My single March read so far was “The Soulmate Equation” by my FAVS Christina Lauren!!! It’s an early release I was granted an early peek at thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, and I think it tops my absolute favorite book of theirs of all time! It’s perfect in every way and has all the features everyone loves about these books: friendship, family and all the romance!! It releases in May and you will NOT want to miss this one!

I’m obsessed with the friendship between Fizzy and Jess, I can picture every bit of the romance between River and Jess, and Juno!! Such a perfect addition with the grandparents showcasing a nowadays typical family!!

I loved this entire story!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I’m a fan of Christina Lauren books but this one didn’t seem to have the same heart and humor as the other books. I liked the premise and thought the Jess and River were likeable. Jess’s best friend Fizzy is the one who stole the book for me would love a book about her misadventures in love and writing about it.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I will pick up any book written by Christina Lauren and I have never been disappointed. The writing is always on point with loveable characters, wit, charm and romance. I can't get enough. The Soulmate Equation did not disappoint. I loved the main character, Jess, for her independence and quirkiness. I loved her daughter, Juno, for her sass and intelligence beyond her years. I loved her best friend Fizzy simply because everyone needs to have a BFF that will always have your back. Lastly, I love River because by the end of the story who can resist him let's be real. Christina Lauren has built a storyline around a DNA dating app (too bad it is fiction) that leads you to think that soulmates really exist and can be determined through a blood test. Jess only signed up in a desperate moment of reflection about her life but quickly realizes she entered a roller coaster line with no way off the ride. The chemistry between Jess and River leaps off the page and the cast of characters support and engage in a way that is fun to read. I recommend this book to anyone that loves contemporary fiction, chick-lit, and anyone who loves LOVE. At the end of the day aren't we all looking for our soulmate?

I will start by saying that I find the "DNA is destiny" schtick incredibly offensive so the _only_ reason I picked up this book was that it was by Christina Lauren who are one of my favorite authors. That said, this was a relatively well done book. The plot, such as it was, was good. The secondary characters were great (I actually kind of liked Fizzy better than Jess); the hero and sex were hot; the kid was cute. What more do you want from a romance? Still...I'm looking forward to their next book as the premise of this book didn't get any better the more I read.

I had read "The Unhoneymooners" and liked it well enough, but hadn't read anything by Christina Lauren besides that. That being said, I LOVED this one, and enjoyed it way more than Unhoneymooners! I really appreciated the characters and their honesty, and what a cute HEA. I want a River.

Fantastic romantic read with a twist of science. Jess and River together whether they are bantering or trying to figure out if they are a match are electric. The sparks fly right off the page. River is not what Jess expected or what he shows most of the world. Jess is just trying to raiser her daughter on her own and giving up on romance and dating. Fizzy is an added bonus to the mix. She is her best friend and a comedic addition to the story. Story is fast paced and does how some science mixed in. I would definitely reread this one and it is on my 5 star keeper shelf.

I’ve read a few Christina Lauren books and have liked them, but this one might be my favorite! I really liked the main characters and even though it was somewhat predictable, there was a moral dilemma that I wasn’t expecting. I would recommend it for a quick, summer read.

The Soulmate Equation is the latest book from author-duo Christina Lauren and while I have really enjoyed their early books, I have actually skipped some of their more recent books or had issues with them. But while not every book of theirs is my jam, I still read every one because I’ve enjoyed the majority of them. And I’m super glad to say, this one was a hit for me! As soon as I heard the premise for this book, it gave me The One by John Marrs vibes (which I was intrigued because I loved that book) but less thrillery sci-fi and just romance.

Jess is a busy single mom about to be 30 who spends her time taking care of her 7-year-old daughter, helping out her grandparents (who raised her), and with her job as a statistics analyst. One thing Jess doesn’t have time for is a relationship, but her best friend, Fizzy is a romance writer and obsessed with Jess having a love life. Jess and Fizzy hear about GeneticAlly, a new DNA-based matchmaking company, and Fizzy jumps at the chance to get a tour of the labs and drags Jess along with her. On a whim Jess takes the test too and is shocked-surprised when she matches with the founder of the company, Dr. River Peña. But not only did they match, they have the highest compatibility the company has ever seen & Jess already knows him...River is the stuck-up, stubborn man she sees every morning at her local coffee shop who can definitely NOT be her soulmate. But GeneticAlly has a proposition for Jess: get to know River and they’ll pay her.

I love the concept of this book, a DNA-based dating app and the idea of being able to tell people’s compatibility and longevity of their relationship based off genetics. I really enjoyed both of these characters, River and Jess are both sciencey and get into lots of conversations about statistics and probabilities. I enjoyed their annoyed-to-love banter and I always love a hero who appears to be cold & aloof but has more going on once the heroine gets to know him. While still not on the level of their early books steaminess, this one did have more steam happening on the page than some of their more recent reads. I liked that Jess was a single mom & apprehensive about the entire dating process/inviting a new man into her life. This was just a really cute read and I enjoyed it so much!

