The Kiss Quotient — Helen Hoang

November 5, 2018

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

TITLE: The Kiss Quotient
AUTHOR: Helen Hoang
RELEASED: May 30th, 2018; Berkley
GENRE: Contemporary
AGE RANGE: Adult

SYNOPSIS:
Stella Lane thinks math is the only thing that unites the universe. She comes up with algorithms to predict customer purchases–a job that has given her more money than she knows what to do with, and way less experience in the dating department than the average thirty-year-old.

It doesn’t help that Stella has Asperger’s and French kissing reminds her of a shark getting its teeth cleaned by pilot fish. Her conclusion: she needs lots of practice–with a professional. Which is why she hires escort Michael Phan. The Vietnamese and Swedish stunner can’t afford to turn down Stella’s offer, and agrees to help her check off all the boxes on her lesson plan–from foreplay to more-than-missionary position…

Before long, Stella not only learns to appreciate his kisses, but crave all of the other things he’s making her feel. Their no-nonsense partnership starts making a strange kind of sense. And the pattern that emerges will convince Stella that love is the best kind of logic…

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Sometimes, you hear so much hype for a book that you reach the point where you’re almost afraid to read it, because your hopes are so high that you just know, if it disappoints you even an iota, you’re going to be totally crushed… right? It’s the worst feeling and it can make it so hard to finally pick up that superlatively popular read, because nobody wants to be the only person who hates a book, right?

“All the things that make you different make you perfect.”

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Nah, I’m just playing with you guys—this book was everything I ever hoped it would be and more. Oh, my gosh, I cannot even describe how much I adored this book! I literally picked it up with the goal of reading a few chapters for my buddy read, and bam!, it was way past my bedtime and I was sitting here in some sort of shocked state, like, “How do I even follow up how freaking perfect that was?!”

She wasn’t broken. She saw and interacted with the world in a different way, but that was her.

Seriously, The Kiss Quotient is worth every single ounce of hype it has received and so much more. The chemistry is on fire, the story is so fun and captivating, and these characters—you can’t help but love them. Stella is incredible. I loved being inside her head, and knowing that it’s own-voice autism rep, I wasn’t surprised by how much of what she said mirrored things my own autistic loved ones have shared with me (as well as feelings I myself have had, having strongly suspected that I am autistic for a very long time but never having sought out a diagnosis).

Michael was mint chocolate chip for her. She could try other flavors, but he’d always be her favorite.

While Stella is the star, Michael is honestly just as lovable and precious as she is. He’s this biracial Vietnamese/Swedish man, though the only family we meet of his is the Vietnamese side, and they are all so lovable and wonderful, even down to his obnoxious sisters. I loved every scene in his mother’s home, I loved his dedication to his mother and family in general, and I just cherished all of Michael’s motives and inner dialogue so much.

“I don’t want just a night or a week or a month with you. I want you all the time.”

Between the cuteness, the math, the fake dating trope done flawlessly, the steamy sweet moments, and the fantastic focus on consent… I honestly have nothing but good things to say about The Kiss Quotient. Instead of rambling on, I’ll just echo the tons of other people saying if you haven’t read this book, you need to! It’s wonderful, charming, sad, heavy, and sweet, all wrapped up into one emotional little bundle of romance, sex, and family.

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More about Destiny @ Howling Libraries

Just a horror aficionado/geek girl trying to juggle motherhood, reading, blogging, gaming, and everyday life.

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30 Comments

    1. Gingerbread

      November 5, 2018

      I’m so glad you read it and liked it! Helen Hoang has another book coming next year, can’t wait to get to it!

      Reply

    1. amyriadofbooks

      November 5, 2018

      Omg, I’m so glad you enjoyed this! I totally understand being afraid to read books because of the hype but this book is totally worth all of it! Did you see this is going to be made into a movie, too? Ahhhhhh!

      Reply

    1. Victoria

      November 5, 2018

      Yay, so glad you loved this book! I read it earlier this year, and it is definitely one of my favorite books of all time now! I’ve read it twice already (oops), and know it’s a book I’ll always go back to when I need something lights and fun to read. Great review!

      Reply

    1. Ari @ Books. Libraries. Also, cats.

      November 5, 2018

      Such a great review! I actually just read it two weeks ago. It’s totally not what I’d normally read (I almost never read outside of YA & MG) but I decided to try it after hearing so many great things, and I ended up actually really enjoying it!! I loved that it was Own Voices, and Stella was such a great protagonist. And I adored Michael!

      Reply

    1. Alyssa Cohen

      November 5, 2018

      I’m so glad to hear that you loved this book!! I really want to pick it up, so I think the next time I go to my local book store I’m going to purchase a copy! Great review as always!

      Reply

    1. Malka @ Paper Procrastinators

      November 7, 2018

      That beginning had me scared for a second! I’m so glad you loved it! I think this is one of my favorite romance novels because how everything in this book felt absolutely perfect! I can’t wait for The Bride Test in January!

      Reply

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