This is a super cute f/f rom-com about two science teachers at a small-town high school. Lily is a chemistry teacher who just started a new job at the high school, while Eva has been teaching biology there for years - but is known by the other teachers as cold and standoffish. Eva rebuffs all of Lily’s attempts at friendliness IRL, but unbeknownst to each other, they’ve both joined a dating app and instantly hit it off.

I love that their role as science teachers wasn’t just an unimportant detail, but that there was a lot of actual geeking out about science throughout the book. I also really liked that everyone got a HEA, not just the main characters - from the students trying to form a GSA club, to the girl who needed extra tutoring, and even the reformed bully. Overall I really enjoyed this book, and I’m looking forward to reading more from Rachael Sommers in the future!

I have read a few books by this author and have enjoyed them. This one was no exception. Two teachers one an ice queen and one who seems to let things wash over her! A nice romance novel.
I really enjoyed this book their was bits where you laughed and other more serious parts that had you shouting at it. Thankyou for advanced copy.

I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in May 2024 in exchange for an honest review. I read Rachael Sommers' "Chemistry" because it is a teacher-teacher romance; however, I don't think this is the best read for a teacher. I believe the author is not American and this shows in the way school procedures are discussed. This makes the novel feel like it is not very well researched. While I could look past these discrepencies, there was one particular spicy scene that was wildly inappropriate and almost made me put the book down. Essentially, the two teachers are intimate outside of a school dance where they could be seen/caught by students. I don't think any teacher would be comfortable reading that.
Overall, I did not buy into the storyline or romance, and was really hoping the Lily would just move on with her life instead of continuing to pursue Eva. There are a lot of elements to this story that I've seen in other novels that made it feel very cliche (i.e. spilling coffee on someone when they meet, only one room, grumpy/sunshine, slow burn). The ending was way too quick and I still found myself wanting Lily to stop wasting her time. I would not reccomend this book, but did ultimately finish it because I am incapable of putting down a book that I've started.

As a teacher myself, I enjoyed this romance. There are always teachers who fit the description of both Eva and Lilly, one who is enthusiastic and one who is just barely getting by and not necessarily loving the job. They had great "chemistry" but at times some things felt a little inappropriate considering events they were at. This was a good and accurate depiction in my opinion of not only how hard teachers work but how underappreciated they often are. Eva definitely lives up to her ice queen title for the first half of the book! Good banter and tension between them and the romance in itself was cute!

Chemistry by Rachael Sommers is a delightfully angsty grumpy/sunshine, ice queen romance. Lily Cross is excited about her new position as a high school chemistry teacher but on her first day, she accidentally spills coffee on the staff’s resident ice queen, Eva Thomas. Their interactions only deteriorate further as time goes by. They clash at every turn, sniping, and griping, and always struggle to have the last word. The optimistic and bubbly Lily and Eva’s reserved iciness create the perfect recipe for sparks to fly!

I love when a sapphic romance features a teacher but having two mains who are teachers makes my long-time teacher heart smile. Sommers incorporated realistic interactions and challenges faced by educators and students alike. The love and dedication the characters have for their profession add depth to the story.

For some reason, Eva brings out a side in Lily that she’s never experienced. While she’s an easy-going pleaser, Lily shows a lot of backbone in her interactions with Eva. The push-pull dynamic is entertaining and the “chemistry’ that amps up with each conflict sizzles right off the page. Eva’s cold exterior hints at deeper layers of vulnerability that add complexity to her character. The push-and-pull dynamic between them creates tension and keeps readers engaged, especially as their chemistry intensifies with each interaction. Eva's fear of intimacy adds another layer of conflict, driving the story forward with palpable angst.


Chemistry is an angsty romance about the importance of trust, honesty, and leaning into vulnerability to allow yourself to move forward and obtain the future you were destined to have.

I wanna thank NetGalley for providing me this book to read!!

oh this book was everything!!😭🫶🏻 Eva was so guarded and never let anyone into her life and was such a literal ice queen to anyone she came across that I’m so happy Lily changed all that for her and was able to tear down some walls of hers!🥺 they were adorable when they would be alone together and I love how much Eva tried to do her part in opening up no matter how hard it was for her. This was an adorable read and I enjoyed every single chapter and second of this one!!

I liked this book enough, but it wasn’t stand out to me. The characters were predictable and the plot mediocre. I did however love the disability representation, that was nice. Overall, not bad, but not amazing.

This was an enjoyable novel. It was relatively simple but what this novel had, it did very well. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and there were some clever plot elements used to great effect. It was a classic ice queen, forced-proximity, workplace romance. That said, it didn’t leave much of an impact and although I enjoyed reading it a lot, I think it will ultimately be relatively forgettable. I’m giving this one 5-stars (rounded up, and a hard call between 4 or 5) because it was a fun, well-written, and enjoyable read in a comfort-read sort of way.

Minor spoilers below:
Highlights:
-I loved their texting relationship! This was the PERFECT way to get behind the walls of this ice queen. Allowing their relationship to develop organically and truthfully outside of their in-person baggage was a genius angle for this novel. One of my favorite novels is “Wrong Number, Right Woman” by Jae and I got major vibes from this one. On a similar note, I liked how the relationship took its time (a whole school year) to develop as I always find this more believable.
-There was good chemistry. Hah! But seriously yes, the two characters had a good dynamic that worked for me.
-Great representation of how hard teachers work and how hard their job can be. Teachers are heroes!

Nitpicks:
-This novel suffered from the issue of “negative motivation”, which always makes for a weaker novel. That is, the two characters liked each other but the only thing standing in their way was that they were not willing to take a chance on a relationship. To solve this problem, they simply had to decide to get over it. This results in the plotline essentially just stalling out while they putter around each other until they “decide” that the problem isn’t there anymore.
-Very instalove, or at least I didn’t see a lot of development for the relationship. I can see how Eva liked Lily challenging her and pushing through her barriers (to a point), but it was hard to get a handle on Lily’s motivations and/or attraction to Eva. I also felt like there was a distinct lack of communication between the characters, in terms of the romance and/or addressing their issues. A lot of nothing happened for most of the novel, followed by a rapid ending.
-I didn’t love that they had sex in semi-public at an event for minors where anyone could have easily walked in on them or seen them. Just not my favorite.
-I really wanted to see the co-workers reactions to the two of them together, and a few scenes of them back at work now that they are dating. This obviously wasn’t needed, but I personally would have really enjoyed seeing the new dynamic.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you love the ice-queen trope and love the plucky girl who melts said ice queen’s heart—and especially if you enjoy said plucky girl working very hard to do so—then Rachael Sommers’ Chemistry is a book you’re going to enjoy, I’m very confident in saying.

High-school teacher Eva Thomas is literally bumped into by new teacher Lily Cross. You might then expect some sort of spark that leads to the chemistry, but if so, you might be surprised to find that what is mostly prevalent is animosity, at least on Eva’s part. For her part, Lily can’t quite believe why Eva would be so hostile and cold, and she thus determines that she simply needs to be nice, friendly, and helpful so as to befriend Eva.

To Eva’s chagrin, of course fate determines that she and Lily will be thrown together, such as after-school clubs, school dances, and such.

Ms. Sommers has written a really engaging enemies-to-lovers story with compelling leads. Eva is a real ice queen—smart and gorgeous, but cold and distracted (and distracting!)—who is committed to her mother (in her ill-health), career, and students, with whom she can be strict but with whom she also shows her compassionate side. No prizes for guessing that Lily will likely witness both on occasion, which leads her to being more determined to take on the icy challenge.

However, really that’s all the decoration and what you would expect in a book such as this. The fantastic twist is that the girls will meet anonymously on a dating app, and that is how they will get to know each other behind the façade of roles and real life. Readers get to predict when the girls might find out about the truth of the situation and how the consequences will play out. The author teases us well, let me tell you!

The characters, the atmosphere, and the burgeoning relationship between the two girls are brilliantly crafted by the Rachel Sommers. With neatly crafted and flowing prose, the narrative was enjoyable from beginning to end. So much so that I would love the sequel.

Highly recommended. Oh, and I loved the cover!

Many thanks to the author, to Ylva Publishing, and to NetGalley for this ARC, which I was delighted to find, given that the book has been out for some time.

I’m realizing that I’ve never read a queer romance about two teachers before, and I’m SO happy that this book rectified this for me! This was such a fun story, and a perfect read for anyone who grew up wondering which teachers were dating who, and what their teachers’ backstories were.

The romance was a great slow-burn coworker enemies-to-lovers, with a few moderately spicy scenes. It played out in a way that felt natural and fairly realistic. Despite an opposites attract theme, the pair was able to get together without either character’s personality being compromised, and both stayed true to themselves. The main characters and supporting cast were dynamic and engaging and the plot was fun to see play out.

I also really appreciated the Happy-For-Now ending, and thought it fit the book perfectly!

This is my first book by the author and it will not be the last. Lily Cross is a new chemistry teacher moving closer to her family after a recent breakup. On her first day at school she literally runs into Dr. Eva Thomas and it isn’t a great beginning. Eva is a former Georgetown professor of biology. She moved from her dream work to help take care of her mother. She is no nonsense and feared by students and teachers alike. She doesn’t need or want to be friends with the new teacher Lily.

This is a fun, slow, burn romance. It takes place over most of an entire school year. These two are truly opposites. Lily is friendly, outgoing and Eva embraces her Ice Queen exterior. But both care very much about teaching and their students. I won’t spoil things by sharing things not in the blurb but some of their interactions are painfully realistic. Having worked in a school setting I appreciate how many things the author gets right.

I absolutely loved this book and I read it so quickly. The chemistry was amazing and I just felt myself grin so much when reading it.

Well, I devoured this book in just about a day, so it’s safe to say I enjoyed it! It definitely captivated my attention. I think the ice queen, enemies to lovers, troupes are just the best! I loved the sass and wittiness between the main characters and watching them break down each others walls and barriers and fall in love.. just… chefs kiss! I have been really into reading Rachael Sommers’ works and enjoying other stories by her. Definitely eager to continue reading previous books and excited for any new ones that’ll come out in the future! You have a fan in me.

This was by far my favourite book by Rachel Sommers to date. It held my attention through both characters arcs and was enjoyable to read and funny at times. As an educator, I would have a few technical observations regarding the teaching methods described in the novel. I also would have appreciated a bit more elaboration in the last chapters - the 180 degree turn things took for Eva gave me a bit of whiplash.
Regardless, I would definitely recommend reading Chemistry.

This is the story of two opposite characters who are thrown together. A slow burning romance in relatable settings and situations.
The strongest suit of this book for me was the author’s writing style: the flow, and the witty descriptions and dialogue.
Eva was a perfect ice-queen, and Lily was adorable. I would have liked to see more of their exchanges and earlier; however this book might appeal to those who enjoy lesbian slow-burn stories - in that sense, it is probably at least a 4/5.
I was invested in Lily’s teaching and her relationship with her students.
I also enjoyed the literal and literary/metaphorical references to chemistry.
The text messages and some of the parts about the school felt a little off, yet otherwise it was very contemporary,

Newly minted high school teacher Lily Cross is young, bubbly, and can’t wait to put her fresh ideas into practice in the classroom. Her excitement is derailed after a disastrous run-in with a colleague. Lily didn’t realize she’d have to win over her fellow teachers as well as her students, but that’s okay. Lily’s up to the challenge.

Disillusioned Eva Thomas never imagined she’d wind up as a teacher in her hometown, or worse, suffer the boundless, puppy dog enthusiasm of a new colleague. Eva has no interest in making friends—or making nice. She just wants to survive her day and be left alone. That’s easier said than done when Lily Cross has you in her sights.

This is one of my favorite sapphic romances of all time. I've read this book four times since I first found it (less than two years ago). Lily's personality is refreshing and positive, Eva's hard edges are so real. The way they grate on each other is delicious. 🙂 I also love the way that science humor is integrated into the story. I totally adored this sapphic gem!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This was fine, I had no real significant issues with it but I also just wasn't attached to our main couple. Ironically I do think they lacked some chemistry and then when the romance finally started it was a little rushed. I do enjoy the enemies who fall in love online not knowing each other's true identities but it felt a little flat here. I far preferred Love Next Door by Sommers which I felt hit a bit harder.

Thanks to Netgally and Ylva Publishing for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this entertaining book

how opposites attract and how to thaw out an ice queen...

this book was so entertaining i couldnt put it down....

lily had just started in her new school and already she had come a cropper against the ice queen herself dr eva thomas,, she had only spilt coffee all down evas top... to the auspicious start she wanted.....

but as time went on and lily and eva clashed it became obvious to lily that there was more to them than just their arguing but eva was having none of it....

until they both joined a dating app and starting texting not realising they were texting each other and boy when they found out feathers went flying....

if only eva could get over her mistrust and lily was she brave enough to continue where she wanted to go.... like i said it was an entertaining read and couldnt put it down

Sizzling chemistry with an ice queen (4.5 stars)
I laughed and smiled alot while reading this book and hope the author revisits these characters at some point in the future. Main characters Eva and Lily have sizzling chemistry whether they are arguing or getting along (to whatever degree) and their banter is fun to read. The school setting may make readers nostalgic for their high school days or wishing they'd gone to this school and had these modern-day teachers, maybe even relieved to not be teachers themselves right now. Eleanor, Mei and the animals are great secondary characters but readers may have favorites among the student characters in the book. There are some good twists and surprises in the storyline and the ending is satisfying but written in such a way that a follow-up story would have lots to mine and build on. I hope there is a sequel and will happily read it if, and when, it's published. If you like ice queens and don't mind being reminded of some of the less than fun aspects of high school (this does not apply if you were one of the popular kids) give this one a read. I also recommend the author's other works and look forward to reading whatever other stories they publish in the future.
(review from August 2, 2022)