"And what is gravity but an invisible force pulling objects—oceans to the moon, you to the sidewalk, stringmates to stringmates—closer together."

On a fated night in New York City, Rooney meets Jack, and they click instantly. Rooney, an artist who anonymously goes by Red String Girl, believes in fate and the idea that each person is destined for someone else—a stringmate. Jack, an engineer for NASA, seems to have trouble coming to terms with the idea of faith and, instead, sides with science. Despite their differences in beliefs, they explore the city together, learning more about each other's experiences and families, and creating their own version and understanding of Red String Theory.

I was so thrilled about this eARC because of all the positive reviews I've seen about Lunar Love. Rooney and Jack were both loveable, and I think Lauren Kung Jessen created such a wholesome romance between them ❤️ Their story reminded me so much of Serendipity, and I was so giddy in finding out that it also happened to be Rooney's fave film 🥰 I liked the friendship turned love that blossomed between them, and really enjoyed their debates about fate, science, and love. I do wish there were more fluffy moments because I simply adored the two characters, but I understand the need to focus on other themes, such as family, identity, and the Asian-American experience.

This book overall was such a treat, and I can't wait to read Lunar Love (which I have waiting for me on my ereader) and more books by Lauren Kung Jessen in the future.

I love Lauren Kung Jessen - she is quickly becoming a new favorite author! I loved the Chinese-American main characters and the theme of "fate" throughout the book. This is a sweet rom-com to add to your summer TBR!

A feel good romcom with Chinese-American MCs you can’t help but fall in Love with.
Things I love
Fate vs science
Lovable characters
Opposites attract
Second chance romance
Made me cry
Such a sweet read

This one is reminiscent of Serendipity and Before Sunrise. Two individuals meet and have an amazing time with each other. Despite sharing their numbers, things go believably awry and they are unable to contact each other, never seeing each other until a project unexpectedly brings them together.

The idea of fate and being tied to one person is a romantic notion I loved a lot when I was younger. (I'm still a hopeless romantic but I'm also more cynical now.) It was cute to see a romance play out between Rooney and Jack, who are opposites. She says fate and he says coincidences. I was rooting for them.

While Rooney is falling in love, she is also busy trying to create a name for herself. I was sympathetic to her self-confidence struggles while trying to define herself as an artist separate from her mother, who is a famous artist. It allowed me to connect with Rooney as an individual character beyond just the romance.

Fans of Lunar Love and those who enjoy books where opposites attract may like Red String Theory. (3.5 stars rounded to 4 stars)

This was a cute rom com about a couple that hits it off when they first meet. They don’t end up finding each other again until a year later. Rooney is an artist that believes in fate. Jack isn’t quite sure he believes. This was cute but I didn’t quite feel enough chemistry between the characters. Lunar Love is still my favorite by this author. I will continue to read her books.

Thank you NetGalley and Forever publishing for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

As hard as it was for me to connect fully with the characters, I loved this novel. I adore the Red String Theory and this was a beautiful way to tell the story of it.

This was cute and cozy, but nothing special. Not memorable. That's all I really have to say about this book.

I’m so here for a STEM romance and an invisible string type theory, I adored this book and Lauren’s writing. Excited to see more of what they bring!

The delightful blend of romance and cultural learning sets Lauren Kung Jessen’s books apart. As I delve into her stories, I find myself immersed in an entertaining narrative and enriched with knowledge about Chinese culture. It’s a unique experience, learning something new while falling in love with the characters.

RED STRING THEORY weaves in a captivating Chinese legend: the red string of fate, which binds everyone to their one true love. The characters’ contrasting beliefs, some seeing it as destiny (Rooney) and others dismissing it (Jack), add an intriguing layer to the story. The adventures that unfold as Rooney and Jack traverse NYC to prove or disprove the theory are entertaining and leave you craving the delicious food they enjoy along the way.

I read and listened to this book, which is typical for me. Usually, I’m all for promoting both, but with RED STRING THEORY, I have to say I’m a book girlie. I was not a fan of the audiobook narration. I loved it when the narrators were Rooney and Jack, but it just didn’t do it for me when they were the side characters.

If you read Lauren Kung Jessen’s first book, LUNAR LOVE, you’ll be a fan of RED STRING THEORY. It’s a test of fate, yummy food, good banter, and Chinese culture, all in a cute romance.

Jessen's sophomore romance once again deals with Chinese traditions - this time, we explore red string theory, which is a principle of fate. Rooney is an artist operating anonymously who spends an unforgettable night with Jack, a NASA employee in New York. Although they have a connection, it's up to fate to determine whether or not they'd be together.
The art and space talk were cool! I think Jessen is really good at weaving these little details into her work. The red string theory premise (Rooney is a string artist) was fascinating.
Although the romantic night in NYC theme had me written all over it, it was by far my least favorite part of the novel. I didn't feel the chemistry behind their meet-cute.

