The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren Book Review

Jess is a single mother, who does her job as a statistician at local coffee shop Twiggs, alongside her author friend Fizzy. Every day at the same time, a handsome but rude man comes into the coffee shop, who the friends have nicknamed Americano due to his order. When they hear that he is setting up a dating site based on compatibility of DNA, the pair stop him one day to quiz him about it, which results in him inviting them along to his workplace. Fizzy, being a romance author, is excited about this but Jess is more skeptical. After having a particularly bad day and feeling lonely, Jess decides to do the at home testing kit and send it off. She's shocked when she gets a result (after setting her compatibility really high) and is called into the company to discuss this result. Turns out she's matched with one  of the founders of the company, Mr Americano (real name River) himself! The company is thrilled, wanting the pair to get to know each other, but Jess is unsure. How is this man, who she finds rude and stand offish, her genetic soulmate? Regardless, she and River decide to give it a shot and tentatively get to know each other. 

The book is a fascinating concept, the idea what your genes are part of the reason why you get on so well with people. This books has elements of enemies to lovers as well as fake dating trope. I loved all of Jess's friends and family: her 7 year old daughter Juno, her friend Fizzy, her grandparents who helped raise her due to her absent mother. I didn't know Jess was a single mother when I started the book, so I was a bit apprehensive about whether I would enjoy that part of the storyline but I did like it, it added another dimension to the story.As with most romance stories, towards the end there is an element that threatens the stability of the relationship and I was so pleased that it wasn't too forced or drawn out.  find too often that romance books depend on miscommunication as part of the tension and it can be really frustrating. Whereas in this book it wasn't too laboured.  I thought the book was charming and cute, I liked Jess and River together and once I got into the book I flew through it in less than 24 hours!