A woman struggling with burnout learns to embrace the unexpected—and the man she enlists to help her—in this new New York Times bestselling romance by Helen Hoang. When violinist Anna Sun accidentally achieves career success with a viral YouTube video, she finds herself incapacitated and burned out from her attempts to replicate that moment. And when her longtime boyfriend announces he wants an … boyfriend announces he wants an open relationship before making a final commitment, a hurt and angry Anna decides that if he wants an open relationship, then she does, too. Translation: She’s going to embark on a string of one-night stands. The more unacceptable the men, the better.
That’s where tattooed, motorcycle-riding Quan Diep comes in. Their first attempt at a one-night stand fails, as does their second, and their third, because being with Quan is more than sex—he accepts Anna on an unconditional level that she herself has just started to understand. However, when tragedy strikes Anna’s family she takes on a role that she is ill-suited for, until the burden of expectations threatens to destroy her. Anna and Quan have to fight for their chance at love, but to do that, they also have to fight for themselves.
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I started this book just because it was Helen Hoang’s. I already loved the first two, so it was a no-brainer. I didn’t even know what it was about besides that it was a romance. First, this story is so much more than a romance. The writing was so powerful that it resonated with me, even though I’m not on the spectrum. People could argue that The Kiss Quotient was already about a woman on the spectrum, but this one goes beyond. It’s about being yourself without hurting your family because you think that you won’t meet their expectations. Helen Hoang perfectly described the Asian culture and tradition and how complicated it can be to be respectful to your family while developing your own life. Where are the limits? I finished this book this morning, and my mind is still shaking.
“It’s me, Anna. There’s something I need to say.” This completely sums up the book for me.
I loved The Heart Principle. It was such a good story. Anna is a truly spectacular character and I’ve been thinking of her and Quan days later. That’s how I know a book is truly special, it stays with you. You don’t want it to end. You don’t want the characters to leave. If Helen Hoang is writing it, I am reading it.
There is so much I want to say about this book. About how it touched me, and how I felt all of the feels. But I don’t want to take your enjoyment away by giving too much. Read it.
Here are some of my favorite parts:
“I remove the pajamas that I’ve been wearing all day and pull on exercise clothes that I don’t plan to exercise in. Somehow, these are considered more appropriate in public even though they are more revealing.”
“Is anyone really living their life or are we all reading lines from a giant script written by other people?”
“The thing with feelings is they pass. Hearts aren’t designed to feel anything too intensely for too long, be it joy, sorrow, or anger. Everything passes in time. All colors fade.”
“These curves are made of cheetos.”
Listened to the audio and loved it. Excellent writing and a story that is unique, complex, thought-provoking, and draws in the listener.
Book three is just as amazing as book one and two. Helen Hoang does it again, makes you fall in love with characters right from the beginning. We already knew Quan from the first two books, but you get a more in depth and personal relationship with him in this book. Can Quan be tamed? He has always been the one and done, meet for just hook up guys, but things are different now, life is different now. Anna has always had issues connecting with people, she struggles to try and appear normal. When her boyfriend decides he wants and open relationship, she takes a chance and tries for a hookup with Quan. Things don’t quite work out the way either planned, but a new friendship is formed. You have to read this and find out how they help each other heal and learn what real love can be.
This book was beautiful in every single way.
Helen Hoang tells her story. Both Anna and Quan developed over time. This isn’t a quite girl meets boy predictable storyline. Each character had to learn more about themselves which makes this story so believable.
I devoured this novel in just 5 hours! The story is so full of emotions. It will make you laugh, cry, smile with joy and ball your fists in anger. I love all of Helen Hoang’s novels but this one definitely made me feel the most. I love her complex characters that show that no one is perfect, we all have things we have to overcome in our lives!
The story is centered around Anna, an uber talented violinist going through mental health issues in the wake of her instant success. Her performance on YouTube alone has been viewed by millions. Not believing in herself and her abilities, Anna has not been able to play a complete a piece, since every mistake she makes, she has to start all over. With the advice of her therapist to try something new, and her recent long term boyfriend asking for an open relationship, Anna ventures into the world of dating apps to find a no-strings attached relationship.
There she meets Quan and though the attraction was palpable, their relationship blossoms ever so slowly and with lots of mistakes in it, yet each of them willing to forgive and try again.
Quan is a very successful children’s clothing designer and has his own set of struggles. He has just gone through some health issues and recent surgery. He is not only gorgeous, but he is a kind soul. Unfortunately, his tattooed exterior that goes through his body and neck, and with his motorcycle loving persona, many have made their impressions on him based on his appearance rather than getting to know him and finding out what a kind, generous and selfless human being he really is. The character development is spot on, and their flaws and imperfections made me love Anna and Quan even more.
