Adorable as The Kiss Quotient, I loved this just as much. Helen Hoang can write incredibly believable, authentic characters that you're invested in from the beginning. I also love how steamy she writes love scenes. To me, this is crucial for a good romance.

WHAT DID I THINK OF THE BRIDE TEST?
The Bride Test by Helen Hoang is set in the same universe as The Kiss Quotient and it proves that Hoang is not just some flash in the pan author. Her talent is genuine. This story follows Esme and Khai. Esme is essentially a janitor working in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam supporting her daughter and mother. She’s basically a single mother. Anyways, one day she happens to receive this opportunity to go to America and seduce Khai, this one woman’s son because Khai’s mother seems to think he’ll never get married and be forever alone. So, Esme takes the opportunity (it is a bit more complex than that) and flies out to California and ends up living with Khai while also attending all the weddings with him and working in his mother’s restaurant. Now, Khai is autistic and only speaks English. He can understand Vietnamese though. Meanwhile, Esme only speaks Vietnamese and understands English, but she wants to learn, badly.

For Esme, this is a huge chance to change her life around. And well, she ends up falling hard for Khai. Except, he doesn’t seem to reciprocate her feelings. I can’t really say anything at all about rep. But, I will say, I loved this book. I thought Esme’s character was very well written and so admirable. Her drive to obtain an education and make something of herself was so cool to read. I really rooted for her. And then Khai, I rooted for him as well. He makes some pretty big realizations. I think if you like character driven, you will for sure like The Bride Test. Also, definitely would recommend both books via audio.

HOW’S THE NARRATION?
The audiobook of The Bride Test is narrated by Emily Woo Zeller. I am kind of neutral with her narration. There’s some books that she’s narrated that I love and some that I could take or leave. Blessedly, The Bride Test is a book that I loved. Granted, again, this is an audiobook that I listened to at 2x speed, because I think Zeller’s narration tends to be really slow. However, it was worth the listen. I think I liked this as much as I enjoyed listening to The Kiss Quotient. The audiobook is ten hours long. It’s very compelling and honestly Zeller does a superb job bringing the story to life. Plus, it was good to listen to because I was questioning how to pronounce things in the book and it was awesome to know how they should be pronounced.

I found the overall experience of reading this book to be enjoyable, with both plot and character elements that unfolded nicely and with forward momentum. While not the best book I have ever read, I would pass this title along to other readers and librarians.

‘Nothing gets to you. It’s like your heart is made of stone.’

I always find it a little bit stressful to read the sequel of a book I loved, because there’s so much pressure: what if the sequel isn’t as good at the first book? Or what if it blows the first book out of the water and makes me rethink my entire rating system?! Because of that, it’s pretty common for me to stall a bit when picking up a sequel, which is what happened with The Bride Test. I read the first 2 chapters, put it down for 2 weeks, and then read the rest of the book in one sitting. Go figure.

But something inside of him loosened, and he didn’t mind so much the way she said his name now.
Unfortunately, I did not love The Bride Test as much as I loved The Kiss Quotient, but it’s still absolutely worth reading! Much like in TKQ, we’ve got a somewhat slow-burning romance between two people whose sexual chemistry is off the charts, but who can’t communicate well enough to get past themselves and make it work. It’s a blessing and a curse, because I love a good slow-burn romance, but sometimes these characters made me want to scream.

She would do anything for this little one. Except give her up.
Khai’s brilliant and amusing, but his stubbornness became a little cruel sometimes. Esme, I loved endlessly—her wit, her determination, her intelligence, and the way she owned her sexuality—with my only complaint being that I genuinely couldn’t imagine living with someone for weeks and never once letting them know I have a child. As a mom, there were details to that whole scenario that were so frustrating, but they were a little easier to overlook only because the logical side of me knew she was doing it for Jade’s own well-being in the long run.

