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The Chemistry of Us
Cole Mendez, a transplant from New Orleans, has had a reputation in Rock Point, Maine since the day his family arrived in town. He’s from the supposed wrong side of the tracks and going nowhere fast, so it comes as no surprise when he’s placed in the Peer-2-Peer program as a mandatory requirement to graduate from high school in the spring. His struggles to balance school, a needy girlfriend, his addict mom, and demanding uncle became even more complicated as he must now make time for tutoring he doesn’t even want.
Dawson Rhodes grew up in Rock Point, and people have always said that he’s going places. He makes top grades, is the captain of the robotics team, and is working his way towards an Ivy League education after high school. He joins Peer-2-Peer as a potential tutor, knowing that it will look good on his future college applications. When he’s placed with Cole he knows that he has his work cut out for him, but he’s never been the type to give up and jumps in head first despite the other boy’s apparent disinterest.
A series of events on both their parts leads to an unlikely meeting outside of school, and a mutual understanding that neither of them is the person the public perceives them to be. As they get to know one another on a deeper level, they find that they have more in common than they could have imagined. The deeper they go, the more their feelings for one another begin to flourish, and the more the world seems to push back against them. Falling in love in high school is hard enough, without the odds stacked against you.
Dawson Rhodes grew up in Rock Point, and people have always said that he’s going places. He makes top grades, is the captain of the robotics team, and is working his way towards an Ivy League education after high school. He joins Peer-2-Peer as a potential tutor, knowing that it will look good on his future college applications. When he’s placed with Cole he knows that he has his work cut out for him, but he’s never been the type to give up and jumps in head first despite the other boy’s apparent disinterest.
A series of events on both their parts leads to an unlikely meeting outside of school, and a mutual understanding that neither of them is the person the public perceives them to be. As they get to know one another on a deeper level, they find that they have more in common than they could have imagined. The deeper they go, the more their feelings for one another begin to flourish, and the more the world seems to push back against them. Falling in love in high school is hard enough, without the odds stacked against you.
218 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 19, 2022
27 people want to read
About the author
Samantha Arthurs
39 books34 followersSamantha Arthurs is the author of the Rust series, the Rag & Bone trilogy, Murder Mittens, and My First Exorcism. Her debut novel was published by Martin Sisters Publishing in 2014, and she is currently working exclusively with Cat&Key Books. When she isn’t writing she enjoys reading and reviewing books, hanging out with her dogs Ronan and Vader, playing Dungeons and Dragons, and watching horror movies. She was born and raised in eastern Kentucky, where she still happily resides in the middle of nowhere. Her primary dream in life is to become a full time author, hiding away in her little foothills studio with all her creepy stuff.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 1, 2022
Cole and Dawson meet through peer to peer program in their school. Both end up together due to studies, Cole who can't seem to make his grades work for him while Dawson who is excelling in the department of studies and in order to be more is helping students who need his help.
These two characters and their interactions were laid out perfectly. Their chemistry was beautifully written. Writing style of both writers was easy to understand.
I really liked the story and liked the characters❤️. And Damn the cover of book🔥🔥🔥. So pretty 😍.
These two characters and their interactions were laid out perfectly. Their chemistry was beautifully written. Writing style of both writers was easy to understand.
I really liked the story and liked the characters❤️. And Damn the cover of book🔥🔥🔥. So pretty 😍.
February 12, 2022
Another book I've read this year and really enjoyed!
I just wanted to wrap these two up in a giant hug. Especially Cole. You don't choose your family and my heart ached for Cole. He had a hard life and doing well at school and graduating is his way out, yet no one else seemed to want him to succeed.
Sometimes you just need someone to believe in you so you don't give up on yourself. Dawson was that person for Cole, just as much as Cole was for Dawson. Dawson had all the support and love from his family, they were just blinded to what all the pressure was doing to him.
Cole and Dawson were there for each other when no one else was. Their friendship was a slow burn, and I loved how Cole just went with his feelings and trusted them rather then question and fight them. Dawson was very open with Cole and I appreciated their communication and honesty to each other.
This book touched on some heavy subjects, but all were done really well. Please read the trigger warnings below if you are unsure and want to know what you're getting into.
This book will give you all the feels and had me smiling at the end.
Thank you to the publisher for a copy for me to read and review.
Trigger warnings below
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TW: drug addiction, eating disorders, social anxiety, homophobia, physical violence, death of a parent
I just wanted to wrap these two up in a giant hug. Especially Cole. You don't choose your family and my heart ached for Cole. He had a hard life and doing well at school and graduating is his way out, yet no one else seemed to want him to succeed.
Sometimes you just need someone to believe in you so you don't give up on yourself. Dawson was that person for Cole, just as much as Cole was for Dawson. Dawson had all the support and love from his family, they were just blinded to what all the pressure was doing to him.
Cole and Dawson were there for each other when no one else was. Their friendship was a slow burn, and I loved how Cole just went with his feelings and trusted them rather then question and fight them. Dawson was very open with Cole and I appreciated their communication and honesty to each other.
