One of my favourite books of those I’ve read so far this year. Told from the perspective of two very different women, in Jasmine’s case it’s in the first person but in Rebecca’s in the third person. Beautifully written and perfectly paced I enjoyed every page, reading it in a day.

Briefly, Jasmine Yang ran from her abusive husband in rural China after finding out that he had lied about their daughter dying shortly after birth, five years earlier, and as an illegal immigrant is unable to get work in New York. Eventually she finds a job as a hostess in a seedy nightclub that didn’t require papers. Rebecca Whitney is a wealthy woman working in her deceased father’s publishing company, married with an adopted daughter and a nanny to look after her but her charmed life is beginning to unravel.

The book centres around the then one child policy in China, whereby many families would get rid of girl babies as they wanted a boy who would earn and look after them in their old age. My heart went out to Jasmine but I also felt sorry for Rebecca who was in a terrible situation not of her making. There were some unexpected twists that I didn’t see coming in this wonderfully compelling read. This is a book I’ll remember, it’s emotional and gripping with a heartbreaking storyline and a difficult and tear jerking conclusion. Brilliant.

This book was a bit of a slow burner. It started out quite slowly, taking me a while to get into it but once I did I was fully invested.

It focuses on the one child policy in China and the effects it has on the families within the country. Jasmine’s story is so sad and I’m sure one many mothers in China will relate to. The need to provide a male child, an heir, being a huge deal to them. Unfortunately it seems the females are not so lucky and end up in all sorts of places.

I have to say I did guess the big twist pretty quickly but by that point I needed to know where the story went next so it didn’t impact my enjoyment at all.

Quite a different read for me but one I’m so pleased I requested it.

This is an exquisite, complex, profoundly moving, emotive, and heartbreaking, character driven novel from Jean Kwok that has an impact far beyond its relatively short length, focusing on 2 women whose lives could not be more different and the personal repercussions of China's controversial one child policy. If you only knew the specific circumstances of each women, you would think it unlikely there would be any point of connection between them. Mother Jasmine Yang lives a impoverished precarious life in New York, as an illegal immigrant from China, a journey facilitated by 'snakeheads' to whom she is in debt. There is the possibility of a abusive husband following her, Wen, who deceived her, telling her that her daughter had died, he had wanted a son.

The leftover woman, Jasmine is resilient, on her own, having experienced a challenging, traumatic, and difficult life, now desperate to reconnect with her lost adopted daughter. Living in constant fear, she moves from the demanding world of strip clubs where harrassment is the norm, to the dangers from criminals and her past. Rebecca Whitney is a driven, ambitious woman with a secret, living a wealthy life of privilege, married to Columbia University professor, Brandon, who speaks Chinese. She is a mother to an adopted Chinese girl, Fifi, employing a Chinese nanny to care for her. Rebecca is a editor in chief in publishing, a high pressure profession that has her juggling the different aspects of her life. The scene is set for high drama, tensions, and twists.

Kwok explores key themes of motherhood, cultural differences and misunderstandings, race, class, the position of women from different ends of the social and economic scale, the process of adoption, gender, ambition, power, surviving, and the implications of being a lowly, undocumented immigrant. This is a searing, hopeful and memorable read, Jasmine in particular is a revelation, given all the cards she had been dealt in life, she is not a character I will forget in a hurry. A remarkable book that I recommend highly. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

This is a very touching and thought-provoking story which made me feel very sad. I couldn’t understand why Jasmine sometimes made what I considered to be wrong decisions but my heart went out to her anyway. At times Rebecca came across as not a nice person but I warmed to her at the end. This wasn’t a thriller, but it was filled with suspense and was a really good read. It would make a fantastic film. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read it.

THE LEFTOVER WOMAN

Thanks #NetGalley and #RachelQuinn for my e-arc copy of #TheLeftoverWonan in exchange for my honest review.

After been sent this novel to review by the digital marketer Rachel Quinn,
I had no idea what to expect.
But on reading the blurb I couldn’t wait to delve into this mysterious, thought provoking story.

