What a fun quirky book with reference to Pride & Predjudice. Being from NY I liked that it is set in Chinatown. It was a very good Rom Com with asian flair. Thank you Net Galley for giving me the opportunity to reading this one.

Thank you so much for this arc! One thing about me? When I see Pride & Prejudice, I immediately latch on because I’m curious about the ways in which it will retold. I really liked this and it almost felt like such a fresh take a breath of fresh air. I don’t often reread books but I definitely will be revisiting this.

Good Fortune by C.K. Chau is a retelling of Pride and Prejudice set in New York’s Chinatown. Elizabeth Chen spends her time after college either working in her family’s restaurant or at the ramshackle community center.

Her mother is the realtor who has almost completed the sale of the community center to wealthy new owners, including Darcy Wong and Brendan Lee. Elizabeth loves the center and doesn’t want it to become obsolete. Mrs. Chen may seem a little obnoxious to the owners but she’s doing the best to ensure a future for her five daughters.


Elizabeth isn’t totally sure of what she wants to do but she does know that she isn’t going to sell out for a few bucks. She and Darcy have several meetings that don’t go well. Darcy has the wrong idea about Elizabeth and her family. Mrs. Chen doesn’t help the situation. In this retelling, I was less annoyed by Mrs. Chen than Mrs. Bennett in Pride and Prejudice. Mrs. Chen has some obvious flaws but the one that actually bothers me is how much she spoils Lydia.

Elizabeth is my favorite character, obviously. She’s independent, intelligent, creative, etc. Of course, she makes mistakes but she is only human. Elizabeth is the underdog but I was rooting for her throughout the book whether she ended up with Darcy or not.

On top of her job at the restaurant, she does her best to keep her younger sisters on the right track. Lydia gives the family a run for their money but doesn’t care about how her actions affect anyone else. Although Lydia is only a teenager, she’s the type that would run off to join the circus or take her chances in Hollywood without telling her parents.


Although the story does follow closely with Pride and Prejudice, it is not exactly the same. There are aspects of Good Fortune that deal with racism and cultural identity. Sometimes I would forget that it was a retelling.

While Darcy was a jerk initially, he does help the family eventually. He does the best to fix the situation without telling anyone. Darcy does this selfless thing which is unlike anything he has done so far. Plus, how many people do you know that wouldn’t broadcast the great thing that they did? Some people just want everyone to know how great they are so they get all of the recognition.

If you are a fan of a great retelling then you will love Good Fortune. If you are not a fan of any changes in a classic story, then hopefully you could still be persuaded to give the book a chance.

Who doesn't love a Pride and Prejudice retelling? If you don't, I expect you're "not handsome enough to tempt me" levels of grumpy.

These characterizations are pretty loyal to the original story, and I think Chau''s modern-ish updates (Good Fortune takes place in the early aughts) are smart and appropriate to the time period. I liked that she changed Collins' proposal to a job offer, and the nude photo conflict is more realistic than a 16-year old runaway bride (I hope).

I especially liked that Chau did not shy away from describing the Chens level of poverty - moreover, she never treated it as something they are meant to feel ashamed about. While Austen's Bennetts were kinda-poor, the Chens are poor-poor, the seven of them living in a 2-bedroom apartment in Chinatown. Elizabeth is often embarrassed by her family, but it's always by the dumb shit they say or do - never by their finances. It was refreshing to read about a character who is proud to work for a living, who would rather make minimum wage and support herself than sit on a trust fund diddling her thumbs. While I'm not a "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" capitalist, I just really love reading about characters who don't apologize to the multi-millionaires standing in the middle of their shoebox apartment.

My one criticism was I wish there had been more Elizabeth -Darcy interactions. There were some stretches where I was desperate for Darcy to reappear. But even with that I rate it a 4.5! I would love to read more from C.K. Chau.

Thank you to Chau, the publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.

