The experience of autism from the male perspective (a more documented POV) wasn't the draw for this book so much as that of Esme's immigrant experience. However, Kai's way of relating his emotional coping skills, and character growth as he comes to recognize that's what they are, still build sympathy for a character who is understandably harder to connect with. The story's assorted relationships - between brothers, mothers and daughters, prospective in-laws, and, of course, the romance that develops between the main characters - are well done and engaging. I also enjoyed seeing more of Kai's and Michael's (from the Kiss Quotient) family and liked how the search for Esme's dad turned out (I briefly feared her dad would turn out to be Michael's philandering father, but happily that wasn't a plot twist).

This book feels like a cross between Crazy Rich Asians and The Kiss Quotient. It's fun to revisit some of the characters from Ms. Hoang's first book, though I felt like some aspects of this book were a little repetitive given the same focus on a character on the Autism spectrum. Nevertheless, I rooted for the characters and hoped they would find their way to each other by the end.

I very much enjoyed this companion to The Kiss Quotient. Although it's the same family, though, this book stands entirely alone. I confess to enjoying this one a little less than the the original. But once I read the author's note at the end, I was a total convert. I really appreciate the efforts that the author put into accurate cultural depictions, especially when it could have just been a fluffy romance.

I really loved Helen Hoang's The Kiss Quotient, and was very excited to read The Bride Test. I was not disappointed in this book! This book stars Khai, Michael's cousin from The Kiss Quotient. Khai is a truly lovable character that doesn't ever see himself capable of any emotions, but we seem him express those emotions throughout the book proving that he is just as strong a human as any other character, autistic or not. I really loved Esme's character as well. Her story was super intriguing and the way the characters interact was phenomenal. I felt heartbreak, and it made me swoon. Helen Hoang is a remarkable author, and I cannot wait for Vy and Quan's story to come out!

Amazingly, this was even better than The Kiss Quotient. I enjoyed so much learning both of these characters' stories. Getting Khai's inner monologue to understand better where he was coming from was very interesting. I also loved the agency that Esme had and her determination to succeed in the US. I wish we had gotten a bit more of Michael and Stella in this book.

My/Esmeralda is a poor Vietnamese single mom scrubbing toilets to earn a living. Khai is a son of Vietnamese immigrants who is on the autism spectrum. Khai’s mom brings My/Esmeralda to California for the summer because she wants her son to have a good, caring, and devoted life. Esmeralda agrees to provide a better life for her daughter. Like in Kiss Quotient, the neurotypical has to help the neurodivergent understand the back-and-forth of what it means to be in a relationship. However, with Esmeralda and Khai, it’s all about the emotions rather than the sex (although Khai is a virgin). In the end of course, all is well and happy, but the journey Esmeralda and Khai take is nothing I’ve seen done in any other romance novel!

The Bride Test is NOT a sequel to The Kiss Quotient. It can definitely be read without or without TKQ.

Like TKQ, the romance is fresh, the sex is tender, the neurodivergent rep is fantastic, and there is a happy ending. Helen Hoang has written another delightful romance that will charm the pants off (wink, wink, nudge, nudge) Millennial readers.

Such a fun book. I loved it as much as I loved her first book. The characters were wonderful, the sexual tension was great, and the story was enjoyable.

An engaging story that made me stay up late to finish reading it in one sitting!

Bringing more representation to the contemporary romance genre, it was so refreshing to read a story of finding love with classic romcom tropes of misunderstandings, and meddling mothers through the lens of the immigrant experience, and the perspective of neurodiverse characters. Funny, warm & quirky, and heartwarming all at once, The Bride Test is a book you can devour quickly and feel good about afterwards.

Helen Hoang has become a go-to romance author for me. I've only read two of her books (because she's only written two) but I enjoyed them so much I can never wait for her next. I love the inclusivity, how she writes characters with Aspergers and Autism, and how she doesn't make a big deal about it - so much so that you forget the characters have it because they are regular people.

I enjoyed this boko as much as I liked the Kiss Quotient, in a way where the plots weren't the same in any way but they felt so similar. I also really loved the cameo in this. It made me so happy.

Anywho read this book when it comes out. Okay thanks.

A fun, light romance. I can't personally speak to the accuracy of the representation of the hero, who is on the autism spectrum, but I do know I am really pleased to read inclusive romance! And I loved that Esme, the heroine, was a poor single mother determined to make her own way. That set up a great dynamic between her and Khai.

This is easily a 5-star book. I first found Helen Hoang through the Bookish First website, and I fell in love with the The Kiss Quotient. It was unique and honestly one of my favorite romances that I have read. When I first heard about The Bride Test, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. I didn't even read the blurb. I just knew that Helen Hoang was a new one-click author for me. Needless to say, when I got the opportunity via NetGalley to read The Bride Test I jumped at the chance.

