This is an adorable twist on the fake relationship trope. As Vin and Chrissy navigate the good, bad, and ugly of the hand of life each other has been dealt. They navigate together and find what they are looking for in life and love.

I read Lauren Kung Jessen’s The Red String Theory last year and absolutely loved it so I was very excited for this new book, Yin Yang Love Song.

This one was also another great romance and it gave me similar romance vibes to Julie Soto and Jaycee Lee’s writing. Featuring an MFC that has given up on love due to what she believes is a family curse, she now focusses on her Chinese herbalist skills and her family run heartbreak recuperation business… until an unexpected run-in with a celebrity cellist makes her start believing and hoping for something to break the curse and allow her to finally have her happily ever after!

I listened to the audiobook narration by dual narrators, Eunice Wong; Eric Yang and absolutely loved this pairing. Eunice and Eric complemented each other perfectly and provided the perfect voicing in characterization for both their characters, Chryssy, and Vin. The flow between the chapters narrations went smoothly, and each narrator provided great voicing and characterization to the associated side characters.

Chryssy is a Chinese herbalist that never believed the family curse, but when she and her female family members keep racking up heartbreak after heartbreak, she starts to consider the possibility. As an herbalist at a healing retreat with her aunties, Chryssy sees all of the heartbreak and help them with her special tea blends. After a run in with the notorious heartbreaker cellist, Vin, rumors start to circulate that there might be more to their meet cute.

Vin has a bad boy reputation that practically sells all the concert tickets. After he and Chryssy make headlines, Vin offers her a deal that she cannot refuse. They fake date up until his tour & break up (for the ticket sales) and in return he promotes her business. Win-win, right? All it takes is one ‘staged’ kiss and a mess of unexpected chemistry to leave them in quite the predicament.

This novel was so cute and the audio was great! It was very intriguing reading about how TCM is used and even more so in the authors’ note.

Some of the flower & music references were a little too on the nose for me, but I really enjoyed the plot, relationship, and tension!

It was OK. I didn't love it and was ready to get through it. The premise of the story sounded promising but I got bored. I found it was kind of repetitive and I was having trouble keeping everything straight with all the flower names. I enjoyed the alternative medicine methods as well as the tea stuff and the music references but overall it just didn't do it for me.

Fun little fake dating to lovers! I appreciated the diverse cast of characters and fun flower references! Quick & glorious listen. Also loved the dual narrators - incredibly emotive.

This book didn't do for me what I was hoping it would do. I was looking for Practical Magic vibes, and definitely didn't get them. The set-up suggests some modern fantasy or at least a little magical realism, but really all the curse seems to be is a family of women who tank their relationships and blame it on a curse. Her mom leaves her dad crying, and blames it on the curse. She completely changes her entire life goals and drops out of med school, and then blames her break up on the curse. You completely changed as a person, why would the med school fiancé stay with you when you are not the person he dated? And then the 35 year anniversary weekend nonsense... don't get me started. This whole book felt like it was written by someone who doesn't like relationships and doesn't believe in happily ever afters. It was a drag to read.

A very cute book. A little adventure, family lore, and love of course. Love when the author does her research and translates it into the book. Filled with so much fun! I love listening to this authors audiobooks but the books come off as a little slow. Still a fan of this one though!

Chryssy, a Chinese herbalist, meets Vin, a violinist, when Vin's brother needs to recuperate and does so at her family's retreat. Their close proximity lent itself to the two spending a lot of time together, sparking attraction along the way. When fake dating will give both their careers a boost, they're all for it. Little did they think fake would turn real. This story really pulls you in, especially while listening to narrators Eunice Wong and Eric Yang. The characters talk about generational expectations and the lengths they have to go through to please their families. Asian families typically have ultra high expectations for their children, which is measured by their success. The narrators brought out every nuance and emotion of each character and helped to craft a beautiful story of love and individuality.

I received an advance copy of this book at my request and voluntarily left this review.

✨ Review ✨ Yin Yang Love Song by Lauren Kung Jessen, Narrated by Eunice Wong & Eric Yang

Thanks to Forever, Hachette Audio, and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

Chryssy, a Chinese herbalist, specializes in healing heartbreak. Vin, one half of the Chao Brothers, a violin/strings/rock duo, brings his heartbroken brother to Chryssey and her aunts for healing. While he's skeptical of what they have to offer, he stays to support his brother, moving into Chryssy's two-room cabin with her. Quickly, they start spending time with each other, and realize they could benefit from a fake dating arrangement. Chryssy and her matrilineal line have been cursed in love -- she’s forced to confront her fears while Vin explores what he really wants from his life and his career.