This book touched on some heavy subjects, but all were done really well. Please read the trigger warnings below if you are unsure and want to know what you're getting into.
This book will give you all the feels and had me smiling at the end.
Thank you to the publisher for a copy for me to read and review.
Trigger warnings below
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
TW: drug addiction, eating disorders, social anxiety, homophobia, physical violence, death of a parent
March 1, 2022
Okay so I don’t know where to start but I must tell you that book is so heartbreakingly beautiful. I don’t read this genre but this book is so much more!! It will give you heartache, tears and of course that release of dopamine. Cole and Dawson are the two protagonists of this book and their characters are so nicely crafted. They both were there for each other and oh my little heart 🥺❤️ I’ve read so many romance books and many of them are just drags (one protagonist hiding their feelings for the other and annoying the readers) but safe to say that Cole didn’t hide his feelings 🥰 I love the writing style of both authors, very easy to understand and I read this book in just 2 days 😍 it was that good! And please take a moment to appreciate the gorgeous cover of this book 💙 I highly recommend this book and I’m sure you will enjoy it as much as I did 😇
March 1, 2022
This was a short and cute highschool story about 2 boys Cole and Dawson. Cole is paired up with Dawson through the schools peer-2-peer program, to help Cole pass his last year. Cole is struggling with his life, Mom and Uncle and is considered a bad boy. While Dawson is the nerdy, top of the class, captain of the robotics team. I always love books set in high school and especially the "opposites attract" trope. Seeing Dawson tutor and help through not only his academic struggles but life struggles also was amazing.
March 1, 2022
This book was adorable and entertaining. It follows the story of Cole and Dawson as they are trying to figure out their life struggles. In the mean time they develop a bond and find comfort in each other.
Their whole journey was amazing and reading it about it was a fascinating experience.
It is fun, fast-paced and beautifully written. I was pleasantly surprised by how easily it managed to capture my attention. The writing style was very engrossing and the well-executed plotline kept me intrigued and entertained well until the end.
Definitely a must read to enjoy some quality time.
Their whole journey was amazing and reading it about it was a fascinating experience.
It is fun, fast-paced and beautifully written. I was pleasantly surprised by how easily it managed to capture my attention. The writing style was very engrossing and the well-executed plotline kept me intrigued and entertained well until the end.
Definitely a must read to enjoy some quality time.
February 21, 2022
I can't give myself 5 stars, though I love this book and would haha.
I am one half of the team that wrote this!
Samantha knocked it out of the park again and I was just lucky enough to be able to be on for the ride for this. I just hope others love it too!
I am one half of the team that wrote this!
Samantha knocked it out of the park again and I was just lucky enough to be able to be on for the ride for this. I just hope others love it too!
February 17, 2022
I wrote half of this! The Dawson half! I never rate my own work 5 stars, but I would give ALL THE STARS to Cole! This is M.J. Kerr's debut novel, and it's so good! At least in my opinion anyway!
Cole and Dawson have been in the works for a very long time. I'm so, so excited for everyone to meet them and love them! There are some heavy subjects in this story, but that makes it even better so don't be scared to dive right in!
Cole and Dawson have been in the works for a very long time. I'm so, so excited for everyone to meet them and love them! There are some heavy subjects in this story, but that makes it even better so don't be scared to dive right in!
March 7, 2022
Starting with the book cover, it’s too pretty. The colour combo and the illustrations, it’s just perfect.
Coming to the plot, it was pretty straightforward for me with predictable twists here and there. I appreciate that some aspects of mental health was implied.
I also loved the budding romance between Dawson and Cole. It was very cute. ☺️ Also, Dawson’s parents; loved them. Despite at times being authoritarian, they were understanding and compassionate. That warmed my heart. 💕
This story shows that despite all odds, success is for you if you give your best. In addition to that, with right guidance, anyone despite difficult circumstances; would eventually get their happy ending.
Pick this book up if you are into cute high school romance (ie first prom together as couple kind ☺️) and friendship turns into love troupe.
Fav lines:
>People have struggles, some worse than others, and nobody deserves to be used as gossip fodder.
>The chemistry between us is terrifying and when we came together it was intense and I don’t want it to burn you up.
*Thank you Moonlight book tours for gifting this copy to me in exchange for an honest review.
Coming to the plot, it was pretty straightforward for me with predictable twists here and there. I appreciate that some aspects of mental health was implied.
I also loved the budding romance between Dawson and Cole. It was very cute. ☺️ Also, Dawson’s parents; loved them. Despite at times being authoritarian, they were understanding and compassionate. That warmed my heart. 💕
This story shows that despite all odds, success is for you if you give your best. In addition to that, with right guidance, anyone despite difficult circumstances; would eventually get their happy ending.
Pick this book up if you are into cute high school romance (ie first prom together as couple kind ☺️) and friendship turns into love troupe.
Fav lines:
>People have struggles, some worse than others, and nobody deserves to be used as gossip fodder.
>The chemistry between us is terrifying and when we came together it was intense and I don’t want it to burn you up.
*Thank you Moonlight book tours for gifting this copy to me in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews