The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

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Publsiher: Berkley
Publication Date: May 30th, 2018
Pages: 336
Date Read: February 1st, 2020
Rating: 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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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I LOVED THIS BOOK. It was the first book I picked up in February as part of my February Reading Challenge and it was the perfect start to a month of romances. It was my favorite read of the month and I am honestly just so obsessed with this book! Let me tell you why!

Own voice author! Yes, yes, yes! I love seeing pieces of an author interwoven in their stories, and Helen Hoang is a woman with Asperger’s writing about a woman with Asperger’s! A lot of what she is writing comes from her first hand experiences and I feel that makes the story more authentic and intriguing. To learn what people with Asperger’s go through on a daily basis while also getting a sweet and sexy romance was the perfect combination of enlightening and entertaining.

Next up: Diversity in characters! The main characters are Stella and Michael. Michael is a Swedish/Vietnamese hottie. I love that the author takes the time to discuss how being mixed race effected him growing up. How he was treated differently by most people for being deemed “too different.” Stella has also always been considered too different among society as a result of her Asperger’s. Both characters find ways to overcome the labels society has tried to place on them.

Then there’s the romance. I found it so adorable. From the very beginning Stella and Michael are learning how to be there for each other. He quickly learns what she is and isn’t comfortable with and makes sure not to do anything she isn’t ready for. She is learning how to open up to him and be herself instead of what society thinks she should be. They learn and grow so much throughout this story and it is honestly so wonderful to watch unfold.

The family aspects are cute and relatable. Stella is an only child with loving parents who really want her to be happy even if they don’t always show it in the best way. Her father is very laid back and supportive. While her mother wants her to start a family and practice her social skills constantly, but we do see her eventually realize that as long as Stella is happy that is all that really matters.
Michael’s family is huge and always in each others business. (Same here Michael!) With four sisters, an ill mother, and a sassy grandmother, Michael has a lot of women in his life! His father left them and the weight falls on him to take care of the growing medical bills and the family business. Michael puts his dreams on the back burner to care for his family, but they all try so hard to support each other and I just love seeing families supporting each other.

This was so beautifully written and brings awareness to a lot subjects I feel are not talked about enough in literature. I read this entire book in a single day and am fairly certain it’s going to make my top books of 2020! If you haven’t read this yet, I highly recommend you give it a go!

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Hope everyone is staying as happy and healthy as possible! Stay strong during these tough times!
Thanks for checking out this review, and Happy Reading 🖤