I read Yin Yang Love Song toward the end of January, which capped my month off so well considering I began with Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookstore. Both books have such a theme of burnout, which given where I am in my life, felt so relatable. Maybe sometimes too relatable. Anyway, all that to say, this book is about Chryssy, who quit med school and is now working at an inn her aunts run where they use Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to heal heartbreak. The thing is, her family genuinely believes that the women in the family have been cursed to never have a successful romantic relationship. Meanwhile, Vin is a professional cellist who plays rock covers with his brother, who is currently dealing with a heartbreak. The two of them are caught in a photo that makes it look like they're more romantically involved than they are, but the two of them decide to seize the moment and use the public's interest to help sell tickets for Vin and Leo's tour and to promote the new tea line that Chryssy and her aunts have created. This romance truly does feel like it's about healing. So if you are into a healing narrative, this gives that vibe, but with a cohesive storyline and not in almost vignette form. Overall, I really enjoyed this one, I just wish I hadn't dragged it out so long. I always enjoy a book more when I sit down and read it in one or two sittings, but that's on me. What I'm getting at though is that I absolutely think you'll enjoy it if the things I've mentioned sound appealing!

Somehow I unintentionally picked up three books in a row where a musician celebrity falls in love with a regular girl and the paparazzi creates drama. What are the odds?

The other two were somewhat similar, but YIN YANG LOVE SONG certainly stood out. I loved learning about Traditional Chinese Medicine through Chryssy's profession, and I loved the bit of family curse/mystery that added some depth to her character.

As one might expect from the title, Chryssy and Van are opposites. They compliment each other beautifully, and their love story comes together in a beautiful way.

If I remember correctly this book is set on Whidbey Island. I've visited Whidbey multiple times, so loved this setting. I loved the little Easter eggs from LKJ's previous books, too.

2.5 stars
Though I had never read a book by Jessen before, and I was so completely captivated by the TCM element to this story that it made my list of most anticipated new romance books of 2025. And honestly that is the best part about this book. As an acupuncturist myself, I loved how she sprinkled in aspects of TCM theory, information about qi and acupuncture points and how people use the medicine. I would totally book a trip to her Inn if it existed in real life because Jessen made it sound like the most perfect oasis of self care. But while I really enjoyed that aspect of the book, that is where my enjoyment ended.

As a romance book lover, I’m of course all about the central love story but I felt like this was really lacking. It seemed more like a cute women’s fiction story that also dealt with a musician on the side. There was no chemistry between Chryssy and Vin nor a really sweet slow burn which is where I thought it was going since nothing was happening between them in the first half of the book.

Even the fake dating aspect of the story got lost for me as they really didn’t date or get to know each other. Sure there were some interesting events thrown in throughout the story but they didn’t really build on their relationship. I needed more interaction between them to buy into any time of love connection but the story about the curse and his issues with his music career overshadowed anything between them for me.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

At first I wasn’t too engaged in it, but as their relationship developed, it became more of an introspective read. Growing up Chinese, my dad used a lot of TCM for his ailing, and I saw the benefits the medicine had on him. This book made me reflect on how I viewed the stages of changes a relationship experiences.

One quote that stuck out to me the most was “The fading light overhead exaggerates the lines in Dad’s face. The deep crow’s feet, his prominent forehead wrinkles, his hair grayer than it is brown. It’s not lost on me how much older my parents look, and when the time between visits increases, there are new details to add to my memory of them.” This quote lowkey broke my heart because it really put things into perspective for me about my parents. I’m a flight away from them and I try to go back 2-3 times a year, and every time I go back, I see them age a bit more despite it being a short time in-between. The changes are more prominent when you don’t see them everyday. It’s a reminder to me to stay grounded and to cherish the moments that you have with those around you.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this e-arc!

This was a cute book but it felt slow. I loved the take on flowers and TCM!! I loved learning about flowers and their medicinal healing qualities, about Qi and rest and acupuncture. Honestly just a great showing of the heritage, culture and healing of TCM. The frequent point that we are the biggest change needed in that we need to choose our health as a priority *chefs kiss because she’s right! The curse breaking was done well but not a main part of the story and I felt if it hasn’t even been mentioned the story would have been fine. I loved our two mains. Vin was especially fun as we see him surface level and as he starts healing and setting boundaries we really get to see him in depth with all his layers. Chrissy with her knowledge and constant confidence and ease wa sa good counterpart to him.

