Book Review - Perfect Chemistry

Title: Perfect Chemistry
Author: Simone Elkeles
Genre: Romance
Series: Perfect Chemistry 
Pages: 368

Audience: Young Adult/New Adult

Main Characters: Brittany Ellis and Alex Fuentes
Setting: Chicago, Illinois

Blurb:

A fresh, urban twist on the classic tale of star-crossed lovers.

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created 'perfect' life is about to unravel before her eyes. She's forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for: her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect.

Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more.

In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.

Review:

My Stars: 5/5
Goodreads Stars: 4.08/5 (With over 181,000 ratings)

I understand why this book has been nominated for so many awards, as I absolutely Loved This Book! Loved it! It is definitely one of my favs. I have read a few other books by this author and found that I quite liked how she writes. I also enjoyed her book Better than Perfect and How to Ruin series, but Perfect Chemistry stood out above the rest.

The story blew me away and after I finished it I wanted to read it again, and I did just not the same day. I think I've read this book over 6 times. That's how good it is. It's the classic good girl meets bad boy and they fall in love, but there was an aspect that Simone Elkeles brought to it that I can't explain, but that made it that little bit better.

And it was OBVIOUS that the author did her homework on this, as the gang aspect felt so real. And you wouldn't expect someone to be able to spin a character that's a gang member to be likeable and a hero but somehow she did it. I mean when I think of gangs I think of guns, drug dealers, death/murder, drive-by's, you know all those shady things, and you wouldn't expect anyone to be able to make that appealing, but somehow Elkeles made it work, making Alex a good guy, but still a badass.

And Brittany was pretty damn complex, much more than you would think after reading her description, blonde hair, blue eyes, big tits, cheer captain, you would probably expect her to be an airhead, not at all how she's like. She is a badass in her own way. I also don't know how she can deal with the mess that is her parents, and having a sister with a disability like that, all the while keeping a calm, perfect facade without going insane, seriously.

I am very happy that the POVS switched between Alex and Brittany so you get both sides of the story. That's how I prefer romance books to be written, personally. It is interesting to read the thoughts that go through both of their heads during tricky situations that are presented in this book. It also showed how each of them were affected by the other. This might be how Alex won me over as we got to see his internal struggle.

The author's style is one that works well with what I like to read. She also writes in a way that makes you feel as if you're there, standing by the characters watching this drama unfold. It simply just flows.

It also sends a message that a lot of us seem to have forgotten, don't judge books by the cover, judge by what's inside. This is a perfect way to describe people, people may have different coloured skin, look different, talk different, live somewhere else, have a different religion, but don't judge them on that judge them on what is inside.

I have read the other books in this series and I quite enjoyed them, but Perfect Chemistry will always be the winner for me.

All in all I love this book and highly recommend it to anyone who likes YA romance books.