Fabulous fun read! Perfect quick and entertaining romance for Summer. Less steamy than the typical Christina Lauren books, this was still a great romance read! Fans of any Christina Lauren book will enjoy and also those who loved The Rosie Project!

I have read two other Christina Lauren books before this one. The Soulmate Equation was my tie breaker; I loved The Unhoneymooners, and I hated with my whole heart, In a Holidaze. I was willing to give her another go, and had my expectations set low. In 2020, I started reading more romance, and since then, I can’t get enough. Throughout this book, I started to get some real Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy vibes.

Jessica, or Jess as she prefers, is friends with a romance writer, Fizzy, who believes in fate, love, and having fun. Jess, a single mother, is cautious, caring, and always at arms length. In comes Americano, literally, he walks into their coffee shop. Jess immediately hates him, but the physical attraction is real. Funnily enough, Americano aka River, is a geneticist who develops a matchmaking company. Jess gives her DNA to see if her soulmate is out there. She ends up matching with none other than Americano; a 98% match in fact. This is the highest score the company has ever seen. She despises him, so will there be love or will it end in a disaster.

First, I laughed out loud MULTIPLE times. The characters were relatable, funny, charismatic, and the sexual tension was palpable. Second, I wanted to drink all of the words in, without the book ever ending. I loved both of these characters beyond measure. As a *previously* single mom, I identified with Rachel, especially being a mom to a remarkable little girl. Her anxieties, and how she felt about raising her kid hit really close to home.

I read The Soulmate Equation in about three days, and I am so sad it is over. I rarely reread books, but I may make an exception because it was that good. I loved the writing style because there was not an overabundance of irrelevant details, descriptions, or figurative language. I didn’t find myself skipping monologues or internal soliloquies, which is always a plus. I think out of the 24 books I have read this year, this one is my favorite. Ask me again in December, and we shall see if it holds its luster.

The Soulmate Equation is set to be released on May 18, 2021. I recommend you pre-order because it will definitely be a hot summer pick this year.

What if 23andme was also a dating site? 🤔 ⁣
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That’s the premise of THE SOULMATE EQUATION, the upcoming release from duo Christina Lauren. As someone who met her spouse online, I’m a sucker for online dating themed romances. ⁣
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This book was fun, inventive, and sweet. The side characters were the real winners for me since although the romance was solid, the overall pacing was inconsistent. If you’re a fan of CLo, though, you’ll like this for sure. ⁣
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Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for an eARC in exchange for this review. ⁣
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’ve just discovered Christina Lauren’s books in the last year and have been slowly working my way through them, so I jumped on the chance to read the newest one. What I like about Christina Lauren’s books is that the authors do a really good job of creating funny, interesting, well-fleshed out characters. Jess is a single mom who’s had a rough time growing up but has created a life with her best friend and grandparents to support her and her daughter. River is a hot and nerdy scientist trying to prove that people can find true love matches based on their genes. Fizzy was well-written as a hilarious romance-novel-writing best friend. I thought that the idea of compatibility in our DNA to be an extremely compelling, interesting, and new idea. I really liked seeing the relationship between Jess and River develop, neither knowing if their chemistry was because of their compatibility scores or despite it. I especially liked seeing both of these people who had either been hurt in the past or never took the time to develop relationships slowly let each other into their lives. The book was well-paced and moved quickly. I was interested from the first page and had a hard time putting it down. While not my favorite Christina Lauren book, it definitely lands in my top 3. I enjoyed it very much.

*Full review to be shared on my blog soon!*

CLo have done it again! I have yet to read a book by Christina Lauren that I have not enjoyed, but The Soulmate Equation lands nicely in my top three favorites.

I'm afraid this review is going to be short and messy. I devoured The Soulmate Equation, forgetting to take notes or highlight favorite parts, reading just for enjoyment. And it was so much fun.

The authors have taken the current DNA craze and put a fun spin on it by using science to find soulmates. My math and science-adverse brain can't even start to comprehend how this would ever be possible. In fact, I'm assuming it's pure fantasy. But even all those scientific terms and mathematical equations couldn't keep me from loving this one!

The chemistry between our two main characters is palpable. While River may come across as rude or dismissive in the beginning, I trusted that there would be a story behind his behavior, and it only helped to build the anticipation for when these two would finally admit their attraction.  I fell so hard for this pairing, dreading the event that would potentially separate them. There's always an event, and it's what keeps us reading.