Thank you to the publisher (Gallery Books) for an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest thoughts & review. The Soulmate Equation publishes May 18, 2021.

A delightful romance from beginning to end. I enjoy the premise that you can find your soulmate through a DNA match. The characters were fun and likable with great backstories.

I absolutely loved this book! I could not put it down. The premise is so smart that I woke up in the middle of the night thinking about it. The characters - Jess and River as well as all the supporting characters were loveable and easy to identify with and the love story was precious! Although the ending was predictable, it was more satisfying than I expected. Pick it up ASAP!!

I read this book it one day- it's just one of those you don't want to put down! The Soulmate Equation is such a fun and easy book to read. It's a unique take on romance and dating and I really enjoy it! I love Christina Lauren's writing, the character development is suburb. I was interested, involved, and rooting for all the characters the whole time, especially River and Jess.

This book is out in May 2021, put it on your to be read list now, I highly recommend it!

Thank you @netgally @gallerybooks and @christinalauren for my arc.

I really enjoyed this one and I also kind of hate that I enjoyed it so much because it was so predictable and simple. But it was also cute and quick and charming, so I'm not really too upset. The premise is simple, the romance comes together fairly quickly, especially considering it looks like it's going to be an enemy-to-lovers romance, and the problem is easily overcome. All of these things are great if you're looking for a quick, easy romance. And there's definitely nothing wrong with that. If you want a lot of soul-searching or character growth and depth, you won't find it here. But you will find a cute set of grandparents, maybe my best friend ever in a book, a cute kid, and a fluffy romance. Also, a lot of nerd talk. There are also brief mentions of parental abandonment, drug use, and a short hospital stay. But this book stays away from anything too dark and is really just an enjoyable, easy-to-get-lost-in book.

*Thank you to NetGalley, Christina Lauren and Gallery Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Suspend belief for a moment and imagine you could submit your DNA and be matched to your soulmate? This is GeneticAlly and the premise of The Soulmate Equation.

Jessica Davis, a single mother who feels her life is missing something. Every day she goes to the coffee shop and spends the day freelancing, while her best friend Fizzy writes her books. Each morning at 8:24 am, they wait for "Americano", the mysterious man who comes and orders a coffee every day. River Pena (Americano) is a scientist who has founded a DNA matchmaking company that is about to go public.

When Jess and Fizzy learn of GeneticAlly, they find an excuse to talk to River and he invites them to come in and give a sample. When Jess sees Fizzy getting lots of matches from her sample, she sends hers in and is shocked when she receives an unheard of Diamond Match with Americano. She cannot understand, when they clash on every level, the validity of this match. When she tells them she believes it is not valid, though a data scientist herself, they offer to pay her $10,000 a month for three months to date River. With her finances dire, she agrees.

Despite their rocky beginning, their first date is magical. There is definite chemistry, and I loved their banter. This book is primarily about the romance between Jess and River, but all the people in Jess' life are wonderful -her grandparents, her daughter, Juno, and her best friend Fizzy—they all show up.

This is a wonderful romance with very little angst. The characters are well developed and the situations are relatable as a single mother.

The Soulmate Equation takes tinder to a whole new level. Jess is a single mom that is trying to get by with the help of her family and friends and River is the broody guy at the coffee shop that has a mysterious career. It’s a fun novel with great characters. I thought the chemistry was so great between Jess and River and also the secondary character. The dialogue was clever and the storyline was fast paced and sweet! I will definitely be rereading it.

The cover and summary drew me in, but once I was there, I was stuck.
The beginning moved at a slow pace. One could argue it was for build up, but I need to be HOOKED, and that didn’t happen here. Then we met River, and he kind of came across as a jerk. But not the enjoyable kind, just a jerk. And Jess. She was so intent on never dating again that her voice became kind of shrill in my mind. Constantly harping on the same things. It was a little annoying. And the last thing I REALLY didn’t like.... all of the science jargon. I felt like I needed to head back to college to finish reading and understanding this book, and that’s not what I thought I was getting into.
Now the highlights of this one? Fizzy, beyond a shadow of a doubt. Actually, just expand that to most of the secondary characters. The storyline itself, the premise behind it all, also a hit. The relationships with Juno.
Overall, this was a swing, and it connected, but I wouldn’t call it a hit for me.

Okay The Soulmate Equation has to be my favorite Christina Lauren book and up there with my top favorite romance books of all time.

