I wanted to enjoy Yin Yang Love Song, but some cheesy moments were hard to get past. It seemed like the two main characters disliked each other and then immediately fell in love with a lack of chemistry. The plot was not well developed and arcs in the story seemed forced. It felt like an infomercial for acupuncture. While I enjoyed the multiple-cast narration, there were monotone parts and I felt my mind drifting.

2/5 Stars

Thank you Netgalley for the Arc of the Audiobook in exchange for my unbiased review.

A charming and cozy rom-com featuring some of my favourite tropes—fake dating, close proximity and celebrity dating. Chryssy, a love-cursed Traditional Chinese Medicine herbalist whose work heals the brokenhearted, agrees to fake date rock star cellist prodigy Vin Chao who, along with his fellow cellist brother Leo, are renown for being heartbreakers. Vin needs to cause another splashy tabloid heartbreak to sell out their next upcoming world tour, while Chryssy is launching a new tea business and could use the boost in publicity from dating a mega celebrity.
The story is told in dual perspectives alternating between Chryssy and Vin. This feel-good story was more of a slow burn, focusing on love, personal growth and healing. It did take me a little while to get through because the pace was quite slow, but the journey was worth it in the end. Bonus note: I adored Chryssy’s family.
The audio production of the book was done well. I always love a production with multiple narrators and Euinice Wong and Eric Yang did a fabulous job bringing Chryssy and Vin to life.

Loved the dynamic of the fmc and mmc.
This was a slow read from the beginning but it got a bit better as the story progress but all in all it was a nice read

Thank you @readforeverpub for the #gifted ARC of YIN YANG LOVE SONG by Lauren Kung Jessen (out Tuesday January 29, just in time for Lunar New Year). They also provided a copy of the ALC.It's a romance that is 1st person, dual POV.

Chrysanthemum (Chryssy) and Vin both have reasons to enter in a fake dating arrangement. Vin, a rock star cellists known for breaking hearts, needs to sell concert tickets for his next world tour. (Someone(s) at Forever must have a thing for cellists). Chryssy, a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, needs help promoting her family's upcoming tea line. However, this is more than the two of them falling in love, and navigating their feelings. It's each of them working through past heartbreak, trauma, and opening themselves to possibilities once they are able to see and feel things clearly.

This is now my favorite LKJ novel. Can we please get a story for Leo? If not a full novella, at least a bonus story? He deserves an HEA.

In regards to the audio, both Eunice Wong, and Eric (or is it Erik?) Yang are new/newish to me narrators*, though both have extensive audio credits. I enjoyed listening to them narrate, and they each brought just the right amount of worry and anxiety to their respective characters.

Love, curses, and new beginnings! This book was full of Lauren Kung Jessen’s signature Chinese traditions. I have learned so much from reading her books. I really enjoyed the focus on self care and ways to help fight stress and burnout.

I enjoyed the dual POV! It was great to get both Vin and Chryssy’s POVs! I thought the premise of a heartbreaker musician and a traditional heartbreak healer getting together was unique. I found all of the characters to be likable. I definitely enjoyed all of the different flower names in Chryssy’s family!

I recommend reading this book if you enjoy Chinese traditions, love, and clean romance. Looking forward to reading more from Lauren Kung Jessen n the future!

I read 33% of this and tried both audio and ebook versions and I was bored out of my mind the entire time. I felt no connection at all to the characters, and they didn't connect to each other either, which is all I want in a romance.

I'm so disappointed because I LOVED Red String Theory and was hoping to fall for this one as well.

Chrissy is flat and detached and cynical. Vin is flat and detached and jaded. They felt more like acquaintances, but they had such a tight rein on their emotions that the "romantic" parts just felt stilted.

The audiobook narrators did a good job with what they were given, but couldn't really improve on it. I didn't mind their voices but the characters were so flat there was no bringing them to life. They were just... there.

*Thanks to Forever and Hachette Audio for providing an early copy for review.

I didn't expect to love this book, but I actually didddddd! Like, it's awesome, very cozy, full of talk about teas and Chinese medicine. Packed with likeable characters and an undramatic, blooming - pun intended - relationship between a musician and a girl who wants to help others get over heartbreak. This was GOOOD. Vin is absolute bookboyfriend material, showing up for his girl when she needs him.

