This historical fiction is very engaging and emotional. It takes place starting in 1885 and follows the happening in the life of a half Chinese woman passing as white, who has entered into a relationship with the son at the house she is working at. When he leaves for school, fully intending and promising Celia that he will come back and they will be married.

Celia doesn't exactly have the best of luck and what little luck she has turns on her. She discovers herself shanghaied and desperate to get back to her former life, even if it isn't what she had planned.

The book delves into how the Chinese workers were treated and the dangers they faced just because of their heritage. It kept me reading and not wanting to put it down. McMorris definitely knows how to tell a good story.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the digital copy. All thoughts are my own.

At the beginning of this novel, Celia wakes up in an underground tunnel and realizes that she has been shanghaied and is on the verge of being shipped off as forced labor. It wouldn't be safe for her to work on a ship as a female so she changes her appearance so that she appears to be a young male. She tries to escape knowing that she will be leaving everyone she loves behind - especially her young daughter. She has spent her life trying to adapt to society of that time - even though she is half Chinese, she has spent her entire life passing as white. As she lays in the tunnel and tries to figure out how to escape, she thinks about her previous life as a maid for a rich family who fell in love with their rich son. When the parents found out that their son was the father of her baby, she was sent to a brothel to work as a housekeeper. One of her main goals was to find out more about the massacre where dozens of Chinese workers were murdered in nearby town -- one of those killed was her father. Her life had been full of trouble but she was determined that her daughter's life would be better. She was a strong woman who had to rely on her strength to make a better life.

This book was the story of resilience and hope and explores racism and family. It looks at the power of women as they find out how strong they are as they try to make changes in their world. If you enjoy historical fiction, this is a book that you don't want to miss.

As with other books by this author, her research was apparent as she brought a subject to light that many people are not aware of. I learned a lot about racism against the Chinese in this book and spent time after I read it goggling to get more information. I was not aware of the racism that existed against the Chinese during this time period. Large numbers of Chinese came to the West Coast in the late 1800s to mine and to help on the constriction of the railroads. Chinese workers would work for less money so white Americans felt that their jobs were being stolen by the Chinese workers. Plus it was widely believed that the Chinese were an inferior race. It wasn't until 1927 that Chinese people were allowed to vote in Oregon.

The Girls of Good Fortune immediately pulled me in as it started off with a young woman trapped in the tunnels underneath Portland. The story then jumped back three years to 1885, where we meet Celia Hart, a half-Chinese nanny working for the mayor's family. Because of the intense discrimination and violence Chinese immigrants faced at the time, Celia hides her background as best she can. After she’s suddenly sent away by the mayor and his wife, we follow her through the years and see how her path eventually leads to that moment in the tunnels.

I really liked the brief glimpses of 1888 and her time underground sprinkled throughout the first half of the book—it added just enough mystery and tension to keep me hooked. Things did slow down a bit once the timeline caught up to 1888, but I was still fully invested in Celia’s journey and couldn’t wait to see how her story would end.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the advanced copy of the book!

This is a story set in Portland in the 1880s. Celia is a white-passing, half-Chinese young woman working as a nanny for the mayor's daughter. When she finds herself pregnant, she is forced to leave and survive on her own. As with most historical fiction books, I learned a lot - this time about the Shanghai tunnels of Portland and the Chinese Massacre at Deep Creek. However, I didn't love the writing, and I often found myself skimming through sections.

I love when I learn new things while reading historical fiction! When I'm pausing my reading to go on and read up more on the historical event I just read about. This book has it all and I was sad when I finished. I will be rereading it again and probably buying a paperback when it's available. I will be telling everyone to read this and read it now!

A Great historical fiction novel. 4 solid stars. Just a really good, entertaining story, with some small details preventing me from rating it 5. I absolutely loved learning about this period of time in history, even if it is an absolutely tragic recollection of how the Chinese were persecuted and victims of racism. It’s books like this that force readers to look outside their immediate world and ask, “how can we do better—be better? How can I be impactful?”

Packed with an array of champions and scoundrels, it appeals to the reader who is looking for a little-known series of crimes and abominations. It’s a quick read with a predictable, albeit, satisfying conclusion.

Thank you to author, Kristina McMorris; publisher, Sourcebooks; and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review. It is due to be published on May 20th, 2025 (tomorrow!! 🫶🏼)

Poetic And Compelling. Usually, if a book uses a lot of flowery language and descriptions, it tends to bog the book down quite heavily. Here, McMorris actually manages to flip that script and use such poetic prose to *lift* material that is otherwise quite heavy indeed.

The entire book is essentially about the perils faced by both Chinese immigrants and indeed poor people generally on the US West Coast at the nadir of the 19th century, and McMorris does a wonderful job of transporting the reader to that place and time throughout the book.

