3.5 stars rounded up!

This is a sweet, cozy, and very cheesy story. There is a lot of introspection on heartbreak, love, loss, vested time, and taking risks. There are also a lot of metaphors with plants and music, that felt a bit overdone and contrived. I thought the cooking elements, herbalist, and TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) components were all very interesting. This book made me crave a scone and a warm cup of tea.

I was just hoping for a little more from the characters. More tension, more longing.

What to expect:
Music (rockstar cellist)
TCM x herbalism
Introspection on your path, choices, and love
Family curse
Fake dating

Thank you Forever and NetGalley for the e-arc!

This was so sweet I have a toothache.

Chryssy and Vin were super cute. I loved all the musical and TCM references! Chryssy’s love of baking and tea had me craving pastries of all kinds while reading.

While it’s a light and fluffy romance, I do wish there was a bit more depth. I found myself waiting for tension and just generally more from the story, particularly around 50%.

If you’re in the mood for something light and sweet, this is it!

thank you forever publishing and netgalley for an arc!

what to expect
⟢ fake dating
⟢ forced proximity / roommates
⟢ curses
⟢ rockstar x herbalist

I really wanted to love this one but I just didn't. I dislike the fake dating trope. It just isn't my favorite. I had a hard time connecting with the characters and wanting to read this book. I loved the authors other books. This one was just a miss for me. I did enjoy learning about TCM and Chinese culture. I love the cover.

Super cute and packed a nice punch of humor. I really enjoyed the dive into herbs and family culture along with the romance, which hit just the right beats and moved the story along beautifully. It felt refreshing amidst a sea of romance novels.

Cryssy & Vin ❤️

🌹Chinese-American chef and traditional Chinese medicine practitioner Cryssy lives on an island off Seattle with her three aunts who run a centre focused on healing heartbreak.

🌼At a party in LA for a former client’s son, Cryssy meets Leo and Vin, the rock music cello-playing Chao Brothers, known for the abilities to break up with their romantic partners.

🪻Leo’s been in a bad space after a breakup that never made it into the press, and Vin joins him to visit the healing centre for help. Vin ends up starring an apartment with Cryssy and their fake relationship soon starts feeling very real.

📚So much to see, hear, taste, smell and touch in this charming story, where healing energy, flowers and music mix with family lore and the importance of having a balanced life. I adored how Cryssy and Vin’s families supported both of them through their early relationship, giving them food for thought and love. There is so much background, so many clever sayings and wisdom imparted, I feel like I could do a re-read just to make sure I took everything in.

My rating 4.5/5 - ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 💫

Yin Yang Love Song is a cozy, uplifting romance that was so endearing to read! Where this book really shines is its focus on traditional Chinese herbal and medicinal practices. Lauren’s characters also all felt so real and genuine.

My biggest complaint with this story is that it felt cheesy - if you like a cheesy romance you’ll really enjoy this one! But it was a little too much for me and detracted from my enjoyment of the story. Otherwise I liked it!

Thank you to Forever for sending me an advanced copy!
Pub date: January 28, 2025

It's a cozy, feel good read that makes you smile more than roll your eyes. I like the way the author isn't afraid to be a little over the top.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the gifted copy.

This was so cute! Cute to the point of bordering on cheesy, with a few too many flower and music metaphors which definitely made it straight-up cheesy, lol. I didn't like it as much as Red String Theory, but I still found it really heartwarming and hopeful. I liked the inclusion of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and discussion of non-Western ways of healing. Chryssy and her aunties treat the physical manifestations of heartbreak through TCM, which I found really unique since western ways of thinking don't acknowledge heartbreak as something physical, only psychological.

I loved Chryssy and Vin together and seeing how their relationship grew over time, transitioning from fake to real. The curse aspect was interesting but also seemed like just a self-fulfilling prophecy, like "oh they broke up with me, so that means the curse is real!" Relationships end in breakups, even for people not "cursed." But I did like how Chryssy tried to undo (or "understand") the curse so she could be with Vin.

