The Girls of Good Fortune is a fast-paced read. The characters are interesting enough to keep the pages turning.

It’s a good, quick read especially for fans of historical fiction, just not one that stuck with me long after the last page.

I love it when I open a work of historical fiction and learn about something completely new.

I had limited to no knowledge about the Shanghai Tunnels in the Pacific Northwest, and it really is a disturbing piece of history. It was a period highlighted by racism and riddled with numerous horrible atrocities inflicted on Chinese immigrants. I further felt that The Girls of Good Fortune tastefully brought up the subject of hiding one’s heritage to escape persecution, a thought that is bound to stimulate some good discussions.

Despite diving into this unsettling past history, I found McMorris’ main character inspiring, courageous and determined. She was an easy protagonist to get behind and rally for. The author’s personal family history really adds to the experience, and I highly recommend that you read the author’s additional notes. This was a story that kept me turning the pages and fully immersed in the tale.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read this advanced copy via NetGalley. If you are a fellow historical fiction fan, get your hands on this one!

The Girls of Good Fortune is a historical novel that takes place in Portland in 1888. It is the story of a mixed race girl ,Celia, who falls in love with the son of the family she works for. As the story enfolds Celia is kidnapped and separated from her daughter. This story focuses on the prejudice that Asians have encountered and are still encountering today in America. It is a tale of motherhood, friendship and forbidden love. It also gives us some insight into what it means in our society to be of mixed race. It was a very wonderful read and in some places exciting

I enjoy historical fiction, especially when it highlights a portion of history that I am not immediately familiar with. Celia is of Chinese descent passing as white and receiving letters from her Chinese father, who hopes to return her to him by finding her a suitable match. The first half of the book was enjoyable if predictable: A death, an entanglement revealed too late, a drastic change in circumstance. I wish more attention had been given to fleshing out the relationships and atmosphere of Celia's new living arrangements.

The second half reads more like an adventure story and seems out of keeping with the character development, and the ending was tied up in a neat, if not entirely believable way.

Overall ,an interesting read that highlights some parts of history of which many may not be aware.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the eArc in exchange for my honest review.

It is said that when you are born the year of the dragon you will be strong and successful. If this is the case, the main character in the book - Celia, certainly is challenged in how to be strong. The book starts off with a bang when she finds herself dressed as a man, alone and in the dark underground wondering what happened and how she get there.

The year is 1888, Portland. Celia works for the mayor as a house maid. Unfortunately she falls for their son, Stephan and a deep young love forms. There are many reasons against their relationship from the start. Celia being half Chinese passing as white, their class distinction, the family’s potential embarrassment and their young age.

The book switches to 1885, her mother has passed away and her father, who helped build the Continental Rail Road, is being treated poorly because the Chinese are now deemed threats to white men’s jobs. The Chinese Exclusion Act takes effect and racism is rampant. Unjustified killings are happening all over with no consequences for the guilty.

Celia experiences a series of betrayals, from being turned over to a brothel as a servant to finding herself the mother to baby Pearl. One thing leads to another (many twists and turns occur) where she eventually finds herself shanghaied and desperate to reconnect with her daughter. You meet many characters on her adventurous journey in her search for family and justice.

The book ends in 1995 where you learn what has transpired the past 100 years. It makes you ponder, what (if anything) has changed from our past, dark history and have we learned from our mistakes? Is history being buried and starting to repeat itself?

The author’s epilogue, themed recipes and notes are greatly appreciated.

I found the premise of the book to be interesting, a woman who is half Chinese dealing with prejudices of being Chinese while living in Portland in the late 1800s. The first half of the book was fine but then it became to melodramatic and all the trials and tribulation the main character faced became ridiculous. I also found the ending to be unbelievable.

Oh. My. When I started reading The Girls of Good Fortune I thought I knew what I was getting into. Boy was I wrong! I found myself sucked into a time that left me speechless. I found myself in Portland, Oregon in the 1880's, a life I knew nothing about. It is a time and place whose history I knew very little about. The Girls of Good Fortune has shown how remiss I have been. I closed the book, thinking of all of the horrors that occurred and the need to know more, learn more.

The story centers around Celia, a girl that must hide she is half chinese. It was a time when American citizens were trying to remove the Chinese, using them as scapegoats to living conditions. She needed to pass as her mother's daughter, as a white woman. Her deception led to her job as a maid for the Portland, Oregon mayor.

A forbidden romance with their son will change her life and not for the better. His parents would not accept her. His parents would not accept her as is wife. They would definitely not accept her child into their family. They will keep her and their son divided by land, ocean, lies and deceit.

