The Girls of Good Fortune (Deluxe Edition): A Novel

First Edition with Golden Edges!

Declared a must-read by The Washington Post, USA Today, New York Post, She Reads, BookBub, and Book Riot

The New York Times bestselling author of Sold on a Monday and The Ways We Hide shines a light on shocking events surrounding Portland's dark history in this gripping novel of love, lore, and betrayal.

She came from a lineage known for good fortune...by those who don't know the whole story.

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. 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 could 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.

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Published May 20, 2025

416 pages

Average rating: 7.07

14 RATINGS

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Gail_71

Feb 11, 2026

8/10 stars

"The Girls of Good Fortune" by Kristina McMorris is a captivating historical fiction set in 1880s Portland, beginning with a gripping scene of a young woman, Celia, bound and gagged in the dark underground of the infamous Shanghai Tunnels. Drugged and confused, Celia grapples with her identity as a half-Chinese woman in an increasingly hostile environment. Having passed as white while working for a prominent family, her life takes a dramatic turn when she becomes pregnant with their son, leading to her banishment to a brothel as a maid. There, she gives birth to her cherished daughter and learns of her father's tragic death. A chance encounter with one of the brothel's patrons sparks a quest for the truth behind her father's demise, thrusting both Celia and her daughter into peril. The narrative skillfully combines historical elements with Celia's fast-paced adventure, though the author opts for an action-driven approach, leaving a desire for deeper historical detail at times. The latter half of the book is particularly thrilling as Celia pursues justice, though the resolution feels somewhat swift and overly tidy for the era. Overall, despite some minor reservations, the story is engaging, earning a rounded-up rating of 4 stars.

1bookAmonth

Oct 18, 2025

5/10 stars

The historical events at the center of the story were new to me and I appreciate learning about them however the mechanics of the book were hard to believe and made it really difficult to vest in the story.

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