***Review written by Marie for Ever After Book Reviews!***

When I began this book, I wasn’t impressed. The idea of a woman feeling like she must use an escort service to experience intimacy really rubbed me the wrong way. I know she is in a unique situation, having Asperger’s, but I’ve known plenty of people who share the same situation and have found intimacy and love on their own. I was so irritated by this, that I almost put the book down.

I am SO glad that I didn’t.

This book simply blew me away. The way that the author portrays Stella, with all of her complexities, is beautiful. And as Stella embarks on this journey, it touches home to so many of us who deal with social anxieties and self-doubt. She becomes a beacon of understanding, I would imagine, for people with Asperger’s and Autism, and undoubtedly gives them courage to be who you are and what you want in life no matter the obstacle. It’s just absolutely inspiring.

The man at the heart of this story is no doubt portrayed just as wonderfully. Michael is the escort that Stella hires to help her tackle sexual experiences, and whew! That man is sexy as hell. He is patient. He is kind. He works hard to understand Stella and what makes her comfortable, what makes her open personally and sexually. Not only are all of these moments sweet and incredibly erotic, they are real. And as their sexual relationship matures, their romantic relationship blooms. It isn’t without bumps along the way, but it is the kind of relationship that sticks with you long after you turn that last page.

The Kiss Quotient made me laugh. It made me cry. It made me think about my own intimacy and how to better the connection between myself and my partner. But above all else, it made me infinitely happy. This journey is one that I am so blessed to have experienced as a reader and will encourage everyone I know to do the same.

***I voluntarily read a copy of the book generously provided by Berkley Romance in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and feelings are my own***

I finished The Kiss Quotient a couple days ago and I'm still swooning over it. I absolutely LOVED it--it's a new all-time favorite and my first five star read this year.

If that doesn't tell you how much I enjoyed this book, I don't know what will.

The writing. If I didn't already know The Kiss Quotient was Helen Hoang's debut novel, I wouldn't have guessed. Her writing style was just so readable and binge-able. I'm so happy that we get both Stella and Michael's perspective, and I thought it was perfect that the book was written in third person. I actually prefer reading books in third person, but here it made sense in terms of the main characters and their story. The pacing was also very well-done--like I said, Ms. Hoang writing style is binge-read-able, but I made myself slow down because I really wanted to savor the story over several days because I wanted to spend more time with Stella and Michael.

The characters. I love Stella and Michael to pieces. They are my precious babies, especially Stella who worked herself into my heart from page one. While I'm not autistic like her character I get her--I get the social awkwardness and the shame of thinking you're less (in this instance because she's autistic) and wanting to hide it. And then there's Michael, the escort with the heart of gold who I fell for along with Stella, who liked Stella as she was, who was so patient with her. Then, we come to learn that Michael might have even more deep-seated issues than Stella.

The secondary characters were fantastic and fully fleshed out as well. I especially enjoyed meeting Michael's large Vietnamese family, especially his mom who was just a hoot. The family dinners were some of my favorite scenes in the book and when they talked about Vietnamese food my foodie heart soared.

The plot and worldbuilding. I know falling for an escort romance trope is really popular right now, and I've read a few that follows this trope, but none captured me like The Kiss Quotient did. I love how the author took the trope and put her unique spin to it. I absolutely adored the ownvoices Vietnamese-American rep as well as the autism rep.

The Kiss Quotient was set in the San Francisco Bay Area, mostly in Palo Alto. I've only visited San Francisco a couple of years ago, so I can't comment on if the setting truly captures the actual place. But, in general, I've no complaints about the setting.

Final Thoughts. I love EVERYTHING about this book. I can't wait to read more by Ms. Hoang--definitely a welcome new talent in the world of romance. The ending was a satisfying conclusion to Stella and Michael's story, but I wasn't read to say goodbye to them. I already miss my babies, BUT we might see them in Ms. Hoang's next book called The Bride Test because it's a connected standalone to The Kiss Quotient. **Cross fingers** we'll see a glimpse of Stella and Michael in it.

Recommendation. If you're a fan of romance, The Kiss Quotient is a must-read. Everyone in the romance community needs to pick this book up--if you don't you're going to miss out on one of the best books this year.

