Thank You Netgalley for this arc. I love anything by Lauren Kung Jessen. I did an immersive read of this book and it was more enjoyable like that for me. Chryssie was a really likable character. I enjoyed everything about this book and so happy when she finally let love in. This book deserves 5 stars.

"Yin Yang Love Song" is a beautifully crafted piece that blends romantic themes with a sense of balance and harmony. The lyrics explore the push and pull of love, much like the yin-yang philosophy, highlighting how opposites attract and complement each other. The melody is soothing yet passionate, creating an emotional depth that resonates with listeners. Whether it's the poetic lyricism or the smooth instrumental arrangement, this song captures the essence of love's duality in a way that's both enchanting and heartfelt. A must-listen for fans of soulful, romantic music. Thank you for the ARC!

The basis of this story is that there is a curse, because of a betrayal from four generations ago, and none of the women of the Hua family can ever have everlasting love. They are told this from the day they are born, drilled into their heads. You get the idea. Self fulfilling prophecy sort of thing.

Throw into this the Chao brothers, who play rock cello, and are known as heartbreakers. They have had loves, but have always left them. Leo has just lost the love of his life, and isn’t eating or sleeping, so his brother, Vin, takes him to the retreat that is supposed to help him, run by Chryssy, and her aunties, based on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

Slow, slow moving romance. There is a lot of explaining about herbal flower remedies, and intersecting about life and love. Vin and Chryssy decide to fake date, as an excuse to hang out, so the public doesn’t find outwhy Leo is really at the retreat.

And as so happens in fake dating, they fall in love, but my gosh they take a long time to realize it.

But the imagery along the way if fun, and the discussions of life and love and other things is interesting to read, so although the book seemed to go on far to long, it was fine.

This book is newly published, so is available everywhere, but I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley.

I really enjoyed YIN YANG LOVE SONG by Lauren Kung Jessen. Fake dating is my favorite romance trope and this one really delivered. From start to finish the characters had amazing chemistry and I loved the aunties and all the family drama. Would recommend!!

3.75⭐️

I picked up this book because I hadn’t read this author before and the own voices aspect.

I enjoyed the plot, even though it was a bit slow-paced. However, I didn’t feel that the main characters had enough chemistry.

One of the things I particularly liked about the book was the way the author portrayed and described TCM throughout the story.

I also appreciated the author’s subtle commentary on the importance of work-life balance. Additionally, I loved the celebration of tea as a cultural aspect of the novel.

I also enjoyed Chrysyy’s relationship with her aunts and the heart-to-heart conversation she had with her dad.

Overall, I didn’t feel that the author did justice to the romance aspect of the book, but the other elements of the story were enough to make it a worthwhile read.

This is a cute fake dating story between a Chinese herbalist and a famous cellist, and I really appreciated the inclusion of traditional Chinese medicine and culture. There were so many aspects that resonated with me as a Chinese American, especially the blending of both American and Asian cultures, burnout, and self-care. I also liked how the story explored familial pressures, overcoming fears, and breaking free from generational narratives.

That said, I had a hard time fully connecting with the romance. The pacing felt slow, and while I love a fake dating trope, the chemistry between Vin and Chrissy didn’t quite draw me in. I also found the plotline surrounding the curse a bit over the top, which made it harder for me to stay invested in their story.

While this wasn’t a favorite for me, I think readers who love lighthearted romances with strong cultural representation will still find a lot to appreciate in this book.

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.

thank you so much for the ARC!!!

DNF at 30%

Okay this is a soft DNF but unfortunately I can't imagine when I'd be in the mood to try it again... I've gone back and forth on stopping this - I told myself I'd pick it up one more time and then make a call if I still wasn't invested, but I haven't even been in the mood to do that. I really enjoyed Lauren Kung Jessen's other two books so I thought this would be a win, but I just did not click with the characters. I didn't feel any chemistry at all and felt like the whole story was kind of told at arm's length? I can see why people recommend this author if you love Sarah Adams but unfortunately this felt like a more sanitized version of her books/writing. I'd still highly recommend Jessen's first two books (and will still try her next) but this was just a miss for me!

What a glorious fake dating story between two love cursed people - one a heartbreaking rockstar and the other under a family curse.