I didn't love this as much as Lunar Love. I didn't get the art aspect; the red string on the Hollywood sign was weird to me.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

This was an utterly delightful read filled with charming banter that kept me thoroughly engaged. It beautifully employs the classic trope of fated lovers, as hinted at by the title. I found myself thoroughly immersed in the story and appreciated how well the pacing translated to audiobook format, enhancing my overall enjoyment of the experience.

the book follows Rooney, an artist who believes in fate and the Chinese Red String Theory, and Jack, an engineer at NASA. when they meet on a cold night in nyc, they don't discuss work or last names but they spend the night discussing how fate works. while Rooney believes fate will bring you what's meant for you, Jack debates that we make choices everyday to get us whete we are. although they exchange number, they don't end up speaking for months later sparking the question of how kissmet this union might be.

what a beautiful story with a great balance between what fate is and factual science and choices. Rooney and Jack were such soft and sweet characters. they were thoughtful of each other's beliefs and i loved reading them debate without being cruel to one another. it was also soooo refreshing to read about 2 asian leads!

thank you netgalley and Forever for sending me an ARC! make sure to put this one on your TBR for 2024! ✨

I really enjoyed this book. The red string theory of it all is so romantic and such a beautiful way for people to find each other again. I wish there was a tad bit more romance but overall a great read!

I really enjoyed this book! I just read Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham, so it was nice to have another book that talked about Lunar New Year. I thought the characters were fun to get to know, and I loved seeing both interact with other people in their lives. It was exciting to watch them grow throughout the story, and I loved thinking about fate and how it functions. The NASA element set it apart from other books I've read, which was exciting. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for this ARC!

I adored Lunar Love by Lauren Kung Jessen and the idea of a string of fate tethering us to our twin flame/soulmate is something that appeals to me, so I was very excited to read Red String of Fate. This book started off with great momentum and promise. I really loved the characters, the setting, the plot, the delicious descriptions of dumplings. I also love that Lauren's characters always have unique careers. It keeps things fresh and fun. However, I felt like the book's luster faded out towards the last half of the book and struggled to keep my attention. None the less, I still enjoyed the overall story and would recommend it for anyone interested in a closed-door romance set in New York that explores the idea of fate.

Red String Theory by Lauren Kung Jessen is a perfect breath of fresh air. It is sweet, romantic, and philosophical. Are we guided by fate to find our destined soulmate? Or is it a series of choices that leads us to one of many possible happy endings?

Rooney is a New York City artist and fierce believer in the red string of fate, an invisible tether tying her to her singular soulmate. She meets Jack, a NASA engineer, at a print shop and again later at a rooftop party celebrating the Lunar New Year. They launch a lantern into the night sky, then race to follow it through the city. Rooney is driven by curiosity, while Jack worries the lantern will spark a fire.

Creative, free-spirited Rooney and cautious, analytical Jack fall for each other over the course of one evening. As they weave through the NYC streets, they chat freely and openly, knowing Jack will be returning to the West Coast in the morning. Their night together is romantically bittersweet.

When they find each other again in LA as colleagues, their debate of fate vs. free-will is revisited. Together they set out to test fate in a scientific manner, through a series of trials. These tests just happen to give them reasons to see each other outside of NASA.

This is the perfect romance for you, if you like:
*Sweet rather than spicy
*Opposites attract
*Romantic yearning
*Before Sunrise, starring Ethan Hawk and Julie Deply

After being such a huge fan of Lunar Love, this was one of my most anticipated reads for 2024. It was a sweet second chance romance with diverse characters that had a unique way of blending fate and science. I was rooting for the romance and to see how it all played out with the later timeline. I think one thing that hindered me loving this as much as Jessen’s first novel was that after that initial magical night the characters shared, readers were hit with an abrupt shift into the new timeline and it was hard to adjust to that slow burn to get back to the magic felt during those first few chapters.

I’m looking forward to seeing what she releases next! Thank you Forever Publishing for access to the free arc in exchange for an honest review!

Short synopsis: Rooney and Jack meet in New York and spend a magical evening exploring the city, but when she doesn’t save his number right in her phone Rooney thinks she’ll never see him again. Until he hired RSG (red string girl) to do an art exhibit for NASA.

My thoughts: The premise of this was so cute, the meet cute was adorable and the night they spent in the city , and the second chance aspect was fun too. I liked how they connected, and their slow but steady growth.

I really liked the art aspect and Jack and Rooneys desire to better understand each other and their interests.

I felt like the middle moved a bit too slow for my taste, and I liked when Rooney finally wore something besides Red knitted clothing (it was referred to far too often).

The audio of this as perfection. I loved how the narrators told both parts of the story, it really brought a whole new element to the story.

Read if you love:
-Fate
-serendipity
-STEM/NASA
-Art

Lauren Kung Jessen is quickly becoming an immediately buy author. She writes such colorful stories with engaging characters! I absolutely loved her debut 'Lunar Love' and eagerly anticipated her second release. She has mastered the meet cute between her characters and writes men that make me swoon. They characters feel real in that they're not perfect - they struggle with family, persomal goals and trusting someone as they fall headfirst in love. That's what sells this for me. It's authentic and Jessen is able to bring so much levity to the characters and situations.

Thank you so much to Forever for the eArc!