Name: Perfect Chemistry
ISBN: 9780802798237

Simone Elkeles

When wealthy, seemingly perfect Brittany and Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, develop a relationship after Alex discovers that Brittany is not exactly who she seems to be, they must face the disapproval of their schoolmates--and others.

Perfect Chemistry

Monicap

This book was really cute. I love Brit and Alex’s romance, and how it was never going to happen, then it happened, and it was never going to work, and then it worked. And then the ending was so awesome. Wrapped just about everything up.
There’s only one thing in this book I’d like to address, which I will by first stating the quote, and then my response to it.

“Whoever heard of a senor being a f***ing virgin?”
- Colin, page 114

Okay. Now this quote kind of pissed me off. I’m a freshman in college, and I’m a virgin. There is nothing wrong with being a virgin. Nothing. Not a single thing.
And so, shame on Colin.
Not that I appreciated Alex’s attitude much more, seeing as his and Brittany’s relationship started with a bet on whether or not he could get into her pants by whatever that date was.
But it all worked out nice, and this book was incredibly enjoyable.

chloe rae

Even though it's been a while since I've read this book, I STILL know i'd love it just as much now as I did when I first read it. SOO GOOD. It's a love story that just has you whooping and cheering for a happy ending. Definitely a good book for the believer that love conquers all, stereotypes and differences included. A great read(:

Zahra

*3.5 stars*

PROS:
- It was such a fun read! Though I have to admit that the plot is a little bit too cheesy--two total opposites fall in love with each other after forced to become partners in class?--but it was enjoyable nonetheless. I can't even keep myself from smiling and giggling at some parts.

- The relationship between Brittany and her sister, Shelley. So Shelley has a disability which caused her to not be able to talk properly, can't walk, and actually can't do anything without help. Brittany might be a little bit ashamed of her sister but she truly loved her. It showed through how she cared for Shelley and how she chose to go to a nearby college so she could take care of her sister.

- The story had to do with gangs and drug dealing. Alex is a member of a gang, namely Latino Blood. It's not exactly an in-depth portrayer but it is new to me and quite unique, love it.

CONS:
- Drama. It's not like I wasn't expecting drama from a YA contemporary book but after like a half pages of it, the drama became too much and suddenly the story wasn't that fun to read anymore.

- Brittany. I loved Brittany with her witty comeback and confidence, even with her insecurities. But she gradually became kind of a damsel in distress and it was pretty annoying. After she realized her feelings for Alex it was like she couldn't function properly without Alex. Come on Brittany, girl who can't stand on her own is not so cool.

- The ending. I feel like it wasn't thoughtfully wrapped and it felt rushed, like the story was getting out of the author's hand and she decided to simply end it all. Without thinking of the important little details. But I am pretty satisfied with the epilogue (yes, there's an epilogue!), so there's that.

Will I read the sequel? I don't know. Maybe.

In the first book in Simone Elkeles' New York Times bestselling YA contemporary romance series, sparks fly between unlikely lab partners Brittany Ellis and Alex Fuentes . . . and when two polar opposites meet, the results are bound to be explosive. 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. Neither Brittany nor Alex is prepared for the most surprising chemical reaction of all--love. Don't miss any of these other books from New York Times bestselling author Simone Elkeles: The Perfect Chemistry Trilogy Perfect Chemistry Rules of Attraction Chain Reaction Better Than Perfect

it's a walking cliché but it was very entertaining i could not put it down. not enough chemistry between the two though. i am not saying it's bland, just not 3/5 worth. so i 2.5/5 rated down it is

Abby Champion

I first read this when I was 11, I remember loving it and reading the whole triology after. 

These were the books that got me into good girl x bad boy trope

I reread it now and I loved it just as much as i did back then ♡♡ 

I loved both of the characters and got invested into their story pretty quickly 

I related to Brittany's way of protecting herself and the lengths of what she'd do for Alex even after he lied and pretended like he never cared

Alex was a character I liked from the start and one I admire for being able to turn his life around even after the loss of his friend and the beating from the gang

The tension between these two characters and the attraction was addicting.

The love they had for each other. It made me feel things I haven't felt in a while.

