The Expatriates

The Expatriates follows the interconnected lives of American women in Hong Kong, unraveling their struggles with identity, motherhood, and belonging amid cultural displacement and personal crises.
The Beast And The Blessed
The Beast And The Blessed
I thought I would be beaten and broken forever. It was the curse of not shifting. Without a wolf, I was no better than a human to my pack, an omega. I was there to serve and clean up after them. The only light in my life was my boyfriend, Jake. At least, he was until he decided to sleep with and mark my sister. When all hope was lost, and I was ready to make my escape, my life was turned upside down. The Lycan King was known to be cruel and heartless. He had slain thousands, ruled with an iron fist, and was now searching for his mate. Turns out, being a human was the least of my worries….
9.9
594 Chapters
The dragons unidentified Mate
The dragons unidentified Mate
Dragons are the most ancient and powerful clans, which rule the world with an iron fist. Every other living beings are considered beneath them. Humans are considered the lowest of the low and are mostly invisible to the other clans.Nyra is a human with a past. Drake is the most powerful Dragon in history. He can make or break anything with just a flick of his eyes. Dragons have a rule. The person to whom they lose their virginity will be their other half and mate until death.Drake sleeps with Nyra on a passionate night under the effects of a drug. Nyra slips away before being noticed by anyone.But a tattoo forms on her lower back, as a symbol showing that she is a dragon's mate, which she is determined to hide.Drake is determined to find his unidentified mate. Who will succeed in their quest? Will Drake be able to accept Nyra as his mate, after finding out that she is a human?Can Nyra escape, when her past comes after her?Will Drake be able to save his mate?
9.5
263 Chapters
A Billionaire In Disguise
A Billionaire In Disguise
“Honey, our daughter can’t marry a loser. She is our only child, we can not hand her over to a nobody, especially at such a cruiser time.” Catherine’s mother cried out to her husband. “So, an underdog for a husband. How ironic! As the saying goes, 'like mother, like daughter.”Chloe teased in a low voice, making sure that only Catherine could hear those words. Although Rome said nothing, his blood was boiling with rage and thirst for revenge. “I'll be back,” Rome said.
9.6
222 Chapters
Mr President's Wild Obsession
Mr President's Wild Obsession
He accused her of seduction and was mean towards her after a one night stand. In retaliation, Mercedes threw a $1 note at him as payment for his service and a measure of his performance, which she graded to be below average. Meanwhile, her body ached terribly and her walls felt sore. Two days later, she walked to her new office and was sent to the board room to begin her as a personal assistant to the President. Her heart stopped when she realized that the man she ridiculed was Nathan Legend. The multi-billionaire devil everyone whispered about. Graciously, he pretended to not know her to her great relief. Yet, when she entered his office, he locked the door. His face carried no emotions, his eyes piercing, his voice chilled like ice. "You shall spend the rest of your life, paying for the insult you threw in my face, till I tear that $1 note off the wall." She shivered to his word and as if to read her mind, he seethed, "don't even think about resigning because, I would make sure, that no company employs you and if you run, I will find you."
9.9
75 Chapters
Alpha King's Runaway Mate
Alpha King's Runaway Mate
THE REJECTED LUNA SERIES BOOK 1 - ALPHA KING'S RUNAWAY MATE BOOK 2 - ALPHA KING ARAMIS "Open the door," he shouted at my face, "Don't make me get physical with you, Octavia," he warned me angrily. "No! You have to see your daughter's face," I was holding our days-old daughters and requesting him to take a look at her beautiful face and change his mind. "This is not my daughter and you are not my God damn mate," he shouted as he pulled his nose up in disgust. "Silas! How can you not look at her face and not know she is your daughter? How can you reject me and accept my sister?" I was sobbing and begging for him to hold his daughter. "Because she is my mate and you are just someone with a rouge's blood in your system," every word he said towards me and his daughter was going to be engraved on the walls of my heart forever. "If you walked out of this door and got engaged to my sister today, you will never see my or my daughter's face ever again," I warned him in tears. "Good! I would love to never see you two again," he didn't care and pushed me out of his way. ... Hated and unwanted by her step-mother and half-sister. Octavia had a difficult life growing up. Her father has been the only one who cared for her. A night with her mate and pregnancy was all it took for her to lose all respect. Betrayed and hurt by her own mate, Octavia decided to leave with her baby and never come back. What will she do when she is forced to return to unwanted circumstances? Will Silas realize his mistake before it's too late? Read now to find out.
8
136 Chapters
Craving The Wrong Brother
Craving The Wrong Brother
She spent ten years chasing after the right brother, only to fall for the wrong one in one weekend. ~~~ Sloane Mercer has been hopelessly in love with her best friend, Finn Hartley, since college. For ten long years, she’s stood by him, stitching him back together every time Delilah Crestfield—his toxic on-and-off girlfriend—shattered his heart. But when Delilah gets engaged to another man, Sloane thinks this might finally be her chance to have Finn for herself. She couldn't be more wrong. Heartbroken and desperate, Finn decides to crash Delilah’s wedding and fight for her one last time. And he wants Sloane by his side. Reluctantly, Sloane follows him to Asheville, hoping that being close to Finn will somehow make him see her the way she’s always seen him. Everything changes when she meets Knox Hartley, Finn’s older brother—a man who couldn’t be more different from Finn. He's dangerously magnetic. Knox sees right through Sloane and makes it his mission to pull her into his world. What starts as a game—a twisted bet between them—soon turns into something deeper. Sloane is trapped between two brothers: one who’s always broken her heart and another who seems hell-bent on claiming it... no matter the cost. CONTENT WARNING: This story is strongly 18+. It delves into dark romance themes such as obsession and lust with morally complex characters. While this is a love story, reader discretion is advised.
10
154 Chapters

Where Is 'The Expatriates' Set Primarily?

3 Answers2025-06-29 09:39:38

The book 'The Exratriates' is set primarily in Hong Kong, and it captures the city's vibrant energy perfectly. The author paints a vivid picture of the expat community living there, from the luxury high-rises in Mid-Levels to the bustling streets of Wan Chai. The story dives deep into the lives of three American women navigating personal crises while surrounded by Hong Kong's glittering skyscrapers and hidden alleyways. The setting isn't just a backdrop—it's almost a character itself, shaping their experiences with its mix of tradition and modernity, wealth and struggle. If you love stories where location influences the plot, this one nails it.

Is 'The Expatriates' Based On A True Story?

1 Answers2025-06-29 14:48:58

I’ve been diving into 'The Expatriates' lately, and it’s one of those books that feels so real you start wondering if it’s ripped from headlines. The short answer? No, it’s not based on a single true story, but it’s steeped in realities that’ll make you nod along if you’ve ever lived abroad or known someone who has. The author, Janice Y.K. Lee, draws from the expat experience in Hong Kong, weaving together threads of privilege, displacement, and personal tragedy that echo real-life complexities. It’s fiction, but the kind that wears research and observation like a second skin—every detail, from the claustrophobic social circles to the cultural friction, rings unnervingly authentic.

The novel follows three women—Mercy, Margaret, and Hilary—each navigating their own version of expat life, and their struggles are anything but imagined. Margaret’s grief after a family tragedy mirrors the isolation of parents in foreign communities who lose their support networks. Mercy’s recklessness as a young Korean-American in Hong Kong captures the dizzying freedom (and pitfalls) of being untethered from home. Hilary’s marital strife feels like a peek into private therapy sessions of couples who move abroad to fix what’s already broken. Lee doesn’t need true events to make this resonate; she taps into universal truths about identity and belonging, which hit harder than any biopic could.

What makes it feel 'true' is the setting’s precision. Hong Kong isn’t just a backdrop; it’s a character—its crowded streets, its expat bubble where everyone knows everyone’s business, the way the city’s glitter can’t mask its inequalities. Lee lived there herself, and it shows. The book’s power comes from how it mirrors real expat dilemmas: the guilt of domestic workers’ treatment, the performative charity of the wealthy, the way trauma follows you even when you flee across oceans. It’s not a true story, but it’s truthful, and that’s what sticks with you long after the last page.

Who Are The Main Female Characters In 'The Expatriates'?

3 Answers2025-06-29 18:17:35

The main female characters in 'The Expatriates' are three women whose lives intersect in Hong Kong. Margaret is an American expat dealing with unimaginable grief after a family tragedy. She’s trying to rebuild her life while navigating the expat bubble. Mercy is a young Korean-American woman struggling with identity and purpose, hopping from job to job and relationship to relationship. Her story is raw and relatable, especially for anyone who’s ever felt adrift. Hilary is wealthy and seemingly perfect, but her marriage is crumbling, and her desperation for a child leads her down ethically murky paths. Each woman’s arc is distinct yet intertwined, showing different facets of expat life—privilege, isolation, and the search for belonging.

Does 'The Expatriates' Have A Sequel Or Spin-Off?

3 Answers2025-06-29 03:27:22

I binge-read 'The Expatriates' last summer and scoured every interview with the author Janice Y.K. Lee about potential follow-ups. As of now, there's no official sequel or spin-off announced. The novel wraps up its core story about three American women in Hong Kong pretty conclusively, but Lee has mentioned in podcasts that she's fascinated by side characters like Mercy's family in Seoul or Hilary's husband's backstory. She left enough threads that a spin-off could explore Margaret's life post-China or Essie's upbringing in the Philippines. For now, fans might enjoy Lee's other book 'The Piano Teacher'—it shares similar themes of displacement and has that lush, atmospheric writing style.

What Awards Has 'The Expatriates' Won?

3 Answers2025-06-29 11:47:41

I remember 'The Expatriates' getting some serious recognition in the literary world. It won the 2016 National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction, which is a huge deal in the book community. The novel was also a finalist for the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, showing how its themes of displacement and cultural clashes resonated with readers. Author Janice Y.K. Lee's portrayal of expatriate life in Hong Kong struck a chord, earning praise for its emotional depth and vivid storytelling. The book made several 'best of' lists that year, including The New York Times Notable Books of 2016. If you haven't read it yet, I'd pair it with 'The Piano Teacher,' another Hong Kong-set novel that explores similar themes of identity and belonging.

How Does 'The Expatriates' Explore Expat Life In Hong Kong?

3 Answers2025-06-29 12:17:27

The novel 'The Expatriates' dives deep into the glittering yet isolating world of expats in Hong Kong through three women's lives. The author paints Hong Kong as a city of contrasts—luxury high-rises shadowed by cramped streets, expat bubble parties versus local wet markets. Margaret, a mother grieving her missing child, shows how tragedy exposes the fragility of expat privilege. Mercy, the young Korean-American, embodies the rootlessness of being neither local nor fully accepted by expat circles. Hilary's infertility struggle mirrors the emotional displacement many feel despite material comfort. The book nails how expats cling to each other yet remain strangers, bound by shared loneliness rather than genuine connection. It's a raw look at how wealth and Western passports don't shield anyone from human suffering.

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