1880's Portland
Celia finds herself cast out when her fiancee's wealthy parents won't acknowledge their son's involvement with a half Chinese maid. Celia's only hope for herself and her unborn baby is to take a cooking and cleaning job at a bordello but finds her future even more dismal when she is shanghaied and wakes up in the bowels of a ship disguised as a man heading for a work camp away from her daughter. This is due to her uncovering a plot to hide involvement in the massacre of Chinese gold miners. A fascinating and well researched account of gold rush Oregon, anti-Asian hate crimes, underhanded politics, the social stigma of mixed marriages and the famous underground tunnels as well as Celia's harrowing adventures on land and sea. The alternating chapters where Celia wakes on the ship and pieces together what has happened was an interesting approach. Readers of Lisa See and FOUR TREASURES OF THE SKY will enjoy this. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

Such a well-written and touching story offering a glimpse into the racism experienced by Chinese immigrants in America in the 1800s. My only complaint was the questionable choices made by the FL in several parts of the story, and the rushed ending — with all the air-time given to a few key side characters, I would prefer to have known how their lives unfolded too. That said, this story still moved me to tears by the end.

I have never read this author before. I enjoyed the book for a while then I begin to get bored. Too many things happened to Celia. I grew tired of reading about her misfortunes.

The Girls of Good Fortune is a historical drama set on the West Coast during the time of the Chinese Exclusion Act. Anti-Chinese sentiment was prevalent, and systemic racism and prejudice were rampant at all levels of society. In a world that seems determined to oppose her, Celia must not only survive as a single, unprotected woman but also strive to preserve her heritage and dignity.

Celia’s mixed heritage allows her to pass as Caucasian in an era characterized by prejudice. This enables her to secure a job with a wealthy family, but it also leads her to fall in love with their son. The family, recognizing the social dilemma, separates the two with an ocean and a web of lies. Left alone and pregnant, Celia is displaced from the only security she knows. As she navigates the dangers of society, she tries to keep her daughter with her while seeking employment. A kidnapping further tears her away from her daughter, and she must find a way to reunite with her. The journey is challenging, but fortune will be on her side.

I appreciated the historical accuracy of this novel and its focus on the prejudice against Asians that persisted for decades, manifested in the form of federal laws and government action. It is crucial to highlight the struggles of minorities during this era and the significant obstacles they had to overcome to simply reside in the United States.

An engrossing piece of historical fiction. It's the late 1800s, and our protagonist Celia works as a maid for a wealthy family. She's in love and hopeful for the future. Unfortunately, her life doesn't work out quite as she had planned, leading to her eventually being shanghaied and having to fight her way back to those she loves. Her life may not be an easy one, but with strength and determination, Celia will hopefully find her happy ending.

I really enjoyed Celia's story. I was immediately sympathetic towards her character. (I'm a new mother, so that may have had something to do with it as well.) She's so resilient, and though she may make unfortunate decisions from time to time, she always picks up the pieces and marches onward. Kristina McMorris has shined some light on several historical tragedies that were unknown to me, and she did so in a way that was easy to read and full of empathy. Would recommend.

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

The Girls of Good Fortune is a moving portrait of resilience set against the backdrop of post–Gold Rush America, where anti-Chinese sentiment festers beneath the promise of opportunity. Kristina McMorris reaches into a rarely spotlighted corner of history to illuminate the immigrant experience: its pain, perseverance, and the injustice that, heartbreakingly, still echoes today.

At the center of it all is Celia: a young woman navigating fresh grief and the terrifying solitude of new motherhood. One misfortune follows another with merciless rhythm, and at times, I found myself wondering how much more she could bear. Her journey is raw and unrelenting, and that’s exactly what makes her so easy to root for. Every small victory she claws back from the brink feels hard-won, though I found some moments of good luck arrive with a bit too much convenience.

