The Chemistry of Fate by Meradeth Houston (4 stars)

About The Chemistry of Fate

“They are everywhere, can be anyone, and are always the last person you’d expect.” 

When Tom stumbles across his grandfather’s journal, he’s convinced the old man was crazier than he thought. The book contains references to beings called the Sary, immortals who are assigned to save humans on the verge of suicide. They certainly aren’t allowed to fall in love with mortals. Which the journal claims Tom’s grandfather did, resulting in his expulsion from the Sary. As strange as the journal seems, Tom can’t get the stories out of his head; especially when he finds the photo of his grandfather’s wings.

Tom’s only distraction is Ari, the girl he studies with for their chemistry class.

Ari has one goal when she arrives in town: see how much Tom knows about the Sary and neutralize the situation. This isn’t a normal job, but protecting the secrecy of the Sary is vital. If Tom is a threat to exposing the Sary to the public, fate has a way of taking care of the situation, usually ending with the mortal’s death. While Ari spends time with Tom, he becomes more than just an assignment, but how far can a relationship go when she can’t tell him who she really is? When she finds out just how much Tom actually knows about the Sary, Ari is forced to choose between her wings, and her heart.

THE CHEMISTRY OF FATE is a companion to COLORS LIKE MEMORIES and is set before the latter takes place.


Review

Our family is a huge part of who we are. So when Tom discovers his grandfather's journal, he wants to know more about the man. What he doesn't suspect is that his grandfather was a Sary--an angel born from the soul of a child who died before taking his/her first breath. Without this 'breath of life' he/she and others like him/her must help those on the verge of suicide. (from Colors Like Memories description)

But the Sary don't want humans knowing about them, so they send Ari to watch Tom and make sure he doesn't connect the dots. If he does, as history has proven, he will meet an untimely end. Ari is on assignment, but she starts to fall for Tom as she spends time with him. When she realizes how much he does know, all she wants to do is keep him safe. If the Sary find out she's withholding information, she will lose her wings. Can she save Tom without losing herself?

Two interesting characters destined to be together plus an intriguing race of angels equals a wonderful read. I was invested in Tom from page one, and I found myself rooting for Ari and Tom to be together--for true love to win out over the Sary's rules. The only thing holding me back from a 5-star rating was a feeling that I needed more background about the Sary.

On the back cover, which is included before the start of the book in Kindle format, the author clearly states: THE CHEMISTRY OF FATE is a companion to COLORS LIKE MEMORIES and is set before the latter takes place. From page one, I felt like I was missing some crucial information about the Sary (especially a clear explanation of what they are and what their mission really is). But in the end, Tom and Ari's tale swept me away. Now, I just need to get my hands on Colors like Memories.

Rating: 4 stars

About Meradeth Houston

From her website: I've never been a big fan of talking about myself, but if you really want to know, here are some random tidbits about me:

• I'm a California girl. This generally means I talk too fast and use "like" a lot.
• I have my doctorate in molecular anthropology. Translation: I sequence dead people's DNA and spend a whole lot of time in a lab, which I love.
• I've been writing since I was 11 years old. It's my hobby, my passion, and I'm so happy to get to share my work!
• My other passion is teaching. There's nothing more fun than getting a classroom of college kids fired up about anthropology!
• If I could have a super-power, it would totally be flying. Which is a little strange, because I'm terrified of heights.

For more information, please visit her blog, website, on Twitter, on GoodReads, and on Facebook. 

Also, please visit Meradeth's previous visit to Mom in Love with Fiction: Colors Like Memories, Meradeth Houston Spotlight & Interview.

Buy The Chemistry of Fate

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Note: I received a complimentary copy for review purposes. A positive review was not requested or guaranteed; the opinions expressed are my own.