Cover Image: The Soulmate Equation

The Soulmate Equation

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Member Reviews

Thank you to Gallery Books for letting me read an eARC of The Soulmate Equation.

This book did not disappoint in the slightest! The concept behind how GeneticAlly works was mind-blowing! It made me wish that there was something like this out there in the world to see who I would end up with. Jess was a very relatable character. Being a single, hard-working, mother who puts all her focus into her daughter and being there for her grandparents she definitely didn't leave herself any free time for dating. Until she decided to go to GeneticAlly one day and give her DNA sample. I had a feeling she would end up matching with River, but the chemistry they grew to have with one another was unreal. It makes you think that even if someone isn't your type, give them the chance and they may prove you wrong. I can't wait to see what Christina Lauren comes out with next! This one is definitely going on the bookshelf!

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This is the first Christina Lauren book I’ve read. The concept of the book is with a single mother and her friend setting her up on a dating site that mates by DNA qualifications sounded like it would be good. I felt like the characters fell a little flat and I didn’t feel invested in their story or journey. Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

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This is the second Christina Lauren book that I’ve read, and I just need to stop. Their novels are just too trope-tastic for me, which makes me angry. I know, who gets angry over romantic comedy? I guess I do. I’m all about the comfort of tropes in romance novels, but this novel relied on them far too much. I didn’t mind too much that the plot used common themes like melting the hard heart of a grump and a fake relationship, but the characters were over the top stereotypes. The single mom who lives for her kid and never has time for herself. The single female friend who has nothing but free time and first world problems. The sweet and supportive grandparents who would do anything for their granddaughter. And the guy - a grumpy scientist whose heart eventually melts for the mom and kid. Because the characters were so predictable, I never really felt connected to them; therefore, I never really appreciated what was supposed to set this novel apart from every other romantic comedy. For example, the single mom was a freelance statistician hustling gigs to keep her daughter in ballet lessons. That could have been a really cool world view, but the emphasis on the single mom dimension drowned out any uniqueness. I felt the same way about the supporting characters - they could have been quirky and cool if they weren’t so stereotypical. Of course, I’m sure that the very reasons that caused a strongly negative visceral reaction in me would cause glee and delight in other readers.

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4- Stars It's definitely one of my favorites by Christina Lauren. I read this book last year but forgot to post a review.

This book was cute, funny, and a quick read. I also loved the STEM aspect of it. While the overall plot was predictable, I found that the interactions between the characters and the banter made up for it.

I loved how it showed the tender moments between Jess and her support system (Fizzy, Juno, and her Grandparents) as well as the romance with River.

I want to thank Netgalley and Gallery Books granting me access to this ARC. I highly recommend it for anyone who loves a good rom-com. I purchased the Kindle and audio book version as well as a physical copy. (All of them are equally enjoyable)

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A unique idea for a story, interesting characters (both the main and the supporting cast), funny moments and frustrating moments and everything in between - this book was really good. I liked that neither River nor Jess were perfect, but they weren't annoyingly oblivious or obnoxious either. I liked Juno, Pops, Nana, River's sisters (more of them please!), and of course Fizzy - I hope she gets her own book!

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I wasn't entirely sure how I felt about the premise of this book at first, but I would literally read grocery lists from Christina Lauren if possible. Everything they touch is magic, and nobody can convince me otherwise. I loved Jess and her friends, and even though it was predictable, the characters were extremely likeable.

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Jess is probably one of my all-time favorite romance heroines. Her world feels so fully realized and lived-in, I wanted to spend all my time hanging out with her.

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This was just okay for me. The writing wasn't bad, but I just couldn't get into this one like I wanted to. The concept of finding a match through DNA was interesting to me, so I requested this one. Jess is a single mom who wants to start dating again, so her friend talks her into trying this service. River is a workaholic who helped create the app. I just didn't get their romance. I liked them separately (for the most part), but I just couldn't buy their romance. It felt forced and I couldn't really root for them. The twist at the end did make sense, but I felt like the fallout from that was wrapped up too easily. I did love Jess's daughter and grandparents. They made really good secondary characters. Although this won't be a reread for me, I would be willing to give these authors another read.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book.

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This is everything my STEM romance loving heart could desire. I found both characters to be exceptionally complex and loved the realistic science that went into the plot.

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This is not a typical genre I would select but there was enough science fiction jargon that I was in. We are very curious about what our genes tell us including our ancestry or potential health issues. The possibilities are endless which is why I found this novel interesting to begin with and it did not fail. I love the chemistry between Jess and River. Even with a 98% compatibility score they still were very unsure about one another and the quick wit was hilarious. Fizzy adds some adult humor and content as well with her own choice words that she uses as inspiration for her risque novels, like laugh out loud funny.

Single mom Jess Davis is a data and statistics wizard, but no amount of number crunching can convince her to step back into the dating world. After all, her father was never around, her hard-partying mother disappeared when she was six, and her ex decided he wasn’t “father material” before her daughter was even born.

