Three women plot to steal the wedding money of one of them since she is not in love with her fiance. As they plot though, they realize there might be bigger consequences than expected.

I wanted to like this one, but I think my biggest problem was the way time passed in the book. At some times, we just got a brief chapter and then it was suddenly a month alter. I think it just made it feel jumpy and less cohesive.

I have to stop reading y'alls reviews when I'm still reading the book because it really does fuel the unkind belief I have that we are losing reading comprehension as a society.

Now I wouldn't say that any of the women featured here have snuck their way into being my favorite character, and at times they weren't the most fun to listen to. Still, most of the issues I had with them were actually addressed by the narrative and were brought up by characters in the book. It feels silly to penalize what was so clearly a deliberate decision on the part of Wan to craft this particular book.

I'll also say that I might not be the worlds biggest believer in the heist novel. I've read a few, and few have worked. I think that it's simply one of those things that works better in a movie where the moving parts feel cinematic in montage, but the feat of keeping all the moving pieces in the air in a book is harder. It's easier to pick out the flaws when there's nothing for them to hide behind. I don't think that's necessarily what I was doing here, but still actually reading about the heist wasn't as fun as reading about the planning.

I do appreciate stories about friendship; particularly stories where friendship starts to be tested and people start to call into question how real it all was and how much of it was self serving. Wan was able to strike that balance really well and have all the tensions really boil over in the third act. Honestly I thought that it was smart to move some of the conflict to the interpersonal connection of the three women and the strain the whole endeavor on their friendship and not rely on the actual heist to deliver all of the conflict and tension of the story.

So yeah, there were times where I did struggle to see the issues in their lives as they did. As an outsider it was easy for me to think that at times they were reacting in a way that felt outlandish, but it gave the characters somewhere to grow. Or even for them to convince me that I was simply in the wrong and not seeing things as they did. In the end it was an enjoyable time, certainly a good time, and one worth reading.

This was a thoughtful book about misogyny and the way women are undermined and underestimated wrapped in a crime caper. While the book leaned heavily on the insecurities of the characters, in the end Wan gives us the growth and change that each character needs. It was also a realistic portrait of women's friendships and how they can be challenging, but in the end loyalty wins out. I also really loved how the caper plays out in the end. Overall it was a fun read that manages to also keep you thinking. It could have been a bit better paced in the first half, but I would recommend.

I was excited for this book - best friends pulling off a heist set against the backdrop of Shanghai? A fun and engaging read that weaves the tension between loyalty, family expectations, and adventure between life-long friends.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Graydon House for an ARC!

Had the opportunity to devour this tale on a flight back and fell in love with these characters. I'd like to think of it as the anti-Crazy Rich Asians book and I absolutely adored every minute of it!

This was a fun idea but missed on the execution. I struggled with the main characters and their arcs through the novel. In the middle, they fell flat and lost what felt like their purpose. While characters certainly don’t have to be likeable, the middle of the book lagged significantly when all three were hard to connect with. The actual heist was interesting and I could see it translate to the tv screen.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

Women of Good Fortune
by Sophie Wan

In the bustling metropolis of Shanghai, where tradition clashes with ambition, Sophie Wan's debut novel, "Women of Good Fortune," weaves a tale of three women bound by friendship and a daring plan that could change their lives forever.

Lulu, the protagonist, finds herself at a crossroads when she accepts a marriage proposal from Shanghai's most eligible bachelor. While the union promises financial security for her and her family, it comes at the cost of her freedom and the stifling of her true desires. Lulu's internal conflict is the heart of the story, as she grapples with societal expectations and her longing for a life less ordinary.

Her confidants, Rina and Jane, are equally complex characters. Rina, a career-driven woman, faces the ticking clock of societal norms, while Jane, a sharp-tongued housewife, yearns for a divorce and a chance at a more luxurious life. Together, they embody the struggles of modern women against the backdrop of a society that often values them based on marital status and wealth.

The novel's central plot—a heist to steal the gift money from Lulu's high-society wedding—serves as a thrilling metaphor for the women's fight for autonomy. It's a bold statement on the lengths to which they will go to reclaim control over their destinies.

Wan's writing is both humorous and poignant, capturing the essence of her characters' plights with empathy and wit. The narrative is a dance between satire and sincerity, making "Women of Good Fortune" a standout in contemporary fiction.

As a reflection on the pressures faced by women, particularly in modern China, Wan's novel is a compelling examination of the pursuit of happiness and the cost of conformity. It's a story that resonates with anyone who has ever felt trapped by circumstances and dreamed of a different path.

Sophie Wan's "Women of Good Fortune" is a mirror held up to society, reflecting the complexities of life and the universal quest for fulfillment. It's a reminder that sometimes, fortune favors the bold.

4 stars from this reviewer, I found the story enjoyable and thought-provoking.

3 stars.
⤿ comedy fiction <3

how fun! women of good fortune follows lulu and her two best friends, rina and jane, as they plan a vengeful heist to steal all the money on lulu's wedding day. this heartfelt and funny novel was a lovely breath of fresh air from the high-stakes fantasy books i had been making my way through, and i always fall for a "girls supporting girls" theme that was prevalent throughout women of good fortune. what i liked most was the contrasting female friendships, rina being career-minded and realizing that perhaps work won't always be the primary focus for her, jane who is desperate for a divorce but wonders if she can even make it on her own, and the girls' musings about how their parents + upbringing affected their current states. the comedy was fluffy and cute, touching on topics like "how women are treated." the pacing did feel off at times, and i didn't like how there weren't any consequences for negative actions, but overall, it was a fun debut and I'll definitely look out for more work from this author.

thank you to the publisher and the author for the arc!

Thank you to NetGalley & Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing me with an ARC of Women of Good Fortune.

I enjoyed reading about Lulu, Rina and Jane and their wild scheme to conduct a wedding heist. While the book takes place in modern-day Shanghai, each woman grew up in different circumstances and they live very different lives. Their POVs carry the story and provide a glimpse into their motivations for the heist. This was a quick, fun read and I look forward to more books by Sophie Wan.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

Really enjoyed Women of Good Fortune. It’s marketed as a cross between crazy rich Asians and Oceans 8 and that… is very accurate.

The love stories in the book are fun but not terribly engaging or interesting but I did enjoy Wan’s writing. All in all, this book is good! Not great. But a fun short read.

Fans of Crazy Rich Asians will want to dive right into this fun novel about three friends, Lulu, Rina and Jane who cook up a wild scheme in order to change their lives. Lulu dreams of running away, Jane dreams of a new face and Rina dreams of being a mother - three unique challenges that can all be solved with one thing...money. With Lulu's wedding to a man from a prominent family looming, the group assembles a plan with the help of some friends to pull off a major wedding day heist. With so many eyes on the happy couple, no one could possibly suspect anything nefarious...right? This novel was a fun yet emotional ride, and would recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Graydon House for ARC access in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley & Harlequin Trade Publishing for the early copy in change for an honest review. Sadly, I DNF'ed at 10%.

I really could not stand the fast-paced and weirdly written story. The self-centered jerks called protagonists didn't help either.

I know this was probably meant to be empowering, but I can't take seriously a brand of feminism that says the solution to sexism is to...steal money from a wedding one of the women enters into under false pretenses.

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.