A Romantic Comedy (Chemistry Lessons Book 1) - Remedial Rocket Science

Definitely a chick novel. After listening to the US and world news, this novel can help you feel better. There is nothing intellectual about it at all. Don't be put off by the mention of rocket science or chemistry.

This was not the romance novel I was looking for. The story starts strong. I mean, the part where Jeremy growls during their first encounter? Yes. There. Do that. Yes. Please.

And then... nothing. The story stalls until the very end when the Happily Ever After is achieved. I legitimately spent the middle 60% of this book waiting for the “real” hero to arrive because it seemed clear that the guy I thought was supposed to be the hero wasn’t. (Because why would you set your hero up with that particular back story if you wanted readers to like him?)

The author wanted to write a slow build romance. The friends-to-lovers thing can be very sweet, especially in a second chance romance. But maybe it's too slow if I honestly feel like I want them to be friends more than I want them to be together when I'm more than half way through the story? I can point to one or two instances which might have been intended to convey chemistry between the couple, but it doesn't feel natural to the characters. It feels pasted in.

Also, not a romantic comedy. There's some humor, but no absurd situations are played for laughs.

Remedial Rocket Science is fine. In fact, I like the heroine who is trying to make friends in a new town. I even like the deeply flawed, borderline unlikeable hero. I just feel like maybe this is fiction trying on romance clothes for no good reason.

What a great read! This book is a romantic comedy, so not really my normal read, but I stumbled across it when I was looking for Houston authors.

Susannah did a great job of keeping me interested by including a lot of contemporary references to things that I'm familiar with in my everyday life. She made a story about a "regular" IT nerd and a super rich eligible bachelor seem completely normal to me.

Stay tuned for more works by this up-and-coming novelist. PS - Isn't the cover art fabulous?

This was a generally pleasant book, but the hero was not heroic. In fact, he was the opposite. The heroine wasted a lot of time pining for him. I wish there had been more about her going out and taking on the world. She should have found another love interest and put some tension in there. I guess that was one of the problems. I never had any doubt about what would happen. The only surprise was the mugging and I could not see that it added anything to the story. The book was placid in tone.The heroine's mother was a stereotype and annoying. I wish she had been more original and less slutty. I don't think a woman like that would have raised the person the heroine was. I read the whole thing, but liked it better until I read a one star review that described this basically as a rewrite of something else that I'm not familiar with. That was really disappointing. I appreciated the fact that I only found one error that I recall, a missing word.

5 Second look at Remedial Rocket Science
A Quick Summary
-Smart, Introvert Melody just graduated college and gets a job as a company in LA. She looks an old friend, Jeremy to help her connect with someone across the country.
-They become friends and eventually like each other but can’t find away to tell each other.
-After beating around the bush for a while the finally realize how each other feels and get into a relationship with each other.

My Take on the Book :
Although the idea is a great one, the excision of the idea falls short. It lost it’s way somewhere.

Let's Talk About the Girl...
I liked Melody. She was smart, introverted and had a similar inner monologue to my own. She was a sensible main character who made smart decisions and focused on her career. She comes from a humble background and has to work for everything she achieves.

Let's Talk About the Guy...
I didn’t like Jeremy. Jeremy was a player. He was a player the first time he met Melody and he was a player years later when he connects with Melody again. Jeremy is the son (and future executive) of a billion dollar company. After getting thrown out of several colleges and the lose of his dad, he finishes college and goes to work for the family business in LA.

Let's Talk about the Story...
Melody and Jeremy had one hot night during her freshman year of college. Three year’s later she’s graduated, moved to the West Coast and begun working for his mother’s company. The attraction between the two of them is still there, but Jeremy has a girlfriend!

She is content to be friends until, they go out to dinner with one of his friends and his girlfriend, Lacey and Melody finds out that when he as hooking up with her back in college, he was actually cheating on his long-time sweet girlfriend (that happens to be the older sister of his current girlfriend). Classy dude. Right?

