This was a cute, fun story to listen to! I really liked the audiobook narrator. I can't wait to read more by Sophie Wan.

Thank you to the publisher, author and Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book.

I really enjoyed this! Featuring fascinating characters, a unique plot, and featuring strong female friendship. I also loved that it was set against the Shanghai backdrop.

*many thanks to Graydon House and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

Sophie Wan’s Women of Good Fortune is a captivating and richly woven tale that delves into the lives of women navigating societal expectations and personal ambitions. Set against a backdrop of cultural and historical intricacies, the novel offers an insightful exploration of female strength and resilience.

The story centers on a diverse group of women, each facing unique challenges and opportunities as they strive to make their mark in a world that often tries to define them by conventional standards. Wan’s prose is both elegant and evocative, bringing to life the characters' personal struggles and triumphs with nuance and depth.

What makes Women of Good Fortune stand out is its powerful portrayal of the complexities of female friendship and solidarity. Through its well-crafted narrative and compelling characters, the novel highlights the ways in which women support and uplift each other, even in the face of adversity.

Overall, Women of Good Fortune is a thought-provoking and engaging read that offers a fresh perspective on the multifaceted experiences of women, making it a must-read for those interested in exploring themes of empowerment and solidarity.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this ARC.

4/5 stars. think crazy rich asians, except our protagonists want to steal the wedding money and run off to thailand, get plastic surgery, and freeze their eggs. also, the entire heist was planned at a hotpot restaurant. what a beautiful premise.

rina/vic was absolutely the highlight of this novel for me. their chemistry was tangible even off of the pages, and i would've given this 5/5 stars if they'd been the central characters. rina's struggles between family and staying in china versus returning to america especially hit home.

thematically, i also thoroughly enjoyed jane/zihao's dynamic, which showcased just how equal effort is needed on both sides to try and sustain a successful marriage, and to see love blossom even if that wasn't the initial reason why two people were united.

that was the beauty of this novel to me--how it tackled very real issues in chinese culture. it's true that if you don't have a beautiful face, you lose out on a lot in life. it's true that if you're a woman, you're passed up for promotions and opportunities at work. and it's true that sometimes, people might want you around just because you come across as not too bright.

at the end, this lost a star for me due to lulu/harv not quite being my cup of tea; although the twist at the end was surprising, it felt forced and i never found lulu's character to be interesting. the ending itself was also foreshadowed too much leading up to it. from how the characters were acting, it was clear that they'd regret their actions and realize that they'd been too fixated on money over all else. perhaps the message could have been conveyed more subtly.

overall, i thoroughly enjoyed this love letter to chinese weddings and culture in general, and highly recommend it.

This one was good! I loved the heist aspect. The characters were a little rough but I felt like they were meant to be.

I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook. The story was engaging and the reader's voice is calm and captivating. I couldn't stop listening!

This reminded me of Crazy Rich Asians, but I really enjoyed it anyway. Lulu is set to marry the most eligible bachelor, but she isn't in love with him. She's only marrying him, to help her family out financially. The story line and characters were really relatable and enjoyable.

Three friends, Lulu, Rina, and Jane, find themselves planning a heist to steal all the gift money from Lulu’s grand wedding.

As the countdown to the wedding begins, we learn about each woman’s motives:
- Lulu - reluctance to marry
- Rina - a missed promotion and ticking biological clock
- Jane - a chance at a life of luxury and a new husband

Despite the differing circumstances and personalities, I loved seeing these friends scheme and play to their strengths. This felt like a good mix of Ocean's 8, Crazy Rich Asians, female friendships, and a Shanghai backdrop. Though the heist planning got messy and a little drawn out, I loved seeing the chaos that took place and the ending! I feel like something was missing (not sure what) but overall, this was a fun read.

Thanks NetGalley and Harper Audio for my arc!

Hilarious novel that features excellent character work and a beautiful friendship between 3 very different women. Lulu, Jane, and Rina were each distinct in their voices, perceptions, and desires of the world. I appreciated how the idea of happiness for these women were not only different between the start and end of the novel, but also very different from one another's visions of happiness and fulfillment. This is a glaring look at being a modern woman in a deeply patriarchal society and conservative culture, as well as how modern womanhood looks different for every woman.

Women of Good Fortune was a fantastic read about a group of leftover women (or Sheng nü as they say in China) who plan a heist around the biggest and most expensive wedding of the year. Lulu the bride, doesn't want to marry someone she does not love, but she also cannot pass up the opportunity to marry into a rich family to later support her poor family back home, even while suffering the scrutiny of disapproving in-laws. Jane is married and thinks that being beautiful and rich is the key to her happiness, along with the help of plastic surgery to help along the way. Lastly, Rina is the successful career woman every woman wishes to be, but she is constantly passed over from big promotions with the threat of her biological clock ticking away. Each woman has their own issues holding them back from living their lives how they want it, with the biggest issue surrounding the freedom money could give them. The storyline describes each woman's struggle and desperate hope for succeeding in their heist as the countdown to the big day draws near. Even though these women believe that large amounts of money will solve their problems and give them the chance to forge their own paths, their friendship and other relationships may pay a steep price in the end.
Overall, I absolutely loved this story. It was a refreshing take on the finance struggles of women in China and how the social pressures as females can smother even the strongest of characters. Each character was unique in their own way and really added more flare to describing their story and struggles throughout the book. I'm not assuming that all women in China go through this based on the book, but it really makes you think about even the social pressures that every woman faces to fit into so many roles at the same time. I liked how Sophie Wan did not hold back when it came to the dark side of each scenario of how things could have ended badly for them, but I am glad that they could find a time to heal and also be happy.

