I have been trying to read this for a few weeks and am now only at 48%. I may try again later but for now it’s a DNF.
I was really intrigued by the concept of this book and the lunar calendar and finding a complimentary partner based on your zodiac, birth year and signs. I wish it had delved a little more in all of that. I found the female MC slightly immature and unbending. I know that will most likely change as the book goes on. I just feel like the main crux of the storyline didn’t even start until 40% in and that made me slowly lose motivation. Nothing much happened before. I am coming away realizing I am just not the right audience for this book or I’m just not in the right head space. If I try again later I will update my review!

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this ARC!

Book Review:

Lunar Love by Lauren Kung Jessen is a BREATH OF FRESH AIR. There are a ton of amazing romance books out there, BUT THIS ONE JUST HITS DIFFERENT.

This is a rivals-to-lovers, slow burn, opposites attract romance that follows Olivia Huang Christenson, a professional matchmaker taking over her grandmother’s matchmaking business. For 50 years, her family has been using the traditional Chinese zodiac approach to finding clients their perfect match. However, when an app with a similar yet more modernized approach to Chinese zodiac matchmaking and its (very charming and handsome) owner, Bennett O’Brien, pops up, it threatens everything Liv has worked hard for. As both businesses compete, Liv and Bennett strike a deal: they find a match for each other using their own methods, and whoever falls in love first, loses.

This book was funny, heartwarming, extremely cute, and had my favorite tropes (enemies-to-lovers and rivals-to-lovers)! My heart absolutely MELTED whenever Olivia and Bennett laughed together. Their chemistry radiated off the pages. I was looking forward to each and every moment they had even the smallest of interactions. I devoured this book so quickly, and I am sure you will, too!

Being Asian-American myself, I related to Olivia in multiple ways. I understood the pressure she was going through about not wanting something she loved to fail and her family being disappointed in her. I FELT THAT IN MY BONES.

Overall, I truly loved this book and loved both characters. I didn’t want it to end because it made me smile so much. There are definitely parts that I will be re-reading again and again because I just can’t get enough of Olivia and Bennett.

Lunar Love comes out on January 10, 2023! Make sure to get your copy, and happy reading!

DNF at 24%

I was intrigued about Jessen's debut novel, which promised a sweet enemies-to-lovers romance pitting two matchmakers who go about their business in vastly different ways. I really found the cultural aspects of the book to be its most winning aspect, but I found myself not vibing with the writing style whatsoever. There was just tons of filler, lots of paragraphs that just repeated the same idea over and over again, and a sense that the sentences written down existed somewhat independently of each other versus weaving a narrative. Rather than try to push through, I've decided instead to DNF.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

I absolutely adored Lunar Love — It's such a sweet story, and made me feel so seen. I loved how Olivia and Bennett embraced their culture and their traditions, how they worked through their conflict, and all the witty banter. A major thank you to Forever and Netgalley for the eARC!

In Lunar Love, our heroine has recently taken over her family's matchmaking business, based on the traditional Chinese Zodiac. One day, Olivia runs into a handsome stranger at a bakery, only to later discover that he's Bennett, CEO of a new dating app based on the Chinese Zodiac. And, of course, they have undeniable chemistry, but incompatible signs. With Olivia's history of terrible results in incompatible matches, she's hesitant to let herself fall--particularly for the competition. So, instead, a bet starts out to keep them away from each other, but ends up bringing them closer together.

I loved this book so much. As soon as I heard the blurb, I knew I was in. I love dating app and matchmaking romances--The Soulmate Equation was a stand-out of last year for me--and this book has both. This book puts a new twist on things, with old versus new, traditional versus modern, and two mixed-race leads striving to find their place in their culture and make their families proud. I thought Olivia could be a bit overly stubborn and bull-headed, making Bennett the better and bigger times more than he should have been to make an even romance. But I loved the overall plot, and these two had so much chemistry, that the book was still a shining star for me.

