| Title | : | The Chemistry of Love |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 347 |
| Publication | : | First published February 1, 2023 |
The Chemistry of Love Reviews
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⭐ ⭐ ⭐ .5/5 - The best part and saving grace of this book is that there are MANY quotable one-liners that made me laugh out loud!!
My biggest complaint… the main character… presumably a very smart woman.. QUITS HER JOB WITH NO BACKUP. People just do not do that when they have lives? It always annoys me when characters do this. *insert eye roll here*
Not to mention the first 29% of this book is SO painful to read. How do people avoid developing social skills without being considered stalkers or deranged? Me, myself, and I would like to know.
SHORT PREVIEW:
A budding cosmetic chemist, in love with her boss and bursting with good ideas, suddenly finds herself out of a job when she quits with the romantic notion of wooing said boss to loving her and her great ideas. As with all snap decisions, though, things don’t exactly go according to plan for Anna, our spunky, gloriously nerdy heroine. In swoops, the CEO of her late job's company with a deal for her: fake date him to help him save his company .. and he’ll help her win the heart of her old boss… who also happens to be his *brother*.
THOUGHTS:
- Overall, this is a light and cute #womeninSTEM romance (once you get past that first 29% of insidiously cringe-worthy conversations) but definitely more of a New Adult romance. Both the FMC and the MMC are in their twenties, and some of their communication is very immature/ angsty.
- I feel like this would be a great rom-com for any young gal, especially since it’s such a fast read (or listen as I did.)
- Light-hearted feminist romance read. (Yes – that is a thing!)
- This whole book felt like that Freddie Prince Jr. movie ‘She’s All That’ but the even nerdier version – and also a little of that movie 'Something Borrowed' where Ginnifer Goodwin is a nerdy lawyer pining over someone else’s guy… Make of that what you will.. I can't decide if those are good or bad comparisons.
CHARACTER BUILDING:
- Anna: Her character’s love for Star Trek, Star Wars and all things nerdy was lovely and endearing, but her complete and total lack of social skills/style, etc.. it made the story a little too unbelievable. But most importantly, I’m pretty sure she’s over 6 feet tall, even if that’s never stated because the girl wears a size 12 shoe! (Yay for a truly tall woman being in a romance novel!)
- Marco: Sweet, cute, tall --- a lil boring. Def has the elements to be a tall, dark and handsome morally grey love interest, but alas.. we got a sweet 29-year-old who I think would bore me IRL.
- Catalina: The consistent saving grace of this novel: the funny, snarky, realistic best friend and a dependable side character. Loved her throughout.
FAVORITE QUOTE(S):
- “I’ve decided I’m done dating hot guys. They’re awful.”
- “I cannot believe it has taken you this long to call me back. There should be some kind of friendship fine you have to pay when you leave people hanging like that.”
NOTES:
- 🌶/5 - Closed door romance (making out is as hot and heavy as it really gets) – very much a slow burn.
- Fake Dating
- Definitely gives me ‘brain candy’ vibes!
- Familial loss and character building, as a result, are explored – no big climax to this book.
- TWs: none really?
- (I – as a fellow nerd – say ‘nerdy’ with love throughout this review. I was your consummate nerdy gal until I was like 16, and still am most of the time! 🖤) -
I would like to preface this by saying that I hate giving low stars, I think this may be my first one ever, but, I tried. I really did. But I just could not do it. Only made it to 2 chapters. The main character is very irrational and has a very puppy dog love crush, even though she thinks that she is in love with him, on the VP of the company she works at. Although her manager is wrong for publicly calling her out and even though she says that she is a capable scientist, all signs point to the opposite. She keeps fantasizing about the VP during work, drinking chemicals accidentally (chemicals that can alter one's hormones), and is almost always just talking with her best friend who is actually doing work and is the only voice of reason here. The main character does not see the fact that Craig the VP is just a manhole for a lack of a better word and does not really care about her as evidenced by the comments that he makes and his obvious boredom. She then decides to give her two weeks notice after reading an email from her boss criticizing her work. Like I said, irrational because earlier in the story she was saying that she needed this job. I am a hopeless romantic and I love nerdy things as much as the next gal, but this was just way too much for me.
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My Opinion
The book starts with Anna, a cosmetic chemist, who works at Minx Cosmetics with her bestfriend but feels that her boss hates her. Then we get to know she's been in love with the VP of the company, Craig, for two years. Butttttt, she's not in a relationship with him, no, he helped her once (2years ago) and they've had only 1 conversation, and she's in love with him and thinks that she'll marry him. Her boss tells her that her job may be in jeopardy, and she doesn't even focus on that, she's all "oh, the management is coming, maybe I'll get to see my love, who doesn't know that i exist". Like girl, get a grip. When Catalina (bestfriend) tells her that he may not be a good person, she's all "nooo, he's my future husband, he isn't bad, those are all rumours". If my best friend said that the guy i like is a sleazeball, i would totally consider it. Then she quits her job, still goes to the company party because her true love will be there, wears a cosplay dress(which is the only dress she has. God forbid if the girl has more than even one dress), craig announces he's getting engaged(not to her), drinks a lot, cries in the bathroom but ohhh noooo, it's the men's room. Meets Marco, Craig's half brother and the ceo(i think), they agree to fake-date to make Craig jealous (apparently, anything that Marco has, he wants it), fall in love, and boom happy ever after. Also learns that craig is a sleazeball(*insert* I told you so).
