I have loved Quan from the other books in this series and was so excited he was getting his own story. I really liked this book I want to make that abundantly clear. I wasn’t exactly prepared for how heartfelt the story was going to be though. This is definitely a lot deeper and probably truer to life than the other books of this series.

Quan has been through a pretty big experience over the last few years and it has changed the playboy into a man who is a little nervous to jump into bed with someone. He feels less than, like maybe his body isn’t what it once was and it sometimes doesn’t feel like his own. To rip the band aide off so to speak he decides to try out the dating apps he once used to find a quick hook up.

Anna on the other had is going through some pretty big things in her life. She had some fame due to a YouTube video going viral and it has sent her into this strange spiral where she can’t seem to finish a song anymore. It isn’t perfect enough, it isn’t emotional enough, it isn’t perfect and so she starts over. You can tell right away she is struggling with some pretty big issues right away; her therapist tells her she masks for others to make them comfortable.

***In these modern times, people are told that they have the right to say no anytime they want, for whatever reason they wish. We can let the nos rain from out lips like confetti.
But when it comes to my family, that word is not mine. I’m female. I’m youngest. I’m unremarkable. My opinion, my voice, has little to no value, and because of that, my place is to listen. My place is to respect.***

Then her ‘boyfriend’ wants to have an open relationship before they settle down, together. That is enough to push her out of her comfort zone to try to have a one-night stand to both practice being herself completely and see if she might enjoy sex.

It seems though that Anna and Quan are really having a hard time with the one-night stand thing. Both are a bit nervous and so they are easing in to the one-night stand. Which ends up feeling a lot like dating. Anna and Quan are so cute together. I love how patient he is with her and he is great at not rushing her. Anna gets to see how someone can like her true self with all her quirks and idiosyncrasies.

***Some people collect stamps, I collect quirks, stowing away secret traits about people in my mind like treasure. It makes people real to me, special.***

Anna didn’t know she was on the spectrum, she just thought she was weird and she tried so hard to just fit in. Always thinking about what to say to make the other people in her life happy, no matter what it did to her. She has always been so hard on herself but when she gets this diagnosis it speaks to her.

***No one should need a diagnosis in order to be compassionate to themselves.
But I did. Tough love doesn’t allow room for weakness, and though love is all I’ve known. Maybe for now I can experiment with a different kind of love. Something kinder***

This is really an empowering story. The road Anna has to travel to get better is long. Her issues will not be solved overnight and she has to work at them every day. There are set backs, there are break throughs and in her discoveries of how to be herself she hurts a few people. But it is a heroic journey none the less.

As a romance goes, I have to say Quan is “The Man” he is pretty steady, strong and patient through all of the stuff Anna is going through with her family, with herself and he doesn’t push and tries to remain positive and supportive. This book deals with a lot of issues.

- Having to care for a parent after a stroke and the emotional toll that takes on a family.
- Recovering from cancer and the emotional residue being sick can have on someone.
- Autism and learning how to live with it and love and take care of yourself.
- Family dynamics and dating someone who is not completely adored by your family at first.
- Finding a way to love yourself and all your imperfections.
- Briefly feelings of depression and suicide are discussed and getting help for those.

This is definitely the truest to life story of the bunch and for that it makes me love it. My heart went out to Anna for the struggles she was going through and rejoiced when she finally found her voice and stood up to the people in her life to be able to break patterns and become her own person. These characters will stay with me long after this story because they felt so real.

This book is not like its predecessors. It was an incredibly hard read. In Helen's authors note, she writes that this book is incredibly personal to her and it shows. If you read and loved The Kiss Quotient and The Bride Test, I have absolutely no doubts you will love The Heart Principle.

Hoang talks about late diagnosis for AFAB people, the struggle with ableism from family members, toxic familial relations, the burden of internal and external expectations, and caregiver burnout. I cried a fair amount during this book.

Hoang does a beautiful job writing the most swoon worthy romances and love stories while incorporating some of the cold harsh truths of reality. It truly is a feat to manage that balance.

All in all, I would absolutely recommend you pick up The Heart Principle (even if, by some great misfortune, you have not read The Kiss Quotient or The Bride Test)

Harlequin Junkie Top Pick!

The Heart Principle was Helen Hoang's own life spilled onto the pages of this quirky-cute novel that was filled with a wonderful depth of emotion, personal realizations, and many laughs and tears along the way.

