This is such a good story! I absolutely adored Lunar Love, so I knew immediately that I wanted to read Red String Theory. I really didn’t think it could beat Lunar Love, but it did!

I absolutely loved Rooney, the main character, and her outlook on life and passion for her art. The other main character, Jack, was likable for his own reasons. I found myself relating to both of them in different situations. There was even an Olivia and Bennet cameo!

Lauren Kung Jessen has easily become one of my must read authors! Add this one to your TBR, it’s out 1/9!

“The only difference between fate and free will is perspective.”

This was a very good read! I loved the theme of fate vs science and how each character interacts based on what they believe. Rooney, an artist who chooses to remain anonymous because of her famous artist mother and goes by Red String Girl, believes 100% in fate. Jack, who works for NASA doesn’t believe in it.

Following the red string theory, that you’re connected to someone by a red thread of fate, Rooney becomes inspired in her art. Her and Jack meet in a way that only fate could’ve made possible. But is fate also keeping them apart? The beginning is very reminiscent of Serendipity, which is name dropped a couple of times as Rooney’s favorite movie.

I also appreciate that the author, who is mixed race Chinese American, writes about mixed race characters and emphasizes the importance of including them. She says in the acknowledgments “I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to feel seen and to be represented.”

Thank you NetGalley and Forever for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. This one publishes January 9th!

This was a warm lighthearted romcom. The story is told in dual POV, and it follows Rooney and Jack. Rooney and Jack are an opposites attract type of relationship. Jack is a system engineer at NASA and is a firm believer in science and rational while Rooney is an artist who believes in fate and destiny and wears her heart on her sleeve. Rooney is silly and I found myself relating to her. She’s definitely quirky but in that real and raw sense that you just can’t help but root for.

I really appreciated how Lauren Kung Jessen took the classic fate vs choices and gave it a twist. Incorporating the Chinese myth of the red thread of fate was so fun and I loved how while Rooney fought for her belief in destiny, Jack fought for his belief in science and facts. We see both characters grow and learn not just about how their own ideas and choices affect their lives. This story also explores family dynamics, friendships, career development and what it means to have success. There is also a bit of second chance romance and it’s definitely not an insta love type romance.

Overall I think this was a fun heartfelt romcom that fans of Lauren’s other book Lunar Love and the movie Serendipity would enjoy.

Red String Theory

By Laura Kung Jessen -I read Lunar Love and gave it 5⭐. This is a standalone but H/h Olivia and Bennett make an appearance.

Setting: NYC/CA

Genre : Contemporary Romance, Adult Fic, Multicultural interests

Page count📖 : 344 kindle

Publication date: 1-9-24 , read 1-1-24

Rating: 4/5 ⭐

Spice level 1/5 🌶️ kissing only

🤷🏾‍♀️WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ choice vs fate
✨ Chinese culture
✨ artist/scientist
✨ opposites attract
✨ dual POVs
✨Similar to Serendipity-the movie from 2001 starring John Cusack and a nod to Love, Actually

⚠️:parental neglect and abandonment

Summary: Rooney is an artist who believes in the Red Thread of Fate. In Chinese culture the color red symbolizes happiness and it is often displayed at Chinese weddings. The myth states that two people are destined to marry their soul mates through a small red thread attached to our ankles at birth. It brushes against the significant person they are meant to connect to for life. Rooney wears red and uses red string in all her portraits and installations. Jack is an engineer for NASA who believes life's mysteries can be explained by science. They have a meet cute and have the best date ever walking around NYC. Five months later, they meet again when Jack chooses Rooney's artwork for the Artist-in-Residence program that supports a mission to Mars. Working together they argue about fate versus choice. Which one will be the cause of them falling for each other or going their separate ways?

🥰 What I liked:
Rooney's mother Wren had so much personality. She said what she wanted, did what she wanted, and became a famous artist. She was a great mentor and cheerleader for Rooney even though she wanted to do things on her own. Gōng Gong, Jack's grandfather, was another "voice of reason." He raised Jack while his parents travelled the world. He told Jack that he needed to stop trying to get attention and praise from his parents, and just follow his heart. I loved the cameo from Olivia and Bennett and the zhuā zhōu tradition.

😞 What I didn't like:
There were too many philosophical conversations about fate and choice. The scientific jargon went over my head (I was an English major, lol). I'm a hopeless romantic who believes there is someone for everyone. Also,
I didn't think the epilogue was needed because it was just more of them talking about fate and science.

🙏🏿Thanks to NetGalley and Forever publishing for this ARC ❤️! I voluntarily give my honest review and all opinions expressed are mine alone.

Romance and STEM combine in this wonderfully sweet tale of second chances and the strong pull of Fate! I absolutely loved following this journey with Rooney and Jack as they navigate through how to love each other along with finding themselves and addressing the challenges of balancing love and growing their careers. Absolutely recommend this book!

Thank you to Forever for the advanced reader copy. These opinions are my own.

Do you believe in fate? Rooney does. She grew up believe that her stringmate is out there, connected at the ankle to hers with a red string. And fate will bring them together. So when she meets Jack for one magical night, she is looking for signs that they are meant for each other.

This is an opposites attract romance. Jack is a scientist who prioritizes free will and the plans we make. His discussions with Rooney reminded me of the long, philosophical conversations my friends and I had during late nights in college. I really enjoyed the conversations and reflecting on my own current perspective. And I especially liked how the story concluded.

I also enjoyed the amazing descriptions. The author's writing was so evocative with its awareness of metaphor choice. It transported me to the many settings from museums to NASA. And the food descriptions... I want all the dumplings and ice cream now. The art was as gorgeous and made me want to visit my local museum this week.

This was so thoughtful and thought-provoking. I know it is one I will be thinking about in quiet moments to come.

