Thanks to Forever for an advanced copy of Red String Theory by Lauren Kung Jessen.

I enjoyed Lunar Love last year so I was looking forward to this! I loved the mix of STEM and Art and the idea of fate which was heavily featured in this book.

Rooney is a string artist and a strong believer in the Chinese legend of the Red String Theory -- even so much that she produces her art anonymously as Red String Girl. Jack is an engineer at NASA and when their paths cross twice in NYC, they have a wonderful evening exploring the city. But a phone number mix-up happens.

I really enjoyed reading this and recommend reading both of Lauren Kung Jessen's books!

If you love books that examine fate - just go pre-order Red String Theory right now. Skeptic meets believer in this opposites attract stand alone romance. I loved the ways in which Red String Theory felt like a book, characters, being pulled together with forces. I was invested so quickly into the characters, into the idea of fate, and choice. Red String Theory proves the symbiosis between fate and choice. Between the idea that some things that come into our lives, that keep popping off, are glances of fate. But that it doesn't rob us of our choices.

Rooney and Jack couldn’t be more different. Rooney is all art and the aligning of fate, where Jack is science and logic all the way. One magical New York night they meet over and over, and have the best time. But it wasn’t meant to be because the number Jack gives Rooney is wrong. Time passes and their paths cross again- are they soulmates? Or is it all just a coincidence? “Red String Theory” by Lauren Kung Jessen is a sweet, rom-com you won’t want to put down!

I fell in love with Lauren Kung Jessen’s writing when I picked up her first book “Lunar Love.” Since then, I’ve been waiting for another book by her and was SO excited when I spotted “Red String Theory.” She just has a way of throwing together two fun characters and taking you on a whirlwind, sweet romance journey.

This book was definitely on the easy, quick read side of romance. I like that there wasn’t anything too steamy or any wild curveballs. This was truly a what you see is what you get kind of story. In the end, I gave it 4 stars. I loved every second of it and can’t wait to see what other stories Lauren Kung Jessen comes up with!

Thanks to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

DNF @ 58%

I really enjoyed Rooney & Jack's night out in New York City, and liked the philosophical conversations about choice versus fate. After a while though, it felt like the dialogue wasn't really moving the plot forward, and Jack & Rooney lacked the chemistry I look for in a romance novel. If I had finished, it would probably be a 3/3.5-star read, I just didn't really feel like dedicated another 2 hours to finish the book if I knew I wasn't going to love it.

This was a very sweet story about fate and star crossed lovers. I loved the very opposite characters how their very different passions (science and art) worked together.

This is my second novel by the author and while they were both well written and taught me a lot, I think I preferred Lunar Love. I just enjoyed learning about the Chinese zodiac so much and the pacing was better in my opinion.

Both books are lovely and you really can’t go wrong with either one! Red String Theory was definitely unique and a very fun romance!

When you recently return from a trip to NYC, then a few weeks later decide you want to watch SERENDIPITY, then a print copy of the ARC for RED STRING THEORY by Lauren Kung Jessen shows up at your door (thank you to the publisher, Forever - release date January 9, 2024). But to top everything off, you learn that there's a local-ish restaurant named Dumpling Hours - which was the push I needed to share how much I enjoyed this Kung Jessen 's second novel.

Based on the idea of the red thread of fate, I was predisposed to enjoy the book. It didn't disappoint. Rooney's secret identity/alter ego. Fate pushing Rooney and Jack to meet multiple times. Leading to an evening of long deep conversations, with no set agenda or destinations. Only exchanging first names, and not enough information to contact the other party.

But this story is more than the romance that forms between Rooney and Jack. It's also about how they each stretch to become better versions of themselves with the help of the other. Rooney enables Jack to open up, and show his colleagues and co-workers other aspects of himself. Jack helps Rooney realize the public might see her in more than one way, and also helps her think of things differently, and challenging her to prove her theory.

It's a novel that focuses on the protagonist getting to know each other, through conversations, and leaving lasting impressions.

