From the author of The Bride Test comes a romance novel hailed as one of The Washington Post’s 50 Notable Works of Fiction in 2018 and one of Amazon’s Top 100 Books of 2018!“This is such a fun read and it’s also quite original and sexy and sensitive.”—Roxane Gay, New York Times bestselling author “Hoang’s writing bursts from the page.”—BuzzfeedA heartwarming and refreshing debut novel that proves … page.”—Buzzfeed
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 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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So happy to read a book with the lead character on the spectrum! Very refreshing and I loved Stella so much. As a person with sensory processing issues, I think the author totally nailed how that can feel. This story has a high heat level, so enter with caution if you’re not into that sort of thing, but the characters in this book are wonderful. I can’t wait to read the rest of the books in this series.
I was a bit nervous when my library hold for The Kiss Quotient finally came in. This book received so much hype last year and I haven’t had great luck with hyped Contemporary Romances and honestly, it makes me wonder if I am lacking an ability to find things romantic. But then Hoang came along and gifted us with this gem. This delightfully steamy, oh boy is it sexy, tale that has heartwarming and wrenching moments.
Michael has certainly joined the ranks of book boyfriend, though I require his relationship to only be with Stella because these two were absolutely adorable.
As much as I enjoyed the relationship, Stella is the character that shined for me in this story. I saw so much of my cousin in her thoughts and actions that she was automatically endeared to me. The obstacles she had to face made her growth as a character all the more satisfying to read.
Ultimately, this is a book that I know I will reread in the future. It is the perfect combination of angsty, funny, heartwarming, and let’s not forget steamy.
The perfect combination of heat, romance, a great plotline, and lovable characters. Hoang hits every emotion in this book. I loved it!
As a fellow Vietnamese, I’m totally in love with the authentic cultural aspects that Ms Hoang portrayed in Michael’s family. I appreciate her keeping the Vietnamese words such as Mẹ (mom), Ngoại (grandma), bún riêu (a type of noodle soup)… The close family culture, the bickering, the teasing, the meddling,… they all remind me so much of my own family .
What I love most about this book is Stella’s character development. I don’t personally know anyone with Asperger’s Syndrome, so reading about Stella is really an eye-opening experience for me. The way she thinks, her social skills, her sensitivity about her surrounding environment, her routines, etc. are described in beautiful details that make you feel like knowing Stella in person. She acknowledges her limitations, and she’s working so hard to overcome them, to make everyone around her happy. She’s beautiful, kind-hearted, caring, and extremely smart and dedicated. All these characters make her so lovable, and I think she’s perfect just the way she is. And Michael sees those precious qualities in her .
Michael is half Vietnamese, half Swedish, so he has this exotic good look that makes ladies swoon . Also, he cooks Vietnamese food for his entire family of all women!!!! To support his financially struggling family, he resorts to working as an escort while helping his mother at her dry-cleaning shop. Having a cousin with autism, he realizes Stella might have the same issues. He’s so patient with her, always listens to her and respects her choices. He makes Stella more comfortable and confident in her own skin, but his insecurities blind him from seeing her love. Their unnecessary miscommunication at the end got me a little bit frustrated; otherwise, it would have been a perfect read!
I’m pleasantly surprised by this fantastic debut novel! It’s , touching, toothachingly sweet, funny, emotional, it will give you all the feels !!! 4.5/5 for me!
A wonderful, heartfelt story. And a very quick read. Wanted more after I finished reading the book. And as someone who knows a bit about people on the, spectrum, I believe that the author did not sensationalize or stereotype her protagonist. A very human story with some great erotic scenes all leading to a feast for the endorphins…
Likable characters, steamy scenes, enjoyable plot line!
Great read! The characters are lovable and like able. I will read again.
I loved this book so much! The characters were fantastic and I love that the main character is someone with a disability since there really isn’t many books out there like this. The romance was perfect and I lived their character development as the story unfolded. Wonder and easy read!
The dialogue was clever and entertaining. The intended of description of living
with Asperger’s autism was at times overshadowed by the graphic sexuality.
Really enjoyed this book.
So good!
I really enjoyed this story. The characters and their personal situations are fascinating and the plot twists and turns in unexpected ways. A great story with insights into so many facets of life – cultures, love, autism, family, dreams, and supporting those you love. Highly recommended!
I just love this author. can’t wait for the next one. I loved this book
Soft porn masquerade- don’t waste your money
Over the past several years, I’ve worked with several early adolescent clients who were on the autism spectrum. Parents always want to know how the ASD will affect their child’s ability to form romantic bonds. Really enjoyed this book.
I have some experience working with Aspergers and autistic youth. I was disappointed in this book, some humor, it would be difficult to date with Aspergers, but sadly this book could not hold my interest. I gave up after about 100 pages.
Absolutely loved Stella’s and Michael’s story. I knew I was going to like this book from the first page. The writer fleshed out the characters, and you really felt that Michael was only doing what he had to do to help his family. Stella wasn’t one dimensional either. Her struggle to understand the world around her was skillfully done. One if my favorite books!
I couldn’t put this book down. I read it twice!!!
Just couldn’t get into it.
I loved this book. I haven’t read Helen Hoang’s books before, but the author is now on my follow list.
This was a sexy read with a lot of sweetness to the story. A heroine with Asperger’s Syndrome and a mixed race Asian hero with family issues combine into a page turner that kept me reading until 3:00 am.
A fun, engaging, and beautifully written romance that gave me untold enjoyment. I highly recommend this fantastic read by this wonderful author.