It takes some time for them to get back to being friends but in the mean time Lacey tries to befriend her. They go out and do yoga and meet for lunches and drinks, etc. She makes some friends and goes to work and slowly allows Jeremy back in life. They develop a friendship and she tries to show him her geeky TV shows. When her mom decides to visit she know that her mom is going to ask about her romantic life and bother her about her lack of one the entire time she visits, so Jeremy offer to pretend to be her boyfriend.

Then, his mother gets the idea that they are together too, through a series of meeting and mixups.Eventually pretend becomes real but not until after a tiny bit of angst and side drama from his mom.

SPOILERS----
-Melody’s last boyfriend Kieran, who is mentioned maybe twice. We learn that was Bipolar and committed suicide. That was basically it. This was later used to further develop Jeremy and Melody’s trust~ because she tells Jeremy that she never talks about Kieran with anybody. His tale is summed up in a few lines and is completely pointless. It’s clear he was invented to give Melody a reason to cry on the anniversary of his death, causing Jeremy to find her in tears and then be forced to comfort her.

-I didn’t really find the novel all that comedic. Light-hearted and fun? Sure. Mildly amusing? Yes. But funny? A stretch. Nix uses a lot of sarcasm (which I appreciate) and there is terrific banter between Melody and Jeremy. But out-and-out humor? I didn’t find it here.

-Total lack of actual tech. Considering this was Melody’s profession, and considering she was a woman who enjoyed doing what she did and wanted to focus on it, I expected more involvement of, well, the techy things.

This is a light, undemanding, rom com is fine for when you want something cheerful, but it could have been so much better. There are quite a few moments to make you grin but no real laugh aloud moments to live up to its claim of being a romantic comedy. If you want something unchallenging it would fit the bill. Although there are ups and downs it certainly doesn't put you through the emotional wringer.

Personally I would have liked more emphasis on the heroine's geekiness, as the title implies. It's touched on quite a lot, but it's certainly not central to anything.

Suits those who want the bedroom door firmly closed in their romances, as there are no explicit sex scenes.

Note: this is a copy of my review on the store UK, cross-posted for the benefit of the store.com readers. I did purchase the book, but on the store UK.

I had great hopes for this book. Slow burn romances are my favorite, so I was ready for a gradually building relationship. This book delivers on the slow part, but fails to deliver on the burn. The H/h are causally dating other people and being set up on blind dates at the 80% mark of the book. I get what the author was trying to do, but this story would have worked better as a coming of age story following Melody's journey post college than a romance.

This is a good debut novel in the “smart romance” style of Penny Reid with a self-aware heroine but for once not an equally brilliant hero who has it all figured out. Both Melody and Jeremy are likable characters. I’m not passionate about either of them but I like them well enough. The book is pretty fast-paced in that you read one scene and turn the page and you’re explicitly told the next scene is happening a few months later, but at the same time, the story is pretty slow as the characters frequently haven’t changed in relationship much in that fast-forward period. I suppose in that sense, the novel is realistic to how relationships really are. Also, this novel is not as intellectually stimulating as some other smart romances I’ve read and rather than the science and “nerdy” aspects of the heroine, the author does tend to like a lot of movie and actor references, which not being that into movies, I kept having to stop and Google, but if you’re super into pop culture and movies, that won’t be you and I think you’ll enjoy this a smidge more. I actually really liked this and would recommend this to anyone who likes a smart romance and a heroine that is intelligent, self-aware, feminist and worthy of reading. I definitely want to read more from this author.

Remedial Rocket Science: A Romantic Comedy (Chemistry Lessons Book 1) by Susannah Nix is the first book in her Chemistry Lessons series. This is her debut novel and overall enjoyable. I enjoyed her writing style as it will keep you engaged until the last word. Her characters are creative and will take you on a roller coaster ride of various emotions. They are true to life and connectable. They will leave you laughing one minute and feeling compassion the next. The story was a little slow to get into but once things started happening, you won't be able to put it down. The secondary characters add to the story and are supportive for the most part. But the story wouldn't be the same or end the same if there were not in it.

