4 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the e-arc for an honest opinion.

Please take in mind it’s my opinion, and everyone is allowed to have one.

I didn’t like These Violent Delights so I was a bit sceptic about this book. Let me tell you that this book was so much better. It did started off slow and with loads of world building and information dumping but it got so much better later on.

The second half is what got me kept on reading, I liked it a lot. The whole drama? SIGN ME UP! The chemistry? Oh YES I WANT IT ALL! Just to see how everything unravels was so great.

I loved every character we got to meet, Phoebe might be my favorite of them all. Doesn’t mean I didn’t like the others, they were all great.

The ending is not what I expected to happen, I truly thought I had it figured out, but boy was I wrong. I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen next.

I was so drawn by the way every character was written and the atmosphere was slowly built up, that I didn't want the book to end. The chemistry and tension between Rosalind and Orion was perfect. I loved how they bounced off of each other in every interaction, the same for Celia and Oliver.
It was nice to see old character's making a return, but also be introduced to new ones, Alisa was one of my favourite characters in tvd / ove and it was great to see more of her and her growth. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to the publisher for the free ARC

A slow start suddenly turns into a gripping tale filled with unexpected twists and turns that make it impossible to put down.

I have mixed feelings about the writing style. I struggled with it at the start of the book but slowly got used to it as the plot picked up pace.

Orion and Rosalind are thrown into a fake marriage in order to complete their undercover mission. The chemistry between the two characters is incredible and left me smiling every time they interacted.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Foul Lady Fortune is set four years after the events of These Violent Delights. Tensions are running high in Shanghai with the Nationalists, Communists, and the Imperialists vying for control and each having an agenda of their own. Each faction has its own spies and assassins planted among the others that no one's loyalty is certain. We meet many familiar faces and mainly follow Rosalind Lang aka Lady Fortune, an assassin for the Nationalists and Orion Hong, a Nationalist spy. Rosalind and Orion are assigned a mission to go undercover as a married couple to root out the reason behind a string of murders committed using a chemical weapon. Chloe Gong is a talented writer and keeps you hooked on the story with its politics and murder mystery. The beginning of the story was quite slow but I grew to enjoy it. As with her previous books, my main complaint was how one-dimensional the characters were. We mostly get to know them on the surface level and it makes it hard to care for them. I mostly enjoyed reading from Phoebe Hong and Celia's POV as she proved to be interesting. Despite the slow start to the story, but last half of twists and turns made up for it. There were a lot of things to love in this story. It has queer rep, spy stuff, secret government missions, and lots of banter. As for the romance, I preferred that of Celia and Oliver. I loved reading more about Celia Lang and I'm eager to read the sequel for more of her. This new duology has an engaging plot and a lot of action-packed scenes that might appeal to readers more than These Violent Delights.

The first thing that made me fall in love with this book was the absolutely stunning cover and I cannot wait for the release so I can finally admire it on my bookshelf.

At first it was a bit hard for me to get into this book but after a few pages I became so captivated by the story that I didn’t want to put this book down.
The first chapter immediately throws us into the action and makes for an intriguing start.
The plot is very interesting and intricate with many layers which are revealed one after the other and plot twists which I did not see coming until they were almost completely unravelled. There is a mix of politics, mystery, action, spies and assassins which was simply amazing.

Rosalind as a character was very easy to love and I became attached to her immediately. She is such a badass and I love that poison is her weapon of choice.
I also found Orion super loveable, as he seems like he doesn’t care about many things but himself and his pleasure but we eventually find out that there is more to him. And the fake romance turned actual feelings was just written immaculately, I was rooting for them from the beginning on.
Additionally, I enjoyed reading about the other characters as well, especially Alisa and Phoebe captured my interest.

The writing was what made it hard for me to get into at first but after a while I got used to it and the book began to flow very easily.

All in all “Foul Lady Fortune” is a beautifully written book with compelling characters and plot and I do not know how I can wait until the sequel comes out.

I did enjoy this book but I found it a little busy and confusing at times, it also could of been a little shorter.
I found it was quite action packed so some chapters definitely flowed better than the others.