While I liked the included side characters (especially Chryssy's aunties and Vin's brother Leo!), I do wish I had seen Chryssy or Vin with some friends. Outside of Vin, Chryssy only ever interacted with her aunties/family, and I never heard her mention a friend's name, nor did she make any friends in the story. Family can be great, but we do also need friends. I know Vin's childhood didn't really allow for him to make any lasting friends, and his lifestyle now makes friendship hard, but I wish I had seen him become less isolated.

I loved the messages of taking breaks and not letting life pass you by. We overwork ourselves and burn ourselves out, and for what? I liked seeing Vin and Leo take a step back and realize they needed more balance in their lives. Also, sometimes even the best, most epic love stories end. There's no way of knowing if a relationship will end, but that doesn't mean that we shouldn't take the leap of faith and find love anyway. "It's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all" right? Finally, we are more than just a label given to us, and sometimes we outgrow our labels (or those labels might never have been accurate to begin with). Chryssy and Vin both grew TREMENEDOUSLY from start to end, with Chryssy opening herself up to love (and in turn, the possibility of heartbreak) and Vin learning to find work-life balance.

Thanks to the publisher for an advanced copy of this book!

This is a fun, entertaining read. Chryssy and Vin are interesting, relatable, intriguing, complex, strong, interesting, entertaining characters. I enjoyed their romance and the path it took to get to their HEA. These two are fun to spend time with. I love the family aspect of the story and the role it plays in the plot and the character development. I also love the character growth of our main characters. The secondary characters added to the fabric of the story and my enjoyment. The story is easy to read and get into.

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

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Chrissy works with her family to heal broken hearts with traditional Chinese medicine and remedies. Vin plays the cello professionally with his brother. When they meet at a party where they're both working, they do not get along, but when they're later linked and pushed together, there's a switch in their connection. A mutually beneficial agreement is created, and that should be all there is to it, but it never is.

I liked Chrissy and Vin, and I appreciated that there was no third act breakup (a spoiler but not - honestly knowing that this doesn't happen feels like an incentive to read and not a deterrent). It wasn't a wildly new kind of love story, but I did enjoy the inclusion of TCM and family bonds.

This one releases in January 2025!

Yin Yang Love Song is a delightful symphony of love, growth, self-discovery, and relationships, all wrapped up in stunningly gorgeous writing. I loved every bit of it! 🎻✨

Chryssy and her aunties run the most charming inn and herbal tea business, creating magical brews to heal heartbreak 💔🍵. With Chinese tea blends, acupuncture, and a peaceful vibe, they’re experts at mending hearts. But there’s one tiny hiccup—the women in Chryssy’s family are cursed (or so they believe!) to never find lasting love. So, she’s officially over romance and laser-focused on launching her newest product. 🚀🌿

Enter Vin: a swoon-worthy celebrity cellist with a reputation for breaking hearts 🎶🔥. They meet at a party, and rumors fly that Chryssy might be his next conquest. But here’s the twist—Vin needs to boost ticket sales for his upcoming tour, and Chryssy needs buzz for her launch. Solution? Fake dating! What could go wrong, right? 😉

Haha, everything! 😅💘 Sure, fake dating starts out simple, but the journey these two take is nothing short of magical. ✨ Chryssy and Vin are so real, insightful, and full of love (even if it starts as fake love, but shhh). Their honest, heartfelt conversations and refusal to hide behind insecurities made their story incredibly refreshing and uplifting. 🥰💬

This isn’t just a tale of two people catching feelings—it’s about questioning old beliefs, finding balance in life, and embracing the fleeting yet enduring beauty of love and heartbreak. 🌗❤️ The side characters? Absolute gems who added layers of charm and heart to an already amazing story. 🌟👩‍👩‍👧‍👦

A sweet romcom with lots of Chinese traditions that really reminded me of how important it is to embrace and cherish one’s culture. I really loved how through this story the FMC embraces her culture and traditions. The family dynamic and business added a humorous layer to this romance and was perfect to add history to the characters and the book’s setting.

I am always a sucker for fake dating and forced proximity, which are both strong tropes within the book. While a lot of their relationship goes, I do feel a slight disconnect because of their similar pasts of heartbreak and trust.