This is the story about Melody and Jeremy. They go from friends to lovers and given a second chance but will they embrace what is right in front of them? They both know what they want and how to get it. My favorite character was Melody. She is so strong and really does make this story what it is. She makes you feel that you are right there with her. She is a nerdy IT girl and he is a CEO's son. He is charming and handsome but at times I felt that was it with him. I would have liked to see him take a little more control. But this works for them and they will keep you reading and wanting to see them get their HEA. This story really is about two people finding friendship then finding a connection and they are looking at getting a second chance with this life. Will they take the second chance they are faced with or will they leave things to fate? Will they find their HEA? I highly recommend this story as I know you will want to read more from this author when you are finished with her first book.

Melody Gage can make a computer out of spare parts, but falling in love isn’t as easy for her. She’s waiting for a date one night at a bar when the guy is a no-show. She’s being hit on by an obnoxious jerk and is ready go to when another guy, named Jeremy, comes up and pretends to be her date so she can get away. They start talking and hit it off and a few hours (and drinks later,) they have a one night stand. 3 years later Melody moves from New York to L.A. for a job offer. She gets in touch with Jeremy again and he tells her he has a girlfriend but would love to still hang out and be friends. Melody agrees and after getting the job not only finds out that Jeremy not only works in the same building, but his mother is the C.E.O. of the company. Things get really awkward when Melody, Jeremy, and his girlfriend Lacey are out for dinner one night. Melody finds out that Jeremy was still with Lacey at the time they hooked up which makes for an awkward dinner. Lacey doesn’t seem upset though because she and Jeremy only got together after an awkward and unfortunate situation and are still together because they just feel they should be. All the characters grow so much in this. Melody is still new in town and even though she and Jeremy are friends, they do hit some bumps in the road, Jeremy is still moving past his partying college years, and Lacey and Melody’s friendship is growing and Lacey’s starting to realize that even though she cares about Jeremy, she may have her eyes on someone else.
You will fall in love with the characters and grow frustrated with them also. I laughed out loud a lot during this, and my heart also broke for all of them. It’s a very good read, and I enjoyed it so much.

***Review has been done with conjunction with Nerd Girl Official***

Melody Gage and Jeremy Sauer come alive within the pages of this novel! Melody Gage is a spunky girl who is highly educated at MIT in computer sciences. A nerd to the core, but represented in such a delightful way!

Finally a book that shows women’s empowerment and the importance of education! I loved reading about a smart girl who was invested in her career and when she got where she wanted to be, love followed.

Jeremy Sauer is a rich and sexy bachelor, but not in the least bit snobby. He is sweet and sensitive, and he encourages Melody to pursue her career goals. With his own set of issues of course…

The side characters of the novel also fill the story rather than just hang as empty names in the margins. This book promotes friendship to people different than you, and celebrates being who you are.

The editing was impeccable and the plot line kept the pages flipping. It was easy to eat up this story and I cannot wait until Nix’s new book comes out in October. I will be sure to get my hands on it!

Love scenes were realistic and steamy without being graphic and crude. The romance in this novel just makes you feel warm and fuzzy. The novel makes great allusions to different popular works which makes the novel relatable, while tying each allusion into the story in clever ways.

This book can be recommended to anyone age 15 or above and I highly recommend buying this book for your personal collection. Susannah Nix completely knocked this one out of the park. You will not regret giving this novel a read.

originally posted at long and short reviews

Great story of emotional growth and changing relationships. Though they are truly an odd couple, twice Jeremy and Melody have entered each other’s lives at just the right time. Passion grows between them at the same time a deep friendship does. Female readers will enjoy this story because there are no alpha characters. Melody and Jeremy share a bond that allows them to discover who they are as people and where they stand among very tangled social relationships. It’s easy to relate to both of them…especially when it comes to their parental relationships.

Jeremy is a sweet guy who is a little lost. He is always there to rescue Melody. At the same time, his own emotions are very fragile. He’s the dreamy guy next door, the super-rich guy next door, that young women fantasize about. Melody needs him to break out her self-induced emotional shell. She is an admitted nerd. She loves Sci-fi, space, and computers. Jeremy’s world is confusing and scary. But helping each other learn how to make adults relationships work makes the both of them stronger, healthier people.

I thoroughly enjoyed losing myself in their world. I found myself experiencing a range of emotions as I read. I read the entire book in one sitting. Each character was so flawed that they felt real, like people that I actually know in my own life. It was a quick, fun read that left me feeling satisfied and fuzzy.