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It’s 1931 in Shanghai, and the stage is set for a new decade of intrigue. Four years ago, Rosalind Lang was brought back from the brink of death, but the strange experiment that saved her also stopped her from sleeping and aging—and allows her to heal from any wound. In short, Rosalind cannot die. Now, desperate for redemption from her traitorous past, she uses her abilities as an assassin for her country. Code name: Fortune. But when the Japanese Imperial Army begins its invasion march, Rosalind’s mission pivots. A series of murders is causing unrest in Shanghai, and the Japanese are under suspicion. Rosalind’s new orders are to infiltrate foreign society and identify the culprits behind the terror plot before more of her people are killed. To reduce suspicion, however, she must pose as the wife of another Nationalist spy, Orion Hong, and though Rosalind finds Orion’s cavalier attitude and playboy demeanor infuriating, she is willing to work with him for the greater good. But Orion has an agenda of his own, and Rosalind has secrets that she wants to keep buried. As they both attempt to unravel the conspiracy, the two spies soon find that there are deeper and more horrifying layers to this mystery than they ever imagined.

I am rather in love getting to know Rosalind more. She’s a character who blended more into the background in TVD and OVE but she really shines in her spotlight. Clever, intelligent and snarky, she does her best to survive; honing new skills and utilising them to her best advantage. It was interesting to see just how guarded she was throughout most of the book - not just because of her position as an assassin/spy, but because of her past as part of the Scarlet Gang. But, when she started to let her guard down a little, it was great to see her relax and be a bit more herself.
Oh Orion. What a guy. Despite the struggles he faces, he remains - for the most part - gentle and inquisitive. His dedication to the role as Rosalind’s husband had me feeling weak at the knees and I would like to place an order for my own Orion please. His protectiveness - over both Rosalind and his sister - his fire, his slightly broody nature? Absolute brilliance.
We don’t see a massive amount of Celia in this book but what we do get is fabulous. Seeing her grow into herself, away from the pressures of the Scarlet Gang and its rules and appearances, feels so freeing. She’s found herself in a position where she’s happy and content with her life and who she is. But, more importantly, she is accepted and I am so happy for her!
Alisa is still a little spitfire who I absolutely adore. Still sticking her nose into other people’s business and being a busy-body. What a fantastic character she is!

What. A. Book. I absolutely adored getting to jump into Gong’s world once more, the time in the future. Getting to see the difference in Shanghai after the events of These Violent Delights and Our Violent Ends but with different perspectives was more fantastic than I thought it would be. Gong has a real and true talent for writing and I find myself sucked in and utterly mesmerised by the unfolding stories she creates. The slow burn of romance had me giddy. The thrill of chases and unrelenting danger had me on edge. The trials and tribulations had me eager for more. The callbacks and easter eggs for the previous books were brilliant little surprises that popped up along the way - but never felt like too much or like they were taking away from Rosalind’s story. The entire book was a joy to read but that ending … MISS GONG, WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?! And now I have to wait for the sequel to come out?! That’s just nor fair at all…

Overall, Foul Lady Fortune is a story that gives you twists and turns before flipping everything you believe entirely on its head.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you again to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book. Review will be live on my blog on release day.

4.0

Genuinely, this is such a fun read!!

I connected to Rosalind, and found her to be a truly compelling character. The Fake Romance (which was just wonderfully written) actually made me excited, and I started giggling at the pages sometimes, which doesn’t happen very often. A wonderful read all in all.

While I enjoyed the first half of this book, the second half blew me away.

After the end of Juliette and Roma's books, I was cautiously hopeful that Rosalind's story would be able to measure up. It did.

I loved the introductions of the new characters, and the return and reference to the ones we know and love just enhanced the reading experience. By the end of OVE, Rosalind was not a character I had a particularly strong connection to. By the end of Foul Lady Fortune, I had discovered a side of her that we hadn't previously seen, and it made me love her. Nobody writes three dimensional characters like Gong.

The highlight of this book for me had to be the witty banter between the characters, along with the completely unpredictable plot twists. The chemistry between Rosalind and Orion had me hooked, and, in a book about spies, one can imagine that the secrets and lies were both intriguing and frustrating at times.

I sometimes have doubt in authors who write spin off books, afraid that the new main characters won't be given their own space to breathe and grow - Chloe Gong allowed her characters to flourish. She once again captures 1930's Shanghai with detail and introspect that almost makes me imagine she was there. If you enjoyed TVD and OVE, Foul Lady Fortune is the book for you.

I'd say the first 2/3s of this book were a 3.5, the final 1/3 was a solid 4.5.

For me, there was too much emphasis on the historical politics aspect of the story than the fantasy elements at the beginning of this book, and I struggled to get started with it. However, it really picks up, especially with the final 20% of the story which is pure action, reveals and an undercurrent of romance.

For me, what really drove the story was the premise of the two spies in a marriage of convenience and watching their relationship unfold as they kept secrets from the world and each other. Chloe Gong has really created a relationship here that I was rooting for, even when the characters did questionable things.