I didn’t like the dual POV in this one particularly. The switching just took me out of the story rhythm too much to appreciate that we even got it.

Overall a cute love story with real implications about healing, putting one’s self first sometimes, asking for what you need and familial/generational struggles that need to be helped or put aside.

Lauren Kung Jessen does a really nice job with this sweet romance. I feel as though I consistently have the same feeling about her books, though, which is that the characters feel younger than they are supposed to be, and they are a little bit flat. There is a nice story here with the romance, the curse, and the family connections, however.

Totally different genres, but this book reminded me a lot of A Psalm for the Wild Built by Becky Chambers. So many people talk about Psalm being like a warm hug, a cup of tea, a therapy session, permission to do less etc etc. Yin Yang Love Song felt very similar, but contemporary romance instead of robots.

Sadly, Psalm did absolutely nothing for me, and I had a lot of the same disconnect here. A lot of time is spent with gentle, patient explanations about how harmful burnout can be, and how it’s okay if you don’t want what you thought was your dream anymore etc etc, and I’m just never going to be the audience for that.

I did really like the fake dating without any enemies-to-lovers aspect, and a MMC who’s a bad boy rockstar cellist is kind of goofy but in a fun, charming way. The loving family Chyrssy has, particularly her aunts was my favorite part.

My first Lauren K. Jessen book but definitely not my last. This book was a total delight and had me smiling the entire time. Chryssy & Vin’s story was sweet and gentle, full of beautiful dialogue and an incredible nod to Asian families. Lauren’s writing was so approachable and lyrical - a story about a cellist (Vin) who ends up taking a much-needed break with his brother at Chryssy’s family’s retreat, this book had gorgeous writing that wove in elements of musicality throughout.

This was a slow buildup of tension. Chryssy and Vin initially have preconceived notions of each other (and start their relationship off bickering) but they develop a friendship and mutual respect that becomes such a beautiful love story. This was sweet and gentle, and honestly the kind of romance I needed - something that took its time and literally stopped to smell the roses.

The Hua family curse that Chryssy is fighting against was such a fun backdrop to this story and allowed her aunts & mom to shine as secondary characters. There was a magic throughout this in the way Traditional Chinese Medicine and herbalism was brought into the story, and it gave this an almost poetic feel throughout.

I loved the lessons of slowing down and taking stock of what your body needs. I loved how supportive Chryssy and Vin were of each other. I adored how sweet and funny and palpably cute their dialogue was - it was refreshing and heartwarming.

This book was about healing and living for yourself in the moment and being present. And it was just my cup of tea (sorry, I couldn’t help it).

Thank you @readforeverpub for this early review copy!

This was a heartfelt fake dating romance featuring Chryssy, a traditional Chinese herbalist who strikes a deal with cellist Vin to pose as his girlfriend to promote his new album, let him break up with her and in exchange he'll help promote her family's heartbreak healing retreat. With a family love curse, family secrets and great chemistry, this book taught me a lot about traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and the ways it can benefit burnout and stress/anxiety. Good on audio and perfect for fans of authors like Roselle Lim. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

Yin Yang Love Song is a rom-com full of Chinese rep.

The main characters are Chryssy and Vin. The book has alternating male and female POVs.

She is a Chinese American herbalist, Traditional Chinese Medicine chef and acupuncturist who lives on an island in Washington state. She runs an inn with her aunts. And they are starting a flower tea line. Her family is cursed. The women in her family are doomed to never find lasting love.

He is a famous musician, a rock cellist, who with his brother make up the duo the Chao Brothers. He is known as the Heartbreaker and has the reputation of constantly breaking women’s hearts.

I really liked both Chryssy and Vin. I loved seeing her work with her aunts. And I loved that he was a celebrity musician. Both of their jobs added so much to the story. And the curse part was enjoyable.

