Since you’re a chemist, I strongly recommend Nick Lane’s book:
https://www.amazon.com/Vital-Question-Evolution-Origins-Complex-dp-0393088812/dp/0393088812/ref=mt_hardcover?_encoding=UTF8&me=&qid=
It’s written from a metabolic POV, so it’s not only a relief from nucleic acids, it may be a better way to think about life’s origins.