Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles.
Publisher: Walker Books For Young Readers.
Pages: 357.

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect.

Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more.

After reading all of the fantastic reviews for Perfect Chemistry, I had no doubts in my mind that it’d be incredible. Needless to say, it was. With teenage angst, romance and an edgy passion that I rarely see in YA these days, this story is beautiful and dangerous at the same time.

If S.E Hinton’s The Outsiders and the movie She’s All That had sex, this would be their baby. And I mean that in the most spectacular way possible. There was so much excitement and activity going on, adding and piling to the list of reasons why Alex and Brittany shouldn’t be together. Gangs, violence, social standings, family, friends- it’s even got a hint of Romeo and Juliet as well.

This was without a doubt one of the sexiest books I’ve ever read. Young adult books tend to stray from racy scenes, but Simone Elkeles dives right into it and does it with grace and sauciness simultaneously. Alex and Brittany’s relationship, though strained throughout the novel, was a really amazing thing to read about.,br>
I think the only thing that turned me off was the cheesiness. I think it could’ve been turned down a notch, for it gets to be tiny bit cliché after awhile, but that’s really the only thing I can negatively say.

If you want to swoon, cry, gasp, cringe, laugh all in the same story, Perfect Chemistry is well .. perfect. After officially topping my list of all-time epic romance novels, I definitely recommend it anybody and everybody!