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…

Didn't find this particularly engaging - no character was particularly well fleshed out, which I think is the problem with retelling a story that already has (excellently) established characters.

Received a free copy on Netgalley.

Good Fortune was a really lovely read, a modern re-telling of Pride and Prejudice. I loved the Chinatown locale, and the themes of love, family, identity, and culture. It was great fun and well-written.

Good Fortune is a fun, contemporary spin on Pride and Prejudice set in NYC (Chinatown) and is full of snappy dialogue and charm. The story explores gentrification, socioeconomic status, family, community, cultural identity, love, ambition, and more.

For readers already acquainted with Pride and Prejudice (in book/movie/mini-series format), there are still some surprises in store with the way C.K. Chau tells this modern version.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this, and found the second half more propulsive and compelling as Elizabeth “LB” Chen considers and reconsiders whether her impressions of Darcy may not have been wholly accurate. Recommended to anyone looking for a new take on one of literature’s best romances.

Thank you to HarperVia and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

Good Fortune by C.K. Chau was a great debut novel.

This book was so much fun.
A beautifully told redefined Pride and Prejudice, set in contemporary Chinatown, exploring real life issues of class divides, family ties, cultural identity, and the joy and discouragements that come with falling in love.
I truly enjoyed everything this story had to offer.
The writing was amazing. The characters are well developed. The story was just charming.
After devouring this authors debut I will definitely pick up her next book in the future.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperVia for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I read four or five chapters before realizing that the book is roughly based on Pride and Prejudice. I realized it once Elizabeth meets the proud Darcy at a wedding. I must confess that turned me off from reading this romance. I don't mind a romance based on a classic, but to have the same names of the main characters and the book's characters are Chinese? I would have been fine with the book had the characters had other names than those of Pride and Prejudice. The author seems to be pushing the similarities of plot and characters too hard.

Good Fortune by C.K. Chau is a great contemporary fiction that is full of family, culture, community, and helps define what it means to be true to one’s own beliefs.

I really enjoyed this immersion into a community and families richly portrayed within this book that takes place in Chinatown. Reading about the family dynamics, the cultural and societal differences (and also the similarities), and how that is incorporated into everyday situations was an interesting aspect for someone that know very little about this community.

I enjoyed the threads of romance, family, preconceived assumptions, trust, faith, sense of self and belonging, and what it means to stand up for what one believes in and for what one feels that truly matters that were all present in this book.

Elizabeth and Darcy were great characters (hello, Pride & Prejudice anyone?) and I enjoyed reading their interactions, and the evolution of their relationship throughout the book. A nice read.

4/5 stars

Thank you NG and Harper Via for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 7/11/23.