The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren

The Soulmate Equation
by Christina Lauren
Published May 18th 2021 by Gallery Books

Single mom Jess Davis is a data and statistics wizard, but no amount of number crunching can convince her to step back into the dating world. Raised by her grandparents--who now help raise her seven-year-old daughter, Juno--Jess has been left behind too often to feel comfortable letting anyone in. After all, her father's never been around, her hard-partying mother disappeared when she was six, and her ex decided he wasn't "father material" before Juno was even born. Jess holds her loved ones close, but working constantly to stay afloat is hard...and lonely.

But then Jess hears about GeneticAlly, a buzzy new DNA-based matchmaking company that's predicted to change dating forever. Finding a soulmate through DNA? The reliability of numbers: This Jess understands. At least she thought she did, until her test shows an unheard-of 98% compatibility with another subject in the database: GeneticAlly's founder, Dr. River Pena. This is one number she can't wrap her head around, because she already knows Dr. Pena. The stuck-up, stubborn man is without a doubt not her soulmate. But GeneticAlly has a proposition: Get to know him and we'll pay you. Jess--who is barely making ends meet--is in no position to turn it down, despite her skepticism about the project and her dislike for River. As the pair are dragged from one event to the next as the "Diamond" pairing that could make GeneticAlly a mint in stock prices, Jess begins to realize that there might be more to the scientist--and the science behind a soulmate--than she thought.

Add to Goodreads | Amazon

Review

5 Stars

Am I a grown adult with daily commitments and an early bedtime that I completely ignored in order to finish this book? Yes. Worth it? 100%. I would do it again. 10/10 would recommend. The Soulmate Equation is the best CLo book I have read in a while. That's not to say they aren't all good, but this one just took it up a notch. A single-mom, a brooding scientist, and a cast of meddling secondary characters make this nerdy love story one of my top romance reads this year.

We've all heard of or have used the dating sites that are out there, but handsome River and his team have created GenitcAlly, a dating app that pairs you with your DNA's best matches. Jess has no time or desire for romance in her life, but a bad day and a run in with the grumpy Americano, who she now knows is River, has her spitting in a test tube for her match. The single-mom sets her match pairing to the highest, not expecting to hear anything, but then she gets called to the matchmaking service's offices. She's got a match. Not just any match, though. A diamond match, 98%, to none other than Americano, or rather Dr. River Pena. With a monetary offer she can't refuse, a load of press commitments, and a crush she won't admit to, Jess agrees to test the match with River for three months.

The cute factor of this novel is just BEYOND. It's a unique, and silly, romance that has chemistry that is off the charts. Jess is such a classic young single-mom who is consumed by work, motherhood, and worries. She treats herself like she's ancient, beyond dating, but thank goodness for her best friend Fizzy and her belief that Jess is deserving and capable of more. Reading Jess' journey into dating and opening up again is just beautiful. She's somehow both cheesy and sultry all at once, while broody Americano unveils a thoughtful, nervous side of himself that pairs perfectly with her. The two are literally a perfect match, even when they have to acknowledge that science may not know it all.

If you're a fan of Christina Lauren and/or love stories, The Soulmate Equation is the romance I recommend you absolutely put at the top of your TBR pile. It's funny, heartwarming, and completely impossible to put down.