I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher, in return for an honest review. This review is based entirely on my own thoughts and feelings.

Overall rating : 4*
Writing skill : 4*
Plot: 4*
Pace: 4*
Characters: 3*
Twist: 3*

Wow this book had a lot going on, but it was written so well it didnt feel overly messy and I was able to follow it all easily. I liked the dual perspectives, and the dual timelines. I did however guess the twist, I dont see how anyone couldnt, but it didnt spoil the story at all, it was a welcome relief the way it all played out. I would have been really miffed had the inclusion of the epilogue been skipped, that chapter was really need to complete the whole story. Overall a great book, with important topics and talking points. Would be great for a bookclub.

Jean Kwok has merged the stories of two women. The first if Rebecca. An executive who has an adopted Chinese daughter. The other is Jasmine a Chinese woman who gave up her child for adoption.
The story is told from the perspectives of both women and how both of their lives have been affected by adoption. There is also a little hint of danger.
I loved the writing style and how the stories merged. Well worth a read.

The Leftover Woman follows the stories of Rebecca, an editor in chief who fears her career and marriage could be in danger after a major scandal surrounding one of her authors, and Jasmine, a Chinese immigrant who has arrived in America in search of her daughter who was put up for adoption straight after her birth. The two stories intertwine and connect in a story of womanhood and family.

I really enjoyed this book, particularly the second half once the stories had started to join. I loved Kwok's writing style and found the pacing for the most part to be absolutely spot on and I was never bored. Once the stories connected I found I couldn't put the book down and I was audibly gasping or holding my breath at various points which shows how intense and emotional the writing was. In the first half I enjoyed Rebecca's story a lot and I liked how frank and honest her perspective was.

However, at times I did find Jasmine's point of view to be slightly repetitive which did make the plot lose momentum. Having finished the book and seen how the stories connect up, I understand why we get told so many small details but at the time hearing about the minutiae of each day at her job did become slightly tedious. Aside from this I really loved the book and this is my only small gripe with it hence the four star rating.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and thought it was a fresh take on the thriller genre. I also really enjoyed Jean Kwok's writing and will definitely be looking out for more of her books!

I have been fascinated (in a weird way) by China's One Child Policy, and have wanted to read a novel that tackles it from both angles- the parents giving up their child for adoption, and the parents adopting that child.
Behold- Jean Kwok's The Leftover Woman.
The book is written from the female parent's perspectives, Jasmine and Rebecca, and the reader sees how their lives have been changed by the adoption of Jasmine's daughter by Rebecca.
What follows is a shocking, tense and poignant story that will stay with the reader long after the last page.

The Leftover Woman is a great thriller that not only questions what it means to be a woman but questions what lengths one would go for their children.

Highly recommend this title to thriller and social justice advocates alike!

The Leftover Woman is an absolutely brilliant and extremely well crafted thriller. But it's way more than that. It's a statement about what it is to be a woman, a mother, a wife, a friend. What it is to be broken and to fight back against injustice.

The way the stories of Rebecca and Jasmine intersect was just mind blowingly brilliant. I am usually pretty good at predicting the direction thrillers are going in, but this one totally took me by surprise and I love it when that happens.

I loved the direction the author took this story in, and as well as being a heart in mouth page turner, this book gave me all the feels as it showed the best of human nature and what unconditional love really looks like.

Definitely one of my favourite reads of 2024.

My Thoughts: this book was brilliant! – part thriller, part women’s fiction, not a mix of genres I’d put together but wow did it work!

Two women who couldn’t be more different, but ultimately want the same thing, to be a mother & there’s nothing they won’t do to make that happen.

Fast paced, full of twists and turns that leave you not knowing which way is up.

I don’t want to say too much because it’ll ruin the whole addictive atmosphere of the book, there are so many important topics covered & done so well.

This book made me feel so many emotions, anger, sadness, happiness just name a few.

This is my first dive into Jean Kwoks writing and it definitely won’t be my last, this book will stay with me for a long time.

Jasmine arrives in New York, broke and alone, to escape her controlling husband back in a small village in China. She discovers that he gave up their baby girl for adoption after telling her that the baby died and she's determined to find her.
Thought this was beautifully written and heartfelt story of two women, from totally different worlds, whose lives collide.