Tldr, She was so fucking annoying, desperate, stupid, naïve and all their synonyms and I had to read 339 pages of it. It was complete torture. I wanted to drop kick her, hell i wanted to throw my phone while reading it. She's supposed to be in her 30s and acts like an idiot. She's happily living her life in love with some guy she had 1 convo with and is ready to break up his engagement. Hopefully I can forget that I ever read this.
Pre-review
Read this on Amazon First Reads and suffice to say, I totally regret it. Considered not finishing it, considered throwing away my phone, and considered banging my head to forget about this. Full review coming soon. -
Swoony!
You'll want to clear your day so you can curl up and enjoy this charming and engaging story.
Ms. Wilson is such a favorite of mine; I know going in I am going to be treated with a great love story. I love diving in blind and seeing where things go. I loved Anna and especially Marco, they have such a great relationship. I definitely plan on reading this one again and again.
Content Rated PG+ Secular Romance
Clean romance, flirty innuendo & kissing, no language or violence -
Wowza. This was a fun book! I literally laughed out loud at one point which hardly ever happens for me. I am frequently amused while reading but actual laughing? Rarely. I love when books make me laugh. That was the first stand out point.
Second, I loved the chemistry. It was growing, expanding and combustible. So, so good. I could feel it. Those make out sessions were fire.
Third, these characters are smart. I love smart and witty characters. Nerdy ones too. But does Star Wars and Lord of the Rings references make you nerdy? How about D&D? Probably. I must be nerdy too. :)
Anna and Marco have a very interesting first meeting (poor Anna). Marco is so attentive and so present with Anna. He listens, he remembers and he really tries to help Anna feel that. That right there might be the sexiest thing about him.
Content: kissing, making out.
- I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own. -
I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of
The Chemistry of Love, as I've become a fan of
Sariah Wilson's writing over the past couple of years. Of course, I added it to my TBR once I received it and was excited to read it as I have been with her previous rom-coms.
There is a lot of fun geek humor in this novel, which I enjoyed. Anna is a Star Wars and Lord of the Rings fan, which made me think of a line from Clerks 2: "There was only one return, and it wasn't of the king." I'm not hugely into either franchise, even though I've seen the movies, but I appreciate Anna's devotion. I even told a mixed-fandom group I'm in about this novel as I know there would be a lot of people whose tastes align with Anna's.
Marco was a swoon-worthy male lead and there were definitely some hot moments throughout the story. I liked most of the characters (except for the ones who were meant to be awful), especially Anna's grandpa, who gave all his birds clever names that made me think of Higgins from Ted Lasso. There were some laugh-out-loud lines and moments that I appreciated.
This novel had more of a Christina Lauren feel to it (with some Ali Hazelwood mixed in) and it also took a while to build up some momentum. (I'm not so into science, so the chemistry discussions went over my head.) However, once Anna met Marco, I enjoyed it the rest of the way through. Some parts reminded me of Pretty Woman, as well.
Overall, this was a fun and entertaining novel. It will be here in time for Valentine's Day, so be sure to check it out when it arrives!
Movie casting suggestions:Anna:
Ally IoannidesCatalina:
Emily TostaMarco:
Pierson FodeCraig:
Mason DyeLeighton:
Skyler SamuelsLindy:
Isabella CrovettiTracie:
Elaine Hendrix -
2.5⭐️ personally I didn’t enjoy this one as much. The first few chapters I was ready to give up (but mama didn’t raise no quitter) then towards the middle it got a little bit better. The story was very cliché-romance which I could deal with, but it was more so the fact that she was almost in her 30s but acted more like a middle school girl with a crush that a annoyed me for the first 1/4 of the book- once that passed I enjoyed it a bit more.
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”In case you didn’t know, the ugly ducking never had to change. She just need to figure out that she’d been a swan all along.“
Anna & Marco. She’s the geeky, awkward scientist and he’s the rich, charming CEO. A long standing crush on an unobtainable man. Honest to Obi-Wan’s ghost, The Chemistry of Love is going to be a TOP FAVE of 2023! A MUST READ!! Delightful and adorable and endearing. Swoon City, population me. A feel good book that every single person in the galaxy needs to read!
