4.5 STARS

Romance lovers, rejoice! This book is for you. Helen Hoang has hit all the high notes with this surprisingly profound contemporary novel.

Anna is a brilliant violinist who has become crippled with anxiety and obsessive behaviors. She can no longer play her music without stopping and repetitively restarting songs. Her therapist diagnoses her as being on the spectrum, a not uncommon diagnosis for adult autistic women who have learned to "mask" their behaviors their entire lives in order to get along in society. The efforts Anna has made just to get along with her boyfriend Julian, her strict family and especially with her older sister, the over-achieving Priscilla, have led her to emotional exhaustion.

"I don’t like lying. I do it all the time, though. The harmless little lies that make people feel nice. They’re essential for getting along in society."

When Julian decides that they should both see other people, Anna decides the best way to fill the void is to go on a series of dates with men she meets on a dating app. What would be the harm in a no-strings-attached one-night stand? She just doesn't want to connect on a deeper level with anyone else.

Enter Quan, who has the same idea, too. Except that he didn't count on the quirky, brilliant and kind Anna, who accepts him as he is. I loved their VERY steamy scenes together!! Quan's cousin and best friend is Michael from 'The Kiss Quotient' but this book completely and 100% stands on its own.

This book is written in the first person, unlike Ms. Hoang's previous books. A poignant author's note explains why. The exploration of adult autism is very well done and very insightful. Not only can Anna never say no to her family or to Julian, every social gathering is painful, like a simple family party that is almost unbearable for Anna: "I shake hands with unfamiliar people and hug familiar ones. I make small talk, pushing my brain to its limits as I follow the conversations with careful attention, reason through what I think people want to hear as quickly as I possibly can, and then say it with the correct delivery, which involves facial expressions, voice modulation, and hand motions. I’m a marionette, hyperaware of all the strings I need to pull in order to give a convincing performance."

Anna's late introduction to therapy completely changes her life and while she still struggles, the way Quan supports her is amazing. If you are looking for an adult contemporary with depth and realistic, unconventional characters, then 'The Heart Principle' is for you!

"It’s me, Anna. There’s something I need to say."

(Thanks to the publisher for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.)

Again with some of my favorites of the year! But am I shocked that a Helen Hoang makes the list? Absolutely not, she's a must buy author.

Hot Takes
- This is not as heavy of Kiss Quotient and Bride Test, but this book packs a punch. Like it gets you in the gut while making you swoon. Please check content warnings before reading, because there's many.
- Every time Michael and Stella made an appearance, I had to clutch my heart.
- A huge part of this book was about trusting yourself and having a partner that values your trust in yourself and it was such an amazing thing to read. Quan was definitely a badass with a heart and the value he put on Anna trusting herself was so beautiful.
This book was a love letter to caregivers. Hoang's author's note was so personal and beautiful and her rep of the difficulties of caregiving were spot on.
- Helen Hoang's representation of neurodiversity is always so well done and this one takes the cake. It came as no surprise that she mentioned this book was most personal to her because you could feel her heart and soul throughout.
- The ending of this was SO different than a typical romance HEA (which it was) and I was really refreshed for something a bit different.

Read If You Like
- REPRESENTATION IN YOUR ROMANCE
- Meet Me In Paradise, for romance but with a heavy dose of family love and grief.
- Tattooed men who have the biggest hearts in the world.
- If you're a musician, Anna is a violinist and since I too play, I loved that aspect.

This book hit me like a truck. It was so carefully, honestly written - the emotional vulnerability made it difficult to read. Even more so when you realize that Anna's story in this book is the author's. The emotions within are very real and very difficult. I'm grateful that, upon receiving this arc, there was a note from a publicist regarding the heavy content in this book, and stressing that The Heart Principle is not The Kiss Quotient or The Bride Test.

I loved this book, and I love how Helen always writes so honestly. She puts a piece of herself in each of her books and the experience is so visceral for me as a reader. Just like her previous books, The Heart Principle includes a sweet romance that allows the protagonist to really love and appreciate herself, experiencing self acceptance in a way she was never allowed to before because or the complicated aspects of her identity. She found self love, and learned not to be the doormat she was raised to be. And then she goes through a series of traumatizing events that tests her will, and despite the obstacles she faces, her immense pain, and her trips and falls, she makes it out the other end. It is a terribly emotional part of the book that you can't help but relate to in some aspect, even if Anna's experience isn't your own. And all through it, the love interest, Quan, is also learning to love himself again after his own difficult experiences that left him feeling damaged.

