This was so cute! Cute to the point of bordering on cheesy, with a few too many flower and music metaphors which definitely made it straight-up cheesy, lol. I didn't like it as much as Red String Theory, but I still found it really heartwarming and hopeful. I liked the inclusion of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and discussion of non-Western ways of healing. Chryssy and her aunties treat the physical manifestations of heartbreak through TCM, which I found really unique since western ways of thinking don't acknowledge heartbreak as something physical, only psychological.

I loved Chryssy and Vin together and seeing how their relationship grew over time, transitioning from fake to real. The curse aspect was interesting but also seemed like just a self-fulfilling prophecy, like "oh they broke up with me, so that means the curse is real!" Relationships end in breakups, even for people not "cursed." But I did like how Chryssy tried to undo (or "understand") the curse so she could be with Vin.

While I liked the included side characters (especially Chryssy's aunties and Vin's brother Leo!), I do wish I had seen Chryssy or Vin with some friends. Outside of Vin, Chryssy only ever interacted with her aunties/family, and I never heard her mention a friend's name, nor did she make any friends in the story. Family can be great, but we do also need friends. I know Vin's childhood didn't really allow for him to make any lasting friends, and his lifestyle now makes friendship hard, but I wish I had seen him become less isolated.

I loved the messages of taking breaks and not letting life pass you by. We overwork ourselves and burn ourselves out, and for what? I liked seeing Vin and Leo take a step back and realize they needed more balance in their lives. Also, sometimes even the best, most epic love stories end. There's no way of knowing if a relationship will end, but that doesn't mean that we shouldn't take the leap of faith and find love anyway. "It's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all" right? Finally, we are more than just a label given to us, and sometimes we outgrow our labels (or those labels might never have been accurate to begin with). Chryssy and Vin both grew TREMENEDOUSLY from start to end, with Chryssy opening herself up to love (and in turn, the possibility of heartbreak) and Vin learning to find work-life balance.

Thanks to the publisher for an advanced copy of this book!