💋THINGS AND STUFF💋
-fake dating
-friends to lovers
-nerd culture: LOTR, Star Wars, D&D, video games, manga
-women in STEM: cosmetic chemist
-dirt & birds
-the classic rule: I won’t fall for you, you won’t fall for me
-jokes a la forty year old dad
-makeover: movie montage style
-goodnight hugs
-board games
-gum
-#IsThisAKissingBook: closed door. “My somatosensory cortex lit up like the Fourth of July.” FOR SCIENCE!!
Thank you Sariah Wilson for an advanced copy!
Song: When I Fall in Love by Nat King Cole. -
Sariah if you read this I am so sorry!! I love you girl but lord all I wanted to do was jump into this book and slap Anna up side the head as hard as I could. Seriously, I understand that some women characters need to be weak but this girl. Lord she needs some help from a medical professional. If you read this review go check out Wilson's other stories because they are so freaking good. But this one nope I just can't.
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Lots of Chemistry… like LOTS!
Wow this book was not what I was expecting, but honestly I just absolutely loved it. The characters were well done and you just can’t help but root for Anna, the protagonist. She is kindof the stereotypical science nerd, or more specifically chemist nerd, and her thoughts and feelings told from her perspective had me literally laughing out loud at points throughout the story. And don’t even get me started on Marco, can someone say swoony?!! Their romance reminded me of the classic movie “Sabrina”, mixed in with a bit of “The Proposal”, lol. Between the constant references to science, the jokes and banter that often included the periodic table of elements, and the toe-curling romantic tension, this clean romance will leave you thinking about chemistry… lots and lots of chemistry! -
Talk nerdy to me!
Anna is a brain who can be a little socially awkward. Like cringe level. So it's a little difficult to read when she misjudges a situation at the beginning of the story, but hang in there. The story starts a little rough for secondary embarrassment folks (like me), but it's fun once it gets going & the romance, as in all of Wilson's books is spicy but sweet - no peeping tom porn scenes. Not even any significant amount of language. Just a thoroughly entertaining romance -
Sariah Wilson writes the most bingeable books! Once I pick one up I seriously cannot put it down. The humor and the characters and the swoony romance always draw me in and make me never want to leave and this book was no different!
Anna has had a longtime crush on her boss Craig and when his brother Marco suggests they start fake dating for a whole host of reasons, Anna agrees in the hopes that Craig will finally take notice of her. Well, you can guess where this is going, right?
I loved this one for:
Nerdy science humor
Pop culture references
Fake dating
Anna's car "Betty"
The meet-cute (could Marco be any swoonier?)
The awkward moments
Oh my so swoony kissing scenes
"You're perfect just the way you are."
Fabulous side characters
Monopoly game
Lipstick experiments
And I could probably keep going! If you have enjoyed other books by Sariah, then this is definitely one you want to pick up! 4.5 stars for this fun, witty, and swoony romance!
CW: This is a sweet and clean romance with not even implied intimacy, but there is some innuendo, some making out while lying down, and some substitute cuss words that come pretty close to the real thing.
I received a complimentary copy of the book but a positive review was not required. -
I'm a huge fan of Sariah Wilson and always read her books the first chance I got.
THis book has so much nerd/geek humor and I was all for it. I highlighted a ton of jokes because they were the kind that always makes me laugh then feel disappointed no one else gets them.
Besides the chemistry needed for her job, Anna and Craig had chemistry with each other in spades. There romance journey was entertaining, filled with a roller coaster of emotion, and in the end, left me smiling as Sariah Wilson always manages to do.
*I received a complimentary copy of the novel. I was not required nor influenced to leave a review. -
OMG this one was way better then I thought...Ms Wilson is one of my favorite authors...and she did not disappoint with this one... if your in the mood for a rom-com that gives you all the feels pick this one up...
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A gorgeous, tidy tycoon fake-dates a smart, slovenly dweeb in this sexless, slapstick rom com
Nerdy, introverted, socially maladjusted, 26-year old Anastasia (Anna) Ellis is a brilliant cosmetic chemist, who has worked in the R&D department of a huge company called Minx Cosmetics for the past four years. Catalina Diaz, a fellow, twenty-something cosmetic chemist, is the only other female scientist in Minx’s R&D department (and the only non-WASP character in this novel). She and Anna instantly became BFFs from the moment Catalina started work at Minx six months ago, and she is apparently the only friend, of any kind, that poor, alienated Anna has ever had. For reasons unknown to Anna, even though she is the most talented and hard-working chemist in R&D, her direct supervisor, Jerry, loathes her. He has made sure she has never had a raise, and she knows for a fact she makes less than any other chemist in R&D. Worst of all, Jerry frequently publicly insults her work and berates her for trivial or outright imaginary offenses—abusive behavior which he inflicts on no other employee but her. Because Anna hates confrontation and dislikes change, she has never done anything all these years except meekly apologize to Jerry for, basically, simply existing, even though headhunters have frequently offered her enticing options to jump to a job where she would be treated with respect and receive excellent pay.