Still, the novel never loses sight of its emotional stakes. The violence that shadows this era is brutal and constant, a cruel contrast to the vision of 1880s America as a land of freedom and pride. Yet the makeshift family of women - defiant, tender, and bruised, who offer Celia sanctuary when the world has turned its back were heartwarming to read. Their stories are layered, their hopes just as fierce as hers.

And while the final reunion offered a glimmer of hope, I found myself yearning for more, in particular more reckoning from her betrothed, considering all that Celia endured. She deserved not just love, but love that met her where she was: weathered, stronger, and far from the girl she once was.

[NetGalley Read #26]

4 ⭐️

'Strange, the way some days stretched into eternity, while the months, at least upon reflection, passed in a blink.'

'She recognized more than ever: the stories people tell, to themselves above all, were often what kept them going. When looking back on life, really, who was anyone without them?'

Good!

Really beautifully written (there are so many great lines) with great characters. Highlighting an important aspect of history often forgotten.

Felt a bit uneven at times. But the characters more than make up for it.

Recommended (especially if you like Historical Fiction). 👍

Thank you for the advance copy. I really enjoyed this book. I was enthralled and couldn’t put it down. I can’t wait to read more from this author!

From the author of Sold on a Monday and The Ways We Hide, Kristina McMorris returns with another informative and engaging historical fiction. With themes of racial discrimination and class division, McMorris tells the story of Chinese immigrants' mistreatment in America.
A story of survival and perseverance with well rounded characters. A very well written book about motherhood, friendship, true love and resilience. Another winner for Kristina McMorris that I’ll be recommending to all historical fiction fans.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the advanced reader’s copy.

This book recounted the life of a half Chinese woman during the late 1800's and the discrimination against the Chinese during that time period. It depicted what life was like during that time. The book brought to light the massacre of Chinese miners whose murderers were never brought to justice. The fact that the story is based on the life of an ancestor of the author makes it an even stronger story.

The Girls of Good Fortune is a charming and uplifting story about friendship, dreams, and the pursuit of happiness. The friendships in the book feel authentic, and the author's ability to balance humor with more serious themes creates a wonderfully well-rounded read. A heartwarming journey of growth and self-discovery.

For most of this exciting and informative historical fiction book, the heroine, Celia, doesn’t seem to be experiencing much good fortune. The story takes place between 1885 and 1888, in Portland, Oregon.

I have read several books by the author, Kristina McMorris, and I enjoyed this story the most. Reminiscent of her other books, the main characters are doing their best, but are faced with prejudice and an uncaring American society. “The Girls of Good Fortune” focuses on Celia, the daughter of a Chinese father, who has worked on the railroads. Celia was employed at a prominent home in Portland, and had a secret romance with the son. This led her to employment in a Portland brothel.

At this point, Celia faces a desperate future, as events become increasingly worse. Who can she count on? This is a book which will keep you reading until late in the night. It’s an exciting story, but even more important is that it reminds us that there are tragic moments in America’s history.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an advance review copy. This is my honest review.

This was a very interesting book that takes place in Portland OR, 1888, and the author does a very good job of bringing the history to vivid life, in particular the anti-Chinese sentiment that was prevalent at the time. Celia is part Chinese and works for a couple as a servant/nanny, she is also very close the the son of the couple she works for, so close that after he makes promises to marry her she allows him to be intimate before he leaves to University, in England, and will be gone for a few years. Of course, she eventually finds out she's pregnant, which gets her kicked out of the house, though the couple do arrange for her to work at another house, a brothel, where she's expected to clean/cook. When the baby girl is born, the madam allows her to stay so she can both continue to work and look after her child. Celia gets caught up in a raid and is arrested, she eventually ends up on a boat heading to California, she's with another fellow that she's not sure she can trust, She is desperate to get back to her daughter, and she teams up with the fellow in a wild trip back to Portland. This story was so very good, and I would highly recommend. Celia is a very resourceful character and was very entertaining. Thanks to #Netgalley and #Source Landmark for the ARC.

