Oh man, CLo does it again! I was beyond excited to get to read Christina Lauren's newest book early, and these authors did not disappoint. It's a remarkable book that causes me to sacrifice my precious sleeping hours, and The Soulmate Equation fit the bill.

The plot:
Jess Davis is a single mom raising her seven-year-old daughter, making a living crunching numbers and analyzing statistics when her best friend manages to convince her to send in her DNA sample to GeneticAlly. This matchmaking company claims to change the dating world by using genetic compatibility scores to match clients. When Jess receives a 98% compatibility score, her initial skepticism turns to incredulity when she finds out that her "near perfect" match turns out to be the surly, stuck-up founder of the company, Dr. River Pena. Wanting to capitalize on this "Diamond" level pairing in anticipation of the company's IPO, they issue Jess a proposition. Will she consent to getting to know her match in exchange for three month's salary? Although Jess finds comfort in the reliability of numbers, can she truly believe that one can find a soulmate through DNA?

One might consider this book fitting the enemies-to-lovers archetype, but that would dramatically reduce what this book actually is.

What I liked:
In my opinion, a five-star book has to have three things: excellent writing, a well-designed plot, and likable (or at the very least accessible) characters. This book has all three. The main character Jess, felt like someone I'd totally want to be friends with. There's a scene early on where she's talking to herself in the restaurant bathroom mirror on a terrible Tinder date that was so relatable. I found myself laughing out loud at so much of the protagonist's dialogue and inner thoughts, not to mention those of her hilarious and sassy best friend.

I also appreciated the fact that the seven-year-old daughter Juno actually felt like a seven-year-old. There's nothing worse than a book where the author completely abandons developmentally-appropriate conventions for children.

What I didn't like:
Although initially all of the statistics talk was weirdly sexy (who doesn't love a baller woman who can wipe the floor with her male peers when it comes to data analysis?), it goes a bit too far later in the book. Maybe it's because I had hit my threshold of knowledge about statistics and stopped being able to follow it, but I think it could have been simplified slightly for broader audience appeal.

Finally, my biggest gripe was the fact that the authors casually mention our male romantic lead's height of 6'4". I cannot figure out why so many romance authors ascribe their characters to this insanely tall height. As this is largely a book about statistics and probability, I'll offer this piece of data for consideration. The percentage of men in the United States who are 6'4" or above is a whopping 1%. The average woman in the US is 5'4", and honestly, who wants to be craning their neck up that high just to get in a kiss? I would very much like to see this particular trend in the genre die a quiet death.

Overall:
Statistically improbable heights aside, this book was wonderful, and I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to have a smile plastered on their face for their entire reading duration.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Gallery Books for sharing a digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

3.5

I got to say this was an extremely sweet book! Not as hot and steamy as other Christina Lauren books and not as emotionally fleshed out as I would have liked it to be, but overall it was a nice fluffy book to tide over the reading grouch.

Although the premise was sound enough, I really wished we got more chemistry (ironic, I know) and just more of the characters, world, and dialogue. If it had just 100 pages more it would have been a banger but I have to settle with 3.5 stars.

I really like the Author Duo and their latest book is as good as I hoped. The plot is about two women who experiment with DNA dating. They use a dating service that looks at your DNA to find someone who is compatible with you. If this concept sounds very similiar to "The One" by John Marrs you are right. However he wrote his book in a thriller style, while this is a fun rom-com romp.
I found the characters very likable and the dating DNA concept to be well thought out.
This book was very readable and I think I zipped through it in one weekend.
If you are looking for a cute, light hearted romance for Spring this is the book to get.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Soulmate Equation shows what happens when science and genetics are brought into the dating world. Jess and River are brought together in the most unusual way, their DNA shows them to be an "Emerald Match." This means that they should have the best chance to have a long term "soulmate" relationship based on their DNA. The problem is, they can barely stand each other. I usually love Christina Lauren novels, and this one was no different. The story is unique with a science background. It leads to deeper wonderings about the role of DNA in relationships. I would and will definitely recommend to friends.

Loved, loved, loved this title. It was impossible to put down! Per Christina Lauren's strength is the wonderful dialogue throughout. Her characters say things I wish I was fast enough to say! I could almost see this story happening and really felt the range of emotions between the characters. Hands down, Juno was my favorite, but everyone needs a Fizzy in their life! This will be highly recommended by myself and I see it being a favorite summer read!

I adore Christina Lauren books and I think that I enjoyed this even more than [book:The Unhoneymooners|42201431]. I thought the plot was incredibly intriguing. Would you use data and science to determine who to date? What level of compatibility would you need for them to pique your interest?

The characters were fleshed out and written with love and detail, including the secondary characters. I was glad that Juno wasn't one of those child prodigies who is wise beyond her years, because I think we are all getting a bit tired of that, am I right?

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

there was an app that could match you with your Soulmate, would you try it? In Christina Lauren's new book, The Soulmate Equation, Jess decides to send a DNA sample to GeneticAlly, a new dating service that matches people with compatible DNA. Not expecting much in the way of results, she is shocked to discover that she matched with none other than the founder of GeneticAlly himself. But are the two really meant for each other? While this was a pretty quick read for me, it was just ok. Being a biology major I was intrigued by the idea of using genetics to predict a love match and whether that could actually work. I wasn't a huge fan of River and didn't think he was the nicest of people. I didn't like how he completely ignored and was kind of rude to Jess before the match. But if you are looking for a quicky, different romance than this is a good option!

I’ve read almost every one of Christina Lauren’s books and I have to say, this is one of my favorites. The two main characters have a realistic relationship with normal ups and downs that fit the overall storyline well and keep you rooting for their happily ever after. What isn’t realistic is the DNA database that connects them, though it’s not enough of a stretch to take away from the love story in any way.

What I really enjoyed about this book was the main character, Jess. She is a single mom handling motherhood and a freelance career with grace and strength that is admirable; especially when she puts her daughter before any budding love. This book also stretches the will they or won’t they plotline longer than Holidaze and I LOVE the suspense (though we totally know they’re going to get together, right?) and build up to the relationship almost more than the actual thing.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a light romcom from time to time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Christina Lauren have done it again. Some of my top authors I was so excited when I heard about this book and it did not let me down.

I would recommend if you're looking for (spoilers)
-m/f enemies to lovers
-fake dating elements
-a single mom concentrating on her daughter and everyone else in her life rather than her own love life
-a grumpy scientist focused on finding love for other people and not for himself
-amazing secondary characters
-coat hugs
-flirting through science
-slow burn

There have been quite a few takes on modern dating, but this was a fun twist. DNA testing to find your perfect match. This was a wonderful book filled with STEM and brilliance. I adored Jess. Despite the times that life had tried to knock down she loved her life and worked hard to give her daughter everything. And River, the grumpy and shy cinnamon roll. How he supported Jess, adored Juno, loved all the parts of Jess' life.

The secondary characters in this book were so well drawn. Jess' sweet grandparents, her daughter Juno. But the superstar to me was Fizzy. Everyone deserves a Fizzy, a superstar best friend who writes steamy romances. I hope she gets her well deserved HEA of her own as well. I loved the relationship between Fizzy a true supporting friendship, making me laugh out loud more times than I could count. Christina Lauren's writing sparkled off the page, another page-turning hit.

Rating: RAVE
Steam: 2

CW: parental abandonment, parental addiction

I have found Christina Lauren books to have an indefinable charm and this one tops them all. From the moment I began this story I was enthralled with Jess's plight as a single mom and her encounters with River. One of the thing that sets this book apart is the premise of using DNA to find true love. The way this concept was explored was intriguing and fun. My nerdy heart loved this scientific approach, while my inner romantic swooned for the chemistry between River and Jess. I lost count of the number of times I laughed out loud (cue the weird looks from my family) from the smart and sassy humor. A story is nothing without relatable characters and this one is filled with endearing characters that you feel like you've known forever, from the precocious young Juno, to Jess's fiercely loyal friend Felicity and her love-able Pops. Full of heart and humor this one is a must read!

Ugh I hate to do this, but I just couldn’t get into this. Im willing to give it another try, but right now, I’m DNFing it.

I may have found my new favorite Christina Lauren novel.

When single-mom statistician Jess decides in a moment of despair to spit in a tube and send her DNA off to to GeneticAlly, a company that thinks they can find your soulmate based on DNA, she doesn't expect to look at her results. But when she has a startlingly high match percentage with the company's founder, it's hard to resist curiosity... and his good looks.

There have been a large number of romantic comedies premised on newfangled dating apps recently (The Right Swipe, The Marriage Code, Make Up Break Up...) but this one takes the cake. With a truly original idea, it's not only creative, but incredibly thought-provoking. I loved both the main characters--Jess and River--and enjoyed watching them get to know each other. Jess' best friend, Fizzy (short for Felicity) is a romance writer and one of my all-time favorite characters; I wish I had her as a best friend. Can she get her own book? I got that pang of anxiety when things were going too well and I knew something was going to happen, but, maybe stupidly, I didn't guess what The Big Hurdle(TM) would be in advance. This one isn't closed door, but is very low on the steam level for a Christina Lauren, especially if you're used to reading their old school stuff, but we're given enough it doesn't feel like we're missing out.

Thank you to Gallery and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review!

5 stars - 10/10

I've been a fan of Christina Lauren's books ever since I read <i>Love and Other Words</i>. They really do a great job of creating characters that you want to root for, and <i>The Soulmate Equation</i> is no exception. Jess Davis is a single mom in San Diego who was raised by her grandparents and has a cynical view on relationships thanks to her own absent parents. After noticing the same man in her favorite coffee shop every day, she stops him to ask a question and learns that he is one of the (very grumpy) founders of a new dating service that pairs people up by their DNA. When Jess decides to send in her sample after a bad day, the adventures begin.

I really liked this book. The characters are fun and even though I've read a bunch of their books, I never feel like the stories or character types repeat themselves. I'm already looking forward to whatever their next book is.

Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I didn’t know much about the plot going into this, just knew I wanted to read it because I have been loving Christina Lauren’s books!

