Meddy Chan and her meddlesome aunties always end up in the wildest situations, but they get through them together. This time, her husband Nathan is more involved, but consistently shows his love for meddy and the aunties as their saga gets wild. This book was a decent follow up but was slower than the others. The aunts all had more of a story in this one and being in their element in Jakarta was a great part of this book. I’m sad to see the aunties series end.

i have read all three of the books in this series, and i have to say - this wasn’t my favorite of the three. don’t get me wrong, i absolutely loved the aunties as always! they have such strong & infectious personalities. however, i found myself thinking that the plot was slower than normal & that it felt just a bit more forced. the other two were some of my favorite comedic relief reads. if you’ve read the other two, then i highly recommend reading this just for the last part of their story. other than that, it was overall decent, but nothing super special. i didn’t laugh out loud like i did with the other two books.

thank you so much to the author, netgalley, and berkley for this copy!

This series just makes me so happy and I am so sad it’s over! Yes, it’s zany and over the top but I love these aunties and their antics endlessly. I’m not quite show how this family keeps finding themselves in over their heads but it’s never ending. Their love for each other, smarts and humor helps them rise above it all. I found myself laughing so much in this and it’s just a simply delightful series. I cannot wait to see this series brought to the screen! This final installment drops today!

Huge thank you to @berkleypub @berittalksbooks @thephdivabooks @dg_reads and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

Happy pub week to @jesseqsutanto ‘s The Good, The Bad, And The Aunties!! And a huge thank you to @prhaudio @berkleyromance @berittalksbooks and @netgalley for my #gifted galley and audiobook!!

I’ve loved this series since Dial A For Aunties, and I felt like this last book was a fitting finale for this hilarious and over-the-top crew! I liked learning more about the Chinese-Indonesian culture, and with a Taiwanese husband, I also loved all of the Chinese New Year traditions 😍 Having the option to both read and listen made this story so accessible and I loved how narrator @loverisamei brought Meddy and all of her family members to life!

This book released Tuesday, so get your copy ASAP!!

Short synopsis: Meddie and Nathan cut their honeymoon short to join the aunties in Jakarta for Chinese New Year.

My thoughts: This series is perfectly fine for a lighthearted accidental murder, ridiculous shenanigans, and complete misunderstandings. The first book was definitely my favorite, so definitely try it out for a humorous look at mystery.

I really liked the Chinese/Indonesian rep in this. I think we get a really good look at the culture and the families deep desire to be there for each other NO matter what!

Read if you love:
- Laugh out loud (but somewhat cringey moments)
- Chinese New Year and red envelopes
- Strong family bonds
- Funny Series
- Chinese/Indonesian Rep

This is another fantastic and funny book in the Aunties series. In this book, Meddy and Nathan go to Jakarta after their honeymoon to meet up with the Aunties and see the rest her large family who live there. Second Aunt’s long ago boyfriend and first love, Abi, shows up at the house with Chinese New Year red envelopes to hand out to the kids. Unfortunately, one envelope is meant for another developer named Julia Child, and it holds the deed to a high rise building.

Abi, who’s not a gangster but a legit businessman, needs to get the deed back from whichever kid got the special red envelope. The search and subsequent retrieval sets off a chain of events that’s alternately scary and hysterically funny.

This is the last in the Aunties series, and I am going to miss Meddy and her crazy family. This book is full of laughs and love, 4.5 stars.

Thanks to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Diving into the latest Aunties novel was a little bittersweet for me. I couldn’t wait to see what kind of hilarious shenanigans Meddy and her Aunties would get up to this time around, but at the same time, I was also sad because this is the final book in the series.

If you’re familiar with the series, you know you’re in for a wild ride filled with plenty of laughs and over the top antics. This time the antics center around a Chinese New Year celebration that goes awry when one of Second Aunt’s old flames accidentally gives her family an extravagant gift that was meant to go to a business rival he’s trying to appease. When the gift goes missing, Meddy and her Aunties get drawn into a world of trouble. Danger, chaos, and even kidnappings ensue, but rest assured that in spite of the danger, it’s a laugh out loud good time!

