Lunar Love: Chinese Zodiac RomCom

I was going to find some 2023 CNY decor for this one, but it turns out the theme of the book is about enjoying and respecting the Chinese zodiac while not being completely locked into the rules… so here’s my tiger year tea caddy and my ox year journal. Thematically perfect.

Lunar Love, by Lauren Kung Jessen, is a sweet romcom with rival Chinese-zodiac matchmaking agencies. There are multiple meet-cutes for our couple, with Chinatown run-ins, matchmaking industry run-ins and a little catfishing on both sides.

In the Chinese zodiac, the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig all ran a race, and their special traits came out in how they cooperated or backstabbed to win the race across the river.  The Chinese zodiac is a little different from a western horoscope, because everyone born in that lunar year shares the sign, instead of by month. But a lot of it is similar, with good and bad romantic matches by horoscope sign.

In Lunar Love, Liv becomes the new head of the Chinese zodiac matchmaking company started by her grandmother. A new startup dating app, ZodiaCupid, is moving in on what Liv considers her territory, and the tech founder is handsome, single Bennet. It’s this blend of modern romance-novel standards with Chinese zodiac and Chinese-American culture that makes this novel so fun.

When Liv and Bennet find themselves on the same podcast, they make a bet, which is immediately picked up by the podcasts hosts and promised a prize. Whoever can find a better match for the other person is clearly using the better matchmaking system, and will win the prize. This is one of those OTT romcom eyeroll moments, when it’s insanely obvious that both methods are leading Liv and Bennet to a matchmaking draw and a perfect match with each other. There are a few moments of romcom zaniness in Lunar Love, like Bennet causing a ridiculous baking distraction, as if their cooking class date wasn’t romcom cute enough. But a little goofiness is basically required in a romantic comedy, isn’t it? In general, the storyline was believable, sweet, and fun.

I didn’t think the obligatory romcom arguments were that bad, because it made sense that Liv would want to protect her grandmother’s legacy and traditions. But Liv is a bit too hostile to Bennett at times. A lil forced conflict is part of the genre, but there were a few moments when she seemed like a jerk and he seemed like a doormat, and no one’s really rooting for a jerk-doormat romance.

I loved all of Liv’s Scottish-Chinese family and their relationships to each other, maybe even more than I liked the romantic storyline.  There’s a really special grandmother-granddaughter relationship, making this another reason this is a good read for fans of The Matchmaker’s Gift. (Did I fall down an absolute rabbit hole trying to figure out why I learned wai po but Liv calls her mom’s mom PoPo? Yes, of course I did.  And the answer I found is basically some that people say Grandma and some say Grammie.) Olivia and Bennet are both half Chinese, which led to some interesting conversations about identity.

Overall, this was such a fun read. I enjoyed the setting (Chinatown snacks!) and the characters so much.