Lauren Kung Jessen is truly such a talented writer - she has an innate ability to make you feel as though you've known her characters for years and you're on the journey with them.

I fell hard for LKJs first novel, Lunar Love and was so incredibly happy and honored to have received this ARC. This, like Lunar Love, was wonderfully written, evoked real emotions and truly made me feel things while reading.

I cannot recommend this more - I adore the way LKJ writes, the way she crafts cultural stories that make me want to learn more - so truly special!

4.5 stars. Half star off because of the puns. They were cute to a level and then I got annoyed hahaha

Otherwise this book is gorgeously sweet. How do we find love? By fate? By a series of choices? Or by something in between?

After a fated night together in New York Jack and Rooney can’t find each other again, even though they both spend hours trying to. Fate (FATE) has other ideas though and brings them together again when they have both lost hope. What ensues is a sweet love story where the characters challenge each others perspectives and beliefs on love and life.

Read for:
Fate
Opposites attract
Learning about Chinese culture
Forced proximity
City vibes
Art & Science

This comes out this week! Make sure to snag it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC

♥️ Red String Theory ♥️

“We believe what we need to believe to give our lives meaning.”

Oh my heart, this book, y’all! Lauren Kung Jessen swept me away with Lunar Love and then took me to space in Red String Theory.

I absolutely adored Rooney, an anonymous artist known only as Red String Girl, who follows the inspiration of fate based on the the story of the red thread of fate. In a whirlwind day in her life in NYC, she meets Jack, an engineer at NASA who believes in hypotheses and testing, not fate. Despite their opposing life theories, Jack and Rooney are drawn to one another. Her whimsy and his logic mesh together in a beautiful story of loving one another as we are and seeing each other as we want to be seen.

My engineer wired brain loved Jack’s Fate Tests and my whimsical heart melted at Rooney’s belief in fate. Wound together with the beautiful way Jessen wields words, is a beautiful love story you do not want to miss.

Check this one out if you’re looking for:
♥️ Chinese-American representation
♥️ A mixing of engineering and art worlds
♥️ Workplace romance
♥️ Ice cream science 🍦
♥️ Fated lovers

I received an ARC from Netgalley and Forever. My opinions are my own. Red String Theory is on shelves January 9, 2024!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Forever (Grand Publishing), and Lauren Kung Jessen for providing this book for my honest review. I absolutely adored Lauren’s debut last year and was so excited to get my hands on her sophomore novel! I loved this book maybe even more than her last book! She is now an auto buy author for me! I love how she incorporates Chinese culture into this book. I also adore the banter and dialogue. I highly recommend this book to all romance readers!!!! Thank you again and I can’t wait for her next book!

Rooney has always wanted to make a name for herself in the arts, but living in her mother’s shadow, she decides to pursue moving people through anonymity. Until by far (or coincidence), she meets Jack at a print shop and again at a lantern festival. They spent hours of their night talking about fate, life, and their connection undeniable. After months of trying to find each other, they end up working together on an art project for NASA. Sparks fly, but they can’t be together? They have separate lives thousands of miles away, and no one should risk their career for the other. Is it fate or choice that they’re meant to be?

This was sweet! Jensen wrote beautiful dialogue and captured such a loving story. Rooney and Jack couldn’t be any more opposite, but it wasn’t the red string or fate that brought them together imo. It was all about the connection, the feelings, and their choices that got them to where they were. Though you can also make an argument that things happen for a reason and maybe fate did have a hand in things. Enjoyed LUNAR LOVE a bit more but this was a good read if you’re in the mood for a heartwarming story with a semi-slow burn.

4.5 rounded

thank you so much Forever and NetGalley for this ARC!

i really loved this one! i think serendipity is one of my favorite tropes that i haven’t had an opportunity to read much. i think my own relationship felt very serendipitous and fate-driven so i relate to it a lot. i really enjoyed seeing Jack grow into his personality and Rooney working through her imposter’s syndrome and block. my one little gripe is the timeline felt really rushed around sometimes like suddenly we were 3 weeks ahead and i didn’t really catch it right away. but that didn’t really take away from the meat of the story for me!

This is the cutest Chinese-American version of Serendipity we've ever read. That might sound a little specific, but it's also true.

