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Meant to Be #5
Worth Fighting For
Laugh and swoon with the next book in Disney’s Meant to Be collection by best-selling and award-winning author Jesse Q. Sutanto, whose novel Dial A For Aunties Emily Henry called “Utterly clever, deeply funny, and altogether charming.”
Mulan is reimagined as a contemporary romance about family expectations, mistaken identity, and high stakes mergers—of both business and the heart.
Following one’s heart isn’t easy when family honor is at stake.
As the right hand of her father’s hedge fund company, Fa Mulan knows what it takes to succeed as a woman in a man’s work twice as hard, be twice as smart, and burp twice as loud as any of the other finance bros she works with. So when her father unexpectedly falls ill in the middle of a critical acquisition, she is determined to see it through. There’s just one the family company in question is known for its ultra masculine whiskey brand, and the brood of old-fashioned aunts, uncles, and cousins who run it—lead by the dedicated but overworked Shang—will only trust Mulan’s father, Fa Zhou, with the future of their business.
Rather than fail the deal and her father, Mulan pretends she’s Fa Zhou. Since they’ve only corresponded over email, how hard could it be to keep things moving in his absence?
But the email leads to a face-to-face meeting, which leads to an invitation to a week long retreat at Shang’s family ranch. One meeting she can handle, but a whole week of cattle wrangling, axe-throwing, and learning proper butchering techniques, all while trying to convince Shang’s dubious family that this young woman is the powerful hedge fund CEO they’ve been negotiating with? Not so much—especially as she finds it harder and harder to ignore the undeniable spark between her and Shang. Can she keep her head in the game and make her father proud, all while trying not to fall into a trough, or in love with Shang?
Mulan is reimagined as a contemporary romance about family expectations, mistaken identity, and high stakes mergers—of both business and the heart.
Following one’s heart isn’t easy when family honor is at stake.
As the right hand of her father’s hedge fund company, Fa Mulan knows what it takes to succeed as a woman in a man’s work twice as hard, be twice as smart, and burp twice as loud as any of the other finance bros she works with. So when her father unexpectedly falls ill in the middle of a critical acquisition, she is determined to see it through. There’s just one the family company in question is known for its ultra masculine whiskey brand, and the brood of old-fashioned aunts, uncles, and cousins who run it—lead by the dedicated but overworked Shang—will only trust Mulan’s father, Fa Zhou, with the future of their business.
Rather than fail the deal and her father, Mulan pretends she’s Fa Zhou. Since they’ve only corresponded over email, how hard could it be to keep things moving in his absence?
But the email leads to a face-to-face meeting, which leads to an invitation to a week long retreat at Shang’s family ranch. One meeting she can handle, but a whole week of cattle wrangling, axe-throwing, and learning proper butchering techniques, all while trying to convince Shang’s dubious family that this young woman is the powerful hedge fund CEO they’ve been negotiating with? Not so much—especially as she finds it harder and harder to ignore the undeniable spark between her and Shang. Can she keep her head in the game and make her father proud, all while trying not to fall into a trough, or in love with Shang?
310 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 3, 2025
419 people are currently reading
41029 people want to read
About the author
Jesse Q. Sutanto
27 books9,216 followersJesse Q Sutanto grew up shuttling back and forth between Jakarta and Singapore and sees both cities as her homes. She has a Masters degree from Oxford University, though she has yet to figure out a way of saying that without sounding obnoxious. She is currently living back in Jakarta on the same street as her parents and about seven hundred meddlesome aunties. When she's not tearing out her hair over her latest WIP, she spends her time baking and playing FPS games. Oh, and also being a mom to her two kids.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,281 reviews
June 1, 2025
3.5 stars! Mulan is one of my FAVE Disney movies, so when I heard the next Meant To Be book was Mulan's story...well, I was ecstatic. There were one hundred percent aspects I loved in this reimagining of Mulan in a contemporary romance setting, but I have mixed feelings overall.
The premise was clever, featuring Mulan in a male-dominated industry and pretending to be her father in order to close a business deal. I loved both Mulan and Mushu's characters. They complemented each other well and had a comedic, ride-or-die best friend dynamic. I liked Shang to some extent, but his character felt a bit underdeveloped. In terms of romance, the insta love was booming here. Mulan and Shang spend one weekend together on his ranch, and they're madly in love, which surprisingly didn't bother me *that* much.
However, the toxic masculinity...was a lot. I was raging at the members of Shang's family and their views of women. I love a feminist book, but the presence and undertones (not even undertones, like blatant) toxic masculinity almost overshadowed everything else in the book. And the repeated emphasis of finance bro culture and the word "finance bro," I mean it gets to a point...
On a positive note, I loved the prominent feature of Chinese culture, especially the various cooking and food details. While this was a mixed bag, I'd recommend if you like the Mulan movie + the song The Man by Taylor Swift!
Thank you so much to Hyperion Avenue for an ARC of Worth Fighting For. As always, my reviews are one hundred percent voluntary and all opinions are my own :)
The premise was clever, featuring Mulan in a male-dominated industry and pretending to be her father in order to close a business deal. I loved both Mulan and Mushu's characters. They complemented each other well and had a comedic, ride-or-die best friend dynamic. I liked Shang to some extent, but his character felt a bit underdeveloped. In terms of romance, the insta love was booming here. Mulan and Shang spend one weekend together on his ranch, and they're madly in love, which surprisingly didn't bother me *that* much.
However, the toxic masculinity...was a lot. I was raging at the members of Shang's family and their views of women. I love a feminist book, but the presence and undertones (not even undertones, like blatant) toxic masculinity almost overshadowed everything else in the book. And the repeated emphasis of finance bro culture and the word "finance bro," I mean it gets to a point...
On a positive note, I loved the prominent feature of Chinese culture, especially the various cooking and food details. While this was a mixed bag, I'd recommend if you like the Mulan movie + the song The Man by Taylor Swift!
Thank you so much to Hyperion Avenue for an ARC of Worth Fighting For. As always, my reviews are one hundred percent voluntary and all opinions are my own :)
February 5, 2026
A MULAN reimagining set in the Bay Area amongst finance bros. What a ride.
Mulan works at her father's finance company. Zhao wants to invest in a misogynistic whiskey company. The deal hinges on him, the only one the whiskey company will do business with. When he falls ill, Mulan pretends to be him.
Who owns the whiskey company? None other than Shang, his mother, and her incredibly anti-female brothers and nephews. James is the worst. His father and uncles are a close second. Shang is dreamy.
YOU | NEXT
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue
Mulan works at her father's finance company. Zhao wants to invest in a misogynistic whiskey company. The deal hinges on him, the only one the whiskey company will do business with. When he falls ill, Mulan pretends to be him.
Who owns the whiskey company? None other than Shang, his mother, and her incredibly anti-female brothers and nephews. James is the worst. His father and uncles are a close second. Shang is dreamy.
YOU | NEXT
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue
February 3, 2025
★★★☆☆ 3/5
✎ (❁ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈) ༉ Note : This review will remain spoiler-free as it has not been published at the current date of my review.
⋆ Tropes :
▹Insta-love
▹Headstrong & Intelligent FMC
▹Mulan Retelling
▹Chinese Culture
Worth Fighting For is a Mulan retelling set in a modern-day scenario, where Mulan is a finance bro looking to help her father buy out a whiskey company owned by none other than Shang, our burly, incredibly handsome, and witty male lead. And of course, we follow Mulan in this book as she takes on her father's identity.
: ̗̀➛ Main Characters
Hua Mulan is our female lead, a twenty-seven-year-old finance bro who has spent her entire life dedicating herself to being the best son possible for her parents after a childhood trauma rooted itself in her ability to love or accept herself. She wears too many masks, pretending to be different people in order the get the best results possible. Due to this, she has forgotten who she truly is.