If the sequel is just as exciting as the second half of this book was, then I can't wait to read it!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers and Chloe Gong for allowing me access to an e-ARC of this novel. Although I was provided this copy for free, all views are my own and this review was given willingly.

chloe gong has me in a chokehold. i didn't think i could love her any more than i did after reading our violent ends, BUT WOW WAS I WRONG.

(Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an eARC in exchange for an honest review)

I’m convinced Chloe Gong can’t write a bad book, it's just impossible.

I absolutely loved this book with my entire heart! The first chapter starts straight into the action and I was hooked right from the beginning. The plot is so intricate, detailed and has so many layers (Chloe Gong is a genius). There’s mystery and politics and spies and assassins and it was just amazing.

I liked Rosalind in These Violent Delights but I can’t say I was super attached to her but in this book I loved her. We see a completely different side of her and how much of a badass she is. There were a few other familiar characters that returned (including Alisa who will always be my fave) as well as some new ones that I loved (Orion was just fantastic).

As with all of Chloe Gong’s books, the writing was beautiful. It flows well and is easy to read but also has a touch of flare that results in some amazing quotes. I cannot wait to read the sequel, especially after that ending!!! If you liked These Violent Delights, you are just going to love Foul Lady Fortune.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for sending me and eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved how all the main characters in These Violent Delights and Our Violent Ends were mentioned in some capacity. Foul lady fortune could easily be read as a duopoly independent to TVD since all the main plot points are covered throughout FLF anyway. However, it would be important to note that there are spoilers for the previous duology.

I liked how Rosalind and Alisa's relationship was explored a little more- both were previously on opposite side of Shanghai's gang wars but have not been left in a very similar position. The both of them are mainly alone, with hardly any communication with their families and both lost a loved one. I'd love to see them both get closer and find a sense of companionship in each other. Orion is an absolute darling- he and Rosalind are a perfect pair in every sense of the word. The last few chapters were a whole whirlwind- so many plot twists, it made my ancestors dizzy. I absolutely need the next book to come out ASAP!

I did not read Gongs' previous duology before reading Foul Lady Fortune nor do I have any intention of doing so as I don't like Romeo and Juliet as a story in any form - in spite of that I found that you don't have to have read the duology to read this book as the duology is briefly recapped. Not reading the duology also meant that I had no expectations going into Foul Lady Fortune, except for what others had said about the books. Granted according to a few reviews it felt like a full-on sequel but I think I agree with Gong in that Foul Lady Fortune is its own series.

The two main protagonists are Rosalind Lang, an immortal assassin, and Orion Hong, a spy. The two are connected together by a joint mission and have to fake marry. So if that is a romance trope you like then you'll like this, kinda like SPY X FAMILY, there's also the "Who did this to you?!", "I'll love you from far away" and in my opinion, the guy falls first. I liked their romance - it was a slow burn and I liked the interactions they had with each other. They just work together. The secondary group of main characters are Oliver Hong, also a spy and Orions' brother, and Celia, also a spy and Rosalind's sister... and they're also together and then there's Phoebe Hong, the sister, and Silas, the friend who I think are in a will-they-wont-they situation? The Pet Names! Please someone call me sweetheart.

The characters are wonderfully diverse (I think there's a tweet confirming but this is what I could find). "Rosalind is demisexual, Orion is bisexual, Celia is a trans woman, Alisa is aromantic and asexual, Phoebe is bisexual", and it's accepted by all the characters which was lovely to see as it didn't become something that defined who that character is, just a part of them.

Onto the plot: Foul Lady Fortune per Gong is a "speculative historical thriller inspired by Shakespeare’s As You Like It". I liked it I thought it was well-paced, and I enjoyed the multiple third-person POVs. I liked that the main antagonist wasn't predictable, personally, I had two or three people pegged from the beginning and so I liked that it play out like a spy thriller where you kinda don't know who's really behind what. There are also code names, fake identities, and double and triple agents. Trying not to give too much away right now but Gong pulled me in quickly.

There really wasn't much to dislike, I think my only issue was that they kept saying out loud to themselves that they were good spies or an agent and that could not be me, risking my cover to give myself a pep talk ???

I recommend this, I really want to read the next book because what was the epilogue - Chole Gong really did that! I will also be keeping my pre-order of this book via Waterstones and the copy I ordered from Fairyloot.

