This was really good! I think I actually liked it even more than The Kiss Quotient, which I also loved.

Khai isn't capable of love, or so he thinks. His mother, determined to see her autistic son married, convinces Esme to come to America from Vietnam and marry her son. This is the kind of rom com I love- light and fluffy on the surface, but actually explores issues more deeply. I highly recommend you read the author's note as it really adds to the story. I'll be honest- I liked The Kiss Quotient, but I like The Bride Test more.

The Bride Test was my first buddy read of 2021, with Clo @ Cuppa Clo. I’m very happy she got me to buddy read with her, since I’ve been meaning to read this book for a while now, but I was also just a bit scared of picking it up. I also saw that the author had put it up on Spotify, so I took advantage of that and played it while I was working. I’m happy I got to buddy read this book with Clo, because it allowed me to screech to someone about my feelings and put them in order before writing my review. Which I’m going to do now, so let’s get started!

Esme was a breath of fresh air. I adored her and her story. She is one of those really strong female characters that I adore reading about. She’s trying her best to keep her family going, working as much as she possibly can. When the chance comes for her not only to help her entire family live a better life, but also find her father, she eventually accepts. What I loved the most was seeing how she struggled with the culture shock once she got to the States. I think the author showed perfectly how overwhelming it can be at times to be in a very different culture than your own. I also loved that ultimately Esme knew her worth and wasn’t willing to settle for less. Granted, she didn’t always understand Khai, so I think a few of the misunderstandings between them came from that. But I loved how patient she was with Khai, how much she tried to understand him and help him, and accommodate him.

Khai is my precious baby. I loved seeing things from his perspective, and I think the author did a fantastic job exploring and showing all of the aspects of autism, what it means, how it manifests. I truly loved seeing that. I mostly loved the self discovery journey that Khai went on, I loved how he eventually managed to allow himself to explore what he was feelings for Khai. I truly loved his character development and I am afraid of saying more because of spoilers. But just know I truly loved him and I screeched about it to Clo in our talks.

I loved the slow development of their relationship. I loved how Khai explained what he needed and what he didn’t like, and how Esme never once questioned it. I loved their dynamic a lot, and I truly am very happy that I got to read this book. I now need to go back to the first book, while waiting somewhat patiently for the next one in the series, which based on the blurb, is going to be amazing.

FULL REVIEW ON FRESH FICTION
The follow-up to last year's wonderful THE KISS QUOTIENT by Helen Hoang, THE BRIDE TEST is an interesting contemporary romance. Khai is a forthright and loyal man, and even though he's put off by his mother's meddling, he lets Esme into his life. He learns so much about himself, and begins to experience feelings in a visceral and complete way. Esme takes the far-fetched setup in stride, and fully intends to keep her end of the bargain - she brings light and fun into Khai's life, even though she's dealing with being apart from her daughter in a place she's only dreamed of, and has an opportunity to find her biological father. Esme's story also includes her realization that she is capable of amazing, accomplished things, adding a different storyline of growth and self-worth. At times, the things both of the main characters come to understand about themselves outshine their relationship, but their individual developments were important and lead to their abilities to be vulnerable and honest. Nonetheless, when Khai and Esme finally begin to figure each other out, their chemistry is hot and their feelings are genuine. There's an amazing author's note, where Hoang explains the inspiration behind this novel, and it's a lovely addition to the overall context of the story.

The Bride Test is a touching romance that touches on so many relevant topics today, including immigration, autism awareness, and the fact that we, as people can always change and grow. This swoony romance is a lovely escape in crazy times.

I really loved this book. The plot was cute and well written. All of the characters were well developed. I really love this authors style of writing. I have loved every book she’s written.

Helen Hoang books are quickly becoming a must purchase at my library! I enjoy the character development and storytimes in all of her books. This one in particular was incredibly well done and enjoyable to read.

I loved this book and belive its a must read for everyone. In my opinion its up there with "The Help" in level of important must reads just for the dynamic of seeing for the different pov of a person with "special needs". I don't even think thats the correct term but maybe "other needs" is a better fit. Anyway. Everyone needs to read this.

