Violinist Anna Sun accidentally achieved worldwide career success with a viral YouTube video, but is now struggling with a severe case of imposter syndrome and burnout. So, when her long-term boyfriend announces that he wants an open relationship so he can “be sure,” Anna decides to step out of her comfort zone and go on a series of one-night stands. But then she meets tattooed, motorcycle-rising Quan Diep, and soon realizes that she’s been missing out on a whole lot of life and love.

If you haven’t read one of Helen Hoang’s romances, I urge you to stop what you’re doing and pick one up! In her books, Helen captures real people dealing with real life circumstance and issues so perfectly (especially with how she explores mental health and autism spectrum disorders). This one unexpectedly hit me close to home because of a recent family death. And while I didn’t have the same experiences and thoughts as Anna, I shared some of them. It made me feel understood and a little less alone in my grief. And when a book manages to touch a reader in that way, I think that’s when I can say that the author did their job. On the more lighter side, Helen depicted a beautiful relationship with Anna and Quan- they were flirty, open, honest, and so supportive of each other. Their relationship had me smiling hard, especially with how accepting Quan was of Anna.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Berkley Romance for this gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book but holy shit, was this book sad. I was not expecting this book to be so incredibly sad and heavy and depressing, especially because the first two books in the series are pretty light-hearted and steamy and fun. So just a warning before you read it: this book is a lot, and it will probably make you cry a lot, and I wish I had known that going in because I was just wanting something light and fun and this book hurt to read.

I loved the romance between Anna and Quan, it was beautiful and it felt so real. However, I don’t think the romance is the main aspect of the story, this is very much a coming of age story for Anna, it’s about her finding her voice, learning things about herself, and dealing with real tragedy. I was already bawling my eyes out at the end and then I read the authors note and I cried even more.

A new favorite because it was everything I wasn't expecting and a good way. An own-voices story which felt really good. I enjoy the romance, the smut, and the self-discovery elements!! A must read!

I love The Kiss Quotient series but this one was my least favorite thus far. I felt there was so much set up from the other books but this did not give as much as promised.

Helen Hoang surely knows how to crush my soul as a writer. This was a lovely book about Ana, finding out she has ADHD later in life and Quan who is a soft bad boy. I mean goodness. I dont know how Hoang does it. She finds the right balance of beautiful prose and heat. This was a slower burn than her other books but this was still amazing.

I am a huge fan of the way Helen Hoang writes her characters with such compassion and empathy. From the author’s note I know this novel was extra personal, and you can tell her heart and soul were in this. The Heart Principle was tender, sweet, heartbreaking and healing.

This very much anticipated installment to The Kiss Quotient series was worth the wait!! Helen Hoang completely knocked it out of the park with this one!! If you haven’t read the other books in this series, don’t fret!! This can be read and loved as a stand-alone novel too!! This one had everything I love in a romance: steam, loveable characters, characters to hate, and a hottie for the love interest!!
Anna holds a special place in my heart!! I saw a good bit of myself in her and related to her instantly. It made loving her character so easy!!
Quan is my idea leading man: athletic, caring, tatted, and a little stubborn!! He and Anna made for such a great couple!! I swoon a little every time I think of their story!!
The steam in this one was great!! I loved the honesty and realness on display in the steamy parts too!!
Overall this was such a fantastic read and I cannot stop gushing about it!! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

From Autism Spectrum Disorder to both professional and caregiver burnout, Helen Hoang tackles some deeply personal and difficult topics in The Heart Principle. She doesn't pull her punches when it comes to Anna's struggles, adding a strong dose of realism to Anna and Quan's sweet and steamy romance.

Helen Hoang is a romance great. While this book is definitively more thoughtful and less saucy than her previous work, it shines and is no doubt both a hall-of-famer and a one sitting read.

I did a quick !!!! review on my goodreads because I really couldn't think of what else to say. I definitely didn't go for this one quite as much as Kiss Quotient, but I did think it was really, really good at what it did.

I absolutely adored this one. I loved Anna so much. I love the journey she goes on to learn and love herself. I loved the relationship that develops between her and Quan. I loved Quan. This was for sure my favorite book out of the three.

“𝘕𝘰 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘨𝘯𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧.” ― Helen Hoang, The Heart Principle

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁
-Anna is a professional violinist on an extended leave of absence while she struggles to recapture her former brilliance and passion.

-Her boyfriend suggests they have an 'open relationship, i.e., he wants to sleep with other women before settling down with Anna.

-Anna decides a one-night stand is the best way to answer back and meets Quan "bad boy" (he has neck tattoos!) on an online dating app. Their online flirting creates an instant connection, and they agree to meet for a one-night stand.

𝗜 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁
-This is the third book in the Kiss Quotient series, but this is the first that I've read. I expected a steamy romance novel between a classical violinist and a motorcycle-driving bad boy, but that description would not give this book justice.

