This was a tame but enjoyable love story that embraces and celebrates culture and traditional customs. I appreciate the way Lauren Kung Jessen incorporates her background into every layer of her stories. I enjoyed reading this and found the characters to be dynamic and likeable - I was rooting for their love the whole way through. Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of this ebook! 3.5 stars

This novel intertwines music and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) through the captivating story of Chryssy and Vin. Vin, a talented cello player and star, and Chryssy, a TCM practitioner specializing in healing heartbreak, embark on a fake relationship that gradually transforms into something deeply genuine. I loved watching Chryssy and Vin bond over their respective passions and how this added an intimate layer to their relationship as they each learned more about each other's practice. Their journey was just really heartwarming and fun. This was a fake-dating love story done right.

Ratings
Story Concept 5/5
Quality of Writing 5/5
Pacing 4/5
Plot Development 4/5
Character Development 5/5
Overall Enjoyability 4.5/5

This is such a great romance. I really liked the premise of Chryssy being the heartbreak healer and Vin being the heartbreaker, although they are both more complex than those labels would suggest. I loved all the characters in this book. The aunties felt like larger than life personalities, but still like they were rooted in something real. I thought the scene with Chryssy connecting with her mother about the curse was really sweet. And I liked the dynamic between Leo and Vin. There are themes of self-discovery and intergenerational trauma, and I thought those came together very nicely, like the idea of finding oneself within the tangled web of one's family history. Love and relationships are portrayed as something that are beautiful moment to moment, not just if they last forever, which is a sentiment I very much appreciate and agree with. Such a great book.

I have mixed feels about this book.

I loved the musical references, the MMC being a rocker cellist, the flower info, and how the relationship developed. The curse threw some interesting ideas out there and I did like some of the exploration of that. I didn't love the conflict at the end - especially with some side characters - and the "happy for now" idea.

I liked how there were some recipes in the back. I thought that was cool since a lot of the time I was wondering the food was really as good as they made it seem. Lol.

Overall: 3.5 stars for me
Content: vague-ish open door

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Yin Yang Love Song is another Lauren Kung Jessen “romcom” that I enjoyed conceptually, but the ideas got a little lost in the sauce. Its standout moments come from its cultural references, especially the heavy presence of Chinese practices, especially Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which collectively encompasses various practices, including acupuncture, herbal medicine and nutrition, mindful movement, and immersion in nature. I also loved how it all factored into the central premise of healing heartbreak and tying it to Chryssy’s backstory.
I generally liked Chryssy and Vin, although I can’t say either lead was particularly remarkable. I did like that both had solid, nuanced family relationships that also cross over with professional obligations, with Chryssy’s being her aunties who she runs the shop with, and Vin’s brother also being his bandmate.
The romance is also rather tepid. They’re cute together, but I can’t say I was blown away by them together. And I struggled to follow the logic as the story went on. Like, Chryssy’s love life is cursed, so they’re fake dating to help their respective careers? How does one tie to the other logically? The stakes just weren’t there for me to care, either about their respective careers or whether this arrangement would become the real deal, at least in part because the concept was unclear.
This is the second book in a row by Lauren Kung Jessen that has fallen short of expectations for me, and looking back, I had somewhat similar complaints about the previous one. However, there are some positives here, especially in the cultural touchstones, and I’d recommend this to readers interested in a low-heat contemporary romance with a focus on Traditional Chinese

I can always count on Lauren Kung Jessen’s books to be super sweet and easy to read. I loved learning about Traditional Chinese Medicine and all the flowers through reading. The inn sounds absolutely dreamy. I had such fun reading!

DNF @ 24%
This one is too boring for me to finish, and I also have some issues with the premise.

Basically our FMC and her family practice Chinese Traditional Medicine, and they have a business where they treat people for heartbreak and sadness. Our MMC is a famous violin player who plays in a duo with his brother. And apparently he and his brother are known as ~heartbreakers~ in the industry, and that’s part of their brand. The two main characters decide to fake date after they’re seen together at an event. There’s also some forced proximity. Oh yeah and her family is also cursed to never find happiness in love.

I wish this one had fewer tropes just kind of thrown it. I liked the idea of following a woman who practices TCM, but it was just so annoying that the MMC was a FAMOUS violin player who’s this infamous player. I didn’t know there were famous violin players, let alone ones who are so famous that the tabloids keep track of their dating lives. The fake dating plot just felt so forced and shoehorned in because it’s popular or whatever.

I liked the writing style, I just wish this was a simpler story between a woman who works at a wellness resort and a professional violin player.

