The Soulmate Equation

Lauren (The Unhoneymooners) delivers a charming romance sparked by a DNA match. Freelance statistician and single mother Jess Davis, 29, gets roped into touring the San Diego offices of DNA-based compatibility dating service GeneticAlly with her romance author friend. Despite her faith in numbers, she is deeply suspicious that a DNA match would lead to love and is turned off by the aloof founder, 35-year-old geneticist River Peña. But after a stressful day of work meetings and loneliness, Jess sends in a sample on a lark and surprisingly receives GeneticAlly’s highest ever score: a 98% compatibility with River himself. With an IPO pending for GeneticAlly, the company offers Jess $30,000 to date River in exchange for the publicity. Their attraction is undeniable, and they bond by geeking out on stats, but the media storm and need to explain things to her seven-year-old daughter nearly overwhelm Jess. River remains steadfast throughout, even after uncovering some shady dealings at GeneticAlly. Lauren creates tension and feel-good moments without making the plot too predictable. This is a sweet treat. Agent: Holly Root, Root Literary. (May)