I recently posted on Facebook for my next reading selection out of these four from my TBR pile. The first response was for the second installment of Kevin Kwan’s decadent and delicious trilogy.
CHINA RICH GIRLFRIEND is just as delightful and outrageous as CRAZY RICH ASIANS. Like any good soap opera, there are twists, turns, bastard children, and a murder plot. Rachel and Nick are back together and he’s not speaking with his mother. Through a bizarre twist, she manages to work her way back into their lives just in time for the wedding. It’s the bizarre twist, not the wedding, that is one of the plot bunnies of this snark-tastic little read.
Eleanor Young has found Rachel’s father, and Rachel has a half-brother, Carlton. After the wedding, the newlyweds head to Shanghai to spend time with Rachel’s newly found family. Things aren’t so peaceful at the Bao residence, and Rachel isn’t exactly welcomed into the home. Her brother, however, does welcome her. He’s a spoiled little rich boy whose poor judgment have left one girl paralyzed and another dead, and both families paid off so his father would never know. Her brother’s “not my girlfriend” filthy rich fashionista friend Colette plays a big part in the blossoming relationship between Rachel and her little brother.
Another plot twist will take you into the life of Kitty Pong, who will tell you no amount of money can buy class. But what of Bernard? What’s happened to him? The most delightful of unexpected moments that will have you chuckling out loud.
The beautiful Astrid is just as beautiful, but her hard-working husband has become quite the disappointment. Thank goodness for old boyfriends who remind you of who you are.
And Ah Ma? She’s still kicking. She’s pushed her beloved Nicky out, but she’s still very much in control of her family.
Kwan’s writing is sharp and hilarious, even when at its most outrageous. And now I really want a good xiao long bao.
A Girl Named Tommi 