Counterfeit audiobook

I really enjoyed this fun, smart book about two women who create a business counterfeiting designer handbags. I didn't realize how complex that world is. There is also a fascinating twist toward the middle of the novel that shifts the tone and energy and much more. The two women at the center of this novel are well-drawn and compelling though I wish Winnie had been given as much attention as Ava given how central she is. The secondary story about Ava's dissatisfaction with her personal life was actually not that secondary. Overall, this is a smart, intriguing and really well conceived novel.

In a Nutshell: A quick and easy women’s fiction, though stereotypical in some parts. Read with your analytical glasses kept aside to enjoy it better. Story:Thirty-seven year old Chinese-American Ava, ex-lawyer, married to a French-American surgeon, mother to a toddler Henri, living a picture-perfect life at least in theory. But Ava knows the cracks in the façade and is dissatisfied with the status quo. She has been contacted after about two decades by her college roommate Winnie, who was awkward and shy then but is evidently a successful businesswoman now. Winnie asks Ava for a favour involving her counterfeit luxury handbag trade, but soon the “favours” turn more frequent and Ava finds herself caught in the shady activities. Where the book worked for me:✔ The book is divided in various parts. The first part is written in Ava’s first person perspective, whereby she is narrating her experiences with Winnie and also her personal issues to the detective handling the case. After a while, it became very clear that Ava was quite self-centred and whiny, and her insecurities had been manipulated by Winnie, thereby making her an unwilling participant in her nefarious business. And then comes Part II, where you are forced to question whatever you read till then. I liked Part I but it is Part II and what came beyond that enhanced the book from a 3 star to a higher rating. ✔ The story offers some interesting insights into the luxury handbags business (both genuine and counterfeit). I am the “Jon Snow” of luxury brands; I know nothing! So reading this fun take on the overpriced goods market and also seeing the companies getting a bit of comeuppance was enjoyable.✔ I loved the main character development (though you need to have a lot of patience to discover the development.) Neither Ava nor Winnie function on a WYSIWYG model – they are complex, sometimes irritating and sometimes vulnerable. Henri the toddler is l’enfant terrible. While I don’t enjoy children being portrayed in such a way, Henri’s behaviour adds a further layer of complexity to Ava’s arc as her parenting skills depict her attitude towards life.✔ The story takes an almost satirical look at modern day consumerism, including the use-and-throw culture and brand fetishes. ✔ It is a very quick read, and not at all taxing on the brain.Where the book could have worked better for me:❌ Other than Ava and Winnie, the characters don’t stand out. Most are quite flat and come on a need-be basis into the story. ❌ There are no quotation marks for dialogues in Ava’s narration to the detective. I don’t like this writing style.❌ There’s too much of talk and too little action, especially in the first half. The second half is much better. ❌ While the “whats” of the story are detailed out, the “whys” aren’t. The motivation/rationale behind most character decisions isn’t explained at all. ❌ It is somewhat stereotypical of Chinese-Americans and the Chinese. (A part of the stereotypical thinking is what Ava uses to gain sympathy in the eyes of the detective. I am not sure if this is a stereotypical portrayal of the culture or Ava’s attempt to capitalise on white people’s stereotypes about her culture. But even otherwise, there are a few clichéd ideas about Asians.)All in all, this is a nice chick-lit kind of mystery-drama. It is light and relaxing fun, not to be read too analytically and not to be taken too seriously. It has its share of appealing and irritating moments, but overall, it is a decent entertainer.3.5 stars.My thanks to HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for the DRC of “Counterfeit”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.***********************Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.

Ava Wong hasn’t heard from Winnie Fang for over twenty years, in fact since Winnie hurriedly left Stanford. What does Winnie want? Ava‘s life hasn’t panned out the way she hopes and she’s dazzled by the wealth, beauty and confidence Winnie displays. An added bonus if she is very good with her two year old son Henri who has the most spectacular of tantrums. Oh boy, does Eva ever get lured into a Winnie web, a con involving counterfeit designer handbags which are so good they are the creme de la creme of counterfeits they could be the real thing. It becomes intoxicating as common sense flies out the window until it all crashes to earth. This is a great easy read, it’s clever and fun but with dark undertones as it shines a light on things such as Chinese factory conditions. I really like the way it’s written with the saga unfolding as Ava tells the tale to Detective Georgia Murphy. The tone is so good you almost feel as if Ava is right in front of you.The characterisation is really good with Ava and Winnie being chalk and cheese. Ava‘s portrayal is especially strong, she is not happy in her current life and plays it safe until she doesn’t. Winnie is smart, clever and duplicitously successful.The well thought out storyline packs a lot into its short lengths (roughly three hours reading time) with secrets, multiple lie upon lie, some shocks, corruption and blackmail. It’s very easy to read, darkly funny and one you might consider taking as an entertaining beach read .With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

