The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren

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. After all, her father was never around, her hard-partying mother disappeared when she was six, and her ex decided he wasn’t “father material” before her daughter 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 percent compatibility with another subject in the database: GeneticAlly’s founder, Dr. River Peña. This is one number she can’t wrap her head around, because she already knows Dr. Peña. 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 launch GeneticAlly’s valuation sky-high, Jess begins to realize that there might be more to the scientist—and the science behind a soulmate—than she thought.

Life kind of got to me lately. Some things happened with my current job that really kicked my confidence and had me temporarily floundering. I was blindsided, and I’m still trying to accept things that have changed. One thing that was really getting me down was my lack of ability to focus on a book. In the past two weeks, I’ve DNF’d every book I started, even if it’s a book I normally would enjoy. My mood just went a bit south.

But this weekend, I was determined to feel more like myself. So I scanned my shelves and picked up The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren. Christina Lauren is an author duo, and every book I’ve read by them so far has been absolutely brilliant (In a Holidaze, The Unhoneymooners and Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating).

The Soulmate Equation was an amazing book, and it pulled me out of my reading funk. For that alone, I am so grateful.

Jess is a single mom, a freelance statistician, an amazing granddaughter to her grandparents who raised her and also have been helping her raise her amazing seven year old daughter, Juno. Jess’ best friend, Fizzy (short for Felicity), writes amazing romance novels, and while she is happy in her life, there’s still something missing.

Or someone.

Jess dates occasionally, but she doesn’t believe in true love because a series of bad dates have shown her how unrealistic that is. But when an app is announced, GeneticAlly, Jess seems sort of interested. The company uses DNA profiles to genetically match you to your soulmate.

Dr. River Peña is one of the founders of GeneticAlly, and while he believes in what he is doing, he hasn’t really tried to find love for himself. He’s too wrapped in his work and his success.

When Jess and River are shared to have a Diamond Match (a very rare match showing extreme compatibility), both of them are struggling to believe it. How can the two of them be compatible? This could be huge for the company and for both of their lives, and it’s something Jess is even more willing to explore when GeneticAlly offers to pay her to get to know River and participate in some publicity. Yet despite so much riding on the outcome of their relationship, as the two get to know each other, they begin to realize maybe there is more to the other than they both originally thought.

“I want to be here to bring you coffee. I want to take you out to dinner and order the same food and hear you recite the odds that we would have met. I want to hate-attend fancy social events together.” Jess laughed, a surprised burst of sound, and his tone softened. “I want you to call me for help—without an apology already on the tip of your tongue. I want to feel like I can kiss you again by your car at the end of the night.” He swallowed. “I want you in my bed.”

-The Soulmate Equation

This book is amazing! The relationship between Jess and River unfolds in such a beautiful way. The story is funny, sweet, cute and at times it is streaked with sadness. Jess and River haven’t had the easiest time in getting where they are in life, but for the first time, they realize that maybe they can depend on someone else. Also, the steam level of this book was…amazing.

This book really got me wondering what would happen if a dating app like this actually existed. How many married couples do you think would have their DNA run to see genetically what their compatibility is like? Would you? Or do you believe in meeting and dating traditionally enough to know you can tell what you have? I don’t know what I would do! And I doubt if it did exist and I did try it, it would change anything.

Overall, I loved this book with my whole heart. Christina Lauren are amazing writers, and I love seeing what they come up with together. This book was beautiful, and parts of the ending made me cry such happy tears and gave me goosebumps. This is definitely worth checking out. You can’t go wrong with a book by Christina Lauren! I own a few more of their books that I just can’t wait to try!