In 1885, the Chinese Exclusion Act is well underway, and Celia, a biracial woman, is doing her best to pass as white.
When Celia and the son of Portland’s mayor become pregnant out of wedlock, her employment as their maid quickly comes to an end, and she is sent to work at a brothel.

Then, in 1888, Celia wakes up in a tunnel disguised as a man, and falls victim to being shanghaied.

Unfortunately, this never quite gripped me. The writing was weak and the historical themes weren’t properly delved into. I wanted so much more from the characters and the setting.

A historical fiction mystery that gripped me from the first chapter. This historical event, the Shanghai Tunnels, was one that I didn't know much about, and I learned a lot. Thank you to Sourcebooks & Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In this unique new historical fiction novel, readers explore 1888 Portland, where the Shanghai Tunnels hide young women about to be shipped off as forced labor, and Celia is one of them. Half-Chinese and passing as white in a period known for anti-Chinese sentiment, Celia worries that she is not the only girl in danger in the tunnels, and she has to start putting things together to find out why she was abducted, and her thoughts reveal a wider history and chain of events that hides below the surface. With a great protagonist and a complex historical mystery, Kristina McMorris has brought a fascinating historical period to life in fascinating detail, and readers will love the twists and turns in the novel. The nonlinear narrative of the novel and the myriad details really bring the story to life, and the attention to detail really pulls readers into the story. McMorris’s characters and settings are so vibrant and immersive, readers will be totally pulled into the larger narrative and struggle to put this down. Brilliantly written and full of twists and turns, this uniquely structured historical fiction novel is an incredibly fascinating and entertaining novel that readers of the genre will love.

In 1888, Celia finds herself in a predicament, one that she’s not sure how to handle. Half Chinese, passing as white, she finds herself without a home. Landing in a less than suitable housing situation, she soon takes on the plight of mistreated miners, but there are those that don’t take kindly to her actions. When she awakes in an underground cell, drugged and disoriented, she figures out she’s about to be shanghaied. Using all of her strength and all of her wits might not be enough to save her. A story of resilience and hope, this book had lots to like, but it also felt somewhat unrealistic. Thank you to Sourcebooks, Inc. and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this book. I'm not even sure how to put into words how good this book is. Inspired by love letters from the author's grandparents, as well as her Asian background. I read Sold on a Monday by McMorris and was impressed. I'm equally impressed by this one. I highly recommend it.

Celia is the protagonist of the story, and the theme of the book is the unstoppable power of true love in the face of incredible obstacles. And boy-oh-boy, does she face some serious obstacles.

Celia, half-Chinese, half-American, during a time of great peril for the Chinese in America, is fortunate to resemble her deceased American mother more than her Chinese father. She finds work in the household of a prominent family who learn of her secret and decide to keep her in their employ anyway. That's because they don't realize that she and their son Stephen have fallen in love.

Just before Stephen is set to leave Washington State for England to attend medical school, he proposes to Celia and makes her promise to wait for him. He vows to make it official in four years when he finishes school, and despite her father arranging a marriage to a Chinese man, Celia promises to wait. And for the first time, they make love.

Shortly after, Celia learns her father has been killed in a massacre against Chinese miners. And not long after that, she discovers she is pregnant. Stephen’s family refuses to believe the child is his, and Celia has no way of reaching him. They send her away, arranging for another job for her—at a brothel! There, she is relieved to discover she will be the maid, but that doesn’t make the workplace much better. Throughout her pregnancy, the madam and midwife try to convince her to give up her baby, but Celia believes Stephen will come back for them, so she refuses. Meanwhile, Stephen's family shuns her every effort to set things right.

When Pearl is born, Celia is a dedicated mother, committed to keeping her safe and loved until Stephen returns. But she learns he won't be returning at Christmas, as originally planned, because his parents have decided he should stay away. She realizes she'll have to manage without him for the full four years.

