of the book was weirdly sloggy and a bit boring. It definitely picked up during the wedding scenes but the relationships and characters never really felt fleshed out for me and were pretty unlikable in general. There was some interesting parts regarding life in Shanghai and I really liked the dynamic between the best man and one of the friends but in general, the book fell a bit flat for me.

3.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC to review

"Women of Good Fortune" is a debut contemporary novel set in Shanghai, where three very different Chinese women plot an elaborate wedding heist in the hopes of starting new lives. Rina, Jane, and Lulu are all stuck in lives they don’t want. Lulu is expected to marry a rich man to help out her family. Jane keeps getting passed over at work no matter how hard she works. Rina is stuck in a loveless marriage and she wants out. All three of them devise a plan to steal the gift money from Lulu’s wedding and start new lives.
I had so much fun reading this book. It’s fast-paced, funny, and over the top. It reminded me a bit of the Finlay Donovan series, you will definitely need to suspend your disbelief in some areas as the plot is exciting and ridiculous (in a good way).
I also loved the focus on the friendship of these three gals. The ways in which they support each other and also the individual character growths they each had.
My very small qualm with the book is the beginning. Initially, the characters felt a bit like caricatures but that was easily resolved by the end.

Thank you to Netgalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Graydon House for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Name of the publication/blog/outlet where your review will be published/posted: Instagram
Run date for when the review will be posted/published: 3/3/24
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Review:
PUBLISHING MARCH 5 (just two more days!!)

Thank you @netgalley and @harlequin for this advanced readers copy! Women of Good Fortune is about three friends who decide to pull off a heist in order to get what they think they've always wanted. This is a mix of Crazy Rich Asians if it also featured a female heist story. That said, this was more than a fun book about a heist. At the core, it was a story about the sacrifices of being female in a male dominated society and how friendships can be just as tough as romantic relationships at times. Women of Good Fortune had moments of lightheartedness and vanity mixed with tender, touching moments between the main characters. I related to each of the main women in the book in different ways throughout the read. Something I really appreciated was the character and relational development between the characters throughout the book. A fast, fun read!

Women of Good Fortune takes place in Shanghai and focuses on the lives and friendship of three 30-something women, Rina, Lulu, and Jane. All have something they want and the only way they can get it is by stealing the money from Lulu’s wedding.

I really enjoyed learning about Chinese culture in this book. We see how society feels about women who are unmarried in their 30s, how women are treated in the workforce, and the relationship between parents and children.

Other than that, I personally was not a fan of the story and had a hard time connecting to the characters. I found most of them to be a bit selfish and found myself getting frustrated. I kept hoping the story would get better and, though I somewhat enjoyed the heist bits, it never really enjoyed it.

I will say I liked seeing how the characters and relationships between people changed from the beginning of the story to the end.

[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Women of Good Fortune releases March 5, 2024

2.5

Set in Shanghai, Wan’s debut tackles socioeconomics and the societal expectations and pressures for women to get married by a certain age, while layering the intricate pieces that are required to plan a heist.

Told in alternating pov’s, we have three friends: Lulu, Rina, and Jade.
Lulu has just been proposed to by Shanghai’s most eligible and wealthy bachelor. Their wedding is set to happen in the next 10 months, though she’s not too eager to be married at all. Being born a girl during China’s one child policy has left her with lingering guilt her whole life, so she goes through with the engagement in order to be able to provide for her family.
Jane has grown up believing she’s not pretty and has an obsession with designer items and clothing. She’s been married for 6 months but isn’t happy because her husband didn’t settle based on her looks, so she wants a divorce. In order for that to happen, she believes that she needs to undergo plastic surgery.
Rina is Lulu’s roommate and a career-focused woman. At 32 years of age, her goal is to travel to the US to freeze her eggs, but her timeline has been derailed when she doesn’t get the promotion she was working so hard for.

With 8 months to go until Lulu’s wedding, the three friends come up with the elaborate idea to pull off a heist at her wedding where they’ll steal all of the red envelopes filled with money that are given as wedding gifts.

