The title and lovely cover art grabbed my attention right away,. When I think of “the red string of fate” it instantly brings to mind some of the most epic and “meant to be” love stories of all time. This is an engaging tale that I recommend for anyone who savors a happily ever after wrapped in a fanciful story. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Every book by Lauren Kung Jessen is a five star book! Adore her storytelling, how she creates world connections with people in small ways. Each moment in her books are full and intentional. I love how Lauren takes moment in her books to teach us about her culture and give us real world moments we can connect too. Red String Theory delivered and recommend to everyone to read!

DNF. I tried a few times, even by audiobook, to get into this one and I couldn't. Very unrealistic and said the word "fate" way too much. Plot honestly didn't not make much sense at all either and I didn't care for nor connect with the characters.

This was another DNF for me. I just didn't love the plot and characters enough to keep reading it. I loved Jessen's first book but this one didn't suck me in like the other one did.

Full review to come on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy.

Red String Theory by Laura Kung Jessen was such a captivating and heartfelt read! I was really drawn into the story of fate, love, and the invisible strings that connect us all. The characters were incredibly well-developed, and I loved how their relationship unfolded.

The book features several romance tropes, including:

- Fate and destiny
- Slow burn romance
- Opposites attract
- Found family
- A touch of magical realism

I really enjoyed the way the author weaves together themes of destiny and choice. The writing style was fluid and immersive, making it easy to get lost in the world the author created.

While there were a few moments where I wished for a bit more pacing in the middle, overall, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book. It’s a beautiful exploration of how we’re all connected, and it left me with a warm, hopeful feeling.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Well written, likable and realistic characters. I really enjoyed getting to know everyone and I especially loved the sneak peak back into Lunar Love. The Chinese folklore was fun as well. What threw me was that boom all of the sudden we're in love. Maybe I needed more steam??

I really enjoyed this sweet, wholesome, lovable contemporary rom-com! I love the juxtaposition used in the book by focusing on both science + fate; FMC, Rooney, is a string artist while MMC, Jack, is an engineer at NASA.

Great representation of Asian culture throughout the book with a strong focus on Chinese-American customs. And a beautiful love story, of course. Take note that it is definitely a more tame/wholesome romance, which really worked for this story.

This is the second book I've read by Lauren Kung Jessen, and I can certainly say I'm a fan!

This book has been on my Netgalley for a bit and I haven’t picked it up. I haven’t been into romance in a minute, so I’m not the right person to review it anymore.

I was a fan of Lunar Love by Lauren Kung Jessen, so I was delighted to receive an advanced copy of Red String Theory. It's an own voices novel that introduces the concept of the red string of fate from Chinese culture and mixes love and logic together with a splash of magical realism.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

I was one of the first people to read and review her first book, her second has been just the same level of amazing. Red String Theory by Lauren Kung Jessen is a captivating and thought-provoking exploration of love, destiny, and the invisible connections that shape our lives. The novel follows two characters whose lives intertwine through the concept of the "red string of fate," a symbolic thread that binds soulmates. Jessen weaves a beautiful narrative that challenges the idea of love at first sight while delving into the complexities of relationships, choice, and self-discovery. With poignant moments, lush prose, and an exploration of both the magical and realistic aspects of love, Red String Theory is a deeply reflective, enchanting read that stays with you long after.

I don't read romance much but Lauren Kung Jessen is becoming a favorite quickly. I love the realistic characters she creates A LOT. Very much liked the Art and Science angles here.

A wonderful story!! I ended up listening to the audio book and thought the narration was fantastic and really helped to draw out the emotional elements of the story, as well as the humour.

This was my first book by Lauren Kung Jessen and will definitely not be my last!!!

Another winner from @laurenkjessen 🫶🏻 The fact that I finished reading this during my move back to LA…FATE 😜 At first glance Rooney and Jack are opposites, even their take on fate couldn’t be more different, but if you look a little closer we start to see they have more connections than expected. I loved the different adventures/fate tests they embark on and how their red string keeps them finding their way back to each other. This book also made me really crave some ice cream! Can’t wait for Lauren’s next book 🙌🏻

This was a great opposites attract story with a cultural spin! I love the Asian representation of this book

The characters spent so much time apart initially it was difficult to read this or stay invested in it as a romance.

Jessen's "Red String Theory" is a delightful blend of romance and magical realism. The premise of soulmates connected by a red string is both enchanting and intriguing, drawing the reader into a world where love defies logic. The prose is lyrical and evocative, painting vivid pictures of the characters' inner lives.

Although some secondary characters could have benefited from further development, the central love story is beautifully crafted. The ending is a testament to the enduring power of love, even in the face of adversity, leaving the reader with a warm glow and a renewed belief in destiny. Thanks to Netgalley, Lauren Kung Jessen and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Forever, Grand Central Publishing, and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own!

A chance encounter finds dreamy artist Rooney and straight-laced scientist Jack on the same path and after spending a romantic night together, they think that memory is all they have. However, Rooney ends up being selected as the artist in residence at NASA for her annoymous work as Red String Girl and Jack just so happens to be the artist liason. The two work side by side and try to decide if their paths reconverging is science based by choice or a twist of fate.

I thought this was cute! I did enjoy the opposites attract nature of Rooney and Jack. However, I found myself getting bored and skimming at times. I almost think the NASA/science aspects of this book got too bogged down for me and I found myself spacing out. I do subscribe to the red string of fate theory though so maybe that's why I struggled with the opposite end of the spectrum in terms of belief. I also found this to be a bit too slow burn for me and I couldn't really wrap my head around the subplot of her mom and the Baby Being Born video.

I did appreciate the Asian American representation and I look forward to checking out Lauren's other books. I love that she seems to be really inspired by Chinese culture and I enjoyed the art aspect connecting with the red string of fate! This was a fun book nonetheless but I'm not sure how memorable it'll be after a bit.

So many good things in this one - closed door, communication!!!! Realistic reasons for being apart and that all balanced with a great meet cute, separation and reuniting. This was great and I loved the Chinese legend woven through (ha is that a string joke?) This was a great read!

This book was good, but I think there was just a bit too much NASA talk. I did end up skimming some parts because I wasn't interested in the extreme detail of it.

I loved the invisible string, fated love vibes however. That part was very fun, and very well done!