Crazy Rich Asians: Here's Everything That Happens in the Books

The novel Crazy Rich Asians follows the same basic plot as the movie you love: Rachel Chu, an economics professor at New York University, is dating fellow professor Nicholas Young. He asks her to accompany him back to Singapore for his friend Colin's wedding but neglects to tell her his family is one of the wealthiest and most powerful in Asia.

She goes to Singapore, clashes with his domineering mother, Eleanor, and finds herself a target of the mean-spirited women who disapprove of her lack of status or were hoping to snag Nick for themselves. In an attempt to drive Nick and Rachel apart, Eleanor reveals that Rachel's father, who she believed was dead, is still alive, and when Nick tries to break with his family over this setup, Rachel instead breaks up with him because she doesn't want her children to grow up in a materialistic, cruel environment. Nick brings her mother to Singapore, and, despite Rachel's anger, she explains that her husband was abusive and that Rachel's biological father is the man who sheltered her. Unlike the movie, the book doesn't end with an engagement — just Rachel, her mom, Nick, and Peik Lin going out to eat.

There are several other threads running through the story. Most prominent is Astrid's, Nick's cousin. Her marriage to her not-as-rich husband, Michael, falls apart when he fakes an affair to try to get away from her family. After she reconnects with her first love, Charlie Wu, he secretly buys shares in Michael's company to try to help save Astrid and Michael's marriage. Meanwhile, Nick's other cousin Alistair dates a lowbrow actress, Kitty Pong, but she dumps him for Bernard Tai, believing him to be richer.

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China Rich Girlfriend picks up two years after Crazy Rich Asians, as Nick and Rachel are planning their wedding in California — far away from the Youngs.

Nick's conniving cousin Eddie stumbles into information about a young man named Carlton Bao, who Eleanor notices looks just like Rachel. Carlton turns out to be Rachel's half-brother.

Rachel's biological father, Bao Gaoling, comes to her wedding and invites her and Nick to spend time with them in Shanghai, much to the displeasure of his current wife (Carlton's mom and Rachel's stepmom), Bao Shaoyen. Rachel and Nick get to know Carlton and his "influencer" girlfriend, Colette, and try to rein in his reckless behaviour. Later in the trip, Rachel is poisoned and nearly dies. At first, they suspect Bao Shaoyen, but it turns out that Colette's assistant was behind it in an attempt to scare off Rachel and ensure Carlton's inheritance.

In parallel, Astrid's marriage devolves quickly. Michael's attempts to make himself look good instead embarrass their family, and he turns cruel (and almost violent) to her and their son. Astrid grows closer to Charlie, whose own wife, Isabel, is cheating on him.

Kitty struggles to adapt to Hong Kong society after marrying Bernard, enlisting the help of social fixer Corinna Ko-Tung. Eventually, she reveals that Bernard has become incredibly strange following a botched plastic surgery in California, and she rescues her daughter, runs away to Singapore, and becomes the mistress of Colette's father, Jack Bing.

The final book in the trilogy, Rich People Problems, wraps up all the plots with a neat little bow, but not before one more helping of drama.

Rachel and Nick are happily married, but Nick is summoned back to Singapore to see his ailing grandmother Su Yi, with whom he has been out of contact since she refused to sanction his marriage. All the Youngs are jostling, in hopes of a share of her will. Eddie tries to keep Nick from seeing Su Yi, thinking he has a shot at being the heir now, but Nick is able to see her and reconcile. She leaves a share of her estate, Tyserall Park, to all her children, plus Nick and Alistair. The heirs agree to sell the estate to Jack Bing, who wants it first for his new wife, Kitty, then for his vindictive daughter Colette, but Nick hesitates.

Astrid is dealing with issues of her own. She's engaged to Charlie at last, but a hidden-camera sex tape of them leaks and causes a huge scandal. Michael, her ex-husband, and Isabel, Charlie's ex-wife, turn out to be behind it, and while Astrid flees into hiding, Charlie threatens to sue Michael for illegal surveillance unless he signs off on the divorce and leaves them alone.

Kitty, meanwhile, is furious that her husband decides to buy Tyserall Park for Colette instead of her, so she becomes a secret partner with Nick's group to buy the estate and keep it as a museum and hotel. The novel ends with Colin and Araminta finally having a child after years of infertility, Peik Lin and Alistair getting married, and Rachel telling Nick that she's pregnant.

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