Rules of Attraction

by Simone Elkeles

"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."

Rules of Attraction is quite similar to Perfect Chemistry in the way that it is centered on an unlikely romance between two teenagers. Carlos, the male protagonist, is very similar in his ways to his older brother, Alex. I did think, however, that he was even more extreme than his brother, more stubborn in leaving his past and accepting the possibility of change. Kiara, the female protagonist, is a tomboy who loves a challenge. It's fitting enough that her growing relationship with Carlos becomes just that.

I liked this companion novel more than the first, as I felt it included less high school stereotypes and was more original in its plot. The pranks Kiara and Carlos played on each other, and the banter in their dialogue, was enjoyable to read. Tucker, Kiara's best friend, was a lot of fun. This time around, I didn't feel that every thing that happened to the main characters was exaggerated, and they seemed to react to things more realistically in this book.

I've been comparing Perfect Chemistry and Rules of Attraction, but I do so because I can't help it: both books are undeniably similar. That being said, I did think Rules of Attraction was a better book overall.


3/5 stars.