This book!! I was not expecting this to be one of my top reads so far this year but it will be one i will be recommending to everyone now .
I'd class it as a literary thriller / mystery , with a plot twist half way through that i wasn't expecting , one of those moments when you stop reading and say wtf !

The novel is very atmospheric and you can feel yourself in the surroundings as you read (very similar vibes to the expatriates by Janice K Lee) . There are a lot of deep themes in the book, motherhood, immigration, poverty and privilege , it's a book that has very current issues and is not a far fetched mystery like many are nowadays . The characters are well developed, the writing is on point and i think this would make a great Netflix series .
I'll definitely be reading her earlier novels now

I found myself completely engaged and desperate to know the next development in this drama. Jasmine has escaped at all costs to America from rural China. She has escaped a life of abuse and degradation, in order to find a daughter that was said to have died at birth, but instead was given up for adoption in America. She arrives in New York with nothing but massive debts that enabled her passage. Jasmin must maintain her hope and drive, and not get sucked into the underbelly of New Yorks sordidness and crime. She has to find a way to survive and find her daughter. At the same time, we meet Rebecca who seems to have it all: a high-powered career, a beautiful home, a handsome husband and an adopted Chinese daughter. It is inevitable that these two worlds worlds will collide but the excitement is in the "how".

So many intricate themes explored and intertwined, One child policy, immigration, survival, entitlement and privilege and underpinning it all hope for a better future. I enjoyed the development of the main characters and the twists and turns of the plot. For me the real test of a great story is one that retains its clarity and impact even after I've read my next five novels - and I this book is still as clear as a movie for me.

This is the story of two women. Jasmine has left her husband Wen in China and has paid the Triads to smuggle her into New York. In order to repay her debt she has to take a job in a strip club. She is looking for her young daughter who she gave up for a adoption. Rebecca, however, is, a wealthy editor at a top publishing house and is married to Brandon with a young adopted daughter..
This is the story of two mothers from very different backgrounds but who are linked together and both of whom have their own secrets.
An engrossing story which I enjoyed immensely.

The Leftover Woman is a complex and interesting story about the lives of two completely different women. Even though I didn't really like the characters, I loved the contrast and how strongly they were portrayed. The way this book is marketed does not match what it actually is. I wouldn't call it a thriller. Also, I didn't expect the writing style to be so YA-like which doesn't quite fit the story. Overall, I enjoyed the interesting insights but was not blown over by this book.

Oh wow, this one was definitely an amazing read! So much emotion and drama within that it makes it hard for you to stop reading. Great writing and the characters came alive on the pages. Must read!

This was a well-written book though the pacing was a little slow for me, maybe because I went in expecting a fast paced mystery/thriller. Nonetheless, this is my first read about China's one child policy and this part of the narrative tugged at my heartstrings. I can't imagine the agony that mothers endure due to this policy. Also, I can empathize with the struggles that new mothers face and so different aspects of the MCs' lives made me connect with the story. That said, the 2 women were not very likeable and this also impeded on my enjoyment of the story. Overall, I had mixed feelings about this book hence the rating.

Full review to come on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy

Spellbinding. This was an emotive and thought- provoking read, Kwok is certainly an author to watch. thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC. Highly recommended!

I recommend going in blind on this one. Before you do. What would you do for your child? How far would you go?

Beautifully written story of two women and their differences in life experiences, culture, status and the common thread that ties them together. We as the reader get a glimpse into their lives as their paths eventually reach a breaking point. Loved both characters and how the author makes them come to life.
Thanks Netgalley for the ARC and a chance to give feedback.

This was a compelling read and so moving. Although fictional, the story is one which will have happened and a mother will have not known her child.

The unravelling of the story was well told and you felt for all the parties as both the birth and adopted mother loved their daughter and neither knew the others story.

A great read.

This was an interesting read, not sure I liked either of the characters.

This is fast paced and I really liked the alternative chapters between the characters, but I feel my dislike towards the characters, distracted from my enjoyment, I will be reading this again in the future