This book could have been great if it wasn’t for the lack of sex. It works well as an adult romance. But it almost feels like a YA novel because of the lack of both graphic intimacy number of encounters. Readers who crave vicariously experiencing their leads steamy sexual bonding experiences may be turned off by the innocence of Remedial Rocket Science.

Jeremy seems to have it all, but appearances can be deceiving. Melody is studying and trying hard to make her life go somewhere great. When they meet, sparks fly, but they live in different cities and while they say to say hi if they are ever in the same city again no concrete plans are made. When Melody gets a job at Jeremy family's company, it seems as if they can connect again, but things are not simple. Jeremy is technical Melody's boss and there is more to the story not only now, but from when they meet before. Can they make it work and realize that they belong together, even if the time never seems right? This is a humorous, fun, and interesting read.
I voluntarily received a copy for a free, honest review.

Remedial Rocket Science is the first novel in the Chemistry Lesson series by Susannah Nix. This is my first novel by this author.

The story novel follows Melody who is college aged has a one night stand with Jeremy but initially has a hard time talking to him.

“Rocket science, she could handle. Talking to cute guys, on the other hand— that was intimidating. Especially heavenly-smelling, well-muscled paragons of kindhearted chivalry.”

They go their separate ways but on good terms. Three years later, Melody gets a job in IT department of an aerospace company. She finds out that Jeremy is the son of the CEO of the same company. While they remain friends, Melody still feels an attraction. Jeremy having a girlfriend does complicate things more.

This was such a great summer novel to read. I loved the characters especially Melody. I could relate to some of her insecurities and I loved the relationship between Melody and Jeremy. It started it as one night stand only to start to become more years later after she moves to L.A.

I am looking forward to the next novel. I hope we see these characters again.

Remedial Rocket Science: A Romantic Comedy by Susannah Nix is a cute story. The adult rom-com is about MIT student Melody Gage and Jeremy, a college drop out. The two have a one-night stand and lose contact for several years. Once Melody graduates she moves out to California and ends up working at the same company as Jeremy.
Overall, I enjoyed the story. The characters were well developed and the story was interesting. Melody seems very passionate about several things. I would have enjoyed hearing more about her passions since this was a core part of her personality or seeing her develop her friendships. Jeremy has potential but still comes across a bit shallow to me.
What I did enjoy was the friendship that slowly built between Melody and Jeremy. The two would not admit their feelings to each other because of their friendship. I enjoyed that the friendship was the basis for their relationship. Too often we jump from point A to Z in a relationship and then wonder why it does not work out. This was a good example of a couple that started at A and is slowly progressing to Z.

Remedial Rocket Science by Susannah Nix is the first book in the Chemistry Lessons Series and it's amazing! This is the first book I have read from this author, but it will not be my last! She's a great writer, who was able to make me laugh and connect with these characters. These characters jump off the page and the story line is one that will pull you in and leave you wanting more. I finished this book in one afternoon, and I loved it! An amazing 5 stars!

Melody Gage is a college student who is looking for a night of "no strings fun", when Jeremy comes and gives her exactly what she's looking for. Flash forward three years, and Melody is moving to LA and she sees Jeremy again. Now not only do they work together, but he happens to be the CEO's son. What's the worst that could happen? Will these two be able to move towards being friends or will their attraction to each other get the better of them?

This book was a very light and fun read! I can't wait to see what the author comes up with next!

Well-written, filled with colorful characters whose actions and reactions are NOT predictable from 110 paces. I especially love how the "finally getting together" happens because it's sweet and real and I was wondering how it would finally come about.

I've had it with characters who repeat their mantra ("no men," "only someone not like you," "I must be alone or earth will explode," etc) as if they were robots and that was their instruction set (and also never get therapy, good grief). This book is delightfully free of that junk. So read and enjoy this witty book with a smart heroine who doesn't act like an idiot and a hero who has feelings and might actually be human, not a cardboard cutout. The angst, btw, was perfect. Not overdone, fling my forearm across my eyes. Thanks for that, too. ?

