Review: Perfect Chemistry (Perfect Chemistry #1) by Simone Elkeles

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Title: Perfect Chemistry (Perfect Chemistry #1)
Author: Simone Elkeles
Started: 1/1/12
Finished: 2/1/12
Medium: Paperback
Publisher: Walker & Company
Genre: YA: Romance
Buy: Amazon / The Book Depository / Barnes & Noble

Goodreads Synopsis: 

A fresh, urban twist on the classic tale of star-crossed lovers.

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more. In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.

Perfect Chemistry is another one of those cliche storys about two races, their rivalry and how one person from each side falls in love with each other. Grease, West Side Story, Romeo and Juliet, and just plain old rich fall for the poor. One things for sure, EVERYONE loves the cliche even though they don't admit it. Come on! Some of the best things are cliche, hello... Vampires. Everyone should stop complaining about it being "cliche" and just admit that it was a FABULOUS cliche.

This book was beyond wonderful, it kept me up all night, and to tell you the truth, not many books have done that. This is my first read from Simone Elkeles and I was simply blown away. Her reputation of producing amazing contemporary romances is by far true!

Everything about this book seemed so real and true. Elkeles really went out there and researched about gangs, heir scenarios and how things work with them. She really kept this book by the book if you know what I mean.

Brittany and Alex are complex characters with major family problems. They're both striving to keep up an image. Brittany with her perfect life and Alex with his bad-boy-gang-not-so-perfect-life. They were both so real, and a reader can't help but feel like they really know them.

To sum it all up, Perfect Chemistry is that GOOD and is by far one of the best YA Romances I've read and the best way to start the new year! A guaranteed unputdownable book from Simone Elkeles.