Thank you very much for the ARC to the publisher, the writer and Netgalley!

Such a charming closed door romance with authentic insight into the Chinese-American community experience. When main characters Chrissy Hua Williams and Vin Chao get together with some fake dating, they have to navigate not only their own insecurities and demanding work lives, but also for him, some issues with his ability to hold a relationship and for Chryssy a century old curse that prevents her from having a long term love affair. Their relationship is a slow burn and closed door, and to be honest, almost secondary to the exploration of the impact of the curse. This was an entertaining introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine and how helpful it can be - for not only physical illnesses but also emotions like a broken heart.

I loved the TCM and all the information about food and flowers and engaging with the natural world, along with the impact of stress on relationships and the importance of family.

I listened to the audiobook - so capably narrated by Eunice Wong and Eric Yang. They were both busy - especially with the female voices as they had to navigate Chryssy’s mother and three aunts. Eunice did an amazing job of both making them distinct and giving them expression - the aunties are quite feisty so she was busy! Eric Yang had both Vin and his broken hearted brother to wrestle with. The US pronunciation of ‘erbs’ and ‘erbal’ (with no ‘h’ sound) was jarring - especially when there were hearts and ‘erbs together. Also, wouldn't it be wonderful to have some cellos playing!

If I had a quibble it’s that Chryssy is all light and no shade. She’s beautiful, wise, patient, humble, thoughtful, loyal …. and on it goes. I was waiting for her character flaws to come into play but there weren’t any apparently, and she was so fond of the ‘teachable moment’, which wore a little thin. Vin had more nuance and more to let go of, so endearing!

Book: 🌟🌟🌟
Audio: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thank you Lauren Kung Jessen, Hachette Audio and NetGalley for the audio ARC. Opinions are my own.

Look, this book has a great message, but I had a hard time staying engaged in the story. I had a hard time believing that this cellist could be considered "famous" in the mainstream media and also to be known as this bad boy heartbreaker. I had a hard time buying into the whole 'curse' aspect and the narrator's voice was a bit too soothing. I loved the messaging towards the end in regards to the curse. A lot of times we believe a story that isn't always true and the story comes true because we believe it will. That being said I have liked this author's backlist and will definitely keep picking up her books. This one just wasn't for me.

Read if you like a fake dating celebrity romance with a dual POV.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this book!

Wow!! I could not stop listening to this audio! It had me hooked from the very first chapter! The narrator did great! Such great writing style!

Lauren Kung Jessen, the author you are! I am so glad I saved this highly-anticipated new release for a little Valentine’s Eve reading. It was impossible to stop reading! Chryssy and Vin, I adore you. I am a sucker for fake dating and the trope was able to really shine here. This retired elementary school cellist fell for the romance, story, humor, emotion, and prose. Thank you to NetGalley for the ALC!

I will read anything that LKJ writes. I love the way she incorporates Chinese culture into her books. As a first-generation Asian American, I loved being able to connect to her characters and relating to my culture!

The narrators for this book were perfect for their characters. Yin Yang Love Story is about Chryssy Hua Williams, an herbalist at her family's healing retreat, and Van Chao, a famous cellist. It's an interesting premise....she's given up on love + thinks she is cursed and he is a heartbreaker. So what happens?! Guess you'll have to listen and find out!

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio | Forever for the ALC of this title. I enjoyed listening to this book!

I love me the "fake dating" trope, so this was perfect! I truly enjoyed the musical metaphors throughout this. I also loved the family "curse" and how the family went about it. I think it was beautiful written and truly made me fall in love with the two main characters plus all of the aunties. It's beautifully done and a wonderful book! I loved that this had dual narrators to portray the male and female characters. It truly added depth and made me enjoy it even more!

I received this book in audiobook format from NetGalley and Hachette Audio (Forever) to listen/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.

While I enjoyed parts of this book, I have a few things that didn’t really work for me. I didn’t feel chemistry between the characters. Chryssy and Vin felt like polar opposites to their core and it was hard for me to imagine them working. I also had a hard time with the pacing, it felt very sporadic.