For fans of THE HATING GAME. This book had everything I love. A romance so deliciously sweet I swooned from the very beginning. Two protagonists who each had their own insecurities of feeling like they will never be enough. This was funny, heartwarming and sexy!

Just wow. The Kiss Quotient is definitely one of my favorite books this year. I'm pretty sure I am not over it and I probably won't ever be over it. I'm currently on a book slump because of this book and that is both good and bad but I adored this book so much.

Michael and Stella were amazing main characters, each of their own personal arcs are amazing to follow and read. It's so good to watch them grow and watch them falling in love. Their whole relationship development definitely made me cry at some points but it was so worth it.

I can't believe I have to wait until January 2019 for Helen Hoang's second book! She has become one of my favorite authors to follow and I will read anything by her for sure. Give me everything!

Helen Hoang's charming debut, THE KISS QUOTIENT, killed my hopes of a productive Saturday. I had such a blast reading Michael and Stella's steamy and heartfelt love story. The hero is so swoony and I couldn't help but love watching Stella stumble unexpectedly in love. Such a great sexy read with substance! Highly recommended!

"But why should she settle for Phillip when maybe she could have Michael? Could she use what he taught her...on him? Could she seduce her escort?"

I had grand weekend plans to finally get ready to move into my new house. Thursday and Friday, I listened to the first 20% of this book to and from work. On Saturday, I thought, "I'll just sit down with a cup of coffee and read an eensy weensy bit of this and get to work." No productivity was achieved while this book was in my hands.

Stella is a wealthy and successful econometrician. She knows numbers. She loves numbers. Numbers she can do. People she cannot do. The combined anxieties of her autism spectrum disorder and her parents' not-so-gentle hints that they want grandchildren propel her to go to an expert—or shall I say sexpert?—to show her how to seduce a man. Michael Larsen moonlights as an escort and Stella is unlike any client he has ever encountered. He realizes that he has to be slow and gentle with this very different and intriguing woman. But from night one, he can't control how his heart feels. What starts as a 3-lesson arrangement turns to something more. Soon she's meeting his family and stealing his heart.

This book was utterly charming and it hit my need for a romance with the perfect balance of sexy and sweet. This book pulled me in instantly. This is one of those books that take no time to become fully invested, as you're dropped right in the middle of the action.

Stella is a character who's immediately endearing and likable. I wanted the best for her. As someone who isn't on the autism spectrum, it was sometimes sad to see her so uncomfortable in certain situations. But that's where Michael came in. He is like her knight in shining armor! I loved him so much. He recognized that there was something unique about her but was careful not to make her feel embarrassed, ashamed or as like she's an "other." He was so gentle with her and took time to get to know her.

This book was so enjoyable for me. The cover may lead you to believe that this read is going to sweet and "fade-to-black." Let me tell you that is not the case. This book was extremely sexy without feeling overly raunchy.

"Emotion clogged her throat, anyway. If this was just practice, she never wanted the real thing. How long could she live in a fantasy?"

I wanted a little more build up in terms of Michael's attraction to Stella. It felt a little too instant and intense, which took away some of the romantic tension that I love so much. Part of the fun in reading romance is watching that deep attraction develop and I felt like the author showed her cards a little too early in this one.

The author's note at the end discussed how writing this book led to her own diagnosis. The author did her research here and I felt like Stella's responses to certain sexual situations and social interactions mostly rang true. There was one scene in particular when she met Michael's family that didn't quite make sense. I found her behavior with his family felt true to someone with the disorder, but not necessarily for Stella and what the reader had learned about her up to that point. Both of these things that bothered me were very minor things that didn't take anything away from the massive amount of fun I had devouring this book!

If you're looking for a "teach me how to sex" romance in the vein of Samantha Young's Before Jamaica Lane or Christina Lauren's Beautiful Player, then check out this addictive and heartfelt romance! This one left me smiling from ear to ear! Definitely a great feel-good romance!

* Thanks to Berkeley for providing me with an early review copy. Receiving this book for free did not affect my opinion.

The Kiss Quotient is the very best thing I can think of… a debut novel that kept me up late into the night telling myself “just one more chapter” until I couldn’t keep my eyes open anymore.