I don't know if it was because of the nostalgia or because the story focused more on the tension and repressed feelings the characters had for each other, instead of sexual energy, but I liked it a lot 

I do think that a part of why I liked it so much was because of the tension and excitement, without it being too romantic or sexual, this is something I miss in these modern romances, where I feel like it often gets too soft or too sexual

The only reason to why it's not a 5 star is the mention of their race, referring to them as "white girl" or "mexican" a little too much throughout the book

It seems to be a bit unnessecary to focus so much on that since it's their personality that matters and not just their race, although I do understand that the book also tried to show the stereotypical assumptions the characters had of the west side and north side, which is important, I just wish they showed it in a different way

Overall I really enjoyed rereading this book and will most likely reread the rest of the triology soon

Lulu Evensen

I first read this when I was 11, I remember loving it and reading the whole triology after. 

These were the books that got me into good girl x bad boy trope

I reread it now and I loved it just as much as i did back then ♡♡ 

I loved both of the characters and got invested into their story pretty quickly 

I related to Brittany's way of protecting herself and the lengths of what she'd do for Alex even after he lied and pretended like he never cared

Alex was a character I liked from the start and one I admire for being able to turn his life around even after the loss of his friend and the beating from the gang

The tension between these two characters and the attraction was addicting.

The love they had for each other. It made me feel things I haven't felt in a while.

I don't know if it was because of the nostalgia or because the story focused more on the tension and repressed feelings the characters had for each other, instead of sexual energy, but I liked it a lot 

I do think that a part of why I liked it so much was because of the tension and excitement, without it being too romantic or sexual, this is something I miss in these modern romances, where I feel like it often gets too soft or too sexual

The only reason to why it's not a 5 star is the mention of their race, referring to them as "white girl" or "mexican" a little too much throughout the book

It seems to be a bit unnessecary to focus so much on that since it's their personality that matters and not just their race, although I do understand that the book also tried to show the stereotypical assumptions the characters had of the west side and north side, which is important, I just wish they showed it in a different way

Overall I really enjoyed rereading this book and will most likely reread the rest of the triology soon

Kathleen Tom

Well, I’m not saying this series is not good. It’s good, it was different from the other Love Romance Novel you ever read but guess I put my expectations to high on everything that when I read something that doesn’t reach any of my expectations I slightly felt disappointed. 

So! 3 Stars :)

Talia Dominguez 

omg this book is so awesome!!! I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS Book!!!! For real tho it was so romantic and sooo good that i finished this book in just two days (;

Annabella

The book carries us into the life of Brittany and Alex as during their senior year they are partenered up in chemistry class and they tear down the division wall that stands between White Guys and Mexicanos who are gang members.
Same old story: boy meets girl, swears that will never fall for her, does and changes for her.
Writing is simple and the story with the south American culture is quite interesting.
Besides, who's able to resist a Spanish accent? Not me.

Julia

It's so good when you reread a book and see that your feelings towards it haven't changed at all. 💖

Emily Orlando

Lauren hughes 

This book was really addictive!! I love the characters and how they relate to each other!There were some minor details,like language that were an issue,but it kind goes with the characters!I cain't wait to start Rules of Attraction!<3

Cassidy

I really like this book but I didn't like Brittany's character. She didn't seem to change much and she just seemed flat. However, I loved Alex's character. He was my favorite part of the book.

Amanda Kordeliski

Simon Elkeles created very believable characters in Alex and Brittney. Brittney is the perfect rich girl cheerleader with a football player boyfriend who is assigned gangbanger Alex as a chemistry partner her senior year. Both yearn for something different than the life they have and are startled by their attraction to each other. The book moves at a fast pace, I read it in one sitting. Alex, mired in poverty and trying to keep his brothers out of the gang life, is a genuine and believable character you root to succeed. Brittney has a disabled sister she shelters and takes care of while trying to be the perfect daughter her parents expect. Great teen romance, can't wait to read the sequel.

Julie D.