Thanks to Forever for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 9/10

This book has so much heart and warmth and overall is a charming debut! The premise is excellent and the cultural specificity and the family members made this read very enjoyable. At times I found myself wishing the book was dual POV because I didn't get as strong a sense of the MMC as I would have liked and struggled to understand the depth of their romantic connection. I also think there should be a clearer content warning for a plot point that occurs approximately 80% of the way through the book. But overall, the author's writing shines and I'm looking forward to future books from her!

This was a really enjoyable and fun read. I knew nothing about the Chinese zodiac, and I learned a bit about it from this book. It added a unique take to the rom-com story. There was a lot of discussion about what it really means to be compatible. Some people may seem compatible or incompatible on paper, but it’s also important to recognize that people are individuals with their own unique traits. It really made me think about personality tests and astrology and how I can often see myself in my results, but how it also reminds me we don’t all fit in a box. I also learned a lot about different Chinese traditions. I really enjoyed the discussions about traditions and how it can be difficult to adapt those traditions for the modern world. I loved how Olivia and Bennett complemented each other so well and also challenged each other. They weren’t compatible on paper, but you could feel their connection through their interactions. My only complaint was that the pacing felt off for me at times and the dialogue didn’t always flow. But despite those small things, I really enjoyed reading this. There wasn’t much steam in this book, but there were a lot of deeper discussions about being mixed race, love, and trauma that made this a powerful read.

One of the best debut novels out there!

What’s up: Olivia is a strong believer in matching people using Chinese Zodiac signs, seeing which animals are compatible with each. So, when she starts heading her small, family, matchmaking business; she’s going to continue their core value: compatibility works best.
Then, she meets Bennett. A hot shot, charming guy who just launched his dating app, using the Chinese Zodiac too. However, Bennett is all about incompatibility. Olivia can’t help but get anxious, stressed out and frustrated with this new rival.
During an interview these two see each other and get into a bet, they are going to make the other fall using their respective business to show the world which is the best dating tool. And so the war begins.

What makes this book so remarkable:
1. Writing style and pace. Lauren Kung Jenssen writes with experience and knowledge, you won’t feel like this is her first book. It is so well written, you’ll only want to keep reading.
2. Chemistry between Olivia and Bennett. Don’t know how the writer manages it, because we meet Bennett since day one, and even since day one they have a nice chemistry, you want to see him more.
3. Interesting and different plot. What is more interesting and refreshing than seeing two rivals trying to find love for the other, while refusing to fall for the rival at the same time? It is complex but so much fun!
4. Family atmosphere. I love that Olivia had a strong, united family and excellent support system. They were fun and charming too.

This was such a great debut in my opinion. I loved reading about that taught me so much about the Chinese culture. Yes, Olivia and Bennett are both mixed Chinese and American, and I loved how they didn't shy away from the struggles of that reality. She also didn't shy away from the struggles of taking over a business and all of the pressures that entails especially one that is so intricately woven with your personal life.

Now onto Olivia and Bennett. From the beginning, I loved their banter and chemistry you could feel it bounce off of the pages. The whole beginning of the book I was dying for the moment when they would just come together. I loved all of the secondary characters and how funny they all were, the family dynamic was it's own set of laughs. Also, I learned so much about the Chinese zodiac, if you are someone that is into astrology this book is definitely for you but don't let this scare you it's not all about the zodiac.

Thanks to NetGalley and Forever for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review as always all words are my own.

This was a sweet, if predictable, romance. I felt that its plot was all too similar to other books that have been published in the past few years. However, I do think the integration of Chinese heritage and traditions added a unique perspective to the plot.

I loved the authors writing style. She wrote such a captivating tale. I highly recommend this one. The plot and characters were great!

I enjoyed the writing but the actual story was just okay. This book could be greatly improved by being dual pov. The story moved too slowly only from her pov. I did learn a lot from this book and I liked it.

I received an arc through netgalley.