This was a super sweet romance about not only finding love but finding your real self and true desires in life. Lauren Kung Jessen infuses so many beautiful cultural discussions around Traditional Chinese Medicine and you will come away from this book with so much more knowledge.

Chryssy and Vin are opposites when this book start out. They decide to fake date in order to help Vin's image and promote Chryssy's new healing tea brand. The two end up living as roommates and as they spend more and more time together, they develop a deep friendship that opens them up to their romantic feelings.

In addition to the love story, there is a fun mystery of the curse of heartbreak that befalls Chryssy's family. We get to follow along as that is uncovered and revealed along with the falling of Chryssy and Vin for one another.

This gives you so much in one book to enjoy!

Thank you to Forever for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have loved and devoured Lauren's first two books and was elated to be accepted to read this newest novel! This book would probably be your cup of tea if you like cozy and charming love stories, family curses, fake dating tropes, and chemistry filled tension. If I’m not reading romantasy or dark romance I’m an absolute sucker for a cozy feel good romance with fake dating and undeniable chemistry. Which Yin Yang Love Story has all of.
It’s a beautiful story filled with healing and understanding, and touching on the concept of family curses. I loved the feel of the whole thing and am looking forward to reading another book by this author.

3.7 Stars
One Liner: A slow-paced introspective read

Chryssy Hua Williams, a Chinese American herbalist never believed in the family curse that left all Hua women heartbroken. However, after her ninth breakup, she could no longer ignore it. Deciding that love isn’t for them, Chryssy joins her three aunts to start In Full Bloom an inn where they cure heartbreak using Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Vin Chaos and his brother Leo are famous musicians with a reputation for breaking hearts. Even their band is called Heartbreak. A chance meeting between Vin and Chryssy becomes viral. Vin needs her to be his fake girlfriend for tour promotions. Chryssy decides Vin could help promote her tea brand as well. A beneficial deal for sure!
Well, love might have other plans but what about the curse?
The story comes in the first-person POV of Chryssy and Vin.

My Thoughts:
The premise is quite fun, though my main reason for grabbing the book is TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine). It has similarities with Ayurveda (both are ancient and use natural medicine). In that aspect, I enjoyed the information provided – the properties of flowers and herbs, the importance of balancing Qi (possibly equal to Vata/ prana), and the need for self-discipline to improve our health.
This is an #ownvoices book, so the cultural aspects are just right without being OTT. The aunts and family members are diverse and quirky, much like our Indian relatives.
The main characters started out well. I liked Chryssy. She is cool, composed, and independent. A bit too independent maybe but I won’t hold it against her. Vin started out average but gained some depth as the story progressed. I liked his brother as well (and want to know if he’ll have a book of his own).
The dual POV, though helpful, wasn’t easy to read. I often got confused between their voices and had to check whose POV it was in that chapter. The voices need to be more distinct, especially Vin’s, which didn’t help in understanding his personality.
Since this is primarily a romance, the chemistry had to be good. Sadly, the graph fell flat here. Their interactions were nice, friendly even but the spark wasn’t there. This dampened things a bit. There were all the necessary scenes, gestures, and dialogues but somehow I couldn’t feel the vibe. There’s only a little spice, thankfully.
The pacing is on the slower side, something I did not expect. Maybe it was because of the explanations and internal thoughts. I didn’t mind the detail about TCM (I wanted it), so can’t really complain.
The curse part was decently handled (no magic realism and all that). I liked the discussion around it, though. The exploration of what a supposed curse did to multiple generations of women and how it shaped their lives, identities, and relationships with themselves and others was portrayed very well. It doesn’t get overwhelming or excessively dramatic.
There’s a lovely author’s note at the end and a couple of recipes (another surprise). I understand what she says about the stereotyping and distrust in TCM. Despite the various benefits and success rate, Ayurveda faces similar discrimination.

To summarize, Yin Yang Love Song is a story of not just finding love but also of self-care, breaking generational cycles, taking care of our health (physical, psychological, and emotional), and realizing that our fears don’t have to dictate our actions.
Thank you, NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing), for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

🎶Yin Yang Love Song 🎶

“I want our love song to be better than perfect. I want it to be real.”

