Thank you NetGalley & Hyperion Avenue for allowing me access to this ebook in exchange for my honest review.
Worth Fighting For is the fifth installment in the series Meant to Be. It'll be released Jun 3rd 2025. It's a retelling of Mulan, one of my favorite Disney princesses.
Fa Mulan steps in for her ill father to secure a critical acquisition for his private equity firm. Posing as her father, she must navigate negotiations with the traditional whiskey-making family led by the hardworking Shang. When a face-to-face meeting turns into a week long retreat on their ranch, Mulan faces unexpected challenges—and sparks with Shang. Can she seal the deal without revealing her identity or losing her heart?
I enjoyed this book although I struggled to get into it at first.I loved how, just like in the movie, Mulan shines as a fierce and fearless heroine, ready to take on any challenge that comes her way!

I loved this book for a large portion of it. The story of Mulan is one of my favorites, and I was thrilled to see how her disguise would be interpreted for a modern spin. Unfortunately, lying about one's identity to close a business deal is one thing. Lying about it while you engage in a romantic relationship with someone is another. I thought the writing and characters were very engaging and fun, and I liked the reversal from the traditional "he's the finance guy, she's from the family farm." I also really loved the way that the family had to adjust and grow as well as our main characters, and the last grand gesture was really creative. However, I don't feel like the ongoing deception was taken seriously enough by the author or the characters, and that soured it for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this free advance readers copy in exchange for my honest review. This gem is a mordern retelling of the Disney story of Mulan. Even though I am not a big Disney fan I really enjoyed this book.

Not gonna lie, I was waiting for the cross-dressing to happen a la the Disney version but was pleasantly surprised by this updated version. That being said, I loved the little nods to the Disney story. Mushu as the absolute spitfire of a cousin made this book hilarious and matched the energy of the dragon character in the Disney version. Yes, there are some parts that get a little corney but how could it not be an adaptation of a Disney story without them??

This was SO fun!! I love Hyperion. They put out some really fun reads, and this was no exception. Witty, amusing and creative, this one will be on my mind for awhile!

Worth Fighting For by Jesse Q. Sutanto is a mordern retelling of the Disney story of Mulan. I've not seen Mulan but I get the gist of the story and I believe Jesse Q. Sutanto, as always, delivered on this story. Strong female character meets swoony male figure. Add the chaotic Chinese family drama Jesse Q. Sutanto does so well, and this was a really enjoyable read. Thank you, Netgalley and Hyperion Avenue, for the ARC. All opinions expressed are mine.

I like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this.

Guys. Look at the scores of the other Disney fairy-tales redone. I have never read them, and I have never read anything by this author. I normally don' read romances, but if a Mulan adaptation is happening? You bet your bottom dollar I am going to read this.

I got no words on how appropriately, authentically (well, from my point of view), and romantically this was done. You want to read a modern day 'true to your heart' tale? You gotta read this.

Jesse's handling of updating the story without the cross-dressing is perfect, believable and full of humor and steady romance. Bits from the Mulan film make their way in this but not in an obvious way. I had to read a couple times and reflect to realize "Oh! That scene must be this!" That's how sly some of them were.

Mushu being her co-worker is perfect. She has the same pep, 'fight me and I'll fight ya attitude', and in Mulan's corner through it all. Shang also is a perfect adaptation. He was swoony while being naturally swoony. His charm, focus, and integrity really shined like in the original film. And the lake / bath scene is still there, sorta? Plus other cutesy stuff that kind of sorta reminded me of Shang in Mulan 2.

The point is, if you're gonna read any of these Disney adaptations you have to read this one. It was believable, well written, and a great modern day interpretation of the film.

Worth Fighting For is the latest installment of the Meant To Be series with a modern retelling of Mulan. I’m always amazed at how the authors retell these loved Disney classics. Mulan works for her father’s finance firm and has to pose as him for an acquisition of a whisky company. I laughed out loud several times at the dilemmas that Mulan and Mushu get into. Of course Mulan starts falling for the owner of the company which only complicates things. I really hope they keep this series going. I’ve enjoyed each one of them.

If you love the movie Mulan, you have got to read this modern retelling of Mulana by Jesse Q. Sutanto, which is part of the “Meant to be” series that Disney (Hyperion) has been putting out.

I had no expectations for what this novel was going to do with the concept, but I have read Sutanto before, and have loved everything she has written, so I knew I was going to be in for a fun ride with snappy banter, and so I was.

