The Soulmate Equation
Ratings158
Average rating4
pros: LOVED the MCs, the sidekick BFF and the single mom rep, mental health rep + addiction rep, the last act didn't annoy me too much
cons: the emotional depth wasn't there and i cared about the characters but i wasn't emotionally invested, it was fluffy and forgettable + the plot was pretty predictable
2.5 stars
It was underwhelming to me. I enjoyed it but I didn't love it. The premise was unique. I found Jess annoying at first, however, I warmed up to her. The banter was good at times but it wasn't consistent. River was an interesting and likable character but his reaction, in the conflict near the end, was disappointing. The chemistry between Jess and River wasn't really there. I enjoyed the secondary characters and the sci-fi elements in it.
This was a super cute listen. I needed a Rom-Com/Romance for a bingo prompt and remembered I had this saved on Scribd. I have enjoyed other books by this author and I enjoyed this one as well.
The narrator did a good job and I found I was easily following and staying present. That's hard for me with audiobooks.
This certainly made the work day and chores fly by.
Loved this one from Christina Lauren! The concept of a dating app that can match you with your potential soulmate through DNA analysis made for some really great moments in this story. Aside from a bit of a slow start, I couldn't put it down once I got into it.
Jessica Davis, a single mom and statistician who is feeling down on her life, submits a DNA sample to an up and coming dating app at the urging of her best friend, Fizzy. Unsure if she is even looking for a serious relationship, Jess forgets all about the app until she is contacted by its creators and asked to come into their offices. What Jess least expects is to meet her genetic soulmate, the app's founder, Dr. River Pena, with whom she is 98% compatible, the highest compatibility score the app has seen so far. Dr. Pena just so happens to also be the broody, stuck up coffee shop guy she and Fizzy ogle every morning. What ensues after is a little bit of fake dating, a little bit of enemies-to-lovers, and a lot of fun shenanigans as Jess and River explore what it means to be actual soulmates.
This overall was a really enjoyable read. The chemistry between Jess and River is chef's kiss and there are plenty of laugh out loud moments.
Well, this was certainly a book I read. I didn't hate it, but I never got much sense of River besides that he's hot and grumpy/introverted, which is fine at the beginning but I need a little more insight/development for it to be satisfying, you know? I liked Jess and loved Fizzy and Juno, but their subplots just kind of petered out for me - Fizzy's new dude being married and Juno's friend drama are both mentioned a couple of times but never go anywhere, which was a little disappointing. Overall, this was fine, basically. Not quite my thing but I'm not mad at it.
(2021 Summer Romance Bingo: scientific pursuit; would also work for fake dating)
Excuse me, but I LOVED this! Been on a reading block lately but this was sooooo cute and heartwarming. My eyes glazed over at the data parts now and then but I genuinely liked the two leads and Juno, Juno is the best kid.
Christina Lauren never fails to make me fall in love with their characters. They still are holding the spot of being my favorite romance authors.
This book follows Jess, a single mom who is a freelance statistician, and River, a scientist who developed technology that uses DNA to find soulmates. Through a hilarious course of events, River and Jess have to spend time together in the spotlight for River's new company.
The plot of this book was corny and perfect. The whole concept of DNA based soul mate searching seems so silly, but in actuality was very fun and created some hilarious interactions. The characters were superb, as usual. Jess is such a down to earth, fun, strong woman, and River is a hard working, good guy. I do think that Jess's character development outshone River's. His character wasn't as fully fleshed out I felt like. But I didn't think it detracted from the story that much.
I recommend this book to romance readers. It isn't as steamy as some of the duo's other books (I'm looking at you, Beautiful series), but the romance is still full of heart and humor. It's an easy read, and will leave you with a smile on your face.
TW: alcohol, alcoholism, drugs, hospitalization, cheating
This was going to be a 5 star read until I got to the reason for the breakup/misunderstanding that always happens about 3/4 through any romance book. It just didn't work for me.
But I loved the characters of this one. Especially those outside the main couple, they all were unique and brought so much fun to the story. It was also great seeing how Jess and River worked with Juno involved.
I actually enjoyed this! I am pleasantly surprised because I haven't enjoyed the past few CL releases.
On reread a month later: 4.5 stars!
Their relationship was so cute
I really enjoyed this and the idea of the DNA-love test. Audiobook was fantastic!
The Soulmate Equation is a really enjoyable contemporary romance about a single mom and a seemingly unfriendly scientist who are matched by a DNA-based dating app. The story follows the two as they begin a fake dating experience that could become more.
Jessica Davis is a single mom who has decided not to focus on dating until her daughter gets older. Her priority is being a good mom. River Pena is an innovative scientist behind the new dating app GeneticAlly, which claims to be able to match people to their soulmates via DNA analysis. When Jess submits her DNA on a whim, she learns that she is a 98% match with the River, who she knows as an unfriendly, rude café patron that she sees every morning. When the company offers to pay her to explore the match, she begins a fake relationship with River. The focus of the story is whether the two of them actually are compatible. Will they fall in love?
The characters in this book are extremely likable. Jess is a funny, down to earth protagonist. Her independence and dedication are admirable. River, though he seems standoffish, is actually a genuine, likable man. Their chemistry is believable. Secondary characters in this book are perfectly complementary to the main characters. Jess's best friend is hilarious, and her grandparents are so sweet and compassionate. The characters really stand out as an asset to this story.
In terms of plot, the book does a good job of taking subject matter that is a bit unbelievable (matching through DNA) and making it seem realistic. There are some moments when the science and math talk is a bit much, but it is necessary to make the events believable. The conflict that arises to possibly derail the romance is completely believable in the context of the plot. It is not overdone and exaggerated, which I appreciate.
Overall, this is one of Christina Lauren's best books in a while for me. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and look forward to what they create next!