The story follows the hardships of Celia, the things that make her stronger and more confident. It spends a good portion of time outlining some of the Chinese massacres happening in her state and throughout the western part of the United States, where Chinese men were brought in to help with the dirty work of mining. Luckily, she doesn’t go into graphic detail, but what is conveyed is horrific enough.

There are forces that try to keep Celia from Pearl. She has financial difficulties. And she’s separated from the man she loves who would, surely, take care of her and their daughter. In other words, she is completely dependent on her job at the brothel. And all the while, she struggles with feelings of betrayal, doubting Stephen will return as promised. This, of course, is exactly what her parents would like her to believe. But deep down, she's a caring person who tends to give people the benefit of the doubt and offers assistance wherever she can. This means that she makes loyal friends.

There's a scene right near the beginning where Celia finds herself in a dark cell with no recollection of how she got there. She struggles to awaken from having been drugged, and I love this description. “She worked to open her eyes with the effort of muscling a stubborn window.”

At times, the story is difficult to read. I hated to read about the animosity toward the Chinese, and the total lack of justice for truly heinous crimes. Celia was subjected to circumstances that would challenge even the strongest of people--physical and emotional. By the time the story ended, I had such respect for her. One of the goals of this author was to tell the story of the racist treatment of Chinese immigrants in America. Those who are different are always scapegoats during difficult times. It was impossible not to notice the parallels to how immigrants are viewed today, particularly in the United States. Sadly, this is something that has been repeated throughout history, throughout the world. The more I learn about people, in general, the more I dislike them. Luckily, there are real-life people like Celia who give me hope.

I was really looking forward to this one as I do enjoy reading family Saga’s that are based in some culture that I am not experienced in and don’t know much about and Asian culture is one that is very mysterious to me and I was excited to pick this up for that reason.

All in all it was a pretty solid read it held my interest for the most part although there were some slow bits here and there but it did accomplish what I wanted it to accomplish meaning that it left me feeling like I learned something or like I at least had some insight into another world.

The writing wasn’t anything spectacular but it wasn’t cheesy either so it was palatable but if you’re a reader that reads to read beautiful sentences then this is not the book, but there were some good parts that had to do with family and familial connection and the relationships in our lives that matter and bring meaning. I did feel that it was a bit derivative which isn’t a huge criticism as there are so many books that it’s nearly impossible to read something that feels unique but for those that enjoy family Saga and books like the joy club my guess is that you will enjoy this. A very middle of the road slightly above average three star stars

3.5 stars
This was an interesting take on the experience of the Asian American community in the late nineteenth century. Celia is really put through the wringer from start to finish. I suspect the author intended her experiences to touch on all the highlights/tropes of the time/area and it was easier to have the main character go through it all!

I've come to count on Kristina McMorris for engaging historical fiction that is unique and offers me a perspective into a part of history that I was unfamiliar with. The Girls of Good Fortune filled that gap perfectly!

Set in 1888 Portland amidst the Shanghai Tunnels, I got the privilege of meeting Celia, a young woman who has been through so much in her young life and has to hide her true identity as half Chinese to pass for a white person during a time fraught with anti-Chinese sentiments. Her story is one of strength, resilience and often heartbreak.

If you enjoy historical fiction are looking for something a little different from the usual settings/time periods, I'd highly recommend The Girls of Good Fortune.

I received this book courtesy of the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Timely and well written story that was educational, heartwarming, and captivating. As our country enters another era of discrimination and hate, the reminders we have of our troubled past are more and more evident. Well told stories can have a touching impact and remind us who we can be when we get past the shallow shell of pigment and dialect. I didn't put this one down as I followed Celia through her adrenaline filled adventures until I turned the final page at 4AM then following day.

Moving, gripping, and heart-breaking at times, The Girls of Good Fortune by Kristina McMorris is a historical fiction tale of strength and hope. It starts with a chilling prologue set in July 1888 when a woman realizes she’s trapped underground and the door has no handle. While Celia Hart is used to adapting to circumstances due to her genetic heritage, this situation is beyond anything she has experienced. Her memory is spotty, but she knows she must escape as well as regain her full memory to understand what led to her abduction.