Anna’s parents were killed by a drunk driver when she was 12, and she was raised by her eccentric grandparents who, like Anna, are both brainy scientists, her grandmother a professor of environmental science, and her grandfather a professor of ornithology. They have gladly encouraged Anna’s pursuit of a STEM career, although her grandmother believes the superficial, and often misogynistic, pursuit of female adornment, which is the focus of cosmetics, is not a worthy career. Anna loves them dearly, and has never moved out of their home. Though she doesn’t pay rent, she has beggared herself footing the bills for expensive repairs on their rambling, old house, as well as purchasing pricey scientific equipment for the chemistry lab she has set up in her bedroom. Over the years, Anna has barely dated, and she is clearly a virgin (though in her case, this is due to chance, rather than a loudly proclaimed, moralizing aversion to fornication, as is the case with the vast majority of SW heroines). Anna’s three chief passions are: (1) neurocosmetics (inventing makeup which interacts with the human nervous system), (2) all things fantasy, including graphic novels, movies (especially Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and Star Wars), conventions (such as Comic Con and Anime Con) and (3) 24-year-old Craig Kimball, the handsome, charming Vice President in charge of Anna’s R&D department, and Jerry’s superior. Ever since Craig jump-started her stalled, ancient Toyota Camry in the company parking lot two years ago, Anna has been obsessed with him. She is convinced that she is madly in love with him and has woven detailed fantasies in her head, starring Craig as her adoring husband and father of her children—even though the very few times they have encountered each other in passing at work, Craig has never even remembered her name. Since the New Year has just begun, and it is the traditional time for resolutions, Anna has made two challenging ones: She wants to take the first action steps toward starting her own cosmetic company, and she is determined to, at long last, confess her love to Craig.
Soon after making this decision, Jerry viciously verbally attacks Anna one too many times and the worm finally turns. In the most impulsive moment of her risk-averse life, she marches into his office and gives him her two-weeks notice. But before she can also state her grievances, Jerry cuts her off and declares, with a Snidely Whiplash sneer, that he wants her gone immediately, ordering a guard to escort her out of the building, in order to give the humiliating impression to all and sundry that he has fired her, rather than that she has quit.
That very night is the annual company party. Though Anna hates parties, and she is no longer an employee of Minx and not even eligible to attend, she decides she absolutely must go, because this may be her last chance to declare her undying devotion to Craig. Unfortunately, the only article of clothing she owns that even remotely resembles a suitable outfit for a formal-attire occasion is a cos-play dress as Arwen (an Elf from Lord of the Rings). Catalina advises Anna to make the costume slightly less dorky by removing the flowing bells of fabric at the ends of its sleeves. Since Anna can’t sew, after she rips them off, she hems the now ragged edges of the sleeves with a stapler.
When Anna arrives late to the party, which is held in a ballroom in a fancy hotel, she feels like every Minx employee in the room is staring at her. With effort, she tunes them out while snatching up two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter and gulping them down for liquid courage. Then she tracks down Craig, who is, amazingly, temporarily alone, outside on a terrace. As usual, he doesn’t remember her name, and before she can make her bold proclamation, he excuses himself, strides to a stage at the head of the ballroom, and announces his engagement to Leighton, a gorgeous young woman he has clutched to his side. Anna freaks out, stumbles into a bathroom, plops down on the floor, and bawls. It is at that bizarre moment that she has her Meet Cute with Marco Kimball, Craig’s 29-year-old half-brother, who is CEO of Minx and who, prior to this party, Anna had never encountered before. After informing Anna she is in a men’s bathroom, Marco considerately locks the restroom door to keep out intruders and, uncaring of the potential damage to his costly tuxedo, settles beside her on the dirty tiles. He compassionately, attentively listens while she drunkenly pours out the entire saga of her adoration of Craig and her recent, precipitate departure from Minx.
Marco informs her that up until two months ago he himself was dating Leighton, and that she is a gold-digger that he walked away from. He cares about his brother, and does not want him to marry a woman like that. Within 24 hours of meeting Anna, Marco offers her an irresistible proposition. Because Craig has always been very competitive of Marco, and has stolen girlfriends from him in the past, Marco believes that if Anna and Marco pretend they are dating, Craig will dump Leighton and go after Anna. Then Anna will get her man, and Craig will be saved from a terrible marriage.