Yin Yang Love Song was such an immersive story, with beautiful Chinese traditions and all the tea! The communication and openness between the two MCs was refreshing, and the love they build felt natural. Both Chrissy and Vin were well-developed and had personality. A truly enjoyable book!

While I really enjoyed many aspects of this story, it was not the most romantic romance, and the family "curse" was a bit ridiculous to me. It was difficult seeing adults not putting their own emotions aside for their children for me. But these were just small things within the larger plot, and neither would stop me from reading this book.

I really enjoyed how original this story was and the holistic elements included. The pacing was great and the story had depth. This is not my first book by this author, nor will it be my last. If you are looking for a feel, good hallmark-like story that is believable than look no further than Yin Yang Love Song!

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.

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.

Lauren Kung Jessen's writing is so lyrical and poetic. This book felt like a warm hug and fresh flowers on a sunny day. There are so many beautiful quotes related to people being flowers and needing time to bloom - this one in particular has my heart, "your name might be Chrysanthemum but you don't need to bloom last". This was a wonderful and beautiful story, and I really appreciate you sending this galley my way.

I’ve been reading Lauren Kung Jessen’s books since her debut novel, Lunar Love, was published in 2023. Yin Yang Love Song, just out last month, is her latest and was just what I expected from her books. It was full of Chinese American characters, a swoony romance, and delicious food.

Here’s the book’s description:

Chinese herbalist Chryssy Hua Williams never actually believed in the Hua family curse. But after Break-Up #9, Chryssy stopped laughing. Now she and her aunties run a special healing retreat center for the broken-hearted. After all, there’s nothing a proper cup of herbal tea can’t fix...but Chryssy’s innocent run-in with celebrity cellist and bad boy Vin Chao has everyone brewing about a different kind of tea. So he offers her a deal: they’ll fake-date, he’ll “break” her heart (and increase ticket sales), and in return, he’ll promote her business.

It’s like Chryssy’s whole cursed love life has been leading up to this moment. But all it takes is one kiss—and a whole lot of unexpected chemistry—to land both of them in hot water . . .

I love a good fake dating trope and this one was delightful. Chryssy and Vin got off on the wrong foot, too, so they had to work to get used to each other (while living in the same cottage!) while also pretending to date. Which is totally a chill thing when one of them is a superstar cellist. I liked the twist on the trope in that the people closest to them Chryssy’s aunties and Vin’s brother) knew the truth so they had a safe space to be themselves without trying to be fake all the time. I think that really allowed their relationship to flourish and become real. (And we all love that moment when the fake becomes real!)

Some of the promotions and marketing of the tea in the book seemed a bit…weird? It sometimes seemed like Chryssy and her aunts knew exactly what they were doing and other times they were throwing money at strange marketing expenses. This is an odd thing to focus on, I know. But I work in communications and for some reason my brain decided to hyperfixate. It’s hard to show a plan in a novel, I know, but when some details were included, I just wondered why others were being excluded.

Random aside: I don’t know what kind of rabbit Gogi was but I was very happy to have a bunny rep in this romance! (And also happy that it didn’t make me sad after losing my own rabbit in late 2024!) I do have to wonder why, in this age of putting all the pets on all the covers, he wasn’t represented but I suppose I’ll get over it! Ha! But seriously. It’s always nice to have a pet that’s not a cat or dog mentioned in a novel, even when they’re not present for much of the story.

Now, I’m not one to believe in curses (or believe in much of anything, tbh), so it was tough to get over the idea that the whole family was convinced the curse was real and they (mostly) all blamed their relationship problems on that (instead of, you know, taking agency and owning their lives and choices). I did, however, enjoy how the women came together to try to get to the bottom of the curse and were able to learn more about their (true) family history. It was a really nice family moment and I appreciated seeing a family different from my own on the pages and getting to know them.

All in all, I’m happy to have read Yin Yang Love Song. Lauren Kung Jessen’s latest novel was sweet and full of characters I loved getting to know. I look forward to reading whatever she writes next.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Forever, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

The best part of this book was definitely getting to learn about Traditional Chinese Medicine and exploring the cultural identities of the main characters.

That said, that wasn't entirely what I thought the book was going to leave with me when I picked it up resulting in me struggling to always grab this one above others. That could also be because the pace was a pit slower, but handled excellently!

Ultimately, Yin Yang Love Song is a story about the importance of self-care (physical + psychological) with a side story about finding love.