I was totally obsessed that every woman in Chryssy’s family had a floral name. Every woman is named after a flower that has relevance in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). She is Chrysanthemum. Her aunts are Violet, Rose and Daisy. Some of her other family members are Marigold, Primrose, Peony, Clove, Poppy, and Jasmine.

I absolutely loved the Chinese rep in this book. The romance was fun. However I did have a bit of trouble telling whose POV I was reading. I got confused multiple times and had to check to remember whose POV I was reading.

Overall this was an enjoyable romance.

Chrysanthemum and Vin start fake dating, but as it slowly becomes more, will her family curse, where the women in her family will end up alone cause them to breakup before they even begin? Will Vin’s reputation as a heartbreaker cause the heartbreak herbalist to need to fix her own broken heart?

A family curse, strong and interesting women characters, cellists who are rockstars and traditional Chinese medicine make this book so interesting and different. The women characters like their flower names all bloom and grow in so many different ways.

Have you ever had a book find you at the perfect time? Yin Yang Love Song did that for me. This ARC arrived to meat a moment where I truly needed to hear the message behind this story. I’ve had some scary physical health symptoms arise due to stress, so when I say I needed this book, I truly did. Yes, this is a beautiful love story, but at its heart it has a message about slowing down, taking care of yourself and giving yourself the time and space to heal, and about being okay with life going in unexpected directions. Lauren Kung Jessen has an incredibly beautiful way of writing and this story spoke to me on so many levels. This book has so many magical nuggets of wisdom swoon-worthy moments I simply couldn’t put it down. I can’t say enough good things about this book - it is one that will stick with me for a while and I can see myself coming back to it in the future. I adored every moment of reading it and am so thankful for the opportunity to read an early copy. Thank you Forever Publishing and NetGalley for the advance copy.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book. The research that went into the book is well displayed on the pages with the amount of details that were provided for TCM and stringed instruments. I loved learning about both of these things. I enjoyed the cultural elements that were beautifully captured and intertwined into the plot. The characters had great growth both personally and as a couple. However, something was missing in the pacing of the story for me and I can’t quite pinpoint what it was. The story felt very slow paced yet rushed. The romance element seemed a little off as well as the characters do most of their romantic growth off page. Overall would recommend to others.

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing). I'm voluntarily leaving a review, and all opinions are my own.

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Asian Literature, Chick Lit
Language: A few F-bombs with a smattering of other profanity
Spice Level: Fade to black

YIN YANG LOVE SONG opens with a great set up with two brothers who seem to be polar opposites, and Chryssy is focused on her business because she won't go for love again. not when the family curse has bit her over nine times.

I loved the flowers in the tea, the family dynamic of Chryssy's family, and the conflict with Vin. It was so delightful. I also loved how Vin and his brother were working at finding a new rhythm with each other.

You might find this funny, but I was so distressed by the love interests' parents and their relationships. It stirred a pot of emotions! I think this could be seen as either a negative or a positive. Why do we read romance? For hope, romance, relationship therapy, and love. I WANT to believe that TRUE LOVE lasts forever!!! With that said, I will reassure you that this is a love story that fits fully in the romance genre.

Contemporary romance readers will enjoy this book.

Happy reading!

Thank you to NetGalley, Forever, and Grand Central Publishing for this advanced copy! You can pick up Yin Yang Love Song on January 28, 2025.

I love how Lauren Kung Jessen tapped into a quieter and softer love story with Yin Yang Love Song. Rather than focusing on specific tropes and caricatures of characters, we see fleshed out protagonists with complicated lives and motivations. Chryssy is closed off to love because of her family's traumatic history with breakups and love lives ending (due to a familial "curse"). Vin is a workaholic musician who never slows down and never invests true time and energy into a relationship, earning him the moniker "heartbreaker."

When their paths cross, Chryssy and Vin enter a fake dating relationship that they believe will be mutually beneficial (okay so there's at least one big trope). But Lauren Kung Jessen spends a significant portion of the book showcasing the wonders of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and how slowing down can benefit our lives in the longterm. Through Chryssy and Vin, we see so much of our own lives and relationships reflected back at us, our own insecurities and worries spelled out before us. It felt almost soothing to read this book as Chryssy explained the benefits of different herbs and blends and plants to Vin as they grew closer and closer. It was relatable when Vin talked about burnout and how much his body felt effected by it.

