Sister of Fortune by Esther Chehebar is a captivating historical fiction with rich cultural depth. The characters are unforgettable, and the plot is full of twists. A must-read for fans of emotional, immersive stories!

This was an interesting look into a culture that I am not very familiar with. It made me uncomfortable at times but that's one of the best parts of reading- it's a safe to be exposed to things that you might never have encountered. These three sisters are all in different spots in their lives but they all tend to revolve around men, their relationship status (or lack thereof), their family, and food. This wasn't a bad read but it was a bit slow and I'm not sure how many of my patrons will enjoy this one.

In this engaging debut novel, three sisters from a Sephardic Syrian Jewish family in Brooklyn navigate the tension between tradition and personal desires. Fortune, the middle sister, secretly questions her upcoming marriage while her family makes financial sacrifices for her wedding. Nina, the rebellious eldest at 26 (ancient by community standards), finds unexpected freedom working at an indie music label. Meanwhile, high schooler Lucy pursues a troubling relationship with a 30-year-old doctor that her family enthusiastically endorses.
Set against preparations for Passover, a father's health anxieties, and a struggling family business, the novel offers a flavorful immersion into Middle Eastern Jewish culture through its food, language, and customs. The author skillfully examines the suffocating expectations placed on young women—to marry well, maintain impossible beauty standards, and uphold community traditions—while portraying the complex love binding this family together.
Sisters of Fortune is a compelling exploration of how we reconcile our cultural roots with our individual dreams, delivered through authentic characters and rich cultural detail that stays with you long after the final page.

Set in Portland Oregon during 1880’s where Chinese were treated poorly. Celia hides her Chinese background and gets a job. She ends up in dire circumstances and faces many problems, homeless, brothel, kidnapping, etc. Very good storyline with info on Chinese murders and Shanghai Tunnels. No foul explicit language which makes the story even more enjoyable.

Fortune, the obedient middle sister, is days away from her wedding — a match that seems perfect on the surface — but doubts are quietly creeping in. Her struggle to reconcile her growing uncertainty with the pressure of her impending nuptials feels relatable. Meanwhile, Nina, the headstrong eldest sister, is considered practically a spinster at 26, but when she reconnects with an old friend, she’s offered an unexpected glimpse into a different future — one that challenges her community’s expectations. Lucy, the youngest and still in high school, embarks on a secret and risky relationship with an older bachelor, adding another layer of complexity to the story.

This novel stands out because of its delicate yet unflinching exploration of the clash between tradition and modernity. The author expertly captures the unspoken pressures women often face — from the expectation of marriage to the fear of being labeled an outsider. Each sister’s story feels uniquely personal but universally relatable, especially for readers who have questioned the path seemingly laid out for them.

The writing is sharp, immersive, and emotionally resonant. The author paints a vivid portrait of the sisters’ community, allowing readers to understand the warmth and comfort it provides while also feeling the subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) weight of expectation it places on women. This story has no clear villains — just human beings navigating the murky waters of societal norms and personal fulfillment.

As the wedding day approaches, tension mounts, and readers will find themselves deeply invested in each sister’s journey. The conclusion is deeply satisfying, leaving readers reflecting on the complexity of family, love, and the courage it takes to choose one's own path—even when it defies expectations.

The Cohen sisters will stay with you long after the final page, reminding you that sometimes the most challenging choices lead to the most fulfilling lives.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Fortune Cohen is the middle sister and has always done what was expected of her. She doesn't make waves, so when she starts to question her feels about getting married in general and to her fiancé in particular, she hides it well, Meanwhile, her older sister Nina is making waves for being twenty-six, unmarried, and having a job at a record company. Finally, youngest sister Lucy is in her senior year of high school and dating a thirty year old. Told in the sisters' own voices, each finds themselves at odds with the traditions of their Sephardic community and modernity. I enjoyed the novel until the end, where it feels as if the author just stopped. There were several things left unsettled.

Fortune’s Sisters is a lively story about three young Jewish women who have been raised in the Syrian Sephardic tradition. The antecedents of this tradition are very much present for everyone in their community. It is a small one, and everyone knows everyone else.

Fortune, the middle sister, is preparing for her wedding. It and the preparations for it are going to be very traditional. Nina, her older sister, is feeling the pinch of being the eldest and unmarried. The younger sister, Lucy, doesn’t care too much about this because she already has a boyfriend.

Both the sisters’ mother and grandmother are truly interesting characters and play a major part in the young women’s lives. From them comes the teaching and the sharing. All five are truly close-knit, but only the elder women realize this.

We learn so much about this community’s customs and people. And we also learn how much of a prison that can sometimes feel like to the younger people. The question of who to marry is so important to everyone but in different ways. The young ones want to marry for love. The older ones want the marriage and the in-law’s family to be a solid part of the community.

Yet as generations are added, this is not so easy. Other views have already made inroads, especially because many people’s work is outside the community. There is a real tug between the traditional and modern, and author Chehebar has wonderfully portrayed this for us.