Shang is our male lead, and the CEO of Wutai Gold, a family-ran whiskey company. He is witty, great at banter, aloof in the beginning, and incredibly handsome. He was raised in a traditional Chinese household, one strong on their beliefs, and are very misogynistic. Shang has set out to redefine his roots by supporting women and taking up household tasks otherwise seen as emasculating.
Mushu is Mulan's cousin, and an absolute joy of this book. She is hilarious, confident, and speaks far too much. She works at the same firm as Mulan, although finance has never been her passion. She is loyal, fierce, and so incredibly loveable.
: ̗̀➛ My Review Rants
I actually really enjoyed this book. The first ~10% of the book I was a bit questionable about it, it's very heavy on the Gen-Z way of talking and read similarly. However, once the plot started developing, I became addicted to reading it. It flowed so well and there were very few moments where I felt bored or like there was nothing happening.
The entire ranch portion of this book is hands-down my favorite. I had such a blast reading through Mulan's experience there and I wish that it had never ended. I could've stayed on that ranch forever and never looked back again, and I feel by the end of it, Mulan felt similarly. I will say, almost every single cheesy romance trope you can think of; yes, it was in this book. Usually, that would leave me put-off and not as invested, but I just ate all of those tropes up in this one and did not mind it. It didn't take away the enjoyability, although it did definitely pull me out of the immersion at times.
I really loved the self-discovery in this book as well. As a half-Chinese woman, I've experienced all too well how it can feel to give up so much of yourself for others and never really look back on who you were meant to be. To see Mulan take that step, thanks to Mushu, to finally rediscover who she is, what she likes, and have the ability to go for it was heartwarming. A very sweet journey of learning who you truly are and finding peace with that while saying goodbye to the you who was never truly you.
My only gripe with this book would be the ending, last roughly ~20% of the book. This is the one time where I feel a book would've benefitted from being longer than it was because the finale of it felt so rushed, and the conclusion so anticlimactic that I finished this book thinking, "that's it? There's no more?". While the relationship between Mulan and Shang developed throughout this book, it was built on an insta-attraction/love, and from there I noticed there wasn't much development between them by the end. There was a lot of time clipping, summarization of their times together, and small, cute things they'd done together in passing, but no true development or time spent forming their relationship and by the time the ending conflict was resolved, I felt like I had missed so much.
: ̗̀➛ Final Thoughts
A solid 3/5 stars feels comfortable for me with this book. I enjoyed it for what it offered, and while I did have some minor issues with it, as a whole I still had a good time with it. While I wish there was a bit more to it, what it did have was a good read. I had a nice time reading this!
Thank you to Netgalley and the author for this ARC! To anyone who has added this book to their TBR or is on the fence, please do consider picking this up on its official publication date, June 03, 2025.
“Hey, I tried my best. Channeled my inner auntie and eavesdropped to the best of my ability. Our ancestors would be proud.”
“Our ancestors would definitely not be proud of me.”
“Well, yeah, you're a different story.”
✎ (❁ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈) ༉ Note : This review will remain spoiler-free as it has not been published at the current date of my review.
⋆ Tropes :
▹Insta-love
▹Headstrong & Intelligent FMC
▹Mulan Retelling
▹Chinese Culture
Worth Fighting For is a Mulan retelling set in a modern-day scenario, where Mulan is a finance bro looking to help her father buy out a whiskey company owned by none other than Shang, our burly, incredibly handsome, and witty male lead. And of course, we follow Mulan in this book as she takes on her father's identity.
: ̗̀➛ Main Characters
Hua Mulan is our female lead, a twenty-seven-year-old finance bro who has spent her entire life dedicating herself to being the best son possible for her parents after a childhood trauma rooted itself in her ability to love or accept herself. She wears too many masks, pretending to be different people in order the get the best results possible. Due to this, she has forgotten who she truly is.
Shang is our male lead, and the CEO of Wutai Gold, a family-ran whiskey company. He is witty, great at banter, aloof in the beginning, and incredibly handsome. He was raised in a traditional Chinese household, one strong on their beliefs, and are very misogynistic. Shang has set out to redefine his roots by supporting women and taking up household tasks otherwise seen as emasculating.
Mushu is Mulan's cousin, and an absolute joy of this book. She is hilarious, confident, and speaks far too much. She works at the same firm as Mulan, although finance has never been her passion. She is loyal, fierce, and so incredibly loveable.
: ̗̀➛ My Review Rants
I actually really enjoyed this book. The first ~10% of the book I was a bit questionable about it, it's very heavy on the Gen-Z way of talking and read similarly. However, once the plot started developing, I became addicted to reading it. It flowed so well and there were very few moments where I felt bored or like there was nothing happening.
The entire ranch portion of this book is hands-down my favorite. I had such a blast reading through Mulan's experience there and I wish that it had never ended. I could've stayed on that ranch forever and never looked back again, and I feel by the end of it, Mulan felt similarly. I will say, almost every single cheesy romance trope you can think of; yes, it was in this book. Usually, that would leave me put-off and not as invested, but I just ate all of those tropes up in this one and did not mind it. It didn't take away the enjoyability, although it did definitely pull me out of the immersion at times.
I really loved the self-discovery in this book as well. As a half-Chinese woman, I've experienced all too well how it can feel to give up so much of yourself for others and never really look back on who you were meant to be. To see Mulan take that step, thanks to Mushu, to finally rediscover who she is, what she likes, and have the ability to go for it was heartwarming. A very sweet journey of learning who you truly are and finding peace with that while saying goodbye to the you who was never truly you.
My only gripe with this book would be the ending, last roughly ~20% of the book. This is the one time where I feel a book would've benefitted from being longer than it was because the finale of it felt so rushed, and the conclusion so anticlimactic that I finished this book thinking, "that's it? There's no more?". While the relationship between Mulan and Shang developed throughout this book, it was built on an insta-attraction/love, and from there I noticed there wasn't much development between them by the end. There was a lot of time clipping, summarization of their times together, and small, cute things they'd done together in passing, but no true development or time spent forming their relationship and by the time the ending conflict was resolved, I felt like I had missed so much.
: ̗̀➛ Final Thoughts
A solid 3/5 stars feels comfortable for me with this book. I enjoyed it for what it offered, and while I did have some minor issues with it, as a whole I still had a good time with it. While I wish there was a bit more to it, what it did have was a good read. I had a nice time reading this!
Thank you to Netgalley and the author for this ARC! To anyone who has added this book to their TBR or is on the fence, please do consider picking this up on its official publication date, June 03, 2025.
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March 10, 2025
dnf at 57%
1⭐
spoiler free
14+
romance: 7/10 (lots of innuendo, dirty jokes, and sexualiztion of your favorite Disney characters 🤠🤠)
cursing: 3/10 (shit, ass, hell. I think that’s it as far as I read)
violence: 0/10
other: drinking
tropes: office, forbidden romance
first person, present tense
publish date: 6-3-2025
– OVERVIEW –
I tried SO hard to love this, but I just couldn’t take this one anymore.
I was so disappointed 😭
I feel like I’m dishonoring my ancestors or smth by not finishing so many asian rep books, but this one was downright just trashy.
the Mulan movies were alr very feminist, but this is a whole other level.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all here for female empowerment, but this rubbed me the wrong way for some reason.
I had so many problems with this book.
1. Mushu.
Just no. As much as I love Mushu in the movies, she just pmo so badly and I can’t explain it.
Her humor was nothing like the Mushu I know and love, and was so stiff. Not once did I laugh at this book, not a single time. I feel like that’s just a loss considering this is a romantic COMEDY, but you win some you lose some ig 🐿️💅
2. The dynamic.
This was also nothing like the movie. I went in expecting smth and that was not delivered upon. I got no tension, I got no pining.
