Title: Rules of Attraction
Author: Simone Elkeles
Series: Perfect Chemistry, #2
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Young Adult
Publisher: Walker Childrens (Imprint of Bloomsbury)
Date Published: April 13th, 2010
Edition: Hardcover
Rating:
When Carlos Fuentes returns to America after living in Mexico for a year, he doesn’t want any part of the life his older brother, Alex, has laid out for him at a high school in Colorado . Carlos likes living his life on the edge and wants to carve his own path—just like Alex did. Then he meets Kiara Westford. She doesn’t talk much and is completely intimidated by Carlos’ wild ways. As they get to know one another, Carlos assumes Kiara thinks she’s too good for him, and refuses to admit that she might be getting to him. But he soon realizes that being himself is exactly what Kiara needs right now.
My Review:
After reading Chain Reaction, I was so happy to find a contemporary romance series that I love! I’m not big into contemporary romance all that much. I normally need something paranormal in my books, but I love this series. Simone Elkeles has struck gold with the Fuentes brothers and I love them to pieces!
Carlos, while still a bad boy, is very different from Alex in many ways. Whereas Alex was kind of pushed into a situation and a role that he never really wanted, Carlos is more the type of guy that runs head first into trouble. He’s hot-headed, egotistical, and can be a jerk at times (in the beginning). But, as the story goes on and Carlos starts to soften up a bit, I couldn’t help but love him all the same.
Kiara on the other hand, I loved from the beginning. I don’t know what it is about her. I think maybe it’s just that she’s true to herself and despite not being the prettiest most popular girl in school, she respects and accepts herself for who she is. Just when you think you have Kiara pegged as this sweet, innocent, and shy girl, she completely surprises you.
The story itself is somewhat similar to the first book, being bad boy meets good girl and all, but I think Elkeles did a good job in creating a different situation and characters with different personalities, and that prevented it from feeling so much like a carbon copy of Chain Reaction.
I must also say that it is so refreshing to read a young adult book that doesn’t have a love triangle in it. It seems like sometimes that the dreaded love triangle is part of the standard formula when writing a young adult book these days. It doesn’t have to be, but it seems like authors feel like that is the only way to create conflict in their relationship or something. But thankfully these books do not have that, and I love that. Another thing I love is the Epilogues. For Chain Reaction, and this one, she takes us many years into the future and I love the glimpse we get. The last sentence in this book was the best. So funny and ironic!
Overall, this was a really great book. I enjoyed it very much. It didn’t blow me away like Chain Reaction did, but then that book was pretty much one of a kind. It would have been hard to have this book be completely up to that standard. However, I did really enjoy this and I look forward to hearing about Luis’ story next in Chain Reaction!
PRE-REFORMED Carlos Theme Song
I actually almost didn’t post this for fear of people thinking I’m crazy. But you know what, whatever. This is my blog so I’ll post it anyways. lol Plus, I am crazy and as Zarek from Dark-Hunters would say, “I don’t suffer from my insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.”. :]
Okay, so bear with me here and this is a total adult moment. If you’re under 18, please do not listen to this song as I do not want to corrupt young minds more than they already are. lol
Anyways, I’ve been listening to ICP (Insane Clown Posse) lately on Spotify. Have I ever mentioned that I have a really WIDE range of music tastes? I’m talking, I could happily go from listening to say Demi Lovato – Skyscraper to well, the song I’m about to talk about. I like a lot of different stuff depending on my mood. Kind of like books. I guess I’m moody in general?
But anyways, I’m getting a bit off topic. I was listening to ICP and the song The Neden Game around the time I started reading this book. It’s a bit (okay a lot) psychotic (like most ICP songs are), but it’s also hilarious — at least to people with a sick sense of humor like me. lol
So the song The Neden Game by Insane Clown Posse makes me think of how Carlos’ attitude was when he first comes to Colorado. His bad attitude and hot-headedness was at an all time high at that point. So yeah, I could totally have seen Carlos playing all big and bad by saying he would do some of these things. I don’t think he actually would have. But, being that Carlos is sometimes all talk, that’s beside the point. 
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