The characters were insufferable and not fleshed out enough. I wanted more insight and details pertaining to the planning of both the wedding and the heist.
Lulu’s wedding with Harv was supposed to be the biggest and most extravagant wedding of the year, and it just did not come across that way.
The ace rep felt like a forced diversity check box.
Also, I don’t want to say the Chinese incorporated was incorrect per say, but it definitely didn’t read the most natural.

Thank you to Sophie Wan, Graydon House, and NetGalley for pre-approving me to receive an electrical Advanced Review Copy of Women of Good Fortune. All opinions mentioned in this review are my own.

The strength of Wan's debut novel lies in its well-developed characters and sharp dialogue. Lulu, Jane, and Rina each bring their own unique perspectives and struggles to the table, and watching their friendship evolve throughout the story is both heartwarming and engaging. Wan skillfully explores themes of family, ambition, and self-discovery, making the characters' journeys feel relatable and authentic.

I particularly enjoyed the insight into contemporary Chinese society and culture that Wan provides. From traditional customs to modern-day dilemmas, the novel offers a fascinating glimpse into the lives of its characters and the world they inhabit. Additionally, Wan's clever use of time stamps and character voices keeps the story organized and easy to follow, despite its multiple viewpoints.

While "Women of Good Fortune" is primarily a light-hearted romp, it also touches on deeper issues such as sexism, classism, and societal pressure. These themes add depth to the story without weighing it down, making it a thought-provoking and enjoyable read for readers of all backgrounds.

Overall, "Women of Good Fortune" is a charming and well-crafted debut that is sure to delight fans of contemporary fiction. With its engaging characters, witty dialogue, and insightful commentary, it's a book that's hard to put down. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fun and thought-provoking read.

Review to post on duffRUNStough.com on March 4th. One day before release date.

Women of Good Fortune follows three unhappy friends through their lives in Shangai. Lulu grew up poor and thinks her best opportunity is to marry a rich socialite. Rina has her focus laser set on promoting in her current job and Jane is a brand-obsessed woman desperate to divorce her husband. The women suddenly see Lulu's wedding as a way out of their depressing lives. The woman plot to steal the wedding money from Lulu's wedding and start a new.

This was a really fun read- it showed the complexities of female friendships and finding the balance of making yourself and those around you happy.

A fun, frothy read reminiscent of “Sex and the City” combined with the cultural context of “Counterfeit.” I particularly enjoyed the author’s descriptions of the setting (Shanghai) and its quirks. The ending felt fairly tidy but still satisfying.

I’m here to rave about this book for forever and a day! Perfect for fans of Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan and Counterfeit by Kristin Chen (two of my all time fave books) when I tell you this book was smart and ohhhh so funny👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 BRAVO!

5.0⭐️

⭐️WOMEN OF GOOD FORTUNE out MARCH 5TH⭐️

Thank you @graydonhousebooks @htpbooks @htp_hive for the review copy for my honest review❤️

#womenofgoodfortune #sophiewan #graydonhousebooks #htpbooks #htphive #htppartner


See my review here: https://www.instagram.com/p/C4BcmrLLvLq/?igsh=MTZ5bDU5Y29wNGE1aA==

Women of Good Fortune is Women's Fiction. It's set in Shanghai and follows 3 unhappy friends: Lulu, Jane and Rina.

Lulu is getting married to a rich man with a controlling mother. The book starts 10 months before the wedding.

Lulu really feels pressured to get married. Rina is a workaholic who is constantly being passed over for promotions at work. And Jane is a housewife whose husband won't give her the luxury lifestyle that she desperately wants.

The three women plan a heist. This book took me a long time until I felt invested in the story. I only really enjoyed it once the wedding was taking place. It was interesting to see the development of each romantic relationship. And some of it was definitely funny.

I really enjoyed the Asian rep. I liked the premise. And the cover is amazing! And I did end up liking the end. Just moved to slowly until they got to the wedding.

Lulu and her two dearest friends are utterly exasperated with the way women are perceived and treated by society and their own families. As a result, they hatch a daring plot to steal all the cash gifts at Lulu's upcoming wedding. With the money, they each can take control of their lives and enjoy the financial independence they had been seeking. The trio has been meticulously planning their heist for weeks. The question now is, will their preparations pay off? Will they be able to execute the heist with precision and get away with the stolen money?

