Stella Lane is brilliant, wealthy and has her dream job as an econometrician who writes algorithms to determine customer purchases. She also lacks dating experiences and is somewhat socially awkward. Since she has Asperger’s syndrome, she gets along much better with numbers than people. Realizing her deficits and wanting to stave off her matchmaking mother, she hires escort Michael Phan to help her learn how to get the hang of intimate relationships. Michael has his own issues and can’t really turn Stella down.
This novel was a charmer. Stella is quirky and likeable. Michael is sweet, talented and a family guy. Amid the backdrop of San Francisco and Silicon Valley, Stella and Michael’s romance plays out with hysterical, tender and often painful moments. Stella begins to find a pattern to Michael’s lessons and Michael finds himself drawn more and more to Stella. There was drama, some predictable and some surprising. This was a very, very enjoyable read. The insight into Asperger’s, while unique to every individual, was interesting. And, the view into Michael’s Vietnamese family and their culture was appealing.
My one critique is that this is a quite a sexy little read, and for me, that was a bit distracting. The super-hot sexy scenes didn’t seem in keeping with feel of the novel and I felt less sexy would have kept the novel on a more even keel. Even with that, the novel is a quick-paced, fast read. I finished with a smile on my face. I would recommend this to those looking for a fun, quirky contemporary romance and I have purchased it for my collection. 4.5 stars.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. I used up all my free time reading it; I had to see what happened next. Both main characters were lovely, and I really cared about them. I'm really excited about this author.

This book was amazing. Made me so happy the whole time I was reading it, and absolutely cannot wait to read the next book by Helen Hoang. I now have major book hangover - I tried to start a couple of different books after finishing this one and I just couldn't get into them due to still riding the high of The Kiss Quotient. I highly recommend it, especially for those who enjoy Penny Reid, Laura Florand and Susannah Nix.

This was just as adorable as everyone has been saying! I loved these characters to pieces. They are complex and flawed and compliment each other perfectly. They are both very confident and very insecure in different ways. But I love the way they see each other, and the way they're always encouraging and supporting each other. This is a contemporary romance that's not to be missed.

Love Triangle Factor: None
Cliffhanger Scale: Standalone

*I will also publish a review on my blog http://www.loveisnotatriangle.com and on retail sites (once the book is published)

I have to admit that I didn't read the blurb before I began reading The Kiss Quotient. I rarely do read blurbs, preferring to go in blind and feel everything without assumption or indication about what's to come. I didn't know what to expect with this storyline but it certainly wasn't THIS. THIS was sexy. THIS was steamy. THIS broke my heart. THIS was inspiring and beautiful and romantic. THIS was refreshing and different and a little awkward and unbelievably sweet and so unlike anything I've ever read. THIS was thoughtful and devastating and fantastic and I never wanted it to end.

The Kiss Quotient is an eye opening, thought provoking storyline about a fierce attraction growing between two unlikely people who don't believe they're worthy of love. I so appreciate a storyline that pushes boundaries, that breaks stereotypes, that changes the way I see the world. The Kiss Quotient did all of these things within just a few chapters while simultaneously delivering a breathtaking romance rife with heartache and sensuality. This is a story I never saw coming, one that made my heart twinge and my stomach knot with angst. It's a story that made my heart soar with joy and hope and possibility and romanticism. Helen Hoang, with her superb writing and stellar storytelling, took my breath away with The Kiss Quotient and my only regret is that I waited so long to read it.

I love a SMART ROMANCE. I love a good story that paints a luminous picture of adoration and attraction and chemistry and hope against the backdrop of something BIGGER. The Kiss Quotient is important. It's a joyful, painful, hopeful story that will restore your faith in unconditional love while giving you fresh perspective on humanity and the way we connect. It's a wholly unique, completely unforgettable love story between the most magnetic characters. It's a heartfelt story of finding oneself, embracing our differences, allowing labels to free us rather than restrict us. It's a FASCINATING story that's as passionate as it is poignant, a story peppered with humor and sensuality but one that sends such a profound message about the importance of embracing one's truth. The Kiss Quotient is a story that I will never forget, a moving story that has touched me beyond words. This is a MUST READ.

Perfect. This book was honest to goodness PERFECT.

It was genuine, sincere, and had so much heart. I really cannot believe that this is Helen Hoang's debut novel. I was sucked into this book right from the start and couldn't get enough.

I absolutely loved Stella and Michael, both individually and together. Their journey was so unique and refreshing. It made me re-examine myself and my own views through a different lens. Though their relationship starts off unconventionally, their chemistry is immediate and only grows as their feelings begin to blur from professional to more. I was so invested in these characters as well as their families. My heart ached for Stella and Michael when they struggled and it rejoiced in their quiet moments and their connection. I loved that they understood each other and truly saw the other for who they really were. Beyond the masks. Beyond the walls. Beyond the labels.