I’ve enjoyed all of the books by this author. This third book is the same! It didn’t resonate as much for me compared to the other ones, part of the romance felt very forced. But still a lighter fun read!

This one did not work out for me. I tried to get into it twice but ultimately decided to DNF pretty early on. I try hard not to do that with ARCs but I could tell immediately that this just wasn't something I would enjoy. The writing style was not something I was getting along with.

It's hard to describe but there was something so strange about the cadence. The way the author created pauses in dialogue, sometimes inserting thoughts in between speaking, was very jarring. This effect certainly can be done well but I didn't like how it was done here. The way the characters spoke was also jumpy. I constantly felt like I had missed something because the way the conversation flowed felt like something was missing. They would know things about each other without those things ever being discussed.

I honestly ended up feeling like this was an early draft and needed a lot more editing. I have no idea how much ARCs tend to differ from the final published version, so possibly some things have changed? But I can only rate what I read.

I will say that I was intrigued by the plot but the writing took me out of the story too much and it just wasn't worth continuing when I knew I wouldn't enjoy my time.

Thank you, NetGalley for an early e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

DNF @ 40% ~ I won't be leaving a rating on Goodreads

I wanted to love this one and I enjoyed some aspects of it - learning more about flowers and Traditional Chinese Medicine, plus Chryssy's aunts were a hoot - but the characters and storyline weren't holding my interest. At 40% in, I felt like I knew next to nothing about Chryssy and Vin and I wasn't feeling any chemistry between them. I kept trying, but ultimately decided to DNF.

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!

As a huge fan of Lauren, I felt like I was waiting forever for this book lol And it was so worth the wait. Idk how to explain it. The contemporary fantasy was cool but I also really liked the way she incorporated the Chinese customs like the herbs and acupuncture. This whole series has showed me so much about their customs and beliefs and it’s been exciting to learn about.

So part of the reason I love this series is the things I’ve learned and researched more of. I’m definitely not a huge fan of tea, so I didn’t know any of the things that she was doing or trying when someone was experiencing heartbreak. So of course I went on a Google hunt to figure out all the herbs and what an herbalist did. And it was pretty damn impressive too. And the acupuncture was also interesting too. I’ve been pretty scared of it as well because I just didn’t understand how more pain was supposed to stop more pain? But reading about the specific science of it actually made me look more into it. This is why I love own voices books. They always teach me more about people and customs.

However, the romance in this one was so good! Yeah it was her normal make the hero not believe in the heroine, but somehow this seemed different? Idk it just didn’t seem like it was necessary for him to be SO against it. But watching him change into believing her and loving her was so sweet. The romance itself is pretty tame, but still very sweet nonetheless. I do think I laughed more than swooned tho. And I think this was my only complaint about it. I liked them more as friends I think. Even when it got to the spicy parts, it still felt weird. But idk that’s just me.

This was a sweet romance that I hope isn’t the ending to this series. I hope that there’s more. I know there’s more to learn about this culture and I need more of Jessen’s love stories. I really hope there is more. It’s almost guaranteed to be a lot of fun.

Yin Yang Love Song by Lauren Kung Jessen is a rom-com and the story of Chryssy and Vin.
 
Chryssy comes from a Chinese family, and she is part of the family business, a retreat center for the broken-hearted. I really liked this idea of the retreat center as a place for healing and that in combination with the Chinese traditions was really nice and I would totally visit a place like this as well. Chryssy has bad luck in love herself and it feels like she is cursed. I loved how she focused on her own happiness and working on herself to become the best version.
 
Vin is a celebrity cellist and his band is very successful. I liked how it was not the usual rockstar aspect. The band comes to the retreat center for a break and some healing and that creates the perfect forced proximity situation with Chryssy. Vin appears to be a total bad boy at first, but he has such a gentle and soft side as well and his character is very well balanced.
 
I honestly loved the characters by themselves, but the romance was a bit lacking for me. Most of it is just dialogue and sometimes I would have liked more internal thoughts. In addition, they’re very friendly with each other from the beginning and later even pretend to fake date. I didn’t fully feel their romance and it was very soft and barely there. I feel like the book focused more on healing and coming to terms with yourself which is great but took away from the romance sometimes too much.
 
This is such a heartfelt story infused with a little heartbreak, music, and a dash of romance. 3,5 stars.
 
(Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an arc.)