The reader soon learns the struggles of those without money. Portland is not a pleasant place. For people like Celia it is a very dangerous place and time. Walking in her shoes was an experience I would not have had her strength and determination. Learning of how the Chinese, that were at one time desired for their work ethics, were treated when jobs disappeared broke my heart. Those that survived during this time deserve our respect. Those that did not have earned our tears.

Experience how power can manipulate. Celia's connection to the Mayor must be kept silent. A quarter Chinese granddaughter can not come out. I was silenced by the lengths someone would go to. I could not believe the horrors she experienced, what others experienced. Her determination was inspirational. She didn't know what she would be walking into when she arrived back in Portland. She feared the worse. I hoped for the best.

Captivating story about family, love, & resiliency. Started as a slow burn, but I was hooked halfway through. Definitely an emotional read, but also an important one. Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an advanced copy.

McMorris pulls back the curtain on 19th century America beyond the simplified story of Chinese railroad workers that most history books offer. The horrific Wyoming and Oregon massacres—brutal expressions of racial hatred—emerge from historical shadows, forcing a confrontation with America's complex past that left me both enlightened and disturbed.

At the heart of this story stands Celia, a protagonist whose very existence challenges the rigid boundaries of her time. Her daily navigation of dual identities—passing as white while carrying her half-Chinese heritage like a secret weapon—creates immediate emotional investment in her fate. What truly captivated me was watching her defy the suffocating expectations of class and propriety, speaking truth to power despite knowing the dangers. Celia's journey left me simultaneously inspired and heartbroken, her resilience a counterpoint to the era's cruelty.

The friendships Celia forms along her harrowing path provided unexpected warmth amid darkness. These connections, forged across social divides, offer glimpses of humanity's better nature. But nothing compares to the fierce maternal love driving her actions—a devotion so raw and powerful it transcends time and circumstance.

Perhaps most unsettling is how familiar the novel's portrayal of hatred feels. The same ignorance that fueled historical atrocities echoes in our present, creating uncomfortable parallels that heighten the story's emotional impact.

McMorris crafts a tapestry of historical detail that never overshadows the human story. She balances forbidden romance, historical tragedy, unlikely friendship, and maternal sacrifice with remarkable dexterity, delivering a novel that educates the mind while occupying the heart long after the final page.

Thank you, Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley, for my free E-ARC for review.

I always appreciate reading a book that introduces me to a part of history I hadn’t yet learned about. This book did just that, and I was humbled to learn about the treatment of Chinese people in the US during this time period. It was an eye-opening and infuriating view into a portion of our history that, in my experience, isn’t taught or talked about enough. That being said, I was a little disappointed in the writing as a whole, and not as endeared to the protagonist as I would have liked or expected considering her circumstances. The content of this book without a doubt feels important and worth learning, but I didn’t feel as passionately about the book itself as I had hoped.

Celia Hart lives in Portland, Oregon. With a Chinese father, she has chosen to use her American mother's maiden name to avoid racism. It's 1888, and Celia awakens in the dark, hidden Shanghai Tunnels she had only heard rumors about. She has been "shanghaied" and is about to be placed on a ship to parts unknown. The story then shifts back to 1885. Celia is working as a maid for the mayor. Her mother has passed away, and her father is working as a miner amid rising anti-Chinese sentiment. Her journey takes unfortunate turns, bringing her into the most dangerous parts of Chinatown, leading to her eventual abduction and struggle to be freed.

Author Kristina McMorris is known for highly emotional historical fiction and does not disappoint in The Girls of Good Fortune. It is a deeply moving story of a young woman grappling with her sense of identity. Two horrific massacres of Chinese miners ignite a new desire for Celia to connect with her heritage. Trying to survive on her own, Celia encounters people who are both cruel and kind, and it is often hard to determine who she can trust. It's a heavy story worth reading and learning more about the historical events that inspired it.

Thank you NetGalley,for the opportunity to read the arc ebook,The Girls of Good Fortune by,Kristina McMorris and Sourcebooks Landmark Publishers.
I found this 416 page book,a historical novel,a fast read even though lengthy. It takes place in Portland, in 1888 where a large number of residents were Chinese and not looked upon kindly but used for cheap labor.I thought that was mainly in San Francisco and knew nothing about Oregon.The main character Cecile being half Chinese on her father’s side and half American White on her mother’s side,lives an early life of many adventures while hiding her father’s identity. I enjoyed the factual parts of the book but found the love interest,adventure at sea,on a train boxcar and living in a bordello just filler that’s been written before and also seen in movies.
It’s written ok but on a sophomoric level.
On sale,May 20,2025

I appreciate NetGalley for the oppotrunity to read and review The Girls of Good Fortune by Kristina McMorris. I really enjoyed this book. The story pulled me in with its vibrant characters and fast-paced plot. I especially loved following Celia’s journey— I couldn’t wait to see what would happen to her next. McMorris does a great job blending drama, grit, and heart. The book explores friendship, ambition, and the unexpected turns life can take, all while keeping you turning the pages. A fun and satisfying read that I’d definitely recommend!