I'm pretty much an emotional wreck–not in a bad way–after reading The Heart Principle. No joke, I think I cried through the most of the last quarter of the book over Anna's personal and familial struggles as well as Quan's. There were some very dark moments. But overall, this was a tender story that built and grew as it progressed, showing the resilience of both lead characters and their sweet, passionate connection. It was a relationship that took Quan and Anna completely by surprise, given that they only wanted a one-night stand, and it ended up changing both of their lives in astounding ways.

Like I mentioned, Helen Hoang stated in her Author's Note that much of Anna's struggles were her own. And it came across very clearly to me while reading–before I even knew how personal this was for Hoang. It was the details of Anna's anxiety; of her constant need to be "on" when around other people; of how exhausted dealing with people's emotions made her. I know some readers might not connect with Anna if they've never been through anxiety or depression before, but for those who have or who know someone well who has, this will deeply affect you.

There's a lot I can't/won't mention about Anna's and Quan's personal issues. Discovering the details is part of the reading process and the way Hoang laid it out was just right. I did like both characters right away. And I think having this from both of their POVs really allowed me see how well they fit together, and it kept me cheering them on even when one (or both) of them messed up. It took some major changes for Anna to figure herself out as a woman and as a member of her rather traditional Chinese-American family. So don't give up on her if you get frustrated by her actions or inactions. Anna *did* find her way. And that powerful ending showed the best of her and Quan's personalities, that's for sure.

An incredible story that will linger long after it's finished, and definitely inspirational in its own quiet way, The Heart Principle took my heart over by storm and never let go. Top Pick!!

Another adoringly wonderful addition to The Kiss Quotient series,

I have been hoping for Quan's story since The Bride Test, and I have not been disappointed

Anna goes to show that you never know what is hiding behind a smile. It looks like she has it all, with a successful career, a boyfriend and wonderful family,

But behind all that she is struggling, I can't tell you what a douchebag the boyfriend is, and how I hate, hate, hate nearly everything about her family - I had such visceral feelings whenever they were on the page and I wanted to reach into my reader and slap them stupid.

I mean, how could none of then have realised Anna's beautiful quirks were not more? From the first few pages I got that she was on the spectrum.

Enter tattooed, heartbreakingly wonderful Quan and Anna (and this reader) had no chance.

I love his patience, his loyalty, his love for his family.

I won't lie, I shed more than one tear as I was reading this story

Ms Hoang writes her stories from the heart. You can feel her on every page, and it makes her tales all the more lovable and believable.

I hope we get more of this series in the future

WOW! Another amazing novel by Helen Hoang! This one had me in tears, Anna is so damn inspiring. She makes me want to push myself too and overcome whatever struggles to authentically be myself. Anna and Quan's relationship was also so inspiring, and real! They trusted, loved, and supported each other throughout this novel and it was so beautiful. This book showed how messy love can be, it made me smile, cry, laugh, and squeal! Hehe! I loved it! I definitely recommend reading this!

Thanks so much to Berkley for this advanced copy of The Heart Principle (#3 in the Kiss Quotient series) by Helen Hoang. Out on 8/31! Romance readers know how effectively the genre is used as a vehicle to work through trauma, explore some of the most vulnerable parts of self discovery, and act as a template for healthy boundary setting. For me, Hoang is near the top of the list of authors who excel at writing honest, realistic, relatable characters. I finished this one several days ago and have been struggling to put into words how important this story is. The picture I shared in stories immediately after I finished of my tear stained face is probably the closest I’ll get to sharing my truest feelings, but I’ll try to find some words too.

Despite the heavier content, The Heart Principle is first and foremost, a romance novel and sexy, motorcycle riding, tattoo covered Quan, who has the toughest exterior but is actually the sweetest, is my new book boyfriend. I swooned over him, so hard. There is one part where he’s asking Anna about why she dresses so differently at home than she does in public and when she answers him he says (in the book he’s described as growling), “I’ll wear rainbows out with you. I don’t give a shit” and then promptly gives her an enormous hug. That’s his personality in a nutshell and I love it so much. He is so patient with Anna as she finds her footing in the dating scene unexpectedly after her longtime boyfriend asks for an open relationship. He is a steady presence for her even when she hasn’t given him much hope about a future for them. It is such a selfless love and it was so beautiful to read.