Counterfeit was a breath of fresh air type read. That sounds a bit weird to say because the story revolves around a counterfeit luxury handbag operation, but the plot paired with the writing style of the author led to a great reading experience. Definitely recommend this one if you are looking for a binge type read but one that isn't lacking in substance.Ava Wong is close to her breaking point. She put her career as a lawyer on hold be a stay at home mom for her young son who is a bit of a handful. Her surgeon husband is always working and their marriage is suffering to be blunt. Ava's college roommate, Winnie Fang, pops up in her life again. Winnie grew up in China and went to Stanford with Ava before abruptly dropping out. Ava is now running a scheme in which she imports near perfect replicas of luxury handbags to the US. Winnie could use Ava's help with her business. Totally illegal stuff. Let's see how things play out for Ava.It didn't take long for the story to hook me. I was already having an enjoyable time when the author shifted gears somewhat and that just took the book to the next level. Clever writing for sure. My only wish is for the ending to be more fleshed out. Small gripe though as overall it was a good summer read. Thank you to William Morrow for providing me with a copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.

i picked up this audiobook via LibroFM on a whim after seeing it as a Reese book club pick for June. boy did it deliver (do her picks ever steer us wrong?!?!) and i finished it in 24 hours (and if you know me… you know audiobooks take me WEEKS to finish!!). i couldn’t get enough—highly recommend the audio version!! the narrator was fabulous. it was quick, engaging and told in an interesting way. the conartist theme is so hot right now (think COVER STORY, THE LIES I TELL) and i was here for the mysterious world of counterfeit luxury handbags (LV, Chanel, Birkin, etc). the two female MCs were clever and strong. one of the female MCs is recounting the entire story to a detective so you know something goes wrong… but do they get away with it? what happens? how does it all go down? some people don’t like the “telling” vs “showing” trope of a book (think BLOOD SUGAR) but i didn’t mind it one bit. my main complaint was i wanted a bit more shocking of a twist/ending. it was a bit buttoned up and i felt it could have used a jaw dropping moment to seal the deal. overall: i definitely recommend! it’s the perfect length and very interesting 🤓thank you LibroFM for the gifted ALC 💙

This was about as commercial fiction as commercial fiction gets. To some that might be what deters them from reading, or maybe, like me, it'll be how slender the book is. The audiobook was under 8 hours and the physical clocks in at under 300 pages, and to some that might be an indicator that the book is going to take some shortcuts and leave the reader wanting more.In fact I was pleasantly surprised by how detailed the book was, how much story and explanation we got. Unlike my usual habits I did find myself skimming other reviews while I was taking in this story, and while I can see what some people saying about the secondary characters coming off as flat... I don't think that was at all the point of the story. I was here for Ava and Winnie and the web of deceit they wove for themselves. I think on that level the book delivered exactly what it set out to do.While many books boast beach read status, are tauted by reviewers and publications, this is actually a book I can see someone lounging around the house or pool side or an actual beach and devouring. The prose was compulsively readable and Chen never tried to outsmart the reader. The developments that left me gagged were all logical, so close that I was simply blind to them. Ava an Winnie each compelling. Though they are also archetypes in a type of story that I routinely seek out, and so Chen didn't really have to do a lot of heavy lifting to get me on board.Ultimately I had a great time watching the narrative unfold. It ticked off every one of my boxes and I cannot recommend this book more highly if I tried.

QUICK TAKE: I really loved this soapy caper about two Asian American friends who build a global counterfeit purse ring, This is THE USUAL SUSPECTS meets HUSTLERS, full of escapism and wish fulfillment, but it is also a grounded exploration of motherhood and culture and class., and Kirstin Chen’s plays with reader expectations and unreliable narrator tropes in such a fun, provocative way.