Having loved Jessen's two previous novels, I was expecting more of the same caliber of writing and storytelling. Unfortunately, Yin Yang Love Song fell short of those expectations.

The story unfolds through the two protagonists' points of view. And while I do enjoy this method of storytelling, I couldn't get past the arrogance of the male character, Vin. His counterpart, Chrissy didn't help. Her flippant attitude didn't add to the rom-com vibe. Both characters were just unlikable.

The plot seemed forced and unbelievable. A natural healer and a musician fake dating? The two most unlikely professions connecting with each other? Needless to say, I was disappointed. Not to say that I won't read another Jessen novel, but this novel really took the wind out of my sails. An unfortunately one star DNF at 33%

I was invited to read a DRC from Forever, through NetGalley. This review is my own and reflects my honest opinions.

lauren kung jessen does such a great job of writing books that feel comforting and familiar. opening one of her books feelings like catching up with an old friend. yin yang love song hit all the right notes and was a very sweet read.

as always with lkj books, our protagonists were easy to root for characters who had great banter; though i didn't feel as connected to the two of them has i have the main characters of her previous books, i did love following chryssy and vin's journey as a couple and individuals. chryssy's aunts were very fun and lovable characters as well, and i loved how important family was to all the characters. i love strong family dynamics.

while this isn't my favorite of her releases, i did have a really great time reading yin yang love song and thought there were so many wonderful and lovely moments. i'd recommend this to any romance reader

Yin Yang Story is a beautiful love story about a cellist and a Chinese Tea Herbalist. It covers all aspects of traditional Chinese beliefs and intergenerational traumas. There is a bit of fake- dating, a business deal, and some sacrifices in this lovely story.

I am going to start by saying that this story is authentic and researched. Lauren took her time researching every type of flower and classical music there is in the world. I have always been a big fan of the way she writes in detail. I loved Red String Theory a lot. However, this book just didn't hit me. There are way too many details in this book, causing the reader to lose track of the fake dating trope.

As a Chinese woman dealing with a difficult family, I felt like I could relate to Chrissy (MC). But all the names of the aunts, the love. curse, the inn, the dates, the details about being a celebrity; it was all too much. At some point, I lost the point of the story, the PLOT. It seemed very obvious what would happen at the end of the book. Like it was rushed and boom! The fake dating never happened.

Lastly, the part about the curse (slight spoiler), it's giving fnatasy/Tangled the Disney movie. It seems like a story in a story in a story in a story in a story in a story. I am Chinese and I get that generations do that but this was A LOT.

I love Lauren's other works this one just seemed so rushed. It seems like the fake dating was so forgotten, At some point I was like choose one or two tropes not all of them.

I will be giving this a 3.5. I raised it because of the detail research work.

After break-up number 9, Chryssy Hua Williams has come to terms with the reality of the family curse - that no Hua woman will find lasting love. So when a run-in with heartbreaker celebrity cellist Vin Chao leads to a fake-dating scheme in order to increase his ticket sales and promote her new tea product line, Chryssy's sure there's no way it could hurt her.

I really wanted to love this one, but I just felt like the chemistry between Chryssy and Vin fell flat. It didn't feel like a sweet relationship between two heartbroken people but instead a therapist-patient relationship. The banter between them constantly felt like Chryssy was giving Vin advice as a therapist, not as a girlfriend (fake or otherwise).

I did, however, love the story with the focus on TCM and holistic healing, and Jessen's writing style was easy and comfortable to read.

Read if you like:
Dual-POV
Asian rep
Fake dating
Family curse
Bad boy musician

2.5 stars rounded down.

I have love love LOVED Jessen's previous two books, so I gave this one chance after chance to win me over--and it didn't. From the get go I was confused about the dynamics between the two main characters. They're strangers, but the way they're comfortable speaking to one another (meanly at first) made me second guess if they actually did know one another. And that strange dynamic continued. I just could not for the life of me get a good grip on the MCs' personalities, so I felt off-kilter the entire book.

And I also felt like nothing happened in this book. I kept expecting the book to be over because the characters weren't building up to much. And then when the book was close to being over I was thinking... wait... has anything REALLY happened? This read just really messed with me.

I will continue to read Lauren Kung Jessen's releases, but this story and its characters were a total miss for me. Unfortunately. :(

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

In this charming rom-com filled with Chinese traditions and a family curse, an herbalist fake dates a star musician.

^one sentence summary from the publisher. Thank you @readforeverpub for a digital copy of this book to review!

