I love a good heist story and I also loved Crazy Rich Asians so when I heard about Sophie Wan’s debut novel, Women of Good Fortune, I was immediately intrigued. A bride and her friends come up with a plan to steal all of the red envelopes of cash from what promises to be THE wedding of the season? I was in! The novel was so much fun to read and had more depth than I was expecting. It’s definitely one to check out!

Here’s the book’s description:
Lulu has always been taught that money is the ticket to a good life. So, when Shanghai’s most eligible bachelor surprises her with a proposal, the only acceptable answer is yes, even if the voice inside her head is saying no. His family’s fortune would solve all her parents’ financial woes, but Lulu isn’t in love or ready for marriage.
The only people she can confide in are her two best friends: career-minded Rina, who is tired of being passed over for promotion as her biological clock ticks away; and Jane, a sharp-tongued, luxury-chasing housewife desperate to divorce her husband and trade up. Each of them desires something different: freedom, time, beauty. None of them can get it without money.


Lulu’s wedding is their golden opportunity. The social event of the season, it means more than enough cash gifts to transform the women’s lives. To steal the money on the big day, all they’ll need is a trustworthy crew and a brilliant plan. But as the plot grows increasingly complicated and relationships are caught in the cross fire, the women are forced to face that having it all might come at a steep price…
The story is told over the year or so leading up to Lulu and Harv’s wedding and each chapter counts down so you know just how long the women have to plan their heist. The chapters also alternate so the reader has the chance to get to know each woman - Lulu, Jane, and Rina. I liked the format but didn’t love it because, though I felt it allowed the reader to understand the women a little better, I don’t know if we ever got the most fulsome picture of each character. But I did think the tension increased with the countdown, especially when the reader realizes there’s not much time left and it doesn’t seem like things are going to work out.

As is often the case in a multi-narrated novel, I felt myself drawn to one character more than the others. In this instance, it was Rina. Lulu felt too two-dimensional (which is kind of a point of the story, which is all I’ll say about that) and Jane was…well, I’m not sure. She was hyper-focused on wanting to change her face with plastic surgery but wasn’t realizing that she had a lot of mental work to do. Work that may actually allow her to avoid going under the knife. I’m not judging her - we can never know someone’s true feelings, not even a fictional someone - but I think I got too fixated on the fact that she needed help before she’d be truly happy. I think Rina was just a little bit more formed and that was part of why I looked forward to her chapters more than the other two.

I’m sure I’ve said before that I sometimes struggle with the family dynamics in stories, particularly when the characters are from a culture different than my own. I respect that all cultures are different and truly enjoy reading about all kinds of families. I can never know - and don’t expect to know - what it’s like to live in China and have elders that deserve a different kind of respect and care than I’m used to (being a White woman living in Canada). I always chafe at the idea that someone (especially women) have to follow certain rules and obey others instead of having the life they actually want. Marriage and children aren’t for everyone and I can’t help but feel pushing a woman towards those things is an extremely outdated way of looking at the world. I try hard to let go of my particular viewpoint when I read these books but sometimes it’s hard, as it was with this novel when I was so frustrated with how Lulu was being treated in the months leading up to the wedding.

I did not have high hopes for the heist, I gotta be honest. The women were doing a lot of planning, I’ll give them that, but the reason for stealing the money felt so personal that I worried their feelings would get in the way of a successful mission. I found myself flipping through the last few chapters faster than the others because I was on the edge of my seat wondering if they’d be able to pull it off.

Women of Good Fortune was a really great read. There were some parts that could have used more work but overall I felt Sophie Wan’s debut offering was a solid one that I think a lot of people will enjoy. I can’t wait to see what she writes next!

*An egalley of this novel was provided by HTP Books via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

I enjoyed this but felt like it was a lower quality version of other books in the genre. It feels like it’s leaning very heavily on recent “rich asian” bestsellers

Such a fun read! 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 Harlequin and NetGalley for the copy to review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

This was a surprisingly entertaining read. Imagine Crazy Rich Asians crossed with Ocean's Eleven. Fun vibes and amazingly great character development.

Sophie Wan's Women of Good Fortune recalls the extravagant wedding fanfare of Crazy Rich Asians and the minute-by-minute scheming of Ocean's Eleven in an elaborate heist novel featuring a reluctant bride turned reluctant thief as she plans to rob her own wedding.

According to her mother, Lulu is a "leftover woman," unmarried in her late 20s and with no relationship in sight. But when a short romance turns into an unexpected engagement to one of the richest bachelors in Shanghai, Lulu finds herself caught up in planning an over-the-top wedding to a man she doesn't love with a future mother-in-law she absolutely despises. Her two best friends are no happier, despite their different circumstances: Rina works grueling hours to save up enough money to freeze her eggs, and Jane is dissatisfied with her appearance and married to a frugal man who pays her no attention. All three are stuck, confined not only by the expectations placed upon them by Chinese society and their well-intentioned families, but by the money required to chart their own paths in life. With a combination of audacity and desperation, the three decide to steal the cash gifts from the center of Lulu's upcoming wedding. "We're going to make this wedding our bitch," Jane says to her friends. "And I have just the plan."

That plan forms the core of Women of Good Fortune, and the story's urgency will keep readers captivated. But it is what these women learn along the way--about themselves and about one another--that gives the novel its heart, as the three must reconsider what happiness might actually look like, money or no. --Kerry McHugh, freelance writer

Fun and very funny, but made even better by some very thoughtful things it has to say about women's roles in society and marriage. Lulu is about to get married, but she is miserable. Her fiance is extremely rich, and because of that, he is the answer to Lulu's family's prayers -- he can bail them out of financial trouble and make life so much easier for all of them. She doesn't love him, she doesn't want to marry him, and she's afraid its gone too far for her to break things off. Enter her two best friends, who have a plot that involves stealing all the wedding money! It's a caper, with some mystery and some romance too. I look forward to recommending this title.

I think this is a great concept. I wasn't enjoying reading this. For whatever reason I couldn't bring myself to keep picking it up. I stopped reading at about 20%. However, I requested it as an audiobook because I think the story will be GREAT. I just think it was the wrong format for me. I'm going to give it three stars, with the expectation that it would totally be a four star for me if I could finish it.

I loved this novel by Sophie Wan! This story was about 3 friends in Shanghai leading up to the marriage of Lulu. The 3 friends are navigating their lives and preparing for the wedding when they plan to steal the red envelopes from Lulu's wedding to help make their dreams come true. The story follows their intricate plotting and how it affects their friendships and individual lives. The story is lively and funny and gives great insights on life in Shanghai and especially of the wealthy. A great read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sophie WAN for the arc. I enjoyed the story, it was slow paced at times and fast paced at other times. I loved the setting of the story. It gave me Crazy Rich Asians vibes (which I thoroughly enjoyed). Would read more from this author.

Title: Women of Good Fortune
By: Sophie Wan

Genre:
Adult Fiction, Asian, Contemporary

Red Flags:
Toxic relationship, Body Shaming, Sexism,

Summary/Review:
Goodreads synopsis - “Set against a high-society Shanghai wedding, a heartfelt, funny, dazzling novel about a reluctant bride and her two best friends, each with their own motives and fed up with the way society treats women, who forge a plan to steal all the gift money on the big day.”

I had high hopes for this novel. The above description instilled a desire for me to read it, however, I was sorely disappointed. The main characters lived a life of wealth, fortune, and entitlement. I quickly grew to despise them, and the plot was missing key elements of writing, I kept thinking it would get better. However, it did not. This is the first book in a long time I have rated below a three star, but I felt the novel dragged and ultimately, just didn’t come together as I had hoped at all. So I say, read at your own time, and risk!

Thank you to NetGalley, Sophie Wan, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Graydon House for the Advanced Readers Copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

#reluctantreaderreds
#sophiewan #harlequintradepublishing
#netgalley #netgalleyreads
#womenofgoodfortune
#advancedreadercopies

This feisty, feminine read hooked me from word one! I loved it!

A trio of Chinese women--Lulu, Rina, and Jane--plan a heist to steal the wedding gifts at Lulu's wedding. Engaged to Shanghai's most eligible bachelor, Lulu feels pressured into the wedding and plans to use the heist as an excuse to get the money needed to escape to Thailand. Rina has her own problems, as an executive who can't get ahead in her job because of the misogynistic views of Chinese women as mere wives and mothers. Jane is also struggling, married to a man she doesn't love, and wishing for a single life of luxury (without a taciturn man dragging her down).

The action keeps pace throughout the novel, while the characterization of each woman is distinct, engaging, and emotional. Readers will root for each one of them to rise above the challenges they face, from society, their families, their gender, and succeed in both stealing the money and getting the futures they truly want. I adored this one. It was as if Ocean's 8 took place in Shanghai and the motivations for the women were a sexist, misogynistic, traditional society that doesn't seem the for the complex, compelling women they are.

If you love character-driven stories with feisty fun thrown in, read this book! I loved it!

TW/CW: Implied sex (nothing graphic), crime, classism, sexism

REVIEW: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and Graydon House Books and am voluntarily writing an honest review.

Women of Good Fortune is the story of three working-class women in Shanghai who prepare for a heist when one of them becomes engaged to an ultra-wealthy man.

I found this book very difficult to get into (I was at about 16% before I started enjoying it), but once I did I was glad that I powered through. This book was very entertaining and I loved the glimpses we got into the lives of the three main women. This book is very much a social commentary both on Shanghai society and on the place of women in that society and in society in general. I found myself at different points in the book both angry at the main characters, and sympathizing with them.

Although it’s slow at the start, this book is not a difficult read once you’re into it. I found this book to be fun and entertaining, and enjoyed the social commentary. I recommend this book!

I love a good heist novel, so this was a quick, fun read for me. The friendship between Jane, Rina, and Lulu is the strongest aspect, but I also enjoyed the laugh-out-loud madcap moments and the slow burn of the romance (won't spoil it here, but it's obvious once you start reading).

Lulu and her best friends are over it all. Tired of society treating them like damsels in distress while the guys get all the glory and cash. They believe they deserve better. They're tired of being pushed around by their families too. So, they come up with a plan: Steal all the wedding gifts at Lulu's upcoming wedding. Weeks of planning culminate in the ultimate girls' getaway funded by the clueless patriarchy.

