Recs #76: Romance author Lauren Kung Jessen’s favorite things
The Nashville-based writer shares her self-care ritual, a perfect starter craft, and a modern rom-com more people should see.
This is a long email and might get cut off. You can see the web version here.
Hi and happy Friday,
New year, new rituals. It’s one of my goals this year to incorporate more outside voices into Downtime, so you can expect to see guest recommendations from some of the smartest, most creative people I know in the Friday newsletter. (My own recs will still be waiting for you at the end of each installment.)
In today’s letter, romance author Lauren Kung Jessen shares a few of her most passionate recommendations. Her latest novel, Yin Yang Love Song (out 1/28) has been hard to put down; it’s warm, uplifting, and full of heart. (You may have also heard of Lauren’s other books, Lunar Love and Red String Theory). Her recs are just as cozy as her writing. Enjoy!
Also in today’s newsletter…
The buzzy, entertaining book I’m telling everyone about
A list of brands who are giving back
A dreamy giveaway for paid subscribers 💘
—Alisha
A self-care ritual: Drinking flower tea has become a comforting ritual for me. It’s my daily reminder to take care of myself and to slow down. Flowers are filled with qi (life force) and can have wonderful health benefits. My favorite is chrysanthemum, but I recommend starting with the Floral Collection by The Qi and discovering which flowers you gravitate toward most!
A fantastic rom-com: Plus One is a movie about two longtime friends who agree to be each other’s plus one to every wedding they’re invited to. It’s one of my favorite modern rom-coms. I love Maya Erskine and her sense of humor. Her on-screen partner is Jack Quaid (the son of the ultimate Rom-com Queen, Meg Ryan) and the two have great chemistry. [Ed note: YES, Plus One is sooooo good. It’s available to watch on Netflix until Feb 1st.]
Fancy pasta: It’s basic math: give me pasta, and I’m happy; give me more pasta, and I’m even happier. This extra-long spaghetti is basically the equivalent of giving someone more of a good thing. It’s perfect for when you want that extra twirl around your fork or to make a statement with a dish. The size is fun, but the taste is great, too! In Chinese culture, we eat noodles on our birthdays to symbolize long life. I can’t think of a better pasta than this one to celebrate with.
I learned about needlepointing from my Pó Po (maternal grandmother), who has been needlepointing for decades. She still needlepoints! I find it relaxing—there’s a design to follow but you can still make creative choices, like what color threads you want to use. My dream is to have a chair filled with needlepoint pillows. I love following Le Point Studio, Penny Linn (I’ve made two of these Ralph’s coffee cups!), and Stitch Style (I’m stitching this 3D wedge of Gruyère cheese next) for inspiration. Lycette, a very cute needlepoint store in Palm Beach, has a great needlepointing guide, as does Stitch Style.
Food is my love language. It’s also my way into my cultures and how I learn about them. I’ve spent a lot of time learning how to make Chinese dishes and desserts, and I’d love to branch out to my other heritages (Danish, Welsh, and Scottish). I’m compiling cookbooks that will teach me how to make things like frikadeller, Stovies, and Welsh cakes.
I originally blogged about film and food, which is how I learned so much about the culinary world before I went to culinary school and learned even more practical skills. Like in life, food in my books brings people together. It’s a way to communicate feelings and love. Honestly, in my rom-coms, it’s as fun for me to write about food as it is to write a meet-cute or a first kiss.
Book recs for food lovers:
Fiction: Piglet by Lottie Hazell (I was mesmerized by the way she wrote about food and the making of it"), and Ali Rosen and Mia P. Manansala’s books.
Cookbooks and biographies: Mooncakes and Milk Bread: Sweet and Savory Recipes Inspired by Chinese Bakeries by Kristina Cho. Cho has a new book out called Chinese Enough: Homestyle Recipes for Noodles, Dumplings, Stir-Fries, and More that looks fantastic, and I have Chop Fry Watch Learn: Fu Pei-mei and the Making of Modern Chinese Food by Michelle T. King at the top of my TBR.
Writing about mixed-race protagonists is deeply personal to me. Growing up, I didn’t see multiracial people like me as characters in books or media. We need to see ourselves in stories—the world is a diverse place. Representation is necessary because it breaks down barriers, provides new perspectives, and gives people who haven’t historically been featured in media the opportunity to see themselves belonging. Because we do.
Thank you so much, Lauren. You can pre-order Yin Yang Love Song (out 1/28) or grab exclusive preorder goodies through Parnassus Books in Nashville. Follow Lauren on Instagram and on her Substack newsletter called .1
Links & Recs from Alisha
🔗 What was open in my tabs this week…
A GENIUS screen-free tip: “Treating your cellphone like a landline.” You keep your phone in one spot in your house, so if you need to text, make a call, or check social media, you have to physically walk to it. h/t
for the idea!A Korean skincare rec: I’ve been testing this bestselling skin barrier moisturizing cream from Dr. Jart+ and it’s pretty great for this dry winter weather. It’s got ingredients like 5 Ceramides and Panthenol to increase moisture, water retention, and bounce. It goes on silky smooth, and absorbs really quickly, so it’s perfect for putting on before I apply makeup.*
An easy, healthy recipe: I made a big batch of this coconut curry lentil stew from
and omg - so good, so quick to make, it’s protein-packed, and I froze half. If you have veggie-forward, protein-filled recipes, please share them in the comments!Toddler music: This playlist has been a life-saver for more pleasant car rides and bath times. Will elicit lots of dancing and clapping.