Thanks to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton, as I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Book 167 of 2022

Foul Lady Fortune. I wanted to enjoy it more than I did, to be honest.The first half of the book felt slow, but by the second half, I got attached to the characters and setting and wanted to know what happend.
OK, let’s dig deeper. I have mixed feelings about the writing style. Overall, it’s pleasant to read, but there were a few sentences that pulled me off the narration. Plot-wise, I had a lot of questions about the plot and spy network that didn’t get fully answered and a couple of plot points felt… plot-hole-y, unless I didn’t understand. Because of this, I wasn’t feeling fully immersed in the world.
That said, I liked the historical Shanghai setting and history, between the different factions of the time, and we see it through individual lenses - people that don’t have strong opinions, people who do... I enjoyed the diversity of the characters and the building slow-burn between Orion and Rosalind. The novel has cool concepts and twists and manages to make us understand the world, even though lots of characters already appeared in previous books, which I haven’t read. I wonder how different my experience would have been, but you can definitely read this book even if you haven’t read Chloe Gong’s other novels. I felt like the setting, the ambition of this historical fantasy Shakespearian retelling and the dialogues were a strength of this book, and the second half warmed me up to the idea of reading the next book.

I want to thank Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Chloe Gong, Hodder & Stoughton, and NetGalley for the eARC!

This is a spoiler-free review.

The spy thriller I never knew I wanted - but most certainly needed!

I loved the insight into characters I recognised from These Violent Delights. I may or may not have sobbed like a baby whenever Roma and Juliette were mentioned, because their story wrecked me in the most incredible of ways, but I was so thankful and relieved that the story didnt end there.

I enjoy a good espionage based plot, but haven't really read one I enjoy as much as the storylines in C-dramas and K-dramas. That has finally changed. Chloe Gong brings all the best part of those stories to life, while still maintaining and delivering her trademark narrative and writing style, which makes for the most incredible reading experience ever.

Rosalind was a character I wished we had gotten to know more about in TVD, but now that we have a whole story about her, I think I might rival Orion in my love for her.

This book has fantastic representation of the LGBTQ community, without feeling forced or shoehorned in, and the story was as thrilling as I wanted it to be. The fake marriage trope was written to perfection, and there is not single thing in this book I would alter or change, other than wanting it to never end!

If I could rate this book higher than 5 stars, I really would, but since I can't, I'm going to spend the next few months shouting about the brilliance and perfection that is Foul Lady Fortune.

Goodness gracious. I don't quite know what to say. (I say: A good 4.5 stars.)

Let's start somewhere else. I recently read Chloe Gong's These Violent Delights duology in preparation for this book, and I wasn't at all impressed, even though I'd heard mostly good things. I liked her writing style very much, but the characters and plot fell flat, so those two books ended up being a dissapointment. In turn, when I started this, I expected more of the same, and when I read the synopsis and saw that this book was a kind-of-sequel, I was ... not optimistic. I still would like Chloe Gong to let go of the whole Scarlet Gang vs. White Flowers thing. Don't get me wrong. I still cringed every time I was reminded of the existence of Roma and Juliette. But everything else? Holy hell.

To continue this thought, it was pure luck that I decided to read TVD before FLF, but I'm glad I did, no matter how little I liked it. Because this is not, like the author said, a new series, it is a full-on sequel. About half of the main characters carry over, and it's not really explained too well who exactly they are. I suppose you could read FLF without having read TVD, but it would lead to much confusion.

The main characters of FLF are Rosalind Lang, who was previously a supporting character, and Orion Hong, a new addition. Let's just say that both of them are delightful. I didn't like Rosalind too much during TVD, but being in her head improved my opinion of her immensely. Her interactions with charming, rougish Orion are hilarious and ... very, very sweet. I am a big fan of the grumpy/sunshine trope, and I love it even more when the traditionally more feminine partner is the grumpy one. Oh god, I loved the two of them so much, and I especially loved them both together.

The plot ... is a different story. Because it was good! But it was also exactly like TVD. And OVE. Exactly the same plot. There's a mysterious illness, people are dying, and someone is physically causing it, so our main duo has to investigate. It works for this one, but I wish I didn't have to read this exact same plot for the third time in a series.

Orion and Rosalind are spies and get paired together to go undercover as ... a married couple. Fake marriage. I love my life. Oh god, it was so good. The dynamic between the two is just so good, and I could talk about it all day. Literally every single interaction made me smile. It was quite the opposite from Roma and Juliette's absolute lack of chemistry, and I loved loved loved it. There's so much more to it, but I'm gonna shut up for fear of spoilers. But it was so good. This relationship - and their investigation - had layers.