I received this digital ARC free from NetGalley. This laugh-out-loud entertaining book of these vengeful women make you wanting to read more and find out what happens. If you are looking for a quick, funny, easy to read book this is it.

This was good, but not great! I was expecting more tension and excitement for a heist based story. Overall this was still fun and enjoyable!

Lulu is engaged to Harv, Shanghai’s richest and most eligible bachelor, a man who she doesn’t love, but her family really needs the financial support that would come from this marriage. Lulu and her two best friends, Rina and Jane devise a plan to steal the wedding money to seek the freedom they all desire.

This audiobook was a fun listen! I enjoyed the exploration of female friendship, economic and social class, self-discovery, and freedom. Lulu, Jane, and Rina are all so different, at some points in the story it’s hard to see how they connect as friends. Lulu is a quiet waitress, still figuring out what she wants in life, while her family depends on for everything. Jane is witty with a comeback but struggles to love herself because of her upbringing, and wants the luxurious life Lulu is so desperate to escape from. Rina is trying to accelerate her career but is consistently passed over for promotions in favor of her male colleagues. Her lifestyle would while is better suited for a career in the US, where she grew up, but she wants to be close to her aging parents.

The heist itself is was exciting, but the build up to it lagged at times. The majority of the plot is about the wedding planning and planning the heist, and I think there was more room to explore the class difference between Harv and Lulu’s worlds.

Overall, I enjoyed this audiobook. A great debut by Sophie Wan a narration by Catherine Ho. Thank you to @netgalley and @harperaudio for the ARC.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

Thank you to Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for an advanced audio copy of Women of Good Fortune by Sophie Wan.

Three friends, three separate circumstances, one perfect plan. Lulu is engaged to be married to the most eligible bachelor in Shanghai, but she is not happy about it. As the wedding day draws closer, she begins to feel increasingly trapped by her overbearing mother-in-law to be and her family who depends on her for financial security. Meanwhile, her two best friends are having troubles of their own - one already in a loveless marriage, and the other being continually passed over for promotion in a job that demands her full attention 24/7. The three women all agree that to alleviate their problems, they need money, and they need it fast. To achieve this, these friends, with the help of two unlikely accomplices, will have to pull off the ultimate switcheroo at LuLu's wedding without getting caught.

This audiobook, narrated by Catherine Ho, was easy to listen to, and overall, I enjoyed the story. Wan does a great job of explaining different aspects of Asian culture, and it helped me understand why each of these women felt trapped in their circumstances. There is definitely some humor, and some heartfelt innuendo about friendships and relationships in general. The characters felt a little shallow to me (especially Jane, who is almost unbearable), however, I think Wan might have written them that way on purpose. Read this if you enjoyed Dial A for Aunties and Crazy Rich Asians.

A trio of friends all feels stuck - in a marriage that isn't working, in an engagement that feels forced, and to a job that is relentless while feeling replaceable. One night over a hot pot dinner, they find an escape route via a heist. What follows over the coming months is a mess as they each go through their own journeys and the heist becomes there primary focus - bits of humor, frustration, growth all are pervasive as they near the day of... can they pull it off?

I consumed this read via audiobook and was glad I did - it kept me entertained as the characters went on their journey. This is a fun book to read when you're looking for a distraction and something totally different from real life. Thank you to Netgalley and to Harper/Harlequin audio for the listening copy.

I always enjoy a good heist story and this one done by women is especially fun because it highlights their relationships and the effect the plan is having on them. I enjoyed the different viewpoints and I loved the short chapters. The fast pace kept my interest level high. I especially enjoyed the ending and I think this book would be a great one to inspire a book club discussion.

Women of Good Fortune is a novel set in Shanghai and features a strong female friendship and the events leading up to an elaborate wedding celebration. I am glad that I had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook as I probably would have mispronounced names and words used in the book. I enjoyed the themes of equality between men and women, family, familial bonds, friendship and even a bit of a romance element. There is even a bit of comedy in this book.

I recommend this book for readers who enjoyed Crazy Rich Asians.

Thank you to Harper Audio and Netgalley for the advanced listening copy.

Such a fun listen! I love a girl power book and this debut is a good one. I really enjoyed the Chinese cultural aspects and the heist aspect. This would make a terrific beach read/listen.

Thanks to Harper Audio and NetGalley for the copy to review.

In this captivating tale of ambition and societal expectations, the author skillfully explores the complexities of friendship, love, and the relentless pursuit of financial security. While the narrative offers an engaging glimpse into the lives women bound by their desires and dilemmas, some readers might find the plot's reliance on a heist to resolve their struggles a bit far-fetched.