The plot is exceptional and filled with events that the author has researched well. It’s also a powerful story of family, identify, love, motherhood, strength, murder, political influence, racism, and corruption. The story goes back and forth between 1888 and 1885, except for the epilogue set in 1995. My main quibble is that this switching of timelines adversely affected the pacing for me until about chapter thirty-two when the story starts with June 1888 and moves forward in time from there.

The author’s note discusses some of the real historical aspects and atrocities contained in the story and there’s a reading group guide that raises some interesting questions for thought and discussion. There are also some recipes included at the end of book.

If you’re a fan of historical fiction with a twist of suspense, layered characters, and hidden history, this one needs to be on your shelf. I appreciated the amount of research that went into the writing of this book. I also enjoyed how the book picked up and slowly wrapped me around its finger. I felt for several of the characters and the injustice that they faced. I will be thinking about main character Celia’s strength and sacrifices for a long, long time.

This work is mostly told from the present timeline, though there are short chapters set in 1888 scattered throughout the primary timeline, and it’s about 65% through the book before the two timelines merge. The strongest part of this book was the details included around historical events of Chinese persecution that was prevalent during this time. From casual racism to dangerous working conditions to downright massacres and shanghaiing, it was all covered in this novel.

There were a few things that weren’t my favorite though. The book feels uneven, with the first half being more focused on Celia and Pearl, motherhood, and trying to get by. Then the second half (post 60%) turns into an action/adventure with constant perils, escapes, and then running straight into another peril that needs escaping. I also didn’t feel like the characters were that strong. This was partially due to the writing style (we’re told how they’re feeling rather than it coming through in the writing), and partially due to the strong focus on the history than the adventure aspects. The romance didn’t feel realistic and added nothing positive for me. The epilogue was a time jump to 1995 where we learn about Celia’s later life of activism, which is a story I think I would have been more interested in than the adventure section of this book.

This may work well for folks who don’t mind a shift in genre in the last half of a book or who are interested in learning about this history. I do recommend the audiobook version of this work, as the narrator did an excellent job. My thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

"The Girls of Good Fortune" by Kristina McMorris was an interesting and captivating novel about generational bravery, struggles and reinvention. Loved the characters and tales of endurance. Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

McMorris took an interesting setting of Portland, Oregon in the 1880’s and set this story amid a time of struggle for the Chinese, bringing in accurate settings and situations. I ended up liking this book, although I have issues with the “adventures” of the main character. It was too much, too much, too much! I got a little less than half way through and put it down for a month. I was not in a place for that much depression. When I finally picked it back up I finished it in one sitting, so obviously I was more engaged. And I know it is fiction but the sequence of events taking place in the second half of the book is too far-fetched to be remotely believable. The sequence of the Chinese gold miners murder is based on reality, but Celia’s journey needed to be tamed down significantly. And the ending was satisfying but a little too pat..

Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Kristina McMorris has done it again! This novel set mostly in Portland Oregon during a tumultuous but little known time of truly diabolical deeds is full of family, heartwarming acts of courage, adventure and strong women. I zipped through this as I couldn’t stop reading being invested in Celia’s story from the beginning.
This is the third book by this author I’ve read and I will be looking for more.

Thanks to Netgalley, Sourcebooks and Kristina McMorris for this ebook to read. All opinions are my own.

A Gripping Tale of Survival, Sacrifice, and the Unbreakable Bond of a Mother’s Love

The Girls of Good Fortune is a powerful, heart-wrenching journey that will leave you breathless, furious, and deeply moved. Kristina McMorris delivers a masterclass in historical fiction—one that’s as tragic as it is triumphant.

The story opens with a jolt: Celia wakes up in a dark tunnel in 1888, disguised as a man, disoriented, and horrified to realize she’s been sold into slave labor. But one thought cuts through the chaos—her daughter. She must find her. That fierce maternal instinct fuels a harrowing journey that spans continents, cultures, and unimaginable cruelty.