3.5A fast read/listen, about two Chinese women who met at college (university) in the US. They reconnect two decades later and expand a counterfeit luxury handbag business. The most interesting aspect of this novel was learning about counterfeit luxury handbag operations. I had no idea about it, although we've all seen the ubiquitous fake brown Louis Vuitton handbags. Not all fakes are the same. Some counterfeits might have been originals, they were so close to the genuine ones, that not even the people selling the genuine items could tell the difference. I confess, my moral compass needle barely moved, the "crime" was bloodless, and those cheated didn't know their luxury item wasn't genuine. They're all made in China, by very skilled people.Anyway, this was enjoyable enough, but no great literature. There was something missing, I can't quite put my finger on it.

At first you may think you know Ava and you may think you know this book. But don't worry, the book is a few steps ahead of you and it is more than meets the eye. This isn't really a spoiler at all, after all, a book all about counterfeiting can't be exactly what it claims to be on the surface, can it?It is not quite what the marketing copy claims, not glitter and diamonds, it is much more rooted in realism and the everyday, even if Ava has a charmed (but miserable) life. Ava has money, a career, a husband, a child, but Ava has hit a wall after spending her whole life doing everything she is supposed to. She's unhappy but can't admit it. It is no surprise that she can't avoid getting involved with her one-time college roommate Winnie when she suddenly reappears. Winnie left school in scandal and though Ava doesn't admit it, this is part of the attraction. As Ava is roped into Winnie's world of counterfeiting, the focus isn't on heists and scams as much as it is on a marriage going sour, the tedium of parenting, and the joy of a secret. There is a lot about what it is to move in the world as a wealthy woman, a white woman, an Asian woman and all the big and small differences between them. It's worth sticking with it to really dive into how Ava and Winnie justify their crimes and their choices. Just frothy enough to be fun, but has enough meat on it that it's still in my mind weeks later.

My thanks to Harper Collins/The Borough Press for an invitation to read this book via NetGalley.When I first read the description of this book in my mail—the story of a lawyer who meets an old college roommate who involves her in a shady business, it didn’t really sound my type, but since I was offered a chance to read it, I decided to give it a go, and I’m glad I did because this turned out a fun and entertaining read and a nice change from my usual picks. Ava Wong is thirty-seven, a Stanford-educated lawyer who worked at a high-flying job at a law firm but is now on an extended maternity break with her difficult toddler Henri. Born to Asian–American immigrant parents, she has tried all her life to meet their expectations, doing well at school and going on to Stanford, selecting law as that is least offensive of the choices available to her. She is married to French–American Olivier Desjardins, a successful surgeon and has a nanny, Maria whom she finds indispensable. Life seems picture perfect on the surface but things are falling apart behind the scenes. She has recently lost her mother, her marriage seems to be developing cracks, little Henri is impossible to handle, and she finds the idea of eventually returning to work unbearable. Amidst this, an old college roommate, Winnie Fang contacts her seemingly out of the blue. Winnie who had left Stanford under a shadow around her SATs is now much changed—glamourous, dripping with designer accessories. At first, she seems to just want to reconnect, providing some respite to Ava for she is able to calm Henri down, something only Ava’s mother could do. But soon, Ava learns what Winnie really does—deals in counterfeit luxury handbags—passing them off for the real in luxury stores. Initially horrified, slowly, she becomes drawn into this world (one filled with designer handbags—in all shapes, sizes, and labels) and part of Winnie’s business. But all of this is destroying her relationships, and all she has built so far. Where will it all lead? This is a quick, light and enjoyable read which also throws a fair few surprises in one’s way and which turned out to be far more fun than I’d expected. The story opens with a first-person narrative from Ava, which we learn is her recounting her experiences with Winnie to the police. Clearly whatever scam Winnie has involved her in has been found out and Winnie has vanished, while Ava is left to explain what really took place. This takes us back to their college days, Ava’s first meeting with Winnie and reluctance to befriend her; her resurfacing after all those years; also Ava’s own life—her living out dreams that were always someone else’s—her parents’, her husband’s, now Winnie’s—always seeking approval but never perhaps even considering what she herself wanted. We hear of how she gets sucked deeper and deeper into Winnie’s business despite her reluctance. We wonder where all this is going. But then there is a twist, and we begin to wonder once again, and read on a little more closely, as the story takes a turn we weren’t expecting!Ava isn’t the most likeable of characters, and seems almost too insecure with regard to almost everything, even giving into Henri’s tantrums much too easily. (On a related tangent--one can understand her apprehensions over cut fruit when in China but to chuck them in the bin—waste perfectly good food—made me want to smack her). But one can sympathise with a lot of what she has to go through in terms of family expectations, the inclination to always do things to please, and perhaps understand how she loses herself in the process. But with the twists in the story, we begin to question. Is she really who she makes herself out to be? Winnie too, has her own secrets and her story mostly revealed through Ava’s narrative shows her to be perhaps more true to herself, living as she wishes to and unapologetic about what she does. Our look at other characters like Ava’s husband Oli and Maria the nanny or even the people whom Winnie works with is through Ava’s account as well, so one feels one doesn’t really get to know them.The book is light reading for the most part, and while it brings up more serious issues from unreasonable family expectations to consumerism and the reasons we buy ‘labels’, sweat shops and labour exploitation, these mostly come up at surface level. And this is also the case for our characters, for while we do see the stories of our main characters, we don’t really delve into or get to understand their motivations. But this lack of depth does not take away from one’s enjoyment of the book which makes for a great palate cleanser between heavier reads.3.75 stars