As much as I enjoyed the Aunties and their antics, one of my favorite parts of this novel was seeing Meddy with her new husband, Nathan. I loved how instead of wondering what in the world he had gotten himself into when he married into Meddy’s family, that Nathan was actually 100% onboard and enthusiastically joined in with all of their shenanigans. He’s just so happy to be part of such a big, loving family and it was adorable!

While I’m sad we won’t get to see the Aunties again, The Good, the Bad and the Aunties was a satisfying ending to this entertaining trilogy!

Over-the-top, ridiculous situations with questionable plausibility may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I'll take everything this series has to offer. Great characters that I feel like I know well at this point, a relentless pace, and an undercurrent of deep love and heart in the story make it one that is fresh and fun to read.

The third book in the Aunties series, this time focusing on Meddy and Nathan's visit to Indonesia after their honeymoon. Since nothing can ever go smoothly, so when they inadvertently hand out the wrong red envelope, they find themselves in the middle of a situation between three business factions who have a decades long rivalry. The Aunties are determined to set things straight and in their usual fashion, end up with very mixed results. Overall, a fun addition to the series and the establishment of Meddy and Nathan as a united force was good to see. It was also interesting to learn more about the Aunties lives in Indonesia from before they moved to the US.

The Good, The Bad, and The Aunties is another win from Jesse Q. Sutanto! 4⭐️ The aunties always make me laugh and the mystery is always a good time trying to solve!

Meddy Chan and her meddlesome family are back in The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties, Jesse Q. Sutanto’s delightful final entry in her bestselling Dial A for Aunties trilogy.

Meddy and her new husband, Nathan, are ending their extended honeymoon with a stop in Jakarta, Indonesia, where they’ll spend the Lunar New Year with Meddy’s extended family. Of course, Meddy’s mom and the Aunties have traveled from America to celebrate, too. The holiday kicks off with a visit from a special admirer of Second Aunt’s—who may or may not be a mafia lord. He brings gifts to woo Second Aunt and the Chans, but accidentally gives away something very valuable, meant for a rival crime boss. Meddy and the Aunties jump into action to retrieve the gift and wind up facing down criminals, kidnappings and rude teenagers in their wildest outing yet.

You don’t need to read the first two Dial A for Aunties mysteries to follow all the hijinks in The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties, but fans of the series will recognize how much Meddy has grown, especially when it comes to asserting herself to her loving but domineering Aunties. They may frustrate Meddy with their headstrong opinions, but they will delight readers with their often unintentional funny moments. All of the humor is top notch, despite the threats of warring crime lords and kidnappings. It’s touching to see how each Auntie thrives during their return to Indonesia, and Meddy and Nathan’s relationship is another highlight. Nathan is as steady and supportive as ever, despite all the chaos. When the book ends, Meddy’s no longer looking back on all the troubles she and the Aunties have escaped; instead, she’s looking forward to her future with Nathan.

The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties is a fun, fast-paced read and a satisfying conclusion to the popular series.

Thus was a fun silly ending to the aunties trio. I’ll be sad it’s over but loved that it ended overseas

All hail the Aunties!

Sutanto has managed to do it again. I think the aunties are characters that everyone with older, overbearing relatives can relate to, whether they’re Asian or not. Having been raised by my grandmother, who definitely had some overbearing sisters, I DEFINITELY identified with Meddy’s plight.

The Aunties are as wonderful in The Good, The Bad, and The Aunties as they were in Dial A For Aunties. Sutanto has an amazing knack for making the Aunties feel like they’re in the room with you. No matter what trouble Meddy will ever face in her life, she can rest assured that the Aunties will be there for her.