Okay, out of my way, off to read the author's next book..

I found a new author to love! Great characters who stay true to themselves. A few curve balls i certainly didn't see coming, and a happy ending made for a great story. As an added bonus Remedial Rocket Science kept it pretty much PG while still keeping it hot! I love when an author doesn't have to depend on steamy sex scenes to make their book. I'll certainly be picking up any other books by Susannah Nix.

I really wanted to like this book. The synopsis sounded adorable, the cover is just beautiful, and I'm always in the mood for a quick rom-com.

Unfortunately, several things about this book bothered me.

One: the main character, Melody. While I did like her--she was a sensible main character who made smart decisions and focused on her career--I also thought she was super judgy about certain things. While she didn't say any of these thoughts aloud, reading them made me iffy and overall, just really made me not like or connect with her.

Two: the lack of actual techy stuff. Clearly, this is not somewhere I excel, but considering this was Melody's profession, and considering she was a woman who enjoyed doing what she did and wanted to focus on it, I expected more involvement of, well, the techy stuff.

The romance was okay, I guess. I didn't feel sparks or really ship them together, but I thought Melody and Jeremy were decent enough characters. I liked how they took their time being friends before they both admitted their feelings for each other.

Thing is... it took a long time for that to happen. I liked the buildup, yes, but by the time it actually happened, I'd stopped caring.

Overall, this was a decent book but it wasn't the kind of book I was hoping for. It's a romantic story, sure, but I wouldn't classify it a rom-com--it wasn't funny. 3 stars.

I am having conflicted feelings about this novel. It was cute, but chock full of stereotypes.

First off, the meet cute. Melody waits for a date who ditches her, and Jeremy saves her from a creep in the classic "fake boyfriend" move. They begin talking, have a one night stand, and three years later they reconnect.

Pretty cute. I also rather liked their relationship. It grew from a friendship to them confessing their feelings for each other. But it did take a looooonnggg time for that to happen. As in, the entire book, minus like 2 chapters. So that was definitely a downside because I just wanted them to get together. Like every other character wanted them to.

Now for the stereotypes. Jeremy is the classic bad boy billionaire: he'd been a playboy cheater in his younger days, but reformed himself. Melody is your classic geek: into computers and highly nerdy shows such as Doctor Who and Orphan Black. (Not that those shows are bad but it was overly stereotyped). But then sometimes Melody read as a really annoying chick that found things wrong with everything. Like dissing Fall Out Boy or getting annoyed at cliches when she is a walking one.

Overall, as a break-out novel, this was good. But I was definitely hoping for more.

I really enjoyed reading this book. This is a first for me with Susannah Nix, but it won't be my last. It started kind of slow, but as I kept reading I really got into it. I really liked the nerdy girl and super hot billionaire scenario. Don't want to spoil anything so I won't go into any details, but I know you'll like it if you give it a try! Can't wait to read more by this author!
I received an ARC and voluntarily chose to review it.

Remedial Rocket Science by Susannah Nix
Four Stars

Remedial Rocket Science is the first book in the Chemistry Lessons Series by Susannah Nix. This Rom Com is a delightfully entertaining book. I enjoyed the character descriptions and the premise of a smart nerdy girl meeting a rich boy, but the best part of this book is the fabulous dialogue. This book had me laughing on numerous occasions. I liked the way Ms. Nix dealt with crisis issues. The secondary characters really add to the story line. Melody and Jeremy’s relationship revolves around a lot of miscommunication and it is fun to watch them running circles to try and fix it. This is the second book I have read by Ms. Nix and I look forward to reading the next in the series. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romance with a little comedy thrown in.

Remedial Rocket Science: A Romantic Comedy (Chemistry Lessons Book 1) by Susannah Nix is a super fun story about Melody and Jeremy. While not quite the teenage angst that you would imagine it to be, it does have quite a bit of heartbreak. Melody finds herself working with and for a past one night stand…who may or may not have a girlfriend….who she may or may not still have feelings for. This book has quite a few unexpected twists and turns. I found myself quite enjoying this book. I grant it 4 out of 5 stars. One of the more enjoyable books I have read in while.