Stella Lane is an intriguing heroine, and one that I believe readers will fall in love with. An economist who studies patterns in consumer’s shopping habits, Stella loves her job and takes pride in her accomplishments within her field. What she doesn’t understand is relationships and intimacy. Her mother and father have let her know that they are more than ready for her to settle down and make babies, but Stella has no idea where to even start with finding a man who she likes enough to date on a regular basis. She has a form of Autism called Asperger’s and struggles in social situations and has a sensitivity to touch and sound. Although she isn’t a virgin, Stella hasn’t enjoyed any of her sexual encounters and places all the blame for that on herself. She wants to learn to be better at sex and intimacy and the only way she knows how to do that is to hire a professional.

During the day Michael works in his mother’s dry clean store as a tailor, but for the last several years he has also been working as an escort. He doesn’t know any other way to cover his mother’s mounting medical bills and keep his family in their home. Michael doesn’t enjoy that part of his life, but he does it because he feels like he has to. Which is why he has several rules he follows, including only working on Friday nights and never seeing a date more than once. That is until Stella Lane asks him to teach her how to be good at sex and now he can’t think of anyone else touching her but him.

Stella and Michael are so great together. He’s patient and understanding and she’s awkward and smart. He made me want to swoon from almost the moment he walked onto the page and into a hotel suite with Stella, I felt an instant connection with this woman who was so intelligent but had trouble understanding simple conversations and interactions, but was determined to figure it all out. Each of them feel like they aren’t good enough for the other, and I absolutely loved watching them fall for each other and realize that they were exactly what the other needed and deserved.

This romance swept me away and I absolutely can not wait to see what this author has coming out next. Final Grade- A

Favorite Quote:
“The sight of their hands side by side on the keys mesmerized Stella. The contrast was stark and beautiful: large to small, tan to pale, masculine to feminine. So different, but in perfect rhythm. They were making music. Together.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

How do you write a coherent review for a book that was endlessly more delightful than you could ever have hoped? The Kiss Quotient is an example of a book that perfectly delivers on an excellent premise (and an amazing cover, let’s be honest).

The characters are what make this romance stand out. Stella, our heroine, is an econometrician who hires a male escort, Michael, to teach her the ins and outs of dating. I always love romances with STEM heroines! Stella unashamedly loves math, mathematical puzzles, and her job– I love that she’s unapologetic in the things she’s passionate about. Plus, Stella is autistic, and this representation is #ownvoices. I loved reading from the perspective of a neurodivergent main character. Our hero, Michael, is mixed-race: half Vietnamese and half Swedish. I think what makes him so swoony is that, underneath it all, he has such a heart of gold. Everything he does, he does to help out his family, and he doesn’t expect anything in return.

It’s told through dual POVs, and both Michael and Stella’s voices shone through beautifully. I never once questioned which character’s perspective I was reading– the author did a great job of differentiating between them. I think dual POV worked well for The Kiss Quotient because we got clear insight into the characters’ feelings and what was going on inside their heads.

I mean, obviously, we have to discuss the romance itself. It was PERFECT. The tension, the swooniness, the steamy scenes (of which there are many, please be advised), the vulnerability… Helen Hoang described it all in such delicious detail. I genuinely had butterflies while reading this book. The characters make mistakes, but they own up to them, and they are patient with one another. Idk, it was refreshing to read such a healthy relationship, honestly. Plus, like, it was really, really hot.

Overall, The Kiss Quotient ticked all the boxes for me. Standout main characters, excellent representation, and a perfectly-written romantic relationship. If you’re looking for your next romance read, look no further!

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this book so much that I couldn't put it down. The writing is tight, pithy and funny. The characters were real and more diverse than the typical romance couples. In particular, I really connected with Stella and her struggles with finding someone to love. It's not that I resemble Stella, who has Aperger's, but more that I see in Stella aspects of people I've known during my life: the smart, gifted person who is a little different, a little socially awkward yet kind and caring and wonderful to know and have as a friend. Her forthright way of looking at the world and stating her thoughts without embellishment was a refreshing change for the female lead in a romance.

I also appreciated that the male lead, Michael, was also different than the "typical" male character. I enjoyed, in particular, the scenes in which Michael (and, often, Stella) interact with Michael's family. The way in which Hoang described the tensions between traditional Vietnamese values and culture, represented by Michael's grandmother and mother, and those of Michael and his five sisters, who, along with their mother, have been abandoned by their Caucasian father brought to mind similar interactions I have witnessed in the homes of friends and neighbors.