I love it when I read a book and it informs me as well as entertains! I was captivated from the beginning. Celia was an amazing heroine with lots of spunk. There are found family elements as well as female friendships. The story was intriguing the whole way though. I couldn't put it down! I learned a lot about the mistreatment of Chinese immigrants during railroad expansion. This book covers several heavy topics very well. I recommend this book to readers of historical fiction. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the review copy.

Thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

As our historical fiction begins, it is 1888, and Celia is drugged and unaware of how she ended up in the Shanghai Tunnels. In 1885, we learn that Celia, daughter of a Chinese father and a white woman, is working as a maid in Portland, Oregon. In love with her employer's son, Celia is thrown out of the family home when the family discover that she is pregnant and they refuse to send word to their son, Stephen, away at medical school. With a baby on the way and reeling from the devastating loss of her father, a Chinese miner killed in a massacre, Celia finds herself working as a housekeeper in a brothel. Celia vows to find justice for her father and begins to make a home for her daughter, Pearl. But there is still the question as to how Celia finds herself so far from her home.

As I often find myself when it comes to Kristina McMorris, I read this novel in one sitting. The author's notes, interview, and acknowledgments show the passion and hard work of the author. I felt that Celia was a compelling character, even if she was a bit naive for the majority of the book. Learning about the Hells Canyon Massacre and the Shanghai Tunnels, two aspects of history that I wasn't familiar with, kept me engaged in the story. It also had me doing some sleuthing on the internet after my read was over.

It's a difficult history to read, but I became wrapped up in Celia's fierce determination to survive her ordeals. Luckily, a sweet ending along with a series of recipes helps the novel end on a note of hope. Something which we all need in this day and age.


If you enjoy books by Kristin Harmel, Pam Jenoff, and Ariel Lawhon, I do believe that you will fall for this title as well.



#TheGirlsOfGoodFortune #NetGalley.
Expected Publication 20/05/25
Goodreads Review 20/05/25

An intense story of love, racism, and politics that would fit in the modern world as the late 19th Century. I want more!

I loved this book. I have read a couple of Kristina McMorris books in the past, but this is now my favorite. It tells the story of Celia, a mixed Chinese maid at the Governors mansion. She finds herself pregnant and is dismissed and sent to a brothel to work. Through a series of people she meets, events and lies, she is shanghaied and sent on a ship to parts unknown. Her resilience and determination help her navigate her future and the final chapter of her life. I look forward to hear more from this author. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion

This was so good !! If only there weren't pacing issues at the beginning. I went from hooked to drifting to hooked again. You could tell this was a work done with love for history. The research was so well done. Celia was absolutely compelling as a main character. The hardships she faced she faced due to being half-Chinese, as well as the class barrier between her and her love, became so fantastically convoluted. I learnt so much about the Portland Shanghai Tunnels through this and I'm excited to see more from Kristina McMorris.

If you enjoy historical fiction with a tough female main character you will appreciate this book. It is dark in places and often quite hopeless in tone but our tough main character Celia keeps going. I learned a lot about the history of Portland, Oregon and next time I visit I will be looking for those tunnels.

This is very well written and researched and is an excellent story. The dual timelines created a great sense of suspense that keep this reader reading far into the night. There are some plot points that are a bit too convenient but I think they’ll work very well in the movie I can see in my head. I can be a bit cynical when things happen too coincidentally.

I really appreciated the author's note. Don't skip it! This is so relevant to today and we all need to educate ourselves on Chinese American history and its lasting impacts.

This book reminded me a lot of Jing-Jing Lee’s How We Disappeared. I also recently read The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee. If you’re looking for a sweeter, softer consideration of the Chinese American experience that might be of interest.

Thanks for the advance copy NetGalley, Kristina McMorris and the publisher, Sourcebooks Landmark. Much appreciated.

Wow! This story kept my interest from the first page to the last page. Historical fiction is my favorite genre and this book fit in perfectly. the writing was good and the tale was exceptional. I have read other books by Kristina McMorris and I will continue to look for her work in the future.