Review: Biochemistry by Andrew Grey

Reviewed by SinChan
Biochemistry (Chemistry #2) by Andrew Grey
Dreamspinner Press
Novella: 158pgs
3 Pants Off

Blurb:
When his college biochemistry class turns out to be much more difficult than star quarterback Freddie Samuelson imagined, his lab partner, Kurt Maxwell, agrees to help. They’re very different: a rich kid athlete and a hardworking openly gay scholarship student. But Kurt slips past Freddie’s defenses, and little by little—despite Freddie ignoring his own sexuality in the past—Freddie realizes he wants to get to know Kurt, especially when Kurt helps him through more challenges than their science class. But it isn’t long before rumors begin to fly, and the obstacles Freddie will face may block him from both the future he planned on and the future he didn’t know he wanted.

Review
This is the second book in the Chemistry series, however, it can be read as a standalone. For readers that have read Organic Chemistry, it'll be a pleasure to see Brendon and Josh again.

Kurt attends college through a scholarship sponsored by Freddie's father. Freddie, the star quarterback, needs some help from Kurt to pass his biochemistry class. When they realized they are falling for each other, they have to overcome negative opinions from their friends, the football team, and Freddie's father.

The build up of Freddie's and Kurt's romance is well written and filled with obstacles, mostly on Freddie's side. Freddie is unsure of his own sexual orientation and insecure in his identity as a football player and college student. He faces difficult decisions on how to come out to his family, his team, and the school. His father also gives him a lot of pressure (and threats) to be a football star, instead of succeeding academically. No one believes in him or encourages him to discover his potential beyond playing football until Kurt.

Kurt, on the other hand, is out and pride. The only struggles he deals with in the book are rejections from Freddie and the threat of Freddie's father revoking his scholarship. Kurt's troubles all stem from Freddie. When Freddie is still unsure of their relationship and wants to hide their relationship from the public, Kurt says no. Kurt is the stronger person and I think Freddie needs Kurt more than Kurt needs Freddie.

The only character that I was confused about is Freddie's father. He switched personalities too fast. Originally, he is against gay relationships, threatens Freddie with stopping Kurt's scholarship, and just thinks about his son as the football star. At the end, Freddie's mother "talked" with him and then he become so accepting. The resolution to Freddie's family tensions comes too easily and too fast.

Overall, the story is very predictable. The theme is very similar to the first book, Organic Chemistry. I still enjoyed the story and reading about Freddie coming out of the closet, but I liked the first book better.

3 Pants Off