I know I'm not really doing justice in this review to how much I enjoyed this book, so I'll wind up by saying that I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a smart, modern romance with well-developed, real, likable characters.

I loved this book! Such a great romance story that also provided lessons in autism and consent. Highly recommend for romance readers who like to have a little more substance.

Quirky? Neurodivergent? Diverse cast? Super smart heroine? Kind hero? I am in.

This is a ROMANCE novel with the over the top sexual tutoring and escort trope but outside that glitter is a lovely, funny romance of family and falling in love.

Micheal is a kind hero and Stella blooms here though she has always been her own flower.

Stella's sexual issues don't really stem from her Autism but rather really bad partners in the past. However, her brain works differently and we get to see the the joy and struggles that take place in social setting in this in our own voices novel.

Micheal has a large complex family and all the joys and struggles that go with it. I hope we see the rest of the books in this series set amid his clan.

The writing is crisp, fun, and moving. I read this debut book in one setting and am very excited to see what comes next from Helen Hoang.

I was given this book for my honest review. So, there you have it!

Stars: ✦✦✦✦.5
So as usual, I'll tell 4.5 things I liked about the book and 0.5 things I didn't like.

+1 | The idea is clever and pulled me to it immediately.

+1 | The entertainment value kept me reading and reading

+1 | The characters are perfectly executed, flawed yet lovable. And the struggles were portrayed stunningly with family, friends and colleagues woven in.

+1 | The writing brought the main character, and all her struggles, to life and the flow was so well timed.

+0.5 | The romance was definitely refreshing and new.

-0.5 | Disclaimer: only for mature audiences.

Read on lovelies,
S

I LOVED this book! It was the perfect book for me. It was such a well written love story! I will be recommending this to everyone I talk to!

I'm going to preface by saying contemporary romance is not my usual genre of choice. I generally prefer plot driven fantasy novels that I can get lost in with romance as a side plot. However, The Kiss Quotient really surprised me.

Stella has asbergers and the book opens up with her mom pressuring her into having children (this immediately threw me off because I'm sorry, but I can't stand it when parents expect to have children for them), but she's awkward and doesn't have much success with personal relationships so she hires an escort. You can see where it goes from there.

I liked this book for one, because of the representation, and two, this was such a healthy portrayal of sex. Every time something sex related happened Michael ASKED. Do you know how rare that is in romance books? I was living the entire time. I also related to Stella in the fact that she's socially awkward and has had zero relationships before Michael. I myself, have also had zero relationships, so I completely related to her. Also, I loved Michael's whole family and learning about that situation because it really added more depth to the character.

I rated it 3.75, because I had some technical issues with the writing. I think this is due to the fact that it's Hoang's debut novel. There were parts that were phrased awkwardly and I thought were a little campy. I think it's because I've been in too many creative writing workshops at this point, but the book might have flowed better in first person point of view. The third person is part of what made the dialogue feel stinted and awkward, but I think if we were in Stella's head (or Stella AND Micheal's head, because it already switches their perspectives), it would have been easier to connect with. I also think some things worked out too easily, but I guess that's generally the case with romance novels so I can't be too picky. Overall I liked this and would recommend it! It's perfect summer/beach reading so if you're going on vacation try this one!

Absolutely, no doubt in my mind, this is a five-star read.
It was everything I love about great romance, sexy, sweet, sincere and completely unforgettable. Stella and Michael are a one of a kind couple and it was refreshing to read about a somewhat non-traditional couple. Stella, in particular, was such a lovely character and I fell in love with Michael and the way he treated her, even before he knew something was (clinically) different with Stella.
And the sex? Holy moly... it was redonkulous, but so well written. Stella and Michael's chemistry was completely undeniable and every physical encounter was perfect for me.

The Kiss Quotient will be on my best of 2018 list for sure and I truly cannot wait for Ms. Hoang's next book!

This is hands down the best book I’ve read this year and probably the best debut novel I’ve ever read. I wanted to crawl inside this book and live with these characters forever.

