Book Review: “The Kiss Quotient” by Helen Hoang
Håfa adai! Welcome to my spoiler-free review of The Kiss Quotient, the first book of The Kiss Quotient Series by Helen Hoang.
This book review consists of two parts: a brief plot summary and my thoughts of the story. There may be some lightweight spoilers—such as how characters interact with each other and the world around them—but I will not give away any major plot twists or endings. I want to share my opinion of the book and encourage you to purchase a copy of your own.
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Spoiler-Free Plot Summary
If you ask Stella Lane, the most beautiful thing in the universe is mathematics and the best way to understand people is through economics. It just makes wonderful sense. What makes no sense to Stella are romantic relationships and physical intimacy. Stella has Asperger’s Syndrome. The thought of French kissing just gives her the ick. The few sexual encounters she has had have been forgettable. But she wants to change that. She wants to improve her skills and develop the confidence to have a satisfying relationship of her own. And who best to teach her than a professional.
Michael Phan is the professional escort Stella seeks out as her tutor. He does not usually have more than one session with a client. Stella’s offer, however, is too lucrative to turn down. The tall and fit Vietnamese/Swedish stud is not just there to tell her what she wants to hear and collect her money. He follows her lead and allows her to sexually grow and learn at her own pace. But there is a secret behind why he could not refuse her. And the secrets they keep from each other fill them with doubt while their feelings continue to grow.
Important Trigger Warning for The Kiss Quotient
Chapters 22 and 27 contain scenes depicting unwanted sexual advances and contact/sexual assault. These scenes are semi-essential to the plot; being aware they occur without knowing the full detail is sufficient to understanding the events that follow. If these are scenes that cause you distress or discomfort in any way—and should you choose not to skip them—then please make sure to take necessary steps to prepare and protect yourself before and after reading or listening to them.
My Thoughts on The Kiss Quotient: 4 stars
Helen Hoang’s The Kiss Quotient takes a complex suite of experiences—Autism Spectrum Disorder, sex work, distorted senses of self, feelings of inadequacy, feelings of abandonment, imposter syndrome—and wraps it in a swoon-worthy and erotic tale of romance. Scenes of sex and intimacy in The Kiss Quotient are graphic, taking a literal and explicit approach to describing the physical act of sex. So this story would be more appropriate to readers above a certain age group and/or for those who are more comfortable with such scenes.
The Kiss Quotient utilizes the “fake relationship” trope of romance storytelling. But Stella Lane and Michael Phan are not just a couple of hot people who are into each other. Their personalities and lives are complex. The third-person narration follows their internal dialogue close enough for you to experience their desires, excitements, misbeliefs, fears, concerns, and internal conflicts from chapter to chapter. Their great chemistry and attraction to each other is genuine and palpable from the start. And Helen Hoang does a fantastic job of building the romantic tension between the two throughout the entire story.
Helen Hoang’s representation of Asperger’s Syndrome (now identified as Autism Spectrum Disorder) in The Kiss Quotient is inspired by her own life. The author was diagnosed with a presentation of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) that aligns with what was previously identified as Asperger’s Syndrome only two years before publication of this book. Her lived experiences as someone with ASD provides a beautiful authenticity to and deliberate care for Stella Lane’s day to day experiences.
I give The Kiss Quotient 4 out of 5 stars. Helen Hoang’s writing is wonderfully refreshing and Carlie Robins’ performance of the audiobook is awesome. My attention was held from start to finish. The story is definitely formulaic, as is common with most romance novels, but is not completely predictable. My jaw dropped at one particular plot twist and I was pleasantly surprised by several of the supporting characters. I would definitely recommend The Kiss Quotient to anyone interested in an authentic representation of Autism Spectrum Disorder and/or a deliciously tense and erotic romance.
Dångkulo' na' saina ma'åse'! Thank you so much for reading my review of The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang.
Rating Cheat Sheet
4.75 - 5.00 stars: Everyone should read this book! (If you’re into that sort of thing.)
4.00 - 4.50 stars: I appreciated many aspects of this book. I recommend it!
3.00 - 3.75 stars: I liked some aspects of this book. I won’t revisit it, but someone else might really like it.
2.00 - 2.75 stars: There were some things I appreciated about this book, but I do not recommend it.
0.25 - 1.75 stars: I do not recommend this book. I did not enjoy or appreciate the experience of it.
Post Date: 16 September 2024
Published: 5 June 2018
Publisher: Berkley Books
Audiobook Publisher: Dreamscape Media, LLC
Performed by Carlie Robins