As with most CLo books, the supporting cast helps to make the story what it is. And The Soulmate Equation has a wonderful one. From Jess' grandparents to her adorable daughter, Juno, to River's two sisters, I enjoyed all the heart poured into these characters.

I found myself laughing out loud, especially at the dialogue between Jess and her best friend, Fizzy. We so need a book about Fizzy now. It just HAS to happen.  She's snarky, fun, genuine, and loyal. And I wanted more of her story.

When I realized The Soulmate Equation was wrapping up, I was distraught, wishing I could stay in their world a little longer, but also happy that maybe the lack of an epilogue meant we'd get more of their story someday... maybe?? Please!

This author duo can be hit or miss, but this one was a hit. I enjoyed the banter between the main couple. I also really appreciated the strong, smart female protagonist. The story was nerdy, but not too nerdy and the characters seemed real (although the situations they found themselves in, maybe not so much). Library patrons should really enjoy this title, especially if they enjoyed the author's My Favorite Half-Night Stand.

If I could easily insert a TikTok sound here, it would be the one of Nicki Minaj saying "no you don't understand, I'm oBsEsSeD with it" because that's how I feel about Christina Lauren's books 😭I'm so grateful to Gallery for sending me an advance copy of this one, it was exactly what I needed to get me out of a book slump! As usual with their work, this book is both cute and sexy, both deep and very fun, both heartwarming and so sad (at moments!) - I really loved it. It ranks high on the list of their books for me!

This is another solid read from Christina Lauren! The perfect blend of characters you love to root for, an interesting and unique plot line, and a romance that will make you swoon! I've read other romances based around a dating app, but this is the first one I've read that introduced the genetic compatibility component. I devoured this in just two sittings, and it would have been only one if life didn't intrude!

This book is a joy to read. I've been hit and miss with Christina Lauren but with this I smiled as I read. Single mom Jess Davis freelances as a data statistician. On a lark and pushed by a rough day, she does a spit test for a new DNA-based matchmaking dating app. There is a lot of scientific talk explaining the idea of DNA matching elements to improve chances of finding a long lasting relationship. Amazingly Jess scores the highest matching rank in company history with Dr. River Pena. River is one of the founders of the company and has a lot riding on the outcome. The company hires Jess to date River as a test and PR stunt. The problem is they have met and clashed prior.

This is more of a you rubbed me the wrong way (not enemy) to romance troupe. Their chemistry is fabulous. They have very similar interests despite being in different circumstances. Jess is hesitant to involve her heart and her seven daughter Juno not knowing if she can trust her feelings. River has a lot of reasons to prove the DNA matching works. Best friend Fizzy deserves an award for outstanding best friend character. She delivers some killer lines and comic relief.

I've already recommend this to friends. This is the kind of happy, fun, feel good read I need as we pass the year anniversary of Covid. Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review. (4.5 stars rounding up)

I really don't know how I feel about this book. The River Pena we meet at the beginning is a jerk, and not someone I care about finding his soulmate at all. The River that exists in about 4/5 of the book is the perfect boyfriend. And while I get that he was supposed to be shy, I had a lot of trouble reconciling these two completely different characters. The book also didn't feel like a Pride and Prejudice retelling - there was one moment at the beginning where I saw it (and everyone else will, too) and then the similarities largely evaporate. That's fine, I don't really care about P&P one way or the other (I know, I know, blasphemy!) but if you're going to pitch something as a retelling, I want to be able to see the original story without having to reach for it.

Fizzy is the greatest character ever and I want to hang out with her every day. One of the choices made at the end annoyed me endlessly, and I'm sure there will be a lot of heated debate in the years to come, so I won't spoil it. Overall, it was okay. I enjoyed reading it - CL are very talented, that's not really disputable. But the execution faltered a bit.

Review based on ARC.

