"I know that you're curious and smart as hell, that your eyes look like milk chocolate in the sunshine, that when you're not sure what to say, you bite your bottom lip.[...]I also know that my worries don't feel so heavy when I'm with you, and that your laugh is my new favorite sound."

Olivia Huang Christenson is finally getting the chance to take over her families chinese zodiac led matchmaking service. The pressure is definitely there to make sure the family legacy thrives with her... but it's not easy when there's a new app floating around that also uses chinese zodiac matchmaking. It's really not easy because its founder is Bennett O'Brien, the man she may or may not have flirted with and definitely is attracted to.

Now that she's deemed him the enemy, the two of them create a little competition... They each have to find each other successful love matches using their matchmaking respective services.

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A wonderful debut from Lauren Kung Jessen.

It took me a while to warm up to Olivia. With the competition, Olivia goes a little off the rails when she first finds out he's behind the app, and is rigid in holding onto zodiac matchmaking. The author does a good job of explaining why Olivia behaves like this, but it was still a bit much right off the bat. Bennett isn't without flaws too, but I found him a lot softer and more reasonable when it came to the business / competition between them. Regardless of their spats, I think they had really great communication and worked through this well together by the end.

The representation in this book was fantastic. Jessen made it so that we could step into this world, this culture, even if you're not a part of it. We get to see the family dynamics, the traditions, the food, and everything Olivia holds near and dear to her heart expressed through her culture and family in this book. I love that Olivia and Bennett had a shared experience of being half chinese and what that meant to both of them.

A great rivals to lovers story that brings culture and generational influence into the mix to create strong characters. Olivia and Bennett working past their business competition and falling for each other was so endearing, because they really could see and understand each other in such a unique way. The story was sweet, emotional, and a great time. I am so excited to see what else Jessen writes.

Thank you Netgalley, Forever Grand Central Publishing, and Lauren Kung Jessen for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

-4 stars

Ok this book was absolutely phenomenal i read it as a group read And so glad i had people to chat with about how amazing it was

I really wanted to like this book, but it just fell flat for me. The characters didn't feel realistic and to me the FMC reads young and lacks depth. I couldn't really connect with the characters or plot so it seemed to drag and repeat. I was also confused that the MC are in their late 20s/early 30s and are just now learning their heritage. I understand its a mixed family but the female main character is very very close to her Chinese family - why is she only learning marriage, death, cultural practices now?

It also felt like the motivations were shallow for the main character. In many cases she made decisions that affected years of her life on a split second decision without ever questioning them. As a personal pet peeve I also don't like deception plot lines - they feel childish and are difficult to resolve without anyone being at fault. So the whole fake dating at the beginning wasn't a great start for me. It also felt like there was constant waffling, she hates him, but then goes to the pitch meeting to support him, but she still hates him. It felt hard to follow how she felt about the MMC and why at any point in the story.

Lastly, the focus on compatibly, I think this might be a cultural misunderstanding but I could not wrap my head around why this was such a big deal to the FMC. I don't know if it wasn't explained well enough or if I just missed it, but it felt like it was supposed to be a huge deal and I just could not get why.

A lot of people seem to really love this book so I think this might be a case of it's me, not you.

I’ve never been very into any of the zodiacs or celebrated the Chinese New Year, which officially started yesterday, but Lunar Love was such a fun read that I had to celebrate a bit! I usually HATE the miscommunication trope, especially when people are hiding something from someone else intentionally, but this book actually did it in a way that didn’t bother me. The meet-cute moment, the banter, the inclusion of tradition and the zodiac, and the character development were just *chefs kiss* perfection.

Highly recommend picking this one up during the Chinese New Year celebrations now through February 5th!

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for an advanced copy; this is my honest opinion.

🧧Book Review🧧
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Summary: Always a matchmaker, never a match...
Olivia Huang Christenson is excited-slash-terrified to be taking over her grandmother’s matchmaking business. But when she learns that a new dating app has made her Pó Po’s traditional Chinese zodiac approach all about “animal attraction,” her emotions skew more toward furious-slash-outraged. Especially when L.A.’s most-eligible bachelor Bennett O’Brien is behind the app that could destroy her family’s legacy . . .

