Chain Reaction

Simone Elkeles is one of my absolute favorite authors! She writes such great touching Young Adult stories, that most of the time have just the right amount of cheesiness that makes it absolute loveable.  She uses realistic occurrences that many young adult's from today can relate to...whether being a minority, your first love, heartbreak, danger; and along the way finding your one true love.

I first fell in love with the Fuentes brothers back in 2009, when I read Perfect Chemistry.  Back then I had only been introduced to Alex Fuentes, the super hot brother (even though they all sound pretty hot) who ends up falling in love with a white girl from the North Side (the rich part of town), named Brittany.

Well, we get to see a lot more of Alex and Brittany in this amazing new and unfortunately last installment in the Perfect Chemistry Series; as well as Carlos and Kiara from the second novel Rules of Attraction

Chain Reaction is the story of the youngest and last Fuentes brother, Luis.  Luis has his goals in life, and his mind set to follow that exact path that he has had mapped out for almost his entire life.  His goal is to be a Astronaut, and nothing is going to stop him from achieving that goal...until plans change when Luis moves back to Illinois with his mom.

There he gets to know Nikki, who he met two years earlier at an event (that I don't want to mention here, because it would give away something :), but it made me extremely happy!).  Nikki is a young Latina, who has sort of been raised away from her heritage, and grew up in the North Side of town where her father is a wealthy doctor (in fact the doctor that saved Alex from his gunshot wound in Perfect Chemistry); but still knows the feeling of pain in life.

Just like his brothers in the first two books, Luis starts off as a player, who is proud of his heritage and knows tough times.  However, Nikki changes his view.  She is the first girl he has ever met that he can see himself making a future with.

There relationship is threatened when the leader of the Latino Blood, a horrible tough gang from the South side, comes back and expects Luis to join.  Unfortunately, Luis finds himself having no other choice but to decide between his love for Nikki and being selfish in the act by threatening his family, or join where he can make sure that everyone he loves is safe and won't be harmed by some very dangerous people.

I'm sad to say goodbye to the Fuentes' brothers.  I'm definitely going to miss them!  I hope to see a lot more books from Simone Elkeles in the future.  I've read her other two series as well, Return to Paradise/Leaving Paradise and The Ruined Series.  I've enjoyed them all, but the Perfect Chemistry Series were definitely my favorite!


If you haven't read them yet, I absolutely recommend them! When I read Perfect Chemistry, it reminded me of a non-musical version of West Side Story, an amazing classic; in fact I thought the entire time while reading it that it would make a great modern day version of the movie. :)

I hope everyone had a great weekend!

The Romance Bookie :)

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