Anna is such a complex character and my favorite Hoang heroine to date. When the book opens she’s in a dark place and we get an intimate look into how she is processing, the work she does with her therapist, and ultimately how she handles her diagnosis. The scene is an epiphany for Anna and then a journey as she gets more comfortable with it herself before sharing it with others. There is so much self discovery in this story for Anna, as a daughter, sister, lover, and musician. Seeing her stand up for herself in an environment that would crush even the strongest of us was so cathartic but it was the response she ultimately got from her mother that pulled my heart inside out.

This book is about a lot of things. Hard things. Sad things. Beautiful things. It will touch anyone who has ever loved someone with depression. It may be especially hard for anyone who has ever had to care for a loved one at the end of their life and those who have survived cancer but were irrevocably changed from it. Unlike the first two books in the series, this one is written in first person. Hoang’s author’s note explains how personal this book is to her, calling it half memoir and how much of Anna’s struggles were her own. I cannot recommend this book enough but if you are someone who appreciates content warnings, approach with care.

This book!! I absolutely loved The Kiss Quotient and The Bride Test, but this one is on a whole new level. I wouldn’t even consider this a romcom, it’s so much more! There is romance, but the main character, Anna, is going through so much heartbreaking drama within herself and with her family.

Anna’s longtime boyfriend wants to have an open relationship, she is a part of the symphony and is struggling playing the violin after a video of her performing went viral, and her dad recently had a severe stroke that has left him bedridden where her and her family provide around the clock care for him. Anna has been seeing a therapist and was recently diagnosed with autism. She has to cope with the pressures of herself, her new diagnosis and the pressures of her family. She meets Quan online, a man who cares deeply about her, and the only person in her life that actually cares about what she wants and how she feels.

Toward through the POV’s of Anna and Quan, it’s a story about them finding love, but it’s also about Anna accepting who she is and what she wants truly matters. It’s such an emotional read that will pull at your heartstrings.

I highly recommend!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

5/5 stars

I’ve put off writing this review for over two months because I still don’t really know how to put my feelings about this book into adequate words. I was already a fan of Helen Hoang’s work and had devoured her past two books. I often use them in displays and recommend them to library patrons, but I just really wasn’t prepared for the personal and emotional toll of this book. I think the combination of the pandemic, me feeling burnout in so many areas of my own life, and having recently been diagnosed and learning more about my own neurodiversity earlier this year made me relate to Anna’s character in a way I just wasn’t prepared for. I think a lot of her experiences with family also hit harder because of similar experiences I’ve had with certain people in my own life.

This book was sweet but also had some pretty heart wrenching moments. There were a few times that I had to put the book down and take a break because things just felt too close to home and I needed a distraction to help me chill out before reading on. I’m so glad I read this though because finishing the book also left me feeling strangely cathartic. If Anna can make it so can I. Learning to say no and set boundaries with people can be a really challenging subject for a lot of people. Add things like anxiety and a brain that functions slightly differently than the average person and suddenly the pressure can make you feel like Atlas trying to hold up the world—one wrong move and not only do you disappoint yourself, but also everyone around you.

Anna is in a burnout rut. She works as a violinist at the Bay Area Orcestra, but is currently taking a leave of absense after a video of her went viral and a big name compaoser wrote a piece of music just of her. The problem is she can't get it right. Then her long term boyfriend decideds he wants to marry her but also wants to be in an open relaionship just in case and to make sure they are meant to be with each other. What does Anna do? She downloads dating apps in hopes to have a one night stand. But when she is matched with Quan, she finds something she had no idea she needed.