--Hoang skillfully and sensitively addresses the pressure of family expectations vs. pursuing individual desires of mental health, depression, and suicidal thoughts, and coping with a family tragedy.

-The chemistry between Anna and Quan felt authentic, and the open-door bedroom scenes were not something I'd describe as "steamy" but brilliant examples of putting one's needs above one's own and of making someone feel safe at their most vulnerable.

- Highly recommend this book, although it may be triggering for some. The Authors Notes explain the authors' experiences with many of the issues addressed in the book. When I read her recognition for caregiver burnout in a fictional novel, I was moved to tears.

This was such a great book! I just love Quan and Anna both!!! Anna is so relatable and I feel like the character development for both of the main characters was out of this world. This book was a fantastic addition to the first two in the series. I think this one may be my favorite because of the character development in addition to the steam factor. If there’s one book you pick up this year, let this be it! Do be Cautious going into this that there are some heavier issues and you will probably cry. But the romance Cautious going into this that there are some heavier issues and you will probably cry but the romance Well win out in the end!

The themes of terminal illness and death were a huge damper on the romance, which I feel I would have enjoyed way more without the darkness.

I found myself frequently skimming the heavier parts of this because it just wasn’t what I signed up for when I picked up a romance. I understand that the hardships were a large part of the character development for Anna, but they did not resonate with me in the way I thought they should have.

I also felt that Quan was an underdeveloped character, especially in comparison to Anna. He was more of a facilitator for her growth and his surgery and business plot lines both fell flat for me. I wanted more out of his character and was fairly disappointed.

All in all, I enjoyed Quan and Anna together enough to overlook the heaviness. Their sexy scenes were amazing and realistic, and the autistic rep was lovely to read through.

Smart, sexy, and real. Helen Hoang captures the human emotional experience with eloquence, inclusion, and - dare I say - heart.

A great insight into finding and accepting oneself, while navigating a medical discovery, a new relationship, and asserting oneself within ones family.

Of Hoang's three Kiss Quotient books, this one probably has the most substance to it. It tackled some heavier issues but still managed to be enjoyable. Still solidly a romance book with just a bit more heft than usual.

I was surprised how much I liked this book. I hadn't really enjoyed the last book by the Hoang, but thought I'd give this one a try. I've been recommending it often and patrons are loving it. Thank you!

I absolutely love Helen Hoang’s writing, any time I read one of her books I find myself smiling and enjoying my reading experience.

For me Anna was relatable, I understood her and her behavior. She is a violinist and accidentally achieves career success with a viral YouTube video. Unfortunately this found success has a negative impact on her because it incapacitated her and she’s unable to play her music “perfectly”, this causes her to burn out. To top this off her longtime boyfriends says they will be in an open relationship, a decision he makes for them without her input.

Quan use to have all the confidence and truly enjoyed his life, until he had testicular cancer. Now he has been left feeling like an “incomplete man”. He is trying to get over his doubts and back in the game, so he’s looking for a meaningless one-night stand; just like Anna. This is how they both end up talking on a dating app and trying to hook up.

This story doesn’t always head in the direction you would imagine. Their encounters are filled with fun meaningful moments, but also realizations that there is something more than just physical attraction. Plus I really enjoyed that the story approached mental health and therapy in a positive light. We are giving great representation and shown that therapy is something useful and can change people’s life’s for the better.

In the end I ended up loving this story and giving it five stars. I would definitely recommend this book to any romcom lovers and people looking for a fun, witty, and spicy romance story.

One of my favorite things about Helen Hoang’s Kiss Quotient series is that she writes romance, but isn’t scared to take on real issues and big topics. In The Heart Principle, Hoang writes about things like life after cancer, anxiety, caring for a sick parent and more. This is most definitely Hoang’s most hard hitting book, and in her own words, her most personal book. Hoang brings the romance, but also makes it about Anna and Quan as people, dealing with life and going through hard times. I think she was able to balance this brilliantly.

Anna is a violinist having a hard time getting back to her work after an unexpected brush of online fame. When her boyfriend suggests they see other people before committing to marriage, Anna decides to go on a date. In comes Quan, a favorite character from previous books in the series. What follows is Anna and Quan falling in love (of course) but Hoang also explores the complexities of these characters and their lives.

If you liked the previous books in The Kiss Quotient series, I think you’ll enjoy this book. IT IS DIFFERENT, more hard-hitting, but it still maintains Hoang’s excellent writing, humor, and character work. Hoang fits SO many great moments and serious explorations in a ~350 page novel.

I highly recommend The Heart Principle, but I also recommend looking at in-depth trigger warnings if necessary before starting. Helen Hoang remains one of my favorite authors. The Heart Principle was much worth that wait and I’m grateful to have read it.