While I’m sad to see the Auntie trilogy come to an end, it was a wonderful and perfect ending. And maybe Sutanto will take mercy on us and give us another Meddy adventure in the future. Two thumbs way up on this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Newlywed Meddy Chan is looking forward to jetting straight from her European honeymoon with her beloved husband Nathan to her family’s hometown in Jakarta. She’s excited to introduce him to her motherland, accompanied, of course, by her own mother and her mother’s three sisters, collectively known as The Aunties. Nathan has been so amazing about not only Meddy’s past but also the chaotic and often exasperating Aunties who look out for her and harass her in turn, often in the same breath. Meddy is thus excited about showing off to him the very best of her culture, by bringing him to meet the rest of her clan – who are fortunately much more low-key than the Aunties – for Indonesia’s Chinese New Year festivities.

Things get weird though when Fourth Aunt springs a surprise on them shortly after arriving at their extended family’s enclave. She’d apparently gotten in touch with Second Aunt’s old flame, Abraham Lincoln “Abi” Irawan, and told him that they’d be in town. Abi knows how to make an entrance, rolling up to the house the next morning in a cavalcade of noise, lights and sleek black vehicles. Loudly and publicly, he announces his intention to re-woo Second Aunt. At first, Meddy is as impressed as the rest of her family… until she remembers where she knows him from:

QUOTE
I narrow my eyes as I scour my memories for a mention of his name. When the memory does resurface, it hits me like a tank filled with rifle-toting men. Because Abi is the freaking mafia lord that my mom and aunts had told me about back when we were in Oxford. Abraham Lincoln, the guy who was infatuated with Second Aunt when they were teens and joined the mafia to impress her. Oh my god. Why in the world is Abi, a literal gangster, here in our front yard? I look at the procession of black cars again, and this time, they stop being impressive and are instead terrifying.
END QUOTE

Unfortunately for Meddy, she’s the only one who seems to have a problem with Abi’s shady background. All the other Chans, and even Nathan, are quickly charmed by Abi’s friendly demeanor and generosity, as he lavishes them all with compliments and gifts. But when a gift that was meant for a “business” associate is accidentally given to the wrong person, Meddy, Nathan and the Aunties are all drawn in to help retrieve the missing gift as swiftly and discreetly as possible.

What should be a simple retrieval turns into a comedy of errors that ends up putting them all in mortal peril. Unwilling to do any less for the Aunties who have proven time and time again that they would put their own lives on the line to save hers, Meddy soon finds herself in a series of increasingly comic but dangerous situations. Have the Aunties finally found themselves in a predicament that they can’t use their unique and often perplexing interests and abilities to get out of? What will Meddy be forced to do in order to save the day?

I freely admit to finding the screwball comedy crime caper parts of this series less engrossing than the depictions of Indonesian culture, whether they be at home or abroad. Meddy is the very relatable daughter of immigrants who are convinced that they always know what’s best for her, even when their advice is contradictory from one moment to the next. I absolutely both feel her pain and revel in her pettiness when she decides to go along with her mother’s entirely feigned insistence on not being brought any expensive gifts from Europe, as they would just be a waste of money anathema to Ma’s stated virtue of frugality:

QUOTE
“Yep, we won’t get you anything.” I bite back the smile that’s threatening to take over my face. Next to me, Nathan is giving me “WTF” looks, but I ignore him.

“Good, good,” she mumbles, looking like I’ve just punched her in the heart.

I’m torn between laughter and frustration. My whole life has been a series of mixed messages from Ma, and though I know it’s cruel to trick her, I want her to get a taste of what it would be like for her if I were to follow her every instruction.
END QUOTE

More specific to Indonesia were the descriptions of the mouth-watering food the Chans ate in Jakarta, as well as the rapid development of the capital city. With just the right touch of local and global sociology, Jesse Q Sutanto deftly portrays both the good and the bad of the country, as lovingly as she does of the Aunties.

