The Kiss Quotient is a seriously sexy, fun book that has rekindled my interest in the romance genre. When it hits the spot, I LOVE a good romance, but I rarely find one that goes beyond cliches and instalove so I usually end up bored. Not with this one. Not one bit.

It's the perfect blend of sweet and steamy. And let me be clear: this is not YA. There's a lot of graphic sex scenes, though I should also say that the author builds up to it really well; she knows how to tease us. It was just so nice to read a book where sex is actually sexy and not political, cold, a form of manipulation, or not sex at all because consent went out the window.

This is an ownvoices book about Stella, who has Asperger's syndrome. Convinced she needs lessons on how to be good at sex and relationships, she hires Michael, an escort, to teach her. Michael is mixed race - Vietnamese and Swedish - and described as a hotter version of k-drama star Daniel Henney. In a gender-reversed Pretty Woman scenario, the two inevitably end up developing feelings for one another.

Stella's autism makes it difficult for her to know how to behave around other people, and she also struggles with being touched. Through this, the author explores the importance of consent - Michael is deeply respectful of her boundaries and always waits for her to be 100% ready. Perhaps it sounds less sexy than the spontaneous grab-and-go on the office desk sex but it actually isn't. It's kinda wonderful.

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang is the 1st book in her new Kiss Quotient series. I did not know what to expect when I decided to read this debut novel by Hoang, as sex was a major background of this story. I was totally surprised when I found myself unable to put the book and down enjoying it very much.

The whole concept of The Kiss Quotient is based on a girl who has Asperger's (autism spectrum). Stella Lane is close to 30, smart, very successful in her job as an econometrics, and she loves her job, being a workaholic, working 7 days a week. Stella is also wealthy, both from her job and her family. Stella does not deal with socializing, and especially dating; which her parents pressure her to find a man, get married, and have kids. But Stella does not enjoy dating, and hates kissing or sex. She decides that since she has no social skills, she needs someone to train her how to act on dates, and to practice sex. Stella feels this will help her find someone to be in a relationship with.

Enter Michael Phan, who is an escort who reserves only Fridays to offer his services. Michael needs money to help his family (mother has cancer and big bills), and the escorting pays well. He also helps his mother, as a tailor in their store, and on the side, Michael is a designer, which he has not had much time to concentrate on developing more. When he meets Stella, she gives him a list that she wants to learn, which at first he finds amusing. But he senses her fears, tension and awkwardness, and decides to take it slow; just getting her used to being kissed and stopping there. Michael never escorts the same woman again, but he decides to give her three more lessons, which will include going out on date, attending a club, and slowly having her get used to taking her clothes off.

Michael was a great hero, as he was so sweet, patient and understanding of Stella’s issues. In a short time, their chemistry together was sizzling, especially as Stella began to learn to enjoy her training, as she began to feel things she never knew existed. When Michael learns later about her autism, and he work towards helping her overcome her fears. He was the perfect man for Stella, though they both felt nothing would come from their “training”. Michael had his father issues (he left them years ago), his mother’s illness, as well as his siblings to help take care of. Even as he was falling hard for the sweet Stella, Michael felt she deserved more.

The Kiss Quotient was a sensual, emotional, heartwarming and sexy story. It was amazing to see Michael help Stella through her social anxiety, and the loud noises that made her tense and awkward. I loved Stella and Michael together. This was so well written by Hoang, as she manages to keep us glued to our seats with this wonderful story, with a fantastic couple.

❝Michael was mint chocolate chip for her. She could try other flavors, but he'd always be her favorite.❞


What an original, inspiring, transparent and enlightening read! The fact that this is a debut by Helen Hoang blows my mind! It is seriously good! The writing, plot line, and character development were superb. I loved every word.

'The Kiss Quotient' is about a wealthy woman, named Stella Lane, who works as an econometrician. Her mother is pressuring her to find a man, marry and have children. But she struggles in social situations, thus making relationships difficult. Further, sex isn't something she enjoys nor believes she's good at. Determined to succeed, she decides to hire an escort to teach her how to have sex.