I loved THE HEART PRINCIPLE! It exceeded all my expectations for a contemporary romance read that had so much more. Hoang addressed themes of mental health, a character in the autism spectrum, the Asian family expectations and parent-child relationships, stereo types against people with tattoos, and a family affected by a tragic and devastating illness.
As a stroke nurse, I thought Hoang captured what survivors and families go through a stroke – it was spot on. I was moved to tears by some of the feelings and true to life situations – it was written so beautifully with such sensitivity and grace.
I cannot stop recommending this novel.
More of a novel-novel than a romance novel, but very enjoyable and emotional.
Dear Helen, you really didn’t need to rip out my heart in this manner. I did go into this one thinking that it would be a lighter read similar to the previous two books, but it is NOT! I LOVED every second of this book, but please be mindful of triggers for this one!
TW: ableism, anxiety, panic attacks, suicidal ideation, death of a parent, grief, coping after cancer, infertility, gaslighting, toxic ass family members…there’s definitely some that I am probably missing so please check out other reviews.
I have been struggling to write this review because I just want to scream for everyone to read this book. That being said, I know this book will not be for everyone because a lot of it is traumatizing, depressing, and rage inducing. It is evident that this mirrored Hoang’s own personal experiences, and my god was it brutal to witness.
I think the hardest part about this book is that I saw a lot of myself in Anna. From the way that masks around people to the point of burnout, putting up with toxic family that constantly gaslights you and undermines you until you physically break down, feeling like you’re not worthy of love…all of it. My heart yearned for Anna, and I just wanted to burn everything down for her.
Quan. Everyone needs someone like Quan in their lives (regardless if its romantic or platonic). From the beginning, he immediately understood Anna’s needs and never pressured her into any situation that made her uncomfortable. When Anna first started considering the autism label, Quan didn’t even bat an eyelash unlike Anna’s vile sister that I wanted to throw off of a cliff. Watching these two just be together was everything. I honestly can’t even describe it.
This book is easily one of the best books that I’ve ever read. It made me angry. It made me cry. It made me want to throw it across the room on Anna’s behalf. But it was also such a beautiful story about self discovery and love.
Thank you to Berkley Pub and PRH Audio for providing a review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
5 Being You Is The Perfect You Stars
* * * * * Spoiler Free
I have been a huge fan of Helen Hoang from the start with The Kiss Quotient. I begged everyone I knew to read it. Next came The Bride Test and it lived up to Ms. Hoang’s debut novel, not falling for that dreaded Sophomore slump. With both of these books under her belt, she had her loving audience primed and ready for The Heart Principle.
And The Life Happened For Us and Most Importantly, Ms. Hoang.
It pushed the book back and we readers understood the importance of that. Knowing when to write, what to write is the true test of an artist.
This book tells the story of Quan and Anna. But it also tells a deeper story of how we need to be true to ourselves, not the people our relatives or others think we should be. It can be very hard to understand this lesson and practice it.
By being so straightforward, highlighting how we can feel as if we have to present an image or mask of what others want can ring true with all, especially women. Just working in a “Man’s World” can be a dance, I know from my own personal business experience.
But this book is about Anna and Quan and their love story. It feels extra special and real because Ms. Hoang put so much of herself into this story. It is a gift and I thank her for sharing such important life lessons.
Anna plays the violin professionally. Anna’s boyfriend wants an open relationship so to get back at him she’ll have a bunch of one night stands. That’s when Anna meets Quan, the one she can’t walk away from. It makes me sad that this is the last book in this series. My attention is grabbed like before, which has surprised me during this series, I’m not one for the very graphic sex scenes. I think it’s the fact that the author uses characters that aren’t completely perfect and they find partners that love them for just the way they are. I also like that the characters from the other books are in all the books, I believe all the men are cousins (not sure). Helen Hoang is a new favorite author and I can’t wait for her next book.
I totally enjoyed The Heart Principle, by Helen Hoang, book three in the Kiss Quotient series. This is my first book by Hoang who took this reader on an intense emotional roller coaster, telling a tale that tugs at the heart-strings and is filled with amazing characters. There are so many sensitive issues that are realistically addressed in this book; including grief, terminal disease, cancer, caretaking, stroke, and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Each issue is discussed open heartedly while teaching and assisting in connecting with our own life problems and our loved ones who might have suffered or are still suffering from similar issues. There’s a lot going on in this book; a lot more than a romance, though that is handled well too. Anna and Quan are lovely, kind, with vulnerabilities and suffering so real, yet the chemistry between them sizzles off the page. Anna and Quan are characters that are easy to connect with along with the problems and struggles they are dealing with.
