REVIEW: Perfect Chemistry (#1 Perfect Chemistry series) by Simone Elkeles

5 of 5 Stars!!! 

(This is an Adult who-enjoys-reliving-the-stirrings-of-first-love-and-self-discovery-during-the-teen-years-through-YA books review)

**CONTENT WARNING - Since this is a YA book I will include a warning that this book contains some Sexual, Drug and Alcohol, Course Language and Violent Content - Recommended for Older Teens**

I LOVED this book!!! Perfect Chemistry is an urban story of star-crossed lovers from “different sides of the track” – Brittany Ellis, from the "North side", a picture-perfect rich girl who is captain of the pom squad (ie. a cheerleader), and bad-boy Alex Fuentes, from the "South side", a member of the Latino Bloods Gang. At first, I wondered how I could fall for a gang member, but Alex Fuentes totally stole my heart.

I was drawn into this story from the beginning and spent an enjoyable weekend reading it. I felt a connection to both Alex and Brittany, who wear masks every day and hide their true selves and fears from the world. But behind those veneers are two people who are struggling in their own worlds, and they find they have more in common than they thought. What starts out as a forced seating arrangement in a Chemistry lab turns into so much more, and starts an elemental change and pull that neither of them can resist. They must fight expectations, duty, prejudice and other chains that drag them apart.

The story may be one that has been told before, but it is how Simone Elkeles paints the story of Alex and Brittany through a blend of both their perspectives, with what I feel are very authentic voices, that brings an honesty and depth to the characters, and thus, the story. I loved how each chapter alternated between Brittany’s and Alex’s point-of-views and yet the story flowed well. I couldn't help but feel immersed in their world and to care about what happened to them.

I loved Alex's friends, Paco and Isa, and Brittany's sister, Shelly.

The scene near the end left me in tears, and there’s a violent scene in here that was very difficult for me to read because it brought back the pain of a violence that touched my own family’s lives. As I closed the last page, though, I was left smiling and actually wanted the epilogue to keep going.

Alex and Brittany will hold a very special place in my heart.

This is the first book I've read by Simone Elkeles and I look forward to the sequel, Rules of Attraction, and reading other books penned by this author. Definitely HIGHLY recommended!

(Read March 2010)

These are some of my favourite quotes:

" ‘The reason I want you to put a shirt on is, well, because, um...'
'You've never seen a guy with his shirt off?'
'Ha, ha. Very funny. Believe me, you don't have anything I haven't seen before.'
'Wanna bet?' he says, then moves his hands to the button on his jeans and pops it open.
Isabel walks in at that exact moment. 'Whoa, Alex. Please keep your pants on.’"
~*~*~*

"This connection we have isn't going away, it's only getting stronger. Because the more I spend time with her, the closer I want to be."
~*~*~*

"I want to know how to make this girl laugh. I want to know what makes her cry. I want to know what it feels like to have her look at me as if I’m her knight in shinning armor"
~*~*~*

"I'm losing control."
“Mamacita, I've already lost it."
~*~*~*

"I can't help but smile as I swipe a lone tear trailing down my cheek. How can I not be crazy in love with this guy?" - (I know just what you mean, Brittany! *sighs*)
~*~*~*

My Alex (Alexander F. Rodriguez):

My Brittany (Diana Agron):