River and Jess had everything- the chemistry was off the charts, the drama was believable, but mostly, they had so much heart. I went into this one expecting an easy romance (which I NEEDED during this pandemic so I say that with all of the love) but I got a book with so much heart and soul- not rip you open and make you cry soul but wrap you in a blanket of love soul, Jess' grandparents and daughter, Juno plus her best friend, Fizzy AND River's sisters and the Fuchs- it was so sweet and lovely and a spotlight on the life that I would love to have. I would love to look around me and see so many lovely and supportive people- I truly loved the side characters and what they all individually brought to the table. But back to River and Jess- these two main characters were hesitant in a way that felt deeply honest and real, the things in their path did not feel contrived in any way, and their love was slow but fast and stunning to read.

I enjoyed this one more than I can explain and it was everything I wanted and so much more. I definitely cannot recommend this one enough!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Christina Lauren and Gallery Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Despite not loving Christina Lauren's previous release, I was very excited to read The Soulmate Equation. The book's premise of using a DNA test to determine compatibility with a potential partner was intriguing to me. I found that the book started a bit slow, but it did eventually pick up along the way. Overall, I found it to be an enjoyable read.

This review comes with a warning. Basically, you shouldn’t read it if you haven’t read the book. And pretend my 4 stars up there is 2.
Bc here’s the deal - I went in expecting...meh. I have loved books by this author (these authors). And I’ve hated them. So my attitude as I went into this was literally “I’m in a reading slump. I hate all the books. I might as well sacrifice an ARC to my mood.” Lo and behold, I enjoyed the heck out of this.
Yes, I skimmed some science. Yes, I thought parts were ridiculous or silly. But...I wanted to read it. I looked forward to picking it up. The story pulled me in.
That means a lot to me. Reading can often seem an obligation - particularly ARCs. I go months without requesting any. I resent them before they’re even started.
This one, however, had that light-hearted magic that had me coming back for more.
All of this said, I think expectations need to be low. Not because the book is crap - but because so many books die on the altar of The Buzz. Everyone’s reading it. Everyone’s loving it. And when you start it you’re rightfully unimpressed. This sweet little book can’t handle that kind of pressure. You’re going to be torqued off if you go in thinking grandiose.
Open this up when you want light and easy that isn’t dumb. And you’re okay being aggravated a little. ;)

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to offer my unvarnished opinion.

I spent 2 years on Plenty of Fish, Bumble, Tinder and OKCupid just looking at profiles until I met my the love of my life. I was holding out for a 90% or better compatibility on OKCupid (and striking out) when I accidentally swiped UP (superlike!) on a not-yet-divorced man on Tinder (a site I barely used, because I was looking for long term, not a quick hookup). Tinder was a stopover for him while he was perfecting a J-Date profile. I'd like to think if we had completed all those tests on OKCupid, we'd be a solid 90% match.

In The Soulmate Equation, single mom statistician Jess has just sworn off dating. She and her best friend work from a local coffee shop, a place where you could set your watch by the attractive man who comes in at 8:24 every morning, face buried in his phone. When it turns out he runs a dating company the finds matches based on genetic compatibility across 200 genomes, Jess and her friend romance novelist Fizzy end up getting a tour, the pitch and sending in a spit sample for a possible match; Jess ends up 98% compatible with the grumpy but hot owner.

The company, poised to go public, offers to pay Jess $30,000 to date River for three months; the match is too good not to share, and a real relationship for the two of them would solidify the data. Jess agrees, so long as her adorable 7 year old Juno is kept out of the PR spotlight. River comes up with the clause they are under no obligation to get physical. Jess and River find themselves ordering the same meals, making similar gestures on their dates, and their chemistry is palpable. River shows up for Jess in all kinds of ways - picking up Juno at school, standing vigil at the hospital after the grandmother that raised her had an accident - but when Jess comes upon some information that could compromise the data, and the company, she can't remain silent, even though she risks losing everything she ever wanted.

San Francisco is a strong presence in the book, and Jess's grandfather's love of crossword puzzles is one of the things that adds depth to the characterizations. Jess's addict mother Jamie keeps everything a little too real. I completely geeked out over all the data science. My only complaint is I would have liked some remaining questions answers.

If my love and I were able to get a genome sequencing, like the characters in the book, would we come out with a strong match? I think so. Would we want to know the results? Again, I think so - it would just prove what I already know to be true.

I received a free copy for review purposes from #NetGalley
#SoulmateEquation

Another 2.5 star read from Christina Lauren...I'm seeing a pattern emerging...

While the premise of finding a soulmate through DNA was interesting, it's been done before, and better in my opinion (check out The One by John Marrs for the same idea with a thriller bent). The plot followed your typical rom-com flow, with nothing unexpected or unique to make it stand out in the sea of similar storylines out there. There's a lot of scientific jargon that made my eyes glaze over and the romance between River and Jess didn't feel authentic to me. I felt way more invested in the secondary characters, and they're really what kept me reading.

Christina Lauren's books have officially become more of a miss than hit for me, so it'll take an eye-catching plot summary and rave reviews to convince me to request the next.