The Kiss Quotient was the perfect blend of swoon and sexy, but it also had just the right amount of heartache. There are obstacles to overcome for both of them, but it made the destination so much more gratifying and fulfilling. The self discovery of both Stella and Michael was a beautiful thing to watch unfold. I also especially loved Michael's family and Stella's introduction to the Vietnamese culture. Some of those scenes had me laughing out loud, while others warmed my heart in their familiarity.

Hoang's writing is so incredibly heartfelt. You can just feel how much she poured her soul into this novel and into Stella on every page. The Author's Note at the end only confirmed this feeling and gave me deeper insight into the book. I honestly cannot recommend The Kiss Quotient enough and I will be eagerly awaiting Hoang's next book!

*I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book*

The Delight

A unique story about a woman with Asperger(high functioning autism)finding her true love with a male escort. This was fascinating and at times, laugh out loud goodness.

Review

This book was amazing. I could stop there after telling you to run and buy it, but of course I won't. It's the story of a woman with a life wrapped up in mathematical statistics and algorithms. The life suits her and she only rarely takes a day off, working through weekends. Because of this, she is very successful in her work. She owns a sparsely furnished beautiful home and is rarely there, only to eat a lonely dinner and sleep. Her parents want grandchildren and her mother is on her to get married and have babies. To that end, she decides to hire an escort to teach her how to be a better lover and partner. It's like trying to learn Greek would be for me.

When Stella Lane meets male escort, Michael Phan, her life is turned upside down. Stella doesn't do well with upside down. All she knows is that she trusts Michael, something she has never afforded any of her other dates. He's the epitome of patience and understanding. For Michael, it's a job, one that he only does once a week in order to pay massive bills due to his mother's illness. He never sees a client more than once due to complications. When Stella breaks through and he allows himself to see her several times-but still once a week-both of their lives will never be the same.

I felt for both of these characters. Stella was beautiful, but didn't know it, and she truly can't figure out human behavior. She knows how she should react, but usually she only pretends her reactions. At times, when she shows her real reactions, she really messes up. With men, it's even worse, especially the few that she tried out sex with. She just doesn't get what the big deal is. Michael on the other hand, looks like a movie idol, and could have any woman he wants. He comes from a large, wonderfully real family, one that gets by without any help from his cheater of a father. His family knows nothing about his secret life.

Of course, other things happen in this story, but I will leave it for readers to find out. The author wrote what she knows. She was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome in 2016 and that just made the story even more interesting to me. I found this book to be well written, with humor and a bit of honest angst on both main characters part. There's drama and a fair amount of sensual scenes, but it does take awhile to get there and that was perfectly fine. And did I mention that this is her debut book? More than worth 5 stars, for me!

Highly recommended to adult contemporary romance fans, especially ones that like a unique, heartwarming and at times funny story.

I seem to be the only detractor here but I sort of felt like meh. I liked Stella a lot, an incredibly intelligent and strong woman with autism who is awkward and has had pretty bad experiences with men who were not at all sensitive to her needs (and probably, my guess would be, not sensitive to any woman's needs). She hires a professional escort to give her practice and, surprise, it turns into more as he happens to be a strong, sensitive type who can read her like a book. I liked Michael's Vietnamese family - it was fun to see some diversity in romance and the food descriptions were enticing. However, the story itself seemed extremely predictable, somewhat repetitive, and gave me some eye-rolling moments when the tough guy has to protect the vulnerable woman trope. The sex was hot and pretty detailed and well-written, the characters were mostly decently written (mainly Stella), but the storyline fell short for me. Not bad by any means, but I am having a hard time understanding the huge hype.

I LOVED this book and couldn't read fast enough. Stella is such a fully realized character, and I adored her right away. I wanted everything for her. Michael is patient and kind and absolutely perfect with Stella. This is such a fun, sexy read, but it's also sensitive and thoughtful and kept me thinking about it long after I read the last page. This book delighted me, and I cannot wait to read it again!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Yes it's a romance, and there's some pretty hot stuff here. But it was refreshingly different from the usual romance. The setting and the characters were interesting and real. I also could not help but love the "Pretty Woman" homage, a movie that is one of my favorite guilty pleasures. I will be buying this for the romance fans at my library and I look forward to seeing what Ms. Hoang comes up with next.

I hate sentiment and loathe romcoms. I NEVER thought it possible that I'd find a romance I could read all the way through without compulsive eye-rolling. But here we are, with my romance book unicorn, the rare love story that wasn't too mushy, gushy, or cheesy!

I stumbled across this title on goodreads and reviewers were saying it was smart and sexy. People were saying that even if they didn't usually like romances, they were enjoying this book.

Okay, fine, I thought. I'll give it a try. I hate romance, and I'll probably hate this. But I don't want to close myself off to a genre forever. I don't want to end up sitting in my attic with all my paranormal fantasies, yelling at romance readers to get off my lawn.