This funny book is about friendship, navigating Asian family expectations, and can you really steal your way to freedom? It's a funny story, with crazy happenings. I loved it!

"Women of Good Fortune" by Sophie Wan is a captivating and empowering novel that celebrates the resilience, strength, and interconnectedness of women. Set against the backdrop of a bustling city, Wan weaves together the stories of three women from different walks of life, each facing their own challenges and triumphs. Through their intersecting narratives, Wan explores themes of friendship, ambition, and the pursuit of happiness in a world filled with obstacles and opportunities.

Wan's characters are vibrant and multi-dimensional, drawing readers into their lives and making them care deeply about their journeys. Whether it's the ambitious career woman striving to break through the glass ceiling, the single mother struggling to make ends meet, or the young entrepreneur chasing her dreams, each woman's story is both relatable and inspiring.

With its compelling storyline, richly drawn characters, and thought-provoking themes, "Women of Good Fortune" is a testament to the strength and resilience of women everywhere. It's a must-read for anyone who appreciates stories of empowerment, sisterhood, and the triumph of the human spirit.

**Thank you to Harlequin for this free digital review copy.**

This was a fun heist novel where a group of women come together to try to improve their lives the only way they know how––making some fast cash. What occurs isn't what they expect, but it does all seem to turn out for the best. I enjoyed watching each characters' growth throughout the novel and the ways their relationships with each other, their significant others, and themselves developed over time. I got fooled at the end, which was a fun twist that I wasn't expecting.

When I started this book, I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy it, but it was a pleasant surprise. I enjoyed the different personalities of the characters and their relationships with one another. As I read, I kept thinking how great a movie this would make. I recommend for those who enjoy books about heists and different relationships. A big thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an advanced reader’s copy.

Heist stories seem to be en vogue right now, and I am here for it. In fact, intricately planned cons or heists are right in my wheel house at the moment. So when I read that this book was considered Crazy Rich Asians (which I really enjoyed) but with a heist, I was all in. And overall, it was a fun, although not perfect, read.

This book is another look into the masochistic and patriarchal society China still seems to be - where women are inferior and often passed over for opportunities. Their only recourse, often, is to marry well. This book follows three friends - June (unlikable and very superficial - she is married by arraignment, unhappy, and constantly told by family that she's ugly), Rina (career woman who eschews tradition and works herself to the bone only to be passed over again and again for promotion because she's a woman), and LuLu (engaged to the wealthiest bachelor with an insufferable mother-in-law who doesn't think she's worthy because her family isn't rich). These three women conspire together to steal the wedding money at the wedding (supposably 5 million yen) and start new lives. They elicit help from two other women to help carry off their plan.

Throughout the story, we get a look into each characters' lives (told in multiple POVs) and what brought them to make this decision. We also see how they grow and change in the 8 months leading up to the wedding. Here is a run-down of my pros and cons:

Pros - The premise is so cool! Extravagant wedding combined with a heist where women get the upper hand - yes, please! I also enjoyed learning about the Chinese culture, the process of planning such an elaborate wedding, and the all female POVs/cast. I also enjoyed that not all the males were terrible - just also misunderstood and living up to unrealistic parental expectations. The story moved along quickly and I was interested in the outcome.

Cons - The dialogue was very stilted and unrealistic. I actually looked to see if this was translated from Chinese, but it was not. Some of the phrasing was awkward and the conversations seemed to start and stop abruptly. I also didn't find many of the characters redeemable or likable. This could have been because of the surface level introduction we got from each of them. For example, Rina is supposed to be suffering from some sort of reproductive issue but it is never clearly defined or explained. Lulu is required to send basically all her money home to her parents, but that relationship isn't really explored. I think the author is trying to make this story deeper by including these important issues, but doesn't quite do them justice by skimming over them.

I'm not sure if this next bit is a real con, more of a wish - I wanted MORE heist. The planning and explanation was really quite simple and not spent a lot of time on. I also really enjoyed the relationship between Vic and Rina but their backstory was lackluster and we never really got to see them together very often. Overall, the story wasn't overly well-paced - or maybe I just wanted it to be something it wasn't.

I would definitely still recommend this read. Just know it isn't really a heist novel or a romance novel or a Chinese wedding novel... It skims the surface of all three. 3.75 rounded up to 4 for the fun time and easy read.

Lulu, Rina, and Jane dissatisfied with their lives and decide to plan a heist to steal the gifts from Lulu's wedding reception. Overall, a heist that's really about the three friends determining what they want for their lives. As they plan the heist, they end up addressing some of the issues that are making them unhappy and realize some of it wasn't what they thought it was and they could just change it. The characters aren't the most likeable but for the most part you understand where they're coming from and the pressures on them to conform to social and cultural norms.

A story about women empowerment set against the elaborate backdrop of a luxurious Shanghai wedding with thievery and competition a part of the mix the story takes several turns and at times can go off the rails. Loved the women supporting women aspect and the heist as well just wish it was a little more straightforward.