A modern day reimagining of Pride and Prejudice set in Chinatown?? SIGN ME UP. The story follows Elizabeth Chen and her family, including her sisters: Jane, Kitty, Lydia, and Mary. Elizabeth’s mother can’t wait for her daughters to find a good marriage, find a job, and move on with their lives while Elizabeth’s biggest concern is the community’s beloved derelict community center. When her mom finally sells the community center to new owners, Brendan Lee and Darcy Wong, two wealthy Chinese boys from Hong Kong, Elizabeth is suspicious. To saw Elizabeth and Darcy get off on the wrong foot is putting it lightly. But soon things take a turn when their worlds collide and they are forced to spend time together. Could Elizabeth be wrong about Darcy or was her first impression of him right? Secrets, betrayals, frustrations, and mistakes all come together in this delightful reimagining of a classic story. I adore the classic story and this was a fun take on it. I love the fresh new setting and diverse characters, and it really was a fun read. I think fans of the classic will definitely enjoy this!

*Thanks Netgalley and HarperVia for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

3.5 stars. It took me so long to finish this book because I admit I almost gave up on it. But I’m so glad I persisted because it ended up being a good story.

I will keep this author on my radar and read future works.

this was a fast read and I really enjoyed it!

thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for an advanced copy of this book!

This book wasn't for me. I couldn't get into the characters or the plot line. DNF



****************************I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest opinion.*************************************************

Stunningly smart, funny and good! C.K. has the confidence and understanding of the source that's needed to make a P&P retelling fresh and interesting and while it might sting to think of early 2000s new york as a period setting, it is, and she nails it in every way.

Very fun and nostalgic read for anyone who grew up Asian in 1990s early 2000s Giuliani/Bloomberg era gentrifying New York. Cute Jane Austen retelling. First half was a bit slow, bit worth it to set up the ending. Am looking forward to next titles from this authors.

Elizabeth is growing up in New York in the early 2000s. She and her family (parents and 4 sisters) work really hard to make ends meet. Her mom is constantly trying to marry her and her older sister off/trying to find them better paying jobs. Elizabeth works odd jobs while applying for full-time jobs that align with her goals and morals. One day she learns that their community rec center is being renovated and taken over by a wealthy couple of partners who around the same age as her and her older sister Jane. While Jane immediately becomes infatuated with one of the partners, Elizabeth and the other partner, Darcy quickly become enemies. He's extremely rude to Elizabeth and her family, and he doesn't seem to care about the impact the rec has on the community.
The first half of this book felt like it dragged on for a long time; however, after finishing the second half of the book, I realize all the character/world-building from the first half of the book was necessary. I think book can be best described as women's fiction with enemies to lovers romance.

Confession time, I’ve never read Pride and Prejudice itself but I’ve read a few retellings. This version adds an Asian-American spin to the beloved classic. Not gonna lie, it started out a little slow for me. Half-way through it was when I began to appreciate it more.

Elizabeth is strong willed-she loves her family and she is determined to help better her community. However, to the eyes of those around her (especially her mother), she is stuck on a cycle of interviews but no job offers. Part-time jobs and the community center is how she lives her life.
Enter Darcy. He is serious and all about business. Everytime he and Elizabeth meet, they clash especially when the topic is the future of the community center. There is a frenemy sort of dynamic between these two. I think they both have good intentions but just don’t agree on how to go about it.

A modern Pride and Prejudice retelling with Chinese-American characters is really all I’ve ever wanted, and Good Fortune attempts to be exactly that.

Transposing Jane Austen’s original story to early 2000’s Chinatown in New York actually makes a lot of sense. The Bennet sisters are the Chen sisters here. While the Bennets navigate the strictures and limitations of the British Regency as women unable to inherit and completely reliant on marriage and male family for survival, the Chens wrestle with being second generation immigrants in America, living under the weight of their overbearing mothers’ high expectations, and suffering through plenty of comparisons to the other neighborhood girls. As in many of Austen’s novels, there is a (here, Gossip Girl-esque) hyper-present narrator providing much of this social commentary. I think Chau successfully weaves a comparison between these two seemingly disparate worlds and time periods. The book also attempts to touch a bit upon gentrification of immigrant neighborhoods and supporting those who actually live in those communities.

