Off-the-Charts Chemistry

Smart is Seriously Sexy Series, Book 1

This title was previously available on NetGalley and is now archived.
Buy on Amazon Buy on BN.com Buy on Bookshop.org
*This page contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.
Send NetGalley books directly to your Kindle or Kindle app

1
To read on a Kindle or Kindle app, please add kindle@netgalley.com as an approved email address to receive files in your Amazon account. Click here for step-by-step instructions.
2
Also find your Kindle email address within your Amazon account, and enter it here.
Pub Date Sep 26 2023 | Archive Date Nov 14 2023
Sealed With a Swoon Books LLC | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles

Talking about this book? Use #OfftheChartsChemistry #NetGalley. More hashtag tips!


Description

*Advanced Reading Copy*


A single chemistry teacher with two cats equals a spinster in the making…or does it?

Stacey Kinsella is the definition of unlucky in love and long-ago accepted she has more brains than beauty. What’s a chemistry teacher to do? Focus on her job, friends, family, and perfumery hobby. She never expects the sexiest man to ever walk the halls of Brigid’s Vista High School to stroll into her classroom and catch her with her shirt off…or the unmistakable chemistry she shares with him who just happens to coach her least favorite sport.

A single football coach given a career second chance doesn’t need distractions…or does he?

Becoming head coach for the BVHS Bears football team is Reece Caldwell’s career Hail Mary. His last job ending in scandal, followed by a sacking he’d never before experienced off the football field, means he has to turn the Bears into a winning team. He also has the assistant coach and athletic director challenging his every move. Distractions aren’t allowed. Yet something about the quirky chemistry teacher—who wears black bras—has captured his attention.

As Stacey and Reece start to explore their unexpected connection, Reece realizes how much is at stake under the Friday Night Lights. And it far surpasses winning football games.

Off-the-Charts Chemistry is Book One in the Smart is Seriously Sexy Series where brains, quips, and a fair amount of brawn converge in and out of the classroom! 

*Advanced Reading Copy*


A single chemistry teacher with two cats equals a spinster in the making…or does it?

Stacey Kinsella is the definition of unlucky in love and long-ago accepted she has more...


A Note From the Publisher

eBook: 9781962092081

eBook: 9781962092081


Available Editions

EDITION Paperback
ISBN 9781962092098
PRICE $10.99 (USD)
PAGES 216

Available on NetGalley

NetGalley Shelf App (EPUB)
Send to Kindle (EPUB)
Download (EPUB)

Average rating from 229 members


Featured Reviews

I absolutely loved this story!!! Reading this left me feeling cozy & happy & very excited for the next book in this series! I was into the “Friday Night Light” growing up, and totally appreciate the overall obsession small towns have with it lol. Reece is such a kind, loving, good-hearted man who is trying his hardest, against ridiculous pushback, to be a good coach. And Stacey is so sweet! I loved how she was such a good friend to Reece first, because he really needed one, before they became more. I didn’t love the stereotypical portrait of Stacey as the “plain one, ponytail, little makeup but she’s actually gorgeous when she tries” but that wasn’t as strong as I thought it would be in the beginning.
Overall, I absolutely loved this story! The drama, the love, the fun, the STEM, the football— I loved it all sooo much!!!
Thank you for the ARC!!!

Was this review helpful?

I loved this book. It was a fun and easy read, yet I was captivated.

The chemistry teacher and the handsome new football coach meet for the first time in an awkward situation. They fall fast for each other and their chemistry is off-the-charts! He has a lot to overcome, as his predecessor was treated as the greatest football coach to ever grace their small town. She does everything in her power to help him win over the locals.

I loved the plot. It was very Friday Night Lights. Will the football coach win the homecoming game? Will he still be the coach after the game? Will he ex-wife sabotage his relationship with the chemistry teacher? So many questions, but they all get answered at the end.

Was this review helpful?

Off-the-Charts Chemistry by Christine Miles takes readers beyond the laboratory into a world where chemistry extends beyond equations. The tale revolves around Stacey Kinsella, a relatable small-town chemistry teacher, and Reece Caldwell, a football coach seeking redemption. Miles expertly crafts their story with authenticity and charm.

Stacey's relatable journey of self-perception, along with Reece's entrance into her life, forms a catalyst for personal growth. Miles avoids clichés, creating endearing characters, especially Stacey, who stands out as a genuine book-loving and witty individual. The book beautifully portrays the unexpected connection between the protagonists, showcasing mature communication and eschewing miscommunication tropes. While the pacing is commendable, the swift conclusion leaves room for wanting more character development.