❝Girls like me have never been asked out by a single boy. Girls like me have to find their own way, make their own luck. I've had to fight for every success in my life, and I'm going to fight for this. I'm going to get good at sex, and then I'll finally be able to entice the right person into being mine.❞


Michael Phan's father left the family with financial difficulties and his mother's illness has continued to drive the family deeper into debt. Doing everything he can to help out, he works as a tailor at his mother's dry cleaning store during the day and as an escort on Friday nights. As he struggles to make ends meet, he worries he may one day be like his father. Between his Friday night activities and his father's legacy, he doesn't believe he is worthy of anyone.

As her escort, Michael doesn't rush Stella or push her into sex. Instead, he finds ways to make her relax and learns what she needs. It's Michael's kindness, generosity, and understanding that makes Stella yearn for a relationship with him. Michael loves how he feels with Stella. She genuinely likes him for who he is. Both fear how the other will react once their truths are told and both know they will never be the same when it ends.

The raw and transparent way in which Hoang wrote our heroine, Stella, not only brought the character to life but may have dispelled some beliefs about women with autism. At the very least it helped enlighten readers about "high functioning" autism. For Stella, we read about her struggles to be like "everyone else". From her conversations with others to her obsessions, it was exhausting for her to try and remember what was and what was not socially acceptable to do and say, while also keeping in mind how her words and actions affected others. These are things many of us take for granted.

The honest way in which she wrote Michael's character reminds us that we all struggle with issues, we all have something we wish was different or that we were better at. These two characters made me think about how easy it is to judge others because they are different or their choices might differ from what we would choose to do. But those differences deserve understanding, not judgment.

A spectacular debut, 'The Kiss Quotient' will make you laugh and cry. It will beg you to love your perceived flaws and be understanding of the flaws you perceive in others. Make sure to pack this in your beach bag, it is perfect vacation read!

This one has quite the buzz! I've heard/read/seen several friends talk about it, so of course I was thrilled I got approved (Thanks, Berkeley Romance!). I adore books that are out of the norm. Autistic heroine? Non traditional hero? I'm all in, baby. But maybe, and don't shoot me for saying it, but I think my expectations were too high with <i>The Kiss Quotient</i>, because I feel like I'm the only person in the world who isn't going to give it five stars right now.

Normally, I know when a book is going to own me. It usually happens by around page five (if not before). And I kept waiting for it to happen here, but it never did. I had a lot of trouble connecting with Stella's character from the very first page. I mean, don't get me wrong--the book isn't bad. The idea of it is great. I want to high five the hell out of Helen Hoang for writing this story. Her characters were lovely. But Stella and Michael together? I didn't get it. I'm still lost on whether or not I actually believe they should have fallen in love. The whole thing felt very insta-lovey to me, which in certain situations, I don't mind at all, but in this case it felt like there should have been more angst. More struggle, for <i>both</i> of them. With Stella's diagnosis and Michael's hangups about his dad and the whole thing, well, it just felt <i>too</i> easy, too sweet. So sweet it wasn't believable for me. Clearly, I'm broken because I can't enjoy a sweet book for what it is anymore, but that's where I'm at with this one.

The last time I enjoyed a romance novel this much was... hm, I think the word I am reaching for is NEVER. I am always looking for good love stories but rarely find them. This book scratched my romance itch just right. I pretty much loved it.

So the setup goes like this. An autistic econometrist unable to form relationships and under pressure from her mom to start a family hires a male escort to teach how to “be good at sex” so she knows how to attract and keep a man. She doesn’t really like to be touched, so this challenge is no joke. If you’ve read romances or at least watched Pretty Woman, you can see what happens next. The escort Stella hires is hot and fun, and most importantly, kind.

You know how you read something soul-crushing like Cat Person or that notorious recap of a date with Aziz Ansari and get nauseous and depressed? Well “The Kissing Quotient” is the opposite of that. It is a celebration of human connection, consent, pleasure and, as clinical as it sounds, enthusiastically reading the other person’s nonverbal cues.