It was just straight lust from the first encounter and it made me want to vomit.
Literally THE SAME DAY Mulan meets Shang, Mushu says smth not at all relating to Shang (she was in fact talking abt horses) and Mulan’s mind was alr in the gutter when it came to him.
This isn’t how I want my favorite characters from my childhood.
That’s all I’m gonna mention rn bc your girl has had 4 hours of sleep this week and I can’t focus anymore
Don’t get me wrong, I adore this author. Jesse writes some banger thrillers and I own most of her other books. But this one just wasn’t it for me.
– PLOT –
Finance bro falls for the whiskey bro
– CHARACTERS –
Mulan
⤷ She’s not like other girls…she’s a finance bro
Shang
⤷ He’s not like his family…he’s a feminist
Mushu
⤷ She should’ve been a dog or an annoying little brother or smth, also where did cricket bro go?
– CONCLUSION –
I wouldn’t recommend this book, maybe don’t read it 🥲
– PLAYLIST –
The Man - Taylor Swift
Enchanted - Taylor Swift
Gorgeous - Taylor Swift
Yours - Conan Gray
pre-read
NO FREAKING WAY I GOT THE ARC
NO FREAKING WAY
IM DROPPING EVERYTHING AND GONNA EAT THIS UP BYE—
1⭐
spoiler free
14+
romance: 7/10 (lots of innuendo, dirty jokes, and sexualiztion of your favorite Disney characters 🤠🤠)
cursing: 3/10 (shit, ass, hell. I think that’s it as far as I read)
violence: 0/10
other: drinking
tropes: office, forbidden romance
first person, present tense
publish date: 6-3-2025
– OVERVIEW –
I tried SO hard to love this, but I just couldn’t take this one anymore.
I was so disappointed 😭
I feel like I’m dishonoring my ancestors or smth by not finishing so many asian rep books, but this one was downright just trashy.
the Mulan movies were alr very feminist, but this is a whole other level.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all here for female empowerment, but this rubbed me the wrong way for some reason.
I had so many problems with this book.
1. Mushu.
Just no. As much as I love Mushu in the movies, she just pmo so badly and I can’t explain it.
Her humor was nothing like the Mushu I know and love, and was so stiff. Not once did I laugh at this book, not a single time. I feel like that’s just a loss considering this is a romantic COMEDY, but you win some you lose some ig 🐿️💅
2. The dynamic.
This was also nothing like the movie. I went in expecting smth and that was not delivered upon. I got no tension, I got no pining.
It was just straight lust from the first encounter and it made me want to vomit.
Literally THE SAME DAY Mulan meets Shang, Mushu says smth not at all relating to Shang (she was in fact talking abt horses) and Mulan’s mind was alr in the gutter when it came to him.
This isn’t how I want my favorite characters from my childhood.
That’s all I’m gonna mention rn bc your girl has had 4 hours of sleep this week and I can’t focus anymore
Don’t get me wrong, I adore this author. Jesse writes some banger thrillers and I own most of her other books. But this one just wasn’t it for me.
– PLOT –
Finance bro falls for the whiskey bro
– CHARACTERS –
Mulan
⤷ She’s not like other girls…she’s a finance bro
Shang
⤷ He’s not like his family…he’s a feminist
Mushu
⤷ She should’ve been a dog or an annoying little brother or smth, also where did cricket bro go?
– CONCLUSION –
I wouldn’t recommend this book, maybe don’t read it 🥲
– PLAYLIST –
The Man - Taylor Swift
Enchanted - Taylor Swift
Gorgeous - Taylor Swift
Yours - Conan Gray
pre-read
NO FREAKING WAY I GOT THE ARC
NO FREAKING WAY
IM DROPPING EVERYTHING AND GONNA EAT THIS UP BYE—
April 11, 2025
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ Despite this being number 5 from the “Meant to Be” series of Modern Disney retellings, this was my first time reading one of the stories and I really enjoyed it! Mulan is one of my favourite Disney princesses and I admired her so much for her bravery, resilience, and determination in saving her father from the war and bringing honour to her family. I think that the author did a great job at honouring the lessons behind Mulan in her modern take of the classic Disney tale and the legendary Chinese heroine 🇨🇳
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ The thing I admired most of Hua Mulan in this story was her unwavering spirit. She fought tooth and nail to prove she was just as good as the men at work, pulling all-nighters and studying things so thoroughly that she can’t make any mistake. She undergoes significant character development in this as she realizes that she deserves to be loved for who she is and not the plentiful masks that she puts on at work, in front of family, and in front of the world. I loved getting to see her work hard and successfully prove her worth with Li Shang and his family at Wutai Gold because it was so satisfying to see that although she was very close to giving up, she persevered and kept going in order to honour her father’s wish. Through it all and her strength coming from her family, she still powers through and uncovers that she does have the power to do anything she wants out of life, her career, and her relationships.
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ Her love for her family is so overwhelming that she clearly does all she can in the book just to fulfill this one business acquisition for her father, even if it means throwing herself into a setting completely out of her league and setting herself up for humiliation and embarrassment. And yet despite all this, she still feels it in her heart that she isn’t good enough for her parents because of others’ expectations of her. This hit home for me as a Filipina growing up with similar experiences, and it felt so nice to be seen by a woman of colour not knowing how to make things right and not disappoint anyone. We have to work twice as hard to be taken seriously and not be degraded to stereotypes and offensive beliefs that the media churns out in mainstream TV and movies to this day. I loved that Mulan overcomes the odds and finds the strength in her to challenge gender stereotypes and prove those who doubted her wrong. I loved that her parents, like my own which I’m so grateful for, are so supportive of Mulan and want to see her grow and develop as who she truly is while finding real happiness. I think that’s such an important message that was showcased in this book 💕
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ The secondary characters were pretty enjoyable to read about. I loved Mushu and Mulan’s relationship, and how they honoured it from the original Disney movie of the two of them having each other’s backs. Mushu was relatable in that lots of people, especially those from Asians cultures, feel a lot of pressure of not knowing what they want to do with the rest of their lives. Shang was so cinnamon-roll coded and I loved his character. While he appeared just as traditionally masculine in morals and beliefs like the rest of his family, he treats his mom like she is his entire world and challenges gender stereotypes. He surprisingly loves to cook, clean, and take care of people and it was shown in a way that didn’t feel performative or that it was for the sake of contrasting him with Mulan. I loved Shang’s mother, Auntie Jiayi, and how she teamed up with Mulan to finally give herself her voice a chance and to go after what she wanted. It was heartwarming to see Auntie Jiayi share her stories with Mulan as so much of our family’s history and culture is passed down from those we care about. I was happy that she finally got to where Mushu, Shang, and Auntie Jiayi ended up, although it would’ve been more interesting to see more from them as the epilogue and overall ending felt a bit rushed 💬
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ On one hand, I do agree that the romance was lacking a bit and tended to lean towards insta-love. I think it would have been better showcased as a coming-of-age or general fiction story more so than a romance, but I do see a different perspective in comparison to those saying in their reviews that the book wasn’t good because of the romance. I think the book stayed true to Mulan’s story in essence in that her entire life didn’t revolve around finding a partner or falling in love. Her story, at its core, is her struggling to find who she truly is in a world where she has to prove herself worthy of something ten times more than the average man and doing everything she can in order to make her family proud. While this story did focus heavily on her career and her battling against sexism, I would say it did Mulan’s story justice for its modern time and setting
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ Mulan is a loyal daughter and a faithful friend foremost before she can even find it in herself to find love, so the way her journey had progressed throughout the book was very satisfying to see. I’m a hardcore hopeless romantic but I think the decision to prioritize Mulan’s self-discovery and her obstacles in the way of her journey was more important to emphasize than her love story. It shows that women are more than capable of chasing their dreams and doing things that they be otherwise stereotyped as not being able to do as effectively as men but also being sensitive to rely on their loved ones as well. We can be strong and independent while allowing ourselves to be taken care of by others. We can have the best of both worlds 🌸❣️
Tropes:
- Private equity VP FMC x whiskey brand CEO MMC 📁💼
- Modern Disney retelling 🏰
- Female empowerment and gender equality
- POC representation, Chinese-American MCs 🇨🇳
- Mentions of sexism and misogyny
- Romance sub-plot 💓
- Fish out of water 🐟
- Forbidden romance
- Closed-door romance 🚪
Thank you to Jesse Q. Sutanto, Hyperion Avenue, and NetGalley for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for my honest review!
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ The thing I admired most of Hua Mulan in this story was her unwavering spirit. She fought tooth and nail to prove she was just as good as the men at work, pulling all-nighters and studying things so thoroughly that she can’t make any mistake. She undergoes significant character development in this as she realizes that she deserves to be loved for who she is and not the plentiful masks that she puts on at work, in front of family, and in front of the world. I loved getting to see her work hard and successfully prove her worth with Li Shang and his family at Wutai Gold because it was so satisfying to see that although she was very close to giving up, she persevered and kept going in order to honour her father’s wish. Through it all and her strength coming from her family, she still powers through and uncovers that she does have the power to do anything she wants out of life, her career, and her relationships.
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ Her love for her family is so overwhelming that she clearly does all she can in the book just to fulfill this one business acquisition for her father, even if it means throwing herself into a setting completely out of her league and setting herself up for humiliation and embarrassment. And yet despite all this, she still feels it in her heart that she isn’t good enough for her parents because of others’ expectations of her. This hit home for me as a Filipina growing up with similar experiences, and it felt so nice to be seen by a woman of colour not knowing how to make things right and not disappoint anyone. We have to work twice as hard to be taken seriously and not be degraded to stereotypes and offensive beliefs that the media churns out in mainstream TV and movies to this day. I loved that Mulan overcomes the odds and finds the strength in her to challenge gender stereotypes and prove those who doubted her wrong. I loved that her parents, like my own which I’m so grateful for, are so supportive of Mulan and want to see her grow and develop as who she truly is while finding real happiness. I think that’s such an important message that was showcased in this book 💕
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ The secondary characters were pretty enjoyable to read about. I loved Mushu and Mulan’s relationship, and how they honoured it from the original Disney movie of the two of them having each other’s backs. Mushu was relatable in that lots of people, especially those from Asians cultures, feel a lot of pressure of not knowing what they want to do with the rest of their lives. Shang was so cinnamon-roll coded and I loved his character. While he appeared just as traditionally masculine in morals and beliefs like the rest of his family, he treats his mom like she is his entire world and challenges gender stereotypes. He surprisingly loves to cook, clean, and take care of people and it was shown in a way that didn’t feel performative or that it was for the sake of contrasting him with Mulan. I loved Shang’s mother, Auntie Jiayi, and how she teamed up with Mulan to finally give herself her voice a chance and to go after what she wanted. It was heartwarming to see Auntie Jiayi share her stories with Mulan as so much of our family’s history and culture is passed down from those we care about. I was happy that she finally got to where Mushu, Shang, and Auntie Jiayi ended up, although it would’ve been more interesting to see more from them as the epilogue and overall ending felt a bit rushed 💬
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ On one hand, I do agree that the romance was lacking a bit and tended to lean towards insta-love. I think it would have been better showcased as a coming-of-age or general fiction story more so than a romance, but I do see a different perspective in comparison to those saying in their reviews that the book wasn’t good because of the romance. I think the book stayed true to Mulan’s story in essence in that her entire life didn’t revolve around finding a partner or falling in love. Her story, at its core, is her struggling to find who she truly is in a world where she has to prove herself worthy of something ten times more than the average man and doing everything she can in order to make her family proud. While this story did focus heavily on her career and her battling against sexism, I would say it did Mulan’s story justice for its modern time and setting
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ Mulan is a loyal daughter and a faithful friend foremost before she can even find it in herself to find love, so the way her journey had progressed throughout the book was very satisfying to see. I’m a hardcore hopeless romantic but I think the decision to prioritize Mulan’s self-discovery and her obstacles in the way of her journey was more important to emphasize than her love story. It shows that women are more than capable of chasing their dreams and doing things that they be otherwise stereotyped as not being able to do as effectively as men but also being sensitive to rely on their loved ones as well. We can be strong and independent while allowing ourselves to be taken care of by others. We can have the best of both worlds 🌸❣️
Tropes:
- Private equity VP FMC x whiskey brand CEO MMC 📁💼
- Modern Disney retelling 🏰
- Female empowerment and gender equality
- POC representation, Chinese-American MCs 🇨🇳
- Mentions of sexism and misogyny
- Romance sub-plot 💓
- Fish out of water 🐟
- Forbidden romance
- Closed-door romance 🚪
Thank you to Jesse Q. Sutanto, Hyperion Avenue, and NetGalley for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for my honest review!
April 25, 2025
3.5 stars on this fun read
✨️Mulan retelling
✨️Insta- love
✨️Forbidden romance
✨️one bed
This is very a close retelling of the classic Mulan but set in modern day, which is set in the world of high-stakes finance and whiskey dynasties. It did start out to be rather slow. The insta love between Shang and Mulan was very cute though. It wasn't super cheesy. The experiencing the Chinese culture through story form was one of my favorite aspects of the book. This was an adorable sweet read.
A big thanks to Netgalley and Hyperion Avenue Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
expected publication June 3, 2025
I got this ARC and I'm excited to delve into this one. This is a fun series. It's book number 5 in the Meant To Be series but can be read as a standalone.
Thanks to Netgalley and Hyperion Avenue Publishing in exchange for my honest review.
Expected publication June 3, 2025.
✨️Mulan retelling
✨️Insta- love
✨️Forbidden romance
✨️one bed
This is very a close retelling of the classic Mulan but set in modern day, which is set in the world of high-stakes finance and whiskey dynasties. It did start out to be rather slow. The insta love between Shang and Mulan was very cute though. It wasn't super cheesy. The experiencing the Chinese culture through story form was one of my favorite aspects of the book. This was an adorable sweet read.
A big thanks to Netgalley and Hyperion Avenue Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
expected publication June 3, 2025
I got this ARC and I'm excited to delve into this one. This is a fun series. It's book number 5 in the Meant To Be series but can be read as a standalone.
Thanks to Netgalley and Hyperion Avenue Publishing in exchange for my honest review.
Expected publication June 3, 2025.
December 11, 2024
Having watched Mulan countless times, I knew what to expect: Mulan trying to help her family by impersonating her father. But the book exceeded my expectations and was so much more than that. The romance between Mulan and Shang was so well written, the banter between them was so amazing, it literally had me kicking my feet. While this is a modern spin on the movie you can definitely feel the essence of the movie and the message of the troubles women have working in male dominated industries. This book was so amazing and I can't wait to read more books from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publishing date: June 3, 2025
_____________________
Got the arc!!
Thank you to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publishing date: June 3, 2025
_____________________
Got the arc!!
maybe
April 21, 2025Aaah! A Mulan retelling. Please keep this series going. 🙏
ETA: All these early reviews are scaring me off. :(
ETA: All these early reviews are scaring me off. :(
April 18, 2025
3.5 a good retelling!
I did feel like the first 30% of the book was spent learning about 20 different characters. It was a lot, and I don’t think I needed as much info about so many individual characters. I was ready to dive into the story sooner! Overall, I think this will be a popular book. It was a little bit slow for me, but I wouldn’t discourage the read.