… I ultimately wish this book took more risks in its adaptation of the original. It followed the plot too closely to the point of being a copy. It frames itself as a retelling so I guess I really shouldn’t have expected too much, as retellings will inevitably possess the same “beats” that fly by like familiar landmarks, but the level of predictability just felt uninspired. These similarities came down to certain lines of dialogue lifted straight from Austen, just slightly modernized (and I swear maybe even the 2005 film adaptation?). I wish there were more surprises along the way that helped to freshen up the story to fit its new setting! However, I don’t regret reading this, and I’m pleased with the fact that there is a book like this out there with this premise even if I hoped the execution were stronger.

Thank you to Harper Via and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Placeholder. Will update when the Harper Collins union new contract is finalized. Thank you again to the publisher for the copy.

Thank you to HarperVia and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Good Fortune by C.K. Chau is an amazing #ownvoices retelling of Pride and Prejudice. The story revolves around Elizabeth Chen, whose mother Jade is selling the beloved community center down the block from their house. The buyers include Darcey Wong, whose family is extremely wealthy. Elizabeth takes offense to Darcey right away. But is the rich boy as arrogant as he seems? And will the plotlines of their lives draw them closer together?

Here is a humorous excerpt from the opening chapter:

"“Kitty!” Elizabeth called, and Kitty came, feet dragging on the hems of her pajama pants.
“LB, you’re so unfair,” Kitty replied, dutifully sinking her hands into another plastic bag and retrieving a head of cabbage. “Jane never talks to me this way.”
Lydia rolled her eyes. “Jane babies you.”
“Says the baby,” Kitty snapped.
“Jane’s at the library, and I’m asking you to help me, okay?” Elizabeth said.
“Why me? It’s always me! You never ask Lydia to do anything. And Mary’s just sitting there!”
“I’m studying,” Mary retorted.
“V. C. Andrews?” Kitty replied."

Overall, Good Fortune is a contemporary retelling of Pride and Prejudice, but with an Asian twist. One highlight of this book is that it is a cultural remix that truly interested me, I've seen these popping up before, but when I read the description for this one, I knew that I had to read it right away. I can totally se this as a blockbuster movie like Crazy Rich Asians.

If I had to complain about 1 thing, I would have to say that I really struggled to picture the characters in my head, especially since I had the classic Pride and Prejudice movie in the background of my mind the whole time. I'm not sure what the author could have done to remedy this though. Nevertheless, If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of rom-coms in general, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in July!

This was such a fun Pride and Prejudice retelling! I loved the family and the cultural aspects of the novel. The Jane Austen-esque! writing style was so fun! Definitely a worth while read!

Thank you for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are completely my own!

enjoyed this book a lot. will read more of this author and more of their books. i was grateful to get a copy of it. Thanks so much.

With so many modern retelling of Jane Austen novels, I started this book with some hesitance. I’m very glad I didn’t let that bias, sour me from reading this. So eloquently funny, and well written. The characters are charming and the author does a phenomenal job in staying true to their unique stories, culture and regional characterization while paying homage to Austen. There were many times, I laughed incredibly reading this. The dialogue is witty. I enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend.

Modern retelling of Pride & Prejudice but plonk it in Chinatown.

I can imagine the setup of their Chinatown apartment, sounds exactly like where I lived in SF Chinatown. In the apartment my landlady grew up in with 5 siblings, bunk beds and 1 bathroom.

The names of the girls are the same as in the original which threw me a little bit it’s common for Chinese to have “American” names or after someone they admire. It actually helped me keep the girls straight.

The Chen girls help out at the family restaurant where their dad works, while their mom brokers real estate deals (mainly the community center) with cranky out of towners.

Slow burn, Jane Austen style. A must read if you like Chinatown, Pride & Prejudice & community!

Yes, I may have already read a few Pride & Prejudice retellings, but I apparently can’t seem to stop myself. I even enjoyed the pop culture references which can be like a bucket of cold water to the story when not done right.

Like all Jane Austen, this is a slow burn which isn’t usually my jam but there are exceptions every now and again. There was one moment where I thought we were gonna get spicy though…