Despite occasional writing hiccups, the strength of Stacey's character captivates readers, making the book a celebration of intelligence and genuine connection. Off-the-Charts Chemistry is a heartwarming blend of science, love, and self-discovery that resonates with readers, leaving them with a renewed appreciation for the chemistry of relationships.

Was this review helpful?

Stacie is a chemistry teacher in a small town in Colorado that has been unlucky in love so far. Reece is the new good-looking football coach. She definitely finds him attractive but good-looking sports guys don't fall for nerdy women... or do they?
I loved reading this small-town love story. I liked the characters and the setting and I found the story to be absolutely believable. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the bpok and am already looking forward to the next book in the series.

Was this review helpful?

I loved this book! Oh my! It has humor, spice, and love. Stacey and Reece are just perfect. They had a connection from the start with him walking in on her!
Stacey is a chemistry teacher, quiet, hates sports, and a nerd.
Reece is handsome, sexy, sporty, and a football coach - Stacey’s least favorite sport.
I loved all of Stacey’s friends and the principle of the school. I didn’t like the other coach or his ex wife. The way the other coach and athletic director behaved was the most frustrating part of the book.
I loved that it didn’t have the typical drama of some type of break up. They remained strong in their relationship up the very start.
This was a cute, short story. I would most definitely read more from this author and will more than likely read this story again.

Was this review helpful?

This book was way too cute. I liked the male lead, Reese, and I liked the female lead, Stacey. The jock and the brain. A cute combo. They are teachers at BVHS. He coaches football and she teaches chemistry. They are good together.

There was some parts that I thought would cause trouble in their relationship but, thankfully, the author didn't make it so. Too predictable drama. The drama they were surrounded by was enough for the story. Relationship drama was unnecessary and in glad there wasn't any. I loved that they supported each other from the beginning.

If you like cute stories that have a HEA, this is the book for you.

Was this review helpful?

"Off the Charts Chemistry" is a delightful rom-com novel that combines the unlikely pairing of a chemistry teacher and a football coach on a mission to bring two crooked coaches to justice. Author, Christine Miles, weaves a heartwarming and humorous tale of love, teamwork, and a dash of mystery.

The story centers around Stacey, a passionate high school chemistry teacher known for her love of all things science, and Reece Caldwell, the charismatic but down-on-his-luck football coach. Their paths cross when a few of the football players grades slip requiring extra credit from their teacher. The coach and Stacey work together to get the players back on the field, but not before determining how crooked Coach Caldwell's other coaches are.

Together, they decide to take matters into their own hands, creating a charming and unexpected partnership and relationship.

Was this review helpful?

Off-the-Charts Chemistry by Christine Miles
4.5 ⭐

A nerdy chemistry teacher and a hot football coach, it was a fun romance! With school drama, best friends, rich parents' power play, devoted teachers and bullying villains.

I felt some words and phrases were repeated wayyy too many times and it kinda irked me. Otherwise, the book was amazing, so were the characters.

I look forward to read the next book of the series.

Was this review helpful?

oh wow!! this book blew me away!! it has it all! laughs and tears and excitement and sadness and fun!! what a great time! thank you so much to netgalley for letting me read this one early!!

Was this review helpful?

It was a delicious start to a sexy and romantic series with a bit of mystery and intrigue. Stacey and Reece were as oil and water. She hated sports, and he was a football coach. They were two worlds apart, but the chemistry between them was undeniable. This book was a delightful, captivating, and engaging read.

Was this review helpful?

Smart is definitely sexy! A brain and two cats? What more can I ask for?
It was a cute romance, with two smart characters. I like the whole class / teacher setting. It's smart and funny. Cute, sweet and simple. A must!

Was this review helpful?

Off-the-Charts Chemistry

Tropes: Sports romance, older FMC, education, dual POV

Minor synopsis: A single chemistry teacher with two cats equals a spinster in the making…or does it?
Stacey Kinsella is the definition of unlucky in love and long-ago accepted she has more brains than beauty. What’s a chemistry teacher to do? Focus on her job, friends, family, and perfumery hobby. She never expects the sexiest man to ever walk the halls of Brigid’s Vista High School to stroll into her classroom and catch her with her shirt off…or the unmistakable chemistry she shares with him who just happens to coach her least favorite sport. A single football coach given a career second chance doesn’t need distractions…or does he?