Ms. Hoang wrote an emotional, heart-wrenching, powerful, and realistic romantic story. This book is about our traumas, our family issues, being brave, liberating ourselves, taking risks, getting out of our comfort zones, destroying barriers we built, our weaknesses make us who we are, and the power of true love. I highly recommend The Heart Principle to other readers.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
I just finished The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang and when I think of how I feel, the one word that keeps bouncing back is DESTROYED. This novel destroyed me, but it built me back even better.
I’m not surprised. I had similar feelings with Hoang’s other two books (The Kiss Quotient and The Bride Test).
To say that I loved all three (standalone) books sounds a little lackluster. To say I fucking loved all of these books, most recently The Heart Principle, while authentic to me, scratches against the beautiful words crafted by Ms. Hoang and there’s very little swearing in her books, so I’m sticking with Destroyed. I am absolutely destroyed by the mastercraftmanship of Quan and Anna’s heartwrenching and heartwarming tale. It’s beautiful. It’s perfect. It’s full of heart. It’s everything.
No spoilers, but here are some of my favorite THP quotes:
“Just because something isn’t perfect doesn’t mean we need to throw it away.”
“This doesn’t feel like pity, though. It feels like self-compassion, …”
“It’s nice to be wanted. And sad to be discarded. But I know that’s the nature of shiny new things.”
Do yourself a favor and read it today
This contemporary romance has All. The. Feelings …. both steamy and sad. TW: Parental illness
This story takes place in the same world as Hoang’s first two novels and features Anna and Quan. Anna’s life is unraveling – a talented violinist, she has artist block and can’t complete playing a single piece. Then her long-term boyfriend tells her he’s going to ‘date’ other women to confirm his commitment to her. If he can see other people, Anna decides she will too (although the thought terrifies her) and she signs up with several dating apps. That’s how she’s connected to Quan.
He’s a tattooed entrepreneur recovering from a very ‘personal’ surgery and ready to resume ‘normal activities.’ He plans to do this as a one-night-stand in case things don’t go well. His plans crumble when he meets beautiful and vulnerable Anna who shares his interest in Netflix nature documentaries. He’s quickly pulled into Anna’s world of family drama while managing a life-changing business deal. Will their love be enough to overcome the expectations of Anna’s family?
All the kudos to narrators Natalie Naudus and Brian Nishii whose performances covered a vast range of intense emotions and helped me feel each one deeper than the words alone.
Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy of this title.
Helen Hoang has written three books in this series so far and I have loved all three and if memory serves me, they have all been 5 star reads for me. So when I found this one on Net Galley I was more than happy to request it for review. It’s simple, any book by this author is a delight for me!
I’ve been patiently waiting for this third book as it is Quan’s turn to find his happiness and love. Quan has been a peripheral but still important character in the two previous books. All of the books have three things in common, they are about an extended Asian family, they are all romances and they all concern the autism spectrum of one sort or another in one of the main characters.
Quan has always been the fun loving, laid back and actually quite the womanizer in the previous books. He’s not devious or anything like that because he is a good guy-but he likes to have fun and is not ready to settle down. He’s best friend and cousin to Michael(from The Kiss Quotient) and they are working to grow their own small clothing company. Now, things are quite different for Quan. Quan has just been through cancer and surgery and mostly all better although he did lose something important to him due to the surgery. He’s not dating or having one night stands and is just stagnant. Anna is a violinist that had a viral video of herself playing her violin that caused a sensation in the classical music world. Now she can’t get past it and can not finish playing even one song. She can however play that one part of the song she tries to play over and over again. Never finishing. She knows something is wrong with her mind and has been wrong as long as she can remember. She has a long term boyfriend who announces out of the blue that he wants to marry her but wants to take a break first so he can date others before he does just to make sure. This devastates her-not because of her great love for him but because of all the work she has put in to actually seem normal enough to have a boyfriend. Her parents want him for her as well. Quan and Anna first meet on a dating website. It’s really a sweet beginning for them and I enjoyed seeing their romance progress even when it wasn’t progressing the way it should be. Both characters are broken in some ways.
This isn’t your normal contemporary romance, in fact I would put it as more women’s fiction. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a really good romance, but it’s also a bit darker and unique. Anna isn’t an easy character, she has so many problems due to her autism that she has been dealing with on her own without a diagnosis, that it has kept her from enjoying her life. When she finally gets a diagnosis it’s almost a relief-until she realizes her family will be her biggest hurdle. Especially when no one believes it. Quan, with autism a part of his family, does believe her.
There’s a lot more to this story of course, but I’m stopping here. You don’t have to read the other two books to enjoy this book, but I do highly recommend you do so because they are quite wonderful. And different from the norm. Interestingly, the author was diagnosed on the autism spectrum while she wrote these stories. I can’t praise these books enough. Highly recommended to adult readers!