This book is mostly a romance novel, but it has strong features of chick lit. In particular, it is written in the sole, first-person point of view of Anna, so we never get to know Marco deeply. Unlike in a typical romance novel, we are not offered the dual POV of both the heroine and her romantic interest. Instead, as is typical for chick lit, we never get a break from Anna’s dysfunctional thoughts throughout the novel. She is presented with many of the features of someone on the autism spectrum, although the author does not overtly describe her as having that diagnosis. In addition, most of the attempts at comedy in this story are classic, chick lit style, humiliation humor. Anna is constantly making slapstick blunders, such as dressing like a dweeb for the office party, as well as tripping, spilling or breaking things or accidentally drinking dangerous chemicals. We are also obviously supposed to think it is amusing and cute that Anna is a total slob, who never does her laundry, leaving every stitch of her clothing on the floor and walking all over it, as well as never cleaning up horrendous messes that she makes in the home she shares with her grandparents—most particularly tracking spilled glitter everywhere, even into her bed. She also has the disgusting habit of constantly chewing gum. And we are obviously expected to view it as a romantic gesture that Marco keeps her supplied with gum, so that she is eternally chomping on it.
We never get enough of a physical description of Anna to make it possible to adequately visualize her. We are told she wears size 12 shoes, and she is very tall, but not exactly how tall, only that she is eight inches taller than Catalina—so possibly somewhere between five-foot-ten and six-foot tall. She abhors exercise, and she eats nothing but high-calorie junk-carbs, but she nevertheless magically maintains a normal weight and good health. All we know about Marco’s physical description is that he is generically handsome, with the typical romance-hero broad shoulders and athletic build, and that he towers over Anna at six-foot-five, and his feet are much larger than hers.
Anna never realizes, until almost the very end of the book, that Craig would have to be an immoral jerk if he were to dump his fiancée for Anna merely because he wants to steal her from Marco. Therefore, the central premise for why the two of them decide to fake date is ethically obnoxious.
It was frustrating to me that we never find out why Anna’s boss, Jerry, had it in for her. After making such a big deal of his creating a four-year, hostile work environment for Anna with his incessant bullying, it would have been much more satisfying if Anna could have confronted him about his behavior, and he had blurted out why he did it. Without a revelation of his motivation, his presence in the novel deteriorates into a convenient, one-dimensional plot device for the sole purpose of pushing Anna to quit her job, so she will have lots of free time to hang out with Marco.
The ideal of a romance plot is that both protagonists earn their HEA by making major sacrifices for love. Unfortunately, though Marco is a sweet-natured, attentive, “cinnamon roll” hero, who makes endless sacrifices for Anna’s benefit across the length of this story, the only sacrifice she makes for him is to, with enormous, terrified reluctance, admit that she has fallen in love with him. As a result, their relationship is extremely, emotionally imbalanced, rather than the modern, romance-novel ideal, an equal partnership.
As is typical with this author, this is a no-sex romance. Unlike the vast majority of G-rated romance authors, who offer protagonists who are as asexual as robots, SW offers plenty of kissing, with frequent mention of electrical zings of attraction. However, she remains faithful to the core expectation of so-called “clean” romances, that no body parts between the knees and the shoulders will ever be described or caressed. During Anna and Marco’s kissing sessions, for the most part, all these two ever touch are each other’s lips, neck and hands. Yes, during one “necking” session, Anna is laying full length across Marco’s body the whole time. But there is no mention, whatsoever, of his having an erection, so it technically is still within the bounds of acceptable “cleanness.”
I rate this novel as follows:
Heroine: 3 stars
Hero: 4 stars
Subcharacters: 3 stars
Romance Plot: 3 stars
Cosmetic Chemist Plot: 3 stars
Slapstick, Humiliation Humor: 1 star
Writing: 3 stars
Overall: 3 stars -
Let me get my eyesight back after crying through the last chapters because I couldn't hold it in anymore (please insert a reference to the dairy-part in the book). This man deserves a raise for being the most perfect human being despite being a part of the male domination. He definitely belongs into the Hall of Fine. Also the characters? Chef's kiss. Every text message was a delight, thanks for serving Catalina. Did I already mention that Marco's not a want but a need? Seriously, I want to climb that man like a tree, too.
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This story was an absolute delight! I was hooked from the first chapter, and then it just kept getting better and better. Once again, Sariah Wilson has created characters that are human, flawed and complex, while still being so relatable and lovable. I always adore the witty and flirty banter that is a trademark of her books, and The Chemistry of Love abounds with it. Between that, the clean and swoony romance, and an engaging storyline, this book was truly a fun and entertaining read.
Many thanks to the author and NetGalley for providing a review copy. All opinions are my own. -
“In case you didn’t know, the ugly duckling never had to change. She just needed to figure out that she’d been a swan all along.”- Marco
I’m a huge sucker for a fake dating trope and this one was no exception! It had some Love Hypothesis vibes with the love of Star Wars and Lord of the Rings references but many of the characters were nerdy so..
Anna is a cosmetic scientist who loves makeup and creating it but doesn’t use it often. She believes herself to be in love with Craig who is the owner of her company’s son. Problem is Craig isn’t in love with her.
Enter Marco! Marco is the CEO of this cosmetic company and also the half brother of Craig. For reasons you will find out, Marco and Anna decide to fake date so she can seem more appealing to Craig and Marco can seem more responsible to his dad.