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC
I did feel like the first 30% of the book was spent learning about 20 different characters. It was a lot, and I don’t think I needed as much info about so many individual characters. I was ready to dive into the story sooner! Overall, I think this will be a popular book. It was a little bit slow for me, but I wouldn’t discourage the read.
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC
January 15, 2025
Mulan was truly astonishing. I loved it when she truly opened up to be herself and stopped masking. I loved Shang, how he was unapologetically himself even with the stereotypes expected of him from the men in his family. I also loved his mom! This was such a beautiful story. Mushu was HILARIOUSLY adorable. The fun cousin but all her own self, and I loved that for her. The twist was great, and I loved how the book wrapped up! Such a wonderful read, family oriented, but also showing what women in business have to deal with.
I received this book from NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.
I received this book from NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.
October 26, 2025
Another darling romcom version of a Disney princess movie. This one's Mulan, in case you weren't sure, and it's set in the world of finance, fine whiskey, and . . . ranching. Don't worry, it totally works! Mulan was a delightful mess, Mushu was hilarious as a human, and Shang . . . oooer.
June 1, 2025
I wanted to love this one more than I did unfortunately.
Mulan is one of my favorite Disney movies, which is what I think saved this from being a DNF for me.
Thank you Hyperion Avenue & Netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
✦ tropes & stuff:
💼 workplace
🫣 hidden identity
🙃 opposites attract
🔗 forced proximity
🌷 single 1st person pov
•┈••✦ review ✦••┈•
| ebook | ⭐️: 3.5 | 🌶️: 1 fade to black |
I had a fun time with it, but it was lacking in certain areas.
Hidden identity is a bit of a tricky trope for me too, all the secrets & lying give me anxiety - you KNOW it’s all going to come out in the end 🙃
💭 what I loved about this one:
- the title, cover & the way it related to the movie Mulan was perfect 😍
- got quite a few laughs being in Mulan’s head, her inner dialogue had me laughing out loud
🙃 what didn’t quite work for me:
- a lot of things were contradictory (that she read her fathers emails but seems to have no idea what’s in them, as an example)
- the chemistry between Mulan & Shang was lacking a bit for me - being only in her head, we definitely saw her attraction & interest, but I had a hard time feeling his
- the term “finance bro” was used far too often, it got really irritating
📖 Worth Fighting For by Jesse Q Sutanto
📚 book 5 • Meant to Be series
💜: contemporary romance
*Connect with Me*
🤍 Instagram 🤍 Blog 🤍
________
26% in the words “finance bro” “dudebro” & “bro-y” have been used 27 times 😳
Other than that it’s cute, but my goodness that’s annoying
________
⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ➳❥ pre-read
Mulan is one of my very fav Disney movies, can’t wait to read this!
Thank you to Hyperion Avenue for the eARC
Mulan is one of my favorite Disney movies, which is what I think saved this from being a DNF for me.
Thank you Hyperion Avenue & Netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
✦ tropes & stuff:
💼 workplace
🫣 hidden identity
🙃 opposites attract
🔗 forced proximity
🌷 single 1st person pov
•┈••✦ review ✦••┈•
| ebook | ⭐️: 3.5 | 🌶️: 1 fade to black |
I had a fun time with it, but it was lacking in certain areas.
Hidden identity is a bit of a tricky trope for me too, all the secrets & lying give me anxiety - you KNOW it’s all going to come out in the end 🙃
💭 what I loved about this one:
- the title, cover & the way it related to the movie Mulan was perfect 😍
- got quite a few laughs being in Mulan’s head, her inner dialogue had me laughing out loud
🙃 what didn’t quite work for me:
- a lot of things were contradictory (that she read her fathers emails but seems to have no idea what’s in them, as an example)
- the chemistry between Mulan & Shang was lacking a bit for me - being only in her head, we definitely saw her attraction & interest, but I had a hard time feeling his
- the term “finance bro” was used far too often, it got really irritating
📖 Worth Fighting For by Jesse Q Sutanto
📚 book 5 • Meant to Be series
💜: contemporary romance
*Connect with Me*
🤍 Instagram 🤍 Blog 🤍
________
26% in the words “finance bro” “dudebro” & “bro-y” have been used 27 times 😳
Other than that it’s cute, but my goodness that’s annoying
________
⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ➳❥ pre-read
Mulan is one of my very fav Disney movies, can’t wait to read this!
Thank you to Hyperion Avenue for the eARC
June 25, 2025
I can't give this more than a two. I was so disappointed because I have loved other books by Jesse Q. Sutanto. This one just fell flat. I actually felt so annoyed while reading it. There was zero subtlety or tension between the love interests. Overall plot was expected which was fine because it's a modern retelling of Mulan. It just wasn't funny, the romance was not believable, and the side characters were so ridiculous. Shang's macho-man family was incredibly stuck in their toxic masculine ways, but when it was explained it didn't fully match up with how obnoxious they were. And Mulan in her job fighting as a woman in a male dominated finance office. I could have heard the term "finance bro" 10 times less than it was in there. Everything was just so over the top. I didn't really enjoy this one at all, but will still read others by this author.
June 23, 2025
I don't want to read from the perspective of a finance bro, even if she is Mulan. I hate every character, and am beginning to hate the plot as well. So sad :(. DNF at 16%.
Thanks to Netgalley and Hyperion for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Thanks to Netgalley and Hyperion for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
February 11, 2025
1/28/25: I loved the "Aunties" books by Jesse Sutanto, and generally pick up any book she has written, as they are entertaining and fun reads. I was not familiar with the "Meant to Be" series prior to reading Worth Fighting For, but I looked it up and understand it is a series of books written by different authors to modernly interpret or reimagine classic Disney stories. I have to admit, I'm not much of a princess person or follower of Disney, and didn't even know the concept of Mulan! The general gist of Mulan is that a young woman decides to pass as a male to take her father's place in the Chinese Army, and in doing so challenges gender stereotypes.
In Sutanto's book, we have a 20-something female finance VP in her father's investment banking firm in San Francisco. When Mulan's father falls ill, Mulan steps in to oversee the acquisition of an important whiskey brand started by a large Asian family. But the whiskey brand is totally based on a marketing premise of it being a "man's man" whiskey, and Mulan knows that both from both a cultural and business standpoint, the family will never accept a woman leading the acquisition. So, she does a variation of passing for a man in that she takes her father's gender neutral name as her own and acts as managing partner, her father's role.
I love the idea of women competing with finance bros. I love the alliance between Mulan and a key woman at the whiskey company. I love Mulan's friendship with her crazy cousin who also works in the investment firm. I love the last quarter of the book that dials up the action to make the deal happen. But readers, please know that this is 100% a romance novel from start to finish. And to build that storyline up we have to suffer through at least a third of the book dedicated to high jinks Mulan gets herself into at the whiskey company's family ranch, somewhere in California. Mulan petting a cow. Mulan sheering a sheep. Mulan riding a large horse. Mulan losing her tent in the river and having to share with........ Well, I told you it is a romance.
If you like romances and HEA endings, this is a good 5-star! If you like Disney it is also a 5-star. If you're not a fan of romances where the middle is kind of dull and the ending obvious, even when they have a positive message of women succeeding in finance, this is a 3 star. I'll compromise and give it a 4-star.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Hyperion Books for a free book in exchange for my honest review.
1/18/25: Just approved by NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. My kids are in college so I did not see the Disney movie Mulan, but understand this is a modern take on it, so will try to learn more context before diving into it. Review coming soon.