This was a great novel. Hoang didn't disappoint. I wish there was a little more exploration and deep diving, but I also respect how emotional of an experiencing writing this book must've been for Hoang, so I'm not hung up on it at all. It is honest, and that's what matters. Also (and this is unimportant), we did get to see Michael, Stella, and Khai from the previous novels, but it would've been nice to get an update about Esme and Jade. Obviously this isn't significant and isn't a deal breaker by any means. Just a thought I had while reading!

This book packs a big emotional punch. Just a heads up. But it’s definitely worth it.

I’m a little bit speechless thinking about this book. The raw emotional strain that Helen Hoang writes on every page. It’s so gripping and intense because you can see how personal it is to the author. I don’t think there’s anyway that you can write something like The Heart Principle and not have gone through something similar.

The Heart Principle goes deep into the heart of Anna and it left me gutted, and hopeful, and teary and wistful. It was one of the most real experiences I’ve had with a character in a really long time.

I loved all of the truth in Anna and Quan’s relationship. The intimacy between them was so beautiful. The patience and communication and vulnerability of that level isn’t often seen in romance books and it was so wonderful. Wonderful isn’t a strong enough word for it, but I’ll leave it there for now.

I loved this book and commend Helen Hoang for doing us all the honor of writing her heart down for the world to see. It’s dark at times, but the way that hope and love prevail in the end makes it a brilliant read.

Thank you Berkley for the ARC, review is my own.

I love how she continued these books. Seriously so much fun and such an enjoyable read. Helen Hoang is amazing.

Hoo, baby! This is by far my favorite book of hers so far. I think that because it was so personal to Helen, the honesty in how Anna was feeling throughout the book felt pretty raw, which I really connected to. The romance is hot, and Quan is wonderful, but her relationship to her family was exactly what the story needed. Sometimes home doesn't feel like home, and the people you are permanently connected to are the ones causing the most distress. The acknowledgement that the healing process is a rollercoaster was also highly appreciated. This was so good. I'll absolutely be recommending this.

Wow - what a great read! Anna was such an interesting main character, and her own journey of self-discovery was incredibly captivating. I thought her diagnosis and subsequent realizations and self-understanding were really well-written and it really came through how Anna finally felt like she was understood and made to be seen. Her following struggles to better understand herself and create boundaries within her life, both personally and within her family, were so captivating, and her struggles to be true to her real self were incredibly heartbreaking. I also loved Quan and how their relationship fit, how he himself was a well fleshed out character and complemented Anna's own personality. All in all, a really great read that I highly recommend and I look forward to reading more from Helen Hoang!

I didn't really know what to expect from this book; it's the first of Hoang's that I read. Despite the steamy passages, the book was much more thoughtful than I anticipated, exploring as it does the toll caregiving takes, low-support autism, and Asian-American culture. The Heart Principle is a quick read but one that stays with you much longer. Highly recommended.

What can I say about The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang other than the pages are so filled with emotions & I loved every single word?

Love, grief, career, family, identity, relationships - Helen tackles a lot here and does it all beautifully.

It’s no secret that I thoroughly enjoy love stories featuring grief. It’s also no secret that I love Helen Hoang & her books really opened me up to my love of the romance genre. You can check out my full review of The Kiss Quotient here & my review of The Bride Test here. Spoiler alert - I loved them both!

Grief & Caregiving

Helen also gives readers frank and honest descriptors of caregiving. Years ago at a caregiver support group, my family learned caregiving can and may leave caregivers in a constant state of grief. This is so incredibly true especially when caring for someone with progressive neurological disease, which is the type of caregiving my family provides.

Each time an ability is lost, we grieve as independence drifts further away and we grieve constantly for the life we could have. Helen really nails these aspects in a way that only a caregiver can. I am not one to ever cry while reading but these passages nearly brought me to tears due to the authenticity and raw reality reflected in the pages.

THE VERDICT

I am Really Into This book! I preordered The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang months ago and I highly recommend this book. I've seen rumblings questioning this book as a romance as the characters contend with grief, suffering, and hardships. I'm here to say this is one of my new favorite romances.

This story reaffirms we all deserve love despite the many obstacles, permanent scars, and deep wounds life gives us. I loved every piece of this book and hope you do too.

This one is hard to review. I may ramble, but I have lots of thoughts.

This one is heavier than her others. Anna is experiencing burn out. She struggles
with many aspects of her life - her family, her vocation, and love life. Anna comes to learn that she is on the Autism Spectrum that gives her insight into why she is who she is. After a family tragedy, Anna takes on a role that is not for her. She ends up becoming a caregiver that pushes her abilities. Through all of this she builds a relationship with Quan. He supports her and helps feel more comfortable with herself.

