Mulan is one of my favorite Disney movies and this retelling was a fun way to bring it into this century. Mulan having to become a finance bro and not be herself in the Bay Area is a fun twist on this classic. And even though knowing the story makes it a little predictable, I thought that the author kept you guessing in their own way.

Packed with humor, loyalty, and fun through the whole story. It made finance-speak fun, which is hard to do!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

As a self proclaimed disney adult, I've absolutely enjoyed the meant to be series (favorite so far was easily by the book) and I couldn't wait to dive into this retelling of Mulan!

I was expecting a more she's the man esque story (because, dial a for aunties, which i also loved) And instead we got some finance bro look a like (Mulan) stepping in after her father's heart attack, playing into the fact that all previous correspondence [with Shang] on a business deal was done via email and her father never actually defined he was a man. The book spends the entire novel torn between playing up the retelling and leaning into the original story and it felt a little choppy between the two options. With the exception of a legally blonde esque get er done montage at the end, I didn't really get the 'make a man out of you' adventure i was hoping for. I wanted more chemistry and ultimately a more seamless story. That won't stop me though, from picking up another book from this author or another book in this stand alone series.

Thank you Netgalley, and Hyperion Avenue for the ARC in exchange for my review!

2.75

This was definitely not for me. Part of the problem is that I did not read the description closely enough and as a certified not Disney adult, Disney retellings are not my jam. I just ultimately couldn’t get over the plot point starting on a huge, irreparable, and easily discoverable lie. Like there’s no way that wouldn’t have such huge consequences and public media backlash. I just couldn’t get over it, the whole book I was waiting for that to blow up in her face. It sets the story up for miscommunication stuff, which is my least favorite troupe. There were some wonderful shining moments in there about family, generational differences, and self-discovery but the insanity of the plot was too hard to get over. I still really love this author though

This one takes time. Like I won’t lie. The first half of the book I legit hated Mulan lol. She was so hyper-independent and it was so off putting like I couldn’t stand it. I wanted to dnf that’s how bad she was but later on she redeemed herself. I loved Shang and his family. Mushu wasn’t too annoying that’s for sure. I think she was my favorite tbh I really loved the family aspect of it. I think that’s what kept me going initially then of course the romance which the spice level imo was great. I loved it. If you’re looking for a spicy book, this ain’t it! I’m thankful for Netgalley for sending this arc!

Thank you NetGalley, Disney Hyperion, and Jesse Sutanto for this ARC. Available June 3 2025.

This whole Meant To Be series has been such a fun ride!! Mulan has been once of my favorite movies since childhood and I still watch it with my kids so it was delightful to read this reimagining! I loved the new angle and elements of the story while still keeping true to the overall themes. It was fun to have a new family dynamic- infuriating at times- but still fun. It really added to the story. I also loved how separate Shang and his mom are from the rest of the family. She's a badass lady and I love her so much.

2.75/5

burn the phrase finance bro before i go legitimately insane

the idea for this series is so fun, rewriting disney love stories in romcom form, and many of them have been on my radar. sadly this didn't hit the way i wanted it to. the writing wasn't really for me which confused me because i love this authors cozy mysteries. everything felt pretty cringy and there were bigger themes that just felt weird. i love the idea of bringing a company back from the patriarchy but all the dialogue just didn't hit. also i hate whiskey so i wanna know where they found female whiskey fans, no hate i'm just curious.

the romance also felt really rushed and i didn't fully care. the horse riding scene was the closest i came to feeling like they had chemistry but it went away when we were told and not shown about their romance before he found out her lie. i adore the mulan movie and i think this book would've benefited from not being financy. i don't wanna read the words alpha, alpha man podcast, finance bro, or dude bro.

*thank you netgalley and hyperion for the arc*

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book. I was really intrigued by the concept because I am a big fan of Mulan. While I didn’t fully connect with the characters and found the romance developed a bit too quickly for my taste, I appreciate the fresh take and creative premise. Although this one didn’t quite click with me the way some other romance novels have, I can see it appealing to readers who enjoy fast-paced love stories with a unique twist.

Worth Fighting For
By: Jesse Q. Sutanto

Thank you to @berkleyromance for free book #berkleypartner #berkley All opinions are my own.

“The patriarchy is so tiresome”

Worth Fighting For is number five in the “Meant to Be” series of modern Disney retellings. Since Mulan is one of my favorite princesses, I was super excited to see what a modern take on her story might look like and let me tell you, it was super cute. I’m not sure that every part of the story worked but the idea of Mulan as her father’s right hand “man” at their hedge fund company navigating the world of finance bros was so much fun! I will say that the romance was a little light and there weren’t nearly enough sparks between Mulan and Shang as I would have liked but I truly appreciated the way that this story centered around Mulan’s self discovery and perseverance. Throughout the story she fought hard and always picked herself up to try again when things didn’t go her way which I think captured the true spirit of the original tale.

I don’t know about you but one of my favorite things is to read the author’s note at the end of the book. In this one, Jesse Q. Sutanto writes about the honor that it was for her to be chosen to write Mulan’s story and why writing this book meant so much to her. Reading her beautiful thoughts helped me to connect even more with the story.

Read if you like:

Modern Retellings
Forbidden Romance
Fish out of water storylines
Female strength and empowerment
Spice Free
Slow Burn

Thank you to Netgalley and Hyperion for the ARC!

I was so excited to be diving into a modern Mulan retelling, I even watched the movie beforehand so I could have it fresh in my head as I read through this book. And while I loved the premise, and the modern twist, I had some gripes with the reading of it.

The language and writing felt very young, I personally felt like the dialogue at times felt forced, like someone googled "popular 'gen-z' phrases" and sprinkled them in so that the novel felt with the times. It especially felt confusing when I saw that the book is technically supposed to be adult, but literary, it felt juvenile like it was meant to actually be Young Adult. I was unsure as to who was the target audience, because at the end, it just felt like they were trying to cover all the bases, and it ended up not working.

'Finance bro' is now a term that will sadly now live forever in my head, and as someone whose day job is in the financial industry, I had never seen people speak so much about it. I think at times it was meant to be a more comedic relief, and a harsh view on how some career spaces are still inherently misogynistic, but the term lost meaning after it's 50th use.

Overall, it was still an entertaining read, and my favorite parts where the emotional scenes touching on culture and highlighting immigrant life. After reading the author's note, it's clear she was writing from the heart and it showed, with these emotional scenes that had me teary eyed. I just wished there more of those scenes, and less of the awkward ones with the jokes that fell a bit flat.

Rating: 3.50/5

An interesting modern retelling of Mulan - and while I could see the intentions of fighting the patriarchy in it - it didn't feel enough as the main characters play right into it. Even as they are supposed to be fighting it. It just didn't meet the expectations that I had for it and for that I was a little disappointed.

4/5 stars
1/5 spice (kissing only/closed door)

Tropes:
Mulan retelling
Workplace romance
Forced proximity
Mistaken identity
Mutual pining
Insta-love
Single POV

Oh the amount of times I cringed in secondhand embarrassment... and yet I kept reading because I just knew there was going to be a light at the end of the tunnel. And yes there was, and I'm glad I kept reading. The personal growth for Mulan was subtle but satisfying. This is my first book in the Meant To Be series and I can see how it's appealing to those who want a more grown up version of their favorite Disney movies. I personally would've liked less insta-love but that's basically Disney's bread and butter. I loved the modern twist that still held true the original movie. But honestly the best side character that as Shang's mom, Auntie Jiayi. She was quiet but observant and a powerful ally in the end. Mushu stressed me out... but she grew in me in the end. Shang is exactly who I imagined to be in a modern retelling and better... so I guess I'm not surprised there was insta-love involved.

Overall a fun retelling that also brings in the HEA without being cheesy. I was happy with how everything worked out for all the characters. I'm interested in reading the other books in this series and how they've been adapted.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hyperion for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and offered voluntarily.

I think the premise for the book is fun, but I think there are some details that don’t translate as well. Overall, pace could have been better, but writing was enjoyable and I had a good time reading it! I loved the characters and their arcs!

Thank you to Hyperion and Jesse Q. Sutanto for this ARC.

Jesse Q. Sutanto writes it, I read it. No questions asked. When I pick up a book by her, I know I’m going to laugh, smile, and learn about a culture from an authentic source. 💗 So when I saw that she was writing a modern-day retelling of Mulan (who was my favorite Disney princess as a kid), I knew it was a must-read. 🤩📚

🥃 What did you love the most?
I love that in Worth Fighting For, Mulan isn’t pretending to be a guy by dressing up as a man; instead, she’s proving she can do everything a man can by diving headfirst into a ranch outing while trying to impress a family-owned whiskey company looking to sell their business to a “man’s man.” 😅

It’s such a clever take on the traditional story while still exploring gender roles and stereotypes, specifically in Chinese culture but also in male-dominated industries like finance. 💸

🥃 What to expect:
⭐️ Single POV, first-person narrative
👯‍♀️ Best friends supporting each other
🇨🇳 Chinese heritage and cultural references
🐲 Modern retelling of Mulan

🔥 Steam level: closed door

🥃 How was the romance?
Shan and Mulan were adorable together. The fact that Shan embraced typical “female” tasks like cooking and cleaning was also a genius choice by Sutanto. 🔥 The banter between them was warm and genuine, and their growth felt authentic and empowering. 💗

🥃 Do you recommend this book?
If you love Mulan and a contemporary romcom with a “fight the patriarchy” vibe, this one is for you. 💥 Plus, while it’s part of the Disney Meant to Be series, it’s a complete standalone. 🙌

P.S. There’s a fun nod to my favorite tea-slinging detective, which I absolutely adored. 😉

🥃 Perfect for fans of:
📚 Jasmine Guillory
📚 Ali Hazelwood
📚 Helen Hoang

🥃 Mood: 🌟 Empowering | 🐲 Playful | 💗 Heartfelt

🥃 Read if you like:
📖 Contemporary romance with cultural depth
🔥 Smart retellings of classic stories
🌸 Stories that challenge gender stereotypes and celebrate authenticity

I wanted to love this one more than I did unfortunately.

Mulan is one of my favorite Disney movies, which is what I think saved this from being a DNF for me.

Thank you Hyperion Avenue & Netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

✦ tropes & stuff:
💼 workplace
🫣 hidden identity
🙃 opposites attract
🔗 forced proximity
🌷 single 1st person pov

•┈••✦ review ✦••┈•

| ebook | ⭐️: 3.5 | 🌶️: 1 fade to black |

I had a fun time with it, but it was lacking in certain areas.

Hidden identity is a bit of a tricky trope for me too, all the secrets & lying give me anxiety - you KNOW it’s all going to come out in the end 🙃

💭 what I loved about this one:
- the title, cover & the way it related to the movie Mulan was perfect 😍
- got quite a few laughs being in Mulan’s head, her inner dialogue had me laughing out loud

🙃 what didn’t quite work for me:
- a lot of things were contradictory (that she read her fathers emails but seems to have no idea what’s in them, as an example)
- the chemistry between Mulan & Shang was lacking a bit for me - being only in her head, we definitely saw her attraction & interest, but I had a hard time feeling his
- the term “finance bro” was used far too often, it got really irritating

DNF @23%

OUT ON: JUNE 3, 2025

Mulan will always have a special place in my heart as one of the best Disney movies out there, so when I saw this book was coming out in the Meant to Be series I knew I had to get my hands on an early copy (thank you so much @hyperionavebooks | @netgalley for the advanced digital copy 🤍🥹)

I hate to say it folks, but I did not finish this one. I am really bummed because I love Mulan and was so looking forward to reading a modernized romance version of it! However, it completely lost me at the iconic “reflections” scene being Mulan looking at herself in a mirror, fully dressed in cowgirl gear. That’s not the only reason I will not be continuing this book, but it played its part.