The basic story is not that Mulan has to dress up as a man and fight in an army in place of her father, but that Mulan has to be her father, and impress a multi-generational family of Chinese immigrant whisky makers. She does not dress up in drag for this, but channels what her father would do and say, while being the strong woman that she is.

I loved this story. I loved Mulan. I loved her cousin, and side-kick Mushu. I loved Shang. I loved the bad guy. It all worked. The neat thing about the author is that she can draw on her roots, as she came from Chinese immigrants to Indonesia. I loved her portrayal of the Aunties and Uncles of the Li family, and how they all reacted to Mulan’s channeling of her father. Well written. Fun. I raced through it to see how it would all turn out.

And yes, all the stars. This should be not only on your TBR list, but also on your pre-order list as well.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is being published on the 3rd of June 2025.

A Mulan reimagining set in the Bay Area amongst finance bros. What a ride.

Mulan works at her father's finance company. Zhao wants to invest in a misogynistic whiskey company. The deal hinges on him, the only one the whiskey company will do business with. When he falls ill, Mulan pretends to be him.

Who owns the whiskey company? None other than Shang, his mother, and her incredibly anti-female brothers and nephews. James is the worst. His father and uncles are a close second. Shang is dreamy.

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue

Worth Fighting For was an adorable idea and concept. Following the man character Mulan as she struggles through the trials and tribulations of being a female in a male-dominated industry, you see first had what the cultural impact her family had on her self image. This book's concept was well defined, however, I felt it was lacking when it came to the depth of the relationship with Shang. I found myself wondering if they would even start a relationship, and then by the end it was so rushed I felt like it was a last minute add-on. I really enjoyed the overall concept and this book had great potential overall.

I went into this Mulan modern retelling with no expectations and had such a great time! First and foremost, I am so elated they had an Asian author wrote this. I may be biased as I LOVE everything Jesse Sutanto writes, but she smashed this. Reading her authors note at the end of her grandparents stories and history being Chinese added even more meaning to this story.

Worth Fighting For follows our main character Mulan as she pretends to be her father for a business deal after he falls ill. Worried the company they're trying to aquire won't take a woman seriously, she sees no other option than to assume her father's identity to carry out the acquisition. Mulan and her cousin Mushu visit the business interests ranch for a weekend and we see the chaos unfold.

I love that this retelling held strong to the value of a woman. To Mulan building courage and confidence. The romance definitely took a back seat in this book which at first I wasn't sure about... but after reflecting I'm glad it didn't feel to be the main focal point. Oh how I wish Mushu was portrayed as a fun little animal companion still though!

I am a huge Disney nerd so I was excited when Hyperion offered the Meant to Be Series. These modern retellings of classic Disney stories are simply fantastic, and Worth Fighting For is no exception! It's a modern day retelling of Mulan's story from the gifted pen of Jesse Q. Sutanto, the author of Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers and the Dial A For Aunties series. A match made in heaven!

My expectations for this book were high, and I'm pleased to report that they were absolutely MET! The characters are all richly drawn and the nods to the original story are clear and lovely. I laughed, cringed, cheered, and swooned. Sutanto does a phenomenal job of balancing the comic nuance you'd expect from the original story, with closed door romance and the absolutely real struggles that women face in the workforce. Sutanto did not gloss over issues that deserve this spotlight and bold headlines.

It's tough to pick a favorite from this series, but if I was made to choose, Worth Fighting For would come out on top. I'm hoping this series continues and am looking forward to see what's next! Thank you to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for providing this advanced review copy prior to the book's publication in exchange for my honest review.

I will be posting my reviews closer to pub date on both StoryGraph, and Goodreads. I will post to IG (@bookish.moment) on May 27. I will update my review with links to these posts when they are live. Thank you!

Mulan has spent her career being judged as a woman in finance - so when her beloved father has a heart attack, she can't let his acquisition of the Li's family's whiskey brand founder. Mulan steps in as Zhou, the managing partner of the firm....of course, it would help if she and Shang Li, the CEO didn't have such amazing chemistry.

The Meant to Be Series had a high bar with Christiana Lauren's Tangled Up in You, but Worth Fighting For more than lives up to it. Sutanto has been incredibly thoughtful about translating Mulan's need to prove herself into the modern world of finance, but keeps the core of the relationship between Mulan and Shang. I also loved that Mulan's mother got more of a characterisation, supporting Mulan with her wisdom, kindness and love. Mushu has become a wonderful friend in this version and the book makes some empathetic and kind points about the difficulty of the Asian American immigrant and experience and cultural adjustment.