In addition to Rosalind, multiple other characters from TVD carry over, most notably Celia and Alisa. Ben and Marshall are regrettably but understandably absent, but we do see quite a lot of Celia, which I was very happy about, because she was by far my favorite character in TVD. However, this reappearence of older characters does lead me to another point that might confuse readers who picked FLF up thinking it was a new series - the who's who.

Every character has a multitude of names and allegiances. Alisa also goes by Liza and by Roza and she's working for the Communists but she actually doesn't care about their cause. Rosalind has the fake name of Janie Mead but also the codename Fortune which everyone gets wrong and calls her Lady Fortune but she also is undercover as Mrs. Mu for the Nationalists but she is also loyal to Celia, who works for the Communists. Celia used to live under her dead sisters name (Kathleen) and some people still call her that and she's a passionate communist. Oliver and Orion are brothers and work for opposite factions. And all of them are undercover, double agents, shifting allegiances, working together even though they shouldn't, all that good stuff. One character is even a triple agent (at least he's honest about it, though). It all gets very confusing, and I think it would be even more confusing if you haven't read TVD.

However, the writing style makes up for it. Chloe Gong manages to build suspense in way I haven't seen managed in a while and her decriptions are vivid and bursting with vibrancy. Her books tend to start of slow and build up speed by the end until the ending literally leaves you breathless. I still am of the opinion that you could've easily shortened FLF by at least 100 pages, but the pacing is a hell of a lot improved from her previous books. I also think she greatly improved on her dramatic reveals and foreshadowing, because with FLF if was actually foreshadowing and not the blatant tell over show of TVD. Those villain reveals had me gasping instead of rolling my eyes.

Also, I will be thinking about that Epilogue reveal for ages. And, for once, I cannot wait to read book two.

I have been a huge Chloe Gong fan since I read These Violent Delights. The TVD duology was one of my favourite reads of last year and when Foul Lady Fortune was announced, I was just waiting to get my hands on the ARC. And now that I am done reading it, it has solidified the fact that I'll always be a huge fan of Gong and her writing.

While I felt the first half of FLF moved quite slowly (similar to TVD), it picked up speed in the latter half. I did think there were too many subplots being introduced at one point, but I think the second half of the book deals with them pretty well and I'm sure the second book itself will show what happens to those storylines.

Rosalind was not really a favourite of mine in the original duology, but I really liked her character in FLF. She seems like such a fun and intriguing character and I am very excited to read more about her in book 2. And Orion? Loved that boy. He's pretty funny and smirk-y (that's not a word, I know) and he carries with himself, his own set of mysteries. I also thoroughly enjoyed the fake-marriage plot; it seriously made me love the book more. And the banter...Gong is incredible at writing good banter and romance.

The way it ended though....I need book 2 ASAP. All in all, Foul Lady Fortune is a great read, albeit a little slow, and I cannot wait to own a physical copy!

The year is 1931, and Shanghai hums with the anticipation of war. Rosalind Lang - a jaded, bitter, immortal assassin - is given a fake husband as part of a covert operation to discover the motivation for a series of deadly attacks. What a shame her fake husband Orion is such a handsome, annoying, charismatic playboy…right?

I must say: these are lousy spies. Given the fate that would have awaited real spies and double agents during this time period, the casualness these protagonists discussed their mission in public and fraternised with their supposed enemies took me out of the story a bit. But what Gong does best is craft angsty, believable love stories. And that’s the selling point of FLF. Unlike These Violent Delights/Our Violent Ends, the angsty love is paired with comedy instead of tragedy. With a few melodramatic plot twists thrown in near the end.

While these stories are light on “fantasy” - you could be forgiven for thinking Gong lived through 1930s Shanghai herself: the atmosphere, period details and characters are rich as ever. ☠️🌸☠️

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy to review.

After a series of suspicious murders starts to terrorize Shanghai, Rosalind, a Nationalist agent and an assassin known as Fortune, had for mission for infiltrate the Japanese society and find the responsible for these murders. But to avoid suspicion Rosalind has to be the pretend wife of an other Nationalist agent and spy, Orion Hong. Both have secrets that they don’t want the other to know, but they’ll realize that these murders are way more complicated than what it first seemed.
This book was just amazing. I was 10 pages in and I already was in love with Rosalind. I also adored Orion since his first meeting with Rosalind. I adored Rosalind and Orion’s relationship and how it slowly developed from not liking each other to fully trusting each other. This book was even better than These Violent Delights and Our Violent ends and I absolutely adored these books, Chloe Gong totally outdid herself. I really missed this world and it was amazing to be back in it.