Physical Chemistry by Jana Downs is a contemporary homoerotic romance.

Nico had always been at the top of his class in chemical engineering, without competition before Jin Rogers arrived changing everything. Not only does Jin have top grades, winning in overall GPA, but he also has the looks and personality that makes him very popular. Nico detests him on the spot, in spite of them having never officially met. On the other hand, Jin immediately noticed Nico, but every time he gets near him, Nico takes off, until their professor wants them to collaborate on their senior thesis. Nico is completely against it and when they meet, he rudely blows Jin off. To his surprise, Nico feels bad about his behavior and apologizes and they agree to start again. Much to Nico's amazement, he and Jin have a lot in common, even their competitiveness in their studies. Nico was hurt in the past and is afraid to allow anyone gets close to him, but will Jin's persistence pay off?

I fell in love with Nico from the very start. He may be the brightest of the bright, but his interpersonal skills were sadly lacking, to the point of it being funny. Even though he was aware of his flaws, he was comfortable within his skin and happy with his life until Nico arrived, shaking him to his foundation. The notion that the strong emotion of hate can just be misguided love in disguise fit Nico's situation perfectly. It was sad how Jin always liked Nico even when he wouldn't talk to him, but his refusal to give up showed the strength of his character. Nico doesn't understand why someone as perfect at Jin would want a geek like him, but what he doesn't know is everyone has problems. Jin has a secret that he is hiding from Nico, but sometimes staying silent is worse than putting his trust in others.

Reviewed by: Teresa