I thoroughly enjoyed the TCM aspect, and I thought Chryssy and her family were sweet together. The bit about her family’s “curse” was interesting. I would still recommend this book, it just wasn’t for me. I plan to read the author’s other books as well!

Yin Yang Love Song ☯️🏮🪴🎻🧋
5🌟
2🌶️

Yin Yang Love Song was everything to me. After reading “Not in Love” by Julie Soto last year, I wasn’t sure if I would ever love another music-based romance more- YYLS changed that.

I loved the relationship between the MMC and FMC, but I especially loved the relationships between Chryssy and her aunties. They was such a pure and familial love between them, and I really enjoyed that.

The background of musician/herbalist and how the stories came together between Vin and Chryssy was beautiful, and there were so many quotes that I loved.

I listened to this book on audio, and I absolutely LOVED the narrators of this book. Both Eunice Wong and Eric Yang gave a heartfelt performance that felt genuine and comforting. Both Wong and Yang have the perfect voices and inflections for narration, and I will definitely look for other books narrated by them.

I feel like there aren’t many romance books on the market right now that highlight Chinese culture and characters, so as a Chinese-American reader, I really enjoyed the diversity that Lauren Kung Jensen is able to bring to the table.

Chrissy works at an Inn with her aunties where they treat people using traditional chinese medicine and Wyn is a singer in a band with his brother Leo and they are super famous. Chrissy and Wyn decide to fake - date for both of their benefits and we all know how that ends.
I absolutely loved seeing the inn and learning about TMC and all the teas and flowers gave me absolute cottagecore-spring vibes. both of their respective family dynamics were well thought and written.
The mystery of the curse added the perfect amount of suspense.
I loved how sweet and adorable Wyn and Chrissy's relationship was. They were the perfect romcom couple. The third act of breakup due to the miscommunication was avoided and they actually talked to each other which made this book even better.
Talks of healing, slowing down, living your life instead of running constantly for a better future was so much needed in the era of hustle culture. It was a perfect spring romcom.

👩🏻‍💻 ᗰY TᕼOᑌGᕼTS: 3.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

This was a cute and cozy listen for me. I really loved the narrators. I think they did a fantastic job and it was super easy to identify different characters throughout their narratives.

The story itself was compelling for me, but there were moments of lull… and I lost interest. I felt the family curse could’ve had other implications… and it did seem a little silly that it went in for 4 generations. But that can also tell you how superstitious asians can be as well.

I enjoyed the banter between Chryssy and Vin, but honestly… I didnt really feel that chemistry too much. And thats why it’s more of a 3.5.

𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸…
🌺Fake Dating
🌺Grumpy Sunshine
🌺Fun Banter
🌺Family Curse
🌺Dual POV
🌺Mild Spice

I received an advance listening copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
——

I really enjoyed YIN YANG LOVE SONG by Lauren Kung Jessen. Fake dating is my favorite romance trope and this one really delivered. From start to finish the characters had amazing chemistry and I loved the aunties and all the family drama. Would recommend!!

This is a cute fake dating story between a Chinese herbalist and a famous cellist, and I really appreciated the inclusion of traditional Chinese medicine and culture. There were so many aspects that resonated with me as a Chinese American, especially the blending of both American and Asian cultures, burnout, and self-care. I also liked how the story explored familial pressures, overcoming fears, and breaking free from generational narratives.

That said, I had a hard time fully connecting with the romance. The pacing felt slow, and while I love a fake dating trope, the chemistry between Vin and Chrissy didn’t quite draw me in. I also found the plotline surrounding the curse a bit over the top, which made it harder for me to stay invested in their story.

I thought both narrators of the audiobook were excellent, which made the experience more enjoyable. While this wasn’t a favorite for me, I think readers who love lighthearted romances with strong cultural representation will still find a lot to appreciate in this book.

I enjoyed Lunar Love, so I wanted to like this audiobook but really wasn’t feeling it. It felt too on the nose, too cliche, and filled with too many flower references. I got tired of hearing about the damn curse. There was no character development and just didn’t draw me in.