With a fast moving and complex plot, this tale of a half-Chinese young woman living in Portland, Oregon in the 1880s moves, almost without pause, from one danger to another like a movie melodrama or high action film.. Ceilia’s lover proposes marriage the night before he leaves for Europe to pursue a medical education. Only weeks later, her father is murdered during a massacre, she realizes she is pregnant, she is fired by her lover’s parents who employed her as the governess of their daughter, and she is relocated to a brothel to earn her keep as a maid. And this is just the beginning. Feisty and determined, Celia meets each misfortune head on, sometimes even rashly. Along the way the author deals with historical facts, including attitudes toward Chinese immigrants, life in a brothel, the choices of an unwed mother at the turn of the century, the tunnels under the city of Portland, being Shanghaied, the massacre of Chinese gold miners, and the trial that follows. Issues of gender, race, and sexual orientation make The Girls of Good Fortune relevant in today’s world.

According to an old Chinese proverb Ceila remembers her father quoting, “Fortune rests in misfortune.” As Celia plunges from bad luck to disaster, from danger to doubt, from one adventure to another, she makes friends, overcomes hardships, and continues to hope that fortune will catch up with her soon.

It was the 1880s and Celia Hart was a maid in a well to do family in Portland, Oregon, when she and the family son, Stephen, fell in love. They knew his parents would disapprove, especially as Celia had Chinese heritage. But she vowed to wait for him while he was away with his studies, and they would marry when he returned. But misfortune struck and Celia was ejected from the home, sent to a brothel to work in the kitchens, as well as cleaning. It was hard work, but her strength of character kept her going. Until she was tricked into entering Chinatown to speak to a man who could "help".

When Celia woke, tied up and disguised, in an underground tunnel - the terrifying Shanghai Tunnels - she had no idea what was ahead. Drugged again, thrown on a ship where she was to work her way, she found one person who might be able to help. But the whole situation frightened her, although she couldn't show it. Would she be able to escape and return to her loved ones? Or was she destined to remain in slavery?

The Girls of Good Fortune is the 2nd I've read by Kristina McMorris after Sold on a Monday and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Celia was a naive young woman when we first meet her, but she had to grow up quickly, gain a strength and determination of character which she would have to rely on the keep her safe. She had a purpose, and nothing would stop her! Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley & Cristina Arreola of Sourcebooks for my digital ARC to read and review.

I enjoyed the first half of this book very much. Portland's Chinatown still exists, and it was fun to travel back in time to when it was an vital part of the city. Celia's story is interesting and relatable. Her pregnancy and ultimate job in the bordello that she learns to call home were all too believable.

Along with other readers, I felt like the developments of the second half of the story were too exaggerated, and didn't reflect the realities of Celia's time. Too many life-threatening adventures and too much swash-buckling made me skim much of the middle to end of the story.

I mixed review, but this book may be more to the taste of others.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I had previously read Kristina McMorris Sold on a Monday and The Ways We Hide and loved them. So I was extremely excited to read her newest book. The novel is part historical fiction, part mystery and part romance. It deals with the prejudices of Chinese Americans during the 1800’s in the Northwest. Cecilia is a light skin 1/2 Chinese and 1/2 Caucasian woman. Her story is told in two parts. The story is about adversity and resilience, fighting for what is right and love. I went between the audiobook and ebook. The narrator did a good job.

Thank you #NetGalley, #RBMedia, #SourcesbooksLandmark, #KristinaMcMorris, #CindyKay and #TheGirlsofGoodFortune for the advance copies for my honest review.

The story open with Celia, a half Chinese and half white (a hapa) is imprisoned in a cell, drugged, and with no idea of how she got there or why. The story quickly reverts to her life as a housekeeper for a wealthy family, where she has a romance with the son. After he goes off to med school in England, she realizes that she is pregnant, and after the patriarch tells her of her father's massacre, he sends her off to work as a housekeeper in a brothel.
She bears her daughter with the help of a midwife and the women who work there accept Celia and Pearl and things are relatively calm until Celia is shanghaied to San Francisco with a patron of the brothel. Their experience was harrowing, and heartbreaking as they try to return to Oregon. I loved the ending where Celia's granddaughter reflects on her life and pays tribute to the ways that Celia fought for good fortune and paved the way for others.
The author's note was insightful and the book was well researched, bringing up questions of identity, hope, and family. I highly recommend this book and a trip to the author's website for more history and information about her writing.
I received an ARC of The Girls of Good Fortune from NetGalley and the publisher and the opinions are my own. This is the third book that I've read by Kristina McMorris and I look forward to more.

This was a great historical fiction book about a maid who falls in love with the son of the family she works for. The family is not happy and gets rid of her when he is away at school. This is a compelling story of love, racism, poverty, immigration, family ties, and more. It opened my eyes to racism that I didn't realize happened.

THis is one of my favorite authors and this book was another hit for me. Great story and writing. Cant wait for her next book.

*3.5 stars rounded up.

