China Rich Girlfriend (Crazy Rich Asians Trilogy, #2)

by Kevin Kwan

Lydia Look (Narrator)

Kevin Kwan, bestselling author of Crazy Rich Asians, is back with a wickedly funny new novel of social climbing, secret emails, art world scandals, 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 fiancé willing to sacrifice his entire inheritance in order to marry her. But Rachel still mourns the fact that her birthfather, a man she has never known, 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.

• ISBN10: 0553551922
• ISBN13: 9780553551921
• Publish Date: 28 July 2015 (first published 16 June 2015)
• Publish Status: Withdrawn
• Imprint: Books on Tape
• Format: Audiobook (CD)
• Duration: 15 hours and 5 minutes
• Language: English

Reviews

[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.

[adamfortuna]

After months hearing my wife talk about this series I finally gave it a shot. I loved the first book as well as the movie and didn't want to wait until the next movie to see what happened next.

While the first book focuses almost entirely on Nick & Rachel, the shift to focusing on different characters in part 2 makes sense in the expanding cast. Kitty Pong's character, as well as Rachel's family, makes sense without being forced while staying entertaining (even if a bit telenovela).

[Jyc]

★★★☆ // 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!

[Sam@WLABB]

Kwan treated me to even more delicious drama and the "tough" lives of the rich and entitled.

I laughed loudly and often, and am eager to get the next book.

[girlinthepages]

I find it's rare for a series to get BETTER with time, but China Rich Girlfriend, the sophomore novel in Kevin Kwan's opulent, over the top Crazy Rich Asian series proved me wrong. Picking up shortly where the first novel left off, the story follows some of our favorite primary characters from the first installment (Nick, Rachel, Astrid) into a whole second country of societal billionaires and over the top spending where new money is flaunted at every opportunity.

What I loved about this novel was that it takes some new avenues and introduces a few new key players to the story while still integrating the drama and repercussions of the events that happened in its predecessor. There is still fallout to be dealt with after Nick's mother plays her hand against Rachel, there are unexpected consequences to Astrid's husbands overnight success story, and there is still certainly the snobbish yet glamorous Singapore clan whose story lines are woven into the drama happening on the mainland. I loved seeing the representation of how the "new money" values and spends its money and how the upper class society of the mainland functions as opposed to the "old money" families of Singapore.

I feel like this novel, while still exploring the enormous privilege of the characters' staggering wealth, also focused more on character development and on adding layers and nuances to the characters and relationships. Rachel connects with her family whom she's never known, and while there is scandal and gossip there are also undeniable moments of kindness and bonding. Peik Lin and Colin are still loyal friends to Nick and Rachel who have a devotion that runs deeper than the superficial. Even Nick's rage-inducing mother manages to put aside her differences with Rachel (if for more personal gain/benefit) and offers somewhat of an olive branch, in her own twisted way. Yes, the characters are outrageous but they're humanized in a way I found surprising given the over the top nature of these books, which kept me continually caring about what happened to them.

Overall: I can not get enough of this story! Although more outrageous than its predecessor, I was addicted to China Rich Girlfriend, especially at the rather shocking twist it took at the end which added an additional layer of drama and intrigue to these stories! I'm definitely going to be purchasing physical copies of these for my library someday!This review was originally posted on Girl in the Pages