Star rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thoughts:
From the beginning of this novel I was in love with Stacey, from her love for science and cats to her sense of humor. I think this is a similar novel to the Love Hypothesis but caters to more people and is stronger because the characters are more diverse than those written by Ali Hazelwood. With that being said, I am a huge fan of both books, but I feel the representation of women in a STEM career other than research was shown very well in this novel. The romance between Stacey and Reece bloomed from their adorable meet-cute, but they also developed a strong friendship and were willing to go to bat for each other despite only knowing each other for a short time. Miles did a great job writing side characters with room for personal growth that will allow her to continue the series on for a reasonable amount of time. I loved the plot and the fact that there was no third act breakup or miscommunication trope!! My main complaint with this book was that it could use a bit more editing, but there were no serious issues that distracted me enough to put the book down. I started this at 11 pm last night and finished it with my morning coffee, and it was a great quick read to recharge after a string of fantasy novels, but it certainly would please any romance reader as well.

Was this review helpful?

Sweet book with a little spice that has interesting characters I enjoyed a lot! A nice beach read with a small amount of angst. Writing was smooth and I'll look out for the next book.

Was this review helpful?

Off-the-Charts Chemistry is Book One in the Smart is Seriously Sexy Series by Christine Miles.
Ok, so I loved this book! Like I was enjoyed everything about it.
It was fun, engaging and seriously entertaining.
The characters show sweet and endearing personalities that resonates with readers.
The story flows smoothly, making it an easy and enjoyable read.
Miles incredible writing kept me hooked and so interested in the characters I wanted to do nothing but keep eyes glued to my Kindle.
I loved the small-town feel, the football talk, the teacher talk this charming story was a hit and I’m excited to read more of this series in the future!

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Sealed With a Swoon Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Was this review helpful?

Synopsis:

Reece is the small town's new high school football coach looking to improve his athlete's losing streak to a winning streak. The only issue is that the team hasn't been appropriately guided and trained. He struggles to get the other coach's support as they disapprove of him. Reece meets Stacey the chemistry teacher indisposed in her classroom. He's there to talk about his top player's bad grades. It's not what you are thinking... no students were in her classroom. lol There's a chemical reaction between the two of them but is it a good reaction or a bad one?

My Thoughts:

I adored Stacey's connection with her three fellow teacher friends. She supports them and they support her no matter what. I liked that her passion for chemistry didn't stop in the classroom as she liked to mix things up in relation to the scent she wore or the beverages she consumed. I loved that Reece is a gentleman and truly shows he's a good man. He knows what he wants but is not quick to act on it. He embodies all the things a woman would want in a man. He's athletic, a handyman, smart, creative, attentive, and inspirational. Reece truly cares for his athletes and gives his all to make them a success. That's what I love the most about him besides the intimate scenes. The book is a slow burn but still embodies mild spice.

I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Was this review helpful?

I was a bit on the fence with the description for Off the Charts Chemistry by Christine Miles. Like the heroine of this book, I hate American football. Unlike Stacey, I don’t see myself coming around to it at all, of course, I don’t have a charming and affable coach to entice me into it. Nevertheless, I found this book to be quite charming and well paced. Quite a bit unassuming but is quite lovely.

A Little Bit of Plot
When new football coach Reece Campbell arrives as the new football coach at Brigid’s Vista High School to replace the newly retired ‘football god’ head coach, he has his work cut out for him. With scorned co-workers vying to remove him and players parents calling the shots, Reece second guesses his decision until he meets one bespectacled and delightful Chemistry teacher, Stacey Kinsella. Stacey hates sports, football in general, and would rather her students follow more academic pursuits. She knows that Chemistry might not be for everyone, but makes it her mission to make it more accessible and applicable. When an accidental flashing incident becomes the worst kept town secret, Reece and Stacey soon discover that together they have off the charts chemistry. See what I did there?

The Compliment Sandwich
The Top Bun (The Pro)
The Chemistry

While this is an opposites attract novel, both Stacey and Reese feel the immediate sparks. Someone said in a review that this is a slow burn. I’m not sure what they were reading, but these two characters are interested in each from jump street. While they are a bit tame with their first impressions in regards to each others bodies, you can definitely understand that they are interested in seeing whats under the lab coats and tight khaki’s pants. He does fixate on her black bras though, which is muy caliente.

Additionally, Reece doesn’t care that he meets Stacey while not looking her ‘best’, it’s almost as though he’s only got eyes for her and not her clothes. Which is refreshing. He also prefers her in her glasses - it’s that sexy librarian trope. While she’s very open with her dislike of football, she begins to come around because she understands quite quickly that their burgeoning relationship is meaningful and to love Reece is to understand what he’s good at and brings him joy.