Lunar Love is a sweet contemporary romance flavored with great food and interesting traditions. Olivia runs a successful matchmaking business based on the Chinese zodiac. She is first thrilled then devastated when she meets enticing stranger Bennet only to discover that he runs a rival matchmaking app. Bennet and Olivia put their matchmaking methods to the test with a contest. When the competition leads to sizzling flirtations and deepening feelings, they may have to admit that neither stars nor an algorithm can control the fate of love.

I really liked this story, it's so sweet and funny, I also loved all the information about cultures, food, the Chinese zodiac, and traditions. Olivia and Bennet are so funny and adorable, I loved all their scenes together and the banter between them, aww they made me swoon so hard.
Lunar Love is really an interesting book, a slow burn romance that will make you laugh and sigh, it is very entertaining and the element of opposites attract is very well developed, but also this book is about friendship, cultural diversity, and family. Highly recommended

This was an interesting book to read, because while I really liked it, I felt myself increasingly frustrated with Olivia's stubbornness (however the end did redeem her in my eyes).

I loved Bennett and I loved the discussions of culture, traditions, and the feeling of not being enough. As a transracial Chinese adoptee growing up in a white Canadian community, the discussions Olivia and Bennett had about being mixed race and the glimpses into different traditions and cultural facts were the highlight for me. I did like their chemistry and the overall premise, but it was what was happening in the background that drew me in and kept me engaged.

Also Popo (grandma) was the best and cutest ever and I wish I had a Popo 🥺

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review

Thank you to NetGalley, Forever Pub, and Lauren Kung Jessen for the ARC of this book.
I am a fan of the enemies to lovers trope which is the main reason why I request this book. Olivia will be taking over her grandmother's matchmaking business that focuses on matching others based on their zodiac signs. Before she inherits the business, she learns about a Zodiac dating app that uses the same concept as her business, but also doesn't worry about incompatible matches. She immediately assumes this business, along with the handsome owner Bennett, is trying to put her out of business. But she starts to fall for Bennett even when her heart tells her they shouldn't work.
I thought the concept of the story was cute and fun. I really enjoyed the build up of Olivia and Bennett's relationship, but overall this story fell flat for me. The reason was Olivia. I was constantly frustrated with how much she thought Bennett was out to steal her business even when he told her that wasn't his intention. She was so stuck on following tradition that she didn't want to improve her business with new concepts. I understand why she was so focused on following tradition when it was all she knew, but her stubbornness took away from the story for me.
I also was a bit frustrated with the ending. Without spoiling the book, I didn't like the event that finally changed her mind about tradition. Also, the conflict between Bennett and Olivia was frustrating and seemed to resolve to easy.
Overall, I know there are people who would enjoy this story and while I did at times, I couldn't get past Olivia.

First and foremost, I was extremely attracted to the cover and description of this book and let me tell you it didn’t disappoint. Lunar Love is an adorable ROM-COM of matchmaking, family, traditions, discovering yourself, and letting others in. It was a slow burn and if you are looking for spice this is not the book for you. There was romance, but it was a clean storyline, and I can totally picture this book being made into a movie….Netflix get on it! It gave me How to Loose a Guy in 10 Days kind of vibes but with a Chinese Heritage twist to it. I absolutely loved the banter between Olivia and Bennet, and I also loved gaining so much knowledge on the traditions and culture. I learned so much knowledge on the After Life, Chinese Zodiac, and Lunar New Year. The character development was great since it gave the reader the sense of how close the community and family are. Olivia was a bit annoying at times, but I’m Team Bennet forever 😂 I also loved how food was also embedded into the storyline, and I could picture it on a plate with the on point description. To the readers surprise there are recipes at the end of the book to go with it.
🌟🌟🌟🌟
Late but not least, thank you NetGalley and Publishers for an Advance Review Copy of this book in exchange for my review.

Lunar Love is a book I've been excited about since the moment I knew it was coming out. If you know me at all you know that I'm a big advocate for better mixed race representation in media because it's personal to me. It's far too often that our stories are written by someone else and our mixed identity is used as a tool for the author to make some comment about race.