This was so sweet and adorable and those kissing scenes were 🔥 for my smut lovers please know this one doesn’t go any further than kissing but I didn’t mind 😏 -
Rating: 4.5 stars
You know when you need a light, sweet romance book and you read it and it's the perfect book for your mood? Well, that was this book for me. I have been reading so many historical romance books lately, and I just needed a break.
Sariah Wilson had me laughing and smiling throughout The Chemistry of Love! I loved Marco so much! I mean Anna was great too, but Marco was just the best. I don't want to go into too much detail about why because you will find out in the book, but just know that he is so sweet, especially towards Anna.
While I was questioning the entire book why Anna was still thinking about Craig when Marco was right in front of her, I still loved the fake dating in this one. This book is a closed-door romance; however, the kisses were 🥵. I don't know if I have read hotter kisses in a book before, but they were written so well. Go read this one if you want to read a book with great chemistry!
This was my first book by Sariah Wilson and I already want to read the rest of her books! Also, just going to throw this out there that I have never watched nor read The Lord of the Rings and I think I've only watched one Star Wars movie, so I had no idea about any of the references, but still loved this book. -
There's something about Sariah Wilson's books that always seem to be just what I need, just when I need it. Easy, uncomplicated romance with a heavy dose of swoon. Seriously considering disappearing into her backlist for a while.
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Let me tell you first and foremost I am 100000% the target audience for this book. I swear this book was written for me. I am above all else a nerd, especially when it comes to Lord of the Rings and Star Wars. I’m currently planning a LOTR themed wedding if that gives you an idea of who I am as a geek. To my absolute ecstatic surprise the wonderfully nerdtastic FMC Anna is 100% my people, the nerdiest of nerds and someone I’d be BFFS with in a heartbeat. I literally cannot recommend this enough to my fellow nerds who too will appreciate the FMC Anna who is a super smart chemist who also makes the very true 100% right and inarguable argument made for why Ben Solo deserved better. This FMC is an ode to all that is awesome. Are you a science geek who also might have had a Legolas full size cardboard cut out in their room? This book is for you. Do you love the fake dating trope with all the humor and whit possible? This book is for you. Do you love when a big hunky rich guy is also a hidden nerd cinnamon roll and makes you picture Henry Cavil being your plus one to DND night? This book is for you. Did you once yell in a guys face “TODAY IS A GREAT DAY FOR SOUP!”when he said hi to you for the first time after you basically stalked him at the deli he worked at? No wait that was just me, yup, I’m definitely Anna. I literally want to buy a copy for every single one of my friends and shove it in their face like I just gave them the precious just so we can discuss how well written and funny it is! This will definitely be a go to reread when I’m in a book slump or having a tough time because it’s nothing but serotonin for me. Sariah Wilson you had me at “AND ROHAN WILL ANSWER!”
Did I immediately buy all her other books based off how much I loved this book? Absolutely, NO REGRETS! I read this with the audiobook and it too was a smash hit for me. I loved that narrator EM Eldridge totally nailed the adorably quirky awkwardness that is Anna and how she delivered her jokes in a tone that felt so fitting of her character. Her voices for the rest of the characters were unique to them, easily distinguishable and also felt very true to the characters. I especially loved her voice for Marco and the delivery of his humor and timing as well. It felt so fitting to how honest and sincere he comes across in the book. Her voices flowed so well together with the hilarious banter between Marco and Anna as they navigate their big fake dating plan to try to score Anna the eye of his broseph douche canoe brother Craig, who just stole Marco’s gold digging girlfriend. Marco might just have more reasons than revenge and competition behind this big plan but there’s one thing for sure, there’s nobody quite like Anna! Watching these two fall for each other along the way of their plotting and planning seemingly unaware that they are smitten was so fun! Getting so much of them connecting through simply being themselves, the good the bad, and the Gundabad was a straight up joy!
Right off the bat their connection is based off of being entirely honest and flawed in the most human relatable ways. I love that they bond over sharing what they care most about, and being so genuine in asking each other about themselves. It’s so freakin endearing, I dare you not to root for them right off the bat! Marco is easy to fall for though because he’s not only funny, kind, witty and clearly deeply kind hearted, and he never tries to tell her to change herself. He is always reminding her she doesn’t have to pipe down about the things she loves. He wants to hear it all even if it’s about The Muppets, or her big bright, bold ideas for her inventions and starting her own business. Something that I can relate to so deeply as a girl who grew up being teased for the fact I own over 200 Star Trek books, I’m an Astronomer and it’s pretty much my entire personality. I constantly get grilled by jerks in fandoms who can’t fathom that women too are nerds, that we can be bosses in the workplace, and GASP might know more than them! I know that most women like me if not all can relate to being mansplained to by the world. This book feels like a love letter to all of us who have felt this way, and need a reminder that we have so much to offer! We deserve to be heard! Seriously I can’t recommend this book enough, even if you’re not a nerd, there’s something everyone can relate to and that’s the want to be seen, respected and loved for who we are. Pick this one up, it’s absolutely bound to be a best seller!