The series ends with this novel, and while fans will be sad to see it go, I feel that it happens at the perfect stopping point for the narrative. I personally adore Ms Sutanto’s other works, and am so pleased she’ll be able to spend more time and attention on the brilliant Vera Wong or on her psychological thrillers (or even on her Young Adult titles, though I’ve yet to find the time to dive into those.) She’s certainly showcased her versatility with these books, and done an excellent job of bringing Indonesian culture to the world stage. I’m very excited to see what she’ll write next!

Thank you to PRH Audio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

This is the third book in the aunties series. It brings back all of the fun and hijinks that have made me laugh and enjoy the whole series. But there were some aspects of this book that made it especially stand out and increased my enjoyment.

I loved that we got to see more of Nathan in this book. With its focus on Meddy and her mom and aunties, the series has often left me feeling he was an underdeveloped character. In this, he was excellent and quite funny. It often felt that his interactions with Meddy's family served as the bridge to help us get to know their names and traditions along with him.

I also quite enjoyed that the tables were somewhat turned this time. Meddy showed up for her aunts, just like they have shown up for her in previous books. so many scenes made me laugh out loud. And I again am in awe of the mix of mystery and hilarity. This was a great conclusion to a series I know I will want to revisit.

The audio format was narrated by Risa Mei. She does an excellent job with fabulously distinct voices and accents. I highly recommend the audio here.

So entertaining!! Meddy and the aunties are back for the final and third time. The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties is a cozy mystery that will have you laughing and rolling your eyes at the aunties and their antics! The situations they find themselves wrapped up into are hilarious. Is the storyline of the book super far-fetched? Yes, it is, but that is what makes it so enjoyable. The aunties banter will have you laughing, and Nathan will have your heart swooning. All the characters are top notch. This book will read fine as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading the other 2 in the series first to get the full effect! This entire series was super entertaining.

Thank you, Berkeley, and NetGalley for an ARC in return for my honest review.

I am a big fan of Sutanto's writing, and just couldn't wait to read this new and final installment of the Aunties series. Unfortunately, this one didn't live up to the hype. There was still fun and the crazy aunties, but it just didn't pack a punch like her other books. This was just an ok read for me. I feel like she could continue the series or even a spin off. We'll see, I guess.

*Thank you partner @berkleyreads and @prhaudio for the #gifted egalley and audiobook in exchange for an honest review.*

****3/26/24**** Finished this ARC - thank you, NetGalley - and happy Pub Day to Jesse Q Sutanto, on this final novel of his Jakarta-themed trilogy. This final book has Meddy Chan and Nathan celebrating their honeymoon, jetting off to Jakarta to join Meddy's family to celebrate Chinese New Year. In Indonesia they quickly run into a mix of romance (Abraham Lincoln Irawan and Auntie #2) and drama between the 3 major business "factions" (aka "mafias") of Jakarta. Quick thinking, humor, and a spirit of adventure follow the crew through a couple of days in Jakarta while they sort out the drama, settle some romantic mysteries and misconceptions, and firm up their familial love and bonds. The book is definitely a lighter fiction celebration of wealthy Indonesian culture, with lots of talk of food and mansions. Definitely what I expected and a nice transition after reading A Little Life (extremely serious and emotional). 4-stars.

It was funny and ridiculous! 🤣 The Aunties were hilarious. 😂 The MFC got annoying at times in the second half of the book. Overall, I ENJOYED this book the most out of the series.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Aunties are at it again and I am reminded of how funny they are, every time I read up on these women since book 1, I have laughed from beginning to end. I can’t get enough, but now Meddy is married, and they are celebrating Chinese New Year’s with her whole family, and I am sitting here laughing like crazy at the things her mom says, and Fourth Aunt to me will be my most FAVE of them all. Anyway, like I said before these women get into some problems when one of them gets kidnapped over some rivalry that has NOTHING to do with them, but they are tangled up in it somehow, but you know these women always have something up their sleeve.

I felt so sad to know that this is the last we read of this amazing family, I love them so much, but the way this book ended was perfection. Thank you Netgalley and the Publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.