Everything, from the character development to the pacing of this story just screamed perfection to me. There wasn’t a moment while reading this book that I was bored and having to step away from it to carry on with my normal daily activities was torture.

I fell in love with Stella and all of her insecurities and awkwardness; with her honesty and self-awareness, even though she was ashamed of most of it. It was extremely refreshing to read about an autistic character who represented the community in, what seemed like, an honest and thoughtful way.

And Micheal. Oh Michael. He is so perfect in all of his imperfections. He was so patient and attentive with Stella. He didn’t judge her for her quirks but instead embraced them and showed her that she could, and should, embrace them too. He was both unendingly sexy and infallibly kind. He was the guy who, based on assumptions, I would never imagine falling for, that I now can’t imagine how anyone couldn’t absolutely fall for.

I still can’t find the proper words that will do justice to just how fantastic this book is so stop reading this review to find the right words and go READ THIS BOOK TODAY!!

The perfect mix of chick-lit, endearing characters and just a bit steamy, but still full of substance. I wasn't sure what to expect when I started hearing early praise for The Kiss Quotient, but I was pleasantly surprised and as I closed the last page, I immediately found myself running to add Hoang's 2019 book to my most-anticipating list!

There is a lot of buzz around the release of The Kiss Quotient and in my opinion, it’s well deserved. I was so excited to have the opportunity to read an early copy of this very much-anticipated debut novel by Helen Hoang. I flew through the first read and then picked it up again a few weeks later to read slower and absorb it. I struggle with reviews for books I love. I worry about saying too much, so I over-edit and realize I’m not conveying what I wanted to say at all! As its release date neared, I picked it up again this past weekend. Believe the hype; this book is that good! Ms. Hoang gives us a truly unique and I believe, truthful perspective of young woman with Asperger’s Syndrome who is falling in love for the first time.

Stella Lane is an extremely intelligent young woman who works as an econometrician (yes I had to google it)-a job she is very good at. She’s ruled by her daily routines and the smallest kink in that routine can cause her to experience high anxiety. She’s quirky and can come off as socially awkward as she doesn’t always filter the thoughts that her brain processes in the moment. At the same time, she does notice when she’s made a faux paux and is quick to question it, and apologize.

Stella has dated and she is not a virgin, but sex has never been a good experience. She is hypersensitive, so things most people take for granted–eye contact, simple conversation, and touch, all require extreme effort on Stella’s part. She’s aware that the issues are mostly hers, but she hasn’t exactly chosen the best partners either. When a coworker makes an off-handed remark to her about practice makes perfect, Stella wonders if it could be that simple. Did she just need practice? And how exactly would one go about getting said practice? It doesn’t take long for Stella’s very analytical mind to decide that what she needs is a professional.

Enter Michael Phan. Michael works part-time as a high-end escort but this is not something he enjoys at all, it is simply a means to an end. While he might be good at it, his reasons for working as an escort were all about the money he made so he could take care of his family. As the eldest son, he takes the responsibility seriously-and will do whatever it takes.

Stella and Michael’s first meeting is not at all what Michael expected and sets the tone for what would become Stella’s sex/relationship lessons. Stella isn’t like his usual clients and her genuine kindness and sincere interest in him take him by surprise. When the first two sessions don’t go very well, Stella lays out a new proposition to him-she wants Michael to teach her how to be in a relationship. Michael isn’t keen on accepting, but Stella has already gotten under his skin and the thought that Stella may attempt to find another escort doesn’t sit well with him at all. So he agrees.

I loved Stella. She is awkward and quirky, but even when something is uncomfortable she pushes herself and makes the effort. Her determination and single-mindedness are both good and bad at times. Michael is patient and understanding and this is everything Stella needs to allow her to finally relax, let her guard down, and to experience want and desire for the first time. I loved that the author doesn’t make everything about the fact that Stella has Aspergers. Not that the reader is unaware-Stella’s actions or reactions are always there-but they are a way to make her character feel more authentic.