To them, sometimes we are used as proof that racism no longer exists and sometimes we are said to be abominations or freaks of nature for just existing. But it's far more rare and far more special when someone who understands that we are just people doing our best when the world pushes such contradictory expectations onto us. Someone like Lauren.

Quick Summary: Olivia is excited and nervous to take over her grandmother's Chinese zodiac matchmaking business. But when a competing matchmaking app launches that is also based on the Chinese zodiac, Olivia is furious at the competition. And then to find out that this app is run by LA's most eligible bachelor, Bennett? Who believes that traditions are meant to be broken? Liv knows her business is in trouble but what she didn't expect is that her heart is also in trouble.

Lunar Love is a romance that I thought I'd never have the privilege read. It's a sweeping romance between two mixed kids just trying to understand themselves and their place in the world when the world pushes so many expectations onto them. It's a love letter to all the mixed kids who ever felt like they weren't enough because they didn't know where they fit in. This book reminded me that I'm not alone and more importantly, it reminded me that there is no right or wrong way to honor our heritage.

Each one of us is different and each one of us will honor ourselves and our heritage differently. We are a part of our heritage after all. For some of us that may be staying true to the exact traditions our parents taught us. For others it may be shifting our traditions to be more modern so they can serve us better and survive over time. And for others it may be scraping and searching to reclaim all that was lost to us. All of these experiences are different and they are all valid and Lunar Love encourages us to remember that.

Lunar Love is an all encompassing love story between matchmakers and a love letter to the mixed kids who have ever felt like they don't belong. Lunar Love shows us that sometimes long standing traditions are not meant to be broken nor preserved, they're meant to evolve in a way that serves us and those of us to come.

Thank you @foreverpub and @netgallet for the advanced reader copy!

This book was so much more than a light and fluffy rom-com!! Themes of family relationships, maintaining cultural traditions, friendships, love, loss, were all tied together well in the plotline. While im not someone who follows my zodiac symbol, it was so well represented throughout the book. The descriptions of different elements of chinese culture were so interesting to read about too. Several plottwists were perfectly executed and the character development and dialogue was incredible. I hope this is the first of many for Lauren K Jessen!

Another aspect I loved was how the matchmakers planned the first date for them, from baking class, to wine tastings at a museum, to baseball games. I think first and second dates should involve doing something interactive together rather than just coffee and talking.

*3.5 stars!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC of this book!

This debut book was such a cute opposites-attract romcom, I'm excited I got a chance to read this early! As a half-Chinese American myself, getting to see characters with similar experiences as me as they embrace their culture and bond over typical mixed-kid struggles was so refreshing. I also loved getting to learn more about Chinese matchmaking and the animal zodiac signs, which were huge parts of the plot in this book. This has definitely convinced me that we need more romance books about the Chinese zodiac (someone get on that quick).

First off, the romance between Liv and Bennett was super sweet, I thought their whole opposites attract/rivals to lovers trope they had going on was very well done. He was the numbers-focused, romantic business man and she's the passionate, but closed-off, one who's keeping her family's traditional business alive. I love it. As for the plot, I didn't really get hooked on until a bit later in the book when they introduced the competition, but at that point my interest was immediately captured! I really loved the extra level of "drama" the competition gave to Liv and Bennett's rivalry romance and it spiced up the plot nicely.

Admittedly, I did find Liv's character a bit frustrating at times. I really could not get behind her whole plan to get Bennett to fall in love with her so she can find out how to ruin his company. Like 1.) that's very unprofessional of you, especially since you've just been promoted to the head of Lunar Love, and 2.) while its understandable you're upset, he still has every right to make a Chinese zodiac dating app, especially since his intentions are clearly innocent. Personally, I just couldn't find the logic behind it all, but it did set up for a very intriguing storyline!

Overall, Lunar Love was a very solid debut novel and I hope to see more from the author in the future!