Cover Image: The Soulmate Equation

The Soulmate Equation

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Member Reviews

"Have you ever wondered what a soulmate truly is?...Is love a quality you can quantify?"

I believe this is my 12th CL title, and while their trio of titles that preceded The Soulmate Equation weren't my favorites, this fun, flirty book reminded me of why I initially fell for this writing duo.

This DNA-focused romance was entertaining, engaging, and downright emotional by the epilogue. A late-addition I'm thrilled made the final cut as it provided one of my favorite scenes in the entire novel. (view spoiler)

And while there were a handful of scenes that read a little too textbook for me, it never felt inauthentic and was balanced out by the other elements of the story.

If you're a fan of fake dating, insta-attraction leading to genuine feels, precocious kiddos, adorable grandparents, supportive besties, and HEAs, I'd recommend picking this one up!

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This was heartwarming, smart and an amazing read. I loved how family oriented our characters in this book were. I would have loved more moments with River's sisters. I loved the character growth of River and I loved how maturely both characters dealt with the conflict. I loved the way Juno and Pop were so close, their relationship was so sweet. This was a great read! I loved Fizzy and can't wait to read her novel!

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An unbelievably fun read with a few steamy scenes. River and Jess are the most endearing and lovable leads. Throw in Fizzy's no nonsense friendship and Juno's bright and energetic personality and this book is an all around win. I could not put it down!

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It started with coffee. Jess Davis was having coffee at her favorite coffee shop with her best fiend Fizzy, and he came in again. Every day at the same time, one Americano, and then he leaves. And when Fizzy points out that Jess was staring at him, she reminded Fizzy that she is a single mother and not interested in hooking up with some random guy in a coffee shop.

So Fizzy had to talk to him. She had heard it through the coffee shop grapevine that Americano was a matchmaker, so she stopped him and asked about it. He said that he worked at a startup that matched people based on genetic profiling technology. He handed Fizzy his card and invited her to come and take a tour of the company. She could even give him a sample (they used spit) and see if she had any matches. It didn’t take long at all before she dragged Jess out to the headquarters of GeneticAlly, to meet with the man who favors those Americanos, Dr. River Pena.

Dr. Pena pawns them off on the woman who does their marketing, for the spiel and the tour. Since Fizzy is a romance novelist with a large online presence, they are hoping she’ll influence her fans to sign up when they go live. Fizzy finds the idea interesting and offers up her DNA sample. Jess, who overheard Dr. Pena on her way back from the bathroom call her “entirely average," is less impressed. But later, after she goes alone to a school meeting at her seven-year-old daughter' Juno’s school and sees all the happy couples there with their kids, she starts to reconsider her reluctance to sign up for a matchmaking opportunity that has fallen into her lap.

While Fizzy has been rolling in new matches, having set her threshold low enough for the most basic of matches, Jess wants to be more discriminating and find a quality match. She has a daughter to think about. She doesn’t just want to have fun anymore. Jess wants a true partner. Not that she thinks GeneticAlly will really be able to help with that.

Then Jess got the message. In the app, it asked her to call the office at her earliest convenience. Then they wanted her to come in. They sent a car for her. They brought her to a meeting room and introduced her to the executive team. One of the mentioned he knew who she was as a friend of his was one of her clients. That made her think that they wanted her services as a freelance statistical analyst. But no. As it turned out, they found her a match. It’s the highest match they had ever made, a Diamond Match, 98 out of 100. And who did Jess match with? None other than Dr. River Pena.

As the company is preparing to go public, they are looking to build a positive public image. The executives think that having Jess and River get to know each other a little and do some interviews and investor events, then GeneticAlly will be set up for success. Jess has seen enough of River’s “charms” to know that this is not for her. He’s a jerk, and she wants no part of this.

But then she loses a bog account. And while she still has enough to get her and Juno by, there will be more expenses in the coming months. Ballet lessons, braces. Eventually, college tuition. Kids are expensive. So when the company suggest they offer her a stipend for a few months, to free up some time for her to spend time with River, she has to think about it. She has to think a lot. But the truth is, she is curious about the match too. She’s a statistician, so she wants to know more about their match. And she is lonely. If somehow the numbers are right and she and River are that much of a match, could he really be her soulmate?

The Soulmate Equation is another lovely romance from the writing team known as Christina Lauren. They have created a story about matchmaking that is fresh and original, and they told the story through captivating characters who feel real and dynamic and carry the story through every page. This book is smart and sweet and spicy, and it might just make you believe in love again.

I listened to the audio book of The Soulmate Equation, narrated by Patti Murin. I thought she did an amazing job with these characters, making them seem genuine and caring. She does an exceptional job with Jess especially, bringing her to life in a way that makes you feel like she could be the person sitting at the table next to you. Between Lauren’s writing and Murin’s narration, this story feels possible and charming and hopeful. I have to admit that I’m not sure I’m completely on board with the genetic testing as a basis for matchmaking, but I adored these characters and was grateful for every moment I got to spend with them.

Egalleys for The Soulmate Equation were provided by Gallery Books through NetGalley, but I bought the audio book through Audible myself.

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It got a little bogged down with the science lingo (without offering layman explanations) and I wish that River had done more groveling but I do appreciate that they both handled the third act drama like mature adults. I LOATHED Jess' mother and I truly wished that things with her had been handled differently - I realize it is realistic but I go to fiction for escapism, ya dig? I'm sort of super stoked for Fizzy's story now.

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A Smart and Sweet and Satisfying romance. How do you find your soulmate? Is it fate, happenstance, or pre-determined by your DNA? Only Christina Lauren could make science sexy!