The dual timeline yet single character approach is rare and useful here in creating tension in the reader, and yes, the timelines do eventually converge.

Overall a rare look at an often glossed over or even outright ignored period of American history, and McMorris manages to pluck it out of relative obscurity and tell a powerful tale set in all of that era's realities - both good and bad.

Very much recommended.

This was such a compelling read set in late 19th-century Portland, part historical fiction, part survival thriller, with a strong emotional core. The story follows Celia, a woman who wakes up drugged and imprisoned in Portland’s Shanghai Tunnels. From there, we dive into a layered narrative that weaves through her past, her mixed heritage, and the tangled web of injustice that led to her abduction.

Celia is a beautifully written character: resilient, resourceful, and constantly navigating the tension of passing in a society that refuses to accept her full identity. The historical detail is rich (I definitely Googled the Shanghai Tunnels mid-read), and the themes of identity, belonging, and survival are handled with nuance. I especially appreciated how the novel doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities of anti-Chinese sentiment in 1888 Oregon, while still offering moments of light and hope.

The pacing was a bit uneven at times, which is why this is a solid 4-star read for me, but honestly, I was invested from the very first page and flew through the last few chapters.

THE GIRLS OF GOOD FORTUNE is the second book by author Kristina McMorris that I have reviewed. The first, SOLD ON A MONDAY, was similar to this newest, in that it took a piece of history and wove a tale filled with angst and hope around it. In this newest, Celia, our protagonist, is a biracial woman who appears white, while having a Chinese father in Portland, 1880’s. She often finds herself in situations where blatant Chinese racism is shared with her, under the mistaken belief that she will approve of it. She works as a housemaid in the Mayor’s home and as luck would have it, falls in love with the only son. This early portion of the book is written with pathos and detail; it sets up the classic trope of the hired help and the wealthy offspring having an illicit love affair. When the son leaves for a 4 year European education, continuous bad luck surrounds Celia’s life. Because, she is pregnant and quite alone.

The second portion of the book makes almost no sense for the character we met in the beginning. Now Celia is working in a brothel and learns details about the horrible Chinese Massacre in Rock Springs, Wyoming that results in the death of her father. She crusades for justice and finds herself a target/participant in all manner of hijinks specific to tales of the 1880’s. She is kidnapped, hops trains, jumps off a ship, and testifies in a court case. All while separated from her beloved child.

The ending returns to the romantic beginnings and the tale is swiftly concluded. The author writes in a good chapter connecting readers to Celia’s family in present time.

But I found the book frustrating; either one of the Celias would have been engaging: the frightened, isolated single mother or the swashbuckler determined to hold those responsible for the Massacre accountable. Spun into one book, the result was a discontinuous tale: entertaining but disconcerting. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Celia works as a maid for the mayor in Portland, but has plans for a much better life for herself. She is in love with the mayor's son, Stephen, and he plans to marry her when he comes back from earning his medical degree. Shortly after he sets sail however, she discovers she is pregnant with Stephen's baby. Celia implores the mayor & his wife to contact Stephen to let him know, but instead, they terminate her employment and send her to a brothel to work as a maid. Celia - being half-Chinese, passing as white during an era fraught with anti-Chinese sentiment - discovers that her father is killed in a goldminers massacre, and vows to get revenge. However, in the process of trying to obtain information, Celia gets "shanghaied" . She awakens in an underground cell, drugged and disguised, in the subterranean labyrinth of the notorious Shanghai Tunnels. Celia realizes she is on the verge of being shipped off as forced labor, leaving behind those she loves most. Desperate, she must find a way to escape and return to a place where unearthed secrets can prove deadlier than the dark recesses of Chinatown.

I always enjoy this author's books. She does an excellent job writing historical fiction and making the past come to life. I was unaware of the Shanghai Tunnels and the Chinese massacres, as well as the Chinese Exclusion Act and all of the anti-Chinese sentiment that went on during that time period. I did some additional digging on the subject, and if you exchanged Latinos for Chinese, then it is very similar to what is going on today. History does have a way of coming full circle. This book was so fascinating, and the characters so real that I did not want to put the book down. I felt like I was there, watching it all unfold. As horrifying as all of this was to read about, the book itself was wonderful, and if you love historical fiction, then you will want to put this at the top of your TBR pile!

An Intriguing and Educational Story

Ceilcia is half-Chinese and passes as white while working for the wealthy yet dodgy Portland mayor and his family. However, when Ceilcia’s circumstances change, she must chart her own path. When she is unintentionally caught up in a gambling raid, she wakes up to discover that she has been drugged and shanghaied. Dressed as a man, she finds herself in an underground cell and in the process of being sold and shipped off to forced labor, leaving behind all those she loves.