What a difference an ocean made.
Sigh. I feel like this review’s a bit of a mess; while I genuinely did enjoy The Bride Test so much, putting my thoughts down on paper has me seriously considering all of the things I was disappointed by. I will give a caveat that the last 1/3 or so of this book is practically flawless and made me cry happy tears, but the more of this review I’m writing, the less I can justify anything above a 4-star rating. I’m very excited for the third book and I can’t wait to spend more time with Quan, and I loved a lot of things about this book, but I’m a little bit worried nothing will be able to trump TKQ for me.

All quotes come from an advance copy and may not match the final release. Thank you so much to Berkley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I struggled with "The Bride Test" in the same way that I struggled with "The Kiss Quotient." I found myself skimming much of the book, as I did with TKQ, and in the end I found that I didn't particularly care about most of the characters. However, Hoang is definitely a writer that I will recommend for those who are interested in contemporary romances.

I really loved The Kiss Quotient so I was beyond excited to read this. And I think I may have loved this even more. Esme and Kai were so cute together. I loved seeing Kai go from reluctantly allowing Esme to live with him to full on school boy crushing. Like TKQ, I adored the representation in this!

Hoang’s second book in her Kiss Quotient series involves the efforts of an autistic man’s family to find him a wife. The main character is a cousin to one of the central characters in the first book. Khai is a successful businessman who’s good with numbers but not with relationships. His mother is so determined to find a girl for him that she travels to the country of her birth, Vietnam, to find the right candidate. Esme is a poor, mixed race girl who has a menial job so she jumps at the chance to go to America and meet a potential husband.

Khai is convinced he is incapable of love or any deep feelings and is a reluctant participant in his mother’s potential bride project. Comparisons to the Rosie Project will be made, but this has more sensuality to it than Simsion’s book. Khai is lucky to have a worldly brother who helps him out on the romantic front. But changing Khai’s mind is another thing.

Esme is hopeful she can woo Khai but his reservations may be too much to overcome. There is humor in the family’s efforts to help Khai in his romantic exploits and in Khai’s bumbling attempts to have any type of relationship.

Readers will fall for Esme, the hardworking girl and Khai, the geek who is impervious to emotion (or so he says.) Hoang has found the right formula for a romantic story of two people who are learning what the other wants while clinging to their own personal expectations. A light romp that’s sure to please.

A desperate mother tempts a young Vietnamese woman with the opportunity of a lifetime—three months in America and a potential husband, in Helen Hoang’s THE BRIDE TEST.

Once again, Hoang weaves a poignant, layered romance with well-drawn characters you can’t help but fall for.

We meet Esme Tran, a hard-working hotel maid who dreams of a better life for herself and her young daughter. The opportunity comes along in an unexpected offer from a wealthy American woman, who searches for a good match for her son, Khai. Esme is initially shocked and horrified at the offer, but after a push from her own mother, she realizes this may be the only chance she gets to forge a different future.

Despite her determination to do whatever it takes to seduce Khai, nothing goes as planned. Khai is curt, closed off, and not interested in a relationship, much less a marriage. His autism means he isn’t always aware of people’s feelings, he often doesn’t process the world—and those around him—correctly. He longs for a solitary life, guided by his own rules and structure.

Khai and Esme collide in a storm of misunderstandings, awkwardness, anger and hurt, but somewhere along the way, they connect in a way that’s very real. Soon, Khai finds he becomes accustomed to Esme, with feelings he finds difficult to understand. Esme, in turn, realizes she’s fallen in love. But what would Khai think if he knew that truth of her circumstances—that she was a poor, uneducated maid with a 5-year-old daughter?

It’s a beautiful thing to see them come together, to see them fall in love, but also to see how their individual stories evolved. Past trauma has made Khai feel like he can never love, and Esme struggles with self-worth as she experiences both hope and heartbreak in reaching for her dreams.

I love this book for its realness, for both the humor and emotion it evokes, for the nuanced characters and the clever writing. Hoang continues to impart the kind of stories that are important to tell, the kind of stories we yearn to hear.

