I'm starting 2025 reading cute, romantic, and wonderful love stories. I knew I would love this book because fake dating is my favorite trope. But adding TCM, an inn that heals broken hearts using a holistic approach, herbal teas and cooking, good-looking cello players, and a handful of aunties makes the book even better. I really enjoyed the getting-to-know process between Chryssy and Vin and how the fake dating benefited both of them. Vin selling tours, Chrssys's small family business gaining popularity, and Leo's (Vin's older brother) healing process. I also like the Hua family curse, the truth and mystery behind it. Aside from the romance, I love how the book discussed balancing lifestyle, the Yin and Yang of our bodies and our lives. I also liked how they compared life to music and flowers. I also loved how they encouraged each other to face the music together. This is my first book by the author. I really enjoyed her writing style, which is witty, flirtatious, cute, and romantic.

This was a cute story and I enjoyed how the characters went from fake dating, to friends, to lovers. I enjoyed that the characters were able to connect on a deep level through music, heartbreak, and tea.

I genuinely appreciated the relationship depicted between this couple; it was endearing, and their chemistry came through vividly on the page. The incorporation of Chinese culture and medicine was something I really enjoyed, as it stood out as the best part of the book. The author handled discussions about stress in both personal and professional life with great sensitivity. However, despite all this, I would have preferred a bit more depth in the characters and the narrative. Overall, it was an enjoyable read.

This is such a cute and cozy romance read 🩷 I loved the concept of fake dating the bad boy cellist! I really enjoyed Lauren’s writing and that the book is told in dual POV. We love a dual POV romance ✨ Guys when he repeated “next time” in his head and got excited 🥹 that really got to me. I also loved when Vin said “he wasn’t your love song” I mean SWOON. So sweet. The aunties are hilarious 😂 The added mystery of the family’s curse and trying to undo it added a nice element to the book. The book also goes into burnout and trying to find a healthy balance in life and how it’s okay to change your career later in life as your passion changes and I love that!! Putting your health first is so important. I don’t want to ruin it by any spoilers. I smiled so much while reading and I also laughed so many times. I can’t wait to dive into Lauren’s other books. So happy to have all of my copies personalized 🩷

Yin Yang Love Song is a dual POV romance story which will steal your heart. If you've ever been afraid in love - and who hasn't - then you have to read this one. I loved the family aspect and characters in Yin Yang Love Song. At the same time, I was drawn most to Chryssy's character development. While it's easy to describe Yin Yang Love Song as fake dating, it's really a story about facing our fears. About realizing that we can close ourselves off, that we can hold ourselves back even when we think we aren't, and let our fears dictate our actions.

Y’all Lauren Kung Jessen does it again!
I ADORED Yin Yang Love Song by Lauren Kung Jessen.
YYLS was such a pleasure to read. The characters are wholesome and wonderfully developed. I thoroughly enjoyed the main characters here.
I just enjoy this authors writing so much!
This was such a great story.
This is highly enjoyable, heartwarming romance that you simply cannot afford to miss.
It has been such a privilege to read all of her books before release and each one is special in their way.
She does not disappoint!

If you are looking for a delightful, lighthearted and funny romance with lovable characters and exquisite writing, look no further. This was my first novel by Lauren King Jessen, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Chrissy and her ‘aunties’ are running the Wildflower Inn where they practice traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture - they also heal heartbreak and are about to launch their own herbal tea brand, In Full Bloom. For generations, the Hua family women have been under a curse to be heartbroken and to never find lasting love. Reason enough for Chrissy to shy away from relationships and love. But when she runs into the famous cellist, Vin Chao, who has a reputation of being a heartbreaker, they strike a deal: they’ll fake date, then he’ll break her heart to increase his ticket sales and, in return, he will promote her business. It all works out - until they get more than what they bargained for.
The story is told in alternating POV’s by Chrissy and Vin. It goes deep into their past and delivers a slowly developing plot.
I was a huge fan of the aunties with all their flowery names and also liked both of the MCs’ families, including the adorable pet bunny, Goji. I was intrigued by the inclusion of Traditional Chinese Medicine and learned a lot about health benefits of flowers and herbs. I loved the food and music references. Everything was so well researched and perfectly described. If I ever get heartbroken, I want to go to the Wildflower Inn. And I’m reminded in an author’s note ‘that I can take breaks and rest, I can change my life if I want to, I don’t have to be perfect and can bloom even if nobody is watching’.
All in all, I had a great time reading this novel, and I can’t wait to read more from this author.
I would like to thank Netgalley, Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and Ms Lauren Kung Jessen for the opportunity and joy to read this advance copy. The above is my honest review and own opinion. 4⭐️. Publication date is 1/28/25.

