Chemistry Lessons by Jae is a sweet and fun romance with two best friends who are in love with each other and everyone knows it but them.
Regan and Kylie have been best friends since they were tiny. Where one would go, the other could always be found, which is still true decades later. Regan and Ky finish each other’s sentences, share food with each other in restaurants, and even have their own two-person book club. It’s no wonder anyone who meets them thinks they’re together and all their friends and family think they should just make out already.
Ky and Regan are sick of the speculation and opinions, since they both know they have no chemistry. And Regan’s a chemistry teacher, so she knows a thing or two about chemical reactions. To prove everyone wrong, Regan cooks up a scheme that’s wild enough it just might work (or not, because this is a romance novel). Ky and Regan will go on three dates and then everyone will know there’s no way a romantic relationship would ever make sense for them.
How could their plan go wrong? By turning out the best way possible, of course: with pants feelings and a whole lot of love. They just have to figure out if it’s worth risking their friendship for the chance of happily ever after.
Pros And My Favourite Parts
This. Book. Is. SO. DANG. CUTE.
Ky and Regan might be the most delusional leads I’ve come across in a friends-to-lovers romance and I am here for it. They’re obviously in a relationship and are just not having sex yet. Here’s my evidence:
- The book opens with them tricking each other into going to the same restaurant because each one is throwing the other a surprise party to celebrate their respective new accomplishments at work (check out the excerpt below).
- Ky works in the lunchroom at the school where Regan teaches. She always knows when Regan will skip breakfast and leaves the perfect snack on Regan’s desk. Tell me why they aren’t married already?
- Regan always brings Ky as a date to family functions. ALWAYS.
Case closed. They’re meant to be together and I so enjoyed watching these goofballs figure it out too.
In terms of the relationship development, I appreciated that while Regan had never considered Ky romantically before, Ky had previously had a crush on Regan. This keeps the otherwise angst-free story interesting, with Ky trying to manage her old feelings as they resurface while Regan develops entirely new feelings.
Cons And Heads Up
Not a con, but definitely a heads up. This is a spoiler, so hop down to the conclusion if you don’t want to be spoiled.
Part of Ky’s damage is that her mother died from an overdose after mixing Xanax with alcohol. It’s not clear if her death was accidental or if she died by suicide. Also, Ky’s estranged father tries to re-establish contact with her.
If estranged parents or the death of a parent due to substance use is likely to be triggering, this may not be the best book for you.
The Conclusion
I picked up Chemistry Lessons during a spectacularly bad week and I am so glad I did. It was the gentle, stress-free story that I needed and it kept me up way past my bedtime more than once. If you love friends-to-lovers romances between adorkable, oblivious women as much as I do, this will be the perfect choice for you.
Excerpt from Chemistry Lessons by Jae
“Surprise!” Ky yelled.
“Surprise!” Regan’s louder shout nearly drowned out Ky’s voice. “We’re not going to Home Depot!”
They stared at each other.
What the hell was going on? Ky squinted down at her best friend. “We’re not? I mean, I know we’re not, but…how do you know?” If one of their friends had given it away, she’d kill them.
“What? Of course I know. It was my idea.”
Ky shook her head, but that didn’t help her see the situation more clearly. “What are you talking about?”
A mischievous twinkle entered Regan’s eyes as she tilted her head and grinned. “I planned a surprise dinner to celebrate your promotion!” She swept her arm in a wide gesture toward the restaurant. “Ta-da!”
Ky gaped at her. No, that wasn’t possible, was it? What were the chances of them planning a surprise party for each other—at the same time and day, at the same restaurant?
Regan nudged her shoulder. “You didn’t suspect a thing, did you?”
“Hell, no! I thought I’d lured you here for a surprise dinner to celebrate your Teacher of the Year award.”
“Oh my God!” Regan burst out laughing, making the people at the sidewalk tables look over. “That’s why our friends gave me these weird looks when I told them to meet us here.”
They doubled over laughing and clutched each other’s arms until the glass door swung open and Eliza stepped outside in her trademark yellow sneakers. “Double surprise! I take it you realized you both had the same idea?”
Still breathless with laughter, Ky just nodded.
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Bits and Bobs
ISBN number: 9783963245473
Publisher: Ylva Publishing
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