Look at me, turning into a Christina Lauren fan.
When I think back to The Soulmate Equation, one of the things which stands out most vividly in my mind is Fizzy. In fact, I'd wager to say she is probably the most memorable supporting character I've ever come across in a romcom. She's sassy, fun, and so sharp with a comeback, it brought an undeniable zing to every page she was on. So it's particularly exciting that CL decided to bring Fizzy back and make her the star of her own story.
Of course, when authors revisit a character, there is always the fear that what made the character so special in another book doesn't translate to the new one, that the magical essence somehow gets lost. But I'm happy to report that nothing got lost here, ladies and gentlemen. Fizzy is just as scintillating and irreverent as ever, and I very much enjoyed her journey of finding her happily ever after.
The premise of this story is certainly an interesting one. I don't watch much reality TV, but I've caught a few episodes of dating shows while flipping through the channels and getting inadvertently caught up in the drama. After all, there is a reason they're so wildly popular. So I was definitely curious to see how Fizzy's dating show would shape up, and it ended up being a fun and unique one.
I will say though, I've noticed CL has a habit of writing scenarios for their main characters that are somewhat questionable and unethical, and it happened again here. The whole point of a dating show is to enter into it to find a potential mate, and you can't do that if you're already having a side relationship. This is especially true if you're the star of the show, as it makes it incredibly unfair to the contestants who are dating you. This was even mentioned in the story by Fizzy and Connor as being a part of Fizzy's contract. And yet, the book never goes on to address this moral quandary and mostly glosses over it by making everyone happy for the couple, including the contestants.
Another thing that struck me is that CL is two white authors writing a Chinese American main character, which seems a bit tricky. But they did tread gently, and as a result, struck a good compromising note. If you're looking for a book on anything related to the Chinese American experience, this isn't it. The book doesn't dive too deep or really at all into that. But honestly, I feel like that's the right call, as anything more would've probably come off as forced or inauthentic.
Thoughts and quibbles aside, I really did have loads of fun with this story. Was it a bit cheesy and drawn out towards the end, with a third act breakup that totally mystified me, as in the way of most romcoms? Yes. But that doesn't detract from how overall entertaining it was. I just gobbled it up, all the while having a big, silly smile on my face.
I never thought the day would come, but that's two Christina Lauren books I've enjoyed back-to-back. If that isn't a sign that I need to read more from this author duo, I don't know what is. The only question is, which of their 30 books should I go with next?
Readaroo Rating: 4 stars
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