Chryssy's relationship with her aunties was also beautifully depicted and showed how this was as much a story about familial love as romantic love. Generations of women were tied together by one curse, but together they found a way to move forward and not let it control their destinies.

While I loved the messages behind this story and how the romance played out, I do have to say that there were a few too many flower and music metaphors or analogies for my taste. At first, it made sense to incorporate them, but after a while, it became a bit heavy-handed and veered into therapist talk (there's nothing wrong with that, but I did have to break up my reading a bit so it wasn't overwhelming).

If you're looking for a softer romance with soothing messages and reminders about the wonders of natural healing and remedies, this is the book for you!

📖 : Yin Yang Love Story- a standalone

✍🏾 Author: Lauren Kung Jessen-Read Lunar Love and Red String Theory both 5 ⭐ reads

📅Publication date: 1-28-25 | Read 1-21-25

📃: e-ARC 352 pgs.

Genre:
*Contemporary Romance
*Asian American culture
*Adult Fic

Tropes:
*forced proximity
*musicians/celebrity romance
*self-care
*Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)- acupuncture, herbal tea, cupping, nature
*fake dating
*a love curse
*mixed race representation

👆🏾POV: 1st person dual

⚠️TW: depression/anxiety, insomnia

🌎 Setting: Washington and New York

Summary: Chryssy is a Chinese herbalist that has a family curse where all the women's relationships will end in heartbreak. She and her aunties run a safe haven inn to help people devastated by breakups. Vin and Leo -The famous Chao Brothers-have a gig where they meet Chryssy. She offers to help Leo after his fiancée ends their engagement. Vin and Chryssy make an arrangement that is mutually beneficial where Vin and Chryssy fake date and will stage a break-up, helping his tour ticket sales and boosting her business.


👩🏾 Heroine: Chrysanthemum "Chryssy" Hua Willaims-32, helps run a holistic inn that treats heart-broken people.

👨🏾 Hero: Vin Chaos-32, famous cellist has band w/ brother Chao Brothers, known as a serial heartbreaker

🎭 Other Characters:

* Leo Chao-Vin's brother, also a cellist
* Chryssy's Aunts- Violet, Daisy, and Rose- and their businesses-The Wildflower Inn and In Full Bloom w/ Chryssy
* Peony+ Dan-Chryssy's parents (divorced)
*Isabella + William-Vin's parents

🤔 My Thoughts: I didn't connect with the main characters Chryssy and Vin because they emitted sadness that lingered their entire relationship. Chryssy believed in curse after her ninth breakup and swore off love. Vin worried about Leo after his fiancée Aubrey broke up with him. Vin and Chryssy had a lot of conversations about love and relationships and how nothing lasts. Their fake dating turned into the real thing, and they questioned if they could stay together with the curse and Vin's upcoming tour. The resolution for the family curse was anti-climactic but I loved how they used acupuncture as I've been an advocate for years to heal the body and energize the soul.

Rating: 3/5⭐⭐⭐
Spice level 3/5 🔥🔥🔥 closed door

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, Forever (Grand Central Publishing) | Forever, and Lauren Kung Jessen for this ARC! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions are my own.

This was such a cute romance. It’s somehow a story of finding love, believing in love, and being realistic about love, all at once.

The main characters start on a fake dating journey, but it quickly becomes so much more than that. The characters have lots of relatable qualities, and their romance felt pretty realistic.

I do wish the book moved a little quicker, but I enjoyed this read!

I loved the exploration of different relationships, but the chemistry and tension was lacking for me. The story failed to grab and keep my attention, even though I was very eager to read this one.

I unfortunately did not finish this one. I had a hard time believing the story, I think the main characters needed some kind of history and then I would have been able to connect better. Love the cover!

Lauren Kung Jessen has done it again! "Yin Yang Love Song" is another stunning masterpiece that has solidified her place as one of my absolute favorite authors. Her storytelling is simply captivating, her characters are vibrant and relatable, and her ability to weave together complex emotions with a touch of magic is unparalleled. I mean, this woman could write a grocery list and I'd probably buy it, frame it, and hang it on my wall. She's just that good. When is the next one coming?