Although the start of this story is slow to start it does eventually builds up to a beautiful dual narrative story, that is blended together so cleverly throughout the rest of the novel.

A big change from my usual genre, but I still throughly enjoyed the majority of the book.

This novel looks deeply at the equality of women of different race and religion, along with “left behind” defenceless women.

I found the biggest let down of this otherwise sensational book, to be the ending which felt was rushed and finished abruptly.

I'm afraid I DNF at 20% of this book. I liked the premise from the book description, but as I got into the book I realised it wasn't for me. I can't put my finger on why exactly. The writing is great and so is the story. I found Jasmine's back story too sad, and the whole adoption without knowing was a bit too much for me. And then Rebecca's character is so vacuous and privileged (this may change as the book develops) that I had to put it down. I think as a mum, and a sensitive person this was too emotional for me. I'm sure others will enjoy it.

Jasmine Yang, a young Chinese girl trudges the streets of New York, no money and no plan other than a hope of a different life and a chance to find the child taken away from her at birth.

With no papers and in debt to a criminal organisation for her illegal passage the risks are high. Struggling to obtain employment she finds herself at the seedier end of Chinatown where questions aren't asked and language barriers don't matter. In another part of New York a weathly publishing editor is juggling her career, her marriage, her social calendar and her newly adopted daughter.

Totally compelling, the book had my attention from the opening pages. A dual storyline that compelled me to keep reading, both womens lives unfurling before me as inevitably they came together.

Captivating from start to finish with good characterisation, a storyline that tugs at the heartstrings and a gripping conclusion this is one of my standout reads of the year.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy, I was under no obligation and all opinions expressed are my own.

The Leftover Woman is told from the perspectives of Jasmine and Rebecca. It covers race, immigration, social standing and just how far a mother's love for her child can take her.
I absolutely loved it and could not put it down. It is beautifully written and atmospheric. I cannot recommend it enough.

Insightful look into the experiences of women of Chinese descent in New York
Showed cultural difficulties and how women of all cultures seem to have men explaining things to them that they know already.
Raw and honest
I felt empty after reading this, angry and sad, but most of all, moved.

I found this and engaging read that deals with race and immigrant and even Chin ‘s one child policy. It was thoughtful and informative and a good read
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review the book

Published 2nd November. Told through two perspectives, this is a thought provoking story that encompasses motherhood, race, immigration, adoption and even comments upon the One Child Policy in China. While not a thriller, there is twist that surprises - well, I never saw it coming. Two very different women, Jasmine and Rebecca, are miles apart in upbringing, culture and status. Even in the book there is a distance between them as Jasmine's voice is personal, it is in the first person while Rebecca's story is in the third person. Jasmine has come to the US illegally, escaping from her manipulative husband and searching for the daughter who was taken from her, a victim of China’s One Child Policy. But with the snakeheads who gave her passage wanting their money and a husband determined to track her down, Jasmine is forced to take drastic measures. Rebecca seems to have it all, a gorgeous husband, a successful career as an editor, money and a beautiful Chinese adopted daughter who she loves more than life. But life as a working woman is a tightrope and even with a nanny to help her, she finds herself stretched, especially as a recent scandal has ruined her reputation in the publishing industry and to restore she must win the auction to publish the anticipated new novel from upcoming author Isabel Navarro - a novel whose plot could describe this novel. When and how these two women connect will leave you almost breathless and the events that follow will keep you in suspense. You want both women to have a good ending. But you have to wat for the epilogue to find out what happened. For me, Jasmine was the character I rooted for - the leftover woman. When she explains that term in the book, it's so sad. A super book that would make a great movie.

3.5 stars rounded up.

Jasmine Yang arrives in New York City from her rural Chinese village without money or family support, fleeing a controlling husband, in the desperate search for her daughter who was taken from her at birth. - another casualty of China's One Child Policy. But with her husband on her trail, the clock is ticking, and she's found to make increasingly desperate decisions if she ever hopes to be reunited with her daughter.