Bonus: we get to catch up with Bennett and Olivia from LUNAR LOVE.

If you are committed to continue to reading BIPOC authors writing BIPOC characters in 2024, both Jack and Rooney are mixed race Chinese. I highly recommend putting RED STRING THEORY on your radar. There's still time to pre-order, or request your library to purchase the novel before its release day. Be prepared to want dumplings and ice cream, and taking long evening walks.

Rooney is an artist who creates public installations under a pseudonym, trying to distance herself from her famous artist mother. She has a chance meeting with Jack one blustery day in New York and they spend an evening following fate around the city. Although he’s not a believer in fate, he is still enchanted by her and actually has a fun night. They lose contact for romance reasons and somehow reconnect on a work-related project months later. Turns out Jack is a NASA guy who has reinstated an artist-in-residence program and nominated Rooney’s art (not realizing it was her). When they meet again, they try to keep things professional, but it’s like fate keeps bringing them together.

This was a very fun, interesting read that definitely makes you think about fate vs coincidentally meeting your right person!

Rooney is an artist who does string works, mostly of animals. Her latest is a large installation in one of NYC’s big parks about how the strings all lead to another and your “other half.” Jack is an astronomer and runs into Rooney at a print shop down the street from her installation, where they flirt then he happens across her string theory and adds his own note to it. They somehow end up at the same party that night and hit it off further, but get separated and living on opposite sides of the country, eventually have to let go.

Fast forward to them trying to find each other and out of the blue, through work, end up back together doing a combination astronomy art (I know, this one is still making me scratch my head because it seemed forced), bringing them together to see if the red string theory meant that they were fated or if it was just a twist of fate that they kept running into each other.

It was a fun and intelligent and thought provoking read, which I definitely recommend - and look how gorgeous the cover is! It’s well written and smart and the characters were very smart. I really enjoyed it.

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and this is my honest feedback.

Red String Theory follows NYC based artist, Rooney Gao, and LA based NASA engineer, Jackson Liu. Rooney has based her entire personality on the red string theory of fate and Jack very much believes in scientific proof and fact. Rooney and Jack have a meet cute and spontaneous adventure one night in NYC. They plan to keep in touch but Rooney incorrectly types Jack’s number in her phone. They spend weeks trying to find each other to no avail. Will fate bring them together again??

Read if you like:
🧬 science vs fate
👩‍❤️‍👨 opposites attract
2️⃣ dual POV
🔥 slow-burn
❤️ LOVE

I loved this book with my whole entire heart. It is SUPER cute and so sweet. Rooney and Jack are both lovable and relatable characters. Lauren’s writing is absolutely beautiful. There is so much meaning and thought on every single page of this book. When I have a physical copy and annotate it, it will be hard not to highlight the whole thing!

I absolutely loved the concept of fate vs. choice and how the dynamic played through Rooney and Jack’s relationship. They started out unable to see past their own beliefs but through each other were able to learn new perspectives. Their chemistry was great and everything between them felt natural. The love between them was genuine and gentle and never cringey or cheesy. Also really loved Rooney’s relationship with her mom!!

Red String Theory was such a joy to read and evoked so much thought and emotion. I am a right brained, emotional and creative type that heavily believes in fate, the universe, soulmates, etc… and I am dating a very logical thinking and realistic scientist that laughs at my far fetched thinking… so to say that this book resonated with me would be an understatement.

@laurenkjessen is 100% an auto-buy author for me!

[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Release date: January 9, 2024

Red String Theory is a modern day romance that utilizes the age old legend of fate and the idea that two people who are destined for each other can be strung together by an invisible red thread.

Rooney and Jack meet one cold and snowy New York day at a print shop, where both of their orders had a mishap. Blocks from the print shop, Jack stumbles across Rooney’s red string art installation at Washington Square, though he doesn’t know she’s the artist behind the clever concept.
Hours later, they happen to meet again at a Lantern Festival party and are paired together to send off a lantern into the full moon sky.
The two of them hit it off instantly and spend the rest of the night on a tour of the city, where Rooney and Jack indulge in midnight dumplings, Times Square escapades, a speakeasy, and more.