Thank you Forever Pub and Hachette Audio for my gifted copies. All opinions are my own.

I’ve really enjoyed Lauren Kung Jessen’s books. This was such a comfort read for me.

I alternated between the ebook and the audiobook. I really enjoyed the narration by Eunice Wong and Eric Yang.

Chryssy and Vin meet at an event. He and his brothers are famous cellists know for their music and heartbreaking ways. Chryssy and her aunts help heal heartbreak at their inn with traditional medicine. They strike up a fake dating agreement when they figure they can help each other.

I love fake dating so I knew this would be a good one! The women in Chryssy’s family believed they are cursed to not have lasting love. This book has a little mystery as Chryssy and Von try to solve the mystery of the curse. Despite pretending to be in a fake relationship they start to develop a friendship which blossoms into more.

There is something just so comforting about Lauren Kung Jessen’s books. I was nervous for Vin and Chryssy that their relationship wouldn’t last, but most of this felt like a comforting hug. Her books just have a constant smile on my face. I also loved learning more about Yin Yang and traditional medicine. I really hope we get more books from her soon!

Yin Yang Love Song by Lauren Kung Jessen
Contemporary romance. Own voices. Mixed race Chinese American.
Chryssy Hua Williams is an herbalist at her family run healing retreat. She doesn’t want to believe in the family curse of predetermined heart break, but after counting her own 9 unsuccessful relationships, she’s given up on love. She’s going to keep her heart safe and uninvolved.
Van Chao is a famous rock cellist touring with his brother. They are known as being heartbreakers but it’s really an over exaggerated marketing ploy by their label. When Chryssy offers herbal tea at one of their engagements, they talk and realize their problems are similar. If they tell the world and family they are dating, even tho it’s fake, they can help each other build their brands and business. The more they are together, the more they question their motives. Does Van want to be a heartbreaker and does Chryssy want him to leave because of the curse? The answer is no for both of them. Now they have to figure out how to solve their looming breakup.

🎧 I alternated between an ebook and an audiobook narrated by Eunice Wong and Eric Yang. Each narrator performs their POV and it’s easy to tell who it is, not only because of chapter heading, but clear differences between male and female narrator. Probably the chapter headings were unnecessary in the audio version. Both do only slight variations of the voices in their chapters but since it’s their POV, it’s not an issue.
The two narrators are totally compatible with tone, speed and volume which can be hard to achieve.
Both print and audio are done well and are easy to follow. There were distinct voices for the female extended family so preferred the audio in general.
I do increase my speed to 1.5 which closer matches my reading and conversational speed.

Emotionally rich, romantic and charming. Belief can be powerful. So can love. I enjoyed their compatibility from the start and their growing closer. Low angst. Chryssy has a unique ability to look at things from a different perspective or angle. A priceless skill.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher Hachette Audio.

Lauren Kung Jessen writes absolutely beautiful books! I have been beyond honored to read all of her books before release and they are all amongst my favorite cozy romances. The way she intertwines romance, banter, tropes and learning is unmatched. I’ve learned so much about Asian culture in each book and I can’t wait to learn more!! This book was extra fun for me because I’ve always had interest in Traditional Chinese Medicine and even used acupuncture during my IVF journey and pregnancy! Chryssy and Vin grow together in such a way that you can relate no matter where you are in your life. This book was officially released TODAY and EVERYONE needs to read it!

Lauren Kung Jessen is back with her third romance, Yin Yang Love Song. When a celebrity bad boy teams up with a woman who works at a family business, their complementary missions seem like the perfect duet: They’ll fake date to play up his heartbreaker image and promote her heartbreak-healing retreat. But what happens when their breakup plans no longer seem like the right course?

Why I Chose This Book:
I really enjoyed Lunar Love when it came out a few years ago, and though I missed Red String Theory, I was excited to learn about Yin Yang Love Song. First, I love anything to do with music; here, Vin and his brother are part of a popular strings duo (something like Lindsey Stirling). Second, Chryssy runs a heartbreak retreat that utilizes natural, herbal remedies. Third, this book is set in my home turf, the greater Seattle area. How could I resist?

What I Liked:
- Chryssy has been dumped eight times… thanks to a generations-long family curse
- Vin is known for breaking hearts… but part of that is due to his celebrity image
- Healing broken hearts with tea, flowers, and other natural remedies
- Vin is a cellist in a popular duo with his brother
- Family dynamics for both Chryssy and Vin
- Getting to know the greater Seattle area, from clamming to exploring Pike Place Market
- Fake dating with a planned breakup
- How much do the stories we tell ourselves impact our lives?