Meanwhile, publishing executive Rebecca Whitely seems to have it all, a prestigious family name and the wealth that comes with it, a high-powered career, a beautiful home, a handsome husband, and an adopted Chinese daughter she adores.

The two main characters were two completely different women, the only thing they had in common was being mothers. It tells us of the trauma China's One Child Policy can bring. This is quite an emotional read. It also showcases the issues of adopting a child from a different race can bring. The story is told from Jasmine and Rebecca's perspectives. The story is quite predictable. It's a bit of a slow burner, but I still enjoyed the story.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #SerpentsTailViperProfileBooks #Viper and the author #JeanKwok for my RC of #TheLeftoverWoman in exchange for an honest review.

This was an emotional read told by two very different women and deals with topics of race and social structure beautifully. It held my attention and was really well written I felt.

In China, Jasmine faces societal discrimination and the pressure to marry at a young age due to her gender and differences. Unfortunately, her husband is abusive and possessive, leading her to believe that all men are the same. Prior to giving birth, arrangements were made for adoption if the baby turned out to be a girl, leaving Jasmine to believe her child was dead.

Ultimately, an affluent couple, Brandon and Rebecca, adopted the baby, raising her in New York City. Upon learning this, Jasmine becomes determined to reunite with her daughter, regardless of the sacrifices she must make. Mistakenly, she believes that her appearance is the only thing that matters, neglecting opportunities for personal growth such as art, English, or cooking lessons. However, what she fails to realize is that she is the one incapable of love.

In China, Jasmine had seen posters warning against being labeled as a "leftover woman," someone unwanted and discarded like uneaten food. Eventually, she realizes that she has become one of these leftover women, stripped of her identity and desires.

The novel explores the intricate dynamics between Jasmine and her daughter Fiona, where the bond of love knows no boundaries, regardless of biological ties. Rebecca, on the other hand, harbors resentment towards Jasmine/Lucy, feeling replaced by the affection of her own daughter. This resentment gnaws at her like a worm, leaving her feeling like a stranger in her own home. Surprisingly, it is easy for Rebecca to ignore Lucy, never truly seeing her. Although Rebecca may believe she is aware of her privilege, she is blind to the reality. To Rebecca, Lucy is an outsider, stumbling over words and appearing unintelligent in English. However, she fails to recognize the depth of Lucy's understanding and connection in her native language, and that her appearance is simply a reflection of Rebecca's own expectations.

On a basic level, there are numerous ways to approach such an intricate and multi-faceted novel.

Personally, I found it to be an engrossing page-turner, delving into the life of a Chinese woman in the United States and the hidden secret she carries. From my perspective, it serves as an exploration of how both women and immigrants are compelled to adopt various personas and roles. The concept of revealing only a fraction of oneself in a new culture, while concealing the rest like the submerged part of an iceberg, particularly resonated with me.

Within its intricately woven narrative, the novel delves into themes of ambition, displacement, adoption, motherhood, identity, romantic love, and race, encompassing both specificities and universality.

The strength of the novel lies in its beautiful prose, well-crafted characters, and a relatable story that sheds light on the enduring differences between men and women, both within the familial and professional realms.

It effectively captures the essence of the ongoing national conversation. Commencing as a quest for a lost child, it ultimately culminates in tragedy, yet still instills hope in the enduring power of love.

This was one of those books that makes me reminds why I love reading so much it just immersed me in the story right from the start and I loved every minute of it.
The story is told by the two main characters Jasmine and Rebecca who are as different as chalk and cheese and have lived and are living very different lives and I loved both of them. It wasn’t always an easy book to read at times as there are some heartbreaking moments but it’s a story that was believable and felt very real, it was paced very well and the reveals were so well written. I was sad to finish the book as I was involved in the lives of these to women I didn’t want it to end and that was all down to the superb writing of Jean Kwok.
So a book I so much enjoyed and one I would highly recommend.
My thanks to NetGalley and Serpent’s Tail / Viper / Profile Books for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for honest opinion.