When a phone number is written down incorrectly, they end up tirelessly searching the web for each other to no avail, until five months later, when Jack’s team relaunches their art-in-residence program, fate brings them back together once again.

Rooney and Jack both need this project at NASA to do well — for him to get a promotion, and for her to gain financial independence.
Rooney’s presence really encouraged Jack to open up and become more social and personal with his coworkers, which was character development that I loved seeing.
They both have great compatibility that isn’t forced, but with their differences in beliefs, it opens up a discussion to question if it’s truly fate, or just a series of choices and timing that led them to where they are now.

I’ve come to really appreciate the Chinese culture and mixed race representation that Jessen brings to her stories, and she’ll always be an auto-buy author for that reason (as well as the shared culinary background and awesome integration of it).
Some of the things the characters were sharing about their childhoods hit so hard and resonated in a way where it outweighed the downfalls of the slow burn nature of the romance.
The dialogue is equally charming and cheesy, though almost too cheesy for my tastes at times which is where I think I struggled.
This also felt to me a little too much like women’s fiction, which is not a bad thing, just not something I came in expecting.

Bonus: I loved the Bennett and Olivia crossover from Jessen’s debut “Lunar Love”!!

Read for the combination of:
- dual pov
- opposites attract
- introverted mmc + extroverted fmc
- anonymous artist + NASA engineer
- red thread of fate
- a lot of delicious food
- lunar new year lanterns
- workplace environment
- fate vs choices
- bicoastal


<i>“I taught you about the Red Thread of Fate not to keep you from living and loving but to remember that there are bigger things happening in the world beyond ourselves. That we can influence the world, but that the world can also influence us.”

“You’re afraid to believe in fate and admit that you can’t control everything. The thing about control, Jack, is that you never really have it. Control is an illusion to help you feel a little bit better about the chaos that is life.”

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

Love the premise and was excited to read, but the writing and voice were subjectively not quite my thing.

Unfortunately this ended up being a DNF for me a bit shy of halfway through. I was really intrigued by the concept of incorporating the red string theory into a contemporary romcom but I just couldn’t get into the story despite multiple tries. I have been in a reading slump so that could be a large factor at fault and I may try to pick this up again at some point in the future. But for now it was just too slow and not grabbing me.

This was such a sweet romance! Jack and Rooney meet and Rooney is convinced it’s fate. Jack isn’t so sure. They spend a magical night together in New York and then chance has them meeting again at Jack’s job.

I loved all of the bits of Chinese culture that were scattered throughout this novel! It was so fun getting to know Rooney and her family/friends, alone with Jack and his grandpa. I adored their meet cute, the falling for each other, and the kisses were so so sweet. That final grand gesture was *chef’s kiss.* I need to go back and read Lunar Love now!

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

I will read anything that Lauren Kung Jessen writes. This book was adorable and cozy! Everything about it made me just want to curl up in a blanket, by the fire and to eat some dumplings. All of the discussions around your thread-mate was super interesting and I loved learning more about Chinese culture through this plot!

Do yourself a favor and read this adorable book!

So truly amazing. The fate vs science question is a tale as old as time and I loved observing Rooney and Jack tackle it and come to terms with eachother's beliefs. The writing was breathtaking and flawless. It felt like I was in another world sometimes. I'm not always one for a star crossed lovers set up, but this really worked.

When it comes to love and art, Rooney Gao believes in signs. Most of all, she believes in the Chinese legend that everyone is tied to their one true love by the red string of fate. And that belief has inspired her career as an artist, as well as the large art installations she makes with (obviously) red string. That is until artist’s block strikes and Rooney begins to question everything. But then fate leads her to the perfect guy . . .Jack Liu is perfect. He’s absurdly smart, successful, handsome, and after one enchanting New York night—under icy February skies and fueled by fried dumplings—all signs point to destiny. Only Jack doesn’t believe. And after their magical date, it looks like they might be lost to each other forever . . . until they’re given one more chance to reconnect. But can Rooney convince a reluctant skeptic to take a leap of fate?

