5 enthusiastic stars for what is now my favorite Christina Lauren book. Smart, funny and fully of nerdy joy-- the Soulmate Equation is the romcom book we've been waiting for. The main character, Jess, is a single mom whose struggles are REAL-- bogged down by day-to-day life and no time for love, in a moment of desperations she sends her DNA off to to GeneticAlly, a company that thinks they can find your soulmate based on DNA. When she has a startlingly high match percentage with the company's founder (and someone she does not perceive as a match)... will or won't things evolve?

Finding a soulmate based on DNA is a new concept and made the idea of reading this novel an exciting one. It is always nice to have a fresh new idea in the romance genre, though these characters do meet in a coffee shop the story gains intrigue as Jess is told that the man she sees ordering coffee everyday is genetically likely to be her perfect romantic match. Christina adds intrigue to the story as she shows the struggle Jess and River have to figure out if their feelings are real or just because they were a match. Though in the real world we don’t have DNA matching dating apps, this struggle the couple goes through to explore their feelings is relatable and brings us deeper into the couples journey.

Taking a DNA test changes the life of young mother Jess when it is revealed that she has a 98% comparability match on the newest dating app, which pairs couples up based on their genetics. Not only is her match one of the founders of the company he is also the local straight faced grump from the coffee shop she visits every day. With the launch of the app on the horizon the creators want to capitalize on their highest match ever, thrusting the new couple into the spot light. This book follows their relationship as they try to fall in love with one another, not because their genetics say they should, but because of the connection they are discovering. Both Jess and River struggle with knowing if their connection is real or just happening because the app says they are a good match.

The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren is an excellent contemporary women’s fiction and romance. I have to admit that I have read several books by this awesome author duo, and I have enjoyed each one. This one did not disappoint.

I loved the unique twist and premise of this narrative. I loved the inclusion of matchmaking via a genetic aspect and DNA comparison. It was cute, creative, and added a biology-laboratory aspect if you will to a literary premise. Both the quantitative and qualitative aspects balanced nicely.

I also enjoyed Jess and River, both together, and separate. I felt that that had a great pull/push feeling going for them at the beginning that evolved nicely as the story went onward. I liked how it progressed, and I enjoyed the ending.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Gallery Books for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram and B&N accounts upon publication on 5/18/21.

What happens when science meets love? Is such a thing even possible? In Christina Laurens newest book, The Soulmate Equation, not only is it possible, but maybe even likely. When single mother Jess Davis meets Dr. River Pena for the first time, it is definitely not love at first sight. In fact, it takes an encounter with a new dating site, GeneticAlly, which is based on DNA compatibility, to give this love story an interesting twist. Add in a best friend who thinks she needs to live a little and a little bit of author magic and you have a book that is less than predictable. With signature Christina Lauren warmth, fabulous characters and laugh-out-loud lines, this is definitely a book worth reading over and over again.

HJ Recommended Read!

In The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren, Jess Davis is a single mom who feels like she's forever just barely holding it together. Not that she would change a thing. She loves her young daughter Juno to the moon and back and enjoys the fact that they live in the same apartment complex as her beloved grandparents–who raised Jess when her own mom bailed. She also couldn't ask for a better best friend than Fizzy, who is a popular romance author. And whose books happen to be the only type of romance going on in Jess's bedroom these days. With little time and no luck when it comes to dating, she's all but given up on the idea of finding her soulmate.

Everything changes when Fizzy somehow talks Jess into doing a DNA compatibility test to see if new breakout company, GeneticAlly, can find them both a match. Skeptical but interested in the premise seeing as she's a statistician, Jess doesn't expect much in the way of an outcome. So when she's a ninety-eight percent match with GeneticAlly's founder, Dr. River Pena, she's flabbergasted. Especially since she's run into him a few times. And they didn't exactly get along–or start off on the right foot. But time together to promote the company's success has Jess very slowly changing her mind about River. The problem she can't get past, though, is if the feelings she has for him are real or if they are a product of knowing they are biologically matched.

