Brittany Ellis is the epitome of perfection: blond hair, blue eyes, cheerleader with the hot bod, designer clothes, mansion, money, football quarterback boyfriend. Alejandro "Alex" Fuentes is your stereotypical young Latino gangster. The two seniors at Fairfield High don't have anything in common... except that they are forced to be chemistry lab partners. Sparks fly--and not the good kind.
What they don't know about each other, however, could turn the whole world upside down. Brittany lacks a healthy family life, as her parents hide the fact that they have another, mentally handicapped daughter. And Alex wants nothing to do the gang, but he has no choice: as the oldest man in the family, he's in it for life in order to protect his family.
As the defenses go down and the two get closer, it becomes impossible to deny the obvious attraction between them. However, Brittany and Alex being together may be dangerous for both. How much are they willing to sacrifice for a shot at true love? Their reputations? Their families? Their lives?
I'm a fan of West Side Story but an ardent NOT-fan of Romeo & Juliet; however, I liked the general idea behind Perfect Chemistry. Every once in a while you just want to read a straightfoward story about two lovers overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles for a shot at happily ever after--this is one of those books.
Unfortunately, this was a classic story idea that was poorly executed. The two main characters' conflicts were so clearly defined from the very beginning that the characters weren't allowed to grow very much as a result. The ending was so melodramatic, so fairy-tale perfect, that my teeth nearly rotted out of my head. It left me unable to fully sympathize with the characters' predicaments, nor believe in the seriousness of Brittany and Alex's feelings for one another.
Despite the cliches and Shakespeare drama throwback, I'm glad I picked this up. Perfect Chemistry was a light and enjoyable read, great for a time when you want a version of a timeless love story and a little hope in the saying "Love conquers all."
What they don't know about each other, however, could turn the whole world upside down. Brittany lacks a healthy family life, as her parents hide the fact that they have another, mentally handicapped daughter. And Alex wants nothing to do the gang, but he has no choice: as the oldest man in the family, he's in it for life in order to protect his family.
As the defenses go down and the two get closer, it becomes impossible to deny the obvious attraction between them. However, Brittany and Alex being together may be dangerous for both. How much are they willing to sacrifice for a shot at true love? Their reputations? Their families? Their lives?
I'm a fan of West Side Story but an ardent NOT-fan of Romeo & Juliet; however, I liked the general idea behind Perfect Chemistry. Every once in a while you just want to read a straightfoward story about two lovers overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles for a shot at happily ever after--this is one of those books.
Unfortunately, this was a classic story idea that was poorly executed. The two main characters' conflicts were so clearly defined from the very beginning that the characters weren't allowed to grow very much as a result. The ending was so melodramatic, so fairy-tale perfect, that my teeth nearly rotted out of my head. It left me unable to fully sympathize with the characters' predicaments, nor believe in the seriousness of Brittany and Alex's feelings for one another.
Despite the cliches and Shakespeare drama throwback, I'm glad I picked this up. Perfect Chemistry was a light and enjoyable read, great for a time when you want a version of a timeless love story and a little hope in the saying "Love conquers all."
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