Name: Julia Moran 's review of China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan
Item: China Rich Girlfriend
Rating: 3
Author: Julia Moran

Kevin Kwan

Kevin Kwan, bestselling author of Crazy Rich Asians, is back with a wickedly funny new novel of social climbing, secret emails, art world scandal, lovesick billionaires, and the outrageous story of what happens when Rachel Chu, engaged to marry Asia's most eligible bachelor, discovers her birthfather. On the eve of her wedding to Nicholas Young, heir to one of the greatest fortunes in Asia, Rachel should be over-the-moon. She has a flawless Asscher cut diamond from JAR, a wedding dress she loves more than anything found in the salons of Paris, and a fiancée willing to sacrifice his entire inheritance in order to marry her. But Rachel still mourns the fact that her birthfather, a man she never knew, won't be able to walk her down the aisle. Until: a shocking revelation draws Rachel in to a world of Shanghai splendor beyond anything she has ever imagined. Here we meet Carlton, a Ferrari-crashing bad boy known for Prince Harry-like antics; Colette, a celebrity girlfriend chased by fevered paparazzi; and the man Rachel has spent her entire life waiting to meet: her father. Meanwhile, Singapore's It Girl Astrid Leong is shocked to discover that there is a downside to having a newly-minted Tech Billionaire husband. A romp through Asia's most exclusive clubs, auction houses, and estates, China Rich Girlfriend brings us into the elite circles of Mainland China, introducing a captivating cast of characters, and offering an inside glimpse at what it's like to be gloriously, crazily, China-rich.

China Rich Girlfriend

alex arias

Feeling incomplete because her unknown birth father cannot walk her down the aisle, a girl on the brink of marrying one of Asia's richest bachelors is brought into the elite circles of Shanghai by a shocking revelation. By the best-selling author ofCrazy Rich Asians.

Julia Moran 

Omg you just gotta love Kitty like YAS GIRL GET YOUR COIN!!!! And this series honestly just keeps getting funnier and funnier I love it, I truly hope the last book doesn't disappoint me because now I have SUPER high expectations.

★★★☆ // i’m not pleased with the lack of eleanor young, more of kitty pong, as well as nick and rachel almost being relegated as background characters. but as always, a highly entertaining read with that wry humour that i’ve always liked. also, highkey excited for charlie and astrid!

Arianna

Quinn Tenorio

After enjoying and ripping through Crazy Rich Asians, I decided, why not blow through China Rich Girldfriend as well? It was a good book, but I definitely enjoyed it (slightly) less than Crazy Rich Asians. While Kwan does well with ensnaring the reader to continue the story, this book somehow felt less planned out with the story lines chosen, especially some of the characters. I still give it a good review because it's entertaining and nothing more.

Briar's Reviews

Oh man, oh man, oh man!

I was SO PUMPED to find the last two books in this series at a local discount book store. I cannot tell you how exciting it was for that kind of find! I absolutely LOVED the first book and I adored the movie, so of course I would want to continue reading this series! Unfortunately, as a student I wasn't in a place where I could get this book as quickly as I wanted... UNTIL THAT BOOK STORE!

So here I am! A couple weeks after my purchase since I totally binged this book. It was such a pleasant delight and I am happy to say I liked it! Buuuuut... (yep, there's a but) it didn't hit me like the first book did. It's that funny little problem with middle books. It continues the story but doesn't hit you with all of the good content until the last book. I'm almost certain the last book is going to knock my socks off, but this book just warmed my heart (and not much more!).

To start my review, I have to say that I LOVE Rachel and Astrid but I wasn't as interested in Kitty's story (although, she was quite the interesting character). I also have to say I now hate Michael and wish ill of him (what a jerk bag...), I have a strong fondness for Nick, Carlton seems pretty cool and I have a lot of sympathy for Charlie. NOW HURRY UP AND GET SOME OF THESE CHARACTERS TOGETHER KEVIN. 

This story has a lot of interesting (and dramatic) plot points. Rachel's Father is found by Eleanor (because of COURSE she found him) and he's CHINA RICH. That's really rich for those of you who haven't dipped their toes into this magical universe. Rachel's Father's wife is not too impressed with his bastard child and wants her GONE... meanwhile Rachel's half-brother Carlton got into a major accident but becomes quick friends with Rachel. Jumping ship to the next character, Astrid and Michael's relationship is on the rocks while her former relationship with Charlie is blossoming. Also, Kitty tries to fit into more with society while giving some absolutely hilarious insight into her life.

AND IT KINDA ENDS IN A CLIFFHANGER BUT KINDA DOESN'T.

I found the first quarter and last quarter of this book to be fast and exciting, but the middle was a little slow and boring (as boring as a soap opera could be, obviously). That's what is making me excited for the last book. You can tell something is brewing and coming down the pipeline but Kevin couldn't give it to us yet. 

I have so many good things to say about this book, so I'll put some points down to contain my thoughts:

1. I like Kevin Kwan's references. I am a Canadian with British and French roots, so I don't know much about Asian culture. The languages, the social cues, and all the other information he gave was awesome! I felt like I was welcomed into this world and could enjoy this book so much more. It also made me really happy to know diverse books like this are being welcomed into the reading space and actually read by people! 