I loved Michael as well. His character is so complex as he struggles with everything he begins to feel for Stella and dealing with his life and his responsibilities to his family. He has a low opinion of himself and feels that he isn’t good enough for Stella because of the choices he’s had to make. He worries that he’s not any better than his father, who is the worst kind of scoundrel-a man who lied and cheated for years, leaving Michael’s family with a mountain of debt. Even as he is falling for Stella, he doesn’t feel that he deserves her and can’t possibly be enough for her. But in every instance, he is exactly what and who Stella needs. Michael is the perfect kind of tortured hero, blissfully unaware of exactly how wonderful he really is.

In her debut novel, Hoang takes the theme of a pretend relationship to a whole new level. She effortlessly weaves a story of two people destined to be together, though the obstacles in their way seem insurmountable. Ms. Hoang gives us a glimpse into the mind of a person on the autism spectrum and the things they may struggle with daily, that most of us take for granted. At the same time, Stella is every woman. She has the same wants and needs as anyone, and worries about the same things where men are concerned. This is a book that’s hard to put down. You’ll feel every emotion as you step into Stella’s shoes and go through this experience with her and Michael. You’ll laugh and cry and experience all the feels.

I received an e-galley of this book off NetGalley but loved it so much I had to purchase my own physical copy to keep on my bookshelf forever.

This Kiss Quotient is one of THE books of the summer. Seriously, you MUST read it. Everyone I know that reads romance has read this book or is picking it up ASAP. It made me laugh, cry, swoon, and made my heart expand 5x.

The Kiss Quotient features a heroine who is on the autism spectrum, and a Vietnamese-Swedish hero. Neither of these are my own personal experiences of the world, and I really appreciated how the book taught me about some of the personal experiences of those on the autism spectrum and about Vietnamese culture, most of which I had never even considered before. Romance needs more racial, cultural, and neurological-diversity representation, and this book has that in spades.

I would recommend this book to romance readers everywhere, anyone looking for a new, enticing, intriguing, and heartwarming romance, as well as anyone looking to diversify their romance reading. It is a fun, sexy, contemporary about a heroine and her hero, both of whom are struggling with the things they feel make them impossibly different from everyone else. Each has a different personal struggle, but finds solace for those struggles in the other. Watching them come together and perfectly fit each other was one of the most pleasurable reading experiences I've ever had.

If you only read one contemporary romance this summer, this should be the one. I absolutely LOVED it. My usual test of a book is whether I skip sleep in order to continue reading, and I read well past my bedtime 3 nights in a row to finish this book. I couldn't put it down.

The cover of this book is what first drew me in. It reminded me of The Hating Game by Sally Thorne, and that is a book that I have read multiple times over the past few years.

I like books that have something a little different, and having characters that are a) a little older and b) on the spectrum lured me in.

What a cute, sweet and wonderful debut novel from Ms Hoang. I was enchanted with this story right from the start.

The Kiss Quotient is a refreshing story, Michael and Stella both have a lot of learning to do when it comes to relationships, and they way they do it made me smile. I felt that we could all relate to Stella in ways, We have all felt out of place, overwhelmed, and all spoken out before our brain has caught up.

Heck, I loved Stella's bluntness! So much talking around things these days, the straight to the point can be a good thing.

I adore Michael and his family. Ms Hoang brought quite of the Vietnamese-ness to the reader, which is something else that I have not come across in my reading, though I am sure there is plenty of it out there.

Beautifully written, lovely storyline, enjoyable characters. This was one that just left me feeling good.

I can't wait to see what Ms Hoang brings us next.

This book has all of the romance world buzzing. It’s thoughtful and charming and so incredibly honest.

I loved the Stella was on a journey of self-discovery throughout this novel. Prior to the start of this book she may have known her likes and dislikes, her career was set, and she had the love and support of her family. But in many ways, this was Stella's "throw up her hands and move to a small-town" book; she cut a few ties, tried something TOTALLY new for her, and she had to learn to deal with the repercussions of that action.

And Michael...he is a hero among heroes that's for sure. Engaging in sex work to pay off his bills, he accepts Stella's offer to be her tutor in all things sex. Except she begins to teach him things too, about family and how to appreciate differences in on another. Soon he begins to crave time with her, which is not what his business is built upon (Do the job, get paid, get out, no repeats).

I was nervous to read this book since it's gotten such great reviews and I hate to be disappointed when something takes Romancelandia by storm and I just don't get it. This book though, it's so crazy good and satisfying. Schedule a day alone before picking this one up, I could not put it down.