This story drops you into 1888 Portland, where Celia wakes up drugged in the creepy Shanghai Tunnels - talk about a bad day. Between dodging racist jerks above ground and trying to solve a murder mystery while pretending to be a proper maid, our heroine has her hands full. Overall the book skillfully balances historical detail with a suspense to make you glad you weren't around in the 1880s.

**Thank you NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark and Kristina McMorris for an eARC of The Girls of Good Fortune.

Kristina McMorris always chooses fascinating topics for her historical fiction. In this one she tackles Chinese immigration in late 19th century Portland, Oregon. The story centers on Celia who is half Chinese. She goes from working as a maid in the mayor’s residence to the same job in a brothel. Without giving too much away, Celia is shanghaied so there is a lot of action as she has to get off the ship and make her way back to Portland. Action packed, fascinating, heart wrenching are just a few of the adjectives I’d use to describe this great story. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Good rousing historical adventure😯

4-4.5🌟 stars
I really enjoyed this novel, both the high action parts and the enlightening depiction of the prejudice, discrimination and danger the Chinese faced in the late 19th century U.S. The heroine, half-Chinese Celia, fights to hold on to her love and protect her daughter Pearl in the unlikely event that Pearl's well-to-do father returns from England to claim them. When Celia also turns her energies to getting justice for a massacre of Chinese miners, she finds herself in real danger and has to fight tooth and nail to reunite with her daughter.

One of the most touching moments for me was when Celia attempts to comfort Owen who both leads her into danger and then helps her get out of it, even risking his own life. Celia sees Owen's attachment to romantic Matthew, a vagabond who helps them on their journey home, and Celia informs Owen she understands what it's like to have to hide who you really are to survive. Celia has had to "pass" and hide her connection to her Chinese father to protect both Pearl and herself.

I liked author Kristina McMorris's writing style and the story's pace. For a while, the chapters moving back and forth between different times in 1885 and 1888 was a bit confusing but that resolved. Plenty of good secondary characters, particularly Owen and inscrutable brothel madam Marie. I wasn't expecting the climax, it seemed highly unlikely, but it rounded out the story pretty well. And the epilogue, going forward by about a century and summing up whither the important characters went, added a nice touch.

Thanks to SOURCEBOOKS Landmark and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

Review shared on 5/7/25 on Waterstones, Goodreads and Bookbub, and with Barnes & Noble and BAM. To be shared with kobo and Google Play upon publication.

The Girls of Good Fortune is a riveting historical fiction drama set in the 1880's in Portland, Oregon.
The story explores the Chinese Exclusion Act, the mistreatment/murders of Chinese miners and Shanghai tunnels. I love a well researched book that teaches the reader history through a masterful story. Mc Morris accomplished this while making you love her characters and quickly turn to the next page. I loved the Epilogue and had tears in my eyes when reading it. This book is for the readers who love learning history, resilient women characters and strong mother daughter bonds.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this title.

A Dark Journey Through Portland's Shadows: The Girls of Good Fortune

Kristina McMorris's latest novel hits like a punch to the gut. The moment Celia Hart wakes up in Portland's infamous Shanghai Tunnels - drugged, dressed as a man, and trapped in darkness - you know you're in for one hell of a ride.

Set in 1888 Portland, this story peels back the polite veneer of the American West to expose its rotten core of anti-Chinese hatred. But don't mistake this for just another historical tragedy. McMorris has crafted something far more nuanced: a tale of identity, survival, and the true meaning of fortune.

The real magic here lies in Celia herself. She's no paper-thin protagonist spouting noble speeches - she's raw, real, and complicated. As she navigates the underground world of Portland's tunnels and the equally treacherous world above, her journey becomes impossible to put down. The supporting cast is just as compelling, each character adding depth to this dark slice of American history.

McMorris's writing crackles with tension. She shifts seamlessly between heart-pounding escape attempts and quieter moments that let you catch your breath. Her research is impeccable, but she never lets historical details bog down the story. Instead, they serve as a haunting backdrop to a deeply personal tale.

The novel tackles heavy themes - family bonds, cultural identity, and the price of survival - but never loses its grip on hope. It's like watching a flower grow through concrete: unlikely, beautiful, and somehow more precious for the struggle.

Bottom line? The Girls of Good Fortune isn't just another historical novel - it's a masterclass in storytelling that will keep you up way past bedtime. If you love Lisa See or Jamie Ford's work, or just appreciate fiction that makes you feel, think, and occasionally hold your breath, this one's for you.

5/5 stars - A stunning achievement that proves sometimes the best stories are the ones that make us uncomfortable.

I enjoyed this historical fiction book immensely. The book was well researched and written… gut wrenching at times and definitely kept you on the edge of your seat. I don’t want to give away spoilers about the book, so on a high level, the main character Celia is captured and taken into captivity in the ancient Chinese tunnels. Celia is biracial and the book tells of her time spent in captivity and beyond. I highly recommend reading this book! Many thanks to Netgalley and Celadon books for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for my review.