Much like Hoang’s previous protagonists, Anna and Quan join the ranks of characters that are so fundamentally good, it was impossible to feel anything other than adoration, empathy and a fierce sense of protectiveness for them.
They are each in a time of crisis when they come into each other lives. Anna, an incredible violinist has hit a brick wall not only with her questioning her talent but also her relationship with her less than stimulating boyfriend. The end of said relationship prompts a discovery that she nor I were prepared for where it would take us.
Quan is character that would be familiar to lovers of the series. He is faithful cousin and business partner to previous leading man Michael, but it’s here we truly experience the boundless selflessness Quan possesses. He has experienced health issues that left him feeling rudderless, but it’s his connection with Anna that helps to steer him in a direction he didn’t think he was capable of.
The Heart Principle is a multi layered story that is extremely melancholy at times, but at the heart of it is the message of what love, whether it be familial or romantic, has the power of achieving.
It’s a funny old thing to have finished one of the most stellar books I’ve read this year, but yet find myself at a loss of how to put into words just how much it meant to me. Emotionally The Heart Principle packs a punch, and combined with it’s moments of levity and it’s heart warming love story, it’s nothing short of a knock out read.
The Heart Principle is easily one of my top 10 favorite audiobooks ever. I love so much about Helen Hoang’s books. The accurately written neurodiverse characters bring so much awareness and much-needed representation. Anna is beautifully complex in her struggles but very relatable. The shock and potential conflict of an unexpected diagnosis in addition to caring for an ailing loved one made my heart ache for her. Quan was beyond perfection everyone deserves a partner that understanding, patient, loyal, and flat-out amazing. His heart is pure gold. While it is definitely a romance after a certain point, that element fades to the background a little and the focus is more on Anna’s healing. I love the way it all came together and that the ending doesn’t hinge on an engagement, wedding, or baby. Brian Nishii and Natalie Naudus blew me away with their phenomenal narrating. The amount of emotion they brought is some of the best I’ve ever heard. I can not recommend this book enough, it has everything, humor, heart, struggle, love, and forgiveness. The entire audiobook is exquisite.
4.5 ‘No more masking’ Stars!
ARC provided by the the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I seriously love Helen Hoang. Not kidding. Like I fell in love at first read after The Kiss Quotient and many of us have been waiting for this very moment for what seems quite a long time. Quan’s story is finally here and my heart can’t take it! I knew Helen would give him a unique and wonderful love story and she did not disappoint. AT ALL. It was heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time, it was sweet and sexy and it has a whole lot of feels. Trust me when I say you don’t want to miss this!
So, The Heart Principle is Helen’s third novel and also the third installment in her The Kiss Quotient series. We met Quan in the first book, he is Michael’s cousin and best friend, who also takes care of the behind the scenes side of the fashion business he has with Michael. But Quan has had a life changing experience and he is not feeling himself anymore. Enter Anna Sun. She is a super talented violinist who happens to feel trapped in her life and she is always trying to make everyone happy. Except her. That starts to change when she truly discovers herself and when she starts seeing Quan. Life is about to change for these two and a beautiful love story will flourish.
You’re a big deal—to me. You’re amazing—to me.
This yearning for her, this craving, it’s sunk so deep into me that it’s part of me now. This is how Quan is now. He’s crazy about this one girl.
You probably already know that Helen’s stories are special and out of the ordinary. All of them revolve around the autism spectrum and real life experiences. The Heart Principle is no exception and that is part of what makes this novel (and the other two in the series) so unique. Quan and Anna are such wonderful characters. They have their ups and downs, they have to deal with very difficult moments in their lives, they are a bit broken for different personal reasons and together they heal. Neither expected the connection that sparks between them from the very first message. Neither expected their “one-night” stand to become so much more. Neither expected to find true love and happiness. It was just so beautiful to see this couple leaning on each other, giving each other strength and falling in love. Their chemistry was sugary sweet and slow burning and it was so explosive when they finally acted on it. Two very different people found solace and true happiness together and it made my heart melt all over.
“You’ve been my bright spot. You’ve pulled me through. The only good thing this broken heart of mine can feel is love for you.”
Therefore, I am rating The Heart Principle with 4.5 STARS because Helen Hoang gave us another unique love story that I am sure many will love. She definitely delivered for the ones that have been impatiently anticipating it and it was such an amazing novel from start to finish. I loved Quan and Anna. I loved them as individuals, I loved their growth as characters, I loved how they learn to love themselves as they are and how they fall madly in love with each other. Trust me when I say, you have to start this series if you haven’t because it’s absolutely worth it. Highly, highly recommend!
I have read and loved both of Helen Hoang’s previous novels, but neither wrecked me emotionally as much as The Heart Principle.
My heart hurt for Anna, 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 he’s 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 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.