As it always happens with romance novels, I did lose a little interest once the hottest part was over and the inevitable dramatic breakup started unfolding before the final sprint to HEA (I am not really keen on wedding, engagements, babies, etc.) To the author’s credit, the novel mostly stayed away from tedious misunderstandings I loathe.

But all in all this was a fantastic experience. A romance equally hot and sweet.

You can request it on Netgalley.

This is definitely worthy of all the praise it has been getting. A standout book in it's genre.

Debut novel about a high functioning autistic woman who tries to navigate the world of dating. At points both touching and laugh out loud funny. Highly enjoyable quick read.

I couldn't believe The Kiss Quotient was a debut novel. It's so exquisitely written with an added unique twist to a fairly familiar romance trope. The plot made for a satisfying and easy read with excellent characters and fluid storytelling. Helen Hoang showed a real gift for and great care in creating characters for whom you may not be able to exactly relate to but ones you can understand and feel their emotions emphatically.

Stella and Michael are two opposite sides of the coin searching for companionship and rightfulness in their lives. They're searching to stay afloat and find meaning. How they find each other lends to a interesting dynamic between right off the bat and that connection simmers throughout their journey together. I did find some of the beginning 30% or a little too clinical and while I know there was good reason for this it became a little distracting. However, the story engaged me enough and after that point Hoang hit a true romance stride.

This story widely encompasses the power of love and really emphasizes that we are all different as human beings and we all deserve to feel that love from someone who will respect and cherish us and our being. It's a charming, feel good romance that will leave you feeling whole and happy that you've read it.

This is a PERFECT romance novel. Misunderstandings! Fake dating! Fascinating, complex characters! Deep romantic connections! Growing as individuals to support the other as a team! This book made me so happy. All romance fans need to pre-order it right now.

This is a fabulous debut romance novel with quirky but engaging characters. A bit of a 180 for a typical genre romance.

What an incredibly delightful book. If you're a romance reader then you needn't look any further because THE KISS QUOTIENT is IT! Helen Hoang has crafted a romance that is hilarious, ultra swoony and delicately evocative. It will make your heart swell with all the feels while making your toes curl with all the other feels. I have not enjoyed a book this much in a long time.

Helen Hoang is an author to watch out for and I can only happily anticipate what she has in store for us next.

I loved The Kiss Quotient!!! It’s an amazing debut novel.

The description of the book said “heartwarming”, and typically, heartwarming is not my thing. But The Kiss Quotient was so sweet, so sexy, so unique, that I may need to re-evaluate what I truly like to read. Because I may be into “heartwarming” after all!

I could not put this book down for so many reasons. The writing was engaging, the characters oddly relatable. I picked this book up for the sole reason that Stella was autistic and I was curious to see how an author tackled a romance heroine who was on the spectrum. Helen Hoang did it with such class and humor that I fell in love. While Stella had Asperger’s and her social interactions were at times awkward, her genuine desire to make people comfortable and work past what she perceived as her failings were so endearing that I couldn’t help but adore her.

Michael was also just the sweetest thing. His desire to put Stella at ease, first as a client when she hires him as an escort to tutor her in sex and relationships, and then as a man who falls in love with her, was just beyond endearing. His inability to see any of Stella’s social actions as a problem, but rather to understand them and work with her to integrate into her world, was just flawless. I enjoyed Michael’s backstory, and the exposure to his Vietnamese extended family, and how the author was able to take the sometimes over-used trope of the “fake relationship”, and make it entirely fresh and new.

As a debut novel, this story was amazing. Even if she had written a dozen stories, this book was pretty fabulous. It was the perfect mix of sizzle, affection and humor. It was just (dare I say it?) heartwarming.

***ARC received for an honest review***

Two real characters in a somewhat unrealistic story. Michael, an escort, is hired by Stella, an econometrician with high functioning autism. I. Loved. Them. Stella had so many layers and about 100000 idiosyncrasies with which I could sympathize. She made for an inserting, compelling and compassionate heroine without a simper or a snipe. I cannot stress to you how real Stella feels to me. Michael made for a good hero - worried, thoughtful, kind, steamy and struggling. He was perfect for Stella.