GIRLS OF GOOD FORTUNE is an interesting and intriguing historical fiction novel set in Oregon amid the widespread anti-Chinese sentiment of the late nineteenth century. Ceilcia’s family, identity, fortitude, and determination remain paramount throughout every page of the story.

Author Kristina McMorris’s writing is compelling and educational, and she brings Celia's emotions and character to life. A favorite part of the book was learning about Portland’s Shanghai Tunnels and underground labyrinth. I also enjoyed learning about the Asian or Pacific Rim mixed-race heritage, also known as hapas. And while I found the Hells Canyon and Rock Spring massacre horrendous to read about, it was immensely informative.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an advance reading copy of this book. All opinions expressed here are my own.


Publisher Sourcebooks Landmark
Published May 20, 2025
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com

While I had some awareness of Chinese American history (the Exclusion Act, the railroad and the Gold Rush), I had never heard of the Hells Canyon Massacre or the Rock Springs Massacre until reading The Girls of Good Fortune. That alone speaks volumes about how much of this history is still buried and how much it belongs in classrooms and not only on footnotes.

One of the most interesting aspects of the story is how it explores the identity of biracial characters, especially those who are white-passing. Celia’s father silence about their culture, her mother’s whiteness, the need to suppress half of herself to survive… I found myself reflecting on how easily heritage can be lost in just one generation, especially when assimilation feels like the only safe path.

This isn’t a love story in the traditional sense and I really appreciated that. Celia’s connection to Stephen is important but the book stays focused on motherhood, identity and the hardship of protecting your child in a world that sees you as inferior. Celia’s kindness, empathy, strength, courage and resistance made the story all the more powerful.

If you end up reading this novel, please don’t skip the author’s note. It ties everything together and reminds us why this history is so urgently relevant today. An important, beautiful novel I won’t forget.

If I scan the inventory of historical Asian literature on my bookshelf, I can pull out Lisa See's "On Gold Mountain" as the first instance of when I read about the heart breaking story of 28 Chinese being massacred in Rock Springs, Wyoming. Now that tragic event has been deftly retold in Kristina McMorris' newest publication - "The Girls of Good Fortune".

As in her previous historical fiction novels, Ms. McMorris perfectly blends her personal experience (example: in this case, she is a long time resident of Oregon) with thorough research. One thing I always enjoy about her books is the opportunity to gain a better understanding and knowledge a period of history. McMorris expands what is a forgotten tragedy on a factual timeline of racism against Chinese immigrants in the 1880s to an intriguing story of mystery and survival.

The story begins with the protagonist (Celia) literally being "Shanghaied" meaning that she was abducted and forced aboard a ship. McMorris leads us to this harrowing experience by shining a light into the true-to-life underground tunnels of Portland's Chinatown. (I wish I knew about these tunnels when I visited Portland a couple of years ago!) We learn about the preceding events that lead to this terrifying kidnapping by first experiencing the sweet love story of Celia and the innocent son of a wealthy family. When her believed to be finance leaves for college in England, Celia encounters all types of obstacles and grief at home. She fights for her rights and principles and as a reader you are propelled forward as you hope for her victorious ending.

I enjoyed the book and continue to be a fan of Kristina McMorris. My only issue was the jumping back and forth from the 1888 to the 1885 timeline. I think the story would have held up with the same amount of intrigue and suspense if it had been told in a straight chronological format. Otherwise, the dual timelines were a bit confusing and distracting.

All in all, it is a wonderful story and I look forward to recommending it to friends and book clubs. Thank you, NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read this ARC and provide my honest opinion.

3.5 stars rounded up

As a person who loves historical fiction, this was, surprisingly, my first book by Kristina McMorris. I was interested in this novel because it was based on a time period and events that are not the typical subject of novels, and I am always happy to read about new to me topics.

The Girls of Good Fortune is quite the adventure story, which begins in 1888 with the main character, Celia, waking up in the tunnels beneath Portland dressed as a man, and then aboard a ship, having been 'shanghaied' and sold for labor. How she found herself in this predicament and how she escapes is told in two timelines with characters that bring life to her story and keep the reader turning pages.

Some of the adventures seemed quite far-fetched, maybe a little unrealistic especially for the time period, and this interfered significantly with my ability to lose myself in the story. When I read the author's notes at the end of the book, I recognized how the disconnect happened, as the book originally took place about 30 years later, but because of developments in the shipping industry the author needed to move it to an earlier time. I also felt like the historical events that inspired the novel were loosely worked into the story, almost as an afterthought.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the digital ARC of The Girls of Good Fortune by Kristina McMorris. The opinions in this review are my own.