Liv knows better than to fall for any guy, let alone an infuriatingly handsome one who believes that traditions are meant to be broken. As the two businesses go head to head, Bennett and Liv make a deal: they’ll find a match for each other—and whoever falls in love loses. But Liv is dealing with someone who’s already adept at stealing business ideas . . . so what’s stopping him from stealing her heart too?
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Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
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My thoughts: thank you @readforeverpub and @netgalley for the advanced copy ! I enjoyed this one quite a bit but it was a flawed read. The culture and themes around the Chinese zodiac were so cool. I also loved the competing dating company ideas it was totally unique. I loved the family piece as well and the male main character was just fantastic. The female main character almost ruined the whole book for me. There were parts where I almost DNF because she was so irritating 😂it got better as the book progressed but in some parts I think she went too far in trying to take down his company. Overall a good book that could have been better with a more likable main character 🤷🏼‍♀️
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QOTD: what makes you DNF or not finish a book?
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#lunarlove #laurakungjessen #bookreview #bookrecommendations #bookstagram #booksofinstagram #booksofinsta #booksofig #bibliophile #booknerd #booklover #bookobsessed #bookworms #bookwormsunite #bookish #bookaddict #bookaesthetic #romancebooks #romancebookstagram #romancereader

Enemies-to-lovers, closed-door romance, with a little bit of making out on page; never really saw a good connection between Liv and Bennett. Found Jessen's prose to be a bit stiff and the characters inconsistent. There was a lot of telling rather than showing how Liv and Bennett were good together despite being "incompatible"-- Liv's stubbornness got a little irritating after a while.

I enjoyed reading this debut, which centers around the Chinese zodiac as a matchmaking device. Olivia owns an old-school zodiac matchmaking service, and Bennett is debuting a new dating app with a similar conceit. Can these two incompatible competitors find common ground?

My favorite thing about this book was learning more about the Chinese zodiac as well as Chinese American traditions. I also appreciated that it talked about how the zodiac and astrology are meant to be starting points in relationships, and not the end-all, be-all. Incompatibility according to the stars doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be incompatible in real life.

I did think the writing was a bit too stiff - the dialogue in particular didn’t feel very natural. And all the dating app stuff felt too optimistic, like the early days of Tinder. I’m way too cynical about tech startups to not cringe at a story like this in 2023, I’m sorry!!

This book was soooo cute. As a mood reader, I felt this was the perfect time to pick up this book (because of LNY weekend) and I’m so glad I did.

One of my favorite scenes was in the beginning of the book at the bakery, and when the first scene is good, I know I’ll love the rest of the book! I loved the whole concept of zodiac dating and I LOVED Bennett, such a good guy and there wasn’t a moment I disliked him, which is rare! 😅 The banter in this book was 10/10. I also loved the fact that at the end they combined both of their companies to create an app that showed what they both wanted from zodiac dating. The story itself displayed a great message as well. Overall, such a cute and quick read!

I loved this book!! Such a sweet, heartwarming story filled with enough banter and comical situations to keep it from feeling overly sappy or serious. I loved the concept of the rival companies and while Olivia could be a little stubborn at times, I didn’t think it took away from anything and just added a little more drama/entertainment to the situations. I love love loved the relationship with her Po Po and I teared up at the dance scene at the end :’-). So sweet and heartwarming. And on top of that, it really did touch on some more serious topics related to grief and identity. I definitely recommend this one and am so glad I picked it up. Thanks so much net galley for providing a e-copy!

unar Love is a sweet romance and is a perfect light read for this time of year. Our two main characters are Olivia and Bennett - who are both new to the business of Matchmaking. Olivia is set to take over her beloved grandmother's Matchmaking business called "Lunar Love", which bases finding you a love partner based on the Chinese Zodiac. Bennett is also using the Chinese zodiac in his new app, but doesn't believe that only traditionally matched signs are the root of a successful match. A classic "enemies to lovers" trope where Olivia and Bennett can't deny their attraction to one another. Both characters are mixed ancestry, and both love the traditions and food of their shared backgrounds. Will a "Rat" and a "Horse" find love? Read it and find out! Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced reader copy. The end of the book does have a description of the Zodiac animals, and a few. family recipes.