In Sutanto's book, we have a 20-something female finance VP in her father's investment banking firm in San Francisco. When Mulan's father falls ill, Mulan steps in to oversee the acquisition of an important whiskey brand started by a large Asian family. But the whiskey brand is totally based on a marketing premise of it being a "man's man" whiskey, and Mulan knows that both from both a cultural and business standpoint, the family will never accept a woman leading the acquisition. So, she does a variation of passing for a man in that she takes her father's gender neutral name as her own and acts as managing partner, her father's role.
I love the idea of women competing with finance bros. I love the alliance between Mulan and a key woman at the whiskey company. I love Mulan's friendship with her crazy cousin who also works in the investment firm. I love the last quarter of the book that dials up the action to make the deal happen. But readers, please know that this is 100% a romance novel from start to finish. And to build that storyline up we have to suffer through at least a third of the book dedicated to high jinks Mulan gets herself into at the whiskey company's family ranch, somewhere in California. Mulan petting a cow. Mulan sheering a sheep. Mulan riding a large horse. Mulan losing her tent in the river and having to share with........ Well, I told you it is a romance.
If you like romances and HEA endings, this is a good 5-star! If you like Disney it is also a 5-star. If you're not a fan of romances where the middle is kind of dull and the ending obvious, even when they have a positive message of women succeeding in finance, this is a 3 star. I'll compromise and give it a 4-star.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Hyperion Books for a free book in exchange for my honest review.
1/18/25: Just approved by NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. My kids are in college so I did not see the Disney movie Mulan, but understand this is a modern take on it, so will try to learn more context before diving into it. Review coming soon.
May 26, 2025
Worth Fighting For by Jesse Q. Sutanto
Release Date: June 3, 2025
I’ve read a few of Jesse Q. Sutanto’s books, and it’s been a bit hit or miss for me, but this one was okay. Worth Fighting For is a modern-day Mulan retelling with a fun twist, and while it’s not a new favorite, it was definitely entertaining, easy to follow, and a super quick read.
I didn’t realize this was part of a series, but it reads well as a standalone, which I actually prefer most of the time!
The premise: Mulan works at her father Zhao’s company. When Zhao suffers a heart attack and is out of commission, Mulan steps in to take over a major business deal. Her goal? Secure an investment in a whiskey company on her father’s behalf. She does this by pretending to be Zhao, not as a man, just under his name, to get the job done.
It’s a light, clever twist on the classic Mulan story, without the full disguise or gender-bending elements, but still with that sense of familial duty and personal courage.
If you’re in the mood for a breezy, modern retelling with some business drama and heart, this might be worth checking out!
Thank you to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for the eARC!
Release Date: June 3, 2025
I’ve read a few of Jesse Q. Sutanto’s books, and it’s been a bit hit or miss for me, but this one was okay. Worth Fighting For is a modern-day Mulan retelling with a fun twist, and while it’s not a new favorite, it was definitely entertaining, easy to follow, and a super quick read.
I didn’t realize this was part of a series, but it reads well as a standalone, which I actually prefer most of the time!
The premise: Mulan works at her father Zhao’s company. When Zhao suffers a heart attack and is out of commission, Mulan steps in to take over a major business deal. Her goal? Secure an investment in a whiskey company on her father’s behalf. She does this by pretending to be Zhao, not as a man, just under his name, to get the job done.
It’s a light, clever twist on the classic Mulan story, without the full disguise or gender-bending elements, but still with that sense of familial duty and personal courage.
If you’re in the mood for a breezy, modern retelling with some business drama and heart, this might be worth checking out!
Thank you to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for the eARC!
did-not-finish
September 30, 2025There's a non-zero chance that we'll get a canonically bi Shang in this novel. Please provide this for me.
June 23, 2025
▹My ⭐ Rating: ★★★.75 out of 5 (rounded up)
▹Format: 📱 eReader
▹TL;DR Review: For someone who doesn’t like the Disney movie “Mulan,” I surprisingly really liked this retelling!
─────────────────────────
💬 Summary:
Mulan is a badass navigating the male-dominated world of high finance. She works twice as hard just to be heard over the sound of her male coworkers high-fiving. When a chance arises to land a major client and prove herself to her father, she seizes it.
The client? Li Shang, CEO of the family-owned luxury whiskey brand Wutai Gold. The catch? Shang has been emailing Mulan’s father, Zhou—who never mentioned his gender.
So obviously, Mulan does the only thing that would make sense—she pretends to be her dad. Now she’s off to the family’s ranch to charm the ultra-masculine Li family and close the deal… all while trying not to fall for the CEO she’s technically catfishing.
To what lengths will Mulan go to prove that women have a place in Corporate America and can lead companies away from the red? Will she be able to meet the demands of the Li family? Does Mushu learn not to throw Mulan under the bus!?
─────────────────────────
○★○ What to expect from this book: ○★○
– Single first-person POV
– Low spice (innuendo and closed-door spice)
– FMC is resourceful and ambitious, but knows how to make fun of herself
– MMC is a self-proclaimed mama’s boy, who is intelligent and respects boundaries
– An incredibly funny side-kick: Mushu (portrayed as Mulan’s cousin)
– Tropes: mistaken/hidden identity, only one tent, strangers to lovers, workplace romance, fish-out-of-water, retelling, banter
– Triggers: Workplace misogyny, toxic masculinity, sexual innuendo, masking, anxiety
– Representation: BIPOC women in Corporate America, Chinese family & culture
─────────────────────────
↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺ 1:00 ──ㅇ────── 4:12
Now Playing: The Man by Taylor Swift
─────────────────────────
★○ If You Like the Following, You Might Like This Book ○★
➼ Movies like The Proposal, Crazy Rich Asians, Disney’s Mulan (obvi)
➼ Hectic—but loving—family dynamics
➼ Witty banter
─────────────────────────
⍟»This or That«⍟
Character Driven—————✧——————Plot Driven
Insta Love/Lust————————✧———Slow Burn
Sweet——✧—————————Spicy
Light/Fluffy———✧————————Heavy/Emotional
─────────────────────────
🎯 My Thoughts:
This was my first Jesse Q. Sutanto book and I was in love with the writing style and witty banter throughout. It hooked me early on.
The Good: So much.
- There are tender moments, but overall this is a light, comedic folktale re-telling of China’s most impressive warrior.
- Mushu had me in stitches. While Mulan herself had some funny lines, Mushu was the comedic relief necessary for this book
- As someone who works with men and women in finance (via marketing), I loved the take on this in the Corporate world. It was a very fitting way to modernize this story
The Not So Good:
- I get the ick from terms like “finance-bro.” And it’s used more than once
- I know the point of this story can be boiled down to feminism—and this re-telling did a great job of making that modern—but I still mostly hated the Li family at the end. I wish that the uncles bowed down more. It felt like so much toxicity lead up to a main event that just…kind of ended abruptly
All of that to say, I was pleasantly surprised by this book and recommend it for a fun yet poignant palate cleanser! This book is already out, so search for it at your local library or where ever you find your books :)
Thank you to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for the chance to read this eARC. These opinions were my own.
▹Format: 📱 eReader
▹TL;DR Review: For someone who doesn’t like the Disney movie “Mulan,” I surprisingly really liked this retelling!
─────────────────────────
💬 Summary:
Mulan is a badass navigating the male-dominated world of high finance. She works twice as hard just to be heard over the sound of her male coworkers high-fiving. When a chance arises to land a major client and prove herself to her father, she seizes it.
The client? Li Shang, CEO of the family-owned luxury whiskey brand Wutai Gold. The catch? Shang has been emailing Mulan’s father, Zhou—who never mentioned his gender.
So obviously, Mulan does the only thing that would make sense—she pretends to be her dad. Now she’s off to the family’s ranch to charm the ultra-masculine Li family and close the deal… all while trying not to fall for the CEO she’s technically catfishing.
To what lengths will Mulan go to prove that women have a place in Corporate America and can lead companies away from the red? Will she be able to meet the demands of the Li family? Does Mushu learn not to throw Mulan under the bus!?
