After the “Fourth Wing” book series, Chronic Pain Partners became aware of a new romance novel, “The Chemistry Test”, written by Georgina Frankie, which features a character with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). In a genre where disabled characters are often either absent or reduced to stereotypes, Frankie brings a refreshing perspective: a love story that embraces disability without making it the obstacle to overcome. Her protagonist Penny is not “fixed” or “cured”—she’s resilient, witty, and navigating college life and romance on her own terms. In this interview, Frankie talks about her inspiration, the importance of authentic disability representation, and why she wanted readers with chronic illness to feel seen, while also inviting those without disabilities to learn something new.
Karina Sturm: What inspired you to write “The Chemistry Test”?
Georgina Frankie: For me, it was kind of twofold, I knew I wanted to explore the idea that many of us are more alike than different, and to see how far I could take it! But also, around that time, there were so many stories where the protagonist was saved or cured by love and I knew that I absolutely did not want to write a story like that. I wanted to write a coming-of-age story about two people falling in love, exactly as they are!
Karina Sturm: Penny is resilient and independent, starting college with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. How did you shape her as a character?
Georgina Frankie: I love the storytelling quote ‘none of it happened but all of it’s true’ and I feel like that’s quite an accurate description of how I shaped Penny. She is her own character, with a life and events that only she has lived, but especially for her conditions, I was able to base parts of it on myself, to ensure the disability representation was accurate and true. Working with beta readers and sensitivity readers (who I found online) who also had disabilities helped me to diversify Penny’s experiences further, broadening the representation without losing its authenticity.
Karina Sturm: Why was it important for you to center a disabled character in a romance novel?
Georgina Frankie: In my early 20s, I realised that I’d been a romance reader for as long as I could remember, but had never truly felt seen or represented in a book before. And more than that, I knew I couldn’t be the only one. So, I decided to write that kind of book as I really wanted others to feel seen and represented too, even though I knew it would be a challenge. Disability is not any one thing, so it’s not possible to capture every experience, emotion or feeling, but that’s no reason not to try! On top of that, I wanted to make the book as accessible as I could, ensuring the writing was easy to read and leaving out spice, so age and reading level would be less of a barrier. And I did my best to avoid any intense or traumatic medical content that could be triggering for some people.
From Amazon:
Some sparks can’t be ignored… When Penny leaves her family behind and opens the door to her first college class, she’s armed with three things: her snazzy new wheelchair, unshakeable determination, and a plan for independence. What she doesn’t expect is her instant connection to CJ, the charming actor who shows her around the labs.
Their attraction is undeniable, but Penny’s convinced they won’t work. She lives life at a measured pace, while he’s always in motion, bouncing between social events and meeting producers. They’re better off as lab partners than love interests… right?
But as their friendship deepens, Penny and CJ discover there might be more to their story. Between late-night study sessions and shared dreams, they begin to question their original assumptions. Could learning to lean on each other be exactly what they both need?
Because sometimes the heart knows what it wants, even when the mind needs convincing…
A heartwarming coming-of-age story perfect for fans of sweet college romances. The Chemistry Test will have you believing in the science of happily ever after.
Karina Sturm: How did you balance Penny’s chronic illness with the lighthearted and romantic tone of the book?
Georgina Frankie: The decision to keep the book a safe space for those with medical triggers naturally helped keep the tone lighthearted. Penny suffers from a lot of symptoms and faces accessibility problems throughout the story, but they’re not the focus. The story centres on what happens next, the people who help (& who don’t), the time and grace Penny gives herself when these kinds of things crop up and ultimately, how we can still be loveable and lead great lives, no matter how hard things may be.
Karina Sturm: Many readers with chronic illness say they rarely see themselves in romance. What do you hope they’ll feel when reading Penny’s journey?
Georgina Frankie: My favourite messages to receive so far have actually been those that not only mentioned how seen they felt, but how the story gave them butterflies and had them kicking their feet. In the story, we’re rooting for Penny and CJ, but most of all, I hope my readers will feel that the book is also rooting for them. There’s a line in my dedication that reads ‘we’re all more loveable than we could possibly imagine,’ and I hope my readers come away feeling that way about themselves.
Karina Sturm: What do you hope readers without chronic illness will learn or take away from this story?
Georgina Frankie: I hope they’ll learn that there’s more to people than meets the eye. That everyone has their own struggles, no matter how well they carry them. And we all have the power to make life a little bit better for others just by being open-minded and empathetic, even if we don’t have all the details or experience the same things.
Karina Sturm: What was the hardest scene for you to write, and what was the most joyful?
Georgina Frankie: The whole book really was such a joy to write and even the harder moments for the characters were healing and cathartic for me, thankfully. So, I’d hesitantly say the hardest scene to write and the most joyful was possibly the same one because I wanted to capture that joy as much as possible.
Karina Sturm: Looking ahead, do you see yourself continuing Penny and CJ’s story or exploring new characters in future projects?
Georgina Frankie: As of right now, I’m not planning a sequel for Penny and CJ, but there is a chance we could see them again. Somewhere, someday. I would really love that and I do have a couple of ideas already as I’m not ready to say goodbye to them just yet, and I don’t think I ever truly will!
Karina Sturm: And to end this wonderful interview, I’m going to throw a few rapid-fire questions at you.
Georgina Frankie: Let’s do it!
Karina Sturm: Favorite romance trope?
Georgina Frankie: Grumpy Sunshine.
Karina Sturm: One word to describe Penny?
Georgina Frankie: Captivating.
Karina Sturm: One word to describe CJ?
Georgina Frankie: Charming.
Karina Sturm: A song that could be the soundtrack of “The Chemistry Test”?
Georgina Frankie: “Accidentally in Love” – Counting Crows.
Karina Sturm: Coffee or tea while writing?
Georgina Frankie: Tea. (But really, just snacks!)
Karina Sturm: Ha! Thanks so much for this insightful and fun conversation. I can’t wait for more readers to meet Penny and CJ.
Georgina Frankie: Thank you—it’s been a pleasure.
You can buy “The Chemistry Test” on Amazon.
Karina Sturm
September 2025