This book was just sooooooo heavy. There were very few light pieces. And I don’t believe books need to have it, but when it’s billed as a romance, you expect some elements of levity. I wish this the arc of the story was divided differently, I wanted more from the “after” section. I wished there were more details about how Anna and Quan built their lives together. And I wanted to see more of how Anna developed better coping skills and moved to the other side of her break down. I don’t think because life is all about the happy stuff, but because it felt like we got so much of her struggles and her “recovery” (couldn’t think of the right word) was confined to the last 10-15% of the book. I just wanted more.

I did like the romance/sex aspect in how Quan worked to understand what Anna needed. They talked about their challenges which I think led to a different level of intimacy.

On a whole other note - a random romance pet peeve that I came to realize with this book is the use of the word “tits”. Don’t ask me why.

Overall, this one is different but good. Don’t go in expecting anything similar to the first two books. It’s heavy and you want to be in the right head space.

This is a 3.5 rounded up to 4 for me.

Thank you to Netgalley, Helen Hoang and Berkley for an E-ARC of this great read!

Anna Sun became internet famous by accident and has spent the last year trying to recreate that magic feeling but trying and failing to be perfect. Quan Diep has spent the last year recovering from surgery and getting back on to the dating scene. It is by chance the pair of them begin to chat and grow closer together.

Pros: This whole book is just glorious, truly, deeply glorious. Anna makes for an understanding and dynamic lead with the way she's written and how she combats her anxiety and need to people please. Quan is an understanding and gorgeous partner with his own shares of anxiety, which makes their relationship even more dynamic as they both work through them. Not to mention the SLOW BURN. Like LORD GIVE ME A FAN. Their families were both really great in terms of plot development and character development and the burnout from care giving was written so beautifully that I cried.

Cons: Would I have liked a little bit more steam? Yes. Do I completely understand and recognize why there wasn't as much steam? Yes.

10/10 would recommend to anyone who loves a slow burn romance, understanding partners, rough family dynamics, and anxious and autistic characters.

First of all, Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for the ARC of The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang in exchange for an honest review.

Publishing Date: August 31st, 2021.

The Heart Principle is DEEP. I highly recommend looking up trigger warnings for this book, especially if you are triggered by anxiety, depression, or death. I do also have to add that you must read the author's note at the end of the book when you finished because it changed my mind on how I felt about this book a lot.

The main reason this did not get 5 stars from me was that it was extremely hard to read. This book was very depressing and emotional, and I know that this was a lot of the author’s own story so I have to respect her for putting this into a book.

The romance aspect of this book was confusing but deep and had a lot of depth which is missing a lot of tines from contemporary romances, they actually dealt with realistic and horrible issues.

I honestly had so many thoughts and feelings reading this book that I really don’t know how to put them on paper. But, if you like emotional romances and deep memoirs I would really recommend this book. If you liked Helen’s first two books of the series I would definitely recommend reading the trigger warnings before you dive into this one because it is a very different style of book.

This was so moving! It didn't top Bride Test for me personally, but I think that this might be Helen's finest work yet.

I'm really sad she had to respond to a review that critiques how this isn't really a romance. I think that reviewer is wrong; there are so many different types of romances, and this one squarely reads like romance to me. The Heart Principle tells a story of self-love, self-acceptance, and a man happens to be a part of that journey. It's heartfelt and devastating, funny and charming, and a book that bares its' soul to readers.

I always enjoy reading Helen's books. She's a phenomenal writer and continues to grow and excel in her skills and I trust that she'll produce something beautiful. Anna's story is devastating and beautiful, and I loved seeing her growth against all the hardships in her life: the burnout, becoming a caregiver, finding a way out from masking, unraveling her true self, and coming out the other side more brave, confident, and on a path of healing. I also really appreciate Helen's transparency in how personal this book is for her. She didn't have to admit these things, but it helps humanize Anna's story even more when fiction is sometimes easy to read and set aside.

I think you should pick this book up. It may not be the romance some reviewers are wanting, but it's a complicated romance - with love, with family, with yourself - everyone needs.

I've said it before and I'll say it a thousand more times: REPRESENTATION MATTERS. I love that Helen opened up her own story of being a caregiver and being on the spectrum with a fictional twist for the world to catch a glimpse of what it can be like. It's beautiful and emotional and the world needs more stories like this.