Through flashbacks, we learn of Celia’s life as a young woman of mixed Chinese and white heritage in Oregon, a time and place steeped in anti-Chinese sentiment. Working as a maid in a respectable household, she falls in love with the family’s son. But when their secret relationship results in pregnancy, she’s cast out and forced to survive in a world that sees her as disposable.

What follows is a story of resilience and heartbreak, of a mother’s relentless fight against injustice, and of the devastating consequences of prejudice. The historical backdrop is eye-opening and deeply affecting—I had no idea the extent of anti-Chinese hatred in Oregon during this era, and McMorris brings it to life with unflinching honesty.

This book had me on the edge of my seat, yelling at characters like I was watching a thriller, and aching for Celia’s pain and courage. It’s a story that will break your heart and then slowly piece it back together with hope, strength, and love.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this unforgettable novel. The Girls of Good Fortune is a triumph of storytelling—raw, riveting, and absolutely essential reading.

📚BOOK REVIEW📚

🎧 📱 “The Girls of Good Fortune" by Kristina McMorris

⭐️⭐️⭐️
published May 20, 2025


Set in 1888 Portland readers meet Celia, a young half-Chinese woman who can pass as white. She is was drugged and is on her way to become forced labor when she pieces together what has happened. She was the maid for the mayor's family until she fell in love with the son. He was sent to England for medical school when Celia learns she is with child. She is disgraced and forced to work as a housekeeper at a brothel in exchange for room and board, holding out hope that she will eventually be reunited with her baby's father. An exceptional plot filled with research telling of a time when the Chinese were needed to build the railroad and treated so poorly. 


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** spoiler alert ** 4.5 stars

Celia was able to blend into 1880's Portland society seamlessly; she passed for white despite her half-Chinese heritage. She worked as a nanny for the mayor's family who discovered her secret lineage but allowed her to continue working in their home. That is until, having disclosed that she had become pregnant by the mayor's son whom she expected to marry upon his return from medical school, the family was no longer willing to keep her on staff, so she was sent away to work as a maid in a nearby brothel. The story alternates between snippets of life in the brothel for Celia and her baby daughter, and her waking up in an underground cell, fully dressed as a man, waiting to be sold onto a merchant ship bound for Asia. The plot also delves quite a bit into the social events of the times, with Chinese railroad workers and miners being harassed and killed with chilling frequency and little to no justice served. Celia ends up losing her Chinese father to one of these mob killings and her keen sense of morality and egality is what guides her through most of the story. Throughout the book, poor Celia is desperately trying to return to her child and hopefully find her betrothed home again at last.

I was already quite familiar with the subject matter of this book, having travelled through the subterranean tunnels used by migrant Chinese workers that are still set up for tours in parts of Central and Western Canada where I worked with related archival materials. It is a deeply disturbing part of our collective history here in North America. Plus, being "Shanghai'ed" wasn't simply a racist trope relegated to the United States alone. These were real and terrible things that happened to poor immigrants looking for a better life for themselves and their families. I think this book brings this history to light in a more easily palatable storyline, with a much happier ending than most of the people of the era got. But it's a history that needs to be remembered, and in this political climate the more we can see people as neighbours and not as the "Other" the better it will be for everyone.

Thanks to NetGalley, author Kristina McMorris, and Sourcebooks Landmark publishing, for granting me access to a free digital ARC of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own and are provided here voluntarily.

Meh. The book started out interesting and then took a weird and wholly unbelievable turn halfway through. It slightly redeemed itself at the end, but overall, this book was all just kind of ok. The history was well-researched, but it didn't feel like it was integrated into the story and was kind of just shoehorned in at odd times and kind of took you out of the story to deliver an informative lecture. The book was ok. Not bad, but not great.

A PNW native and life long WA resident, I had no idea of this history. The narrative was not as engaging as I had hoped it would be. The first and second halves of the book were quite different. I found the back and forth time periods distracting. The plot twists did not seem realistic not believable. I did enjoy finding out about the Chinese in Oregon and their mistreatment.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. Mine is an independent review.