IT’S HERE IT’S HERE OH MY GOD IT’S FINALLY HERE FDKLSJFDKLSFJDKLJFDS!!!! Wow I am so behind on this review; what happened to my vow to release this when the book released—I HAVE BETRAYED YOU ORION AND ROSALIND IM SORRY!!! Ahem. Anyways. Chloe Gong is BACK with with the finale to her Secret Shanghai and I am not okay. This has been one hell of a ride filled with a rollercoaster of emotions and many many tears accompanied by my heavenly screeching throughout so grab some boba and let’s sob together about the beautiful ending of the Secret Shanghai universe <3 

The ending of Foul Lady Fortune (SPOILERS PEOPLE GO READ BOOK ONE FIRST PLEASE and my review for it too hehe) left the two lovers separated on opposite ends of the city. Even worse, Rosalind’s identity as Fortune is revealed which forces her to be confined in her apartment due to the swarming reporters lurking outside. It seems like the only obvious choice is to host a national tour in order to leave the city. But when the tour goes wrong, everything Rosalind knew crumbles. Cue the ass kicking and the plot twists upon plot twists with secrets spilling into the air that had me screeching like a pterodactyl! 

Where do I even begin with this review good lord. This book was absolutely one of my favorite reads of 2023 and I think if I actually word vomited my thoughts onto this review it would be way too damn long so I will try my best to not word vomit so much. The storyline was literally perfect. Within like 2 pages I was once again teleported back to this magical world and I seriously could not put this book down while I was reading it. Reading from everyone’s POV especially when suspicion was in the air and secrets were peaking out around the corner was literally the most stressful thing ever. I was literally panicking to see whose secrets were going to be revealed first and most importantly, how the others would be taking that information. SPECIFICALLY YOU MISS PHOEBE HONG AND MR SILAS WU. DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH ANXIETY THE TWO OF YOU FREAKING CAUSED ME DANCING BACK AND FORTH TOGETHER LIKE A FREAKING CAT AND MOUSE OMFG I WANTED THE TWO OF U TO GET TOGETHER ALL READY SKDLFJDKFJDKSJFSD. So anyways let’s move on!! 

Speaking of which, the romance? Omg the romance. I freaking love the romance. Especially since this is the sequel so you know what that means? EVERYONE THAT NEEDS TO GET TOGETHER FINALLY GETS TOGETHER WOOHOOOO!!!!! Man it took goddamn forever considering this book was well over 500 pages but it was so freaking worth it. The tension? The yearning? ABSOLUTE CHEFS KISS. I literally squealed between each interaction and I swear for like a majority of the book it was just me going like “OH MY GOD FOR CRYING OUT LOUD GET TOGETHER ALREADY” for all the wondrous couples that I absolutely adore with all my heart and now I can die happy!!! No seriously though I think Chloe Gong made me believe in love again because I have never shipped anyone so freaking hard in a long time and this book had me literally kicking my feet in the air like a crazy person which I totally am so uh I think that checks out. Still some of the best couples I have read this year without a doubt because they are literally all freaking adorable and I have never felt so single.

 Genuinely though, this book will undoubtedly be one of my favorites of the year and probably of all time considering the literal roller coaster of emotions I experienced while reading it. I absolutely loved seeing the struggles of loyalty, tested through the boundaries of family, love, and even their country. Chloe Gong wrote an amazing finish ending to this beautiful world she created and I could not be more proud of how far the characters have come. I am now also severely attached to these characters and am now going to cry because I’m 1000% sure that I’m going to die alone BECAUSE THANKS ORION HONG FOR YEETING MY STANDARDS INTO THE UNKNOWN AND NOW I AM NOT OKAY BECAUSE WHAT IN THE ACTUAL FACK WAS THAT???? If you've read the ending you totally know what I am talking about. When I tell you I screeched at the Epilogue I am not kidding. 

Anyways, this book was such a fun read and I’d highly recommend so definitely go read it and come cry about it with me in the comments!!