The Girls of Good Fortune is a story of intrigue, heroism and tragedy. By Kristina McMorris it is an incredible novel. I can count on this author to write carefully research historical fiction so that I am appalled, inspired, and moved profoundly by how these characters find the strength within and the ability to make a difference in the world. I can also count on her to enlighten me to some previously unknown to me history. It is all done with beautiful prose and unforgettable characters.

🀄Kristina McMorris has done it again! Writing about painful, hidden chapters of history is no easy feat, but she brings them to light with grace and power. The Girls of Good Fortune releasing on May 20th, 2025, follows Cecilia, a maid in the mayor’s house whose life takes a sharp turn, forcing her to navigate a brutal world where a woman’s role is limited and her options few.

Told in shifting timelines and set in 1888, when anti-Chinese sentiment in the U.S. was at a peak, Cecilia stumbles upon a horrific incident. Though she tries hard, injustice prevails, and this moment becomes the crux of the story. Trouble follows her, but she persists, clinging to hope that her daughter might have a better future.🀄

⛩️Where do I begin with how this book made me feel? As a South Asian reader, I’m no stranger to prejudice, but the depth of discrimination depicted here is both heartbreaking and infuriating, especially in light of current times. The author does a phenomenal job portraying the layered injustice Cecilia faces not just as a woman, but as someone denied privilege due to her heritage. The author’s note at the end gives important context and reinforces why stories like these must be told.

Cecilia’s journey is one of survival, resilience, and ultimately, self-acceptance. When she finally embraces her identity, I wanted to whoop with joy. While the story is painful at times, it never loses its sense of hope, and the unlikely friendships woven throughout make it even more meaningful.⛩️

Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark for both the digital and physical copies of this incredible book.

The Girls of Good Fortune tells the story of Celia, a half-Chinese woman navigating a deeply hostile, anti-immigrant America in the 1880's. Her journey touches on themes like identity, motherhood, and resilience. What really stood out to me was how the author wove real historical events into the narrative—especially ones that are often overlooked, like the Hells Canyon Massacre and unjust murder trials targeting Chinese Americans.

The writing style had shades of Carolyn Keene and Julia Quinn, which added a familiar, engaging tone I enjoyed. That said, the pacing didn’t quite work for me. The story felt slow and a bit aimless for much of the book, only to wrap up quite suddenly. I also kept wondering what the "point" of the story was—something that only became clear in the author’s note at the very end. I think a bit more time spent with the characters in 1995 would have helped ground the narrative more clearly.

There’s also a brief instance of homophobia that felt out of place. While it may reflect the attitudes of the time, it seemed disconnected from the rest of the plot and wasn’t explored further.

Despite those issues, this book succeeds in shedding light on an often-ignored chapter of American history. I could see it being a valuable addition to school reading lists for that reason alone—especially in a time when racism remains such a relevant issue.

~ Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review! ~

In 1888 Portland, Celia is half-Chinese and passing for white in a world that has no place for “her kind.” When the truth is exposed, she finds herself lied to, threatened, “shanghaied,” and falsely imprisoned. The Girls of Good Fortune is the story of Celia’s battle to make her way back to the family she created for herself.

McMorris does a masterful job of weaving Celia’s story into and around the tumultuous and oft-forgotten historical events surrounding the anti-Chinese sentiments of that time. Celia’s story is one of strength, courage, and resilience, and is a must-read for fans of historical fiction.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Oregon 1888. A woman pieces together the events in her life that led her drugged and imprisoned in underground tunnels.

This was everything that I want in a historical fiction. I learned a little about a time I knew nothing about, while reading an entertaining story as well. It was a wild tale that I would have expected difficult to put into less than 400 pages, but it worked! I loved everything about this one and hope you will too.

“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?”

The Girls of Good Fortune comes out 5/20.

This beautiful historical fiction novel which takes place in the late 1800's tells the story. of one woman's brave journey to get herself out of a horrible situation. Taking place in a period where those from a different race were ostracized and unwelcome our heroine rises above those obstacles to pave a life for herself.
Our main character Celia finds herself pregnant and unwed. She goes away to work in a brothel as a housekeeper and meets some unlikely friends and forms some close bonds. She dreams of the day she can be reuntied with her child's father and they can be together as a family.
One unfortunate day Celia finds herself shanghaied and on a ship being sent far away. Instead of just sitting around and feeling sorry for herself she goes to grear lenghs to get herself out of that situation so she can get home to her loved onea. When she gets home she is reunited with the best surprise ever.
I literally couldn't put this novel down. The historical aspect had me in awe and the adventures our character had had me begging for me.
I received an arc copy from Netgalley and all opinions are of my own.