I’ve yet to read a Lauren Kung Jessen book that doesn’t completely captivate and enchant me. this story was full of so much love, comfort, and tenderness. I always love the way I can learn of culture and experience through Jessen’s books, letting me learn and grow through the magic of a love story.

I loved this audiobook! the narration and production let me fall into the story so seamlessly, fully captivating me in the storytelling.

thank you so much for the alc!

Yin Yang Love Song by Lauren Kung Jessen is a charming book about the worlds of Chinese medicine and musical stardom colliding. Chinese herbalist Chryssy Hua Williams and her aunties run a special retreat for the broken hearted. One day she happens to run I to celebrity cellist and known heartbreaker Vin Chao.

Vin and Lauren strike up a deal that benefits them both, they will fake date. He will continue his bad boy heartbreaker image by "breaking her heart" which will also in increase ticket sales for his brother and him. In return he will promote Chryssy's business and line of herbal teas.

I listened to the audio book version of this book, and although I enjoyed it I think I would have enjoyed the physical book more as I would be able to read it at a quicker pace.

Overall this was an adorable book, if you like Hallmark style romance this book is for you! My favorite scene in the book is the firefly scene, I could picture it in my head and it sounded so amazing and lovely.

Thank you to Lauren Kung Jessen for sharing your book with NetGalley. I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

There's something so beautiful in the way Lauren consistently crafts romances that center healing that takes the readers on a path of discovering more about themselves just as the characters do. Chryssy and Vin were two people reluctant in love for various reasons yet bound to their familial legacies so much that they'd agree to a fake dating scheme in order to protect them. The contrast of Chryssy's independent will with Vin's borderline cocky exterior due to his reputation as a heartbreaker made this a story I really fell in love with. Both characters had more to them than what the outer world saw, and Lauren did a phenomenal job letting us get to know their other sides as they slowly let their guards down.

Eunice Wang and Eric Yang did an incredible job with bringing this story to life! They were very engaging and made the reading experience even better for me.

If you love slow burn romances featuring a great cast of characters, a bit of meddling, a generational curse, and fake dating, this one's for you!

I was hesitant to start this one as the other two books I read by this author were not for me but I liked the idea of the retreat center for the broken hearted and the musical aspect. The characters in this one were more relatable for me and I enjoyed getting to know Chryssy and Vin. The challenges with both of their business ventures added more to the story than just another meet cute turned true love and I particularly liked the struggles they had with where their musical careers were headed. I loved the Chinese traditions that were incorporated into the book but I feel like the cursed love lives seems to be overdone as I’ve read this in a few books now (is everyone cursed?) Otherwise, this is my favorite of the ones I’ve read by this author so far and it makes me more willing to try again.

Chinese herbalist Chryssy Hua Williams never actually believed in the Hua family curse until after Break-Up #9. Now she and her aunties run a special healing retreat center for the broken-hearted. After an innocent run-in with celebrity cellist and bad boy Vin Chao, they decide to fake-date, he’ll “break” her heart (and increase ticket sales), and in return, he’ll promote her business.

I expected more chemistry but their interactions felt so clinical at times especially on Chryssy's end. They would've been better as friends honestly. The female narrator's audio quality wasn't as good as the male narrator's but both did a great job.

Getting to know about traditional Chinese medicine was interesting. I also loved her family's interactions. How the issue of the family curse was resolved towards the end was beautiful.

Thank you to Netgalley and Publisher for an ALC in exchange for an honest review. It's out now!

Rating: 3.5⭐
Steam level: 2🌶️ Fade to black

This is a charming romance novel about a celebrity cellist and a traditional Chinese medicine chef. The stakes are low but the vibes are very sweet. There are A LOT of flower and musical references and puns all over the place in this which will grate on some readers.

I enjoyed that there weren’t any preposterous dramatic gestures and I particularly liked the representation of siblings going through stuff but still caring for each other.

It is very cheesy but wholesome. A lovely one off read.

Thank you NetGalley, for an audio copy of Ying Yang Love Song in exchange for a review.

I enjoyed Lunar Love by Lauren Kung Jessen, and I figured ‘Hey, it’s February, the month of love. Let’s give another Jessen title a try!”

I’m sad to say, I didn’t like it. The characters were flat, and I didn’t feel any of their chemistry. Thankfully the audiobook had a male and female narrator, otherwise the voices were so similar I’m not sure I could have kept the characters straight. The fake dating happened so fast, and there was no build up. It was like, BAM we like each other and were fake dating BUT OH MY IT CAN’T GO ANYWHERE.

As far as Romances go, this one was too bland/generic.

I will say though, the Chinese medicine and traditions in the book were interesting.