One of the draws, I think, of paranormals or historicals is how they let the reader completely separate from reality. I don't know how a werewolf or a duke dates. I'm not bound by the rules when I read something from 1890 or something that involves a character that feeds on blood. Even a lot of contemporaries are so action-heavy as to be comfortably ridiculous. That buys the author a lot of freedom. However, modern dating is something I know. (Despite being out of the game for 10 years.) I think it's challenging to craft a story that feels realistic yet keeps the reader's attention. So I'm not holding that much against this book.

<b>"'Girls like me intimidate boyfriends away. Girls like me have never been asked out by a single boy. Girls like me have to find their own way, make their own luck. I've had to fight for every success in my life, and I'm going to fight for this.'"</b>

If you're looking for a contemporary that's smart, different and thoughtful this is your book.

<a href="http://www.alleskelle.com/"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1471716947r/20097901.jpg?v=1471716951482"width="400"></a>

Perfection! I absolutely adored every single thing about this story, It's been a while since I sat down and devoured a book with such excitement, and I had a smile on my face throughout the whole book.

Stella is a statistician, she loves numbers and order, but due to the fact that she has high functioning autism, she really has no idea how to navigate the tricky subject of sex and boyfriends.

Enter Michael, an escort who Stella hires to help her learn how to deal with men with more ease.

I just loved the way Michael dealt with Stella's eccentricities, he understood her so well and it was plain to see from the start that he was going to be the perfect man for her! And perfect he was, I especially loved seeing him with his family, he had the biggest heart <3

What starts as a fake relationship, turns into friends to lovers - lots of butterflies whilst reading this one, and when the sexy times appeared, then WOAH! It was pure chemistry.

Such a refreshing read, I cannot wait to see more from Helen Hoang, this debut makes me so excited for what's to come.

I devoured this in a single sitting. And it was fucking delicious.

For me, this book has everything going for it. It’s dramatic, emotional, educational, complex, diverse, and hotter than sin.

This is an own voices romance with a female lead on the autism spectrum, and the entire plot setup revolves around her commitment to becoming better at sex. Because, for Stella, being touched by another human is a tricky, sometimes highly unenjoyable experience.

So what’s a modern, successful, driven woman to do?

Hire a male escort to give her sex lessons, obviously.

Enter Michael. He’s half Vietnamese, and half Swedish, and described as looking like Daniel Henney, only hotter.



YES, PLEASE.

He also comes with a lot of (understandable) baggage. His dad is an epic douche, and because of how he treated Michael and the rest of his family, Michael is left feeling like he’s never going to be good enough.

For himself, for his mother, and also for Stella.

From their very first interaction, it’s obvious that these two have some serious chemistry, and the pages practically smoldered beneath my fingertips as I was reading.

This is definitely one of those romances that could be listed as an erotic one, so for those of you who like your love stories without the physical act of love in them, be aware of that.

But this is also so much more than smexy times. Stella has never had a boyfriend before, and as their relationship changes, she has to learn how to navigate through all the social interactions that come with that: meeting Michael’s friends, his family, going out to strange places with him.

For someone on the autism spectrum, that can be a living nightmare. The social anxiety, the sound sensitivity, the potential for stimulus overload, it made for some tense and suuuuper awkward situations.

I felt so much for Stella because of her unabashed way of relating all of the above. And for Michael as well, because, like I mentioned before, he comes with his own set of issues and is brutally honest about them to himself.

This whole story just felt so real, if that makes sense. Most romance drama always feels borderline OTT to me, like, just TALK TO EACH OTHER AND RESOLVE THIS SHIT. The kind of petty misunderstandings and stubborn lack of communication that makes me want to rip my hair out.

This book, while definitely heavy on the internal conflict toward the end, never felt like that. Because Stella and Michael’s voices are both so separate and unique and relatable that I got why they were having trouble communicating.

This is a romance, after all, so in the end it all works out. And, for me, it’s one of those refreshing, modern, feminist, cathartic books that I can see myself re-reading every time I start to lose my faith in this genre.

So, yeah. That should tell you everything you need to know about how much I loved this.

Full review to be published online in early June.