This is a work of historical fiction set in Portland, Oregon in 1888, about a half-Chinese girl named Celia Therese Chung, who finds herself in trouble after falling in love with the mayor's son. As she tries to make a life for herself, she has anything BUT good fortune.

The author brings to light the anti-Chinese sentiment of that era which resulted in two horrific massacres of Chinese workers. No one was brought to justice at that time. It's horrific to once again learn that human beings are capable of such hatred and pure evilness.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an arc of this new novel via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

Please tell me I'm not the only one who didn't know about the Shanghai Tunnels under Portland or the origin of the term "shanghaied." Am I alone?

Instances like this are why I love historical fiction. I'm entertained AND educated! In The Girls of Good Fortune, Kristina McMorris tells us the story of a white-passing, half Chinese woman, living in Portland, Oregon in 1888.

This story showcases bravery, strength, and loyalty during a tragic time in American history. I loved Celia's tenacity. I loved the connections she made during her journey, and I loved learning history I had never heard of before.

With engaging storytelling and short chapters, The Girls of Good Fortune is a perfect introduction for those who want to give historical fiction a try!

Read this if you like:
• Historical fiction
• Dual timelines
• Chinese American history
• Books set in Portland
• Women helping women

I’ve read Sold on a Monday by this author so I was excited to read this book. I had no idea how appallingly the Chinese immigrants were treated in America during this era and it was heartbreaking to read. It was interesting to read about the Shanghai Tunnels, again something I knew nothing of. Our main character’s tale was also heartbreaking as she struggled to survive but it was warmed with friendship and of never giving up hope. She is certainly a strong, independent woman. This is a well researched historical fiction that I would highly recommend. Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for letting me read and review this book.

This is quite a fascinating and well researched historical fiction! Celia is a young woman, working as a servant for a prominent household. Although she is of mixed heritage, Chinese and Caucasian, her appearance allows her to function as Caucasian. A blossoming romance between Cecelia and the son of the wealthy family who employs her gives her hope of marriage. After his departure for school abroad, she discovers she is with child and is sent by her employers to a brothel to be cared for until the birth of her child. She insists on keeping her daughter and works now as a servant for the brothel. From this point, the plot, and Celia's story takes some quite unexpected, and at times, terrifying twists. Heather McMorris has expertly woven the tragic and horrifying tale of an actual massacre of Chinese miners in Oregon at that time, with the prejudices experienced by the Chinese, the struggles that women experienced, the tunnels beneath the city and the very terrifying threat of being "shanghaied" aboard a ship. The author has created marvelous characters to tell Cecila's story as it builds to an amazing and exciting conclusion, with a heartfelt epilogue that carries Ceclia's story forward. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. The author's notes at the end are a must read, that explains the real history that inspired the book. Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for my advance copy. The opinions of this review are my own.

Thank you RBmedia (audio book) & Sourcebooks (ebook) via NetGalley for the opportunity to read & listen to this book.
This is my 6th Kristina McMorris book, and I definitely like it the least.
Overuse of adjectives and adverbs made me feel like she was writing like Dickens, paid by the word count.
It felt like a Hallmark movie and ended like one too.
I don't know if this storyline was to near and dear to her heart, but it felt like she was more focused on the perfect sentence than letting the story flow. I made it about halfway and then skimmed the rest just to see if there were any surprises, nope.
Narrator ok but even she could not salvage this book for me.

This is my first book by this author, even though I've been meaning to read one of her books for awhile, and I'm really glad I read this one.

Taking place in 1888 Portland, the story follows a woman named Celia, who is half Chinese, in an ever hostile culture towards Chinese people. There are a lot of twists and turns in the story I don't want to give away, but she needs to navigate in a world mostly alone, but also finds allies and friends in unexpected circumstances. The mutual shear will to survive is enough for Celia to trust others even in the least trustworthy of circumstances.

This story was really well written and takes place in a time of American history I don't really know about. I recommend it.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and so glad I was able to read it.

Interesting read. Knew about some of the history with the way the Chinese were treated in the West but this had enough twists to keep me reading. BTW -- I LOVED how it was ended in present tine - came full circle with tons of closure. Feel the title is a bit misleading but that is my personal opinion after reading it. I would recommend to people interested in historical fiction.

This was a touching, moving, and all-too-relatable story of resilience in the face of racial prejudice. I'm not usually a fan of historical fiction, but for the right books, I can be. This is one of them. The Girls of Good Fortune sheds light on real=life events in this gripping story of cultural dysphoria and navigating a world that rejects a part of our main character, Celia. Against all odds-as a single, racialized mother-Celia fights for her own survival and for justice regarding the appalling Hells Canyon Massacre that thirty Chinese gold miners fell victim to.

I feel like any Asian living in the western world can somewhat relate to this story, or at least find something meaningful in its message. I certainly had to set it down a few times because the content got a little too real and heavy. I am glad this book exists, because it draws attention to otherwise forgotten or buried events. Kristina McMorris did a great job of blending history with compelling storytelling and I was sold from start to finish.

This was my first read by this author, and I certainly look forward to reading more.