RED STRING THEORY was a book that I felt could have been a great book. It had a lot of the elements that make the romance genre so fun, while also incorporating characters of color and Chinese mythology into modern situations. However, I had so many problems with almost all aspects of this book that I truly did not like it and found it to be very difficult to get through.

What I liked about this book is that I really do love that the author incorporates part Chinese mythology and applies it. I had never heard of the Red String of Fate, and found that idea to be really cool to be input into a modern setting and situation. The idea of that blend, taking the traditional and repurposing it to create something uniquely different, was really special and fun. I appreciated the blend of cultural myths and identity into a new genre.

And, unfortunately, that is all the positives I really had for this book. I understand what the author was trying to do here in this novel. She was trying to take Rooney, our FMC, and utilize the sunshine trope and Jack, our MMC, and utilize the grumpy trope while also introducing Asian American influence and Chinese cultural information and identity. But what ended up happening was unsuccessful and quite honestly, dull. Rooney ends up being a manic pixie dream girl in my opinion (her middle name is Something...literally, that's the middle name) and she is almost toxically upbeat and positive. The Red String of Fate idea is her whole personality at the beginning of the novel. She wears red constantly and even her artwork is defined as such. Jack is a bland male lead. Just as Rooney is obsessed with the Red String of Fate, he is all about cold, hard science. Combined, they had little to no chemistry and boring interactions all bogged down by the ideas of fate vs. free will. I found myself just reading to get through this novel, rather than actually enjoying it.

To me, this book was a big miss. However, that doesn't mean that another individual will not enjoy it. I think if you really appreciate Chinese culture integrated into a new genre, the sunshine/grumpy trope, some more serious moments in your romance, and low angst, this could be the book for you. I am in the minority of reviews, so what I didn't like could be something that you really enjoy!

Thank you to Forever Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review!

“You can control yourself, the way you act. Trying to control everything else around you is a losing battle.”

Talk about some words I need to be reminded of, just like one of the characters in this book needed. Thank you to Forever for an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
Red String Theory is a beautiful story that covers romance, space, art, and Chinese-American culture - talk about an interesting mix of topics! While the topics may sound distant, the story weaves them together perfectly, almost as if it’s done with red string. There is excellent dialogue, well-defined characters, and the perfect balance of science and fate in this read. As a fact-based high school math teacher who loves to read romance novels, I loved this union. While reading I found myself thinking of my experience viewing space shuttle Discovery’s final launch at Kennedy Space Center in 2011 and then a few pages later thinking of art exhibits and murals I’ve been moved by viewing. The mix, along with the descriptions of Chinese-American traditions, felt like such a special blend of something I didn’t know I needed to read.
Red String Theory was the last book I read in 2023, and I am thrilled to end the year with such a great read. I had tears in my eyes for the last 10% of the book - in the best way. This one really got me in my feels. What an amazing way to end a great year of reading!

3.5 stars. I really wanted to love this book as the premise was really promising — an artist who believed in the red threads of fate fatefully meets a NASA engineer who doesn’t believe in fate.

Unfortunately the pacing was a little slow for me and I didn’t connect with the characters early enough to make the book feel engrossing (which was what I was looking for when I picked it up). I did finish it and appreciate what Lauren Kung Jessen was doing, so I will probably try her next one.

Thanks to Netgalley, Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and Lauren Kung Jessen for the ARC.

This was a really interesting story - I enjoyed learning about the Chinese culture of the red string.

Rooney is an artist who does a huge installation, however it doesn't last long - but as fate would have it, it lasted as long as it needed to. And caught the attention of NASA scientist, Jack, in town for a conference. They meet and have an incredible night of memories. Lots of great dialog and interesting talk between Rooney and Jack. It's their great interactions that keep the story moving - fate vs science and a fun romance.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for sending me an advanced copy for review!

It is such a sweet book! It has some science sprinkled with some magic in the form of fate intertwined (no pun intended, lol). The slow burn that Rooney and Jack have is the type of slow burn that will make you want more. They are so sweet, and their conversations are so deep and soulful that it makes you, as a reader, sit back and think about your perspective on fate and choices. I loved that Olivia and Bennett made a cameo, also!

The concept of art and space (space as in, astronomy) were really cool! I especially enjoyed the ideas behind the public art displays!

I felt like the book had a strong start wrt the connection between the MCs, but it fell a little flat for after the 50% mark? It felt like they were both too entrenched in their own headspaces about fate vs choice and it didn't really give a lot of space for the relationship to grow

-- got an advanced copy from Netgalley

4.5 stars
This is a fun, entertaining read. Jack and Rooney are interesting, captivating, intriguing, relatable, entertaining characters. I enjoyed them as individuals and a couple. Their romance is very fitting for them and the story. I love the thread running through every aspect of this story – Fate/Destiny, whatever you want to call it. This story is so fitting for holidays and the spirit of the season. Kung-Jessen manages to balance complete opposites in thinking and melds them together in an awesome read. The secondary characters added to the fabric of the story and my enjoyment.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3.5 stars

This was a sweet love story but I felt like something was missing for me.

Based on the movie Serendipity, this story focuses on fate (both popular culture and the Red String of Fate from Chinese culture) and love. Both Rooney and Jack were lovable characters and I definitely rooted for them. I absolutely loved the cultural elements, the NASA elements, and the discussion of art.

However, this story was a bit slow-paced and I wasn't really a fan of the main characters interacting with each other so much lol. I know this doesnt really make sense, but I wanted more yearning and longing during the period where they were apart. It just felt like they found each other too quickly. I also feel like the book could have been a little shorter. I wanted more romance, and less discussions.

Pub Date: 1/9/24

This eARC was provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

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.