With a storyline that will spark your imagination and a cast of characters so unique and awesome you'll adore them, Christina Lauren's newest standalone, The Soulmate Equation, dazzled me immediately.

This book! I had such a blast with CLo's newest romance. So much so that I wanted to turn around and go right back to page one and start it all over again when I finished reading. It piqued my interest as soon as I checked out the book synopsis. I mean, finding a love match based on DNA compatibility? How cool an idea is that? And it was something that only got more intriguing as the story moved forward and Jess and River grappled with figuring out if their growing feelings were real or clouded by their incredible match results.

As with all of CLo's work I've read in the past, I fell in love with the characters and enjoyed every moment of getting to know them all. There was single mom Jess, who had the weight of the world on her very capable shoulders. Her BFF Fizzy who had me in hysterics with her lack of a verbal filter. And Juno, Jess's seven-going-on-twenty-seven year old super smart, lovely daughter. And then there was River, the scientist with a PhD–and a possible hidden romantic side? He and Jess weren't enemies per se. But there was some animosity and dislike between them at first. I got a kick out of seeing why River acted aloof and cool and couldn't get enough of him and Jess once they began to understand each other better.

The Soulmate Equation had all of the humor, genuine emotion, and sparkling dialogue I expect from author duo Christina Lauren. If you're looking for a romance that will keep you completely engaged–and giggling profusely–this book is for you.

This writing duo hits another home run with The Soulmate Equation!

Jess is a freelance statistician, a single mom, and best friend to romance writer Fizzy Chen. Fizzy and Jess "work" from the local coffee shop every morning because the Wi-Fi is great and it's a perfect spot for people watching. As it turns out, one of these people they watch is "the Americano," Dr Rivers Pena. He comes in at 8:24 every morning and he;s gorgeous.

Dr. Pena's company has developed a "dating" service based on genetic matches. As much as Jess loathes Dr Pena from the coffee shop, she is not thrilled when it turns out they are a perfect match.

Chaos and romance ensues.

Christina Lauren gives us truly delightful characters, even the precious Juno, and smart, quick dialogue. Fizzy would be anybody's perfect best friend, and her friendship with Jess is priceless. Jess's grandparents are precious and her relationship with them is heartwarming. Even if some events were predictable, you find that you don't care because it's exactly what you wanted.

Loved this book and I'm so thankful to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Christina Lauren just keeps getting better! I couldn't put this one down, the steamy romance between Jess and River heated up every page yet their romance was not outshone by the power of Jess's friendship with best friend Fizzy and her relationship with her young daughter and grandparents. Christina Lauren created a complex, nuanced character in Jess whose life was full of dimension and independence. I appreciated that River was a complement to the richness of Jess's life but not the culmination.

I really enjoyed this novel about Jess and River. So sweet! I love the single parent trope, and Juno was such a doll. River and Juno together was so sweet!

A new dating app that finds your match based on DNA must be science fiction or the creation of a the super hot scientist that frequents her favorite coffee shop. But when a fluke sample comes but at a 98% match who are they to question it, even if they seem like total opposites. A single mom, mess and the put together no nonsense science guy. As River and Jess test the waters so to speak they might just find not only a steamy connection but maybe true love based on DNA is real. Cute, sexy, an opposites attract, slow burn romantic read.

I finished this in one sitting and my neck is killing me. I LOVED this new story from Christina Lauren. I loved the third person POV that they usually don’t do, and I love the mix of science and romance! It was perfect from every last side character to the sexual tension between the mains.