This was such a fun and interesting concept for a romance novel. Jack and Rooney are the definition of opposites attract! It's fun to see them challenge each other's beliefs and how they eventually come out better because of it. This book revolves heavily around fate which I find super interesting. I am not sure if I believe in fate, but this book definitely gave me an interesting perspective on it. I don't normally love a slow burn, but I thought this one was done well. Lastly, I really liked the secondary plot with their family pressures. Roony is trying to step away from her mother's shadow and doesn't want to use her nepotism to get farther, while Jack has these absentee parents who put the focus on achievement over anything else.

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review. This book releases 1/9.

2.5/5

I didn't like this book nearly as much as Lunar Love (in which the characters do make an appearance in this book).

Fans of the movie Serendipity will likely enjoy this romance novel about fate set in both New York and LA. The story, told in dual POV, follows Rooney Something Gao (yes, her middle name is Something...) an artist who believes in fate, and Jack Liu, an engineer with NASA who believes in science. They meet one day in New York and go on a date together before Jack heads back to LA. A year later, they encounter each other again - is it fate? Coincidence? Was it meant to be?

While I loved that this book included elements of the Red String of Fate (which is a story I've heard of as a kid, as it is quite well-known in Chinese culture) and liked the banter between Rooney and Jack, I didn't enjoy the slow pacing or the long and repetitive philosophical discussions about fate.

LKJ is officially an auto-buy author for me (or auto-request on Netgalley ?). I LOOVEEED RED STRING THEORY! The characters have perfect banter and chemistry, and I really felt their care for one another. The Red String Theory game Rooney and Jack played was the perfect way to create some narrative tension. Plus, I loved that both of them came to realize that both fate and choice can coexist. So lovely and sweet, and I think I can say I loved this one even more than LUNAR LOVE.

My only complaint is that I could have used a little more fleshing out of Jack’s parental issues. I think that could have added more drama to the story, and an opportunity for Rooney to show grace and support for him.


RED STRING THEORY out 1/9/24! Thank you for NetGalley and Forever Pub for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

“Red String Theory” is a charming, feel-good romance, that is sweet and slow. Rooney believes in fate. Jack is a scientist. Their opposing beliefs lead them to test fate. Rooney and Jack intersect in serendipitous ways as they begin to fall in love.

For those who enjoy:
🏮Opposites Attract
🏮Fated Love
🏮Slow Burn
🏮Artist + NASA engineer
🏮Chinese Culture

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

One fateful day artist Rooney Gao and NASA employee Jack Liu have a chance meeting. Followed by *another* chance meeting that night. Leading them to chasing a floating lantern through the city, having an adventure and learning little things about each other.
But not the big things, like what they actually do for a living or full names. Just a failed exchange of phone numbers and single kiss.

After months of searching on both of their parts, a second - or I guess third - chance encounter has them connecting again but on different, progressional, grounds and a ‘will they or won’t they’ situation begins.

The budding romance is a good part of the story, but even more it is about Rooney’s struggle for agency in her own art and Jack’s learning how to make the personal connections he needs to succeed and more forward in his job.
The story blends science, art, romance and fate that feels magical.

If you liked the vibes of the movie Serendipity, but wish it was ✨more✨ then I think you’ll love this book!
(Seeing the movie referenced in the book was perfect, just as I was thinking this and after I stopped to add it to my notes - fate?)

While I wouldn’t have made all the same choices as Rooney - I had Some Thoughts on why she wanted the money and her resistance to some specific help, but they’re spoilery so *zips lips* - I did enjoy the journey and how everything tied together. All’s well that ends well, and it ended very well!

Thank you to NetGalley and forever for the ARC!