I will give props to Miles, as she has written two characters that I honestly believed hit it off immediately. They seem to naturally get along. Both Stacey and Reece are down to earth and likable. Friday Night Lights was mentioned a number of times in the book and I would definitely stuntcast a young Kyle Chandler for Reece Campbell absolutely. He also pulls out a ‘clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose’ speech at one point.

The Meat (The Con)
The Perfume
The making of perfume seemed like an afterthought. It would have been interesting if it had played a bigger role, such as, what intoxicated Reece in the beginning. Or having her friends test out the scents to see if they could score love interests too.

The Bottom Bun (The Pro)
Low Stakes Romance without Miscommunication

Sometimes you need a low angst, almost zero stakes, miscommunication free romance. We have one moment where the heroine was unaware of something involving Reece’s ex-wife, but it is so minute that we get an explanation and just…move on. It’s refreshing.

Plus we have a few spicy sex scenes which were enjoyable, for sure. Plus, Stacey takes the reins, and jumps right in. She knows what she wants and just goes for it.

Also, adorable dog side characters. Her fellow teachers/friends are delightful too. I’m pretty stoked about Luke and Morgans book. I’ll be back for the next installment and would completely recommend. Received an ARC from Netgalley for an unbiased review.

Was this review helpful?

A fun read, the story of Stacey and Reece, chemistry teacher and football coach. I loved both main characters and how it is told from both points of view. Looking forward to the rest of the series.

Was this review helpful?

This is a believable story about a high school chemistry teacher and the new football coach. I loved how Stacey and Reece’s relationship came together. Reading this story was just heartwarming and I can’t wait to read the next story in this series.

Was this review helpful?

I just finished Off-the-Charts Chemistry by Christine Miles and here is my review.

Stacey Kinsella loves teaching high school chemistry. It’s a real shame it’s missing from her real life. That is until the sexy football coach walks in on her with her shirt off and the sparks start to fly.

Reece doesn’t need any distractions from his new position as coach of the high school football team but even he can’t deny the attraction so instant, it could melt nickel.

As the two teachers spend more and more time together, they can’t keep their hands off each other but something is brewing with the 2 assistant coaches that could spell the end of Reece’s career before it even really started.
YIKES this book was too dang cute! I discovered I have a real love for STEM in my romance books and this one was fantastic! It was like a warm cozy hug in a beautiful cover. A super fun easy read.
I don’t normally enjoy books set in high school but I loved how it was written so it really did work and the small town vibes were an A++ for me. Stacey is so sweet and I usually don’t like books where I share my name with a character but I didn’t mind it this time. Reece is wonderful and I loved watching them fall in love. I am such a hopeless romantic.
I am so pumped that this is going to be a series and I cannot wait to see what is next! This book was absolutely a winner for me, especially published by an indie publishing house!


4.5 stars!


Thank you @netgalley and #sealedwithaswoonllc for my gifted copy!


#offthechartschemistry #christinemiles #romance #womensfiction #romancereader #bookreview #bookblogger #bookinfluencer #netgalley #ebook #kindle #arcreader # booklover #bookalorian #readerofig #canadianbookstagram #bookstagramca #canadareader #igreads

Was this review helpful?

I was here for all of the themes in this fun romance read! Off-the-Charts Chemistry by Christine Miles contains friendship, romance, and spice that will have you cheering like you’re at one of the football games. It’s an easy read and I found myself getting lost in the pages.

Meet Stacey. She’s a high school chemistry teacher who swears she is destined to be a single cat lady forever. She’s had many failed relationships and is sure love just isn’t for her. Meet Reece. He’s the new head football coach. Has quantum physics and the law of attraction finally started to work in Stacey’s favour?!

This read was EVERYTHING! It was sexy and steamy, sporty, and had science to boot! While I may not understand the subject well, I totally read the chemistry in this book and am giving it an A+! Finding out this book is the first in a series is just the cherry-on-top for me. I found Miles accurately depicted the world of football, and sports in general, and how the spouse and their support (or lack of) can really impact a career.

Was this review helpful?

This book was such a quick cutesy read which is exactly what I needed. I immersed myself into their lives and finished the book before I knew it. It was just perfect

Was this review helpful?

I loved this story! I was a cute, easy read with some humor, steam, and a bit of drama. The characters were relatable, and I rooted for their relationship. This was the first book I've read of this author, and I can't wait for the next book in the series!
Thank you to Net Galley, the publisher, and the author for a copy of an arc in exchange for my honest review!

Was this review helpful?

Fun Romcom about a high school nerdy chemistry teacher (Stacey) and jock football coach (Reece). This is a fun light read perfect for fall football season. Not a lot of drama or spice, but still fun! And I love the cat references!

Was this review helpful?

Readers who liked this book also liked: