Natalie Tan's Book of Luck and Fortune
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Natalie Tan's Book of Luck and Fortune Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Roselle Lim (Author), Catherine Ho (Narrator), Penguin Audio (Publisher)
4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 523 ratings
See all formats and editions

Lush and visual, chock-full of delicious recipes, Roselle Lim’s magical debut novel is about food, heritage, and finding family in the most unexpected places.

At the news of her mother’s death, Natalie Tan returns home. The two women hadn’t spoken since Natalie left in anger seven years ago, when her mother refused to support her chosen career as a chef. Natalie is shocked to discover the vibrant neighborhood of San Francisco’s Chinatown that she remembers from her childhood is fading, with businesses failing and families moving out. She’s even more surprised to learn she has inherited her grandmother’s restaurant.

The neighborhood seer reads the restaurant’s fortune in the leaves: Natalie must cook three recipes from her grandmother’s cookbook to aid her struggling neighbors before the restaurant will succeed. Unfortunately, Natalie has no desire to help them try to turn things around - she resents the local shopkeepers for leaving her alone to take care of her agoraphobic mother when she was growing up. But with the support of a surprising new friend and a budding romance, Natalie starts to realize that maybe her neighbors really have been there for her all along.

Previous page
  1. Listening Length
    10 hours and 30 minutes
  2. Author
    Roselle Lim
  3. Narrator
    Catherine Ho
  4. Audible release date
    June 11, 2019
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Penguin Audio
  7. ASIN
    B07PKYTGVD
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
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Product details

Listening Length 10 hours and 30 minutes
Author Roselle Lim
Narrator Catherine Ho
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date June 11, 2019
Publisher Penguin Audio
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B07PKYTGVD
Best Sellers Rank #31,015 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#72 in Asian American Literature (Audible Books & Originals)
#117 in Magical Realism Fiction
#258 in Asian American Literature & Fiction

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5
523 global ratings
Warning: Have food on hand, or close by. This will magical novel will make you super Hungry!!!
4 Stars
Warning: Have food on hand, or close by. This will magical novel will make you super Hungry!!!
Natalie Tan hasn’t returned home to Chinatown in San Francisco in seven years. Instead she has been traveling the world, learning new recipes to cook. Natalie has always wanted to follow in her Grandmothers footsteps. The only thing she knows about her is that her restaurant was the highlight of Chinatown, bringing crowds in just with the smell of her food. Natalie has to return home after her mother’s death to give her a traditional Chinese funeral. What she finds is a note from her mother, finally giving her blessing to re-open the restaurant that now belongs to her. However, Chinatown is not the vibrant thriving community it once was. In order to help her community, she must succeed at carrying on her grandmothers legacy. Seeking answers, she meets up with a magical woman from the community and reads her fortune: in order to succeed, she must cook three recipes from her grandmas book to help three people. But once she does, her magic starts to backfire and only seems to make things worse. Will she be able to fix things and finally re-open her grandmothers restaurant? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀I loved the magic in this book! It’s subtle, but Roselle Lim makes you believe that cooking and sharing a meal can really bring people together! Her descriptions of the meals Natalie makes are absolutely mouth watering! The picture Lim paints of the dull, grey Chinatown and it’s suffering is so vivid. I ached for the loss Natalie suffered and I was rooting for her to succeed! There was a little romance thrown into the book that didn’t have much depth to it. I wish it would have been a little bit more so I could have fallen for Daniel and Natalie together but it seemed very abrupt and short. All of Natalie’s questions were answered in the perfect way! I love the strong family and tradition aspect of this book.
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Top reviews from the United States

Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Charming story
Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2021
Verified Purchase
I first saw this book featured in Woman’s World magazine’s book corner and it sounded fun. A charming book that mixed magical elements into daily life to create beautiful word pictures. It reminded me of Like Water For Chocolate... only happier.... or like Big Fish. A sweet story to read on the beach or on a plane when you want to travel somewhere while staying in your seat. A story about the lines of your family, both biological and chosen and how they strengthen and sustain you and help you find yourself. The recipes sound wonderful but don’t contain measurements. I’m glad I took the magazine’s recommendation.
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Booklover_lex
4.0 out of 5 stars Warning: Have food on hand, or close by. This will magical novel will make you super Hungry!!!
Reviewed in the United States on July 5, 2019
Verified Purchase
Natalie Tan hasn’t returned home to Chinatown in San Francisco in seven years. Instead she has been traveling the world, learning new recipes to cook. Natalie has always wanted to follow in her Grandmothers footsteps. The only thing she knows about her is that her restaurant was the highlight of Chinatown, bringing crowds in just with the smell of her food. Natalie has to return home after her mother’s death to give her a traditional Chinese funeral. What she finds is a note from her mother, finally giving her blessing to re-open the restaurant that now belongs to her. However, Chinatown is not the vibrant thriving community it once was. In order to help her community, she must succeed at carrying on her grandmothers legacy. Seeking answers, she meets up with a magical woman from the community and reads her fortune: in order to succeed, she must cook three recipes from her grandmas book to help three people. But once she does, her magic starts to backfire and only seems to make things worse. Will she be able to fix things and finally re-open her grandmothers restaurant? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I loved the magic in this book! It’s subtle, but Roselle Lim makes you believe that cooking and sharing a meal can really bring people together! Her descriptions of the meals Natalie makes are absolutely mouth watering! The picture Lim paints of the dull, grey Chinatown and it’s suffering is so vivid. I ached for the loss Natalie suffered and I was rooting for her to succeed! There was a little romance thrown into the book that didn’t have much depth to it. I wish it would have been a little bit more so I could have fallen for Daniel and Natalie together but it seemed very abrupt and short. All of Natalie’s questions were answered in the perfect way! I love the strong family and tradition aspect of this book.
Customer image
Booklover_lex
4.0 out of 5 stars Warning: Have food on hand, or close by. This will magical novel will make you super Hungry!!!
Reviewed in the United States on July 5, 2019
Natalie Tan hasn’t returned home to Chinatown in San Francisco in seven years. Instead she has been traveling the world, learning new recipes to cook. Natalie has always wanted to follow in her Grandmothers footsteps. The only thing she knows about her is that her restaurant was the highlight of Chinatown, bringing crowds in just with the smell of her food. Natalie has to return home after her mother’s death to give her a traditional Chinese funeral. What she finds is a note from her mother, finally giving her blessing to re-open the restaurant that now belongs to her. However, Chinatown is not the vibrant thriving community it once was. In order to help her community, she must succeed at carrying on her grandmothers legacy. Seeking answers, she meets up with a magical woman from the community and reads her fortune: in order to succeed, she must cook three recipes from her grandmas book to help three people. But once she does, her magic starts to backfire and only seems to make things worse. Will she be able to fix things and finally re-open her grandmothers restaurant? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I loved the magic in this book! It’s subtle, but Roselle Lim makes you believe that cooking and sharing a meal can really bring people together! Her descriptions of the meals Natalie makes are absolutely mouth watering! The picture Lim paints of the dull, grey Chinatown and it’s suffering is so vivid. I ached for the loss Natalie suffered and I was rooting for her to succeed! There was a little romance thrown into the book that didn’t have much depth to it. I wish it would have been a little bit more so I could have fallen for Daniel and Natalie together but it seemed very abrupt and short. All of Natalie’s questions were answered in the perfect way! I love the strong family and tradition aspect of this book.
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8 people found this helpful
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Sarah A.
3.0 out of 5 stars Sweet, Original, but Underdeveloped Story
Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2019
Verified Purchase
From the moment I saw the beautifully illustrated cover, I fell in love. I wish I felt the same way about its contents. I didn’t connect with the author’s writing style, but I still felt a deep fondness for the story and look forward to reading Lim’s future books.

Ok, so, I’m gonna level with you here: I didn’t think this book needed the romance. *record scratch* I KNOW. I can’t believe these words are coming from me (certified rom-com hoe right here) but the romance felt underdeveloped and less important to me than the overall story of finding connection with your ancestry and placing roots in the midst of gentrification and cultural hegemony.

While the romance fell flat for me, this book felt like a love letter to cooking. And I was here for it. Reading Laolao’s recipes reminded me of growing up in my grandma’s kitchen, watching as she effortlessly cooked multi-course Chinese meals for our family. The warmth I felt reading the cooking scenes—watching how Natalie used food to communicate—made this a special reading experience for me, even if I wasn’t completely sold in the end.
Customer image
Sarah A.
3.0 out of 5 stars Sweet, Original, but Underdeveloped Story
Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2019
From the moment I saw the beautifully illustrated cover, I fell in love. I wish I felt the same way about its contents. I didn’t connect with the author’s writing style, but I still felt a deep fondness for the story and look forward to reading Lim’s future books.

Ok, so, I’m gonna level with you here: I didn’t think this book needed the romance. *record scratch* I KNOW. I can’t believe these words are coming from me (certified rom-com hoe right here) but the romance felt underdeveloped and less important to me than the overall story of finding connection with your ancestry and placing roots in the midst of gentrification and cultural hegemony.

While the romance fell flat for me, this book felt like a love letter to cooking. And I was here for it. Reading Laolao’s recipes reminded me of growing up in my grandma’s kitchen, watching as she effortlessly cooked multi-course Chinese meals for our family. The warmth I felt reading the cooking scenes—watching how Natalie used food to communicate—made this a special reading experience for me, even if I wasn’t completely sold in the end.
Images in this review
Customer image
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7 people found this helpful
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liannallama
5.0 out of 5 stars This was such a sweet book!
Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2020
Verified Purchase
Natalie is forced to rush home to plan the funeral for her agoraphobic, estranged mother. She is heartbroken they didn't have time to reconcile and is almost overwhelmed with the death of her last family member. Along the way she meets new friends and finds information about family she never knew and finally sees a picture of her deceased grandmother. She decides to open her grandmother's boarded-up restaurant that has been closed since before Natalie was born. The recipes she cooks have magical effects and they are presented in the book with such charming descriptions that I wish Natalie would cook for me! No spoilers but the end of the book gave me a few happy tears.

I love the color and flavor alongside the insider's peek she gives of San Francisco's Chinatown; it's one of my favorite places in the world and I'd love to visit right now to see it through Natalie's eyes. Thanks for the enticing read and I can't wait for your next book. It's just what I needed during these troubled times.
3 people found this helpful
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Holly B.
2.0 out of 5 stars This book tries way too hard
Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2020
Verified Purchase
The overall story was enjoyable, but some of the descriptions were just cringy. As a Chinese American, I found that the book was trying way too hard to be Chinese and magical, and it just came across as disjointed. Everything is tendrils and fireworks. The relationships were not believable at all either, so when you're reading it you're just like, "C'mon!!!" No one falls deeply, world-shatteringly in love in 3 dates. That being said, I really want some home cooking from my mom now.
One person found this helpful
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Courtney Salmon
4.0 out of 5 stars grief and neighbors
Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2022
Verified Purchase
This book looks at second chances when you think it's too late to help others and reflecting on how we may not always see/understand everything when we are young. Great characters in Chinatown, SF. The recipes made me want to start cooking.
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Marilyn J. Miller
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved this book
Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2022
Verified Purchase
I have read both of this writers books and loved them both.
A little magic and tea, plus food too is always a winning combination.
The author indeed knows how to weave a magical story.
One person found this helpful
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Samantha
5.0 out of 5 stars Escape to Chinatown with Natalie!
Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2019
Verified Purchase
Roselle Lim's debut has a touch of magic, a healthy serving of delicious food, and a character you will definitely fall in love with. I loved walking through Chinatown with Natalie and meeting all of the idiosyncratic characters. It's a perfect book club read or just a great book to throw in your beach bag. BUY IT! And be prepared to order some Chinese a few times in the middle because Lim will have your mouth watering for dumplings about twenty pages in.
3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Amanda L. Patterson
5.0 out of 5 stars Great debut novel!
Reviewed in Canada on December 7, 2020
Verified Purchase
By what measure do you define yourself when the one person you depended on for that definition is no longer there? In Roselle Lim's debut novel, Natalie Tan has to answer that exact question. This book was sweet, easy to read and a great introduction to some of the customs both religious and traditional observed by those within the Asian community. As a Black Canadian Christian woman I love learning about the cultures, beliefs, traditions and experiences of others. In "Natalie Tan's Book...", Lim introduces her reader to Buddhist religious rites and beliefs as well as Chinese cultural and traditional customs as her main character returns home to her childhood neighbourhood. Through mouth watering recipes, stomach rumbling inducing cooking descriptions Lim weaves a tale of self realization, forgiveness and empathy with threads of sadness, joy, magic, and love. Enjoy!
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ColinB
5.0 out of 5 stars An enjoyable story
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 2, 2020
Verified Purchase
I was lucky enough to visit Chinatown San Francisco whilst on holiday this year, plus I used to visit China on business, so the background setting and insight into Chinese culture were very interesting.
Natalie returns to her home when her mother died after being estranged for years to find the neighbourhood in trouble. She decides to revive her grandmother's restaurant that her mother had closed up when she didn't want to continue the business. She finds her grandmother's recipe book and decide to try recipes out on her neighbours to see whether she can repeat the magic that her grandmother was famed for, bolstered by a seer's prediction that this would save the neighbourhood.
Certainly the recipes given were very tempting, I had eaten food similar to these, maybe without the same effects though. Throw in a touch of romance and a plot twist and I ended up finishing this book in the small hours as I couldn't put it down.
I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley, however enjoyed it so much that I also bought it from Amazon
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Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars A lovely story combining magic and food
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 24, 2021
Verified Purchase
Set in San Francisco (one of my favourite places), the author describes the location beautifully, as well as the characters. Out of Natalie's sorrow from losing her mother, she forms friendships and connects with the grandmother she never met through creating her recipes. Through the descriptions of food I could almost taste the sesame oil! I felt the story became a bit flat in the middle, but I'm glad I continued reading as secrets came to light and the ending was perfect.
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Dean Rainey
5.0 out of 5 stars A delicious book!
Reviewed in Canada on June 18, 2019
Verified Purchase
Roselle definitely has a wonderful way with words. Scenes are beautifully described - as too are the magical dishes and recipes that the narrative is based on. It makes for light and breezy summertime reading. WARNING: Don't read on an empty stomach!
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