A book series can be one of two things....either really good to the point where you cannot wait for the next book to drop or just meh because the author is struggling to give the reader something new and not recycled in each of the following novels....and then there are series like The Kiss Quotient! It's a series that I share with friends because it was so well done and I loved what the author did with the each book and the characters who I've come to love.
The Heart Principle is not your typical romance novel. I honestly feel like this was truly a work of heart from Helen Hoang, yep pun intended! It is written in first person rather than third like the previous two novels of the series, and I actually prefer it this way This book will give you all the feels: hot, sad, sweet, heart warming, uncomfortable, and is so incredibly personal you'll see just why she chose to write it in first person.
Hoang doesn't shy away from uncomfortable topics in this romance. She covers death, love, family, caregivers, ASD, and writes with such honesty. While it is a love story at heart, the way she knits it all together is refreshing and addicting. You quickly become invested in her characters; therefore, it is a challenge to put this book down! The Heart Principle is my favorite of all three novels in this series. It was not your typical warm and fuzzy romance and Hoang ended this series with her best work to date.
When you come to the end and read Hoang's author notes grab some tissues for yourself because it all comes together and I can't imagine anyone getting through her notes without tearing up! They are quite possibly the most moving author notes I have ever read. Here brutal honesty when writing is refreshing and inspiring. I cannot recommend this book enough, but if you've somehow missed The Kiss Quotient...start there and enjoy the series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for my eARC
5 STARS

As with all of Helen Hoang's previous releases, The Heart Principle is full of unique characters and sizzling romance. I loved the story of Quan and Anna. They start with a beautiful friendship and it turns into so much more for both of them. There were some heavy topics in this book, but Hoang wrote them in such a heartfelt, gripping way, that it really worked for the story. It's more of a literary fiction than a romantic comedy, but regardless, its a wonderful story.

If you read and loved the other two books in the Kiss Quotient series,I have a feeling you will also love The Heart Principle! It's fun and super steamy and also covers serious topics in a way that totally draws you in.

After 5 years of dating, Anna's boyfriend tells her he thinks they should see other people for a bit... you know, like be in an open relationship. Anna isn't happy with this news, but as her usual agreeable self, she decides to go along with it and joins a dating site where she immediately meets a hottie named Quan. Anna is a violinist who's been having trouble playing (ever since a video of her went viral) and she's been seeing a therapist. When her therapist brings up a possible diagnosis to her, Anna wonders if this could hold the answers to so many questions she's had about herself over the years. If only her family could accept it, too.

This book is romance at its finest. The characters are likable and the kind you want to root for. And the steamy scenes are incredibly steamy- Hoang is a very talented writer! It's hard not to like both Anna and Quan and I loved that, while the book had a book focus on Anna, we got to see both of their perspectives. I also love that Hoang writes about females and the autism spectrum in a way that I don't think has really been seen before.

There were a few things that frustrated me about the book and didn't feel totally realistic, but overall, I enjoyed it!

I LOVED this book. I never wanted to put it down.

As the third in the series, this book focused on Anna, a violinist who is struggling with her music, but also with her life. She’s unable to say no, she gets stuck in repetitive cycles she can’t seem to break, and to top it all off, her boyfriend has decided that he wants an open relationship to explore what’s out there before settling down into a lifelong commitment. (I was ready to throw this guy out the window from the moment I met him.)

But then she meets Quan and despite his exterior bad-boy appearance, he turns out to be the kindest person who takes the time to get to know, understand, and care for Anna. And yet, despite their feelings for each other, Anna’s open relationship and her inability to say no to people threatens to destroy everything she cares about when it matters most.

I truly enjoyed this book. I loved seeing how the three books tied together (I didn’t entirely place it with the second one – oops!). My heart also goes out to Helen Hoang for managing to write a fictional piece that was also a partial memoir about her experiences being diagnosed with autism as an adult. A diagnosis 𝘤𝘢𝘯 make a huge difference.

After a video of Anna playing her violin goes viral, she enters a tailspin that renders her incapable of performing. Then, her boyfriend declares they should open up their relationship. Anna's righteous indignation drives her to a daring app where she meets Quan, a sweet, tattooed beefcake recovering from a health scare. Their repeated failures to pull off a one-night stand blossom into an adorable romance. However, Anna's demanding family, coupled with a medical catastrophe, put her under tremendous pressure. Her recent autism diagnosis helps her understand the damage she's suffered, but it will take all her determination plus Quan's gentle consideration to overcome it. There's also hot sex.

Never in a million years did I think I’d ever come across a book that would bring out some of my inner most thoughts. This novel is such a gift. Thank you Helen for writing a story that will stay with me forever. So much pain but there is always light.

The Heart Principle is the third book in the loosely interconnected Kiss Quotient series. All of which, to me, feel more like stories of empowerment and growth rather than romances.

CW: ableism, classism, anxiety & panic attacks, depression, cancer, suicidal ideation, masking, toxic family, burnout, caretaking

I didn't know how raw this was going to be when I first wanted to read this book. But after I read about the heavy topics that would be covered, I think I was more prepared for the story going in. The romance definitely felt like a subplot in this book and at times it was a difficult and emotional read.