I absolutely loved the romance story in this book! The chemistry between the characters was so captivating, and the plot had me hooked from start to finish. It was heartwarming and full of emotions that felt real. While I personally couldn't relate to the family background as much, I can see how many readers might connect with it deeply. It's clear the author put a lot of thought into crafting those dynamics. Overall, it's a beautiful story of love, and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys a heartfelt romance

This is the first time I’ve listened to an audiobook and received an ARC of one, and let me tell you – it’s been a great experience! I had the perfect opportunity to dive into Yin Yang Love Song by Lauren Kung Jessen during my commute to university and while doing chores at home. The audiobook made it so easy to stay connected to the story, and I absolutely loved it.

Chryssy, a Chinese herbalist, and Vin, a famous cellist with a reputation for being a heartbreaker, are forced into a fake dating scenario that turns into something much more. I was hooked from the start with how their relationship evolved, especially with the family curse Chryssy carries and the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) elements that play such a big role in the story. The slow burn romance between them is adorable, and the chemistry is undeniable. Plus, I can’t get enough of the hilarious aunties! Their banter adds so much charm and warmth to the book.

I will say the pacing was slower than expected, but it really allowed me to savor every moment. The emphasis on self-growth, family connections, and healing was so refreshing, and the narrators, Eunice Wong and Eric Yang, brought Chryssy and Vin’s personalities to life so well. This is definitely one of those books that will have you thinking about it long after you finish – I can't wait to see what Lauren Kung Jessen writes next!

From the very first chapter, Lauren Kung Jessen’s “Yin Yang Love Song” had my heart blooming.
💐 Fake dating
💐 Forced Proximity
💐 Second Chance Romance (for side characters)
💐 Dual POV
💐 Closed Door Romance
Chryssy Hua Williams is cursed. In fact, all of the Hua women are cursed with heartbreak. So when life (or the curse) gave the Hua women lemons, they made lemonade. Chryssy and her aunties run an inn called The Wildflower Inn- a sort of wellness retreat for those suffering from heartbreak. The inn focuses on traditional Chinese medicine and Chryssy is an herbalist who is passionate about food and tea and in the process of launching her own family tea line called In Full Bloom.
All types of people find their way to Inn Full Bloom, including Rita Sharp an A-list actress. Rita’s stay at the inn obviously worked because Chryssy now finds herself at Rita’s Beverly Hills home for a child birthday party.
While prepping her, Chryssy finds her electric kettle is not working. She traces her extension cord back to the outlet only to find it unplugged by non-other than Vin Chao, of the world famous cellists duo known as the Chao Brothers.
That’s not all she finds. Chryssy’s keen sense picks up the Leo Chaos appears to have all the symptoms of heartbreak. This heartbreak is how the Chao Brothers find their way to the Wildflower Inn.
💐💐💐💐💐💐💐💐💐💐💐💐💐💐💐💐💐💐💐

Absolutely loved the dual POV in this story. Both of our MC have a lot going on personally/historically so it was really nice getting to hear if from their POV.
I really liked that even though there were some things that he was hesitant to when it came to TCM he wasn’t immediately dismissive of it at all. I think Lauren was really brave to take a chance on writing about TCM because people (ever our FMC’s mom) can often be so dismissive of it.
I have mixed feelings on the speed of this book. On one hand I really enjoyed all the time I got with these characters and on the other hand there did feel like there were some slower parts to it.
I really like when I can learn something new in a book, even if I’m just reading a romance book. There’s a plethora of little details about TCM in this book but also I found out about the synchronous fireflies of the Great Smoky Mountains. I definitely added that to my bucket list!
I liked how the curse was handled and the resolution we saw. I think it was the best fitting for how family oriented this book was. LOVED ALL THE AUNTIES!
This was my first Lauren Kung Jessen book but I’m gleefully adding her other books to my TBR list!
Between Lauren Kung Jessen and Julie Soto- they got me feeling a certain way about men with cellos. 🔥
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for this ARC; this review contains my honest opinion about the book.

I previously read an arc of this book and enjoyed it! I loved listening to the audiobook as well! The voice narrators added a certain element in the story of Chryssy and Vin!

Chryssy is a Chinese herbalist whose family has a curse - all the women in the family have no luck in love. She and her aunties run a retreat that specializes in treating heart break, since they have had their fair share. Chryssy is working a tea stand at a party when she runs into Vin, a world famous cellist who is famous for his many relationships. One thing leads to another and they end up deciding to fake date.

I really like Chryssy and Vin and enjoyed their love story. I did love the thought of the heartbreak retreat and the aunties were so fun! I did feel like it was a bit slow paced for me and the curse felt a bit cheesy. I enjoyed the music and Chinese herbalist aspect of the book. It was unique and made for an interesting part of the narrative. The audiobook was well done and I enjoyed both narrators.