I enjoyed reading this, although I was not sure I would be able to get into it at first, with the themes of abuse and threatening violence. I did not like reading about the sleazy sex club, but the story and plight of the characters eventually gripped me. It was quite slow to start with, but the action built up and the ending, although a little rushed, was as I would have hoped.

I absolutely loved The Leftover Woman by Jean Kwok and am so happy that I was granted an ARC of this to read. It is set in New York and is told from the POV of Jasmine, an undocumented Chinese immigrant, and Rebecca, a wealthy white woman who works in publishing. I could not put this down - it is an absorbing and compelling mystery that I will recommend wholeheartedly.

I really enjoyed The Leftover Woman. I have a very vague knowledge of China’s one-child policy, so I enjoyed reading about something relatively new to me. I liked the fact the chapters move between Jasmine’s POV and Rebecca’s POV. The pacing is excellent as you gradually learn how Jasmine and Rebecca are aligned. You know early on that Rebecca adopted Jasmine’s baby but the deeper link between their stories is not revealed until fairly late on and surprised me. I found Jasmine’s story harrowing as she’s forced into unsavoury work to make enough money to pay off the people who helped her get to the US. I found some of her chapters painful to read. The pacing is quite slow and gradually increases towards the book’s climax which works really well. This is a gripping read.

The Leftover Woman of the title is a Chinese woman, Jasmine whose world collides with a rich heiress, Rebecca in New York with consequences for everyone involved.
Rebecca and her husband have adopted a Chinese orphan Fiona and brought her to their mansion in New York. Except Fiona is not an orphan and was not adopted but sold. And her mother is in New York illegally looking to claim her back.

The novel was quite slow to start off with and whilst it was clear to me how Rebecca, Fiona and Jasmine were going to meet it took a while to get there. Meanwhile Rebecca and Fiona are living the live of the rich; Jasmine who is undocumented, is working in a dive sex bar trying to pay her Traffickers and avoid her husband.
Somewhere towards the end the novel digresses to another theme – the rich privileged Americans that can buy anything and don’t realize, understand or care the power that their dollars can give over others.

This was done in a thought-provoking way, and I came away from The Leftover Woman feeling very different to it than I did in the middle.

Thank you to the Netgalley, and the publishers for an advance ARC in return for my honest review.

3.5 stars

This is the story of two very different women. Jasmine Yang is newly arrived in New York City from China, escaping an unhappy past especially her marriage, her principle objective is to search for the child taken from her at birth. She is in the United States with no papers, courtesy of the snakeheads and potentially with her husband Wen on her tail, so she has to survive as best she can. Her life is a vivid contrast to that of Rebecca Whitney, an editor in chief at a publishing house and coming from a wealthy prestigious family, she appears to have it all. However, appearances can be very deceptive. How do the lives of these very different characters connect?

The standout feature of the book for me is the excellent characterisation of the two central characters of Jasmine and Rebecca, both trying to survive, but in diametrically opposite ways. Both have very interesting back stories which we learn little by little. Jasmine’s is especially powerful as she is the leftover woman, although it could also be said of Rebecca, but in a contrasting way. Jasmine is deeply affected by the Chinese One Child policy in more ways than one and her cultural adjustments to life in the United States are enlightening, especially the racism she faces. Rebecca’s story includes relationship/family life and balancing a career and navigating the high price of ambition as a woman. Through both women there is an examination of motherhood and adoption. It’s a tale of complexity with the two narratives being woven together very well.

However, in places I find it a bit heavy going as it’s slow, there is some suspense, but not as much as I would like and the big twist is a very obvious one. I do like the ending which is emotional with plenty of drama, but which is also poignant and sad. I do think there are some loose ends and there’s a very big final fast forward in time.

Overall though, I would read this author again, as she has definitely piqued my interest.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Serpents Tail/Viper/Profile for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.