L O V E a book about sisters and different POVs and coming of age. a classic novel for me fr. big fan of the character development i feel as if i wish the book had actually started about 1/3 of the way into the book and then continued a little further after the book ended but all in all cute story and i enjoyed reading it!!!! i got a little lost in the the lingo because i was unaware of the glossary at the back (e-reading) but was picking it up along the way!!

thank you netgalley for the ARC ❤️

I tried to get into this story but it just didn't hold my attention. I'm sure it's a wonderful novel but just not for me.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and Random House for an honest review. Sisters of Fortune is a debut novel by the Syrian/Jewish author, Esther Chehebar. This is a heartwarming story about the Syrian/Jewish community in New York and how they live in America and try to keep their Syrian customs, traditions, religion, rituals, etc. in their daily lives. The story follows the Cohen family consisting of “Sitto” , the grandmother and matriarch , the parents and their three daughters - Nina, Fortune and Lucy. I learned a lot about the Syrian/Jewish traditions that they brought with them from the old country. The book begins with Fortune’s upcoming wedding to Saul, complete with all the instructions that engaged religious girls get (the laws of Niddah). The Glossary at the end explains all the foreign words that were used. I enjoyed the book and look forward to more books by Esther Chehebar.

This is a sweet book about 3 sisters caught up in the important search for a perfect husband. Fortune, Lucie and Nina are in the Sephardic Jewish community pressure cooker to marry, and to marry well. The family is very interesting, quite stereotypical, but vital to the plot.

I enjoyed the book, but generally found it predictable.

Thank you Netgalley for your novel.

This book follows the lives of the Cohen sisters as they navigate life in their Sephardic Jewish community. I was a little nervous to read this book because I was unfamiliar with this community, but this book made me feel like I was part of it! I enjoyed reading about their family dynamic and of their relationships with each other and with others in the community.

I would have loved to see more interactions between the sisters themselves and to delve more into their personal identities. I did struggle a bit with some of the language and traditions, but ended up learning so much about this community.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

Thanks to Net Galley and Random House for the chance to read an early copy of Sisters of Fortune. It was certainly educational, filled with the language and traditions of a Sephardic family. originally from Syria, now living in Midwood, Brooklyn. Fortune, the middle sister, is engaged to Saul and the wedding is fast approaching when Fortune begins to have doubts about whether he is really the right man for her. Her older sister, Nina, is a bit of a rebel who had been her mother's assistant in her mom's catering business but is not looking for a husband at age 26. Youngest daughter and high school senior, Lucy, is in love with a surgical intern who is quite a catch, coming from a wealthy family.

The characters, Mom, Dad, grandmother, and other friends and neighbors are well fleshed out. Also of interest are the pre-marital classes which set forth all of the orthodox Jewish laws regarding cohabitation. Perhaps because I grew up in an orthodox Jewish community in Brooklyn (not this one), I was already quite familiar with these. This novel appears to draw an accurate picture of the family relationships, along with upper middle class American materialism. Although the dynamics were mostly interesting, I quickly lost patience in the language (glossary at the back of the book) and the constant descriptions of Syrian food. (Read with an antacid at the ready.)

Sisters of Fortune is a valiant first effort but is not for every audience.

Three sisters endure community pressure as they navigate the rule-filled process of finding and keeping a man in "Sisters of Fortune," a novel by Esther Chehebar.

I'm not well-versed in the Sephardic Jewish tradition and community, but I definitely can relate to this story of societal pressure and the angst of young women who are trying to find their places in the world. I received an advance copy of this book through NetGalley. I found the characters relatable and the story interesting.

Fortune is the middle daughter. She's engaged to be married soon as the story opens. Her parents, grandmother and two sisters are all caught up in the mad dash of marriage preparations. The older sister, Nina, doesn't have a boyfriend, which everyone considers a huge embarrassment. The younger sister, Lucy, has caught the attention of a much-older and wealthier man, which has elevated her status in the community.

The marriage preparations are frantic and excessive and truly seem to be more about impressing the community and saving face rather than celebrating a big event. As I said, I'm not very familiar with this community, but I enjoyed learning about it.

I LOVED this book. The author wrote with humor and sensitivity. While I was slightly familiar with the Syrian Jewish community (I grew up in Brooklyn), I was somewhat surprised at the focus on expensive labels. Nevertheless, I look forward to Ms. Chehebar's next book.

A good story about the importance of family and traditions. I really enjoyed it. Highly recommend. The story was fast paced and easy to read (I read it in a day).

This was such a nice book about three sisters as they figure out who they are and what they want. I loved their bonds. This book was about love and traditions and family. It was entertaining to read and emotional as someone who is Jewish. The writing brought me into the pages and kept me there. This is a sweet book and I would recommend.

This is a lovely coming of age saga about three sisters in a Syrian Jewish community in Brooklyn. They are dealing with their desire to leave the restrictions and traditions of their family but at the same time finding comfort in those traditions. The girls have very different personalities but share in their love for each other. Like most siblings, they disagree and fight but ultimately boost each other up. I loved learning more about the tight knit community and the many rituals they follow. It’s hard to imagine how they still survive with so many social pressures to change. Do they find it frustrating or does it provide them with a harbor of safety?

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. My opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book. This was an interesting read about three Syrian Jewish sisters living in modern day New York and the pressures to marry. Their culture and traditions are so very different from what I’m familiar with. I learned a lot, but also I laughed a lot: like when one sister accidentally takes laxatives, or when describing her dad’s driving.

Reading about a trio of sisters was enjoyable because the author crafted beautiful characters and put them in settings where their relationships are tested. It was a story full of love, self-discovery, romance, and more. I was entertained throughout. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.