Rooney is an artist, Jack is a scientist. Since this is a Serendipity-inspired romance, you wouldn't be wrong in assuming that Rooney believes in fate, while Jack is a more pragmatic guy. (If you also assume that she's the sunshine and he's the grump, you're on the right track.) After they spend an unexpected - Rooney would say fated - evening together, fate takes a turn and they are separated for months. When they're thrown back together as coworkers, they're not sure how to pursue their connection, or even if they can.

We both really appreciated the Chinese-American culture woven throughout the book. It felt like an integral part of Jack and Rooney's characters, and wasn't there to check any boxes. Plus, you know if a first-person present tense book doesn't end up bugging us, there's definitely something there!

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

This was a very cute read with Asian heritage representation which I really enjoyed. I loved Rooney and how she was a total free spirit. Jack is her complete opposite, believes in reality and choices instead of fate. These two have an adorable banter and their journey from meeting, to finding each other again, to realizing what they mean to each other is very sweet. I did find parts of this story a bit slow but all in all this was an enjoyable closed door romance.

Thank you Netgalley, Forever ( Grand Central Publishing ) and Lauren Kung Jessen for this opportunity to read Red String Theory early.

First, after reading this book, Lauren Kung Jessen is an auto- buy author for me and I'm so happy and honored to have been able to read her second book early as well as her first novel, Lunar Love. Like Lunar love, this book has been such a wonderful reading journey for me. Red String Theory exceeded all of my expectations and made me fall in love with Love ( even though I'm already hopeless romantic ). I truly loved being apart of this world.

Now, onto the characters, Rooney and Jack. these two come from completely different worlds but have this understanding of each other that is beautiful. This understanding of thinking about life in different ways, where one goes about thinking about life fully through a fate lens while the other thinks about life scientifically and needs reasoning. They have a day where fate/red string theory seems to bring them back to each other multiple times, almost like serendipity. From that moment on we get to dive more into their connection, their chemistry how they learn to be open-minded about each other's mindsets.

Their connection is quite beautiful and very unexpected, but in the best way possible. Reading about them genuinely gives me butterflies and gives me my own hope in finding my own stringmate in this chaotic world we live in. Their story brings me so much warmth, genuine love, happiness and finding yourself outside of your normal. They make the opposites attract work in such a lovely way and it just makes me so happy.

This story brings to light how it's okay to reach for your goals and let your guard down. You don't always have to follow the method that you're used to, its okay to stray away from it as long as your happy in your decision of doing so. That's something I really took from this book and cherish so much about it.

5/5 STARS for me.
what to expect
- dumplings
- great banter
- projects
- meet cute
- office romance
- love
- lanterns
and so much more!

Last year I got Lauren Kung Jessen's debut, Lunar Love as my January Book of the Month and adored it. So I was delighted to get an advanced copy of her latest, Red String Theory, which is out TUESDAY!

This was SO sweet. The story of two genuine souls who look at life very differently - fate vs. science.

Rooney Gao is an artist who specializes in public installations anonymously, under the name Red String Girl. While her career has been progressing steadily, she is still looking for her big break. And she stays anonymous to stay out of the shadow of her mother, a very successful artist.

Jack Liu is smart and successful in his career at NASA - though his career has stagnated a bit. He is in NYC for a conference when he runs into Rooney not once, but twice. What started as making jokes progresses into an evening affair, with many stops as they traipse around the city. Rooney thinks it is fate that brought them together, but Jack doesn't believe in any of that. And when he doesn't hear from Rooney after that magical night, despite looking for her, he assumes that is the end of it.

I happen to be binging For All of Mankind, so all of the NASA and space talk in this one was RIGHT up my alley. I love stories, especially romances that dig into career turning points and bring along strong supporting characters, both of which were done well here.

There was one line from Rooney's mother that hit me in my core:

"Don't wait around forever being an observer in your own life"

What a perfect line to take into 2024! Big thanks to Forever Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read this gem early!! Happy (Almost!) Pub Day, Lauren!

Will post this review on retail sites, Goodreads, and my bookstagram @scottonreads.

Review: 4 stars

Thank you Netgalley and Forever Books for a copy of the eARC.