The Girls of Good Fortune by Kristina McMorris is a captivating blend of glitz, ambition, and unexpected friendship set against a dazzling 1950s backdrop. The characters feel real and complex, each chasing their own version of the American dream with heart and grit. It’s the kind of story that makes you think about the choices we make—and the people who shape them.

Oregon, 1888. Amid the subterranean labyrinth of Portland's 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.

This story takes place in the late 1800s and deals partly with anti-Chinese sentiment in Portland during that time. Celia, the main female character, is half Chinese, passing for white, who is a maid in the Mayor's home as the story begins. I really lliked the first part of this book but I felt like it soon became too unrealistic as Celia got involved in trying to right the horrific treatment of Chinese miners and bring the perpetrators to justice. She experienced too many narrow escapes to be believable and I was confused at times by the constant jumping back and forth between 1885 and 1888. The book contained some good characters but I thought the ending was a bit cheesy. I enjoyed the Author's Note with a description of the amount of research she did for the book. Quite impressive.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark, via Netgalley, for access to a digital review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: May 20, 2025

The Girls of Good Fortune is a historical fiction novel set in Portland, Oregon, in 1888. The book delves into the anti-Chinese sentiment prevalent at the time, highlighting the horrible treatment of the Chinese and the lack of justice they faced. Part of the book also explores the infamous Shanghai Tunnels, where smuggling of illegal goods such as opium and Prohibition-era alcohol took place, and the term “shanghaiing” originated. These tunnels were designed to facilitate the kidnapping and selling of men into forced labor on ships.

Celia, the main character, exemplifies strength, resilience, and hope. Drugged and disguised as a man, she ends up in the Shanghai Tunnels and is forced onto a ship to do hard labor. The whole story behind Celia’s outfit is a true example of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Surviving the kidnapping and forced labor on the ship while disguised as someone else would be a herculean effort, but Celia’s bad luck doesn’t end there. She is determined to fight for her freedom and justice, including the justice of other Chinese people. Celia takes us on an adventure filled with suspense and mystery as she tries to uncover the truth behind her kidnapping.

Celia's unwavering determination and resourcefulness shine through as she navigates difficult situations and finds creative solutions to escape and survive. Her deep empathy for others, particularly her fellow Chinese people, drives her quest for justice. Celia's bravery in confronting dangerous situations and standing up against injustice is truly inspiring. Her sharp mind and intelligence help her piece together the mystery of her kidnapping, while her adaptability allows her to survive the harsh conditions she faces.

The story hooked me from the beginning, and Celia’s journey was, in some respects, unbelievable – how could she handle so many roadblocks and challenges? The historical context provided valuable insight into the treatment of Chinese people during this time and how the legal system continually denied them equal treatment under the law. Various other characters throughout the story also captivated me.

If you enjoy strong, resilient female characters, historical fiction, and a mix of mystery and intrigue, you don’t want to miss this one. This is not the first book I have read by Kristina McMorris, and she has yet to disappoint me.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

#TheGirlsof Good Fortune, #KristinaMcMorris, #NetGalley

I'm really conflicted about The Girls of Good Fortune. On the one hand, it's well researched and shining a light on lesser recognized Chinese American history in Oregon. And at the same time, choosing a mixed Chinese, but white presenting MC telegraphs a message about the lens through which its being told.

Celia's connection to her Chinese identity is thin at best. Like so many of us, it's food and a few words. And the choice to make her white presenting seems intended to make really ugly history palatable for a specific segment of readers, while never really recognizing and addressing Celia's privilege in being perceived as white throughout her entire adventure. If you take the story at face value, that may not occur to you, or bother you.

But as someone who is mixed, and not white presenting, my takeaway was not about Celia's exploration and connection to her Chinese identity. It's that her proximity to whiteness is what made everything work out. At every step of her adventure, I thought, now just imagine she didn't look white. From getting involved with her employer's son to sitting in the white gallery at the trial, to the time she spent on the ship, to how things work out once she returns to Portland.

Obviously a single character can't and isn't intended to capture the breadth of experience mixed Asian people had or have. Even knowing that, I feel like I need to hear the author talk about this one before I give a final rating.

Absolutely exceptional—easily one of the best books I’ve read this year (possibly tied with One Dark Window, though in a completely different genre). I was fully immersed in the chapters of Celia’s life, from her love for Stephen and unexpected pregnancy to what she believed was his betrayal. Even just her time working as a maid in a brothel while raising her child would have made for a compelling novel on its own.

But the author takes it so much further—adding layers of mystery, heritage, and Celia’s determination to seek justice for her father despite overwhelming odds. From secret underground tunnels to life aboard a ship as a prisoner, her daring escape, train-hopping, jail time, and finally her hard-won reconnection with family—it’s a sweeping, richly told journey.

Celia’s evolving relationship with Owen added heart and complexity, and the supporting cast—Lettie, Pearl, Marie, Stephen—felt vivid and essential. I was truly invested in Celia as a character. The epilogue may have been a bit indulgent, but honestly, I didn’t mind. This was a beautifully crafted, satisfying read from beginning to end.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! #TheGirlsOfGoodFortune #NetGalley