As usual, Kristina McMorris has authored a gripping, page-turning novel that has the reader fully invested in the characters.

Celia is a half-Chinese woman who "passes" because she looks like her mother. However, since her mother died and her father has a hard time finding work, she needs to fend for herself in late 19th century Portland, Oregon. She loses her job due to unfortunate circumstances, which I will not divulge because of spoilers, and most of the plot is how she continues on, getting into many difficult circumstances.

It starts out with Celia waking up in a tunnel and not remembering how she got there. This timeline is interspersed with the past, and we learn what happened and how Celia got to where she was. That lasts until about 75%, when the two timelines come together, and the last quarter is how she manages through.

The first 75% is paced well and intriguing. I loved the characters and couldn't stop reading. However, the last quarter becomes a bit ludicrous. Not only does Celia end up in some crazy, life-threatening situations, too many in a short time span, but it was bizarre how calm and collected she was in the aftermath. No trauma there, nope. It was also entirely predictable. This story has been told so many times, it just has a bit of a different theme here.

I appreciated the historical part and how it brings to readers' attention how poorly Chinese immigrants and laborers were treated at that time.

Altogether, this is an enjoyable read, but it the end went a little overboard with heaping on too many challenges for the MC.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, and Kristina McMorris for the opportunity to review an advanced copy.

Gripping and at times harrowing, but ultimately full of hope, joy, and love.

As a biracial Asian gal - boy am I glad I didn't have to deal with the things Celia did. Throughout the book she continues to fight for justice and fairness despite getting knocked down and mistreated just because of who her parents are. I really appreciated her determination and resilience.

I thought the ending was incredibly satisfying and walked away feeling uplifted.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Celia is half Chinese and passing as white at a time when anti-Chinese sentiment is high. She struggles to survive with her daughter in this volatile time. Things become worse after she is "shanghaied" and forced into labor. Now, the struggle to survive just got even harder, along with the threat of never seeing her daughter again.

Thoughts 💭
This one missed the mark for me. I was really excited to read about this time period and the events in the book. They were really well researched and informative on a topic that isn't often written about in historical fiction. It was the highlight of the book for me and the reason I'm giving it three stars instead of two.

I felt that the pace of the book was painstakingly slow. The second half did pick up a bit, but I found myself skimming a lot to get through it. I think if I could have enjoyed Celia's character more, there would have been more buy-in for me. But, if I don't love the main character, it's hard for me to become invested. Celia was extremely naive, frustrating to read about, and reckless even though she had a daughter to think about. I rarely think she put her daughter first. She kept "poking the bear" until it finally bit her. There was a HEA ending, but it was a stretch.

Really enjoyed The Girls of Good Fortune about the little known history of Chinese Americans. In 1888, when Celia Hart, a half-Chinese girl, becomes pregnant by her employer's son, they quickly find her employment in a brothel and hide the pregnancy from their son. Celia knows that she and Stephen are in love an does everything she can to protect their child. Celia is a spunky, resourceful, and intelligent girl who uses her spunk and wit to survive. And boy, she goes through some things. Set in Portland, Oregon, this well-researched book tells of the massacre of Chinese immigrants, the network o underground tunnels in Portland, and how people were kidnapped and sold to act as workers on ships. Books like The Girls of Good Fortune are so important, as stories like Celia's are not found in the history books.

This was another great book by this author. Not sure I liked it as much as her ones about the orphans, but I did feel as though
this was a great read. Def learned a lot!

Before reading this, I had never heard of the Chinese Exclusion Act. Thie was a federal law prohibiting Chinese immigrants for ten years. People had become fed up as the Chinese came in and worked really hard for very little money taking jobs away from Americans. Celia works for a wealthy family, falls in love with the son which obviously is not welcomed. The family separates them and Celia must fine her own way, pregnant and alone.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Girls of Good Fortune by Kristina McMorris is historical fiction, set in 1880s Portland. The book opens dramatically with a young woman bound and gagged in an underground cell which we later learn is part of the infamous Shanghai Tunnels, used for smuggling both people and goods. Celia has been drugged and has no knowledge of how she ended up here but as a young woman growing up half Chinese in a country where anti Chinese sentiment is on the rise she is no stranger to danger. She has been passing as white and working in the home of one of the cities prominent society families but when she falls pregnant to their son she becomes a problem that they are desperate to hide. She is banished to a brothel where she is to work as a maid, and it is there that she gives birth to her beloved daughter. It is also there that she learns of the tragic death of her father and a chance encounter with one of the patrons of the brothel sends her on a quest to uncover the truth about what happened, a quest that puts both her and her daughter in danger.
I was drawn to this book because I had not read much if any fiction with this kind of setting and characters and I have to say I found the historical aspects quite interesting, The author is a gifted storyteller and I was quickly invested in Celia's story. I would have loved some more historical detail incorporated into the narrative but that is really a personal preference and in this case it seems like the author wanted a more fast paced action driven story, The second half of the book certainly delivers on that as Celia embarks on a thrilling adventure as she seeks to bring those responsible for her father's death to justice. I do think it all wrapped up just a little to quickly and too neatly for my tastes, the happy ending just seemed a little too unlikely for the time period but that being said I enjoyed the book as a whole.
3.5 stars rounded up.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

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.

