I loved this book! I think it's so important to give voice to characters like Stella, and Helen Hoang does so brilliantly. Equal parts funny and sexy, this is a romance that crosses genre lines and will appeal to a wide audience.

I'm so thankful to this book for getting me out of my slump. I don't think I've actually finished a book this quickly (or at all) in a while.
I was intrigued by the premise of this book, but what sold me was how many people were comparing it to The Hating Game by Sally Thorne. I adored that book, and I've wanted a good romance that wasn't a huuuuuge cliche at this point.
This one did it for me. I probably should stop telling my friends to read it, because I'm annoying them all, but it was just so good!

It was well written, diverse, sexy, and sweet.

The character development was so well done, in my opinion, and I felt every single emotion that the characters did.

I can't say how much I loved this, aside from EVERYONE. PLEASE READ IT.

Ohhh yes! Read that “oh yes” in your most steamy and sexy bedroom voice because I think that embodies how I feel about “The Kiss Quotient”. It’s a book that I never knew I wanted. I get tired of formulaic romance plots sometimes but this one is just something I really enjoyed. If you must know, I am squealing and squiggling with swoon writing this review over here.

The book is pretty much a gender-swapped “Pretty Woman”. Stella’s job as an econometrician pays well but she needs help in dating. So she seeks help from Michael, an escort, who is swamped with piled up bills to pay. The book is in alternating third person limited PoV between the two of them. So we both know that they are perfect for each other since the beginning but they both insist on keeping the facade of their relationship all business-like. At one point, Stella finds kissing Michael too addicting and she thinks it will endanger their “strictly” professional relationship, so she imposed a wink-to-Pretty-Woman-no-kissing-on-the-mouth rule. But don’t let the thirsty romance reader in you worry because that rule gets easily broken eventually, and there were lots of “practice” kissing and more than “practice” kissing involved.

Stella and Michael are both lovable characters. I like them as a couple and I like them as individuals. As individuals, they both have their struggles to overcome. Stella is having a hard time in embracing that being autistic is part of who she is a person. Aside from financial troubles, Michael is struggling being his shady father’s son. Each of them were given ample pages to accept themselves and discover themselves on their own but in the end, they also get to rescue each other. As a couple, not only is their chemistry off the charts but more importantly, they make mutual consent sexy. The highlight of mutual consent in sex is what made it an appealing and refreshing romance book for me.

Goodreads says that this is the first book of a series but it can be read as it is. The book’s ending is tied up in a beautiful HEA bow. I think the sequel/s will deal with the romance of the side characters introduced in this book. I already have another favorite character in mind that I want to read about. Hello Hellen Hoang, can you please make the next book about Michael’s cousin, Quan? Just a request, thank you.

(review link will go live on June 3, 2018)

Five...No Six, Nope...So Many More Stars
* * * * * * * * * * * ** ** * ** * * *
Spoiler Free
I am not one to say, this is going on my 2018 favorite book list... Mostly because I never do a list. But this time, before I tell you anything about this book, I will say I think this book will go down as one of my favorites of all time....Not one year or another... But of my personal reading experience.

I can comfortably say this because I could not stop reading it. No, really... I had important, time sensitive things which needed to be accomplished and had to force myself to Step Away From The Book. I was so captured by every single element, there was Nothing that turned me off or distracted me. Every single element worked.

Oh, and the kicker, Helen Hoang is a first time author!

There are many reviews already singing their delight with the book which will be more detailed then this. Please enjoy them... or you can do what I did... which was to go into this mostly with the blurb only.

What I will share is this gem is one of the most insightful books... Insightful about human interaction and how stressful it can be... Because all of us have over thought situations, second guessing what to say or how to receive what was just said.

In this book, both Stella and Michael have reasons for their preoccupation and analyzing of the communications between them. Both are under misconceptions of what the other is feeling and thinking. But both are feeling and wanting each other passionately.

And oh, the passion... the sensuality... the magnificent kissing and more...Just a single graze of a lip was enough to swoon for...I Loved This Couple.

I also loved every detail about his sibling and parental relationships Michael had with his family. From the first glimpse of grandma with the description so visual...I saw her and understood her. The same was felt for the rest of the family. Stella's family was not as pronounced but were there and present when on the page.

These two characters were so strong, they occupied my mind when I did have to step away from them. I was astounded by Stella's emotional strength, her challenging herself and how she maneuvered the endless minefield of social interaction we all take for granted. Michael was a man who one could not love. He sacrificed much to make sure his family was safe. He fought his own inner demons to not hurt others as he had been hurt. Even with the side job he was doing out of necessity, he had ethics and limits he would not cross.

So basically, that is all I have to say about his amazing book.. well sort of...
If you haven't figured it out by now, my main desire is for you to read this book. I promise you will not be disappointed...Really, pinky swear...

The Kiss Quotient (The Kiss Quotient, #1) by Helen Hoang The Kiss Quotient (The Kiss Quotient #1)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Bride Test by Helen Hoang The Bride Test (The Kiss Quotient, #2)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

~~~~~ Before Reading ~~~~~

When you are methodical, focused and centered on things which can confuse others...
It can be a challenge for most of us...

With Stella Lane, it is her talent but also a barrier...
And when you have a mother asking for grandbabies, what can you do...

Well, you approach a puzzle in the same way you have always done...
You get education...

Michael Phan has the weight of the world on his shoulders...
His father left his mother as cheating was his passion,
The family needs taking care of...
And Michael is the only one who will step up to the plate...

They have no idea of how he is doing it, though...
And when Stella needs Sex/Kissing/Life Lessons...
He is the one She picks...

Only problem, He may be the teacher for her...
But she is teaching him more than he ever imagined...

The Kiss Quotient (The Kiss Quotient #1)-June 5th 2018

A gifted copy was provided by Berkley | Penguin Random House via NetGalley for an honest review.

Once I started this book, I stayed up until 5am to finish it! It was THAT good. Hoang does an amazing job in creating such complex, nuanced, interesting characters that you can't help but feel connected with them. You become so emotionally invested in each character and their respective arcs from the get-go that you simply cannot put this book down. The Kiss Quotient is a romance novel that goes beyond the typical cliches by instead having a refreshing and modern twist along with engaging, relatable characters. Hoang's debut novel had me laughing, crying, yearning, and everything in between. Sleeping can wait, reading The Kiss Quotient cannot.

If you’ve ever wanted to read a gender-bent take on Pretty Woman with an Own Voices autistic protagonist and a hunky Vietnamese-American male escort, then this is definitely the book for you! And if that description doesn’t make you want to immediately make you want to pick up this book then honestly we have very different ideas about what makes an awesome book.

Stella is an extremely successful—and admittedly work-obsessed—econometrician. But when it comes to her love life? Well… it’s kind of lacking. Enter Michael, young, attractive, and working part time as a male escort to cover his mother’s medical bills. Stella hires Michael to give her lessons on how to be in a relationship. Except things get complicated fast when feelings start to get in the way. And to make matters even worse, Stella and Michael are both keeping big secrets from each other—secrets that they both fear could cost them any chance at love or each other.

I don’t read a lot of romance, so you know if I’m recommending a romance book, it’s got to be good. And my oh my is this book good! The relationship between Stella and Michael is so sweet and the Autism rep is amazing. I can’t speak directly to that, but I can say that the anxiety and sensory overload scenes are spot on. It’s pretty racy, so if that’s not your thing you’ll probably want to steer clear. But if you don’t mind a few sex scenes, then this book is just so perfectly cute and fun and perfect for summer.

Stella Lane is used to being able to use math, and her job as an econometrician, as a way to predict what consumers will buy, and she's very good at her job, plus, she loves it. What she has so far been unable to use math for is her dating life. To help with that, Stella hires professional escort Michael Phan to teach her about intimacy. When it becomes clear that it's more than intimacy Stella needs help with, she wants Michael to stick around and be her fake boyfriend and help her with her socialization skills.

Michael, who started escorting to help pay for his mother's medical bills, typically doesn't book a client twice. He's had some bad experiences in the past where one client became a bit too obsessed with him. He's ready to turn Stella down, but there's something intriguing about her that Michael wants more of, plus he most certainly could use the money.

As Michael and Stella embark on this charade, they find out they enjoy being with each other, but their own insecurities could keep them from finally saying those three little words.

I thought that The Kiss Quotient was a wonderfully unique romance. For me, Stella was the standout character. I loved the way Helen Hoang tackled Stella's autism, the way it is portrayed. Acknowledged, but still not defining who Stella is as a person. Her anxiety in certain situations just jumped off the page. I could feel it while I was reading the words. But I could also feel the moments when Stella would start to feel comfortable and I loved how we see Michael accepting the things that make her anxious and helping get her to the point of calm. Where a touch, or too much noise doesn't upset her.

I've read other books where one, or more, of the main characters are dealing with some kind of mental, emotional, physical, etc. barrier, but I felt like Helen Hoang has done the best job of making it more understandably accessible, at least in Stella's case. I understand everyone's situation is different and unique.

Because I felt Stella was such a force to be reckoned with, I felt like Michael was a bit overshadowed. As mentioned, he began escorting in order to help pay his mother's medical bills. Not only that, but he's had to put his hopes and dreams on hold, not necessarily forced to, but he felt compelled to do so, in large part to show that he is the furthest thing from his father who cheated on and left Michael's mother high and dry. He hasn't complained, and he's not angry, but at the start of The Kiss Quotient you can see he's beginning to get tired. Tired of having to take different women out every week, and tired of being made to "perform", to deliver a wonderful evening for paying customer(s).

When I say Michael feels overshadowed, I don't want to convey that his conflicts aren't valid or aren't apparent, because they are. But I felt like his insecurities with being lumped in with his father and his father's actions was kind of tacked on. I wanted Michael's situation to feel as unique as Stella's, but feeling like you don't fit in with someone because of where you, or they, come from, is a common issue in many romance I've read.

I did appreciate the fact that both Michael's family background, and Stella's autism are things that people have judged them on in the past, and therefore they are issues that they don't want to be defined by. In that regard, working through how others perceive you, are things that both Michael and Stella are unknowingly dealing with together.

If you're looking for a fresh, unique, sweet romance you can look no further than The Kiss Quotient. I absolutely enjoyed reading this book by debut author Helen Hoang, and I can't wait to read the next book. I hope she continues to write these lovely characters that stand out from the crowd.

Authentically true characters elevate a good book to great, and Michael and Stella are as real as you can get. That's only a fraction of what makes The Kiss Quotient one of the most exciting and memorable books I will read this year. It's only May, and I know this to be a fact. I'm sitting here trying to come up with a way to explain just how much I enjoyed this book without sounding trite. These two characters have completely stolen my heart and they deserve so much more than that.

This is one of those stories that I entered into with zero expectations. (Helen Hoang is a debut author!) After only a few pages, I found myself so completely immersed and invested that there was no real life until I turned the last page. I was utterly ADDICTED, and unable to put it down. Word of advice: do not start this book late at night, people, because you can kiss a good night's sleep goodbye. The humor was effervescent, the narrative crisp and clear, and the love story was an unconventional match made in heaven.

On the outside, Stella Lane seems to have it all. She excels in her chosen career as an Econometrician. After all, facts, figures, algorithms, and statistics are like child's play for her. She's creatively gifted, comes from a family that loves and only wants the best for her. But there are many things that Stella struggles with every single day, simple things that most people take for granted. Stella has Asperger's. Interacting with people always seems to end badly for her, so going to work becomes her solace, and her personal life becomes non-existent. She has no close friends and no past romantic relationships to speak of. After constant pressure from her mother to find a man, she decides to take charge of her life and hire a professional to help ease her into physical intimacy and dating.

I adored everything about Stella, even the things that she perceived as faults. There was absolutely zero artifice to her. Her thoughts filtered through her brain, and directly out of her mouth with complete innocence. The unpredictability of what she would say would have me laughing out loud on many occasions. Her brain is hardwired to examine things analytically as opposed to emotionally. She would use data she discovered from work to solve her problems in her personal life. Getting inside her head was fascinating and endearing all at the same time.

Escort Michael Phan only works on Friday nights, and there are no repeat performances. It wasn't something he enjoyed, but a sacrifice he was willing to make. Like a mask he would take on and off, he became another person, and then slipped back into his everyday life. A desperate financial situation has him backed into a corner, forcing him to live a double life, hiding his activities from his family. When he arrives to see his client, Stella is the last thing he was expecting. You could see right away that he thought she was adorably funny and cute, and her intelligence was a turn on. His protective side immediately came out as he noticed her vulnerability, and my heart swelled seeing how sweet he was with her.

I could feel how perfectly they matched during their first interaction. He intrinsically knew she needed patience, and he soothed her anxiety without judgement. That was something that was imperative for her to have. But despite his best efforts with Stella, she was going to need more time...something he didn't have to give. What he didn't know? She was about to make him break all of his rules and shatter every last one of his expectations.

I loved the way their relationship evolved. There was never a moment where I felt that what they had was cheap or meaningless. They both treated each other with respect from day one. He didn't see her as just a paycheck, and she didn't treat him as her personal property. And there was a total comfort between them that eased them into their attraction. Before they knew it, they were moving from a physical tutoring arrangement, to a fake dating relationship, to true intimacy and hopes for more.

Both were clinging to secrets that they felt would alter how the other felt about them. Big secrets. Insecurities would get in the way, and fears would have to be faced. Michael had to let go of his fear of turning into his father, and allowing himself to pursue his own path. Stella needed to love herself exactly as she was, challenges and all, and have the confidence that others could as well.

I can't finish the review without talking about Michael's relationship with his family. The ribbing between the siblings, and the honor and loyalty that centered around them all was beautiful. They were the absolute sweetest. I couldn't get enough of those scenes, especially the ones where they brought Stella into their fold and accepted her as one of their own. Michael's friend Kai will be getting his own story next in The Bride Test , coming January 2019! My anticipation is through the roof for more!

To sum up: It was delicious. I happily devoured the charm Hoang served up with a spoon, and left the table fully sated in romantic bliss. It was sexy, sassy, and everything I could hope for in a contemporary romance. Don't walk...RUN to pre-order this gem of a book.

I loved how we got a chance to delve into the minds of Stella and her view of the world. Michael was a conflicted man who truly loved his family. Stella hires him to teacher her better social and intimacy skills in order to find a man. As Stella gets more comfortable with Michael we see their relationship develop into more than just a business relationship. As we see their worlds collide several times they have to learn to trust each other and their love.


I enjoyed the look into the Vietnamese family life, I just wished for a glossary or something.

The Kiss Quotient is Helen Hoang’s debut novel, and she slays the heck out of it. I was hoping for a nice feel-good romantic comedy, but I feel like I won the lottery. This book is complete perfection—every single sentence.

I adored everything about Stella: the analytical way her mind works and all her little idiosyncrasies; her determination; her openness; and kind, gentle heart. I know virtually nothing about Asperger’s, so it amazed me to discover just how exhausting it is for Stella to try to appear normal in day-to-day social situations.

It would have been easy and cliché to portray Michael as a sleazy professional escort. I’m so glad the author didn’t go down that path. Instead, he is rather vulnerable and somewhat jaded, but completely devoted to his family. He is genuinely thoughtful and charming.

Being with Michael is surprisingly effortless for Stella. In spite of Stella’s awkwardness, Michael is completely taken with her quirky personality and candidness. Their student-teacher sessions are funny, warm, and wickedly sexy. The pacing of the plot is just right to make their growing attraction believable and allow time to explore how Stella copes with Asperger’s.

A wonderful cast of intriguing supporting characters adds even more dimension to this tender, multi-faceted story. I especially enjoyed Michael’s colorful large family.

Prepare yourself to swoon, laugh, and cheer over this spectacular romance. Be sure to read the author’s note at the end. It’s lovely.

<a href="https://booksofmyheart.net/2018/05/30/the-kiss-quotient-by-helen-hoang/" target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart</a>

Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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4.5 hearts

In spite of the unusual characters, <strong>The Kiss Quotient</strong> felt realistic. It was easy to drop into the character of Stella because she is so straight-forward. That bluntness may cause some awkward social situations or misunderstandings but you know what you get.  I love the math and science stuff so her enjoyment of it was completely believable to me.

Michael felt less authentic because of <spoiler>prostitution</spoiler>. His personal expectations of himself caused some of his trouble. However, he did not hold others to those nearly impossible standards, instead giving them compassion. His treatment of Stella and his mother shows so much integrity and responsibility.

Surprisingly, Stella and Michael are smoking hot! What begins as a intellectual quest for knowledge of sexual skills, becomes also an emotional explosion of erotica.  I loved them and the feels they gave me.

I'm excited to see it is the first in <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/218060-the-kiss-quotient" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em><strong>Kiss Quotient series</strong> </em></a>. though I am not sure what is next. I'll be watching for more!

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I really enjoyed this debut novel by Helen Hoang.   Stella was a delightful heroine who has just as much of a solid understanding of her strengths as she does of her shortcomings.  She is an accomplished professional who has mastered balancing her needs with the expectations of society as a whole.   Her confidence and willingness to communicate in a direct fashion to those around her, even when it related to her insecurities had me cheering for her from the first page.

Michael was a sweetheart of a man who seemed perfect for Stella from their very first meeting.  His patience and communication made him the perfect fit to guide Stella through her practice sessions.  While I didn't ever find myself really buying into Michael's dread of being compared to his father since we only ever experienced the concern through his memories, it didn't detract from the overall story.  I really enjoyed seeing Michael with his family as I felt it set the stage for what a caring individual he was.

You know who I wanted to throat punch throughout the book?  Well yes Phillip her creepy co-worker, but not just him.  I absolutely wanted to throttle Stella's mom.  Seriously, her approach to her daughter's love life drove me crazy.  I don't care whether or not Stella is autistic, pressuring your daughter to date because you want grandchildren is obnoxious.  I struggled to reconcile a woman who raised such a wonderful woman with the same woman who would also treat their daughter that way.

I am not in a position to weigh in on whether or not this book represented autism well due to my limited experience, but I will say one thing nagged at me.  Having Stella end up with a man whose cousin happened to be autistic as well seemed to smooth some situations over that would have required more work between the characters had that not been the case.  I felt like we missed seeing some elements of all of the characters involved by not having this negotiation take place on page.  Certainly Stella and Michael were both strong enough characters to pull this off based on the other serious topics that tackled.

All in all, The Kiss Quotient was a very enjoyable read that I am glad I had the opportunity to review.

Since she is 30 years old, Stella’s very wealthy parents feel it is time she finds a man, gets married, and has babies. Stella has Asperger’s which comes with a multitude of socially awkward behaviors and difficulties being around other people, and her parents feel it is their duty to get her past it. Stella is brilliant, loves her job as an economist and is extremely successful, but she knows she is letting down her mother, which means she’s not successful.

Michael has been a male escort for three years, doing what he can to help cover his uninsured mom’s medical bills. His attitude towards sex has become sardonic, although he still enjoys it. But he is well aware that people just use him. So meeting Stella, who is completely honest about herself and her intensions, is refreshing. Plus she hits all of his hot teacher fantasy buttons. He knows their interactions can be only business, but when she asks Michael to teach her how to enjoy sex and be her pretend boyfriend, Michael’s head may say no, but his heart doesn’t agree.

What do you say about a romance between a high-functioning autistic economist and a hard-working sexy male escort? The premise of The Kiss Quotient is unconventional but beautiful because these two seemingly opposites are perfect for one another in so many ways. Right from the start, there is an attraction and common interests, which helps, but it’s the way that they interact that brings them together. Michael honestly enjoys Stella’s quirks and oddness that most find off-putting. He is kind and gentle, but never views her as a charity case or someone who needs to be fixed. However, his own self-view is dark. Because of his father’s actions and words, Michael feels he will never be good enough for someone as wonderful as Stella.

Stella knows she doesn’t always fit in, but she’s learned many ways to compensate and deal with her perceived idiosyncrasies. By spending her time with Michael, she learns that she doesn’t have to hide or be embarrassed. She grows and learns to give up some of the fears that rule her life. Together, Stella and Michael are so adorable and sexy, which doesn’t seem possible when she is learning from him how to kiss and enjoy sex! But via Michael’s eyes, she’s lovely and desirable… And Stella’s world is so real. I feel her anxiety without it overwhelming the story. I feel his desire and honest affection.

In the end, I absolutely loved The Kiss Quotient. It was just one of those stories that touched me right from the start. I connected with both Stella and Michael, feeling both their fears and successes along side of each. Ms. Hoang’s storytelling is emotional and honest, leaving me utterly satisfied and hopeful.

My Rating: A+ Personal Favorite

You guys, this book! It was an absolute delight to read. If you're one of those reader snobs who thinks romance is just trash, and you look down on the genre's readers, then you are really missing out, and The Kiss Quotient proves it. This book was charming, funny, insightful, and I honestly enjoyed the entirety of it. It stems from an idea that sounds outrageous- the decision to hire an escort in order to practice and perfect sex skills- but you learn how valuable research and the predictability of math are to Stella, and it seems almost logical. Stella is a character who is on the autism spectrum, which is a perspective I haven't read too much about, and it helps to make a really interesting and unique take on the romance genre. Can't wait to get this book in other readers' hands!

Wow! I had some fellow blogging friends recommend this book but I was a little apprehensive as it seemed a little outside my normal reads. But I am just astonished how much I fell in love with and enjoyed the entire book. My only tiny criticism is that I think it moved a little slow in places. But the character development was outstanding. The gentleness of the romance that develops along with the growth of both characters is heartwarming and sweet. I can’t wait until more of my friends have read this.

Content Warnings - Questionable consent during sex, parental abandonment, depicts sex work and autism as shameful

There were some lovely things in The Kiss Quotient:
The way Hoang writes Michael's family; using their Vietnamese language, culture and food as a meeting point.
Stella's passion for econometrics, which she is excellent at and generous with.
And Michael's cousin, Quan, is a wonderful secondary character that I want an entire book about.

At the beginning, I was excited by the way Stella's experience of the world was written. I enjoyed that I could relate to her observations. But it slowly became apparent that the autism in The Kiss Quotient is simplistic and one-dimensional. Books don't need to be positive representation or a place to educate the reader, but I do think a book that's sold itself so boldly as an ownvoices book about a woman with Asperger's should have used its voice responsibly.



The story of The Kiss Quotient relies on the inherent belief that Autism is a weakness, a flaw, something to be ashamed of, something to be overcome. It made me feel uncomfortable, frustrated, and honestly... impatient for it to be over.



Besides that, the storyline often doesn't make sense. The premise of the book comes crashing down before it really begins: Michael and Stella's first night together is less "Ooh baby let me show you all my sexy sex tricks" and more "Oh damn, this woman's sex life so far has been severely traumatizing." Stella wasn't missing out on enjoying sex because of her autism; she was going on bad dates with horrible guys ending in terrible sex that she internalized and blamed herself for.



And then 30% into the book, Stella realizes that she can figure out sex with the right person (read: someone who treated her with basic human decency), so she makes a new plan: No more sex lessons. She just wants Michael to teach her how to be in a relationship. And then the rest of the book is just a fake relationship between two people who feel unworthy of each other because of their: autism, sex work, lack of fancy degrees, parent's criminal past, or because apparently making alterations at a tailor shop is not a respectable job. They find in each other a patience and interest in their passions that they never thought they'd find in someone else. This makes them feel like "Oh, fantastic, I can find someone to love me!" but it never addresses the fact that they have nothing to be ashamed of in the first place.



The story is told from both Stella and Michael's POV, and I really struggled to see Michael as a worthy love interest. From Michael's POV, Stella is depicted as a fulfillment of a fantasy, a porn-theme come to life. His actions read as strangely manipulative; it feels as if he's taking advantage of Stella's naivety and willingness to learn. He says all the right things about doing only what Stella is comfortable with, but then when they're in bed he's overruling all her initial plans and disregarding her opinions. Stella repeatedly reminds us of what she doesn't like, and she voices it to Michael. He hears her, sees her reaction, but tells Stella that she doesn't know what she likes. It's a lot of Michael convincing Stella she'll actually like it if he just does it one more time. Then when he does it again, she suddenly she likes it! --It feels so unnecessary and dangerous that Hoang created this situation to reward toxic behaviour and frame it as Love.



When I considered why Stella's character felt inauthentic and undeveloped for me, I began to question some practical things: Though she's insecure about her interactions, Stella has good conversations and engages well with people. But she has no mention of friends or even acquaintances. What did she do during her college years, or when she started at her job, or when she moved into her apartment? Why is her life so isolated?

When learning modifications for life with autism, you learn to build a trustworthy support system to confirm things like your judgment of someone else's tone or intention. In The Kiss Quotient, Stella is 30 and successful, but repeatedly making big life changes based on her most recent online findings. I just don't find it believable. In the Author's Note, Hoang says that she started therapy when she was diagnosed with Autism. Why is that not a part of Stella's life? Has she met other women with Autism? Who instilled this deep sense of insecurity about her Asperger's diagnosis? It's never addressed, so we're lead to believe this shame is totally suitable behavior.



Also in the Author's Note, Hoang explains the freedom she found when deciding to write a character with Autism, saying "Sometimes instead of confining you, a label can set you free." I found this comment particularly frustrating because The Kiss Quotient's heroine is confined by her diagnosis all the way through the book. There are some brief moments where it's clear the intention was to "free" Stella from the autistic traits she thinks of as burdens, but they are even more troubling for me.

She makes comments about overcoming them, or choosing not to give into them, consistently "forgetting" her routines when she's with Michael. Stella lets Michael see the parts of her that are different, and clearly states what she needs to accommodate for them, but she keeps the reason for it a secret. She believes that if she told Michael, "she'd become the girl with autism. She'd be... less." I'm fine with a character feeling that way about themselves if it makes sense; real life is complicated and humans are messy. But if you're gonna give me an HEA can you at least attempt to address or resolve the many loose-ended destructive comments about the disorder your heroine is living with? Or are you telling me the fact that she has a boyfriend now is the happy ending, and none of the insecurity of the label that is the premise of the story is relevant to her joy and wholeness as a person?



The Kiss Quotient felt like an ill-informed use of the Romance space to reinforce several stereotypes. I don't need the joy of seeing myself represented on a page if it comes at the price of a character that remains deeply ashamed to be the way I am. And I want a story of a woman discovering enjoyable sex, but not if it comes with the undercurrent of the hero forcing his own fantasies and desires onto her. It's 2018. We deserve better.



Two books that I would recommend instead:

For a hero with autism who falls in love and really lives and is totally badass and never ashamed of his neorodivergence: Carry The Ocean by Heidi Cullinan.

For a captivating I-hired-an-escort-and-paid-for-this-sex-every-friday-but-now-we're-falling-in-actual-feelings-aaah story that turns out suuuper romantic: Professional Distance by Silvia Violet

I dare you to read this book and not fall head over heels in love with these characters, their story, their struggles, and their romance. It’s just not possible…at least it wasn’t for me. Right away, I knew this book was special. The writing was amazing and the storyline captured my heart. These two characters were battling so much but, together, they would overcome. Of that I was sure. I just had to watch them grow, together and individually, and be patient as they found their way through the struggles they each faced.

These two had so much chemistry. They were unlikely as a pair, yet so absolutely perfect for each other. Michael, with his devotion to his large Vietnamese family and all that brings, his baggage, and his dreams, had me at hello. Seriously, he’s such a good guy – the kind you can trust and love forever. He’s swoony, and sweet, and so genuinely decent. Everyone needs a Michael in their lives. And Stella, living with Aspergers, is smart and successful but awkward when it comes to relationships and understanding others. Her desire to learn and move forward grabbed my heart. She’s just so darn compelling. Together, their journey is complex but, gosh, it’s so satisfying.

I’m trying very hard not to tell you everything about this book because I think you need to experience this story yourself. Trust me. There’s so much here to love! And, even though I just finished reading this book, I’m already excited to see what Ms. Hoang writes next. If it’s anything like Stella and Michael’s story, I know she will be a one-click author for me in the future. So, do yourself a favor and pick this book up as soon as it’s available. You can thank me later!

5 AMAZING STARS (THIS IS A MUST READ!!!)

The Kiss Quotient is a heartwarming,sexy,sweet and fun read!I fall in love with the characters and the plot!Everything is perfect and the writing is fantastic!I seriously didn't expect to like it so much!From the first pages I have a smile in my face!

I couldn't get enough of Stella and Michael!I love every minute of their relationship and I find the concept so brilliant!They are cute,funny and hot together!They have an amazing connection and I love their passion for each other!I couldn't imagine Stella with another man!Stella is amazing,so sweet and I love being in her mind!Such a unique and smart heroine!

If you are looking for a refreshing, sweet and beautiful story this is the best book!The Kiss Quotient is the book that will make you swoon all the time!It has amazing characters and the romance is so sweet,steamy and romantic!

This book was sweet, cute, and sexy. I'm not the biggest fan of third person pov's because I find it difficult to get into their heads or to just "feel" for the characters but it wasn't a problem for me in this book. The writing just flowed so well and both of the characters were great. Although this book was in third person, it still changed pov or rather the main character it was focusing on. This confused me a bit in the beginning but it was easy to adjust to.

I absolutely loved both of our main characters. Stella is just the sweetest and she's fiercely independent. She always wants to take other people into consideration but socializing is not her forte. A lot of people don't understand this about her so they don't really bother trying to get to know her. And she just turned thirty so her mom has been pressuring her to get a boyfriend and have kids but that's difficult for her so that's when Michael comes into the picture.

Michael is just the perfect man for Stella. I love how understanding and patient he is for her, especially in the bedroom. But outside, he treats her like any other woman should be treated. Even after he learned about her condition, he didn't treat her any differently but was just a bit more understanding.

We have a STEM heroine – she’s all about the stats and data and algorithms, oh my! – who also has autism. She’s horrible with people, and especially relationships, so she figures she needs to first improve her (according to her, non-existent) sex skills. Enter the hero, a biracial (Vietnamese/white) aspiring fashion designer who is currently working as an escort because his family needs the money. He works one night a week (Friday) and after a horrible ex-client who became obsessed, he doesn’t do repeat clients. Until Stella, that is. She wants to hire him for a few weeks to teach her everything, but it quickly turns into helping her with relationships, not sex, and there’s a period of time where they’re fake dating. Except it’s starting to feel far, far too real…


I truly enjoyed this one. But I will say the pacing was off for me. It was a very slow start – slow to care for the characters, slow to get things going (and no, I’m not just talking the sex, though that doesn’t show up until much later, despite him being an escort and the original set up). The middle of the book was by far my favorite, as I felt like I was starting to connect to both Stella and Michael. Plus they were so damn cute and sweet together during the fake dating/relationship practice. And hot--because when the sex is finally on the table, it’s pretty damn hot!

So the middle of the book was great and definitely made me the happiest. So many cute scenes and fun interactions – like Michael wrestling his one sister while Stella looks on, so confused by their dynamics there – that made me smile.

But the ending was a bit too quick to wrap things up and left me wanting more from these two and from their romance.

Even so, I would recommend this charming contemporary romance, and I will be keeping my eye out on whatever Helen Hoang has for us next.