Christina Lauren has never let me down–and their new book, out this May, is no exception. I was having one of *those* days when you just cannot get into anything, and then I dove into the digital ARC I had of The Soulmate Equation and couldn’t come up for air. It was sweet, adorable, fun, and the perfect read. I think this should be the beach read of the summer this year, TBH.
Jess Davis is a single mom and free-lance statistician who lives with her grandparents and is perfectly content with her life, but she hasn’t been on a GOOD date in years, so when a regular at the coffee shop she frequents is supposedly starting a dating site that matches you via DNA, she agrees, along with her best friend Fizzy, to spit in the vial. The company–GeneticAlly–is led by coffee shop frequenter and kind of grump River Pena, but Jess isn’t worried about it too much…until her match profile comes back and she and River match with 98% compatibility. Neither of them want to believe it could be true, but the company could really use this boost in PR before they go public, so a contract is drawn up and suddenly, Jess and River are getting to know each other in the public eye and suddenly, the attraction isn’t just on the page anymore. But what if it’s all rooted in a lie?
This book was SUPER adorable–low stakes, high cute, a little flame, and so much heart. I just love what Christina Lauren can do with a story. We dive right in, the situation is super cool (DNA matchmaking? Aight, sign me up) and Jess’s daughter and River’s interactions with her made me want to spring out of my apartment in pursuit of the nearest single dad. Soooo cute. I also LOVED the character of Fizzy (a bodice-ripper-esque Romance Novelist) and the inclusion of Jess’s grandparents. Also big LOL and *yikes* to Jess’s mom and her pyramid scheme. Too real world? A little. But relatable, yes.
This is a perfect read if you just want an escape and to smile wide and not want to put the book down—and we could all use more of those in our lives, couldn’t we?

I love Christina Lauren books so I was eager to read this one as usual with their books. I adored Jess and River - they truly made me smile and laugh. The beginning of the book was cute, prob around 3.5 stars as I enjoyed it but was worried it was "trying too hard" to be witty and cute. However, it settled into its groove and the middle of the book when they were falling for each other was my very favorite and was definitely 5 stars! I really feel in love with River and Jess. The problem they had to conquer and the wrap up were okay but dropped to the 3.5-4 stars range for me. Overall a good Christina Lauren book with memorable main characters - I enjoyed and will recommend to those who enjoy this type of book.

*I really liked The One from John Marrs and it was fun to read a chick lit version of this idea!

first, thank you to Net Galley and publishers for this ARC!

y’all i was drawn to this book immediately when i found out about it and even more when i learned that Lauren of Christina Lauren has her PhD in neuroscience- what a badass! so cool!

this book definitely exceeded expectations! it was the perfect mix of real-life, steam, romance, comedy, and predictability (or lack thereof). it had me swooning and heartbroken and i truly loved the characters- which is always a sign of a good book! this definitely made the list of books i will always recommend

You won't be able to wipe the grin off your face when reading this book. It was such a great story! The characters jumped off the page with personality. I loved the details behind the DNA testing and statistics, it really made me feel like those were big aspects of our main character's personalities. I love this author so much, and I am so excited about this book!

Looking for charm, some laughs, some depth, some romance, and fantastic characters? Look no further!

The Soulmate Equation is about a single mom named Jess, who works as a freelance statistician and is obsessed with data and numbers. She lives with her 7-year old daughter, Juno, in an apartment right across from her grandmother and grandfather, who raised her.

Jess’s best friend, Fizzy, is convinced she needs to get back into the world of dating...or at least the occasional roll in the hay. When Jess finds out the seemingly rude and elusive customer she and Fizzy see every day at the coffee shop they work out of is the owner of GeneticAlly, her mind is blown. GeneticAlly is an up and coming matchmaking company that used DNA as the basis to find your true match. Jess can’t picture this guy being the the brain behind something to do with romance.

Still, she gives a sample of her DNA (in the form of spit) and waits to find out the results. In a move that nobody could have predicted, her test reveals a peak of 98% compatibility with another person: Dr. River Pena...the owner of GeneticAlly.

Jess and River can’t stand each other from the brief interactions they’ve had. There is NO WAY that they are compatible...or is there?