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Graydon House for this e-arc.*

Women of Good Fortune by Sophie Wan is a fun and entertaining novel about three best friends who plan an elaborate wedding heist.

Told in three character POV, this novel is full of friendship, romance, and women supporting women.

This is a total gem gem of a book

This book had me intrigued with the premise, but then I just started to get a bit of a bad feeling about it.

At first I thought this would be so fun, with hijinks and tense moments as they try to steal the money. And this book did have those things, but the selfishness of the characters had me feeling weird about it.

Jane was so ridiculously abrasive to her husband and treated him terribly, even when he was trying so hard to make it work between them. And Rina was manipulating Vic despite it being obvious that he had deep feelings for her. With that, they’re supposed to be Lulu’s best friends, but they don’t listen to her or ask for her advice, they just tell her what to do.

Now, there may be some nuance that I’m missing because I am not well versed or experienced with Chinese culture, but… I don’t know. It just didn’t work for me. I did find that it was a good read despite this though, and found it eye opening to how parents treat their children and how women are treated as well.

What happens when three best friends come up with a crazy wild plan? You commit to the bit and of course you make a presentation for it to share over dinner.

This has to be one of my favorite reads in a while! The characters in this book are incredibly relatable, particularly for readers like me, who grew up as the child of immigrant parents. Which, not going to lie, the portrayal of Peng Ayi and Lulu’s mom, with their guilt-tripping and high/un-real expectations, is both triggering and authentic on what it’s like to grow up with Asian mom. On the other hand, Lulu’s dad is your typical Asian dad where they are a man of very few words who will always show their love through actions.

I couldn’t help but to fall in love with Rina and Vic storyline, especially with Vic and his tattoos and wanting to keep his grandma happy and Rina being such a girl-boss.

One of my favorite quotes from this book is when Michelangelo tells Lulu that “Purpose is something you choose. You can’t rely on others to give it to you.” As someone with an Asian mom, you grow up constantly hearing that you have to be a doctor, a lawyer, or an engineer because anything less is a disgrace. You must sacrifice your own happiness and peace of mind to carry on the family legacy or you’ll cause the family to loose face. I think that’s why this book means so much to me - we get to watch Lulu, Jane, and Rina grow and learn that it’s okay to do something for yourself without the guilt of making others happy (something my therapist is constantly telling me).

AND YESS QUEEN FOR ACE REPRESENTATION - you don’t understand how much this means to me as someone who is Chinese-American and identifies as ace.

Can’t wait for everyone to read this on March 5th! A big shoutout to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book.

Women of Good Fortune is a super-fun heist/romance for fans of Crazy Rich Asians and Ocean’s Eight.

Sophie Wan’s debut novel is 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.

What starts off as a cold-emotionless get-rich-quick plan quickly becomes more complicated as the friends come to care about the people who will be impacted by their actions. Each with so much to gain by the windfall, they find that they might just have as much to lose by going through with the scheme.

Thank you to @harlequintradepublishing and @NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is perfect for fans of Crazy, Rich Asians, Ocean 11 and Counterfeit. Loved the premise of the book where three best friends plan an elaborate heist in order/hopes that it'll bring them happiness. I loved the storytelling and the characters. The multiple POVs had distinct and unique voices. Loved this novel!

I received a complimentary copy of this book for reviewing purposes; opinions expressed are honest and mine alone.

WOMEN OF GOOD FORTUNE is Sophie Wan’s debut novel and it’s a good addition to book club fiction. Amazon/GR doesn’t include that genre for this book but I see it as a no brainer. Sure, it’s Friendship and Women’s Fiction as well but there’s gonna be lots of chatter about the antics of these three friends. I can see Shonda optioning this book for lots of fun episodes…

As an American reader, I enjoyed the visit to contemporary, Chinese family life. The three friends cover the entire spectrum of society from very blue collar to uber wealthy. Sophie Wan delivers Chinese traditions that have been practiced for thousands of years along with up to the minute fashion, makeup, accessories, cars and more. These, along with the roles of women, in family, society and work, are portrayed thru the three best friends. Two of these friends are considered “leftovers” by Chinese standards - women over 27 who are yet to be married. Not so long ago, it was all of them and this idea haunts them.