Quote: “You make me want to explore the unknown. I love the idea of taking the scenic route, but could we still use GPS?”

As a Chinese person, I always love the concept of the red string of fate theory where we all have a red string in each of us and the other end leads to our “soul mate”. So, I was very intrigued by this book.

Jackson (Jack) and Rooney are total polar opposites. One is logical at fault, a rule follower, a cynic and always in control of their choices while the other is an adventurous and free-spirited soul who believes that fate plays a part in life. When these two meet, sparks ironically fly! I love the idea of how they met three times by chance but were unexpectedly separated by funny circumstances. Fast forward to a few months later where coincidence and choices play another part in getting them together…but, as work is heavily involved, both have decided to stay friends. Will the boundary of friendship stay or will it evolve to something more?

I admit that this book was a fun read since it featured two different characters who are so different but, hey - opposites attract! If you love Serendipity, you will love this book! I also love how both characters had introspective discussions of the concept of fate vs choice and how it plays a part in their everyday lives. The supporting characters were also a great support.

My only issue is I have read this concept just last year and the content itself wasn’t unique. Because of this, I struggled with some aspects of the book which led to it being 4 stars. However, I do recommend it for a great diverse read.

This was a fabulous second book by this author! In a battle between fate vs. Science, artist Rooney Gao puts her red string theory to the test through her art to determine if she can find her soul mate!

Jackson believes life is all about science and intentional choices in life, not consequences. Which theory or hypothesis will win out?

Omg so many great scenes in this book including the midnight dumpling scene! So much fabulous representations of Chinese culture. I absolutely loved the strong friendship between Rooney and Talia. While the middle was a tad slow, the ending made up for it in more ways than one!!

Rooney Gao is anonymous conceptual artist Red String Girl whose works center around the Chinese legend of the red string of fate tying people together. Jack Liu is a NASA scientist who stumbles across Rooney and her work on a trip to New York and spends the day with Rooney not knowing she is behind the art. When Jack has the opportunity to help select an artist in residence for NASA he suggests Red String Girl and he and Rooney are reunited. Jack is a man of science who strictly does not believe in fate, but is interested in Rooney’s belief and the pair spend time together learning about each other’s philosophies.

Both of Lauren’s books (this and Lunar Love) are wonderful celebrations of Chinese culture and interesting tales of the traditional elements the younger Chinese-American characters choose to embrace. I do thing Lunar Love worked a bit better for me, but I still enjoyed Red String Theory. I personally am not a big believer in fate so I was happy that this book was dual POV and I could see my views reflected in Jack. I do think the book got bogged down by the repetitive philosophizing about fate and I did find myself skimming sections. I absolutely loved the side characters and would happily read whole books about Jack’s grandfather and Rooney’s mother. I love the works of Christo, and was lucky enough to see one of his installations in person so I had context for the type of art Rooney was known for and enjoyed the artist aspects of the book. This book does come with discussion questions and recipes which would make it a great book club book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Red String Theory (eARC) — 4 ⭐️

𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: January 9, 2024

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝 —
🔥 Slow Burn Romance
🔐 Closed Door Romance
🥰 Feel-Good Story
👀 Multiple POVs
🗽 Based in New York

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐢𝐟 —
🍨 You enjoy unique ice cream flavors
🚀 You want to work for NASA
💪 You prefer to be independent
🖼️ Modern art speaks to you
💞 You believe in soulmates

𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 & 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰: After devouring Lunar Love last January, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the author’s next book! One of my reading goals each year is to read diverse books, and this author is known for Chinese representation! I’m always learning new aspects about Chinese traditions and culture from her captivating stories, and she is quickly becoming an auto-buy author for me.

While Red String Theory is a contemporary romance story, the main focus of the book was science and fate. This topic took up most of the main characters conversations, and while it was super interesting and well-written, I wish there was more romance in their dialogue.

This love story is perfect for readers who like squeaky clean romance, witty banter, and characters with strong work ethics! Plus, if you loved the main characters in Lunar Love, you’re in for a little surprise… just trust me!

𝐓𝐖: abandonment

Thank you, NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing), for providing me an eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Read This Book If…Invisible String is your favorite song by Taylor Swift!