The writing duo Christina Lauren are back and taking matchmaking to a whole new level in their latest creation, The Soulmate Equation. Only Lauren can take on DNA and statistics and make it heartfelt and sexy.
Let me first start by saying that Christina Lauren always delivers a timely tale of love and romance. They truly never run out of new and fresh ways to bring people together. This dynamic writing pair upped the game for modern day dating with an innovative concept of using DNA to find your ultimate soulmate. Lauren mixed in messy families, slightly older protagonists and a few unexpected twists to keep this contemporary romance vibrant and unique. Let’s not forget the sizzle between Jess and River that had me teetering in my seat. The Soulmate Equation is the perfect afternoon delight! This bright and shiny new tale will have you smiling from ear to ear!

I found this book to be a bit technical at times (and maybe even the technical part was true??) but it sure is interesting to think about an app or something being developed to find your soulmate! You will fall in love with the 2 main characters and their lives... and how they change throughout the book. You will root for the main character, while getting mad at others!

The Soulmate Equation hit all the right notes for me. It's perfectly balanced with heat, humor, and heart! With an entertaining and original premise, this one was very hard to put down. (What CLo book isn't?)

I was looking forward to this one, because the description sounded so unique! It was a little far-fetched, so much so that I almost stopped reading it. But the author(s) made it almost impossible - I had to know what happened. While I'm not usually a fan of stories that the man has to come in and save the woman and make her life better (a la Damsel in Distress), this one was a quick read, while not my favorite.

Jess, a single mother, loving daughter, and supportive best friend, is at her wit’s end after she loses one of her biggest accounts at work. In a moment of weakness, she finds herself submitting a strand of hair to a company that promises to find her a compatible match based on her DNA. When she’s contacted days later and asked to come in, she’s shocked to realize that she’s matched with the grumpy-but cute-CEO of the company. And they’ve not just matched-they’re 98% compatible, the highest result so far! What ensues after is a swoon-worthy romance as they fall for each other. But when a huge secret is revealed, they start to question everything.
This sweet rom-com is for fans of Jasmine Guillory and Abby Jimemez.

Another amazing Christina Lauren book. I always really enjoy their books. They are romantic, fun and I just fly through them. I really enjoyed the idea of a DNA test to find your match and how Jess & River got paired together.
I also really enjoyed that Jess was a single mom and that her daughter always came first. It was realistic and I loved how they portrayed their relationship.
Overall a great book by Christina Lauren once again.

*4.5*

christina lauren is back babey! i haven't enjoyed some of their recent releases as much as i used to enjoy their books, but this book swept me up even when i went in thinking the plot concept wasn't going to be for me. super addicting and easy to fly through in a couple of sittings, though that's typical of their writing. i loved the chemistry between jess and river, though i do think the romance went a little fast. i loved all of the side characters too, from jess's romance author bff, to her grandparents, and even her daughter (i'm not big on kids, ok? sue me).

the classic romance third act conflict was a little eh, though i tend to feel that way about a lot of romance conflicts. it didn't affect my enjoyment of the book as a whole that much, but it is one of the reasons why i'm giving this a 4.5 instead of a full 5 star. but regardless, this was fresh and fun and sexy. loved it!

Absolutely adorable! I loved the scientific element of match-making, so cleaver! And the banter between these two characters had me grinning like a crazy person the entire time! Definitely one of my new favorite CLo books!!!

Can love be quantified?

That’s the question that is explored in Christina Lauren’s The Soulmate Equation.

Jess is a single mom of a second grader, daughter, Juno. She’s living a contented life, renting an apartment in her beloved grandparents’ building and relying on her best friend Fizzy for daily coffee meet—ups and emotional support. She’s stressed with bills and with her addict mom that drifts in and out of her life at the worst times.

On a whim, she decides to try an innovative dating app that pairs people based on DNA. She is stunned to be 98% matched-an unheard of compatibility-with the founder of the app himself, the gorgeous Dr. River Peña. She knows him only from his daily appearances at her local coffee shop-and his aloof, unfriendly manner is hardly endearing.

As Jess and River decide to give dating a try as a PR stunt for the company, Jess has to figure out how to protect her heart-and determine if the feelings that are growing between them are real.

Smart and sexy, Christina Lauren’s novel was highly engaging and compulsively readable. A great romance that I enthusiastically recommend!

4.5 Stars rounded up to 5 stars. I really enjoyed this book. I love the characters that Christina Lauren writes about. Their stories are believable and not over the top. It was a book that pulled me out of a reading slump with being light and easy to reach, which helped me get back on track for my reading goals.