The book celebrates Traditional Chinese Medicine, tea-making, herbalism, and so many amazing sounding foods. It blends lots of my favorite tropes including forced proximity, fake dating, grumpy sunshine, and more!

The book dragged a little bit for me, moving slower than some of her other books (the middle one in the series I think was my favorite), but overall, I enjoyed the ride!

🎧 I loved the audio - it was the perfect amount of immersive character development and great narration.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Genre: contemporary f/m romance
Setting: rural Washington state
Length: 11 hours 3 minutes
Pub Date: Jan 28 2025

Read this if you like:
⭕️ holistic healing from heartbreak
⭕️ learning from about Traditional Chinese Medicine and herbalism
⭕️ fake dating romances
⭕️ classical + rock music mashup

3.5 ⭐️
Thank you NetGalley, Hachette Audio, and Lauren Kung Jesson for providing me with this copy.


Lauren Kung Jessen’s Yin Yang Love Song is a heartwarming and emotional exploration of love, identity, and self-discovery. Set against a backdrop of cultural expectations, personal growth, and familial obligations, the novel intricately weaves the lives of its characters together as they navigate the complexities of relationships and finding themselves along the way.

The story primarily follows Leo, Vin, and Chryssy. Leo and Vin are two characters who are bound by the weight of their reputations, constantly trying to uphold an image that doesn’t necessarily reflect who they truly are. Their internal conflict of living up to expectations versus following their authentic selves is poignant and relatable, making them incredibly sympathetic characters.

Chryssy, on the other hand, is the epitome of selflessness. She consistently puts the needs of others before her own, making her one of the most likeable characters in the novel. Her kindness, however, isn’t without its own complications, and her journey of finding balance between caring for others and caring for herself is a central theme that resonates deeply throughout the book.

The dynamic between the Chaobreakers and the Hua family adds another layer of richness to the narrative. Both families are at odds initially, but as the story progresses, they begin to help one another navigate their challenges. This interplay of cooperation and mutual support forms the foundation for the novel’s underlying message about the power of love, community, and understanding.

Jessen masterfully captures the idea that love is not always smooth sailing—it’s often messy, complicated, and requires growth. The way the characters learn to trust each other and themselves is both beautiful and inspiring. The novel's charm lies in its ability to depict real love: it’s not perfect, but it’s worth fighting for.

Ultimately, Yin Yang Love Song is a celebration of love in all its forms—romantic, familial, and self-love. The characters' personal growth and their ability to reconcile their identities with the expectations of those around them creates a compelling narrative that will stick with readers long after they finish the book.

If you’re looking for a sweet, emotionally driven love story that touches on themes of growth, identity, and overcoming obstacles, Yin Yang Love Song is a must-read. Lauren Kung Jessen has crafted a beautifully heartfelt story that will leave you believing that, with the right support and understanding, love really can find a way.

Overall, I would give this book 3.5 stars, will round up for this one due to the nostalgia. There were certain parts of the book that I really enjoyed, character introspections, relationship conflicts, traditional Chinese medicine, and other parts that I really didn’t care for, fake dating and the family curse. While I liked Chryssy and Vin, I had a hard time really connecting with their characters. I liked Chryssy as a character, her change from med school to TMC, her work ethic, and her compassion for others. One part that I really enjoyed was how Vin and Leo had to hit pause on their lives and really slow down to take inventory of their lives, to reassess, and decide how they want to move forward. Sometimes we get so lost in our dreams/goals that we lose sight of the bigger picture. The whole family curse was essentially a big self-fulfilling prophecy, whether it was for the lack of trying or just having something to blame for a failed relationship. I enjoyed the holistic approach to mend heart break, among other things like Vin's wrist. Certain things reminded me of how I grew up and the things that my parents told me growing up, so it was pretty nostalgic at times.

Thank you Netgalley and Hachette Audio for the advanced audiobook!

Format: audiobook - Eunice Wong and Eric Yang did an excellent job.

The narrators did a great job at bringing this unique, cultural story to life! I was full invested in each character through their voices. I thoroughly enjoyed her writing style as poetic with musical and nature metaphors and references throughout. The focus on heartbreak as a symptom that affects the entire body and the immersion into herbal medicine and healing practices was interesting and unique.