─────────────────────────
○★○ What to expect from this book: ○★○
– Single first-person POV
– Low spice (innuendo and closed-door spice)
– FMC is resourceful and ambitious, but knows how to make fun of herself
– MMC is a self-proclaimed mama’s boy, who is intelligent and respects boundaries
– An incredibly funny side-kick: Mushu (portrayed as Mulan’s cousin)
– Tropes: mistaken/hidden identity, only one tent, strangers to lovers, workplace romance, fish-out-of-water, retelling, banter
– Triggers: Workplace misogyny, toxic masculinity, sexual innuendo, masking, anxiety
– Representation: BIPOC women in Corporate America, Chinese family & culture
─────────────────────────
↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺ 1:00 ──ㅇ────── 4:12
Now Playing: The Man by Taylor Swift
❝I’m so sick of running as fast as I can; wondering if I’d get there quicker if I was a man.❞
─────────────────────────
★○ If You Like the Following, You Might Like This Book ○★
➼ Movies like The Proposal, Crazy Rich Asians, Disney’s Mulan (obvi)
➼ Hectic—but loving—family dynamics
➼ Witty banter
❝What audiobook are you listening to? Let me guess: How to Be the Manliest Man Who Ever Manned?❞
─────────────────────────
⍟»This or That«⍟
Character Driven—————✧——————Plot Driven
Insta Love/Lust————————✧———Slow Burn
Sweet——✧—————————Spicy
Light/Fluffy———✧————————Heavy/Emotional
─────────────────────────
🎯 My Thoughts:
This was my first Jesse Q. Sutanto book and I was in love with the writing style and witty banter throughout. It hooked me early on.
The Good: So much.
- There are tender moments, but overall this is a light, comedic folktale re-telling of China’s most impressive warrior.
- Mushu had me in stitches. While Mulan herself had some funny lines, Mushu was the comedic relief necessary for this book
- As someone who works with men and women in finance (via marketing), I loved the take on this in the Corporate world. It was a very fitting way to modernize this story
The Not So Good:
- I get the ick from terms like “finance-bro.” And it’s used more than once
- I know the point of this story can be boiled down to feminism—and this re-telling did a great job of making that modern—but I still mostly hated the Li family at the end. I wish that the uncles bowed down more. It felt like so much toxicity lead up to a main event that just…kind of ended abruptly
All of that to say, I was pleasantly surprised by this book and recommend it for a fun yet poignant palate cleanser! This book is already out, so search for it at your local library or where ever you find your books :)
Thank you to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for the chance to read this eARC. These opinions were my own.
June 3, 2025
Worth fighting for you by Jessie Q. Sutanto
Her connection with her family is beautiful and powerful I love it but also I get the family pressure. She’s so strong and a badass woman. I will say the business talk had me a little out of it lol. Moosho had me dying 😂. But their connection carried it for me and their bonding over their businesses. This was a funny and cute contemporary reimagining.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Her connection with her family is beautiful and powerful I love it but also I get the family pressure. She’s so strong and a badass woman. I will say the business talk had me a little out of it lol. Moosho had me dying 😂. But their connection carried it for me and their bonding over their businesses. This was a funny and cute contemporary reimagining.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
May 17, 2025
This was such a cute installment to the Meant to Be series. For those unaware, this series includes contemporary reimaginings of everyone’s favorite Disney stories.
I was especially excited for this one because Mulan was always my favorite Disney movie growing up. I loved the “girl power” even at a young age. This book doubles down on the girl power, btw.
Jesse Sutano definitely delivers on this one. This book was filled with her signature humor. I found myself laughing often at Mulan’s inner dialogue. And instead of heading off to war, Mulan is fighting every day in the world of finance bros and having to prove herself and her competence to the Li family as they try to sell their business. I really loved the way Sutano reimagined this story.
Also, this retelling does have a Mushu! And the character is excellent.
I highly recommend this one if you’re looking for a quick, fun read. It releases on June 3, 2025. A giant thank you NetGalley and Hyperion Books for a free eARC in exchange for my honest review.
I was especially excited for this one because Mulan was always my favorite Disney movie growing up. I loved the “girl power” even at a young age. This book doubles down on the girl power, btw.
Jesse Sutano definitely delivers on this one. This book was filled with her signature humor. I found myself laughing often at Mulan’s inner dialogue. And instead of heading off to war, Mulan is fighting every day in the world of finance bros and having to prove herself and her competence to the Li family as they try to sell their business. I really loved the way Sutano reimagined this story.
Also, this retelling does have a Mushu! And the character is excellent.
I highly recommend this one if you’re looking for a quick, fun read. It releases on June 3, 2025. A giant thank you NetGalley and Hyperion Books for a free eARC in exchange for my honest review.
September 13, 2025
DNF @ 25%
This was just a little too hokey for me - the references were very on the nose and nostalgic. Very light hearted and fun but my biggest problem was Mushu - way too over the top and one dimensional here.
I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This was just a little too hokey for me - the references were very on the nose and nostalgic. Very light hearted and fun but my biggest problem was Mushu - way too over the top and one dimensional here.
I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
November 30, 2024
I am obsessed with the Meant To Be series; where each Disney princess is being retold by some of the best romance authors around. I was stoked to find out we were getting a Mulan one written by THE Jesse Q. Sutano and i am happy to report it exceeded my very high expectations.
As the right hand of her father’s hedge fund company, Fa Mulan knows what it takes to succeed as a woman in a man’s world: work twice as hard, be twice as smart, and burp twice as loud as any of the other finance bros she works with. So when her father unexpectedly falls ill in the middle of a critical acquisition, she is determined to see it through. There’s just one hitch: the family company in question is known for its ultra masculine whiskey brand, and the brood of old-fashioned aunts, uncles, and cousins who run it—lead by the dedicated but overworked Shang—will only trust Mulan’s father, Fa Zhou, with the future of their business.
I loved everything about this book and especially the little nods to the Disney story. Mushu may not be a dragon but she is an absolute spitfire of a cousin and one of the many aspects that made this book hilarious. I’m not exaggerating when I say I laughed out loud on numerous occasions and it’s been forever since I’ve done that with a book.
And while yes this book is comical; it’s also very real account of what women have to deal with everyday in business. You’ll feel enraged on behalf of Mulan and countless other women thanks to the incredible writing style and amount of emotion the author has poured into this. It’s also a testament to the struggles immigrants have to go through. And when you do finish this book I highly recommend reading the authors note at the back to hear of her own family’s story.
Overall, this is hands down my fav in the series and one of my fav romances ever.
As the right hand of her father’s hedge fund company, Fa Mulan knows what it takes to succeed as a woman in a man’s world: work twice as hard, be twice as smart, and burp twice as loud as any of the other finance bros she works with. So when her father unexpectedly falls ill in the middle of a critical acquisition, she is determined to see it through. There’s just one hitch: the family company in question is known for its ultra masculine whiskey brand, and the brood of old-fashioned aunts, uncles, and cousins who run it—lead by the dedicated but overworked Shang—will only trust Mulan’s father, Fa Zhou, with the future of their business.
I loved everything about this book and especially the little nods to the Disney story. Mushu may not be a dragon but she is an absolute spitfire of a cousin and one of the many aspects that made this book hilarious. I’m not exaggerating when I say I laughed out loud on numerous occasions and it’s been forever since I’ve done that with a book.
And while yes this book is comical; it’s also very real account of what women have to deal with everyday in business. You’ll feel enraged on behalf of Mulan and countless other women thanks to the incredible writing style and amount of emotion the author has poured into this. It’s also a testament to the struggles immigrants have to go through. And when you do finish this book I highly recommend reading the authors note at the back to hear of her own family’s story.