Characters are Wan’s strongest element, closely followed by dialogue. Every cast member has a unique issue and most experience growth over the course of the story. Relationships cross over but aren’t so complicated you’re going to need a score card. I am particularly fond of good people being bad and vice versa. There’s only one character that’s mostly reprehensible but, well, every good story needs a monster! Wan’s characters each have a voice that’s clearly expressed via snappy dialogue that drives this story at a comfortable pace.

Each chapter has a time noted, such as: 10 months to the wedding, 5 months…3 days. They also are set up to be voiced by a particular character and their name appears as well. It’s a simple format and works in a storyline such as this one. It’s well organized and keeps the cast of characters from becoming confusing.

Language and sexual content are both mild making this a safe choice for 16+, if they would be interested in the storyline. As I mentioned early on, a good choice for book clubs with opportunities to discuss family relationships, expectations, society inequalities, friendships, marriage traditions, following your dreams and can you be leftover and WOMEN OF GOOD FORTUNE📚

Read & Reviewed from a NetGalley eARC, with thanks

I love a heist story, so I was intrigued by the premise of Women of Good Fortune, in which three friends plot a heist to steal the gift money from one of Shanghai's biggest society weddings to help change their fates.

Lulu, Rina, and Jane have been friends for years, calling themselves "The Leftovers" in joking reference to being single later in life. Lulu, a former waitress engaged to marry into a rich family to supporting her family financially, dreams of escaping the needs of her parents and her overbearing mother-in-law to find far off adventure in Thailand. Jane, an unfulfilled housewife coping with her lackluster marriage with luxury shopping, hopes plastic surgery will give her the social respect she craves and the leverage to leave her husband. Rina is a tireless career woman who puts in constant work in hopes that her company will give her the promotion she needs to fund fertility treatments. All three women hatch a plot to steal the gift money from Lulu's own wedding, having calculated that the ultra-wealthy wedding guests will gift several million yuan, enough to easily fund their dreams. We follow these women as they execute their plot only to have nothing go to plan on the big day. Can their friendship survive all that upheaval?

This book was more introspective than I expected for a heist story. Nearly two thirds of the book are dedicated the planning stages, counting down the weeks until Lulu's wedding and tracking the three women's shifting attitudes toward their plans the closer they get to their deadline. I was surprised by the brevity of the heist itself. With such a slow start, the narrative doesn't allow time to revel in the twists and quick last-minute pivots the women make as they try to pull of their plot under increasingly daunting odds. The focus on the protagonists' emotions and desires makes for a strange tone, too, feeling more Eat, Pray, Love than Ocean's Eight. Between the tone and the pacing, the final twist and quick resolution feel a little too rushed to be satisfying, although it was an engaging and fun enough read.

WOMEN OF GOOD FORTUNE by Sophie Wan is a fun, entertaining escapist read. Set in Shanghai, Wan's debut novel features three good friends who are dissatisfied with their life circumstances. Lulu feels beholden to her economically struggling parents and trapped in an engagement to a wealthy young man. Jane, herself in a marriage of convenience, wants to change her appearance to be more conventionally attractive and Rina is a hard-working career woman who cannot seem to get the respect and promotions she deserves. A truly improbable quest to steal the red envelopes (cash gifts) from Lulu's future wedding suddenly becomes their focus. A large part of the humorous novel is about their efforts to circumvent the security system and arrange for a get away driver, etc. However, there are also many serious underlying themes, particularly the uncomfortable mother-daughter clashes. Over several months prior to the wedding, each of the women also experiences growth in her relationship with a significant other (fiancé Harv, husband Zihao, and quasi-boyfriend bad-boy Vic). Readers may need to suspend belief regarding some of the heist twists (and way over the top wedding expenses) but will come to root for the three friends' abilities to value each other and to ultimately make wise choices. WOMEN OF GOOD FORTUNE received a starred review from Booklist. Discussion questions are included for interested book groups.