Chain Reaction

By Simone Elkeles

From the New York Times bestselling author Simone Elkeles comes an epic love story like no other . . . This is the final installment in the gripping PERFECT CHEMISTRY trilogy, and the next addictive read for fans of Anna Todd's AFTER series, and Caroline Kepnes's YOU.

Like his brothers, Luis Fuentes is a risk taker; whether he's scaling the Rocky Mountains or dreaming of a future as an astronaut, Luis is always looking for the next thrill. Nikki Cruz lives her life by certain rules - don't trust a boy who says "I love you", boys lie to get their own way and never date a boy from the south side of Fairfield. Then she meets Luis at his brother Alex's wedding and suddenly she's tempted to break all her rules.

Getting Nikki to give him a chance is Luis's biggest challenge, until he finds himself targeted by the head of the gang that nearly destroyed his brothers' lives. Will Luis's feelings for Nikki be enough to stop him from entering a dark and violent world that could prove to be the ultimate risk?

The final instalment in the steamy, romantic and thrilling Perfect Chemistry trilogy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
• Release date: Jul 5, 2012
• ISBN: 9780857077486

Simone Elkeles

Simone Elkeles is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Perfect Chemistry series, Leaving Paradise series, and How to Ruin series. All three books in the Perfect Chemistry series have been YALSA Top Ten Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Readers, and the Illinois Association of Teachers of English named Simone the 2008 Author of the Year. Find her at www.simoneelkeles.com.

Reviews for Chain Reaction

[stiina.sild · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Last part of Perfect Chemistry trilogy. It keeps getting better and better. Oh, I want forth and fifth and sixth and.... book.
The youngest Funetes brother finds his happiness. This time it is a Latino girl (oldest brothers girlfriends are gringas). Gang relations are part of this book also. One thing I love about this book series is that although Funetes brothers find themselves in a gang when help is most needed they ask it.

[themusescircle · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

When I came across the first book in this series called Perfect Chemistry a couple of years ago, I had 2 students like the Fuentes brothers. I kept trying to find ways to break through their tough boy exteriors, to show them that someone cared. Simone Elkeles helped me accomplish this heavy task. My family, friends, and most of my collegues already know the story and I don't want to write a book here since this is also supposed to be a review for Chain Reaction. But to give people an idea as to why I am thanking Simone, her books not only got both boys to read, but once the line of communication was opened and she felt the same connection I did with them, she decided to meet them in person. She literally changed their lives. She changed my life. The rest is history. I just couldn't go another day without putting something in writing as to how eternally grateful I am. Simone, you are my hero!Now to Chain Reaction, the last in the Perfect Chemistry series. I devoured the novel. It was fresh, engaging, gritty and most importantly realistic. From the language to the descriptions of gang culture, you can tell Simone did her research. Then again, I know first hand how seriously she wants to get things right, so that aspect of her writing was not a surprise.One of the things I enjoyed about Simone's Perfect Chemistry series is the way she weaves in different motifs. Even though each story revolves around a Fuentes brother and his struggle with gang life, Simone brilliantly gives her female characters a "problem" or "issue" that many teens go through. For example, in Perfect Chemistry, Brittany is not the shallow rich girl that everyone thinks she is. She has a dysfunctional family life that is hidden behind a big home and weathly parents. In Rules of Attraction, Kiara is not only slightly curvier than she would like (weight issues are prevalent in teens lives), but she also has a stuttering issue. In Chain Reaction, **SPOILER ALERT** Nikki must not only deal with an unplanned pregnancy at the beginning of the story and the abandonment of her baby daddy, but also suffers a miscarriage. Teens can relate to all of these issues that Simone tackles, especially in this last installment. Maybe that is why some of her books are considered controversial.A reviewer on Amazon.com complained that Simone gave us the cliff notes version of Luis and Nikki's relationship, that she focused more on back story then new character development. Seriously? Did they read the same book?? The first several chapters of Chain Reaction IS character development. Simone introduces us to Nikki and Luis way before they even meet. Of course in classic Simone style, we get both of their perspectives by alternating chapters.Chain Reaction is the perfect blend of new and old. The last book of any series always has a lot of hype to live up to. Not only is the author responsible for wrapping things up in a way that leaves the reader satisfied, but what about previous characters? This is another reason why I love Simone! Even though Chain Reaction is Luis and Nikki's story, Simone knows that her fans are still thinking about Alex and Brittany, Carlos and Kiara from books 1 & 2. Her fans want to know how their relationships have developed over time as well. And let's be real, this trilogy is about 3 brothers, so it just makes sense that readers would be curious about their own personal relationship as a family.Overall, I could not come up with one thing negative, and I am not just saying that because this series holds a special place in my heart. I know first hand how seriously she takes her research in order to convey a completely authentic and relatable story-- and if you don't believe me go check out the acknowledgement page in the back of Chain Reaction :)Simone, if you ever read this, I thank you for being the most down-to-earth, compassionate, funny, talented woman in the world! The boys and I love you and will always be your #1 fans!~Mia~

[kayla2hellokitty · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Chain reaction is about Luis Fuentes the youngest son of the Fuentes family. He is known in previous books to be the innocent, goal oriented, dedicated son of the family. In this book though we see that Luis is one cocky SOB!! All three brothers have been famous for the drop dead looks and the known receiver of the double take from all the girls (and possibly some guys too). But Luis for me tops both Alex and Carlos. He is cocky, confident, passionate, and not afraid to flaunt it. His personality was more real to me then either one of other perfect chemistry books and I commend the author for that. He is so sweet to when it comes to Nikki that I just want to pinch his cheeks (or claim him for myself=p).Now Nikki is not what I expected. From the synopsis of the story I gathered that she was supposed to be the bad ass, gang member in the relationship and she was going to be the one to corrupt Luis. We quickly find out though that, that's not the case. Luckily for me anyway, we find out that Nikki is a north sider with an attitude. Maybe it's the Latino in her coming to life. All I know is that I loved her character because she was cocky, smart aleck, and won't take crap from anyone. I admit that in the beginning I had my doubts about her but once Luis and Nikki's first introduction passes and we move onto the real story she became my absolute fave character next to Luis of course.Luis and Nikki flowed easily together. There was actual chemistry between the two. And the inevitable declaration of love was more realistic. It wasn't some white knight, sweeped away to happily ever after crap. Instead it was semi-realistic sticking with how actual teenagers would profess their love for one another.There was a couple of people I didn't like though. Cesar the cop/landlord who falls for their mom is stupid!! He serves no point to me. And honestly I kept waiting for him to slowly fade into the backdrop.*sigh* unfortunately that didn't happen and in the epilogue we find out he becomes their step-dad. YUCK!!!!......Moving on this book was a fast romantic read and it kept me captivated for hours. I enjoyed it immensely and I would definitely, definitely, DEFINITELY recommend it to anyone who is apprehensive about the sequel. Or were as nervous to pick up the book as I was.Seriously that cover was so erotic looking that I was semi-embarrassed and nervous to check it out at my school library. I kept waiting for them to scan it and mumble teenagers these days it's all about sex!I will admit it was not my fav of the series but it is still worth reading!!

[heatherlinc · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I must say, I have enjoyed this series about the bad Fuentes brothers and the girls who fell in love with them.

[krau0098 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the third and final book in the Perfect Chemistry series. There has been some buzz around a fourth book, but I was unable to find a solid release date for that. This was my least favorite book of the Perfect Chemistry series. I felt like Luis and Nikki didn't really have much in common and were a lot more insta-love than the other books in this series. I also thought that for Luis being so smart he was making some really bad decisions. He didn't even really have the pressure on him to make those bad decisions that his brother Alex had. The whole story seemed a bit forced. Additionally, the whole 26 years later Epilogue was a bit hokey and unnecessary. The above being said this was still a very good book; I just really loved the first two books and found this one to be somewhat disappointing. This book was an easy and engaging read and the story sucked me right in. I finished it in a couple hours. Overall, while this was still a very engaging and easy to read YA contemporary romance, it was not nearly as good as previous books in this series. If a fourth book does finally come out, I probably won’t read it. I don’t read a lot of contemporary YA romance and I felt like the series has started slipping a bit.

[abendsternchen84 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Kurzbeschreibung:

Eigentlich wollte Luis Fuentes sich auf der Hochzeit von seinem Bruder Alex mit dessen Freundin Brittany nur mit den Mädchen amüsieren – aber dann trifft er Nikki und verliebt sich postwendend in sie. Doch das Letzte, was Nikki will, ist, sich nach dem Fiasko mit Marco auf einen weiteren Latino-Macho einzulassen – und so gibt sie Luis einen Korb. Blöd nur, dass der überaus attraktive Luis ihr seit ihrem ersten Treffen partout nicht mehr aus dem Kopf geht! Noch blöder allerdings, dass Luis gerade, als die Sache zwischen ihm und Nikki ernst wird, in die Fänge der gefährlichen Latino Blood Gang gerät ...

Autor:

Simone Elkeles wuchs in der Gegend von Chicago auf, hat dort Psychologie studiert und lebt dort auch heute mit ihrer Familie und ihren zwei Hunden. Ihre "Du oder das ganze Leben"-Trilogie, für die sie zum "Illinois Author of the Year" gewählt wurde, wurde zum weltweiten Bestseller.

Meine Meinung:

Das es sich bei Du oder die grosse Liebe um Teil 3 einer Trilogie handelt, wusste ich zuvor nicht. Ich denke aber das ich das Buch auch ganz gut ohne die beiden Vorgänger lesen konnte.

In Teil 3 wird die Geschichte vom jüngsten der 3 Fuentes Brüder erzählt. Wir lernen hier Luis kennen, der zu Beginn des Buches ungefähr 15-16 Jahre alt ist. Auf der Hochzeit seines Bruders Alex sucht er eigentlich nur ein kleines Abenteuer. Doch dann fällt ihm Nikki ins Auge. So sehr er sich auch bemüht, sie bleibt ihm kalt gegenüber.

2 Jahre später zieht Luis wieder zurück in seine alte Heimat, ins gleiche Viertel und sogar ins gleiche Haus. Er besucht sogar die gleiche Schule wie seine Brüder und trifft dort auf die gleichen Lehrer wie sie es bereits schon hatten. Und er trifft dort Nikki wieder. Er erkannte sie sofort wieder und sie ihn auch. Nach und nach nähern sich die beiden an und wissen nicht das ihre zart wachsende Liebe auf die Probe gestellt wird.

Luis ist scheinbar ganz anders als seine Brüder. Er hat ein Ziel vor Augen und ist auch zielstrebig es zu erreichen. Seine Brüder waren zuvor in einer Gang, Luis hingegen nicht.

Bis eines Tages der Gang Boss aus dem Knast entlassen wird, Luis bleibt nicht anderes übrig als sich ihm anzuschließen nur um seine Familie zu schützen. Er redet sich ein, nur dabei zu sein um herauszufinden was der Gangboss geplant hat. Mit in dieser Gang ist auch Marco, Nikki ihr Ex, der sich jetzt als Freund von Luis ausgibt.

Wie es mit Nikki und Luis weitergeht, müsst ihr selbstverständlich selbst lesen, denn zu viel möchte ich hier auch nicht verraten.

Mir hat Du oder die grosse Liebe ausgesprochen gut gefallen. Es ließ sich sehr gut lesen, das Schriftbild war angenehm. Die Kapitel wechselten sich zwischen Luis und Nikki jeweils immer ab.

Das Cover hat mir auch sehr gefallen. Zu sehen ist ein junges Paar, was küssend unter der Dusche steht. Und wie man sieht noch vollständig bekleidet. Diese Szene gibt es übrigens auch im Buch, also lesen!

Da ich hier nun Band 3 gelesen habe, werde ich mir auch noch die anderen beiden Bände besorgen, damit ich die Trilogie vollständig habe. Ich bin mir sicher das mir auch diese beiden Bücher dann gefallen werden.

Du oder die grosse Liebe erhält ganz klar 5 Sterne.

[mom2lnb · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Chain Reaction is the third and possibly final book in Simone Elkeles’s Perfect Chemistry series. It’s the story of the youngest Fuentes brother, Luis. After the events of Perfect Chemistry, Luis moved to Mexico with his mom in an attempt to get out of the reach of the Latino Blood gang. When this story opens, the Latino Blood appear to have disbanded when their leader went to jail. Since the worst of the danger has passed, Luis and his mom move back to the states just in time for Alex and Brittany’s wedding. At the event, fifteen-year-old Luis meets Nikki, a fiery Latina girl who piques his interest, but she blows him off. Then the story fast-forwards as he spends a couple of years in Colorado, before returning to the Chicago suburb of Fairfield where the Fuentes brothers spent most of their childhoods. Their mom even rents the same house they used to live in before. Now attending Fairfield High for his senior year, Luis once again runs into Nikki who also attends school there. He tries to pursue her, but she’s reluctant to get involved with him because of a previous bad relationship with another boy from the south side. Eventually his persistence pays off and they tentatively begin dating. But even though Luis had his life all planned out with dreams of becoming an astronaut, the old gang life comes calling when the leader of the Latino Blood gets out of prison and gives Luis few other options besides joining them in order to keep his family safe. This could not only ruin his burgeoning relationship with Nikki but also place his life in mortal danger.To everyone else, Luis has been the level-headed Fuentes brother who’s smart as a whip, always getting straight A’s, particularly in math and science. Inside, though, he’s an adrenaline junkie who loves the thrill of taking risks. The story opens with him free-solo rock climbing and nearly getting killed in the process. Combining the two parts of himself together, he dreams of one day joining NASA and going to space. When Luis meets Nikki at his brother’s wedding, she deeply intrigues him, so two years later, when he realizes they’ll be attending school together, he can’t resist the challenge of going after what he wants. However, after being done wrong by another south side guy who chose gang life over her, Nikki is anything but easy to convince that Luis will be any different. Unfortunately, just as they finally agree to start dating, Chuy Soto, the leader of the Latino Blood gets out of prison and starts aggressively trying to recruit Luis. Given that his brother, Alex, isn’t viewed favorably among the Blood because of his choice to leave the gang life, Luis suspects that Chuy has ulterior motives for wanting him in to be a Blood. At first, he hangs out with them in hopes of finding out exactly what Chuy’s game is, but soon the pressure to be a full-fledged member becomes too much, especially after a major revelation that sends Luis into an emotional tailspin. By that time, Nikki has also pushed him away, so Luis simply pushes back in an attempt to keep her safe. But when he finally unravels the mystery, his love for Nikki and his family may not be enough to save his life. A part of me wishes that Luis’s intelligent, level-headed nature had been brought out a little more. Instead, he often falls back on the risk-taker part of his persona. I suppose, though, that in the end, the brainy side won out as he figured out a way to do the right thing even though he knew it might cost him his life. I also like that he was the first to declare his love for Nikki. I love it when a guy is confident enough to do that.When Nikki’s part of the story opens, she’s being dumped by her boyfriend right after telling him she loves him and while being concerned that she might be pregnant. She’s still reeling from all of this when she meets Luis at the wedding. There she shows him her mouthy side, knees him in the groin, and then hides his clothes when she discovers him skinny dipping. It was a rather inauspicious beginning and not something she’s entirely proud of, so when he shows up at her school two years later, she kind of hopes he doesn’t remember her, but no such luck. Nikki may be a Latina with immigrant parents, but with her father being a respected surgeon, they live on the north side and she isn’t particularly in touch with her heritage. She does have a taste for south side bad boys, but after the disastrous relationship with her ex that left her broken, she’s sworn off all boys until Luis arrives. Then all bets are off. However, even after she finally agrees to date him, she’s still leery of guys who profess their love, thinking it’s just words they use to manipulate a girl into bed. She’s also reluctant to delve into the past and bare her soul to Luis, so she ends up pushing him away. At first, it’s unintentional and when Luis doesn’t react the way she’d hoped and seems to be pursuing gang life instead of her, just like her ex, she’s devastated. But soon she realizes that what she feels for Luis goes far beyond anything she’s experienced before and knows she has to fight for their love. Nikki was a nice combination of strength and vulnerability. When she meets Luis the second time and starts to get involved with him, she has her walls up, but after all she’d been through, it’s understandable. I do wish that she’d been a little more communicative with him and more willing to share her past. I think it might have helped to increase the emotional connection and romance factor, but at the same time, she more than showed her love for him in the end.Chain Reaction is typically categorized as Young Adult. It perhaps could marginally fall into the New Adult category as well, but since both Luis and Nikki are under eighteen for the majority of the story, YA seems like the most pertinent classification. Therefore, this is where I’ll discuss the potentially objectionable content of which there is quite a bit. The language can get pretty salty with a number of “f-bombs” being dropped. Luis and others are shown drinking beer in a few scenes, and in one of those scenes he gets very drunk, waking with a hangover. Although no one is shown using drugs in the story, Luis does perform a drug deal for the gang as a test. Because gang life is a big part of the story, there is some violence as well. Threats are made, guns are waved around, and there’s a general sense of fear throughout these parts. In one scene, Luis is beaten pretty badly in a gang ritual, and in another scene, one character shoots another although it’s in defense of someone else. A supporting character is also killed off page, with some moderate description of the crime scene. As far as sexual content, it’s implied that Luis has been sexually active since the age of fifteen, and Nikki had her first experience at that age as well, although she’s been celibate since her breakup. Once Luis and Nikki get together, there’s some fairly high sexual tension between them and they share three different sexual encounters. The first time, it’s with most of their clothes still on, the second, they get naked but ultimately don’t go all the way, then the third time, they finally do make love. These scenes are described in some moderate, though tasteful, detail, and I do have to give them credit for acting responsibly. However, given the volume of mature content, I'd probably only recommend the book for older teens of about sixteen and up, who wouldn't be bothered by anything I mentioned.Overall, Chain Reaction was another good story in this series, although it wasn’t quite as perfect for me as the first two. I only dropped a star, because it was kind of hard to put my finger on exactly why that was. Maybe it was because the plot was a little too similar to the first two books or that I felt that Nikki and Luis were a bit underdeveloped as characters. Part of it also may have been that even after Luis and Nikki finally agree to a real relationship, they don’t share a lot of themselves with each other, so it wasn’t really apparent why and when they fell in love. Luis lies to Nikki about his involvement with the Latino Blood, afraid of losing her if she knows, while Nikki plays her past emotional trauma close to the vest, afraid of being hurt again. I felt a connection between them, but I think their reticence might have prevented it from going even deeper. I also felt like Luis and Nikki both, on occasion, made decisions without a lot of thought going into them, so it could be a bit difficult to understand where they were coming from in those moments. Otherwise, though, I liked them together and thought they complimented each other well. I loved that Alex and Brittany (Perfect Chemistry) and Carlos and Kiara (Rules of Attraction) all played a part in the story, and I also love how the Fuentes brothers look out for each other, no matter what. The far-future epilogue was a nice little treat that proved that all these couples were made for each other and still happy many years later. It also left a little room for more storytelling with the next generation of Fuentes kids. Although I haven’t seen an official mention of Simone Elkeles writing more stories for the Fuentes family, I noticed that GoodReads has an untitled fourth volume listed, so maybe there will be more forthcoming, which is why I said earlier that this was possibly the last book. If there aren’t any more, then Chain Reaction was a nice wrap-up to the series, and if so, then I’ll be eager to read more about these wonderful characters.

[genieinanovel-389828 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The final book following the Fuentes brothers, Chain Reaction focuses on adrenaline junkie, Luis. He’s the youngest of the three brothers and the only one to not have gotten himself in any serious trouble… or so it seems.

The book opens with his immediate need for adrenaline as he free climbs a cliff formation in Colorado, only to end up bitten by a snake and falls, though not too seriously injured. Then we meet Nikki, who goes to tell her boyfriend something important, then is left in the dust when he leaves her to join the infamous Latino Blood, which leaves her to throw away any belief in love that she had.

So when Luis and Nikki meet, it gets interesting.

I enjoyed this book just as much as the other two. I like how the author went along and did a story for each of the brothers, showing how similar they were and also how different. Luis is definitely more level headed than his brothers, at least for most of the story, and I loved how they thought he was so sheltered by their previous gang affiliations when in reality Luis knew what was really going down. Nikki’s pessimism about relationships was a refreshing viewpoint to read about, especially when you see how she got to that point. It was that fact that also made me enjoy her friendship with her best friend, Kendall, because Kendall really wanted Nikki to be able to let go of the past when she saw how Nikki was starting to feel about Luis, but also didn’t push her to something she wasn’t ready for.

What I really enjoyed about this book though (as well as the others) is the family aspect – how these brothers are willing to risk everything for their loved ones in order to keep them safe. So it had me sad at one point when Luis felt like he had no choice but to give up the dream he’d been working towards his entire life in order to keep his mom and brothers safe.

Overall, I feel like this book isn’t quite up to the same standards as the previous ones, and I will say that Perfect Chemistry is my favorite of all of them… but Chain Reaction is still good and a nice little conclusion to the saga of the Fuentes brothers.

[shouldireadit · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This series, which began with "Perfect Chemistry" played itself out in just like the others. Bad Mexican boy meets good White girl. Bad boy and Good girl fall in love. Bad Boy has issues, Good girl saves him from them. I found the book to be stereotypical, and "reaching" in more ways than one.

[joanab951 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Plot: The plot of Chain Reaction was very similar to the plot of the first two; a Fuentes brother gets mixed up with the Latino Blood, his rich hoity-toity girlfriend disapproves of his gang affiliation and eventually loves trumps all. I was kind of hoping to see something at least slightly different with this third installment, but it fell short. Even though it was very similar, it didn’t have the same impact on me that the first two did. In Perfect Chemistry, the LB terrified me and I was constantly scared for Alex, yet in this one, the threats just didn’t seem as threatening nor did the danger feel as dangerous. There was honestly no reason for Luis to get jumped into the gang and I felt he completely overreacted when he found out the big “secret”. Characters: To be honest, I didn’t really like either Luis or Nikki. The beginning of the book started off with them being 15 and then the book fast forwards to two years later, but it sort of felt like they hadn’t matured or aged at all. I had to remind myself that they were, indeed, 17. And both constantly said one thing and then did the complete opposite which was frustrating. My favorite thing about these Simone Elkeles books is the intense and sexy romances. This book didn’t have either. The romance felt too forced and rushed to me which really took away from my overall enjoyment of the novel. They went from hating each other to loving each other in 2 seconds flat. It was a bit unrealistic because they didn’t even really know each other, I felt. There was a lot more emotional connection with the first two books and I really liked those romances better. Cover: Of the three books, this isn’t my favorite cover. I didn’t really understand the whole shower thing, but I do like that all the covers are really similar and that each features the appropriate Fuentes brother.Overall Impression: Alex and Carlos will forever be my favorites, so if you haven’t at least read the first book in the series, you definitely should.

[msralways · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

4,5 STARS!

Oh, what an incredible ride I've had with the Fuentes boys. The final instalment in the series was pretty good, and I really enjoyed seing this wild side of Luis, since we've been reading in the past two books how he was always the good boy that didn't get into trouble. I think this one was a little more light sometimes but it had its darker chapters too. One of the things that I most enjoyed about it was that Nikki also had some shady background when she met Luis and the storty became all that more interesting for it.

[kanic-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

SERIOUSLY PEOPLE! I'm in. I'm reading everything Elkeles writes. Her writing is funny and sad and her characters are honest-to-god real people, as far as I'm concerned. Hell, I'm calling Niki tomorrow to ask her how she's doing!

I don't care if it's basically the same story with substituted characters and plot points, I LOVE it! Simone could tell me the same story every day for the rest of my life and I would love every minute of it.

I guess I liked it :)

[wiseyoungfools · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I was so excited to begin reading Chain Reaction, the third book of the Perfect Chemistry trilogy by Simone Elkeles-- but also sad too because I didn't want the story to end! If you've read my previous reviews on Perfect Chemistry and Rules of Attraction, you probably can guess that I finished this book in a total of hours-- I DIDN'T EVEN NEED A BOOKMARK! Chain Reaction tells the story of Luis, the youngest of the Fuentes brothers. All of the books in this trilogy are similar in their theme of "forbidden love" but each tells the story in a unique, you-have-to-keep-reading-to-satisfy-the-curiosity-of-what-will-happen-next type of way. If you are looking for a quick, fun read about romance, adventure, and the importance of familia, start with Perfect Chemistry and follow the rest of the trilogy.

[michealabeth · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Absolutely AMAZING! I have loved all of the Perfect Chemistry series & This one was every bit as good as the others! Each book is so original in its own way. I love how you still get to see how Alex & Brittany and Carlos & Kiara are doing while they are no longer the main characters. The way that the book ended it seems that Simone could right a 4th book if she wanted. (Of course, that might just be wishful-thinking... I REALLY want a 4th book!) Anyone who loves a good romance book is destined to fall for this series. I loved how you could definitely tell in Chain Reaction that Luis is the "baby" of the family. His brothers really want to protect him, not just from the Latino Blood, but from harm of any kind. <3 So Sweet!I recommend Chain Reaction for anyone who likes steamy romance, witty sarcasm, and just an all-around great book. :)

[sparkleponies · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not nearly as good as the first one. Elkeles should have quit while she was ahead. I didn't hate the book but the "chemistry" (sorry) of the first book is missing. Everything does not need to be a series.

[beckymmoe_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Chain Reaction was a fitting end to the Perfect Chemistry series. I loved seeing how things ended up for all the members of the Fuentes family at the end of this one. Parts of Luis's story didn't quite feel as developed as those of his older brothers, though, which is why it got four instead of five stars from me. In spite of that, though, this was still a wonderful series with characters you end up really caring about. I definitely recommend it, and am looking forward to reading more of Simone Elkeles's works in the future.

[kassilem · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I think in the end I'd give this book a high three star, almost a four. I didn't like the beginning of the book all that much - the character's annoyed me - but halfway through it got much better. The characters grew up a little and dare I say it, love prevailed. Nikki was my biggest problem for most of the book. After finishing the book I can see where it all stemmed, and it was a true rendition of a coping method gone wrong. The fact that her bitchiness got on my nerves says something about the realism the book has. I also thought Luis’s spiral into the gang could have been drawn out just a little more or explained more. There was one particular spot where I felt left behind in the dust. The romance is more of a PG-13 than a PG, definitely for those teenagers above the age of sixteen at least. Elkeles's books seem to always end happily so no worries there. I did like how Elkeles brought up the issues of gang violence and prejudice against Mexicans. They seemed to be handled well - not too much but not too little. I most likely will never read the book again but it was nice read nonetheless.

[meetmeinw0nderland · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This has been one of those books, that has been sitting on my shelves forever. I am so glad that I was in the mood for a chick lit, this one defiantly satsified my craving.Synopis: "Chain Reaction" by Simone Elkeles, tells the story of the youngest of the "Fuentes" brothers, Luis. In the first 2 books of the "Perfect Chemistry" Series we learn that Luis is the "good" one in the family. He stays out of trouble and is know as really smart. This book, tells his coming of age story, as he follows in his brothers footsteps,as he falls in love and is faced with the duty of protecting his family from a local gang.Review:WOW, OH WOW. I haven't been able to say that for quite sometime. I adored this book from the first page. I had such a hard time putting this book down. This on was my favorite out of the whole series. I loved the characters in this book and out of all the "Fuentes" brothers Luis is by far my favorite. Luis, is smart and I love that about him. I enjoyed that he had a challenging attitude. But, my favorite part about Luis is that he was really protective about his family and his loved ones. I feel like the protection charcteristic is common between all the boys but, it stood out in Luis the most to me. I think because through the series in my mind Luis was always the innocent "Fuentes" brother. I enjoyed that in this book he fought for his love interest Nikki. Nikki, was a very complicated new character. She had so much, anger and baggage that she was carry throughout the novel. It was very interesting to watch her grow and open up to Luis. I enjoyed that she had a back story to her personality. I really felt like Nikki, was a very connectable character because so many people struggle with trust issues these days and Nikki, really shows her struggle and how she overcomes those fears with Luis.It was really great to see some of the old characters come back as well, Alex, Brittany, Carlos, and Kiera. It was wonderful to get a glimpse of how there lifes turned out to be.As always we encountered the gang life that Alex fought so hard to get out in the first book. Only, this time Luis is facing that difficult chose of being part of the gang or putting his family in danger. Little does Luis know, there is also a dark secert that has been hidden from him by his family, that the gang life is willing to allow him in on. So, who does this "Fuentes" boy choose?? Go pick this book up right now and find out. Honestly, this one has been one of my favorites of 2012, I am so glad I was able to sneak this one in because it was increadible and lovely all at the same time. It made me rejoyous from happiness and cry from sorrow when this book came to an end. Go pick this series up, you wont be disappointed.

[momgamerwriter · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Originally Reviewed at:Mother/Gamer/WriterRating: 5 out of 5 ControllersReview Source: PurchasedReviewer:JenniferChain Reaction is the third installment to the Perfect Chemistry Series. This book stars the third and youngest Fuentes brother Luis. Luis, the risk taker with dreams of becoming an astronaut, was able to avoid gang lifestyle. Unfortunately when he and his mother move back to Chicago his luck runs out. Shortly after arriving he befriends a known gang member and is sucked into the life that his older brother Alex worked to shield him from. Things turn worse when he discovers a dark family secret that threatens to completely destroy his plans for the future. His love life become just as complicated when he meets north sider Nikki Cruz.Nikki’s parents may have been born in Mexico, but that is the extent of her knowledge of the country. Add that to the fact that she is the daughter of a doctor, she has much more in common with other north siders than the Latino Bloods she attends school with. But that doesn’t stop her from dating one. Sadly this relationship does not end well which results in her believing boys can’t be trusted, especially those involved in the LB. But when she meets Luis, her beliefs are completely shattered and she finds herself more involved in the Latino Bloods then she could ever imagine.I have heard a lot of mixed reviews of this installment. My feelings for the first two books aside, I LOVED IT! This book was great for a lot of different reasons. First reason: the characters. While my heart will forever lie with Carlos, Luis is still fantastic. Though he’s the youngest of the three brothers, he is a bigger risk taker then the other two. While its cute the majority of the time, it become annoying when he uses it to get involved with the gang. Nikki is also an interesting character. She is perfect for this storyline, but when her trust issues get in the way of her relationship with Luis, who is obviously a great guy, I found myself more annoyed with her than any other character I have ever read. But in the end, she always seems to have some redeeming quality that will get you back on her side. Second reason I love this book, characters from the last two books are part of the story without completely taking over the story. One of my favorite things about Simone is that she always lets you know about former characters. While most authors finish a book and you never hear about the characters again, Simone always lets you know about the people in the last story.Overall, this is a fantastic series and by far my favorite. It’s a great love story in the modern gang world. I highly recommend it to both teens and adults.

[callmecayce · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The third book in the Perfect Chemistry series is pretty much like the previous two, not that that's a bad thing. Elkeles' writing really brings out tension, even though you know how it's going to end. The books are intense, but weirdly light, reading. Chain Reaction was cute and a super easy read, especially because it's a page turner. By the time you get to the end of the book, all the loose threads of plot are tied up neatly and it gives the novel a satisfying, if cheesy, ending. That said, I enjoyed the story, as I did the other two books in the series.

[pnh002 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wow... This is going to be hard. I guess I should start by saying, this is one of those reviews I didn't want to write. It made the realization that the series was over, far too real. From the very beginning when I met Alex I fell in love with the Fuentes brothers. Then in book two, I fell in love with Carlos when I really met him as well. This book was no different. (P.S. Sorry Alex, but Luis has now become my favorite Fuentes brother.) Towards the beginning I found it interesting to see that Elkeles had switched it up a little and put the chip on Nikki's shoulder instead of the usual Fuentes brother. It showed that he had indeed learned from his bother's mistakes and was able to move past them. Throughout the whole story I could feel both him and Nikki's turmoil, when they experienced it both together and separate. At times I found myself talking to the book like the characters could hear me. [Ex: Ugh Luis! Don't do that! Make the right decision!] It was just THAT good. I also found myself reading blearily through tears at many times throughout the book. (As well as throughout the ENTIRE series smh) I ended up staying up until 3am to finish the book in one sitting. I had planned on getting to a certain page and going to bed, but it just so happened I picked the part right before the climax, and when I got there, sleep was no where in sight. One thing I really enjoyed about the book was the Epilogue. I was happy to see that she included the Fuentes brothers' mother to show that her and her family were finally at peace. She was a huge part of this series and it was nice to see that she was finally happy. Simone Elkeles is a brilliant contemporary author. She is the one who introduced me to the contemporary genre, because I never read it unless it had some type of paranormal involved. With this series, I have learned to appreciate the classic "Boy meets girl, boy gets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl again" tale.

[damarisgcr · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Awe! Luis has to be my favorite Fuentes brother. Even though the story is almost the same as the first two books in the series, it has its differences, but the same meaning behind it all. Luis has his own voice and the shocker towards the middle to end was a nice change. The Fuentes brothers are just one sexy group of brothers. Family and love means everything to them. Luis has always been the good brother. But he has always liked doing things for the rush it gives him. Everyone has their secrets right? Nikki was a nice change for me. Though she was rich and came from the good parts, her roots were Mexican. She goes through a lot in this story and you feel so bad for her. I really liked her for Luis. I got so many butterflies in my stomach whenever Luis and Nikki were together. They balanced each other out. There are also some yummy scenes between the two as well. It’s definitely for a much more mature audience. Another thing I really liked, the cover! There was actually a scene in the book that matches the cover. I thought that was really nice.The ending was a good happy ending and left room for a possible spin off for a new series with some new Fuentes members. I cannot wait to see what Simone Elkeles delivers next.5 out of 5 stars!

[westfargolibrary · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In the third book of the ?Perfect Chemistry? series, Luis (the youngest of the Fuentes brothers) is on the fast-track ? he?s an excellent student and stays away gangs. Nikki, Luis?s girlfriend, is determined to stay away from gangs. Now Luis is about to take the same path as his brothers by joining a gang and possibly loosing his girlfriend Nikki and his academic future in the process. This fast-paced novel is a satisfying conclusion to the Fuentes saga.

[theadawn · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Really enjoyed this book as I did from the first one! I accidentally made the mistake of reading this book before reading the second book in the series about the love and action story of the brother Carlos, but accidentally skipping that made no difference to the story. When I first started reading this story, I was a little scared about the ages of the characters. In the beginning of the novel, they were only 15, which I can be a little skeptical when it comes to the romance, especially the steamy stuff. But, when it jumped a few years ahead in the book to make them older, it was much more believable for me. The only thing that I wasn't so thrilled about was that I felt like this story was almost the same exact problems as Alex, just with different characters. I still enjoyed it, but I would've liked different problems to have arisen first. Also, I felt the ending was a little bit rushed, and I did wish that there had been a stronger climax, whereas in the book, the second you realized it was the climax, it was already over. So, just a few little changes that I would have wanted differently, still read it in less than a day, so it was definitely still a great read!

[skaohee · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Chain Reaction is the final book in the Perfect Chemistry series and it follows the baby brother, Luis, as he gets readjusted to the Chicago suburb that was introduced in Perfect Chemistry. It also follows Nikki Cruz, a girl of Latino heritage, but who lives on the "white and rich" part of town. This is the story of how despite all odds, Luis and Nikki can be together if that's what they want.I think it goes without saying that Simone Elkeles knows how to make a good love story - especially the "forbidden" kind. But I think what I really liked about this book was Nikki. She wasn't some goody goody girl who was shy or quiet; she was assertive and she wasn't perfect. She is what really made the book for me.This isn't my favorite in the series (that honor belongs to Rules of Attraction) and I didn't necessarily like the "twist" at the end, but I'm glad I read it because I really needed the closure to the story of the Fuentes brothers that it provides.If you've read the other two books, you definitely want to pick this one up.

[bookswithbite · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have to say that I expected more of this book but still enjoyed nonetheless. I loved the Fuentes brothers and to see their futures come to life before my eyes is something I love to read!What I enjoyed most about this book is that both characters come from troubled back rounds. Though it is not the same but similar, they both fight constantly. Their bickering flirting left me snickering through out the book. I loved that they both had such a attraction to each other that left my heart swooning. Even the way they met, it left me smiling from ear to ear.Both characters did a lot of growing up in this book. The life lessons they both had to learn left me happy that they finally found each other after all of that trouble. Both had to go on a life journey to find out who they are and who they are meant to be.In the end, this book is great! I loved reading the obnoxious flirting as well as the love that grew before me. The Fuentes family stuck by each other and they're loyalty is divine. Luis fought who he was and came into the man he is meant to be. Secrets and a love that started with a knee-kick, Ms. Elkeles delighted me with her wonderful story!

[yabotd · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Chain Reaction is the final book in the Perfect Chemistry series and I've been dying to read it since devouring the earlier two books a few months ago. I love this series and Chain Reaction did not disappoint. The series seems to follow a basic template for each book: bad boy meets good girl, bad boy acts cocky while good girl plays hard to get, steamy romance, bad boy gets the crap beat out of him…and I won't spoil the rest. Chain Reaction follows this basic template, but with a bit of a twist. Luis Fuentes isn't a bad boy like his brothers Carlos or Alex. And Nikki isn't your typical good girl either. I immediately felt connected to both Luis and Nikki after reading the first chapters from their perspectives. The structure of the novel is a bit different than the others, allowing for greater gaps in time between events. I really liked this approach because it made the romance more believable given the characters and circumstances. Simone Elkeles has a talent for capturing her characters with authenticity. As a Chicagoan who has worked with teen gang members, I think she captures this group particularly well. Chain Reaction felt much fresher to me than Rules of Attraction had after reading Perfect Chemistry (although, I love all three). The best aspects of Chain Reaction: (1) Simone Elkeles writes the steamiest scenes in YA and Chain Reaction outdoes her previous novels. (2) There's a real huge twist in this one that I was not expecting at all. Kept me on my toes as a reader and shocked the heck out of me. (3) We actually get to see Panty Discus in action! (it's not dirty, I promise) (4) I love the way she integrates the stories and relationships from the previous novels without overshadowing the main characters in the current one. We get to see Alex and Carlos continue to maneuver their way through life without taking away from Luis.I'm being real nitpicky with this, but I feel I should mention the things that bothered me too. (1) There was a question/story brought up about Mrs. Fuentes that I wish had been answered. (2) Luis makes stupid decisions. Considering how intelligent he is, it was frustrating to read sometimes. (3) Getting Luis associated with the gang seemed a little too easy. It wasn't unbelievable, but it seemed a little easy in my opinion. Overall, I highly recommend this entire series to anyone who wasn't already read it.

[xxlovelyxladyxx · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Luis Fuentes has been naughty. And cocky. And confused. And one bad ass sexy head over heels in love boy. The youngest Fuentes brother. I was so desperate to get this book ever since I first read about him in Perfect Chemistry. This book was not at all what I expected it to be and even though that was disappointing, Elkeles made up for it with her exciting plot twists (seriously, very shocking) and hilarious writing.That cockiness that all the Fuentes brothers have at first always bo...moreLuis Fuentes has been naughty. And cocky. And confused. And one bad ass sexy head over heels in love boy. The youngest Fuentes brother. I was so desperate to get this book ever since I first read about him in Perfect Chemistry. This book was not at all what I expected it to be and even though that was disappointing, Elkeles made up for it with her exciting plot twists (seriously, very shocking) and hilarious writing.That cockiness that all the Fuentes brothers have at first always bothers me. I think it challenges my inner girl to fight back like Brittany, Kiara, and finally Nikki have with each of the boys. But I did warm up to Luis. Even when he acted like an idiot and I wanted nothing more than to slap him upside the head like his mi'ama, I still love the boy.Then there's Nikki. At the beginning, I did not like her. Then in the middle I did, then I didn't, then I did, and then I stopped myself because things were getting a little ridiculous. The truth about Nikki is, I don't like the decisions she made but in ways I can relate to her. She had her heart broken and didn't know how to open up, something a lot of people aren't good at it. But in a way, I think she was perfect for Luis because they both had their stupid moments that made them the perfect couple for each other.I was so happy to see Alex and Brittany again. As I've said before, they are without a doubt my most favorite YA couple because they are so perfect. Brittany was flawed but such an amazing person. Alex...sexy as hell. And it was great seeing Carlos and Kiara, though we didn't get much of her in this one. Even if Carlos is stupid at times, he had the sweetest moments with Kiara...so romantic it sickens me ;)Overall, I loved this book so so much. It surpassed my expectations which does not usually happen in series. I am adding Luis to my harlem of Top Guys to Rap Hide in my Closet Forever. Is it weird to want to have a threesome with them all? Hell yes. But who cares. Anyways, I wish Simone Elkeles, who has proven once again just how much of an amazing author she is, would right something new coming soon. I would love to see what would happen with the Fuentes's sons and daughters. Paco, Junior, etc. Maybe one day if we're lucky...until then though, I'll settle with her Ruined trilogy to keep me busy.Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

[abbylibrarian_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I wish we had seen more of Luis and Nikki getting to know each other, rather than a purely physical connection between them. However, this will please fans of the first two books and it'll stand along nicely. It's a steamy, steamy romance with plenty of action and conflict.

[rjgonzales_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Rating: 4.5/5I think it was my fault that this book got a 4.5 out of 5 from me, instead of a perfect score. I’ve been waiting for it for so long, pre-ordered it a while back, and got angry when they pushed the release month from May to August. During that time, anticipation and high hopes began to settle in. Does that mean Chain Reaction wasn’t good??? Hell-to-the-no, it was fantastic and a great way to wrap up the series of the undeniably addicting Fuentes Brothers/Perfect Chemistry series! Simone only further proves exactly why she is high on my list of favorite authors.Why a 4.5 then and not just a 5, you might ask, well read on.Where do I begin? Lets start with Eeeep! ^_^, ok, now that that’s over and done with, let’s move on to the next item on the list…the review.Chain Reaction features Luis (pronounced Loo-eese) who is the softer side of the family compared to his older brothers. He has dreams of going up to space one day and exploring. He is well-educated and school driven, and overall a “good” boy. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have the flirt, wit, charm, humor, thirst for danger and adrenaline rushes, and alluring qualities that run deep in the Fuentes blood.Nikki, of course, is the other main character/love interest. She suffers a traumatic experience when she was only about 15 or 16 and decides to swear off trusting anyone and gets the impression that “ALL guys are liars and will break your heart”—for about half the novel. That, I found, was just a little bit of an issue at least until she warmed up and easily became a likeable character. One can only take depression, or all of these “down” emotions that are dragged out for longer than they need to be for so long before they feel the need to slap someone or grab them by the shoulders and say “GET OVER IT!”. It didn’t work for me with Nora in Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick, and it just didn’t work for me here either.Nevertheless, by the end, I did end up liking Nikki and rooting her and Luis’s relationship on. In the end all of these things were needed to further deepen the emotions between the two young lovers and for that I applaud Ms. Elkeles and her fantastic books. I really enjoyed Chain Reaction and would recommend it to all those who are fans of the series. It is definitely the perfect end.Aside from the usual steamy scenes and the adorable flirting that are almost always guaranteed from a Fuentes brothers storyline, I found that the extra little scenes in the background—the scenes that focused on the other two brothers Alex and Carlos’s life, were freaking awesome. It gives you a peek into their lives, and I cannot thank Simone Elkeles enough for giving us that. There were moments when I was literally yelling” NO!” or “OH MY GOSH!!!” I love when a book can get you to feel alongside the characters.And the Epilogue at the end….OH MY GOSH!!!! YES! I couldn’t help but tear up at the last page, it was beautiful, and now I am sad that this is the end of the Fuentes Brothers/Perfect Chemistry series :’(Final Thought: A great end to a phenomenal series that I will never forget…..and still secretly want more of.