I loved that Jess is a statistician (yes, a woman in STEM!) and single mom, two character types we don’t see a ton in romance novels. I also really enjoyed how unique and unpredictable (at least to me) the plot was. The enemies to lovers switch was a little abrupt, but it didn’t bother me that much. I grew to really like River, especially as he got to know Jess’s family and daughter.

The supporting characters were also fabulous: Jess’s best friend, Fizzy, her daughter, Juno (what a kid!!), Nana Jo and Pop, even River’s sisters.

This book checked all the boxes for me, and if you love Christina Lauren, too, you’re definitely going to want to check this one out. I can’t wait to see what the duo comes up with next!

Do you believe your soulmate is out there?

Friends Jess and Fizz have a perfect rhythm going in their lives. Jess is all about plans and caution, Fizzy is just wild and crazy. And just like clockwork every morning, Americano arrives at "their" coffee shop. On a whim, and totally spontaneous, Jess stops him one day to ask him a question... Fizzy swoops in and next thing they know, their lives have taken a wild turn and will never be the same. Well, in a nutshell or something like that.

There is no instant connection between River and Jess. I wouldn't exactly call them enemies either... But it didn't take long for me to fall for River. One sweet gesture and I was sold that he was husband material.

The characters Jess surrounds herself with, like Fizzy, are hilarious and supportive. I genuinely enjoyed them and hope Fizzy gets her own book. I definitely have book hangover from this one.

If I could fix anything, I'd tweek the ending. I can't say any more or I'll end up giving away too much. Either way, I absolutely love this book and will recommend it to everyone!

After tearing through In a Holidaze, I noticed The Soulmate Equation on NetGalley and immediately requested a copy. I'm new to the "C Lo" world, but enjoyed Holidaze's charm and quick pace so much I was willing to give another romance a try. And now, I'm an official Christina Lauren fan!

I've never had a book pull me into a friendship so quickly, but Jess and Fizzy were instantly likeable. By chapter 3, I had decided that even if the romance part of the story fell flat, I'd happily keep reading for more Jess/Fizz! Jess' daughter and grandparents were absolute delights as well. Reading their interactions brought actual smiles to my face - which was so appreciated in a time when the real world is delivering crushing anxiety.

River was a great leading man, I loved the idea of a genetically focused dating app, and the steaminess of this one was better than many romances out there. I occasionally felt like the science terms went a bit too in-depth, and the ending felt a tad rushed, but overall this one left me with a smile and was a fun, fast read. This was 4.5 stars for me but I'll round up because hey, what the hell.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and authors for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVED! I really adored this book - and I think this was one of their best ones to date! All the stars, all the feels. This will be a huge hit in time for summer beach reading - and thanks so much for letting me read this one early, NetGalley!

Sometimes you just need something light-hearted and totally engrossing and The Soulmate Equation was the perfect reading fit. To be honest, I have had a complicated relationship with books by the Christina Lauren writing duo during the last few years. I have loved some (Love and Other Words for example!) and others were more of a letdown. So I went into this with lower expectations and ended up being pleasantly surprised!

The story follows Jess, a thirty-year-old single mom, who has signed off dating, in lieu of parenting and supporting her grandparents who raised her. Jess and her hysterical best friend, Fizzy, both work for themselves, spending their days typing away at the local coffee shop.

When they discover that the grumpy regular they've dubbed "Americano" is the brains behind an up and coming DNA based dating company, Fizzy gets them both in deeper than they planned. When Jess receives her notification that she has been matched at the soulmate level with none other than Americano himself, she wants nothing to do with him.

Americano, aka "River," is equally shocked and not interested in a relationship. When the company offers to pay her to "get to know" River in the interest of research before the company's IPO, the reality of needing the money is high. This was a perfect light-hearted winter (or beach!) romance, and I loved every minute of it. I especially loved the role of parenting amongst what is otherwise a romance premise. Highly recommend this one!

Thank you to Gallery Books for my gifted advanced copy. My full review will be posted on genthebookworm.com closer to the May 2021 publication date.

This was sooo cute! As usual, it was predictable, but an enjoyable ride. The characters were all great, the story was different than anything I've read. I just loved it!

The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren
****ARC provided by Netgalley for free review*** Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book. I love anything Christina Lauren!! This one did not disappoint. Jess is a single mom and a numbers wizard but numbers don’t keep you warm at night. She was raised by her loving grandparents who live across the courtyard and help look after her daughter, Juno. Jess learns about a new dating company that relies on genes and numbers for compatibility, not just swiping left or right. She submits her sample and comes back with an unheard of result of 98% compatibility with owner, Dr. River Peña. She is acquainted with River since they both frequent the same coffee shop each day. His grumpy disposition does not leave Jess wanting to get to know him until she hears that the company will pay her a healthy sum of money to date him! This book is full of lovely characters and I connected with them all quickly. I will admit on some parts when they talked about numbers, I glazed over because I am not a numbers girl! However, it was an interesting concept and I’m sure it involved a bunch of research. I loved the plot and the characters! Another hit for Christina Lauren!