📖Genres: Romance | Retellings | Contemporary

Worth Fighting For is a quick, fun, modern-day retelling of Disney’s Mulan, set in the male-dominated finance world. Mulan is tasked with completing the acquisition of whiskey firm Wutai Gold when her father has a heart attack. Instead of disguising herself as a man, Mulan takes her father’s name and pretends that she is who the very patriarchal Wutai Gold ownership was talking to all along.

While the story was a little unevenly paced, I enjoyed the cultural representation and grrrl power that Sutanto brought to the book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hyperion Books for this eARC. Opinions are my own.

3.5 stars

This was a Mulan retelling as part of Disney’s Meant to Be series. I’ve read the full series except for one book at this point so have an idea of what to expect. I thought the private equity setting was good and I liked the family aspects too. Great side characters and you could tell the author put a lot of care into authenticity.

The book starts off a bit slow but once it picks up, the story itself develops nicely. My main issue with this was the writing style overall. Someone in Mulan’s position isn’t likely to use words like “finance bro” and “dude bro” so often. Unfortunately, words like that are used a lot throughout the book so it can be distracting. This almost reads like a YA book despite being a mature story.

Thank you to Hyperion Avenue and NetGalley for the ARC.

A modern Mulan retelling that takes place in the Financial world. Mulan is the only daughter to her Chinese parents, she is also a VP at the finance company her father runs. On the eve of a very important meeting to acquire a family fun whiskey company her father falls ill and Mulan needs to take his place. The company is very conservative and only wants to deal with her father, the one they have been in contact with so she decides to be Zhou. They family is taken a back but invite her to the ranch for a couple of days to get to know her and for her to win them over. Things don't go as expected but Mulan doesn't give up and she may find a connection with the CEO of the company Shang.

This was a cute book, I did not love the writing style it felt very basic and repetitive. It felt like there was not enough showing and only telling. I did love the feminist take and how it talked about the role of a woman in a traditional family and how it can be modernized. There were too many characters and most pf them felt like caricatures.

This rom-com, inspired by Mulan (but definitely not a retelling), follows a bold heroine who impersonates her father to close a major business deal. When he unexpectedly falls ill, Mulan heads to a cowboy retreat run by Shang’s family, hoping to secure the acquisition.

The premise is ridiculous and requires a heavy dose of suspension of disbelief—but it’s also where most of the fun happens. From cattle wrangling to axe-throwing, the retreat is full of over-the-top hijinks that bring plenty of laughs, even if some of the humor misses the mark. Mulan is brave, competent, and easy to root for, while Shang is a sweet, grounded love interest with serious cooking skills. Their romance is adorable and well-paced, despite the usual bumps of a mistaken identity plot.

Where the book really shines is in its depiction of family and cultural identity. The warmth of Mulan’s extended family, the little cultural touches, and the feminist themes that emerge later in the story all add depth.

It’s not flawless, but if you’re in the mood for a lighthearted romantic comedy with a Disney twist, this one might just hit the spot.

A Disney Mulan retelling but with a cowboy spin? Mulan is the right hand at her father's private equity company and has worked hard to succeed as a woman in a man's world. When her father gets sick and a potential business deal must be made, Mulan decides to impersonate her father's role and pretend she's an experienced rancher to convince the whiskey brand that the deal can go through. Too bad Shang, the very hot lead of the company can see right through her. Mulan has to spend time with Shang and his family on their ranch to convince them she's the right fit... but with zero experience, how long can she keep up the act before the truth gets out? This was definitely a unique take on the classic and while it didn't work for me ( I just did not vibe with the romance or feel any chemistry between the two characters) I think it would be a fun read for others.

Release Date:June 3, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Hyperion Avenue for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*