I loved almost everything about this cute book. The characters are phenomenal. I really cared for each of them, and appreciated the depth they conveyed. That’s not always apparent in romantic comedies, but it is evident in this one. Jess and her antics made me laugh and giggle more than once. I also had a cheesy smile on my face throughout many moments.

The only parts that I didn’t connect with were a couple scenes that deep-dived into the data and statistics of GeneticAlly. Some of that went right over my head. Luckily, those parts are very minimal.

I recently read In A Holidaze by Christina Lauren, which I enjoyed as a holiday read. I favored this one much more! It’s a truly sweet and sometimes saucy romance (with a little bit of heat) that left me wanting more.

4.5 stars.

Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book will be published on 5/18/2021.

Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com

I adored this for many reasons...I love single parent romances, I love grumpy heroes, and I love a fun best friend side character. Not to mention that the grandparents were pretty cool and June, the kid was just as cool. I pretty much devoured this book. I found it to be original, fun and romantic.

The premise behind the genetic matchmaking is what made this story stand out for me. I haven't read anything like it and I thought it was well done. Add all the reasons I mentioned above and that's why I this book was a hit for me. I highly recommend it!

What any book penned by the Christina Lauren contingency does best is create characters who are so vivid, life-like, believable . . . so real that I'm sure we are passing them on the street. A mundane existence under then scripting of Christina Lauren takes on a prismatic shine that is so engaging it is possible to read through one of their books in one sitting because you cannot put it down. The Soulmate Equation is entirely on brand and will not disappoint.
Jess Davis, single mom whose entire life lives in 4-block radius, lives and breaths by the numbers. As a statistician with a seven year-old daughter she has cultivated a routine, a budget, and knows her limits. Even when her less than savory mom shows up asking for money or when her grandparents need help working in the apartment complex they own. Jess is dependable. Her best friend, Fizzy (who, just to interject with a small request, probably needs her own novel at some point) is Jess's relief from the day to day. There work life at the local coffee shop is peppered with bestie convos and people watching, especially the stone-faced hot guy dubbed Americano because of his unwavering order at exactly 8:24 each day.
And then the meet-cute enters, with Fizzy buzzing for material for her latest novel, the third wall is broken and the lives of Americano ( real name River) and Jess intersect. Turns out Americano is a working on a dating start up that uses genetic material to determine compatibility. Buy into the concept if you want - it is an idea offered throughout the novel, which makes a great case for the larger topic - what makes you believe? Is it the numbers and statistics? Science? Your gut feeling and reaction?
And maybe this is *really* why I love Christina Lauren - characters you love, romance that makes you swoon, but ideas that make you want to start a conversation with a stranger at a coffee shop. An awesome, of-the-moment, contemporary romance that reminds us that sparkle and shine lingers just beneath the surface of any moment. Don't be afraid to search for it.

Oh my mind blowing goodness!!!! This has to be my favorite Christina Lauren book to date, and I don’t need a computer algorithm to rate this Diamond level! My only regret is that it is over!! My fingers are crossed that Jess and River make an appearance in another novel - perhaps a Fizzy concoction coming down the road! A huge thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the Arc!!

One of my favorite romances to date! This book is fun, intelligent, self-aware, and incredibly sweet. I really enjoyed "The Love Proof" and thought this one would have similar appeal, and it certainly delivered!

Sometimes I need a good romance novel, which I only discovered this past year. It is a good distraction. I really enjoyed In a Holidaze by these authors so I jumped at the chance to read The Soulmate Equation. I was super excited to read about a couple of nerds falling in love because of science. It was an okay, easy read. I did like Jess and River and loved Juno and Fizzy. I dont know if the tiny side plot between Jess and her mom was needed as it took a bit away from the story and made it a little heavier than it needed to be for a romance novel. Again, I am new to the genre so I might be off base. I think a lot of people will enjoy this book even though I thought it was just okay.