I was hooked from the VERY first line of this book: “It takes less than two seconds to break a person’s heart.” From there, I was immediately swept away into the love story of Chryssy and Vin. They make a deal to fake date and have no intentions of catching feelings. Boy… were they in for a surprise. 😇

I loved watching this story unfold. Chryssy truly believing she was cursed to never find love was a really tough thing for her to overcome. I loved how into her work she was, and how she truly thrived on helping others. Her gift of seeing people for who they are was pure magic. And Vin!! That secret romantic. I loved him so much and I thought he had such an interesting background.

And of course… all of our side characters but especially the aunties. So much fun. I loved the questions the curse brought up about family legends and lore, and I loved the brotherly dynamics we had between Vin and Leo. There was a lot to unpack in this story and it was a great ride.

I have to shout out the prose here too. Lauren’s writing was so whimsical and lovely. A few favorites:

“Hand-holding is way more intimate. These little extensions of you clinging to someone else, even when no one knows about it because you just have to be touching in a private moment. Hand-holding keeps you connected for longer, too, even when you’re not kissing.”

“The sounds of our laughter overlap, creating a new melody I very much like the sound of, even though it’s slightly off-key. Both this tune, along with Chryssy’s bright smile against this gray day, burrow their way deeper into me.”

“This delights me. Watching someone learn how to cook is like watching people fall in love. It’s a lovely mess at first, and then soon enough you’re regretting all the meals you never made.”

“but I safekeep this moment just for me. Store it away like my own version of a one-way ticket, but with an unknown destination.”

Truly stunning!

Thanks to Forever for an advanced copy of Yin Yang Love Song. I've enjoyed Lauren Kung Jessen's previous books, but I unfortunately this wasn't the book for me.

I struggled with believing the romance and didn't feel any chemistry between the two main characters.

I look forward to reading her future books.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for eARC!

Fluffy, cozy, cutesy, feel-good read. Enjoyed the cultural aspects and the characters. Nice to read if you are in the mood for a cheesy, hallmark movie feel.

I do not believe this book was for me. The pacing felt disjointed for a book all about balance. I’m not sure that the characters all went well together. I also do not completely understand the concept of heartbreak medicine. I feel like by focusing in on the heartbreak teas, we are forgetting that it’s also okay to take medication. We cannot all be healed by herbs and flowers. And I hate to say that because I also love the power of flowers and herbs. It’s a conflicting feeling. If she wasn’t being labeled as the heartbreak fixer, but focused more on we can’t fix your heartbreak, but we can help your body and that’s a start.

I think naming all the Huas after wildflowers was a cute concept, but I stopped being able to tell any of them apart. It was too many flowers.

What I liked was the rabbit. And Leo.

Yin Yang Love Song, written by Lauren Kung Jessen, is a delightful romantic comedy that intertwines Chinese traditions with a family curse. In this heartwarming tale, an herbalist finds herself fake dating a famous musician, creating a perfect blend of comfort and romance. I was captivated by the story from start to finish and couldn't put it down. I highly recommend this charming novel!

Another adorable romance by Lauren Kung Jessen. This was a great read. Full of love, self growth, curse breaking and .humor. I always appreciate how Lauren Kung Jessen blends Chinese American culture into her romance stories and features mixed race main characters. I’m a sucker for the fake dating trope and I thought this was a super cute reasonable fake dating romance.

Chryssy and Vin’s romance is beautiful and feels very natural. Chryssy and her family are cursed to never have a successful relationship. This makes Chryssy vulnerable and a bit pessimistic towards romance. Vin is a famous cellist who is dubbed a heartbreaker and a “bad boy”. It was great to see both of their walls break down as the story progressed and see how love changed their outlooks on life. This is more of a slow burn story but you get a deeper sense of Chryssy and Vin’s love for each other. It’s one of those feel good stories that feels somewhat familiar but I loved Lauren’s unique take on a celebrity/ fake dating romance. The traditional Chinese medicine and the familial bonds between Chryssy and her family and Vin and his helped give this story a raw and realistic spin.

Overall if you’re a fan of closed door romances, fake dating, and a family curse then this is a must read. It features Asian American characters, an adorable bunny companion, traditional Chinese medicine, delicious food descriptions and heartwarming romance.

I enjoyed this book and it was a quick read. I liked the characters and thought the plot was interesting.

This romance felt transactional, and I struggled to believe they were actually falling in love. They also lacked chemistry. The flower references were a bit overwhelming to the story.

I really enjoyed this authors previous work, Red String Theory.

Thank you, Forever (Grand Central Publishing) | Forever