I'd give Lunar Love a rating of 4.25 stars. This book was such a unique love story that incorporated the history and traditions of the Lunar New Year. This would have been a 5 star read for me but I was a bit put off at the beginning when Olivia lies to Bennett to gather intel on the competition. I was, however, relieved when the ruse was discovered less than halfway through the book so the remaining of the book felt more real & honest.

This was a great read! I loved that this is basically the adult romance version of those rivalry romances you find in YA. It's steeped in the culture of the zodiac signs and the Lunar New Year. The romance used both the enemies to lovers and the strangers to lovers romance tropes, and there are a lot of complicated discussions about compatibility involved in the story. Overall, I loved the book.

🏮 Gung Hay Fat Choy! 🏮

Lunar Love is the cutest book! I loved this sweet enemies to lovers novel about rival matchmakers. I also love when I learn a lot about a culture and this one was fascinating.

Liv is the newest head matchmaker at Lunar Love, a matchmaking company that uses the Chinese Zodiac system to find lasting love. She has a lot of pressure to succeed, but it’s hard when dating is so easy (and cheap!) on dating apps. Things get even harder when Liv meets Bennett, the founder of a new dating app that is also using the Chinese zodiac symbols as their angle.

I loved every character in this book, but especially Liv’s grandmother Po Po. She was such a kind, wise lady and her family all looked up to her and her matchmaking skills. Liv put a lot of pressure on herself, but I like that she understood that she needed to modernize the company a little to stay competitive. Bennett was so swoon-worthy! I loved his ambition and that he really believed in his work. He had some family issues that he was working through and it must have been hard seeing how wonderful and tight knit Liv’s family was.

The food in this book will make you so hungry! I’m dying to try a mooncake and long life noodles. There are so many traditions both culturally and in Liv’s family, I really felt like I was a part of their family. I also love that it took place in LA; I thought the location was a fun change of pace.

Thank you so much to @readforever and @laurenkjessen for my gifted ARC

Wow, this was truly such a gem of a book!

Lunar Love focuses on Olivia, a matchmaker that matches based off the Chinese zodiacs. She meets another matchmaker, one that isn't as traditional as her method, one that she shouldn't be getting along with. But when a situation arises, Olivia finds herself at a cross roads between following tradition or her heart.

I loved every minute of this book! From the romance, to representation, it was a masterpiece!

I adored Olivia. She felt so similar to me, not only in her thoughts but her actions and culture. I found her lovable from the start and I really resonate with her character. I found that her interactions and thoughts about Bennett were so relatable too. I also really loved Bennett!! He is the perfect book boyfriend, and probably one of my favorite characters now. He was such an understanding, loving, and incredible person, and I think he was the perfect match for Olivia. The side characters were so incredible as well! I loved getting to meet all the members of Olivia's family, Po Po, Nina, etc., along with her friends and business partners like Alisha and Randall.

Overall, I would 100% recommend this book to anyone looking for a good romance with depth, and representation!

Thank you to the publisher, Forever, for my gifted copy. I also pre-ordered my own copy, and selected this as my Book of the Month option for January.

Olivia and Bennett are immediately in competition for the last cocktail bun when they meet. Later on, when they realized they have competing matching services, the competition only gets more fierce. Olivia has recently taken over the matchmaking business that her pó po started, which is based on traditional Chinese Zodiac approaches, while Bennett has an app and an algorithm to make matches based on the zodiac animals.

It's a book about the matchmakers being matched with nods to You've Got Mail (which means Sarah was going to love it)

I particularly liked how Liv's character grows through the novel. At the beginning, she's very much about tradition and following things to the letter. If you look carefully at the book in the background, you'll see that on paper, Bennett (rat) and Liv (horse) should not be a good paper match. So it's great to see how these two fall in love with each other. I absolutely love the banter, and the care that Liv put into finding dates for Bennett.

This is also a book about family, and being Asian/Chinese enough. While Liv is very close to her family, and grew up with her maternal grandparents she feels that she needs to put in even more effort to get the business to succeed because she is bi-racial. Bennett created this app to try and learn more about his Chinese heritage, as his mother passed away when he was a child.