Anna just wants to please the people around her and that she spends most of her life masking herself around other people. Her journey took her on some pretty dark and painful paths that ultimately helped her better understand and love herself. Her road to empowerment is not an easy one to read. Quan was a cinnamon roll that was so patient with Anna and her needs. I do wish that we had gotten to know more about him outside of his interactions and thoughts surrounding Anna.

The journey that The Heart Principle takes us on is intense and emotional. Helen Hoang is able to write with such vulnerability and honesty that I get lost in the characters she creates. The author's note at the end shows just how true this story is and why it wasn't a light-hearted romance read. I truly recommend checking out some other reviews if you want a more clear idea of what to expect from this!

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a wonderful new addition to Helen Hoang's ouvre—it retains her signature banter, chemistry, and sweet vulnerability, while adding layers of depth by exploring the process of grieving, drawing boundaries, and healing from burnout. What a triumph—I'll return to this book for years to come.

I have read and loved both of Helen Hoang's previous novels, but neither has left me with such profound feelings as The Heart Principle.

Anna broke my heart, I wanted to reach through my e-reader and hug her - sometimes shake her - and alleviate her anxiety, tell her it was going to be okay and ask her to stop masking her true self in order to please her family. It's only after the diagnosis from her therapist that you start to realize Anna's behavior and actions are really just a coping mechanism.

Quan, what can I say about Quan, other than he was an absolute angel. He is also filled with insecurities, after dealing with cancer, that have left him feeling inadequate, but his ready to take a chance on life again when he meets Anna.

Watching these two fall for and learn each other was beautiful to read. The way Quan treated and respected Anna made her realize she was worthy of so much love and it made me cry endlessly. Which is why when Anna broke Quan's heart I wanted to throw my e-reader at the wall, but the way they came back together was so honest and perfect that it made up for it. It also served as a catalyst for Anna to finally stand up for herself to her family.

I know some felt that there was too much sadness and grief in this story, but I liked that Anna was given in an opportunity to grieve and heal while being surrounded by Quan's love. It made their happy ending even more beautiful.

Anna and Quan's story broke my heart and then pieced it back together and their story is one that will stay with me for a long time.

Much of the publicity I’ve seen surrounding The Heart Principle has made sure to emphasize the face that this book is NOT a romantic comedy. And they’re right—it’s definitely not. I would even say that the romantic element takes a backseat to the personal journey that Anna goes on during the book. As a reader, you can tell that much of this other content – the autism diagnosis, the autistic burnout, the intense difficulties of being a caregiver to an aging and disabled parent – is highly personal to Helen Hoang. Even before I got to the author’s note at the end of the book, I knew that she had personally been through a lot of this. I imagine that this was either incredibly difficult or incredibly cathartic for her to write, or maybe even both. It’s written beautifully, and you are right there on the journey along with Anna.

However……. As a romance, it’s harder to figure out. Quan is absolutely lovely. He has this tough guy exterior, but is a total cinnamon roll. He’s been through some heavy shit himself and is still figuring out his life after it all. His brother is autistic, his cousin’s wife is autistic, so he knows what to do with Anna in terms of her autism. I loved their slow burn, and their sexy times were definitely sexy. But it’s hard to take this emotional journey along with them when there are these huge spans of time where nothing happens. To be fair, Anna is going through some intense burnout, and I completely, completely get losing huge chunks of time because of it. Lord knows that’s what the last year and a half have been like. But it just didn’t feel complete to me. I didn’t feel the gut punch that I have felt in some recent reads, and it’s hard to judge this alongside some of those, especially when y’all KNOW I’m pretty much specifically here for the romance. 3/5 on romance, 4/5 overall.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for the ARC in exchange for my thoughts.

I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish Anna and Quan’s story…and it was so worth it!!!

The Heart Principle was more than a love story about two lovers, but a story about the need to be loved by one’s family, and loving one’s self. It was beautiful.

You have to thank author Hoang for all that she spilled onto these pages.

Hoang is definitely an autobuy author for me.

Thank you Berkley Romance & NetGalley for the chance to read an advanced readers ebook copy. The Heart Principle was my most anticipated book of 2021!