THE KISS QUOTIENT is the debut effort of Helen Hoang; a gender-flipped Pretty Woman of sorts. Statistician Stella decides to hire an escort who can school her not just in the ways of lovemaking; but more importantly, in the emotional component of lovemaking. A single 30-year-old with Asperger's, Stella's great with numbers but not so great at understanding feelings and their impact on herself or the people in her life. She hires a gorgeous Vietnamese/Swedish male escort named Michael in the hopes he can teach her to relax in bed, but gets so much more than she bargained for when they click. Little does Stella know that Michael comes with his own emotional baggage, which he tries to keep hidden on every level.

THE KISS QUOTIENT is more than just a love story. It's more than just a love story with heart. Author Hoang takes the reader on a journey through the emotional process of someone with Asperger's, and she does it in a way that's organic and never heavy-handed. The book doesn't set out to teach readers a lesson, though. It simply tells its story in a beautiful and unique way. By the end I felt I had so much insight into both Stella and Michael that they'd become real to me. That's truly the hallmark of a gifted writer, and I’ll be looking for more works by this talented author.

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
Berkley June 5

Writing: 4.5 Plot: 2.5 Characters: 3

Romance novel about Stella — a successful econometrist with Aspergers — and a gorgeous hunk named Michael who works as an escort in order to help pay off his mother’s medical bills. Well-written, this highly eroticized romance follows a traditional plot trajectory with lots and lots of tasteful, but explicit, sex scenes. Stella dislikes sex but feels she needs to learn how to do it better in order to be able to seek a “normal” relationship. All takes place in Palo Alto for those who live nearby!

In some ways this novel does successful gender swapping — it’s the woman who is both successful
and on the autism spectrum (and therefore finds social interactions confusing and terrifying). On the other hand, the insecure and inexperienced woman being slowly seduced by the experienced , hunky, man is as gender predictable as it comes.

I LOVED The Kiss Quotient! It's a relatable contemporary romance with some humour and a lot of heart. I cried and laughed and smiled, and afterwards I immediately wanted to reread it. I've gone and preordered the physical book since it needs to live on my shelf. I won't say more than to give this book a try, it is completely worth it!

I found this book by luck. I was browsing through the Most Requested section on Netgalley I came across this title. Intrigued by the cover and then the description I requested the book and was lucky enough to get a copy the next day. Honestly I'm so happy I found this book since it wasn't on my radar at all.

Ever since reading the synopsis a few month ago I was intrigued, fascinated and couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy. I’m a HUGE fan of everything unique, in this case it’s a heroine with Asperger’s. Not only did that pique my curiosity, it reminded me of one of my favorite books, The Rosie Project.

Helen Hoang’s debut novel was enchanting, sweet, romantic, and utterly heart-warming. I’m blown away by the author’s writing style, which was crisp, eloquent and impressive. Her writing was vibrant, and captivating. I loved the amount and detailed description of Vietnamese culture that was part of this book. Having such a diverse and lovable cast made this novel utterly endearing, not only but also by the wonderful main characters.

The story was incredibly well plotted and executed. Fresh, unique and interesting from beginning to end. There was nothing clique about this book. And that’s even more impressive since it was a debut novel.

I adored Stella. She was straight forward, blunt at times, fascinating, and adorable in her quest. And the way she melted into Michael was just the BEST. Whenever he touched her, hugged her, or cuddled her, she melted into a boneless heap. I couldn’t prevent myself from smiling from ear to ear. I loved how Stella only cared about Michael as a person. She had no false perceptions or prejudice about him.

And Michael, OMG, he was swoony. Not in your face all alpha swoony, rather understated, and because of that he was even more devastatingly handsome in the way he treated Stella, and his family. His personality was just beautiful. He was honestly THE perfect man. And WOWZER – let’s not forget about that gorgeous tattoo. I couldn’t have kept my hands to myself either – kudos to Stella.

This book is a definite recommendation.

A sweet love-story, the author called it a gender-swapped Pretty Woman, with a wonderful main couple and a wonderful and heart-warming and very personal backstory. I can’t wait to read book 2 – The Bride Test – which will be released in January of 2019.