2. This book is a crazy soap opera full of romance and drama. AND I LOVE IT.

3. I love these covers. I know you aren't supposed to judge a book based on it's cover... but come on! It's gorgeous!

Things I didn't like:

1. Now that Awkwafina has cemented herself as Peik Lin in the movie universe... I WANT MORE OF THAT CHARACTER. She wasn't in this book as much and that made me so sad!

2. The middle was too slow.

Overall, this book is FABULOUS and EXTRAVAGENT. I'm absolutely reading the next book soon (especially since I physically have it! I'm so pumped!). I would recommend this book if you love soap operas, books that have movie adaptions (seriously, I LOVE reading a book and then seeing the movie regardless of the genre... it's fun!), or a book that will keep you hooked and is a lot of fun!

Side note: WHERE IS THIS BOOK AS A MOVIE?! OMG I WANT TO SEE ALL OF THE BEAUTIFUL OUTFITS.

Three out of five stars.

From the bestselling author of Crazy Rich Asians (Now a MAJOR MOTION PICTURE) comes a deliciously fun story of family, fortune, and fame in Mainland China. Book Two of the Crazy Rich Asians Trilogy It’s the eve of Rachel Chu’s wedding, and she should be over the moon. She has a flawless Asscher-cut diamond, a wedding dress she loves, and a fiancé willing to thwart his meddling relatives and give up one of the biggest fortunes in Asia in order to marry her. Still, Rachel mourns the fact that her birthfather, a man she never knew, won’t be there to walk her down the aisle. Then a chance accident reveals his identity. Suddenly, Rachel is drawn into a dizzying world of Shanghai splendor, a world where people attend church in a penthouse, where exotic cars race down the boulevard, and where people aren’t just crazy rich … they’re China rich.

A Novel

Vicky (A City Girl's Thoughts)

I wasn't impressed with Crazy Rich Asians (CRA) so I was sceptical about reading this book, but Kevin Kwan definitely improved this novel by adding mystery and a little bit of a thriller! Nick Young, one of Singapore's richest bachelors, finally marries his love Rachel Chu in California. His mom pops up at the last minute to announce she has found Rachel's dad; Rachel had tried to find her dad since the end of CRA but to no avail. She and Nick agree to meet him during their honeymoon in Shanghai, China, but soon discover they - especially Rachel - are in for another drama-filled adventure. Instead of focusing on the designer brands and homes competition of the rich, Kwan focuses on Rachel's dad, Bao Gaoling, his wife Shaoyen, and their son - Rachael half-brother - Carlton as they try to come-to-terms with their long-lost family member, and Carlton's sometimes-girlfriend Colette Bing, a rich fashion blogger who is jealous of Rachel for no reason. Kwan also keeps us up-to-date with Astrid, Nick's cousin, and her husband Michael, who were on rocky terms since the end of CRA. We also get a glimpse into Kitty and Bernard Tai's story: both tried so hard to become respected in the richest circles of Chinese aristocracy but failed terribly. 

Kwan gives us a lesson about monetary obsession: anyone can be rich in China's - and Singapore's - current economy, so the "old money" people (whose wealth goes back through generations) will try to make it extra hard for "new money" people to have access to all the elite clubs of the powerful, therefore their voices are unimportant. Corinna Ko-Tung, a character who describes herself as an adviser to people "who want to secure a place among Asia's elite" says it best during her conversion with Kitty Tai: "Everyone is rich. Anyone can make a twenty-milling dollar donation if they really want to. To these people, having your pictures in the party pages all the time actually does more damage than good-it is seen as desperate...the real Hong Kong will always be closed to you...your children will never get into the best schools...you will never get to know any of the people who move the economy, who have the ear of the top politicians in Beijing, who affect culture. People who truly matter in Asia." This is not only true of the "new money rich" but also of Singapore's rich elite. 

In conclusion, this book was better than Crazy Rich Asians👍🏽

alexandra

SO conflicted - overall pretty good but why is the entire story about side characters? Their stories were interesting so it still made for good reading but was just very different from what I was expecting 

Somya Verma

Catherine Duplessis

I preferred this one to the first one! I liked that the story is more about the other friends than the main couple. Also, there are less characters, so it makes the story a lot less confusing than the first one.

Albert Dong

Fun, light read just like the first. Also like the first, the end could have been wrapped up better

Gisela Ayala 

BRILLIANT. WONDERFUL. EXACTLY WHAT I NEEDED RIGHT NOW. 

Crazy Rich Asians was such a great book and China Rich Girlfriend was just as entertaining. It's amazing how Kevin Kwan writes such developed characters with so many unique character traits. Every single character you meet is fully evolved and in just the first couple of sentences you already know who you are dealing with. I don't think I've ever read a book where every single character, even the minor ones that appear for a few pages have such intricate and hilarious back stories. It's stories within stories! This is like a full fledge reality show but in the best way (because I actually don't really watch reality t.v.). 