Thank you so much Brilliance Audio for this awesome ARC in exchange for my honest review! It is in my top 3 I’ve reviewed for BA so far! -
Sorry, but Anna was just too delusional and too slobby for my liking. I was mostly annoyed with her.
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None of this was going how I’d planned.
The Chemistry of Love was a hilarious fake dating romance! This was one of those stories where I Couldn't. Stop. Smiling! If you're looking for an adorable story that will make you smile and fall in love, then this may be your book!I was keenly aware of him walking just behind me, and I wanted to pinch myself. We’d been having our second- ever actual conversation!
Anna Ellis was a cosmetic chemist who lived with her grandparents. She was madly in love with her boss, Craig. Whom she rarely was ever around, but she built him up as the most amazing man possible in her head. Think movie star worthy. And it didn't matter that her friend Catalina wasn't the hugest fan of him. Anna knew she was destined to be with Craig! So when Marco, Craig's brother, stepped into her world, he was the key to reaching her dreams. Craig always wanted what Marco had. So if she were to fake date Marco, then Craig would be hers!“Wow. That is some rom- com- level delusion right there,” she said. “It’s never going to work.”
“Marco seems to think it will.”
“It’s a good thing that man is pretty, because he’s obviously not very in touch with reality. I’ve seen the movies. This sort of thing never works out. If anything, it’s only guaranteed to make you fall in love with him.”
Anna was hilarious, quirky and so much fun! It took me a little while to warm up to her because she could be clueless and lost in her head at times, but she was goodhearted and had an innocent feel to her. So when Anna would make some bad life decisions, there was quite a few lol, I couldn't stop the laughter from pouring out of me. I was so happy she had Catalina in her life, because she had no problems being brutally honest with Anna. And I loved her grandpa, their interactions together were heartwarming. Yet my heart hurt for Anna. Her ambition and dreams didn't always pan out the way she wanted. I wanted her to find her happily ever after!My pulse raced, and I couldn’t explain why exactly. Or why my stomach flitted with delight when he smiled at me.
I was in love with Craig. None of this made any sense.
Craig. Well. I lacked seeing what Anna saw in him. Yet whenever she and Marco were together, there were sparks. No matter how much Anna didn't want to admit it! And I loved Marco right from the beginning. He was thoughtful, kind and caring. Yes he was gorgeous, but I loved learning about the sides he didn't show others. I loved his interaction with her friends. And I loved even more the things he did to help Anna out. Except there was one tiny problem, Marco was the ultimate closed book. I desperately wanted to know his thoughts on everything. So his gestures of kindness and helping Anna out, well I built them up in my head. I didn't even care if I was wrong. I loved Marco, and thought Anna should feel the same!I came close to Marco, and he stiffened, standing straighter, tightening his arms so that his forearms flexed.
I didn’t understand what his reaction was about.
“Thank you,” I said. “It may be too much, but thank you.”
It took him a second, and I watched as his Adam’s apple bobbed twice before he cleared his throat and said, “You’re welcome. I should, uh, get back to work.”
“And I should get back to looking nice.”
Anna and Marco clicked together so seamlessly. Even if they could be the polar opposites when it came to their opinions on love and marriage. Anna was a firm believer that it existed, while Marco didn't think it did. And I got it. Marco's back story gutted me wide open. I understood why he was jilted towards love. But his moments with Anna were sigh worthy. And the chemistry between them was intoxicating. So every time they had to "fake" being together I was a giddy mess. I loved when they had to touch, be near one another or kiss. I wanted THEM to work. Their moments could be so perfect, it was like they were destined for one another. Yet Anna was adamant that she still wanted Craig and he was her forever.“Hey, Anna?”
“Yeah?”
“In case you didn’t know, the ugly duckling never had to change. She just needed to figure out that she’d been a swan all along.” He paused, like he was waiting for a response. When he didn’t get one, he said, “Good night.”
The Chemistry of Love was laugh out loud hilarious and so much fun! Anna's cosmetic mistake will be stuck in my head forever haha! But the friendship that developed between Anna and Marco made my heart sing. And as little pieces came together, I was patiently waiting for Anna to connect the dots. To see what I saw. This was another adorable story by Sariah Wilson! I can't wait to read whatever she releases next!
PS All of the birds names?! They were great!
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
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The Chemistry of Love is a fast-paced, super cute, nerdy romance that will suck readers in from the first page and leave them swooning.