Charming, tender and witty—a refreshing romance that hits all the right notes.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this title. THE BRIDE TEST was a fun and fast-paced read, more of a romance than I had realized it would be based on a review I'd seen elsewhere. Thus, a predictable format and outcome, but the interesting characters - particularly Khai, who is on the spectrum and struggles in relationships - make this an enjoyable and pretty charming book for summer reading. 3.5 - 4 stars.

I loved this book! It's so great to see not only a diverse character, but an #ownvoices character. And I love that the characters are intertwined with Hoang's other book (which was also great).

Last year, I read Hoang's much-hyped debut, The Kiss Quotient. Though it was way too steamy for me, I enjoyed it overall. When I read that the Michael's cousin Khai, was getting his own book, I couldn't wait to read it. He thinks he's defective and has no feelings, but his family knows he just processes things differently. It's always kept him from pursuing a romantic relationship, so his meddling mom returns to Vietnam to find him a bride. The bride, Esme, has her own complicated reasons for giving an arranged marriage a try, and I really felt for her. The couple slowly won me over, and I was charmed by them in the end.

Though it wasn't quite as steamy as TKQ, it's still too much for my taste. But I knew to expect that and just moved right on. The heart of the story was wonderful! I was annoyed by one thing that was kept secret for too long (and had an anticlimactic reveal), but it was a fun read overall. I liked seeing how Khai's autism manifested itself and loved Esme's journey as an immigrant. Hoang's letter at the end of the book made Esme's story even more meaningful, and I'm so glad it was included. I'm happy to say that I So Enjoyed It and am looking forward to Quan's book.

I really enjoyed The Bride Test! It had lots of drama and romance, and just the perfect amount of angst, I think. Having of the characters be autistic really opened up my eyes to what their minds go through. I look forward to more books by Helen Hoang!

I really like Helen Hoang’s style of writing. It’s engaging and fun while remaining meaningful. I don’t feel like I’m reading fluff but instead real characters. Once again the Bride Test is a great book full of diversity that makes my heart sing. Great follow up to the Kiss Quotient.

The Bride Test by Helen Hoang. Good beach read. Interesting characters.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sweet Cinderella tale with the added drama of a young man with asperger syndrome and an immigrant prospective bride.

I’ve been looking forward to this book since the minute I finished The Kiss Quotient. Helen Hoang’s debut novel blew me away and I knew right away that she was something special. That book continues to top the charts as one of my favorites. I eagerly awaited the release of The Bride Test; I couldn’t wait to read it. And then life got in the way, and here we are exactly a month after it’s release and I’ve finally finished it.

But you know what they say – good things come to those who wait. The Bride Test was just as lovely as I expected it to be. It had all of the charm, charisma, sweetness and steam that I loved about the first book and infused it all in a totally new way.

I really enjoyed Esme’s character. She was very flawed and didn’t always make the best choices, but she was also trying to navigate her way through a completely foreign country entirely alone. I admired her courage and work ethic, and really enjoyed getting to experience her journey with her. I cannot imagine what the experience of immigrating must be like.

And then there’s Khai. Also a very complex character, though I hesitate to use the word flawed with him. Khai is on the autism spectrum and learning about the way his brain works and processes things differently made it difficult to know what was “normal” for him, and what was something tied solely to his past traumas. I loved him so much though, and regardless of the root of any of his roadblocks, I really enjoyed watching him overcome them.

Both The Kiss Quotient and The Bride Test are just beautiful books. And while I think it will be very hard to ever top the first book for me, I cannot recommend either of these books highly enough. Do yourself a favor, and read these books if you have not. You will fall head over heels in love.

I read it almost as soon as I got the arc, which is pretty rare for me. 🤣 But I couldn’t wait! I had been eagerly anticipating the book since it was announced and, once again, Helen Hoang did not disappoint.

