Who Would Like This Book:
What's to love? This is a refreshingly unique romance with a twist: a neurodivergent heroine (Stella, who is on the autism spectrum) and a biracial, soft-hearted male lead who happens to be a male escort. Helen Hoang crafts a love story that’s not only super steamy, but also deeply empathetic and insightful about the challenges of navigating relationships with social differences. Fans of slow-burn chemistry, clever banter, contemporary romance, and anyone looking for better representation and diversity in their love stories will likely fall for this book. If you enjoyed 'The Hating Game' or love books with strong family dynamics and a quirky, earnest protagonist, this one's for you.
Who May Not Like This Book:
While many readers adore the fresh angle, some struggle with a few aspects: the explicit nature of the content (yep, this is an open-door romance!), the predictability common to the genre, and a reliance on miscommunication or classic romance tropes. For readers who want their romance more sweet than steamy, or who are very sensitive to how neurodivergent representation is handled, parts may feel too glossed-over or not as nuanced as hoped. Some also found the romance to occasionally veer into possessiveness and miscommunication territory, which isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.
About:
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.
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Notes:
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 (435)
Incredible (64) | |
Loved It (165) | |
Liked It (116) | |
It Was OK (68) | |
Did Not Like (20) | |
Hated It (2) |
Reader Stats (821):
Read It (469) | |
Currently Reading (2) | |
Want To Read (211) | |
Did Not Finish (17) | |
Not Interested (122) |
22 comment(s)
Enjoyable and surprisingly relatable, but also fundamentally uncomfortable
4.5
main girl has autism (so affirming with the sensory issues) boy is so good about it.
shes a bad bitch but also in love
fake dating
love loved it
The perfect quick, smart, & sweet pallet cleanser book
A cute romance book with great character development, a tongue-in-cheek hook, and a unique magic that will have you falling head over heels.
Oh, man, what a perfect book for Valentine’s Day! I really didn’t expect to like this book as much as I did.
So far the little romance I’ve read (in other genres) feels shoehorned in and artificial.
There was nothing mawkish or stilted about the writing and the explorations into the Vietnamese side of Michael’s family were great. It is also refreshing to read about heroines of Asian heritage (presumably) and people with autism.
Crits: The ending wrapped things up a little too quickly, and the breakup and the whole thing with Phillip at the end were somewhat too dramatic. The spontaneous sex also got a bit too much at the end there.
My one major crit was that I was hoping for some more experience of Stella’s autism, sensory-wise, when she’s kissing or in bed with with Michael. I don’t mean triggers, I mean.... like, just a bit more focus on senses, since Stella is so sensitive to them. That felt a little muted.
It was refreshing
Entertaining
The best writing? No. But it was pretty entertaining and an easy read (finished it in just a few days).
That was just delightful! I really enjoyed the characters. I did spend some time screaming at the book when she was looking at the asshole guy. Anyway, I loved it!
This book was good but not like the other romance books I read!
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.
What can you read after
The Kiss Quotient?
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…
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