Abrielle Canales

I would've given 2 stars were it not for the fact that I've read it the whole way through twice. It kept me interested and I guess I couldn't resist the cheese! The cheesiness is fine and, honestly, to be expected. I can say I did enjoy the story and the romance. Reading it as an adult rather than a teen it's now a lot easier, though, to see all the problems with the book concerning Alex's ethnicity/family/culture. It seems, at worst, fetish-y, and much of the time, just unbelievable. "Would you give this Mexicano a chance?" I mean, who talks like that? Of course it's deeper than that. I understand one of the main points of the book is to not judge a book by their cover, but Elkeles just went all out with the Mexican bad-boy gang-banger stereotype. Aside from the discomfort of how Alex and his family and friends were portrayed (e.g. using "spicy" to describe Latina characters) I also did not enjoy Brittany's thoughts when it came to her obsession with perfection. Her obsession was understandable but the way she spoke about it just seemed shallow. Somewhat seemed like Elkeles was trying way too hard to emphasize Brittany's worry that people will see her as she really is. 

Overall, an entertaining love story. Even with all the problems, I gave the sequels a chance as well (spoiler: they essentially all have the same problems but with different characters). My only recommendation is to consume them with a grain of salt. If you're interested in reading to learn more about other cultures, this would not be that book. If it's just for the love story, it's great.

Danibel Peralta

I started reading this book because a friends insisted it was her favorite and that I must read it. Upon reading the blurb, I put it off because it seemed incredibly cliche... well, lo and behold, I was right! This book paints Mexicans/Latinos in a very stereotypical light. In addition, Ekeles makes the social divide between Whites and Latinos, south side and north side, extremely radical. I do think that the chemistry between the main characters was good, however, I honestly can’t get over how the author painted Alex and every Latino mentioned in this book. Why is it that everyone was a gang member? And what’s up with her use of the term gang banger?! Additionally, I felt that a lot of the Mexican slang she used throughout the book was not common. Her research on the way Spanglish is spoken was poorly done.

Amy Grieve

It should have been cheesy. It should have been a total cliche! Instead it made me want more. 

I had heard the whole plot before, good girl falls for bad boy and frankly it was a bit overplayed. 

Then I found this masterpiece. I absolutely LOVED this story. Somehow Simone Elkeles managed to make the clichéd plot fresh, new and exciting. In between her stunning and sensual writing she developed characters that made me swoon and love. 

Alex was a real bad boy with a sensitive side who, frankly, sounded like the hottest guy in paperback. His wild comments and joking manner made me laugh and fall in love with him just as much as Brittney. He cares for his brothers and mother and everything he seems to do is for them and their safety. 

Brittney was a real person with real problems and she helped to story come alive and sparkle with such intensity. Her home life is hard but I think that the way she treats her sister is such a show to her real self. Caring, loyal and beautiful. Her and Alex have to one of the best book couple ever. 

Alex and Brittney were a total laugh during their scenes together. Steamy at some points. Really, I loved everything in the end. It was a Stunning book that I would suggest to anyone. Once start reading you will be hooked left right and enter.

Maria

OMG, I can't. This is ridiculously primitive. I wouldn't finish it if not for 4 hours I spent in the trains today. I mean, at least write your sex scenes descriptively if there's no originality in the plot! Khhhhhh.

Becky

According to GoodReads, I read this book back in 2011 and gave it 1 star and obviously forgot everything about the book. I reread it and think I may have been too harsh, sure, my rating is only increasing to 2 and a half stars, but it certainly has improved.

I have been known to be judgmental with books, a flaw which I have begun to grow out of. Yes, this book was cheesy and predictable, and when the bet was thought up by Alex's friends I thought I was at risk of quitting, but I persevered. The book was extreme and dramatic and often I was sighing in frustration, but it was not terrible. The characters were likable, I loved Isa, I only wish she was a bigger character, and I'm glad Sierra didn't become a flawed best friend, she proved herself in this book, even when she was doubting Brittany's choices.

I sometimes felt distant to Brittany, her craving perfection, I didn't completely feel like that was her parents pressuring her, sure her mom did to some degree, but from what I read she seemed to place the most pressure on herself. I certainly didn't get the sense her parents wanted her to be perfect since her sister wasn't, that was all Brittany. It made me feel disconnected to her at times, but she had her moments.

Alex, though, he confused me. He was protective of his family, but you barely saw them in the book. He claimed to be trying to win a bet with Brittany but agreed to be her secret boyfriend and take her to a family wedding. There were too many contradictions and I don't feel there was enough written to explain it.