The Bride Test is an emotional journey with real, flawed characters. The romance is unconventional and slow-building, which allows readers to get to know every aspect of Khai and Esme’s characters, that are unlike anyone you’ll meet in mainstream romances.
This book is unique. It’s thought-provoking. It’s complicated. It’s about romance but it’s also a journey of self-discovery for both characters.
If you’re in the mood for a book that’ll tug on your heartstrings that will ultimately leave you perfectly satisfied, I highly recommend adding The Bride Test to your TBR list!

Summary: GO BUY THIS BOOK NOW. Now, now, now. Why are you still here? This is the most readable, funny, heartfelt, amazing romance you’re going to read this summer. And if you haven’t read the other book, THE KISS QUOTIENT yet, buy it too. Immediately. You may recall my feelings for THE KISS QUOTIENT (read Hellie's review)--basically the book was a unicorn, a beautiful magical unicorn. This book is the unicorn’s magical beautiful baby.

This is the book blurb, which I’m going to quote entirely: “Khai Diep has no feelings. Well,not big, important feelings like grief. And love. He thinks he’s defective. His family knows better--that his autism means he just processes emotions differently. When he steadfastly avoids relationships, his mother takes matters into her own hands and returns to Vietnam to find him the perfect bride.

“As a mixed-girl living in the slums of Ho Chi Minh City, Esme Tran has always felt out of place. When the opportunity arises to come to America and meet a potential husband, she can’t turn it down, thinking this could be the break her family needs. Seducing Khai, however, doesn’t go as planned. Her lessons in love work...but only on herself.

“With Esme’s time in the United States dwindling, Khai is forced to understand he’s been wrong all along. And there’s more than one way to love.”

I cannot decide which character I love more. I really cannot. Khai, who is a little damaged but a lot whole, who loves his family--though he’d never call it that--and who performs acts of service for those he cares for. He’s a little rough around the edges; he likes what he likes as he likes them (who doesn’t?). Esme is the ultimate heroine to root for: she’s brave, she’s smart, she’s willing to do what it takes to succeed and have the best life for herself and her family. All through this story I was rooting for Khai to figure out he loved Esme so he could save her, keep her in America, and have a happily ever after--but the author did so much better than that. I would say more--I would say everything--but I want you to read it and love it yourself. This book is everything that is right about romance novels and how they empower women and how they show the different ways we love--and how all those ways are valid and perfect.

Already--this book is barely out--I am looking forward to Helen Hoang’s next book. I hope it’s Khai’s brother, Quan. He’s a riot and he’s smart. But I will read whatever Helen puts out next: her writing bursts off the page and keeps you engaged until the end. I received this book in February--and I had other books that needed to be reviewed first--and I read this one first, in one day, and wanted to read it again. I think you’re going to do the same.

Hellie for The Romance Dish
5 Stars / Top Dish Review

Khai and Esme stole my heart. Helen Hoang excels at writing romances that are heartfelt, poignant, and so real. The situations and circumstances her characters find themselves in are like a study of the human condition. I must admit, I love that a lot.

Although their uncharacteristic meeting was a bit OTT, I loved how these two related to one another. Khai’s mom cracked me up. Her meddling was priceless.

Here’s what I loved:
The real and honest representation of autism in romance was a great experience. I enjoyed seeing the world through Khai’s eyes. His longing for Esme, but restrictions in how he related to others was very interesting and entertaining.

Esme is sweet, tenacious, and caring.
The social norms and expectations that were presented kept me engaged
The writing is clear, crisp, and conscise.

While I enjoyed this story IMMENSELY, I must admit that Esme constant needs to be something she wasn’t rub me the wrong way. I totally get it. I do! But my personal preference to read heroines who are strong, self assured, and know their self worth are my faves.

Overall, this was a spectacular read!

Helen Hoang is a show-off and a romance genius and we are so lucky she keeps giving us stories. THE KISS QUOTIENT was a big act to follow, and THE BRIDE TEST does not disappoint. Her characters are both a quirky, sexy mess, and I spent the whole book wanting to give them both a cookie and some advice.