And of course at the center is our dazzling heroine, Rachel and her dreamy beau Nicholas. I love them so much. Their adventures around the globe helped me to get my mind off of this pandemic. 

HIGHLY SUPER 100 PERCENT RECOMMEND.

A wickedly funny new novel of social climbing, secret emails, art-world scandal, lovesick billionaires, and the outrageous story of what happens when Rachel Chu, engaged to marry Asia's most eligible bachelor, discovers her birthfather. From the bestselling author of Crazy Rich Asians.

Charlotte 

next book in a series you started ✔

4.5 stars

I loved reading this book! it had all they favourites from the previous book and plenty of new ones too.
reading about Nick and Rachel was what really kept me coming back for more, and kept me on my toes. I never expected each new twist in the story, but it was still believable in the context of the story. 
I can't wait to read the next instalment!

Steph L 

I saw someone say that Rachel and Nick were the b plot of this story or something. Having read this story I can say that Rachel and Nick are not the b plot by any means. The story lines weave across multiple characters, but Rachel and Nick remain the the forefront. I loved these characters and the story.

solaire 

Late review, but I loved this so much. I have no other words but masterpiece

Vilde

Alisha 

Wild, funny and over the top - just what I needed to read.

"Deliciously fun. . . . Satire at its best." --People "This year's best beach reading." --The Washington Post "Scandalous." --Town & Country "Makes even Downton Abbey look more like Downton Arriviste. . . . Genius." --The Daily Beast "Frothy." --Hanya Yanagihara, Condé Nast Traveler "Lifestyles of the rich and famous, China-style." --Houston Chronicle It's the eve of Rachel Chu's wedding, and with a fiancé willing to thwart his meddling relatives and give up his fortune in order to marry her, she should be over the moon. Still, Rachel mourns the fact that her birthfather, a man she never knew, won't be there to walk her down the aisle. Then a chance accident reveals his identity. Suddenly, Rachel is drawn into a dizzying world of Shanghai splendor, where people aren't just crazy rich ... they're China rich.

Lauren B

3.5 ⭐ This book will take you to Singapore, London, Hong-Kong, Shanghaï, Paris. To all the classy deluxe exclusive places you could never dream of being able to afford. But it will also show you the darkness behind the glitter, the fake friends, fake handshakes, fake smiles. The rampant hostility fuled by jealousy. It’s gold but it can be ugly too. Overall, it was an entertaining read but don’t expect it to become too philosophical. ;)

Mariane Ferrantino 

Solid 4 stars. It’s rare that I enjoy a sequel more than the first book in a series, but this was such a fun page turner! Immediately requested the third from the library. Can’t wait to see how this turns out.

Magdalena Mehari

Slow start which is the reason it was my second time reading the book. Though the middle and end of the book had incredible parts, and I ultimately recommend it 👍

Melissa Schwartz

Jess Spangler

These books are just so much fun. I love all the characters and drama and humor. This will not be the last time I’m reading this series

Nadine 

Cleverly terrible book on the awful lives of the rich, famous, and hidden famous of Asia. Barely disguised attempts at name-dropping a mile a minute one is left uneasy on whether the author reviles or admires the antics of people with more money than god.
Unfortunately most of what is written probably is true in one form or another, making this a quite voyeristic but compelling read.

It's the eve of her wedding to Nicholas Young, heir to one of the greatest fortunes in Asia, and Rachel Chu should be over the moon. She has a flawless Asscher-cut diamond from JAR, a wedding dress plucked from the best salon in Paris, and a fiancé willing to sacrifice his entire inheritance in order to marry her. But Rachel still mourns the fact that the father she never knew won't be there to walk her down the aisle ... until a shocking revelation draws Rachel into a world of Shanghai splendor beyond anything she has ever imagined. A romp through Asia's most exclusive clubs, auction houses, and estates, China Rich Girlfriend brings us into the elite circles of Mainland China and offers an inside glimpse at what it's like to be gloriously, crazily China rich.

Asrin Juinio

** spoiler alert **
           I liked Astrid’s subplot & drama with Michael. It felt relevant— the fear of ending a marriage, toxic masculinity, etc.
I liked reading about Kitty getting social-climbing advice and I liked how Kwan actually did something with her character past the slutty money-grubber from book 1. It just sucks it got thrown out the window out of nowhere in favour of a rushed, almost unrelated ending.
I did not like the Youngs’ plot. All the characters are mostly bland but at least they had money to compensate — basically the whole series. However, the Youngs do not have this and therefore, they are the most boring characters. instead, the plot turned into something to do with Colette and Carlton — both of whom I did not care for. About half of this book felt like filler; 2.8, almost DNF’ed.

Sahi K

More of a 3.5 and that too because the audiobook narration is very funny and entertaining. 

The plot itself is very meandering and not much happens but it’s still drama which I quite enjoyed a bit during this week when I’m not in much of a reading mood. But the description of every single piece of clothing, artwork, building and food on every page kinda felt repetitive after a while, and I would have skimmed a lot of the book if I wasn’t listening to it. It’s still addictive and I’m already excited to read the finale.

alex arias &
China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan

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