Book of the Day

Synopsis:

A fresh, urban twist on the classic tale of star-crossed lovers.

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created 'perfect' life is about to unravel before her eyes. She's forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for: her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. 

Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more.

In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.

Perfect Chemistry series by Simone Elkeles

This is a YA Romance series that should be towards older YA. The series is about the Fuentes brothers, and each brother has their own book. Each brother has their own demons to face, but in the end, family comes first. The brothers’ father died because he was in a gang. Having no father to run the house, Alex first joins the gang his father was in so that he can help the family. They want to know what really happened to their father and this is a main part of the series. 

Alex Fuentes is the oldest of the three brothers and he’s in high school. He acts as the father figure of the family and he joined the gang to provide for his family. Then comes Brittany Ellis, the girl who will change his life forever …. 

Carlos Fuentes is the middle brother. He moved with his mother and younger brother to Mexico when Alex decided to quit the gang. He returns to America and he is angry at his brother Alex for leaving them and making them move to Mexico. Alex then arranges for Carlos to live with Kiara Westford’s family… 

Luis Fuentes is the youngest of the three. I didn’t think he’d get his own book right away because in Perfect Chemistry he was still just a young boy and in Rules of Attraction he was barely mentioned. However, now Luis is all grown up (well still a teenager anyways).. Alex is marrying Brittany while his brother Carlos has a girlfriend. Luis meets Nikki Cruz at Alex’s wedding and he definitely likes her. However, the gang wants Luis and Luis soon finds out there’s more to their past than he has ever known…

Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles

Caleb Becker left a party drunk, got behind the wheel, and hit Maggie Armstrong. After a year in juvenile jail, Caleb’s finally free… but nothing will ever be the same. Everyone in town seems to be staring at him, and his sister has drastically changed since the accident. 

Maggie Armstrong walks with a limp even after years of physical therapy. Her social life is gone and her chance to study abroad has been cancelled. Can she handle the fact that Caleb is now free?

Caleb and Maggie are both outsiders… one a “freak” and the other a “criminal”. Who would’ve thought that these two lost souls would somehow end up together? Then one day, Maggie finds out what really happened that night…