The Bride Test brings some lovable characters from The Kiss Quotient and puts them into a new perspective. This book features Khai Diep, a character we briefly met in her last novel. Khai is such a well-written character, and I just loved Esme as well. Both Esme & Khai are well developed, and the chemistry was exciting and fun. What I love about Helen's books is that they feature characters with autism, but it doesn't define them. She puts so much thought and love into her books that it's hard to read a book after it.

The plot was kept me fascinated, and it was unique to me. I loved the cultural aspects present in this book, and I liked how it all played out.

This book is probably going to be one of my top books of the year, and it is one of my favorites that I have read.

This book, while a nice romance, is great book about female empowerment. Following
Esme is a joy as she finds her true wroth. I look forward to more books by this author.

Although this is technically a romance, the joy of this story is watching Esme, an unusual heroine readers who can't help but root for, embrace her independence and self-worth.

I had high expectations for this book since The Kiss Quotient is my favorite romance book, and honestly made me fall in love with the genre. I am happy to say that The Bride Test met and even surpassed my dreams for this companion sequel! This is a slow burn romance that shows its strong characters finding themselves as they also sweetly fall in love.

Khai is autistic and doesn't think he can love so his mother sets him up with a potential bride from Vietnam who names herself Esme as she comes to America. I loved both of these characters so much and really enjoyed how the story was told in their dual POV. I especially loved how Esme was a strong role model and worked hard to take advantage of opportunities in America to try to make a better life for herself and her daughter. I love how the author lets her characters have other goals and supportive, complex family lives that parallel the romantic aspects of the story. This is now my favorite romance to beat for 2019 and ties with The Kiss Quotient for my fav adult romance of all time.

This was another great romance by Helen Hoang. She’s going to be an auto-buy author for me, since I heard she just got a five-book contract.

Much like Hoang’s first book, this is a story set within the same Vietnamese-American family as her first novel, and also like her first novel, it features a character with Autism. It was really fun spending time with this family and the heroine Esme, who has come from Vietnam as a potential bride for Khai. Esme was a compelling character, and I was really rooting for her to have an opportunity to improve her life to better care for her daughter, mom and grandmother. Khai is also a great character, and it is wonder to watch him come to love Esme.

While the romance is good (and hot) there are so many great little moments that linger with me that show Hoang’s talent as a writer. Esme is such a hard working character who always moves forward, despite every challenge and setback. And Khai is so caring, despite the fact that he thinks he does not have emotions. These are two characters you won’t quickly forget.

Since I’m reviewing this book before it has been published, you may have guessed that I got a free copy of the book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. It’s a blessing and a curse, because now I’ll have longer to wait for the next book to be published.

Helen Hoang, the author of the Kiss Quotient and now the Bride Test, has written a wonderful romance story of a Vietnam woman who is asked by a mother to marry her “autistic” son in American. With courage and sheer strength Esmeralda leaves her child and family to convince this man to marry her. Esmeralda wants more for herself and her family and this man may be the only way she can do it.

With humor and hot romantic scenes, the story comes to life and each character touches your heart. I fully enjoyed The Bride Test and Helen Hoang has become one of my favorite authors. Also, I would take the time to read her acknowledgement at the end of the book. It gives the story personal and more meaningful.

Thank you random house and Netgalley for this advanced copy.

4.75 stars!

This book was everything that I needed! Helen has done it again. I absolutely adore this story. The characters are so fleshed out, the diversity and representation is phenomenal, the cultural aspects are so intriguing, and we had a cameo from Stella and Michael!
I cannot wait to read a finished copy of this book. Helen has written another fantastic book! I can’t wait to read what she has next 😍!

I. Loved. This. Book. So. Much!! The main characters were so engaging and I loved their stories. I liked the sex discussion between Khai and his two guy friends and how one of his friends just casually had a couple books on sex he was able to lend him. Also, I adored Esme, but I appreciated her character more after reading the author's note that Esme wasn't even supposed to be the main love interest in this story but after talking to her mom about the poverty she experienced growing up in rural Vietnam, Hoang knew Esme deserved more.

A mesmerizing book about love, hardship, the immigrant experience and autism.
The most unusual and interesting book I've read in a long time. The beauty of family ties mixes with a rare love story.
It was too good to put down. I devoured it. Highly recommended.

I didn't intend to read this right away, but I couldn't help myself. This book, like THE KISS QUOTIENT, features a neurodiverse main character entering a relationship. This time, the character is male, the partner is a girl his mother has flown in from Vietnam to be his wife - should they hit it off, they'll marry at the end of the summer. Esme is the lady in question, has plenty of secrets of her own, and is trying to navigate this relationship opportunity as a way toward a better life for her family in Vietnam, learn English, and maybe find her biological father. It is a fast, enjoyable read. It isn't quite as sex-filled as THE KISS QUOTIENT, which may or may not be what the reader is looking for. The ending is tied up nicely and a little fantastically, basically what you look for in a fairy-tale type romance.