But then Jess hears about GeneticAlly, a buzzy new DNA-based matchmaking company that’s predicted to change dating forever. Finding a soulmate through DNA? The reliability of numbers: This Jess understands.

At least she thought she did, until her test shows an unheard-of 98 percent compatibility with another subject in the database: GeneticAlly’s founder, Dr. River Peña. This is one number she can’t wrap her head around, because she already knows Dr. Peña. The stuck-up, stubborn man is without a doubt not her soulmate.

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Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me at the time but I hope to go back to it at a later date because I liked the synopsis and the cover

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Christina Lauren always know how to give us romance but in a new way. Even if the tropes may seem familiar, these authors know how to make it something fresh.

This latest novel of there’s meets that bar and surpasses it. I loved the premise, I loved the story, and it made me happy at the end. What more could you ask for?

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CLo does it again with another hit! The Soulmate Equation had heart, lovable characters, romance and a smart and nerdy story that fans will love. The idea of finding your soulmate via a DNA match was fascinating!

What I loved most about this book:

-Jess, the heroine was a single mother struggling with life, business and being a parent and she was so likeable.
-Fizzy (Jess' best friend) is the friend we all we had. She was genuine and always said what everyone was thinking. I would love for her to have a spinoff book!
-Pops cracked me up! He is the definition of perfect grandpa.
-Juno's relationship with River warmed my heart!
-the science of the DNA matching and the nerdy tidbits had me hooked

I really enjoyed this charming book and it was all I hoped it would be!

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Single-mom Jess and River are supposedly genetic soulmates, according to the DNA tests administered by River's company. The romance blooms in the enemies-to-lovers tale as they begin dating and getting to know each other. Jess has emotional walls built up due to the betrayal and abandonment of her parents and her child's father. Although the science in this book is science fiction, it is an interesting and modern take on the idea that some people were born for each other.

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I'm a huge fan of this author duo and was so excited to get a chance to read and review this one. I found the whole concept of finding your soul mate through DNA very original and interesting. I thought the whole book was fun and romantic, not to mention I love the enemies to lovers trope.
Jess and River were excellent main characters. I loved both of their backgrounds and how they knew but didn't know eachother at the beginning of the book. The way their whole "meet cute" but not actually a meet cute happens, was very fun.
Overall I absolutely enjoyed this whole book! I thought the romance was perfection and I can't wait to read more by them.

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Oh my gosh The Soulmate Equation was just what I needed! It was totally sweet, super adorable and just a bit nerdy which I loved! This is the story of single mother Jess and sexy CEO River (both a little nerdy) and how they go from not liking each other to a sweep off your feet romance thanks to a dating app… which is not your average dating app! I loved the characters, I loved the flow of the story and I loved the romance. This one was so much fun and a true joy to read! I highly recommend if your looking for a quick and fun read!

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I don't know if its me or the book or just me being in a reading slump but I could not get into this book. I try it again at a later date and hopefully I will enjoy it like so many of my friends do. I have no rating since I didn't read much of it, but I will say I typically love these authors writing style so I have high hopes I can get into this in the future.

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Single mom Jess Davis trusts numbers and science, so when she hears about a matchmaking company that uses DNA to pair couples, she’s intrigued. But she grows skeptical when she’s matched with Dr. River Pena, who is 100% wrong for her, no matter what the data says.

I'm a long-time Christina Lauren fan and I think their readers will find so much to love in this book. In a romance, I love when the heroine has a built-in support system and we see so much of that in Jess' grandparents and even her relationship with her daughter. I also absolutely adored Jess' best friend Fizzy—who provided both excellent comic relief and friendship to Jess throughout the book.

Jess and River get off to a rocky start and I loved reading along as they slowly found common ground and began to give into the attraction they felt between the. The science of DNA pairing also felt like a fun nod to the beloved fated mates trope in PNR ith a contemporary twist.

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I loved this Christina Lauren book and blazed right through it. I was intrigued by the very relevant DNA/science/matchmaking component. I have really enjoyed every book I have read by this duo and was, of course, sucked in to find out what the conflict of this book would be and how it got resolved.

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If you could spit in a tube and have your DNA matched to a stranger’s, would you? When Jess decides to spit into a tube, on a whim, she never expects to find a match, let alone a Diamond match of 98% compatibility, but that’s what happens. Not only does she end up with the highest match that the company, GeneticAlly has ever had but her match is one of the founders of the company, a man she only previously knew as Americano, his nickname when she saw him in their mutual coffee shop. Americano’s name is actually River and he and Jess decide to enter into an agreement to give them match a shot ahead of his company going public. What follows is Jess and River trying to decide if they truly are the soulmates that their DNA suggests. This was an adorable little romance by the incredible authors Christina Lauren. Jess and her daughter, Juno, are the characters you root for and River’s sexiness oozes across the page.

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