Olivia is beyond excited to take over the family business - a matchmaking service that uses Chinese astrology to find the perfect partner for their clients. But when a new app with a similar approach threatens to take away business, she becomes very angry. Those feelings intensify even more when she goes head to head in a competition with the app’s developer Bennett, who happens to be far more attractive than Olivia cares to admit.

This was such a fun read! Two rivals at helping others find love, but are closed to love themselves, manage to find love in each other…what could be better? This enemies to lovers, workplace romance was filled with all the tension and drama. I loved how much I learned about Chinese culture and particularly the Chinese zodiac through reading this book. Also, all of the mentions of bakery treats had me feeling hungry! While this book is a romance, what stood out to me even more were the themes of tradition and the importance of family. There was so much woven into this story and the end result was beautiful.

Thank you to Forever Publishing for the advance copy.

Lunar love is a solid debut Romance that grapples with the intersection of tradition and modernity for Chinese Americans living in LA (queue Fiddler's "Tradition") The topic in question is matchmaking and our protagonist Liv is a third generation matchmaker based in Chinatown who uses the Chinese zodiac to pair up compatible matches. She is confronted by charming, numbers driven Bennett who has created a dating app (digital purgatory for singles - her words) that also uses the Chinese zodiac as one of its pairing tools. This has all the traditional tropey elements you expect: sabotage, miscommunication, enemies to lovers, third act break up, he falls first, etc.

I had a good time but not a great time with this title; however, I will be keeping an eye on Lauren Kung Jessen as I believe her work will continue to grow and strengthen to greatness.

Liv is thrilled to be taking over her family match making business but nothing is what it once was with the advancement of social media and apps. People used to look to professional matchmakers to find a love match but a new app is putting her traditional Chinese Zodiac matchmaking to the test.
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Of course, the man who runs this app just so happens to be LA’s most eligible bachelor and the man who almost stole her grandmother’s breakfast the day she met him. It’s no surprise that these two opposites can’t help but be drawn to each other no matter how much they fight it. Old school way of finding love or new age technology doesn’t always matter when it comes down to it. Soulmates have a way of finding each other even when you least expect it. One thing Liv and Bennett both realize is that love is totally unpredictable.
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Thank you @readforeverpub and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Liv takes over the family business that was started by her grandma (PoPo)They find matches based on the Chinese zodiac. But when a new app based also on the Chinese zodiac threatens the business, Liv goes on a mission to prove the traditional approach is better. The app creator, Bennett, and Liv make a bet to see who’s approach is better at finding love.

Thoughts:
I loved Liv’s relationship with her family especially her PoPo. PoPo knew her better than anyone else and acted as the “guiding” character for Liv, encouraging her to believe in love for herself as much as her clients.
Love isn’t just about compatibility of the signs but also welcoming change.

Cinnamon roll Bennett 👌🏼✨ Love him. He was sweet, endearing and he wasn’t afraid to challenge Liv. I wish we got his POV or even more of his story.

I loved Liv’s energy and drive to carry on the Lunar Love legacy. I found her a bit whiny at times. And I didn’t love the scheming parts but it was an integral part of the plot and the growth of her character.

I didn’t realize I would be learning so much about the Chinese zodiac, matchmaking and Chinese culture but I enjoyed it!
⭐️ 3.5/5

I absolutely loved this book! Romance takes centre stage and I loved all the states of Olivia and Bennett’s relationship, from the meet cute to the rivalry, and even the third act break-up. I felt their connection was so sweet and I couldn’t wait to pick this book up everyday to check in with this duo. I also really enjoyed learning more about the Chinese zodiac and different perspectives on compatibility.

I would definitely recommend picking up this book if you enjoy:
- Rivals to Lovers
- Chinese Zodiac
- Clean workplace romances
- Books that feature strong family ties
- Lots of tasty treats sprinkled throughout the book

This is the author’s debut novel and I can wait to read more from her! Thanks Forever Publishing and Netgalley for this gifted copy—it’s likely going to end up as one of my favourite romances of the year ♥️