Crazy Rich Asians made a lot of money during its initial 2018 release. Part of the film’s success lies in the best selling book series of the same name. Author Kevin Kwan already had a legion of loyal fans long before the movie hit the big screen, and his lavish world will continue in theaters with China Rich Girlfriend and Rich People Problems — both set to be adapted next.
China Rich Girlfriend is also getting an additional spinoff, but if you loved the Crazy Rich Asians movie and are tired of waiting for the sequels, you can calm down, because there are plenty of romance books with Asian leads to read as you wait, including the last two Crazy Rich Asians books.
China Rich Girlfriend (Kevin Kwan)
China Rich Girlfriend brings readers back to the world of Rachel Chu, Nick Young, and the Singapore elite. Rachel and Nick face new obstacles as they work towards their wedding, including Rachel’s search for her father.
Nick’s cousin Astrid’s toxic marriage and growing feelings for her former fiancé is also a focal point of China Rich Girlfriend. This book is packed with things that readers loved about the first one: a look at the glamorous and not-so glamorous lifestyle of the uber-rich, some melodrama, and our favorite Crazy Rich Asians characters.
Get China Rich Girlfriend on Amazon.
Rich People Problems (Kevin Kwan)
Every good saga about a morally questionable rich family must end in a battle over who gets the estate. Rich People Problems allows Nick to take center stage as he tries to repair his relationship with his estranged grandmother before she dies.
The absurdity continues, as some of Nick’s family wants to stop this reconciliation to increase their chances of getting her money. Rich People Problems is a must-read, because it brings the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy to an end. The soapy goodness and materialistic envy may make these books appealing to those who'd like a look at the world of the uber-rich.
Get Rich People Problems on Amazon.
Sex And Vanity (Kevin Kwan)
Sex and Vanity tells the story of Lucie, a young woman who finds herself unable to resist her attraction to a man from a past brief encounter. This is a problem, because her rich family disapproves and she’s already engaged.
Sex and Vanity strays slightly from the world of Crazy Rich Asians with new characters, but the novels share some of the same themes and satirical notes about the super wealthy. The Hollywood Reporter reports that Sony Pictures already bought the rights to a Sex and Vanity film adaptation.
Last Tang Standing (Lauren Ho)
In Last Tang Standing, 30-something Andrea Tang is successful in her career, but unsuccessful in love. She hasn’t fully recovered from her last breakup, but soon finds herself torn between two eligible men, one is a bachelor and the other is engaged.
Last Tang Standing takes place in Singapore, and that’s where the Crazy Rich Asians comparisons start. It’s not as focused on the life of the rich as Kevin Kwan’s series, but wealth is very much present. Like Nick Young, Andrea has to deal with family expectations, especially about who she should or shouldn’t marry. The Last Tang Standing has a lot of elements that make it easy to compare it to great romantic comedies that other movies were based on, such as Bridget Jones’s Diary and The Hating Game.
Get Last Tang Standing on Amazon.
The Kiss Quotient (Helen Hoang)
The Kiss Quotient follows Stella, a woman in her 30s with Asperger’s Syndrome. Stella wants to not only become more comfortable with intimacy but wants to learn how to be good at sex, so she hires an escort.
The Kiss Quotient follows Stella and Michael as he teaches her how to enjoy sex. They also try not to fall in love with each other. The Kiss Quotient feels like a mixture of Pretty Woman and Emma Thompson’s upcoming movie, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, with a sprinkle of Crazy Rich Asians. The main way this may appeal to Crazy Rich Asians fans is that it deals with people of different levels of wealth falling in love. The Kiss Quotient is also part of a book trilogy, but has different leads in each novel.
Get The Kiss Quotient on Amazon.
To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before (Jenny Han)
Before To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before became a hit Netflix movie series, and soon-to-be spinoff TV series, it was a hit YA trilogy.
The book series follows Lara Jean Song Covey as every love letter she’s ever written about a crush gets sent to them. This is mortifying in so many ways, but it brings her closer to one-time crush Peter Kavinsky — mainly because the letters inspire a fake couple scheme. Fans of Crazy Rich Asians may enjoy these novels because they’re less melodramatic but have plenty of teen drama. Also, they share the commonality of being books that have been adapted into movies.
Get To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before on Amazon.
There’s Something About Sweetie (Sandhya Menon)
There’s Something About Sweetie is the second book in the Dimpleverse book series. This one follows Sweetie, a curvy athletic girl, and Ashish, the hot star athlete and brother of the protagonist in the first book in the series, When Dimple Met Rishi. At first, Sweetie and Ashish go on a date to please their parents, but they are attracted instantly to each other and feel a connection.
Sweetie has a complicated relationship with her mother because of her size. Sweetie’s mom is not as bad as Eleanor Young from Crazy Rich Asians, but she’s definitely not winning any Mother of the Year awards — at least not at the beginning of the book.
There’s Something About Sweetie is a very cute book about young love with complicated family dynamics. It is a good read for fans of Crazy Rich Asians because it’s something more lighthearted, but with some of the same themes of culture and complex family relationships.
Get There’s Something About Sweetie on Amazon.
Set On You (Amy Lea)
Crystal is a fitness influencer who is also a curvy girl. She’s worked hard to love herself and make the gym her home away from home. So, when her routine gets a sudden disruption by a long-haired Chris Evans-look-alike, she doesn’t quite know what to do with herself.
For fans of enemies-to-lovers movies or books, Set on You may be worth reading. It also deals with Crystal’s life as a body-positive influencer and the importance of image with modern-day fame, which is what Crazy Rich Asians fans may enjoy about the book. It’s also full of pop culture references and sets a playful tone.
Ayesha At Last (Uzma Jalaluddin)
Ayesha at Last follows two Indian-Canadian Muslims, Khalid and Ayesha. Khalid follows the traditional ways of Muslim culture, but Ayesha is a bit more modern. This causes conflict but also an attraction.
Ayesha at Last creates a very vivid picture of this culture, in the same way Crazy Rich Asians built its world. It’s a really entertaining book about traditions, culture, family, and love, with a sprinkle of the wealthy life.
XOXO (Axie Oh)
Crazy Rich Asians and XOXO both deal with the lead character being thrown into an unknown world of fame and excess. For Jenny, she decides to get out of her comfort zone by spending five months in Seoul with her mother and grandmother. She’s then surprised when she finds out the guy she met in L.A. happens to be a K-POP star.
XOXO and Crazy Rich Asians both created these sensational worlds and lifestyles that completely feel realistic, even if they seem hard to imagine for most of us commoners.
It may still be a while before China Rich Girlfriend hits the big screen, but for now, Crazy Rich Asians fans have plenty of romance books to read as they wait.
