The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
Genre: NA Realistic Fiction/Romance
Blurb (on back of book): A heartwarming and refreshing debut novel that proves one thing: there's not enough data in the world to predict what will make your heart tick.
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 to crave all the other things he's making her feel. Soon, 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...
MY OPINION: ****
I know this book was popular a few years ago but as I was never interested in rom-coms featuring people over the maximum age of 20, I never thought to pick this one up. However, as I find myself increasingly immersed and obsessed with NA rom-coms, I knew this particular one was a rite of passage that I had to undertake. And wow, am I glad I did.
I love this book. From an objective standpoint, this book is pretty cliche and more of a generic run-of-the-mill kind of rom-com, with the same old twists and turns, tropes, third act crisis, and all that jazz. However, something about this one was so intriguing to me and I ended up loving it supremely. I was superb. Upon reading the rest of the series, I want to say that I did like the other two even better, which just goes to show how good this entire series is.
The characters undergo conflicts that are so real and honest that I couldn't help but really feel for each one of them. Stella is a thirty-year-old, fairly inexperienced woman whose greatest pleasure in life is math (I couldn't imagine that one, no matter how hard I tried). She has high-functioning autism (I believe this is the correct terminology but please correct me if I'm wrong!) and has a hard time in certain social situations and understanding social cues. Her parents really want her to date and give them grandchildren, as they so artfully put it, and she endeavors to find a man to teach her the proper ways to date before settling down.
Enter Michael, a biracial (Vietnamese and Swedish) male escort who has a one-session-per-client policy. I loved how this book did not shame him for his profession and instead really gave an accurate, realistic portrayal of a dutiful son doing everything possible to pay his sick mother's medical bills. I wish we got to see more of the Swedish aspect, as I am currently learning Swedish and think it would have been a fun way to get to put my newfound skills to practice. Otherwise, I absolutely loved Michael. He was sweet, he obviously put Stella before himself (just like he did with everyone else) which is theoretically harmful but was endearing since they needed more help than he did, and I'm glad he finally got to follow his dreams by the end.
The character development in this book is perfect. We get to see both Stella and Michael grow independently of each other as well as within their relationship. I liked how each character seemed to have a role, and the side characters weren't just tossed aside and thrown in when necessary. It's rare that I like both main characters but Stella and Michael are clear exceptions. Stella is strong, determined, and brave, never changing to please others. Michael is sweet, kind, loyal, and hardworking, and I loved everything about him.
It's adorable. The teaching-how-to-date, among other things, is a fairly common trope but I really loved how this one was written. It was told from a very unique voice and featured a lot of important representation that is definitive of the author herself (which I learned from the author's note). I liked everything about the plot. It was cute, it was easy to follow, it had its ups and downs that gave it that extra spice some rom-coms seem to be missing and I loved it.
My only critique is the dinner scene. I understand the point that it was supposed to show Stella's lack of understanding in social situations but it was going a little too far for me. I obviously do not speak for the autistic community, though. I just think that that scene could have been dialed back a little bit. And the way it just kept going and going... I was cringing my way through it. Also, I wish we had gotten a little bit more of a conclusion to Philip?? Like, this man was just walking around, forcing himself on random innocent women and still got to keep his job and good reputation??
Yes, there were some "unrealistic" parts of this book. However, I think that's a natural part of rom-coms, especially these HEA ones and it's just something to be expected. I am willing to overlook the god-awful amount of money that Stella magically had and the sort of insta-love thing we had going on here because in the end, the book itself was enjoyable. The writing made me smile, the plot was interesting, the characters were unique and fun.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun romance. I think it's one you either really love or really hate and there's no in between. Thankfully, I fall on the really love side!
Main Character: Stella, Michael
Sidekick(s): Family, friends, etc
Villain(s): Misunderstandings, confusion, etc
Realistic Fiction Elements: This book was all very real to life.
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