Final Thoughts
Yin Yang Love Song is such a feel-good romance. I love the themes of natural healing and fusion music, the contrast of always dumping your partners versus always being dumped, and seeing your family’s relationships as something to fear or strive for. This was a wonderful romance, and I will be reading more from Lauren Kung Jessen for years to come. First on my list: Red String Theory!

A closed door romance with a family curse on love. It was about Vin and Chryssy working through heartbreak together with the help of their families. It had very likeable characters but long chapters. I listened on audio which made the chapter length more bearable. Not to mention dual narrators always helps! The dual POV of Chryssy and Vin was good and the story was good. The play on floral character names was fun too.

📚 #BOOKREVIEW 📚
Yin Yang Love Song by Lauren Kung Jessen
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Pages: 352 / Genre: Romcom
Release Date: January 28, 2025
🥳#HappyPubDay!🎉

Chryssy Hua Williams and all the women in the Hua family line believe they are cursed to never find love. Cellist and heartthrob Vin Chao is known for breaking hearts. When the two meet they agree to fake date for a couple of weeks, during which they’ll pose together in the media to boost likes and engagement. The ruse works perfectly until the fake part starts feeling real.

I loved this adorable romcom. I especially enjoyed the healing tips that came with Chryssy’s profession as a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) herbalist. And the recipes for lavender bath bombs and lavender egg tarts at the very end were an especially nice surprise.

This is book is out today and is a perfect read for both Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day.

Thank you, @LaurenKJessen, @ReadForeverPub, and @NetGalley for my gifted copy.

ugh i LOVED this one! it was my first Lauren Kung Jessen book and i was not disappointed! this book was so unique and full of so many endearing themes!

For a rom-com, it was a fun read with a great representation of Chinese-American culture with a focus on Chinese medicine practices like acupuncture, the use of flowers as herbs and the concept of yin and yang and classical music. It’s great to see diversity being represented.

This story starts on Chryssy who meets Vin, a famous cellist who is part of the Chaos brothers duo at a house party thrown by a famous couple. Due to some exaggerated pictures, the public seems to think they are dating! As Vin needs the publicity for his upcoming tour tickets and with Chryssy launching a tea business, they decided to fake date their way through - with some family curse and drama in the mix.

This book hits the opposite attract theme. Vin and Chryssy could not be more different with different flaws thrown in. Vin strives for perfection and Chryssy just wants to find everlasting love..but at the core of it, they do share the same values of strong bonds to their family, knowing what they want to be in life and thriving for their careers. So, it wasn't surprising that they would gravitate towards each other.

The not so good stuff: This book was boring and there were some draggy moments. I found myself struggling to pick up the book to read, which is unusual since I tend to read romance very fast. It was a lot of tell vs show. I also find Vin and Chryssy’s romance very surface level - there was no depth to their attraction or chemistry - where is the banter?!! It was loads of talking but no push/pull moments - the tension was missing~! I ended up skimming the later half of the book just to push myself to finish it.

While I found this book a fun read, it wasn't the kind of book that would grip me and want me to keep reading. It was a solid read but it wasn't an amazing read. Hence the 3 stars.

Jessen writes such heartwarming rom-coms! There's always a cozy blend of romance, family, and finding yourself.

Yin Yang Love Song is a story of generational curses, Chinese traditional medicine, and finding work/life balance. I thought the heartbreak curse of Chryssy's family was such an interesting plot point - especially how our perceptions affect how we live our lives!

Oftentimes poignant and charming, Yin Yang Love Song is like a warm mug of tea on a cold day.

I did this more in audiobook format even though I had both. I loved and enjoyed this.

I always feel like when I read Lauren's books, I could also be reading it as a manga. They just feel so vibrant, sweet, innocent. They give me all the feels. These two were just adorable and I loved them.

Narrators were on point, I can't wait to read more by this author.

This story is very well-written, almost poetic in many places. Unfortunately, it just didn’t capture my attention. What should have been a quick read took me 3 days because I kept getting distracted. Even though there’s some spice, I didn’t feel any chemistry between Chryssy and Vin. I also didn’t feel like I really got to know the main characters in depth. I can see it appealing to readers who like a slow-burn romance and a deep dive into the Chinese-American culture, however. It just wasn’t for me.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Forever Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

After loving Lunar Love and Red String Theory, I was eager to read Yin Yang Love Song. After my initial disappointment that this one isn’t set in Los Angeles like the first two, I quickly came to love the little retreat Chryssy and her aunts run in Washington. Fortunately, as with the first two books, the main characters, Chryssy and Vin, are mixed race Chinese American, and I love the way the Chinese culture was blended into their lives while also letting them feel fully American.

