Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

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.

Back when I read this, months ago, I was so obsessed. It was the perfect complicated romance and after rereading it, with the story fresh in my mind, it still is. Perfect Chemistry was the first novel I had read from Simone Elkeles and I was so impressed that I rushed to her website to see if she had any other novels.

While the plot is basic(girl falls in love with a boy from the wrong side of the tracks and vice versa) and has been used before, the details, writing, and author's take is what makes the story unique and fantastic.

Told from both Alex and Brittany's point of view, we follow the temptation of forbidden love forming from its first complication to its last. I really liked that Simone told the story from both points of view, because it allowed us to see how their home lives were, and some of these things were crucial towards the end of the book. The romance is very new and uplifting at moments, but sad and mind boggling(ha ha) the next. I loved every moment of it.

Perfect Chemistry is my favorite stand alone novel, by far. It's fun, romantic, and makes you want to smile one moment, yell the next, and cry after that. That's what a great book ought to do!

Rating:

Writing: 5/5
Story: 5/5
Character: 5/5
Cover: 5/5