Oh my heartttttt this book!! Lauren Kung Jessen has done it again. I adore Chryssy and Vin and their beautiful story. I want to hug them both.

Vin is one half of a famous rock cellist duo known for their skill on the strings and history of heartbreaking. Unfortunately, his brother Leo is the heartbroken one who needs the helps of Chryssy and her aunties healing retreat based in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Vin’s label ask him to uphold his heartbreaker reputation before their next tour. Who better to help than Chryssy? She’s living proof that the women in their family are destined to be heartbroken. How can fake heartbreak hurt if she’s cursed not to get the real thing?

Of course, the publicity may be fake, but the feelings between Chryssy and Vin are real. Woven together with themes of healing and the importance of rest and balance, I absolutely adored this beautiful love song.

I highly recommend, especially if you’re looking for:
🎶 Fake dating, celebrity musician romance
🎶 Traditional Chinese Medicine herbalism
🎶 Themes of burnout, rest and healing
🎶 Forced proximity / roommates
🎶 Curse breaking and delightful aunties antics

Thank you to Forever for this ARC! My opinions are my own. Yin Yang Love Song is on shelves January 28, 2025!

Despite this not being a holiday-themed story, this was a great book to read during this season. The atmosphere felt very uplifting and cozy.

This is the story of Chryssy, a florist and herbalist who decides to fake-date a hugely popular cellist named Vin for mutual career benefit.

Though this was an enjoyable and light read, I unfortunately did not like it as much as Lunar Love or Red String Theory. The standout element for me were all of the mentions of traditional Chinese medicine and culture, as well as the familial relationships. I never felt that the bond between Chryssy and Vin seemed more than platonic.

This was also *very* cheesy, and I think you have to like a corny romance to really enjoy this. Ultimately, I still enjoyed Lauren Kung Jessen’s writing and will continue anticipating her releases, but this was very okay for me.

What a sweet and delightful read! I really enjoyed all the characters and the settings described! Chryssy and Vin are authentic and adorable! It's hard sometimes to read about a couple involved in a romance when sometimes the writing seems overplayed. However with this book everything flows naturally and beautifully! I love that there was a slight magical element about breaking a curse! Makes me think I'm watching a Netflix romcom lol

Bravo! ☕

Posted on Goodreads.

Another charming read from Lauren Kung Jessen! This time, the story introduces us to Chryssy, a legacy Traditional Chinese Medicine herbalist from a lineage of women burdened by a love curse. Together with her aunts, she runs a retreat center on Whidbey Island, catering to those nursing broken hearts. Chyrssy is preparing to launch a commercial line of teas while also working at the retreat center. The male main character, Vin, is a rockstar cellist and one half of a band with his brother, the duo famously known as “heartbreakers.” While their image thrives on this reputation, the tables turn when Vin’s brother finds himself heartbroken. To ensure their rehearsal time for an upcoming tour isn’t disrupted, Vin accompanies his brother to the retreat center so he can heal and be ready for their upcoming tour. Chryssy and Vin enter into a fake relationship to mutually boost their careers. He can provide publicity for her upcoming tea launch and she can serve as the flavor of the month for Vin. This forced proximity sets the stage for authentic feelings to blossom between them. The result? A heartfelt and engaging romance.

I found this book enjoyable and think Lauren Kung Jessen continues to stand out as an above-average romance author. The Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) aspect was both fascinating and a bit overdone at times, but I appreciated the opportunity to learn more about the practice. The characters were likable and displayed realistic self-development arcs, adding depth to the story. While the pacing was slower, it didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment. If you’re looking for a sweet, layered romance with a unique cultural twist, this book is definitely worth a read!

If you are ready to be all up in your feels, Yin Yang Love Song is absolutely stunning. I am a music girlie so the MMC being a cellist was the bee's knees for me and I am obsessed. Lauren is in credibly creative and completely captures your attention and the real world slowly disappears as you immerse yourself in her writing.