Overall, this was a riveting, intense, and heart-breaking story that was also filled with hope, compassion, and joy. Those who enjoy historical fiction will likely appreciate this well-researched novel.

SOURCEBOOKS Landmark and Kristina McMorris provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for May 20, 2025.

I haven’t read a book yet that Ms. McMorris doesn’t educate me on some part of history that was never taught but definitely does it in a way that you are wrapped up in the story. I really wasn’t expecting the ending to be happy but was pleased it was. Celia was a strong heroine who ended up using her voice for a cause.

First , thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOK Landmark for the ARC. The come out May 20, 2025.

I enjoy historical fiction a lot. You can tell the author did much research. I lived in the Portland Oregon area for 10 years and had no idea about the Shanghai tunnels. I highly recommend this one!! I will definitely be reading more from this author.

From the publisher...
"From the New York Times bestselling author of Sold on a Monday and The Ways We Hide 
She came from a lineage known for good fortune…by those who don't know the whole story. 
Portland, 1888. Amid the subterranean labyrinth of the notorious Shanghai Tunnels, a woman awakens in an underground cell, drugged and disguised. Celia soon realizes she's a "shanghaied" victim on the verge of being shipped off as forced labor, leaving behind those she loves most. Although well accustomed to adapting for survival—being half-Chinese, passing as white during an era fraught with anti-Chinese sentiment—she fears that far more than her own fate hangs in the balance.
As she pieces together the twisting path that led to her abduction, from serving as a maid for the family of a dubious mayor to becoming entwined in the case of a goldminers' massacre, revelations emerge of a child left in peril. Desperate, Celia must find a way to escape and return to a place where unearthed secrets can prove deadlier than the dark recesses of Chinatown.
A captivating tale of resilience and hope, The Girls of Good Fortune explores the complexity of family and identity, the importance of stories that echo through generations, and the power of strength found beneath the surface."

Historical fiction is a favorite genre of mine and books like this are why. I knew the Chinese were discriminated against but were huge contributors to things like the railroad. I had no idea about how they lived, the actual injustices they faced, and what it could mean to be biracial at that time. This book is important, not just for the past historical value, but for what is happening again in our country today.

Very well researched and plotted story about Chinese immigrants. Well written and interesting although sad. Loved several of the characters and overall a good yarn

A powerful historical fiction novel told jumping around in the timeline. A harrowing tale that will leave you feeling for the main character, as well as those who the history is based on.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy

The Girls of Good Fortune by Kristina McMorris is a third person-POV historical set in Portland, Oregon from 1885-1888. Celia is a half-Chinese young woman who has a complicated relationship with her father who worked on the railroad. When anti-Chinese sentiment increases, the fact that she is white-passing both protects and upsets her as no one realizes she is Chinese. Her identity becomes more complicated when her father is killed in the Rock Springs massacre and she becomes pregnant with the child of her white employer’s son.

I was aware of the Chinese Exclusion Act and the important part that Chinese immigrants played in the building of the railroad and later their movements in the Gold Rush but I never heard of the Hells Canyon massacre/Snake River massacre in 1887 or the Rock Springs massacre of 1885. Afterwards, I did a bit of research and found that Portland is making an effort to educate people about the Hells Canyon massacre, which is a step in the right direction, but this is information that should be taught all over the Us when we discussion anti-Asian racism and it’s very long history in the country. I thank this book and Kristina McMorris for bringing it to my attention.

A major theme is the complex relationship that white-passing biracial individuals might have with their heritage and the way they interact with the world. Celia has very little connection to her Chinese heritage as she was raised mostly by her white mother and her father never taught her the language despite her prodding when she was a child, something he seemed to regret when she was a bit older but, by that point, she was already trying to assimilate. This is a story I hear a lot from people who grow up biracial/raised by immigrant parents. Parents making an active effort to foster a love of their heritage and to share it every chance they get is such a big factor in having that connection. My own father lost a connection to some of his heritage and, as a result, I lost even more than he did. I feel for Celia because she is constantly clocked as white but the other half of who she is needs to be hidden for her and her daughter to be safe. That’s a terrible situation to put anyone in.

Celia is deeply devoted to Stephen, who is the son of her employer and the father of her child. We don’t really get a lot of their relationship as Stephen leaves for England for university shortly after the book starts and we don’t really get flashbacks with them. I was fine with this as the book is not a romance and it’s not really interested in being romantic; the book is interested in exploring motherhood as experienced by a half-Chinese woman during a time of heightened anti-Chinese racism within a sexist society. I can understand if a reader needs a little more to believe why Celia loves him so much, but I understood it as them having a bond and even if she fell out of love with him by the end, she still wants her child to have a relationship with her father in a way Celia never got.

Content warning for racism and racial slurs

I would recommend this to fans of narratives exploring the complex situation faced by biracial individuals and readers of historicals who want to learn more about what was happening around the time of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882