An alarm clock: I finally got a Hatch alarm clock, hoping that extremely bright light flooding my face will help me wake up earlier. I also love that you can set colors with it (I’m particularly fond of the red light).
It’s a vibe. Baby brands who are giving back: Amidst the devastation of the LA wildfires, several brands are stepping up, donating products or a portion of their profits to victims. As a parent, it’s impossible not to think about the parents trying to create some semblance of normalcy for their children in the wake of such loss. Here are a few brands that have crossed my feed in case you’d like to donate/shop/share: Oso & Me, Lalo, Babyletto, Bobbie. And here’s a whole spreadsheet of brands giving away free product to those affected.
Donate: Downtime reader Kelsey and her family tragically lost their home (and the school where she teaches) in the fires. If you’re able to help, here’s their GoFundMe page.
📚 Book corner
Currently reading:
Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor. I’ve just started this one, so don’t have much to share yet, but the first pages have drawn me in. It promises to be an inventive and meta read. George R.R. Martin has blurbed it, so there’s that, too.
The Power Pause: How to Plan a Career Break After Kids--and Come Back Stronger Than Ever by Neha Ruch. This just-released book takes a critical look at the current, narrow definition of “stay at home motherhood.” As someone who’s written about my waning ambition and downshifting of my career, I appreciate the care with which Neha tackles this topic and the shedding of light on the many shapes that career in tandem with motherhood can take. I recommend this one for any mom who’s currently undergoing identity shifts post-baby (I mean…who isn’t?), or for anyone who is currently expecting and trying to figure out what’s right for you and your family.
Recently finished:
Yin Yang Love Song by Lauren Kung Jessen. :) In this charming read, Chryssy runs a healing retreat center for the broken-hearted with her aunties. When she crosses paths with celebrity cellist and “bad boy” Vin Chao at an event, they hatch a plan to “fake date” and boost each other’s careers. You can probably guess where this is going, but it’s a sweet, fun read, perfect for a cozy escape.
The Favorites by Layne Fargo. This just-released book is getting some buzz and is bound to be a page-turning crowdpleaser! The story centers on Olympic figure skaters Kat Shaw and Heath Rocha, who are not only lovers and skating partners, but also at the center of a scandal. The book takes us back in time to reveal how they met and what led to the shocking events. The full-cast audiobook was fantastic; I highly rec listening to it. This is a breezy, easy read that doesn’t lean literary; I think fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid will likely enjoy it.
*Sponsor link. Thanks for supporting the brands that make it possible to keep newsletters like today’s free.
Reader spotlight
Loved this comment from reader Kimber T. on the 2025 ins and outs post!:
“I think it's REALLY easy to fall into a rhythm with my mom friends of 'let's just grab a quick coffee!' or doing 'playdates' where we are half connecting but mostly watching our kids and keeping them from eating things, sticking fingers into things, or falling into a wall.
I'd like to be more intentional with my mom friends this year and when we plan get togethers, they feel like real dates. Maybe I bring them flowers when we meet. Maybe I encourage us to find a time when we can really leave the kids at home and we do dinner and a movie. Maybe I send 'just because' gifts or a card that have nothing to do with motherhood.
I also just ran across this article from Cup of Jo about how to REALLY help our friends in a simple way and I 100% want to implement this year.”
Lastly, a giveaway!
Exciting news! Our friends at 831 Stories have just launched their membership program, The Ones, and we’re teaming up with them to give away two free memberships to Downtime subscribers.
831 Stories is a new romance fiction company releasing novellas by fresh voices in the genre (ICYMI, check out our interview with the founders here). As a member of The Ones, you’ll receive the next five books, a welcome pack, a gift with every book, and other fun perks for $99/year.
To enter the giveaway, leave a comment below (share a thought on today’s post or a recommendation you’re loving right now) by Wednesday, January 22nd, at 12pm EST. Winners will be chosen at random and announced on Thursday, January 23rd. Paid Downtime subscribers who are U.S.-based and 18 and up are eligible to win—thank you for your support!
Previously on Downtime:
This interview has been lightly edited for conciseness and clarity.
Perfect timing, I have Lunar Love queued up as my next read! 😄 Also LOVED Arsenic and Adobo.
I love the tip about the phone as a landline, I do this from 9pm to 9am give or take and it works really well (also I keep it downstairs and far away from my bed at night). My favorite phone hack is putting my phone on airplane mode so I can still use it to capture shots of my kids (although I'm working to do less of that this year).
Wait, pretending your cell phone is a landline is SUCH a good idea. I was thinking about this the other day and asking myself "why are you carrying your phone all over your apartment? What do you need it for in the two seconds it takes to walk there and back?!" Will be implementing this practice, especially over the weekend!!