I also loved the little nods to some of the lyrics in the movie! Sutanto is clearly a Mulan fan and her love of the story shows. I would recommend to anyone who enjoys the Meant to Be series - and I'm excited to see which fairytale is next!

This Author writes in many genres and I am here for it. When I saw this I had to have it, Thank you netgalley and to the publisher. I was captivated by the authors writing and the plot of the story. From the very beginning I was taken in. I found the pacing to be mid-level and it was perfect. I can’t wait to see what else the author writes.

Mulan is my favorite disney princess and this book was a beautiful rom-com retelling of Mulan. I found Mulan to be a relatable FMC as the book follows her having to navigate a male-dominated culture while struggling to find her own identity. I especially loved the tender moments between Mulan and Shang (though I would have liked more romantic moments between them). Mushu was also such a funny side character and had me laughing out loud with her shenanigans. Overall, I loved this book and I can’t wait to pick it up once it comes out next year!

I was looking forward to this one but the writing was just too cheesy. I also just think women in the workplace is a little overdone in this one. Yes this stuff happens but I think sometimes books make it way more blatant than it actually is. Idk I work in a male dominated field and I feel like it’s way more subtle which makes it more frustrating because it’s hard to call people out on micro-aggressions.

Worth Fighting For is the 5th book in the Meant to Be series, but it can be read as a stand a lone book. Each book in the series is a modern retelling of a Disney Princess. Mulan is my favorite Disney Princess, so I was so excited to read this book. This book follows Mulan, who works at her father’s hedge fund company. As a daughter of Chinese immigrants in a male dominated field, Mulan feels like she needs to wear different masks or personas to succeed. When Mulan’s father has a heart attack, she has to take over his deal with a traditional Chinese whiskey company. Her father has only talked with the whiskey company through email, so she impersonates her father to get the whiskey company to take her seriously. In the process, she falls for the CEO, Shang.

This was such a fun and creative Mulan retelling. I loved seeing Mulan come out of her shell and try new things as she got to know Shang’s family. Mulan had her cousin, Mushu, as her support and wing woman throughout the book, and it was so nice to see their bond. Chinese culture was a big theme of this book, and I loved learning more about it. I do feel like Mulan lied about her identity a little too long, and I feel like the constant internal dialogue regarding Mulan’s masks got a little too repetitive. I still loved it, though.

I am obsessed with the Meant To Be series; where each Disney princess is being retold by some of the best romance authors around. I was stoked to find out we were getting a Mulan one written by THE Jesse Q. Sutano and i am happy to report it exceeded my very high expectations.

As the right hand of her father’s hedge fund company, Fa Mulan knows what it takes to succeed as a woman in a man’s world: work twice as hard, be twice as smart, and burp twice as loud as any of the other finance bros she works with. So when her father unexpectedly falls ill in the middle of a critical acquisition, she is determined to see it through. There’s just one hitch: the family company in question is known for its ultra masculine whiskey brand, and the brood of old-fashioned aunts, uncles, and cousins who run it—lead by the dedicated but overworked Shang—will only trust Mulan’s father, Fa Zhou, with the future of their business.


I loved everything about this book and especially the little nods to the Disney story. Mushu may not be a dragon but she is an absolute spitfire of a cousin and one of the many aspects that made this book hilarious. I’m not exaggerating when I say I laughed out loud on numerous occasions and it’s been forever since I’ve done that with a book.

And while yes this book is comical; it’s also very real account of what women have to deal with everyday in business. You’ll feel enraged on behalf of Mulan and countless other women thanks to the incredible writing style and amount of emotion the author has poured into this. It’s also a testament to the struggles immigrants have to go through. And when you do finish this book I highly recommend reading the authors note at the back to hear of her own family’s story.

Overall, this is hands down my fav in the series and one of my fav romances ever.

This was everything that I was hoping for from the previous entries in the Meant to Be series, it had that Mulan element that I was looking for and enjoyed the modernization of it. Jesse Q. Sutanto does a fantastic job in writing this and keeping the spirit of this perfectly and work with the modern setting. I was invested in what was happening and was glad I was able go on this journey. I’m excited to read more from Jesse Q. Sutanto and from the Meant to Be series.