Please note: this was an ARC provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Red String Theory by Lauren Kung Jessen

Genre: romance
Series: standalone but in same world as Lunar Love
Spice Level: 1/5🌶, just kisses
Setting: NYC & California
POV: dual, 1st person, present tense
Tropes: one day to fall in love, star-crossed lovers, forced proximity, workplace romance, opposites attract

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this read! It was slower paced and lower stakes, so a nice way to ease into the new year. I thought the discuss of fate vs. choice was interesting, although this MMC was annoyingly stubborn. Overall, very cute and sweet!

Memorable Quote: “Love is so unknown, and I need to know the unknown.”

I will start by saying that Serendipity is one of my favorite movie. This book embodied that and more. I loved every second of this fucking book. I cried. I laughed and I loved both Rooney and Jack.

All the layers of this book were perfect for me. I would not change one thing. I want to continue talking about my love for this book but I will be talking in circles. So bye, I love this author with all my heart.

I got an e-are of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I loved Lauren Kung Jessen’s debut last year, Lunar Love. Red String Theory is similarly sweet and lovely, weaving in fate, tradition, and science in a beautiful love story between Rooney and Jack. I inhaled this book and adored it!

“Our lips touch gently, like a whisper. It lasts two seconds, maybe three, but it’s all I need to know that this man is meant to be in my life more than just tonight.”

Red String Theory will make you look at the night sky differently, want to eat dumplings after midnight, and pursue your own creativity. Kudos to Lauren for a stellar followup to her debut.

Plus, Olivia and Bennett from Lunar Love make an appearance - that part was one of my favorites!

I received an advanced reading copy, receipt of which did not impact my review.

I have heard such great things about this book, but ultimately, it just wasn’t for me. I read Lauren Kung Jessen’s debut novel, Lunar Love, and loved the biracial representation but the story fell flat for me. I had hoped that this second novel, Red String Theory, would be a bit more developed, but unfortunately, I found this one flat and not compelling as well. To me, Kung Jessen’s characters read as caricatures rather than fully developed people. Each character represents a stark philosophy with little nuance. I recognize I am in the minority, but Red String Theory just didn’t land for me.

This is how I finally find a balance between my cynic self and my magic-believer one: Love is the result of choices we make every single day, big and small, but without a little bit of Fate, nothing could be possible.
In other words, for my fellow University students, you can study how much you want, but luck is always welcome in taking a test.

It’d be incorrect for me to say this is the story of how Rooney and Jack met, locked eyes and fell for each other - and not just because I don't believe in love at first sight.
Essentially tho, this is exactly what happens: they met, they lost each other, and for what can be described as a weird coincidence (or Fate), they meet again. There's no complicated troupe nor a plausible reason for which they can't be together: they're just two people, careful about love because of their past and beliefs.

So why do I sound like I'm thinking about love for the first time in my life, you may ask? Well, because I'm a hopeless romantic.
And because I am, in fact, thinking about love as what it really is with new eyes: choices and Fate. Think about it: every troupe you've ever watched or read, even in most “Hallmark” movies, starts because they meet out of the blue and then fall in love.
Rooney tells us her journey back to Jack as if it was all meant to be from the start - and her pov it can also be right -, while Jack tells us every time he chose Rooney over something else because it was his choice. Would Rooney still think is Fate if she’d never seen Jack again after the first year working together? Would Fate intervene if Jack stopped saying yes to Rooney?

Love is everywhere around us, and not only as two people falling for each other: that best friend you met in school, and then you kept texting for your lifetime? That was Fate and choices combined.
So open up your eyes for any cute guy at the coffee shop or for the hot girl you've met online but remember: it's up to you to decide if it can be Love or just a meteor.

Thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

After absolutely loving Lunar Love last January I was so excited to kick off another year with an amazing book by Lauren Kung Jessen. She absolutely knocked this one out of the park. And the parallels she drew between art, culture, and science/space sucked me right in and kept me so engaged. I’m such a nerd for learning new things and am so thrilled to have learned about red string theory and got to enjoy this cute as hell romance about fate. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.

Thank you netgalley & Forever (Grand Central) Publishing for the chance to read this early in exchange for an honest review.

Out Jan 9th for all of you to read!