Thank you to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for the audio ARC in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.

A fake dating trope with a dash of magic, that weaves in Chinese traditions.

This was truly a fun book. Two non believers in love come together with a spark that ignites a plan for helping them both out of a funk.

A beautiful reminder that magic is all around us. Additionally a great play to remember to not be afraid to question family beliefs in a respectful way.

The Audio was nicely done Eunice Wong is a star. It took mw a while to align with Eric Yangs vocals with the character, but by the end it was good.

Being an Asian-American and enjoying prior books by Lauren K Jessen, I was very excited to hear about this release. I was fortunate enough to receive a copy and an audio file of this book and I was beyond excited.

Yin Yang Love Song is about Chryssy and Vin's connection. Chryssy is an herbalist who specializes in healing. Vin is a famous, professional cello player. They meet at an event and are brought together by a fake dating proposal. During their time to get her, they teach and grow from one another. I love the conversations between the two. The way to go from being strangers to learning about one another in a short time is wonderful and yet not over the top.

Thank you for the copies, this is my honest opinion. Please be aware of any trigger warnings, as your mental health is most important.

I love Lauren Kung Jessen. Her stories give me exposure to Chinese culture, while having the fun parts of a romance story. I love the familial aspect of this book, as well as the medicinal part of the main character. It was a good story

I thought this was a fun listen. Chryssy is a serious entrepreneur who encounters “heartbreaker” Vin. Their meet cute was sweet and their fake dating led to an interesting story. I enjoyed both narrator’s. I especially enjoyed the message of examining our beliefs and finding the balance in life. The story also explored herbalism and I thought that was intriguing.
This was my first by this author, but I’ll definitely be checking out others. Thank you to Forever for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was so cute!! Lauren Kung Jessen always writes the most comforting, vibrant romances, and I always love her books! Yin Yang love song was no exception with its swoony romance between Vin and Chryssy and I loved the Aunites! I will say it was really heavy on information about TCM, which I loved learning about! But I would have loved a few more romantic moments between Vin and Chryssy added in. But overall, such a swoony, sweet story! The audiobook narration felt a little choppy at times, but I loved both of the narrators voices.

As a huge fan of Lauren, I felt like I was waiting forever for this book lol And it was so worth the wait. Idk how to explain it. The contemporary fantasy was cool but I also really liked the way she incorporated the Chinese customs like the herbs and acupuncture. This whole series has showed me so much about their customs and beliefs and it’s been exciting to learn about.

So part of the reason I love this series is the things I’ve learned and researched more of. I’m definitely not a huge fan of tea, so I didn’t know any of the things that she was doing or trying when someone was experiencing heartbreak. So of course I went on a Google hunt to figure out all the herbs and what an herbalist did. And it was pretty damn impressive too. And the acupuncture was also interesting too. I’ve been pretty scared of it as well because I just didn’t understand how more pain was supposed to stop more pain? But reading about the specific science of it actually made me look more into it. This is why I love own voices books. They always teach me more about people and customs.

However, the romance in this one was so good! Yeah it was her normal make the hero not believe in the heroine, but somehow this seemed different? Idk it just didn’t seem like it was necessary for him to be SO against it. But watching him change into believing her and loving her was so sweet. The romance itself is pretty tame, but still very sweet nonetheless. I do think I laughed more than swooned tho. And I think this was my only complaint about it. I liked them more as friends I think. Even when it got to the spicy parts, it still felt weird. But idk that’s just me.

This was a sweet romance that I hope isn’t the ending to this series. I hope that there’s more. I know there’s more to learn about this culture and I need more of Jessen’s love stories. I really hope there is more. It’s almost guaranteed to be a lot of fun.

I absolutely adored Lunar Love so I had to check out Laura’s newest book. The fake dating trope was done well but it was a very slow burn. I wanted more banter and happenings like Lunar Love. While this one was ok for me I will still read anything Lauren writes

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC! This one was a solid 3 stars for me… I really enjoyed the first half, but by the second half the story felt very repetitive and slow. I just kind of wanted to story to …. End.

I loved the premise of fake dating but it didn’t last long at all! The pacing of the story felt too disjointed and with that, I feel like a lot of their story was lost. I don’t feel like I got to really watch them get to know one another.

I appreciated the emphasis on rest and truly loved both Chryssy and Vin! They were great main characters and I would’ve loved to see more of their chemistry.