I need to be able to give this more stars. Helen's best yet. It made me cry the most, punch the sky in both joy and anger, and smile the widest. This book is special.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

The Heart Principal was one of my highly anticipated reads of 2021, and it didn't disappoint.

In my opinion, The Heart Principal is the most heartwarming story out of the three. It's emotional, honest, and deep. This story wasn't just about love and relationships, it's about family, hardships, and learning about yourself.

I love how complex the characters were, and their relationships with each other and themselves. Anna and Quan tugged at my heart strings, and I rooted for them. Also, can we talk about the STEAM? Because it was intense. I'm here for it.

This is the first story I've read that talked about care-giving. As someone who has personally done that, it clenched my heart and gave me all the feels. It was talked about in such an open and honest way. Care-giving is hard, and watching someone you love struggle is heartbreaking. I'm happy to see that being talked about in fiction--especially a romance. I also appreciated her author note at the end.

Helen Hoang, thank you for writing diverse books that are sexy, powerful and emotional. This was a fantastic read.

3 1/2 Caffeinated Stars

CW: Ableism, Bullying, Death, Greif, Mental Illness, Suicidal Thoughts, Toxic Relationships, Graphic descriptions of being a caretaker.

As always, Helen Hoang's writing was beautiful, and everything was well done. The plot was interesting, characters were great, but this book's angst hit too close to home. My family is currently settling into our new normal, and the description of becoming a caretaker sits heavy with me after my aunt's death. I want to start by saying the descriptions were brutal and that seeing Anna dealing with it all was heartbreaking. The Heart Principle is one of those books that will stay with me, but I don't think I'll ever have the courage to reread it.

On to the happier bits, Quan and Anna were fun to watch. I loved seeing them interact with each other. I enjoyed that both of them were awkward in their way. Watching Anna grow, shift and change was intense at times but enjoyable. I wanted to yell at her and hug her at times. Quan was still that lovable character from the series, but I enjoyed seeing him more fleshed out. He too is battling his insecurities, so it was great seeing him grow with Anna.

The plot was well written and engaging though at times it did drag. My main complaint is that this book is marketed as a romance. I honestly don't think Quan and Anna's relationship was the central plot of this book. Personally, I wouldn't say that The Heart Principle is romance. Yes, there is an HFN, but Anna's relationship with her autism diagnosis and her family is central.

All in all, I enjoyed the book but felt a bit of a disconnect with how it was marketed.

I love everything Helen Hoang and this book is no different. Her characters are so well-developed with complicated emotions and backgrounds. I like that her characters communicate well and she doesn't rely on miscommunication to be the tension in the story -- at least not for long.

The Heart Principle is a beautiful, but quite heavy story. I was "warned" by several folks before reading that this book was NOT like The Kiss Quotient or The Bride Test--Hoang's equally powerful and well-written, but lighter, predecessor books--and I appreciated that. It's best to go into this story eyes-wide-open and know that you're getting something deep, and at times dark. There were definitely points where I wondered whether we would even get an HEA (mini spoiler alert: we do). I believe Hoang has a list of trigger warnings on her website, but if you think this book would be difficult for you, I recommend checking them out. Among other things, this book involves autism burnout, death of a family member, anxiety, depression, cancer recovery, and several other heavy topics.

That said, this book is remarkable. Anna and Quan's story is a special one, and I loved seeing these two seemingly opposite characters come together. Anna's family is extremely frustrating, to the point where I wanted to throw my Kindle across the room at several times, but a book that can evoke that kind of emotion is a well-done one in my opinion. And Hoang's books are nothing if not well done. Just be sure you're in the mood to read this one! It's not another The Kiss Quotient.

Thank you to Berkley for my eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 9/10

I loved Anna. She’s an incredible character who is truly put through the ringer in this book. Hoang writes her with a delicate hand, demonstrating so much grace as Anna unlearns all the ways that she has minimized herself, masked herself, and cut herself from pursuing the life she wants. I was deeply frustrated with Anna’s family, and I loved how messy Hoang left them. So many times families don’t do what’s best for you and keep you in rigid constrictions aligned with their own vision, and they won’t be happy when you break free.

I loved Quan in the previous books, but I found I wasn’t as invested in him here. I didn’t care as much about his struggles, which I know sounds harsh. But he was really living in Anna’s shadow in this narrative. Which, I didn’t mind! Anna is the star of the book.

I think this book reads better as simply fiction rather than romance as the romance to me felt like a real side plot. I was so much more invested in Anna and her character development. I enjoyed the romance but it wasn’t what drove the book for me.

Hoang is a really gifted writer, and I so look forward to more of what she writes!