Book Review: Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

As the name suggests, Perfect Chemistry delineates a romantic entanglement. As per its plot, although in a nascent stage, emotions felt ardently by two sophomores matures into a potent relationship. If you adore books by Cecilia Ahern or Nicholas Sparks, you will enjoy the work of Simone Elkeles too. It is not a novel that has flabbergasting twists and turns, but the invigorating fable will pump excitement, fun, and admiration in you. It will bring you one step closer to admiring life more than before. You will want to fall in love.

The simple story has a background not unheard of, yet you will enjoy the cliche. I believe the set- up is such. The story consists of a rich girl, a poor boy, the posh side of the town which happens to be the dwelling of the girl, the tacky side of the town which, sadly, is the abode of the boy. The rich don't mingle with the poor. Anyone who does has to face the consequences and the wrath of the other members. The only common factor between them is the school. Despite all these precautionary restrictions, Brittany and Alex (the lead characters) fall in love. What is fabulous is, their love is not like that of silly teenagers, their love has a spark and glow that you will feel sufficiently while reading the novel. Constantly.

Brittany's life seems perfect on the outside, but on the inside, she is not free from troubles and problems. She has an autistic sister to look after, she finds it too difficult to meet the high expectations of her austere mother who suffers from anxiety. Her patient boyfriend pushes her for intimacy which she is unable to give. She just doesn't feel it right. Maybe he is not the right guy. Even in such a mess, she hides her flaws cleverly.

The infamous Alex Fuentes has a profound tale of his own. Because he lives in the dark side of the town, he exhibits notoriety, violence, and roguish behavior. The truth is, he will happily become the bad guy to protect his brothers and his widowed mother. He only wishes his siblings to follow the right path, and save his beloved ones from engulfing danger. Therefore he plays with fire. So much for being a bad boy ha?

If you are a teenager, you will want to experience love without delay. Whereas, for adults, the novel will evoke the essence of love, strengthening and rekindling their bonds.

They first meet in their school's parking lot where Brittany almost hits Alex's motorcycle. Their brief scuffle in that teenage moment serves as a fascinating prelude to a sensational story waiting to unravel. Events take an interesting turn in the chemistry period as Brittany and Alex are forcibly made lab partners by their stern teacher Mrs.Peaterson who makes alphabetical seating arrangement against the will of the students. How the story unfolds after that will make you a fan.

On one sunny day in October at the school's garden, Alex accepts the challenge given by his friend Lucky. The bet is to get intimate with Brittany before next Thanksgiving. If Alex wins, he will get lucky's car. If he loses, he will lose his motorcycle too.

The story continues with their ups and downs; love never losing its shine once. Alex's refusal to leave the gang, as helpless as he is, leads to their break up as well.

However, on Halloween night, when Brittany surprises Alex with a visit, they indulge in a titillating Q&A that climaxes into fervent lovemaking free from any restriction or bets.

As a consequence, Brittany believes Alex will leave the wretched gang. Unfortunately, her plan fails. Worse, Alex gets shot.

In the hospital, in order to protect her, Alex, on purpose, informs Britney of the bet, hoping she will remain safe when not together.

Dejected and torn Brittany has to cope up and survive the betrayal, whereas Alex has a lot of mess to clear. What happens in the end? Will they reunite? Read Perfect Chemistry for that.

The novel energized my mood from the start to the end. So, It's definitely a good read.

Even though ordinary, the story will allure you till the end. I believe that's what good writing means.

The author defines teenage life, the Mexican culture and style of communication in a beautiful way - A result of good homework and in-depth research.

The main leads, even if too good to be true, have charm and confidence in them. It's like, no matter how fictional, you still want to believe in them.

The story has melodrama but is perfect the way it is.

How love makes life enjoyable and worth living is what makes the novel a blockbuster.

My rating: 4.2/5.

Simone Elkeles is an American author who has won the Romance Writers of America RITA award for her novel Perfect Chemistry. She specializes in writing teen romance novels. Her books have topped USA Today and New York Times best seller list. Her first novel, 'How to Ruin a Summer Vacation' was published in 2006. Her most recent novel is 'Crossing the Line', published in 2018.