Overall, this is hands down my fav in the series and one of my fav romances ever.
tbr
December 6, 2024
pre read:
if this is half as good as the movie is, we’re good
Thanks to Hyperion Avenue and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.
if this is half as good as the movie is, we’re good
Thanks to Hyperion Avenue and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.
Want to read
February 28, 2025I JUST FOUND OUT THERES A MULTI AUTHOR DISNEY PRINCESS RETELLING SERIES?!?!?! GIMMIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
February 9, 2025
i didn’t know this was a mulan retelling when i requested the arc. probably wouldn’t have requested it if i had known.
loveeeee the female empowerment because ... well, i mean, obviously. women are superior.
mulan just isn’t a fav movie of mine which sort of had this book set up for failure from the start :((( i would absolutely recommend this, it just wasn’t for me!
thank you to hyperion avenue & netgalley for the arc! all opinions are my own <3
loveeeee the female empowerment because ... well, i mean, obviously. women are superior.
mulan just isn’t a fav movie of mine which sort of had this book set up for failure from the start :((( i would absolutely recommend this, it just wasn’t for me!
thank you to hyperion avenue & netgalley for the arc! all opinions are my own <3
February 26, 2025
Thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC 🌸🌉
This book honestly exceeded my expectations! As a big Disney fan who was born in the 90s, I grew up watching Mulan and loved how she stood for female empowerment. This book was a modern take on the story and an excellent retelling! Being set in the world of finance in the Bay Area was perfection. Jesse Q Sutanto writes San Francisco so well (I love Vera Wong and her tea shop!) and depicts cultural nuances with humor. The slow burn between Shang and Mulan kept me HOOKED, and Mushu’s relationship with Mulan was so heartwarming!!
This book honestly exceeded my expectations! As a big Disney fan who was born in the 90s, I grew up watching Mulan and loved how she stood for female empowerment. This book was a modern take on the story and an excellent retelling! Being set in the world of finance in the Bay Area was perfection. Jesse Q Sutanto writes San Francisco so well (I love Vera Wong and her tea shop!) and depicts cultural nuances with humor. The slow burn between Shang and Mulan kept me HOOKED, and Mushu’s relationship with Mulan was so heartwarming!!
April 11, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a free e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I normally enjoy Jesse Q. Sutanto's work, but while not bad, this one was kind of middle of the road for me. In the first 20% of the book, I was worried we were going to be stuck in a very modern way of thinking with buzz words being thrown around and not really going anywhere. Then we get to a portion of the book where Mulan is at a ranch, and it became interesting.
I did not really enjoy Mushuu's character as it was just odd and didn't really fit in well. I thought maybe there would have been a pet or something named after Mushuu, but she is Mulan's cousin working at the same firm as her. Self-discovery was pronounced in the book just as in the movie. The romance was more insta-love but still formed by deception.
It was a quick read, and if you have read and enjoyed other books in the series, you may like it. I would be interested in trying others in the series.
I normally enjoy Jesse Q. Sutanto's work, but while not bad, this one was kind of middle of the road for me. In the first 20% of the book, I was worried we were going to be stuck in a very modern way of thinking with buzz words being thrown around and not really going anywhere. Then we get to a portion of the book where Mulan is at a ranch, and it became interesting.
I did not really enjoy Mushuu's character as it was just odd and didn't really fit in well. I thought maybe there would have been a pet or something named after Mushuu, but she is Mulan's cousin working at the same firm as her. Self-discovery was pronounced in the book just as in the movie. The romance was more insta-love but still formed by deception.
It was a quick read, and if you have read and enjoyed other books in the series, you may like it. I would be interested in trying others in the series.
April 4, 2025
What a fun retelling! These Meant to Be books are a great time. I thought the call backs to Mulan (Mulan, Mushu, the horse, the basic plot, Shang, etc.) were a perfect mix of new ideas from the author. Sometimes the retelling elements can be really heavy-handed, but this book's were fun without being overbearing.
Likes:
-retelling elements
-Mulan and Shang were SO CUTE
-Mushu and Mulan's supportive friendship
-Mulan's parents?!--supportive AF
-Shang's mom is a queeeeen
-Showing Mulan as a boss
Dislikes:
-the sexism was crazyyyy (I get that's the point, but it was a lottt sometimes)
-Mulan trying to prove herself
-Mulan literally getting hurt twice and people laughing at her
This book made me cry four times, so that's how you know the emotional beats were on point! This book has a great message and was a fun, plot-driven, closed-door spice story. I had a great time reading it!
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for my honest review.
Likes:
-retelling elements
-Mulan and Shang were SO CUTE
-Mushu and Mulan's supportive friendship
-Mulan's parents?!--supportive AF
-Shang's mom is a queeeeen
-Showing Mulan as a boss
Dislikes:
-the sexism was crazyyyy (I get that's the point, but it was a lottt sometimes)
-Mulan trying to prove herself
-Mulan literally getting hurt twice and people laughing at her
This book made me cry four times, so that's how you know the emotional beats were on point! This book has a great message and was a fun, plot-driven, closed-door spice story. I had a great time reading it!
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for my honest review.
October 29, 2025
Worth Fighting For
Meant to Be, Book 5
I Picked Up This Book Because: Continue the series.
Media Type: Audiobook
Source: Amazon Prime Music
Dates Read: 10/19/25 - 10/22/25
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Narrator(s): Francesca Ling
The Characters:
Mulan:
Shang:
Mushu, Shang’s Family, Mulan’s Parents
The Story:
Mulan has always been one of my favorite princesses and this, unsurprisingly, is one of my favorite stories in the series. Mulan is amazing and Mushu is everything I didn’t know I wanted her to be.
Meant to Be, Book 5
I Picked Up This Book Because: Continue the series.
Media Type: Audiobook
Source: Amazon Prime Music
Dates Read: 10/19/25 - 10/22/25
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Narrator(s): Francesca Ling
The Characters:
Mulan:
Shang:
Mushu, Shang’s Family, Mulan’s Parents
The Story:
Mulan has always been one of my favorite princesses and this, unsurprisingly, is one of my favorite stories in the series. Mulan is amazing and Mushu is everything I didn’t know I wanted her to be.
January 4, 2026
✨ "Because I look for something off the page. I look for resilience. It is the one thing that drives someone to succeed, because they will get up again and again, no matter how many times it takes."
Such a fun and witty retelling! Jesse Sutanto has a distinct voice and humour that once again shines bright here. Despite the book's light-hearted tone and vibe, it explores themes such as misogyny and gender stereotypes with heart and impact.
There were so many funny scenes and I adored the female characters, as well as Mulan and Mushu's banter. The plot was straightforward, but I enjoyed the clever and refreshing modern spin. While the conflict was simple and could have been easily resolved, a mostly stress-free read was exactly what I needed so I ain't complaining.
3.5⭐ but rounded up because I love the theme of resilience + picking up yourself and rebuilding when all hope seems lost 🥹 Thanks for the reminder 💕
Thank you to Hyperion Avenue for the Netgalley ARC.
Such a fun and witty retelling! Jesse Sutanto has a distinct voice and humour that once again shines bright here. Despite the book's light-hearted tone and vibe, it explores themes such as misogyny and gender stereotypes with heart and impact.
There were so many funny scenes and I adored the female characters, as well as Mulan and Mushu's banter. The plot was straightforward, but I enjoyed the clever and refreshing modern spin. While the conflict was simple and could have been easily resolved, a mostly stress-free read was exactly what I needed so I ain't complaining.
3.5⭐ but rounded up because I love the theme of resilience + picking up yourself and rebuilding when all hope seems lost 🥹 Thanks for the reminder 💕
Thank you to Hyperion Avenue for the Netgalley ARC.
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