Tropes:
* Fake Dating
* Famous Musician
* Forced Proximity
* Dual POV
* Slow Burn

3.5 stars

This was such a great listen and I really loved the details into flowers and how they used them to heal the body. The deep dive into their family history was fun to watch them discover together. Chryssy and Vin start dating as fake dating but what started fake quickly turned into some real feelings. We see both of their families and their "curses" and how they are trying to get past those. The romance between Chryssy and Vin was so sweet and their desire to be together even through their curses was so strong.

Vin is a famous musician and he’s in a band with his brother Leo, who is having a hard time at the moment since his very private relationship has ended. He can’t tell anyone that he was in a relationship and he can’t tell anyone that he is heartbroken.

Chryssy is an herbalist who helps heals broken hearts. She knows all about how to heal a broken heart as every woman in her family is cursed and will never find true love. They always end up with a broken heart. She meets Vin and she soon learns about Leo’s situation. She offers Leo to stay with her and her family so that he can heal his heart and live life more normally since Leo is currently not eating or sleeping very well.

How can Vin and Leo twist this story? No one can know what’s goin on in Leo’s life and the record company wants Vin to go through a very public break-up because with every break up equals more sales and sold out shows.

Chryssy decides that Vin and her will pretend to be in a relationship, go public with it, and then break up.

Will Vin and Chryssy be able to prove that they are in a “real” relationship? Will Vin and Leo be able to satisfy their record label’s request? Will Leo heal from is broken heart?

This was such a great listen and I absolutely loved learning about all the different flowers and local plants that help heal the body. As someone who really loves home remedies, I loved how detailed the descriptions were for the plants that were mentioned. I also loved the recipes in the back of the book. This story was so fun to read and I loved reading about Chryssy and Vin’s plan to solve it all!

This was a fun romance, with depth to it. I loved learning about Traditional Chinese Medicine and all the facets of it. I also really loved the musical aspect. I liked Chryssy's and Vin's romance (fake dating trope done well.) I loved how they worked through their own 'curses' and grew together. I was not a fan of the Curse in Chryssy's family. It ultimately felt too cheesy and overdone. Otherwise, an enjoyable audiobook with good narration (listened to at 1.75 speed) but limited in who I would recommend to.

This book follows two incredibly hard-working adults, trying to protect their family’s legacies. Chrysanthemum lives and works with her auntines at their healing retreat center, focusing on healing people’s broken hearts. Vin is one-half of a famous cello duo with his brother, Leo. They’re booked and busy, with a huge new tour about to start, but Leo is heartbroken and has fully given up.
When Chyrssy and Vin meet, there’s an instant spark, but they both know nothing can come of it. Every woman in Chryssy’s family has been cursed with a life of break-ups, and Vin’s whole brand is based around him being a heart-breaker. But that’s a perfect pairing for a fake relationship. At least, that’s what they tell themselves.
I really enjoyed this book, especially Chryssy and the aunties’ retreat that features traditional Chinese medicine. In almost every chapter, Chryssy was sharing information about a different traditional Chinese medicine practice, and explaining the reasoning behind it. Her bright and warm personality shone off the pages, and did most of the heavy lifting in this story.
Vin Chao was the big hurdle in this book. Here’s what’s important about Vin: he was a cello prodigy and is still a phenomenal cello player. He’s also he and his brother’s business manager, and is work obsessed. That’s really it. His reserved personality didn’t come with any hidden sides, just the burden of living out his parents’ dreams. Any chemistry he had with Chryssy seemed more friendly than romantic.
The plot was also slower than many romances, but I enjoyed the change in pace. I appreciated the side plots with Leo’s heartbreak healing and the mystery of the Hua family curse, even when they took away from the romance plot. The dynamic of the aunties cracked me up, and I enjoyed that both of Chryssy’s and Vin’s parents were also featured.
Overall, this was a fun read that felt cozy and inviting. Was it the best love story ever? No, but it was sweet all the same, and definitely had me rooting for their relationship the whole time. I think this is a great option for someone who’s looking to branch into or out of romance, since the romance elements are secondary to the story as a whole. Also, reading this will make you want to drink tea while listening to a cello playlist, so be prepared!
Thanks to Netgalley, Forever, and Hachette audio for the free advanced book & audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

What I found most interesting about this book was the setting: a sort of spa near Seattle that focussed on traditional Chinese medicine. Learning more details about that, and the vivid descriptions put me right in the scene, and it felt like a place I'd like to visit myself.

It was also a well-created audiobook. The two narrators were strong. I especially appreciate the fact that they took the ownvoices approach, particularly for all the Chinese terminology throughout the book.