Remedial Rocket Science by Susannah Nix
4 stars

This story is a perfect book when you are in the mood for humor, awkward situations, friendships, healing and new beginnings. Both main characters have had self doubt, hold guilt for previous decisions in relationships, feel unworthy and are trying to redeem themselves with new beginnings.

I believe this is my first book by Susannah Nix, but I look forward to more humorous nights reading her books. Sometimes you need to curl up with a light hearted book and have a good laugh and have the story tug on your heartstrings. I loved the friendship between these characters...even though it gets a little bit too intertwined at times to make it realistic... it was a feel good story that I enjoyed.

Awkward nerd girl meets hottie, and sparks ignite, burning fast and hot, then nothing for 3 years. Jeremy & Melody are reunited when she goes for a job interview for an IT position at, as it turns out, at his family's company. Then it's all drama, intrigues, and a whole lot of banana pants shenanigans! An Ah-Mazing, humorous wild ride...thoroughly fun read!
Received as an ARC, voluntarily reviewed.

Once I picked up "Remedial Rocket Science" by Susannah Nix I couldn't put it down! I loved Melody as our M.C. She was a strong powerful woman and didn't pull that typical wounded girl crap. There is nothing better than reading about someone who isn't afraid of who she is and Melody was exactly that.
I would be totally lying if I didn't say I fell totally and completely in LOVE with Jeremy by the end of this book. I mean he was pretty much the perfect man! even with his imperfections he was still amazingly perfect in my eyes.
Overall I loved the story, it was cute and funny, the characters and the chemistry between them were amazing. what more can I say then drop everything and add "Remedial Rocket Science" to the top of your To Read list ASAP.

I liked Remedial Rocket Science, pretty much. I love ultra smart, nerdy heroines. I love the second chance romance. Totally, I could have lived without the All in the Family ex part 1 and 2, and mom drama. It was a lot going on for poor Jeremy. Unfortunately, all the drama did not make him the most loveable character, which I don't think was what the author intended. Any how, it is pretty entertaining. I'm planning to give the second book in the series a shot.

Sweet, smart, and utterly original, I loved Melody and I this book! She's an incredibly captivating character. The romance is great too. I appreciate how much I admire the lead, and feel this is the first romance book I've seen in a while that would pass the Bechtel test. The plot is wonderful and, while there are along the way bumps, it doesn't rely on the usual conventions and keeps a satisfying pace. Highly enjoyable and totally recommend! Awesome read. This is a voluntary review of an advance reader copy.

One of my favorite things about book blogging is when I stumble upon a new (or new-to-me) author and immediately connect to their writing. That's what happened to me with Susannah Nix. I fell in love with the writing in this book even before I fell in love with the characters. It's smart and engaging and it was so effortless for me to read (even written in third person, which can sometimes be tricky).

So with the writing solid, it was pretty easy for me to connect with Jeremy and Melody and even though their burn was quite slow - I felt the connection between them and I actually appreciated the slow build up of their relationship. I felt like I got to know them and I genuinely appreciated their sweet friendship as it gradually morphed into something more.

That said, I would have maybe liked more attention given to their relationship. I felt like things veered off course a couple of times and I got a lot of information about plot points that didn't necessarily move the story forward. There were a couple of sections that were too easy for me to skim over while I greedily searched for more Melody/Jeremy time. I would gladly trade those parts in for more interaction between the two of them in order to give their slow burn just a little more spark.

Over all - I did genuinely enjoy this story. There were some laugh out loud moments and some moments that pinched at my heart as these characters bumbled through their feelings for each other. I loved how much both Melody and Jeremy grew and evolved over the course of the book, and the eventual relationship they formed was so rewarding and fun to read. The ending was completely adorable and I'm definitely invested enough that I'm excited to get my hands on more from this author! ~ 3.5 Stars

I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Readers Copy of this book. And what a beautiful story it is.

This is a humorous and intriguing romantic comedy. When you read it you can't help falling in love with the characters. The plot is original and well written. The chemistry and interaction between Melody and Jeremy is funny, sweet and captivating.

If you want a read that makes you warm at heart, feeling good and laughing out loud this is it!