The Chemistry of Love follows the story of Anna and Marco. When we first meet up with Anna, she’s completely smitten with her boss Craig. However, her crush might be a bit misguided. You see, Anna met Craig a few years prior to working for him and since that moment, she carried an unrequited torch for him. Sadly, when it came to Anna, Craig was completely clueless. That’s where Marco comes into play. Marco is the CEO for the company that Anna works for and whatever Marco has, Craig wants. What starts off as an experiment in attraction, quickly turns into more than they bargained for…
Overall, I found this book to be a quick and enjoyable read. I thought Anna was quirky and I loved her nerdiness. Sure, she was clueless at times and like a fish out of water, but I found her to be enjoyable and enjoyed her quirkiness. I thought Marco was a great match for her. Not only was he swoon-worthy, but he too had some serious nerdiness about him. Together these two kept me laughing and entertained and I couldn’t wait to see their story play out.
If you’re looking for a fun, nerdy romance, you won’t want to miss The Chemistry of Love. -
As a chemist, I wanted to like this book so much, however, the horrible science and characterizations of women in science were awful. If I picked this up at a bookstore, I would have put it down without buying it in the first few pages. The chemist drinks out of a beaker from the lab ON PURPOSE! TWICE! Even in a cosmetic chemistry environment, this would NEVER be allowed. This book perpetrates the stereotype that women in STEM fields are nerds/dorks about everything. The female main character (Anna) sums her personality up by Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Muppets. This is so irritating! Anna is so clueless when it comes to determining someone's personality. She characterizes her grandma so poorly and doesn't speak nicely of many people besides her best friend who she only has known a handful of months but talks to all the time. Marco is just a knight in shining dorky armor who she manages to realize she's in love with as they fake date. Shocker. Literally, this woman has nerd as her only personality trait and thats not what scientists are! And the science is wrong! A reaction is not endo and exothermic at the same time. Comparing the two people in relationship to baking soda and vinegar and how they don't go together. The lame "I'll have H2O too" and "adenine so I can be paired with U" jokes are added like they were the top hit on a Google search for lame science jokes. Most things are described with poor science references or nerdy references. Catalina saying she will settle for the nerdy guy who is decent looking because at least he won't cheat on her?! Seriously? This book isn't even kind to male scientists. Anna's "brilliant" makeup idea - nope, not possible. Similar things exist but they aren't based on neuroreceptors because the science is not there yet and may never be there. Additionally, making a new makeup, that contained a previously toxic substance in a bedroom? And then wearing it and making out with another biochemist while wearing it for "science"?! Heck no! That lipstick would be subject to so much testing to make sure it isn't toxic and that wouldn't be possible from a bedroom. Also, Anna is poor, but manages a lab from her bedroom?! She makes the same expensive products for cheaper in her room to give to her grandma's friends? No way! Just because you know the ingredients, does not mean you know how to make something exactly like the one you can buy on a shelf! Can you imagine this with baking? A baker tells you what's in their cake and magically you can make it so much cheaper then what its sold for? Also, for cosmetics, where ingredients come from matters so much and that can really drive up cost. As a chemist, I am furious that this book was written and essentially undermines women in science so poorly. No quality research was put into this because all chemists would be appalled from chapter 1 with drinking from lab beakers. Writing is too cheesy and lacks serious character development. 1 star, 0.5 spice (makeouts only)
I received this book as an advanced readers copy -
Quirky, adorable, and addictive!
The Chemistry of Love is a sweet, humorous, steamy tale featuring the creative, talented cosmetic chemist Anna and the hardworking, considerate CEO Marco as they discover quite quickly that there may be a lot more to their relationship than just convenience, pretence, deals, and fake feelings.
The writing is amusing and sweet. The characters are charismatic, supportive, and endearing. And the plot is an enchanting tale bursting with witty banter, shameless flirting, red-hot chemistry, tender moments, self-discovery, family, friendship, kindness, light drama, and unconditional love.
Overall, The Chemistry of Love is another delightful, engaging, highly entertaining tale by Wilson that has everything I look for in a lighthearted rom-com and more. I loved the characters, I loved the meet cute, I loved the storyline, and I loved the happy-ever-after ending.
Thank you to Thomas Allen & Son and Kaye Publicity for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review. -
It’s getting one more star than I expected to give it when I was about halfway through the book, and that’s only because I ended up really liking Marco’s character.
Anna really felt way more like a teenager than a 26 year old to me. It drove me nuts. The novel really was a glorified inner dialogue rather than actual events occurring. Case in point: we rarely see Catalina other than on the other end of the telephone telling us things that both the reader and Anna already know. The plot meandered and it felt more like a fairytale fantasy rather than real life. Secondary characters were highly under-developed. And there were a few bothersome tropes. Lastly, the over abundance of specific fandoms isolated me, as I am unfamiliar with those worlds. The author did not offer any explanation to the context of those worlds, either. If you didn’t know them, you just wouldn’t fully understand what the characters were talking about. Similar complaints also regarding specific chemistry terms.
I truly do dislike being so negative in a review, but I really was disappointed in this book. Thankfully my affection for Marco made it a bearable read.