The women of the Hua family are cursed to never find lasting love. After her ninth breakup, Chryssy finally believes it. Now she helps her aunts run a lovely retreat where they utilize Traditional Chinese Medicine to help people recover from heartbreak. Meanwhile, Vin Chao and his brother Leo are cellists with reputations for breaking hearts. But no one knows Leo has just had his heartbroken, and, to complicate matters, Chryssy and Vin were photographed in intimate, yet entirely innocent, poses at a child’s birthday party. Vin needs Chryssy to fake date him so he can break up with her and retain the Chao Brothers’ reputation, all while Leo recovers from his heartbreak at the Hua family’s retreat. The more time they spend together, though, the tougher it is for them to imagine breaking up.

Yin Yang Love Song is filled with Traditional Chinese Medicine, flowers, and music, and I loved all of it. This was well-balanced between the romance and the logistics between running a business and preparing for a tour where some of the biggest stages are inside historical monuments across the world. Not to be outdone, though, all of the characters were fantastic and really held their own against a compelling story and beautiful romance.

Chryssy was absolutely lovely. I loved her blend of practical mixed with a little whimsy. She’s always thinking about the family business, especially now that they’re about to launch their own line of flower-based teas and need a spokesperson. Her devotion to her family and her work is incredible, but there’s also a really fun undercurrent to her that keeps her from being too serious. She’s really such a good sport throughout the entire novel, and she has a wonderful family to back her up. She’s given up on finding love, just like nearly every other woman in her family, so it was really fun to read about her approach to fake dating the famous Vin Chao, because both believed he was going to break up with her in the near future.

Vin and his brother were equally fantastic. I loved Vin’s devotion to his art, his dedication to his practice and to making their next tour a success. He’s very focused on their business, so it was fun when it was sometimes at odds with his brother’s preferences. I loved their relationship. They were fantastic brothers who clearly loved each other, and weren’t above ribbing each other. There were times when I really liked Leo more than Vin, but he and Chryssy were just such a fantastic pair. Watching Vin grow and to consciously and unconsciously take to Traditional Chinese Medicine was fantastic. I loved the little steps he took, and all the little steps he took on the way to falling in love with Chryssy.

I loved the romance in this one. It starts with fake dating where neither is really invested because there’s an end date and they have a curse and a reputation to abide by. But it was so clear to see they were falling for each other. The little things they did to support and push each other was lovely, and I loved watching them grow and stretch together. Of course, when Chryssy meets Vin’s parents, things take a bit of a turn that throws both of them a little off balance. But their devotion to each other really was something spectacular to see, and I loved how they were so willing to make it work.

There is a subplot regarding the family curse, but it doesn’t really get going until the second half. Yin Yang Love Song is primarily a love story, but it doesn’t forget about the family’s curse. I did think this was the weaker part of the story, and the way the women chose to deal with it felt a little too simple and contrived, but changing an outlook on love that’s spanned generations isn’t easy. I did think it was handled with care, but it also felt a little rushed and definitely a little too convenient.

What I adored, though, was the heartbreak retreat itself. It sounds like a lovely secluded home with incredible gardens since they grow the flowers they use. Much of the story, though, isn’t set in the main house, though I did love the scenes when Vin was coerced into acupuncture. Chryssy lives in a little two bedroom shed to give her some privacy, and because there was no room for her in the main house. While I never managed to get a clear picture of her home, it did feel warm and comforting, the perfect backdrop for her romance with Vin, who stays in the second room. I loved how cozy and relaxing it felt, and I think it was the perfect place for them to lower their walls and fall in love.

Yin Yang Love Song may not have been anywhere close to LA, as I had expected, but I adored it. This was a lovely story with an even lovelier couple. I would have loved to see more of Chryssy’s aunts and Vin’s brother, but the focus is always on Chryssy and Vin and the things they’re dealing with in their shared life and their separate lives. For the most part, all the elements blended really well together; I only wish the curse had been handled a little better. In the end, though, this is a romance, and Chryssy and Vin absolutely won me over and made me swoon a little.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

Chryssy has left her cardiology dreams behind to help patients dealing with heartbreak using TCM along with her aunts. All the women in Chyssy’s family have ended up heartbroken, believing they’re cursed. When she meets the famous cellists the Chao Brothers at a party, Chryssy offers to help Leo who is having a hard time dealing with a fresh break-up. Vin on the other hand needs some convincing, but wants to help Leo heal before their world tour. The brothers stay at Chryssy’s family’s wellness retreat. To explain the brothers stay, Chryssy agrees to fake date Vin to keep up his “heartbreaker” status if he promotes her family’s TCM brand. As fake dates develop real feelings, Chryssy has to remind herself this relationship with Vin won’t last due to her curse. Will it ever be broken?

With endearing, reflective characters, a lesson in TCM and a moody PNW setting this romance has something for every reader.