What didn't work for me were the characters. They were all a little too thinly drawn to really form a connection with them. The aunties were almost indistinguishable from one another. And the love story between Vin and Chrissy felt a bit forced, and the emotional pay-off not earned.

This is my first novel by author Lauren Kung Jessen, and I liked its quiet, romantic feel, and its likeable main characters Chryssy Hua Williams and Vin Chao, and the quirky aunties and cousins in Chryssy's family.

Chryssy, formerly studying to be a doctor, now works with her relatives at the family herbalist and wellness business, which offers a healing retreat for those suffering broken hearts.

The family has no men associated with it, as the Huas feel that they are plagued by a curse, which ensures that none of them will ever experience long term romantic happiness with a partner. That none of them has managed to sustain a relationship only reinforces their belief in the existence of the curse.

Chryssy definitely believes in it because she has nine failed relationships, including a broken engagement. At an event showcasing their business, she meets celebrity cellists Vin Chao and his older brother. They are the Heartbreakers, and have tremendous fame for their playing, but also for the string of failed relationships in their wake.

Vin's brother is not doing well, and decides to go on a retreat to recover from his broken heart (from his last relationship). Meanwhile,Vin is annoyed that their manager wants Vin to start another Heartbreaker relationship with Chryssy, with whom he was photographed at the event, as this will make for good publicity and generate ticket sales for their upcoming worldwide tour.

Chryssy agrees, as long as she can use their dating to publicize the family business; so win-win, right? And it starts out okay, though the more they get to know each other, they realize that they're attracted to one another, but also really like and respect the other. Chryssy begins to worry about their upcoming Heartbreaker mandated breakup, as this is the most comfortable and satisfied she's been in a relationship.

Vin also inadvertently starts Chryssy and her family on a search to understand the root of their curse.

The main characters are cute, and though Chryssy is the more self-aware of the pair, both have a lot to learn about trust and working through issues in relationships. Vin seems pretty shallow at first, but as he also takes advantage of the retreat's offerings, he begins to challenge some of his assumptions, especially after a surprising announcement by his loving parents.

I liked how Chryssy's family tackled the curse, or what they thought was a curse. There was nothing magical about it, in fact, and instead based on misunderstandings of their family's past.

The story's pace was much more measured than I expected, and I liked the way traditional Chinese medicine was explained throughout the novel, and the perceived benefits. I also really appreciated the focus on wellness throughout the story, and the way Chryssy, and later Vin (and his brother), were striving for a balance in their lives.

The author used her characters to focus on confronting and dealing with assumptions and habits/traditions passed down through generations with the intention of finding balance and happiness in one's life. I was left both happy for where the characters find themselves by the novel's end, but also found myself peaceful and contented.

I went back and forth between the prose and the audiobook, and appreciated the talents of Eunice Wong and Eric Yang. Eunice's measured and calm tones immediately helped me picture Chryssy, while Eric's voice easily brought Vin's brash and somewhat sarcastic self to life. I liked the various aunties and cousins, particularly one of the elders, whose forthrightness was both a source of humour and sense.

Thank you to Netgalley, Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and Hachette Audio for these ARCs in exchange for my review.

Just finished listening to the audiobook version of Yin Yang Love Song by Lauren Kung Jessen, narrated by Eunice Wong and Eric Yang. Released last week it is just in time to get me in the mood for Valentine's! He plays the Cello, she practices TCM and runs an herbal tea business. He's known as a heartbreaker, and her family believes the women are cursed to never find true lasting love. After a chance run in it seems like they could help each other out by fake dating leading to a fake breakup. But does life ever go the way we expect it to?
The narrators did an excellent job at getting the feelings and emotions of this novel to really come through.
Definitely a 5 star read for me.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you @netgalley and @hachetteaudio for a audio review copy of this novel!

#audiobook #yinyanglovesong #valentines #romance #closeddoorromance #slowburn #fakedating #tcm #herbaltea #netgalley #justfinished #newrelease #cello #heartbreaker #cursed #everlastinglove

Thank you to Forever Publishing for the eARC and Hachette Audio for the eALC.

Yin Yang Love Song was definitely a slow burn.

Chryssy and Vin meet up at a party where they argue over who gets to use an electric socket. And since Vin is kind of a famous musician (love that he plays cello), the internet is all over a photo that gets taken of them. So they decide to use it to their advantage and start fake dating.

Their relationship has a very slow progression. They definitely start out as strangers and evolve to friends—which slowly evolves to lovers (although basically no spice, FYI). It felt a lot less about the romance and a lot more about the understanding of self and personal growth.

The side characters were fun and interesting and really made the story more fun. And all the information about Traditional Chinese Medicine was so educational and I wanted to learn more.

Overall, Yin Yang Love Song was a fun and quick read but I was hoping for more romance. But both narrators were top tier.