The Girls of Good Fortune tells the captivating story of Celia, who is half-Chinese, passing as white during the late 1800s, when anti-Chinese sentiment was high. Celia’s life takes a drastic turn when she is forced to leave the home she has served in, for the mayor and his family. Circumstances lead her to being “shanghaied” and now she has to fight to return to the life she’s been taken away from. As she struggles to return home, secrets are revealed, and Celia is determined to expose the injustices committed in covering up two massacres in Wyoming and Oregon, that resulted in the deaths of Chinese laborers. Now Celia must learn to adapt and find strength in her own identity to save herself and those she cares about.

I found The Girls of Good Fortune to be so good, I couldn’t put it down, and ended up reading it in one day. Celia’s story is heartbreaking and she faces so many tragedies in her life. She was a great character for McMorris to show what women went through during this time period, with the added complexity of being half-Chinese when faced with rampant racism. I also liked the fact that Celia was a very mature character, unlike FMCs in other books, that seem to make bad decisions just for the sake of making bad decisions.

The historical fiction aspect of the book is done really well, and McMorris brings attention to two massacres of Chinese workers that occurred in the late 1880s, that I did not know about. One of the massacres took place in Wyoming and McMorris ties Celia’s story into this through her family. Celia also finds herself connected to the second massacre during a chance encounter with one of the men involved in the murders. McMorris also reveals the racism and corruption of those in power and how their actions led to the end of Celia’s story and the legacy it created for her family.

I felt like the epilogue wrapped up the story really well. It was satisfying to see how Celia’s growth, throughout the obstacles she faced, made lasting impacts for the later generations of her family.

I highly recommend The Girls of Good Fortune if you love stories of resilience, embracing your identity, fighting injustice, and overcoming adversity.

A very well written novel full of heartache, perserverence, strength that all began with a promise. Though the promise itself is not the fault of the historical event, it is the beginning of this fast paced novel. Fast paced is not something I normally use to describe a historical fiction novel, but it tends to be true for this one.
Without projecting my own feelings in regards to the terrors of the past, this story will make you FEEL the anguish and trials Cecelia faced throughout the book. The battle of self identity and trials faced because of it. The unpunished crimes for gold.
There is a lot happening in this book. A lot of awareness, too. I recommend it to anyone who likes historical fiction.
Thanks to the publisher for an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. It was a story needed to be told.

Special thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. I'm a big fan of Kristina McMorris' historical fiction writing. I found it an especially interesting historical fiction book because it was written about a different part of history that I was unfamiliar with. While I did appreciate learning about how terribly the Chinese were treated and following Celia through her journey, I did feel like she made some really dumb decisions mid way through and wanted her to continue to be the strong female character she was portrayed as for most of the book. I still really did like the book and think its worth taking the time to read.

The Girls of Good Fortune
by Kristina McMorris
Pub Date: May 20, 2025
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
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.

This is a gripping and compelling tale of the hardships that women encountered in the 1880’s, especially those who were not seen as upper class. But ultimately this is a story of motherhood, friendship, resilience and true love.

I don’t want to give anything away because the joy of this book is in the turn of each and every page and the new found adventures awaiting the reader. I’ll suffice it to say that this book is enlightening, propulsive, heart-pounding at times and incredibly well written. It is one of the best historical fiction books I have read to date.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this book
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I Dmdidn't know if I would enjoy this read, but, yes, yes I did.

Can recommend.

It was an enjoyable read.

It was a great read. Humorous, romantic, had history and a tale of adventure but also some very deep looks into culture and time period. I would recommend this book.

The Girls of Good Fortune follows the plight of the Chinese immigrants in 1880's Oregon, where there is a lot of prejudice against them and crime against them is rampant.

Celia is half-Chinese and works for the mayor as a maid. She and the mayor's son fall in love and she finds out she is pregnant after he leaves for London for college. Cast out by her employer, she finds work as a maid in a brothel. She gives birth to her daughter and tries to find justice for Chinese men who have been murdered at a gold mine, which leads to her eventually being kidnapped.

There is a lot of action in this novel, some a bit over the top, but it was a good story and I enjoyed it.