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I knew I was going to have a good time reading this one, but I didn't anticipate how much I would actually end up loving The Soulmate Equation! I was really swept up in Jess and River's story, and I could really appreciate how all the elements (the premise, the romance, the writing) came together in one compelling contemporary romance read. Would highly recommend checking this one out, and it's definitely one of my favorite Christina Lauren reads!

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This was very much a middle of the road romance. I didn’t love it, didn’t hate it, it simply was fine.

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**I received this book from Gallery Books via Netgalley for an honest review**

Jess is a stats wizard who also happens to be a single parent to an amazing kid. River is the founder of a DNA-based matchmaking company.

I loved every second of this book. My normal reading mojo had been missing prior to starting this book but I found myself anticipating being able to spend more time with Jess and River. I have a soft spot for a single parent, so this was right up my alley.

There were lots of laughs, courtesy of Fizzy. Throughout I found myself happy, nervous and at a time or two a bit emotional.

CL have always been one of my go to authors and this one did not disappoint at all. While this book was pretty hot, I will say my only gripe is that I would have loved for it to be steamier. Great first kiss though.

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This was my first Christina Lauren book and I get the hype surrounding them. I loved the concept of this book: A DNA test can help you find your soulmate. Just enough data information to warm my math loving heart. The two characters it matches, Jess and River, can't stand each other. But as they are forced to spend time together, they start to think there may be something to this match. Until a typical conflict gets in the way. Loved this so much and can't wait to read more by these authors!

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What a fun concept for a book. I loved the well developed cast of characters, the plot, and how things developed naturally. Nothing seemed forced to fit a rom-com agenda, it was refreshingly easy.

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I think after reading several Christina Lauren books I have found my absolute favorite thus far. Every part of this story was addicting to read about. I am always going on a tangent on "well-earned happily ever afters" and this is a great example of that with its conclusion.

The concept itself is so fun: an app that shows you your soul mate! And as it so turns out, our protagonist Jess, a stressed-out single mom that has her doubts about the merits of this app, has discovered that she has made the most rare match there is in a diamond-level match with no other than one of the app's creators, River Pena, someone she immediately cannot stand. But as they dive deeper and get to know each other, they discover that maybe the app has... a point. Everything that transpires is so funny and endearing, and I just gobbled up this book and closed it with a big smile on my face. They were both excellent characters that you root for in every way.

I highly recommend this book and cannot WAIT to get my hands on the next Christina Lauren hit.

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I absolutely loved this book. The characters and the plot lines dovetailed nicely. Once again, the duo of Christina Lauren hit it out of the park.

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The Soulmate Equation was another fun read from Christina Lauren. It took me a bit longer to get into then some of her other books, but once it picked up for me I couldn't put it down. The characters were relatable and enjoyable. The unexpected love match kept me on my toes, and I was rooting for things to work out for the characters.
I can't wait for their next novel.
Thank you to the publisher and #NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

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I finally read this book. I knew how it would end up but I enjoyed how the authors got the characters there. This was on my Summer Beach Books list and it is a great fit.

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I just love Christina Lauren and their writing style: it’s so easy and addicting. I was absolutely obsessed with the concept of a DNA test finding your soulmate. And RIVER!!! Ahhhh I loved him so much!!! I thought river and jess had a great connection and were very well developed. Apart from the romance I really enjoyed the family aspect particularly her daughter and grandparents. Fizzy was also a favorite for me! Overall another winner from Christina Lauren!! Highly recommend!!

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I adored this book because while it was authentically Christina Lauren, it was also a bit different with the genetics in it. Honestly, I can see how an app like this would transform the dating app world and just dating.

Jess and River are wonderful characters who perhaps judge each other a bit harshly at first. Ok, well Jess does. Her best friend Fizzy provides levity and some good humor.

I kept waiting for the other show to drop and it took a little longer than I thought. Overall, another great romance from this writing duo.

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4 stars

Single mother Jess Davis has been struggling to make ends meet. While on her usual morning coffee and work session with her best friend at their local coffee shop, they find out about a new dating app called GeneticAlly. GeneticAlly promises to find your match based on your genes, some matches better than others on a scale. Then Jess finds out she’s a diamond match… with one of the creators. And it’s someone she already knows she despises: River Peña.

This romance was a lot of fun to read and an interesting idea. I’m not sure I personally would trust a dating app with my DNA/genetic information to find my soulmate, but it was a fun concept to explore in a fictional world. The chemistry between Jess and River was excellent, and the story was very well paced (until the epilogue). Add in a dash of angst and this was the perfect escape from real life and another reminder of why I adore Christina Lauren novels.

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I had so much fun reading The Soulmate Equation. I've always found that many of Christina Lauren's books are hit or miss; this one was definitely a hit for me! It's funny, too, because romance is not a genre that I personally have considered one I enjoy for quite a long time, however, I genuinely do attribute this author duo to my kindling a positive relationship with these kinds of books.

Fortunately, as I delve further into their vast repertoire of books, I can safely say that they've gotten me pretty hooked.

I think this ultimately comes down to having the right amount of tension and sex in the prose. I've never been a massive fan of reading sex scenes regularly and so to have only a few of them, coupled with a tremendous amount of pre-sex tension makes these stories absolutely engaging for me. I guess, ultimately, I prefer the tension and Christina Lauren, quite often, delivers this really well.

As for the "soulmate" and science-esque program, I feel like this is a plot point that's been done quite a few times at this point. That said, I also feel that, out of all the books I've read with it, this one tackles the story best. Which, frankly, is a huge plus point.

I'll definitely be keeping this one on my shelf.

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The premise of our loves lives possibly being coded into our DNA is a fascinating idea. Mix in some grumpy (not quite enemies) to lovers and I'm sold.

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