I did like Alex and Brittany's relationship, the teasing at the beginning was cute, and as they got closer I believed their relationship was developing, I got why. I was cherring for them, even if their stupid choices made obvious obstacles for them.

I do feel the ending was rather confusing, that could be as I was getting bored and began to skim read the book, but I feel like everything was in a rush to be resolved as there has been so many things happening towards the end, with it all being a push to the happily ever after.

Was it cheesy? Yes. Was it a bit far-fetched? Yes. Would I recommend the books to others? Yes, if you enjoy a dramatic romance a la Nicholas Sparks, I reckon you'll enjoy this book.

Isabella Brouwer

OK, I will admit, I was clapping my hands and grinning like an idiot by the time I got to the last page of this book. Even though this genre of books not what I usually tend to read, I totally loved it. I just can't wait to read the rest of the series.

Destiny J Tamayo

Just finished rereading it and it is till as good as I remember. Although Brittany tends to annoy me still.

Lisa Collins

Oh man. Sigh. My heart.

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I love bad boys. Let’s just get that out of the way. And I really loved Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles. It has the very popular “star-crossed lovers” plotline with less of the star-crossed and a whole lot of loving. Basically it’s: bad boy meets good girl, they fall in love, and chaos ensues. Well, maybe not chaos, but unrest at the least. Either way, I loved it.

Perfect Chemistry was pretty much what I expected it to be. What surprised me was how much I ended up enjoying it. The story was super corny at times, sometimes the dialogue (spoken and inner) was a little awkward, and I was constantly yelling at the characters to stop being so stupid, but I could not put the book down. I swear, I got so connected to all the characters (ahem, Alex) that I would worry about them while I wasn’t reading. I know. It’s so ridiculous. I feel like Elkeles put a lot of thought into the story in every direction and was just so thorough with her storytelling.

Honestly, I thought I wouldn’t like Perfect Chemistry for one huge reason. Gangs. Not necessarily the gangs themselves, but the violence that comes along. I don’t do very well with violence. Sometimes it’s fine, but sometimes it turns my stomach and I can’t deal with it. I loved how Elkeles was able to show the violence without being too gruesome about it. It didn’t make me sick, and for that I thank her. (I don’t have a weak stomach, honestly. It’s hard to explain, I guess.)

The characters in Perfect Chemistry were great. I think I liked all of them, even the mean/bad ones. (The bad ones as “bad” ones, of course. I didn’t like them as individuals.) Brittany was an interesting character to follow because outwardly she was strong and confident, but inside she was struggling to keep it together. Her story wasn’t about finding strength, but allowing herself to stop hiding the fact that she wasn’t perfect. She knew she wasn’t perfect and really just wanted to stop being fake. It was a nice twist. It was refreshing to have a character aim to be real. Period. (Rather than real plus this, this, and that.)

Here’s the part where I start swooning and fangirling over Alex. Alex, oh Alex. Alejandro. I loved Alex from the very get-go. Yes, he was being kind of a jerkface for a while. No, I didn’t really care. There was a lot more to Alex than it seemed. He had secret dreams that he couldn’t act on because he was a part of a gang that would basically kill him before letting him stray. Everything he did was to protect the people he loved, and that is totally sdfkgnhttaxscd. I love Alex. I can’t stop fangirling over him long enough to form comprehensible sentences about him. Sa-woon.

I also loved a million and one of the lesser characters. As always, I would love to learn more about them. Here’s to empty wishes for more companion novels! Here, here!

For the most part, I think I fell in love when I read Perfect Chemistry. With who or what is completely blurred. I loved it all. I laughed, I swooned, I got a little misty, and I think I found a new favorite book. If you like bad boys at all I definitely recommend this book. The same with rocky romances, familial problems, et cetera. I basically just recommend this book. Read it and swoon, people!

Perfect chemistry

I'm in love with this. And I have a feeling I'll be reading a whole lot more of this author.

Having read the description of the book, I already knew I'd be enjoying this despite the writing sometimes being corny or not the best. Sometimes a book doesn't have to be the best literal piece but just make you feel good. And that would be exactly the case here.