Meet New Books
Meet New Books
Book Cover

The Kiss Quotient

Book 1 in the series:The Kiss Quotient

Save:
Find on Amazon

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang follows the story of Stella, an autistic econometrician who hires an escort named Michael to help her learn about dating and intimacy. As their relationship progresses, they both find themselves more involved than they intended, leading to a powerful plotline filled with steamy and tender moments. The book explores how honesty, hope, and courage can help individuals overcome personal challenges and societal expectations, all while navigating the complexities of love and relationships.

Characters:

The characters are well-developed, with Stella embodying neurodiversity, while Michael complements her as a supportive partner, highlighting the importance of understanding and patience in relationships.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is engaging and relatable, uniquely blending humor with emotional themes, while providing genuine insights into the characters' perspectives.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot stands out due to its unique premise and the exploration of relationships through the lens of a protagonist with Asperger's, combined with a modern twist on the escort trope.

Setting:

The setting is contemporary and vibrant, reflecting the characters' lives in a culturally diverse and career-oriented environment.

Pacing:

The pacing is generally fast, focusing on the interaction between the characters, though some readers found the resolution rushed.
Stella Lane’s gaze jumped from her breakfast up to her mother’s gracefully aging face. A subtle application of makeup drew attention to battle-ready, coffee-colored eyes. That boded ill for Stella. Wh...

Notes:

The Kiss Quotient was published in 2018 by Berkley.
Stella, the main character, is an econometrician with Asperger's syndrome.
To overcome her lack of experience with dating, Stella hires a male escort, Michael Phan.
The novel offers a unique take on the 'Pretty Woman' trope, flipping the genders.
Michael has never had a client like Stella and finds her intriguing.
The book addresses themes of neurodiversity and normalizing autism in romance.
It has a significant focus on consent and understanding in relationships.
Helen Hoang, the author, is autistic, which adds authenticity to the representation.
The narrative alternates between Stella's and Michael's perspectives, adding depth to both characters.
The book includes steamy romance scenes that are described as both emotional and physical.
The author notes the importance of portraying autism positively through Stella's development and relationships.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings for The Kiss Quotient include discussions of sexual assault, emotional manipulation, and the portrayal of sensitive topics related to autism.

Has Romance?

Yes, romance is a central theme in The Kiss Quotient.

From The Publisher:

From the author of The Bride Test comes a romance novel hailed as one of The Washington Post's 50 Notable Works of Fiction in 2018 and one of Amazon's Top 100 Books of 2018!

"This is such a fun read and it's also quite original and sexy and sensitive."-Roxane Gay, New York Times bestselling author

"Hoang's writing bursts from the page."-Buzzfeed

A heartwarming and refreshing debut novel that proves one thing: there's not enough data in the world to predict what will make your heart tick.

Stella Lane thinks math is the only thing that unites the universe. She comes up with algorithms to predict customer purchases-a job that has given her more money than she knows what to do with, and way less experience in the dating department than the average thirty-year-old.

It doesn't help that Stella has Asperger's and French kissing reminds her of a shark getting its teeth cleaned by pilot fish. Her conclusion: she needs lots of practice-with a professional. Which is why she hires escort Michael Phan. The Vietnamese and Swedish stunner can't afford to turn down Stella's offer, and agrees to help her check off all the boxes on her lesson plan-from foreplay to more-than-missionary position…

Before long, Stella not only learns to appreciate his kisses, but crave all of the other things he's making her feel. Their no-nonsense partnership starts making a strange kind of sense. And the pattern that emerges will convince Stella that love is the best kind of logic…

Ratings (249)

Incredible (36)
Loved It (97)
Liked It (66)
It Was OK (37)
Did Not Like (12)
Hated It (1)

Reader Stats (459):

Read It (260)
Currently Reading (2)
Want To Read (130)
Did Not Finish (7)
Not Interested (60)

13 comment(s)

Liked It
4 weeks

Meh - a love story between an autistic data analyst and a male prostitute/tailor. It was cute enough, but I found myself speeding through the sexy times scene to get to the plot. And there wasn’t much plot.

 
It Was OK
1 month

I’m not completely disappointed with this book but I was expecting a lot more

The first thing I didn’t like about it was not even the author's fault I should have known myself better than that

a book with this premise would have a lot of intimate scenes and those make me uncomfortable and therefore impacted my thoughts about the book

Intimate scenes don’t do a lot for me when it comes to adding to the romance so I needed more from it outside of that to make me want to root for the characters if that makes sense

Also, I know that this is fiction but some things I just found too unbelievable it all just wrapped up too nicely in my opinion

I didn’t dislike the characters but I didn’t love them either Stella would have to be my favorite since I relate to her a little and Michael was sweet but not at all what I was expecting because of the way other people talk about him

I did appreciate that the author put us in the mind of someone with autism because I never really knew much about it before

Overall I didn’t hate or love it so I just feel meh

 
Hated It
3 months

why did i finish this book

it wasn't good

written by and about asian americans, with a neuroatypical heroine, this should have been a great book for me

but it's so formulaic, so reliant on the big misunderstandings, the "how can touching you be great when touching everyone else is awful", the "he/she could never love me because i am a failure due to my deduction from that three second conversation we just had"

she writes good sex scenes

 
Liked It
3 months

Cute and steamy, two of my favorite book qualities! I didn't love it as much as my friends, but I'll definitely read anything Hoang writes.

 
Liked It
5 months

Fun and Lighthearted. I loved the steamy scenes and both stella and Michael are cute. Michael was a bit possessive sometimes that i didn't fully like how he was towards her but i liked it all in all.

 
Loved It
9 months

Helen Hoang is my new favorite author.


If a book is receiving too much hype, I usually end up disappointed. But this is not the case. The Kiss Quotient is awesome. I am not a fan of romance books but this book is not only romance. It does not have the perfect first date, the love at the first sign. It is not a princess and prince story.


The relationship of Stella and Michael starts as a "business" arrangement but it gradually changes to friendship and beyond. By faking a relationship they end up liking the lie.


I highly enjoyed reading this book. I was always grinning. Moreover, I have never met someone with autism and this book helped me to understand their world. As an economist that love statistics and econometric , I love Stella and her perspective on database. Her analyses of random behaviors toward income and profit.


“This crusade to fix herself was ending right now. She wasn't broken. She saw and interacted with the world in a different way, but that was her. She could change her actions, change her words, change her appearance, but she couldn't change the root of herself. At her core, she would always be autistic. People called it a disorder, but it didn't feel like one. To her, it was simply the way she was.”


I also love Michael. He is the ultimate boyfriend. He is extremely handsome. He is thoughtful. He is smart. He is sweet. He is protective. And maybe not all time an awesome trade, selfless. No misunderstanding... I hate selfish people but if your guy is an all-time selfless, he might losses himself in helping the others and a girl does not want someone lost.


Back to Michael. As I said, he is 100% the one.


“Everything about him pleased her. Not just his looks, but his patience and his kindness. He was good. He was an obsession waiting to happen.”


Overall, this is my favorite read of February. I loved this book from the first letter to the last. It bring an unique point of view. Way too different from other fictions. I wish there were more fictions this much refreshing. The Kiss Quotient was perfect.


“If you can’t stand being with a woman who’s more successful than you, then leave her alone. She’s better off without you. If you actually love her, then know the value of that love and make it a promise. That is the only thing she needs from you.”

 
Loved It
2 years

A delightful, light read with plenty of sex and humor, this novel is perfect for a lazy day. Absolutely loved it!

I like Michael and Stella, and their relationship is one of my favorites. Their personalities are very sweet.

 
Loved It
2 years

This book was read in one sitting by me.I found myself deeply invested in every single one of this book's characters.

 
Loved It
2 years

The most amusing duo I've encountered in a romance novel. As a rule, I don't pay much attention to family relationships in romances, but I found myself engrossed in this one. It's also quite cute. Breezy read.

 
Loved It
2 years

Wow!!

This novel has completely won my heart. That's a very heartwarming story of two misfits discovering one other.

 
More Comments...

About the Author:

Helen Hoang is that shy person who never talks. Until she does. And then the worst things fly out of her mouth. She read her first romance novel in eighth grade and has been addicted ever since. In 2016, she…

 
Meet New Books is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a way for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products and services on amazon.com and its subsidiaries.
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.