Natalie Tan’s Book of Luck and Fortune by Roselle Lim

Natalie Tan’s Book of Luck and Fortune

by Roselle Lim

An uplifting and magical debut about food, coming together and finding family in the most unexpected places. For fans of Jenny Colgan!

At the news of her mother’s death, Natalie Tan returns home to San Francisco – it’s time to confront some ghosts from the past.

She is shocked to discover that the vibrant Chinatown neighbourhood of her childhood is fading. And she’s even more surprised to learn she has inherited her grandmother’s restaurant. Before Natalie can continue her legacy, she must follow the path laid out by the neighbourhood seer, cooking up three recipes from her grandmother’s cookbook to bring luck, courage and love to her struggling neighbours.

Natalie has no desire to help the community that abandoned her to look after her mother all those years ago. But with the support of a surprising new friend and a budding romance, she starts to realise that maybe her neighbours have been there for her all along . . .

Readers are loving Natalie Tan’s Book of Luck and Fortune:

‘Lovely, quirky, original book, lots of magic, lots of love, lots of heart, lots of fun, lots of yummy food’ Karen Whittard, Netgalley

‘I devoured this book’ Niamh Dunne, Netgalley

‘The food descriptions were so deliciously mouth-watering that I had to order take out dumplings to eat while I was reading!’ Eleanor Leese, Goodreads

‘If you're looking for a light, airy read that you'll want to finish within a day (because I did and I loved it)’ Lissanne, Netgalley

What a delightful story! This feel-good story adds in just a touch of magic, to go along with family and friends, a sprinkle of light romance, and tons of great food and recipes’ Subtle Bookish

This book is delicious…a joy’ Gem Fletcher, Netgalley

Reviewed by Sam@WLABB on

4 of 5 stars

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Natalie returned home following her mother's death to plan the funeral, and tie up some loose ends. It was supposed to be her goodbye tour of the neighborhood, but she was taken aback to find the once vibrant and flourishing community in dire need of revitalization, and apparently, Natalie was the key to bringing it back to life.

This was such a lovely and feel-good read, and I was happy to be part of Natalie's journey as she found her way back to her roots and herself. There were so many things to praise in this book, and here are five things I loved about Natalie Tan's Book of Luck & Fortune.

1. The Food! - I am warning you right now - do NOT read this book on an empty stomach. Lim's love of cooking and culinary delights shines on these pages. She engaged all my senses with her vivid descriptions and full recipes. She included many dishes I have had the pleasure of tasting and even more I hope to taste.

2. The Community - Natalie's family was lucky to have landed in this neighborhood, because it was filled with so many wonderful and caring people. It was a delight getting to know all the denizens of this street, and it was beautiful the way they all bonded together to help first, Natalie's mother, and then, Natalie herself. I got some serious warm-fuzzies being around this bunch.

3. The Tan Women - Learning about Natalie's mother and grandmother gave me hope for her. She was the product of such strong women, and I knew she would find her inner strength to get through this situation, because she had such stellar role models, who had overcome adversity.

4. Chinese Culture - Lim did such a fantastic job weaving the cultural aspects into the story, and I really enjoyed learning more about Chinese customs and traditions.

5. Natalie's Personal Journey - Natalie had been untethered for quite some time, and she struggled with making permanent connections. It was wonderful seeing her find herself by digging into her history and also, uncovering some family secrets. With each additional bit she learned, I saw her eyes and her heart opening wider and wider, and the end result was stellar.

Overall, this was a heartwarming tale of love, loss, family, community, and food served up with lots of heart and a dash of magic.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 6 June, 2019: Finished reading
  • 6 June, 2019: Reviewed