Friday, April 30, 2010

Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles

Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles
Publication Date: April 13, 2010
Versions: hardcover, kindle

Summary (from barnesandnoble.com):
Carlos Fuentes doesn't want any part of the life his older brother, Alex, has laid out for him in Boulder, Colorado. He wants to keep living on the edge, and carve his own path?just like Alex did. Unfortunately, his ties to a Mexican gang aren't easy to break, and he soon finds himself being set up by a drug lord.


When Alex arranges for Carlos to live with his former professor and his family to keep him from being sent to jail, Carlos feels completely out of place. He's even more thrown by his strong feelings for the professor's daughter, Kiara, who is nothing like the girls he's usually drawn to. But Carlos and Kiara soon discover that in matters of the heart, the rules of attraction overpower the social differences that conspire to keep them apart.

As the danger grows for Carlos, he's shocked to discover that it's this seemingly All-American family who can save him. But is he willing to endanger their safety for a chance at the kind of life he's never even dreamed possible?

In the sequel to Perfect Chemistry, you get to meet another Fuentes boy. And even though Alex (in Perfect Chemistry) was a bad boy, Carlos is ten times worse. He swears all the time, does drugs and hangs out with the wrong crowd. So when Carlos has to stay with a strange family who set rules on the first day, he knows he's not going to like it. But he especially likes to play with Kiara, the daughter of the family he's living with, and constantly tries to egg her on. Soon they start to discover things about themselves and about eachother that will bring them closer together.

I really liked this book, but would have to put it second to Perfect Chemistry. It seemed there was something lacking but I couldn't seem to put my finger on what it was. The chapters alternated between characters and the plot line was interesting so I couldn't put it down. I loved how it was a good girl/bad boy relationship and the main characters were just so different.

Will I reread it?
Yes, it was yet another great book by Simone Elkeles. It seems she never dissapoints.

5 comments:

sarah darlington said...

Ah! I want to read this so bad. Thanks for the review. I think it would be very hard to write anything as good as Perfect Chemistry. So close is good for me. :)

Anonymous said...

I too prefer Perfect Chemistry. I'm a little more than half way through this one and you're right there is something missing. Anyways, it's still really enjoyable. :D

Charlotte said...

I'm another that preferred Perfect Chemistry. I think in that one, I really wasn't at all sure it was going to work out, and I just assumed it would here, so it wasn't as nail biting!

emily said...

This sounds good! I like the whole, "opposites attract" thing.

Sara said...

Great review! I haven't read this one yet, but I'm eagerly waiting to do so! Really have to buy it soon, but it¨'s expensive :(