Maybe 4.5 (I know, unpopular opinion apparently because so many people have rated this book within the 2 to 4 star range lmfao)Telling her story of how she got embroiled into a counterfeit bag selling scheme while being a dissatisfied housewife to a surgeon and mother of a toddler, Ava attempts to clear her name with law enforcement— specifically, the FBI. Regaling the detective with her story of being at Stanford and her fobby and irritating roommate Winnie, we follow the trajectory of her life and family background, Ava’s position as a hard-working, straight laced daughter of Chinese immigrants adjusts to the ruthless business of producing, exchanging, and selling counterfeit superfake designer bags. I absolutely adored the change in perspective and the twists and turns of this wild ride. It was absolutely addictive from the start, and the use of the framing device and teetering characterizations of Ava and Winnie delighted me and gave me whiplash. I think any spoilers would ruin this book, but I think a central theme of this novel is the struggle of motherhood and the reality of upper middle class working American life, the many realities of the Ivy League graduates: the ultimate scammers. This book can be compared to Rachel Yoder’s Nightbitch for its themes of gendered division of labor in child rearing, and Like A House On Fire by Lauren McBrayer for the exploration of how one woman can totally disrupt another woman’s life, upending her comfortable but unsatisfying Bay Area life for more illicit dealings. There were moments throughout the novel that felt like liberal Americanism, and other moments that attempted to confront the American perspectives of Chinese people; all in all however, I was gripped, seated, giggling. Would recommend!

Ava Wong has always played it safe. As a straight laced, rule-abiding Chinese American Lawyer with a successful surgeon as a husband, a young son, and a beautiful home - she's built the perfect life. But beneath this perfect facade, Ava's world is crumbling: her marriage is falling apart, her expensive law degree hasn't been used in years, and her toddler's tantrums are pushing her to breaking point. Winnie Fang, who abruptly dropped out of college under mysterious circumstances, is now looking to reconnect with her friend twenty years later.Ava is an American-born Chinese woman, and Winnie was born in China. The two women were roommates at Stanford. Twenty years later, Ava is married to a Doctor and they have a two year old son. When Ava and Winnie reconnect, they start selling fake handbags. Ava knows she is playing with fire, but the pay off is too big to refuse. This is an enjoyable and easy book to read. The women are unrelatable narrators. There's lots of twists and the pace is steady.I would like to thank #NetGalley #HarperCollinsUK #HarperFiction and the author #KirstinChen for my ARC of #Counterfeit in exchange for an honest review.

I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher (William Morrow) for promotional purposes. This was such a fun and clever story! First off, I have always loved luxury goods, especially handbags so the premise of this book was right up my alley. Plot-wise, the twist halfway through was so smart and I did not see it coming. As soon as I got to the twist, I thought to myself, “This book is brilliant.” I won’t say much about the twist but I will say that it kept the book interesting. I enjoyed the author’s writing style. It’s very effortless and flows well. It made the book an easy and smooth read. The book also had some relatable quotes about being Asian American. For example at one point Ava reflects, “Asian families are different from white families. We don’t talk the way you all do. I mean, we talk, of course we talk, but not about our fears, our pain, our deepest, darkest secrets” (pg. 211). As an Asian American I find this quote to be so true. My (Asian) family talks, but it’s definitely not anything deep or soul searching. There is a lot of repression happening. I found that this book would make a great movie. I hope it gets adapted one day because the luxury handbag aspect would make for a very stylish film. Overall, I recommend this book to readers who love designer bags. Also, it gave me some Crazy Rich Asians vibes, so if you like that book, you’ll probably like this one.