While Fizzy is the main protagonist of The True Love Experiment, it is Fizzy's best friend, Jess Davis, who finds love in The Soulmate Equation. Jess is a single mother who is devoted to her little girl, Juno. Jess is also very close with the grandparents who primarily raised her. Jess has not been interested in dating for years. Even with Fizzy's encouraging harassment, Jess would rather spend time with her daughter than get back into dating.
But then a lot of things happen. Jess and Fizzy learn about a new dating app from the aloof, but very good-looking man who frequents their coffee shop. The man is Dr. River Pena, and Jess can't help but notice him. However, she is turned off by his dismissive attitude. She also later overhears him calling her average. Both Fizzy and Jess (but especially Fizzy) are intrigued by this new dating app. It uses DNA testing to find both sexual and long-term compatibility between partners, and then ranks them.
When Jess finally decides to send in her DNA, she discovers that she matches with Dr. River Pena at an astonishing 98%--a number so high that it hasn't even been seen before. Jess is pretty much horrified, and wants nothing more to do with the whole experiment, but the company is interested in using this historic match for marketing purposes. They offer to pay her $10,000 per month just to spend time with River, and see if they're compatible. Because this offer comes when Jess is particularly desperate for money, she agrees.
And so begins the relationship between Jess and River. It turns out that River is primarily just introverted and shy, which sometimes comes off as arrogant and aloof. Both are immediately attracted to each other, but as they spend more time together, they get closer and closer.
One interesting through-point in this book is how much we should change our perspective based on these numbers. This kind of app is not possible, but it's fun to think about if we had one that actually worked. When Fizzy matched with a man with a lower compatibility number, both people went into the date expecting it not to go anywhere. Jess and River had zero interest in dating each other until they were told they were perfect for each other. River is in a position where he really wants his DNA testing to work, and he believes that it works. Would that possibly push him into believing a relationship is working when he otherwise would not think so? On the other hand, Jess was partly terrified to date River because the expectations are so high after hearing that kind of news. It puts a lot of pressure on a first date.
Anyway, the book continues with the two slowly getting closer. There is a moment of drama where everything seems to fall apart, but like most romances it all ends well.
I thought this was a very fun read with good dialogue and some sweet romance. In the end, I liked The Soulmate Equation even better than The True Love Experiment. Recommended.
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