Maybe this would be my One. The one I didn't hate. The one who opened my mind a little more to the genre, and made me a little less annoying and pretentious.

Which makes me realize that in a way, The Kiss Quotient was my very own hired escort. Stella hired Michael to teach her how to enjoy sex. I requested The Kiss Quotient in an attempt to open me up to loving Love Stories.

So author Helen Hoang, I guess you can add sexy author escort to your resume if you'd like. You've successfully seduced me here, and you've kind of ruined my rep as a romance-hater. I don't even know who I am anymore!

Stella's mother has decided that it is time for grandchildren but Stella has never been good at relationships. Stella likes to be good at things so she decides the only way to get better at relationships is to practice and finds Michael to help. Michael puts his life on hold for his family and in order to pay the bills is an escort. When Stella and Michael start to work together both of their life's change. An unexpected love story that will touch her heart.

This book gets all the stars! I've never read a book from the perspective of a woman with autism, and Stella's characterization opened me up to how someone like her may view the world. I love reading about people who are different from me and it was nice to see diversity go beyond race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. But besides that, this was really just a great love story! I mean, gender-swapped "Pretty Woman"! Who would have thought that was the story I needed re-told in 2018??? Michael was great love interest and I enjoyed the wealth of supporting characters around them, particularly his family. I can't wait to read more from this author.

Berkeley continues to be publishing perfect romance books that find their way into my cold bitter black heart. Hoang's The Kiss Quotient is no different.

This book was unlike anything I've ever read before! Quirky, at times funny, and packed with diverse characters, this contemporary romance is well written and addictive. I hope it turns into a series!

This is one of those books that'll put you into a book hangover, and no other books will do. I found myself wanting to immediately start reading it again as soon as I'd finished. Stella, the heroine, is autistic, and struggles with social interaction. Feeling pressured by her mother to find a man and settle down, she hires Michael, a male escort to teach her how to be in a relationship. Both Michael and Stella have their own baggage that makes them feel like no one would want to be with them, but of course, they're both in love with each other. This was so refreshing, funny, and heartwarming. Definitely my favorite read of 2018!

The well-heeled but socially-awkward person hiring an escort for schooling in seduction with the transaction soon turning personal isn’t a new one, but Helen Hoang puts a spin in this reverse Pretty-Woman tale that had me glued to the paged from start to end.
 
There’s much I like about Hoang’s debut book: the racial diversity and how some cultural norms can seem so foreign and the sensitive portrayal of people with disabilities, to start with. But I also needed to mention how much the writing shone.
 
It was Stella Lane however, who stood out so sharply like a diamond in the dust. A true-to-the-core heroine who deals with autism and the need for structure, the difficulty with processing emotions. And the list goes on until a fantastically-rounded character along the autism spectrum emerges: quirky, artless with no games played, truly clueless about handling people, yet really wanting to learn all she could—I loved Stella from the start, felt and hurt for her, wished things had worked out better for her without her need for an escort’s services.
 
But where would the story be otherwise? I found it harder to care about Michael, the professional escort who put the word ‘professional’ in escorting because it was simply more profitable to turn what he’d already been doing for years into a job that also helped to pay the bills. But that’s me—my intense dislike for manwhores, professional or not, bogged down by daddy-issues or not—and I hadn’t gotten a big enough sense that Michael wanted to break out of his escorting work despite feeling it was like a noose around his neck. That he was perceptive enough to know that he was trying hard to become what his father wasn’t and ironically became the man who’d fallen just as far unfortunately still didn’t do it for me at all.
 
In many ways, ‘The Kiss Quotient’ was more of Stella’s book for me despite the obvious romance written into it. It was her story that shone, her struggles and her growth that appealed. So I cheered a heroine I loved, and found myself shrugging at a hero who seemed lacklustre in comparison. With the HEA that was almost inconsequential for me, her eventual acceptance of herself felt like the ultimate triumph that I always wanted for her.

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang delivered a feel good, swoon-worthy read that needs to be your #mustread summer romance.  Diverse, fresh, funny and heartwarming I fell in love with these characters and devoured The Kiss Quotient in search of happily ever after. Full review to come.

"I like you better than calculus, and math is the only thing that unites the universe."

Brilliant! This book is an absolute gem, and I loved every minute of it. Sweet, smart, steamy, romantic, this book is so much more than a gender-swapped Pretty Woman.

I don't read too many books in the romance genre, because it's usually too cliche for my taste. But this book kept me interested and entertained from start to finish. It's a breath of fresh air.

Helen Hoang is an inspired new voice in romance fiction!! I devoured The Kiss Quotient. Could not put it down! The main character Stella is on the autism spectrum and is navigating life just like everyone else. I loved that Stella isn’t like everyone other cookie cutter heroine. Finally something different, and real, in romance fiction. And the love scenes are pretty great too.