I really enjoyed this book. It was fast paced and the characters were so special. I loved the autistic representation in this book. I feel that it’s something we don’t see enough in books. Khai’s character was experiencing so much and it was helpful to read from his POV so that we can understand him better. I wish there would have been more dialogue regarding his autism. His mom played a big role in the book but there was no character development there and it was frustrating that she wouldn’t talk to Esme about the way her son processed things. Let’s talk about the protagonist, she was so different from what we usually see aka she wasn’t westernized and I appreciated that. She was a bit awkward, she clashed with cultural norms but she was smart, persistent, strong, fierce and it’s what I resonated with most. The big reveal at the end was underwhelming. Obviously we want a happy ending but it was too nearly tied in a bow for me and way too quickly. 

I enjoyed the love that developed between our two characters. The Steam in this book was fair - deff an open door romance but it wasn’t the steamiest. 🔥🔥/5 for me.

Esme Tran, a Vietnamese-American single mother living in Vietnam, struggles to support her family. So when an opportunity of flying to America comes, she grabbed it. Her job? Seducing Khai and eventually become his bride. Khai is autistic and he is often misunderstood by other people and sometimes by his own family. He is having a hard time dealing with emotions like grief and love. He agrees to give Esme a chance eventhough he’s sure he can never love her.

I'm definitely part of the minority here. I enjoyed The Kiss Quotient a lot and as much as I wanted to love The Bride Test, I just couldn't. There were some things that didn't quite sit well with me. One of them was how almost everyone is pushing or forcing Khai to do or feel things he's not comfortable with. It actually made me uncomfortable. I also felt like everyone is so nice to Esme. Don't ge me wrong, I liked her determination and the fact the she doesn't rely too much on Khai. She works and goes to school. She's also a very loving mother and daughter. But somehow most of the people around her are fond of her. The chemistry between Khai and Esme didn't work for me so that was my problem. This is a romance novel so I was looking forward to at least enjoy their conversations or feel the sparks. I also thought that the ending was abrupt. I loved the Stella and Michael cameo though! I'm still planning on reading the next book because it's about Quan.

This book was a relaxing, easy story to read. I felt like there were a few ends left hanging that bothered me when I was done.

I did not think I would like this book as much I did. I am a Vietnamese-American who grew up in San Jose. I grew up around a lot of marriage like this and the love is not always real. It’s good to know that the relationship between the two main characters are loving and caring for each other. They are so different but they learn to love each other and accept each other for who they are. I always have mix feeling reading books that are similar background to me but after reading the Kiss Quotient I had to read this book as well and it was a pleasant surprise. A lot of customers that I recommend this book to also came back to tell me that they love both books as well. It was really fun to read and the characters are different than a lot of romances that I read. I am looking forward to the last book.

The past couple of years may have turned me into a slow reader, but that hasn’t stopped me from devouring Helen Hoang’s The Bride Test in one glorious sitting!

Hard to believe, I know, especially since it now takes me at least a week to finish any given book, but here we are.

I tried to pace myself, I really did, but in the end, the book’s fluid pace, arresting characters and giddy romance won over my self-control. (But then again, what’s new, right?)

In The Bride Test, we follow Khai, a reserved workaholic with a strong aversion to women (especially the ones his well-meaning Vietnamese mum sets him up with) and Esme, a hardworking girl from the slums of Ho Chi Minh who has dreams of changing the course of her life.

What happens when their paths cross? Can Khai learn how to love, despite believing that he doesn’t know how to, because of his autism? Is marriage to a virtual stranger the key to Esme’s dreams?

There’s a lot to love about The Bride Test, and to be honest, I enjoyed this one more than The Kiss Quotient. For one, I found the story to be more vivid and it was, overall, more neatly tied together than its predecessor. I found it funnier, too, and more relatable.

One of my favorite parts about The Bride Test is how it succeeds in depicting many important narratives. On one hand, it tells the story of Esme— the “mail-order bride” who jumps at this very odd opportunity to go to America just to make a better life for herself and her family. Esme’s story— albeit told in a light tone in this novel— is not an unfamiliar tale.

See, for many people here in Asia, America is basically paradise. It’s the Garden of Eden. The land of (processed) milk and honey. A ticket out of poverty. That’s why in real life, scores of young Southeast Asian girls throw caution to the wind just to set foot in the States. They’d marry virtual strangers (who are usually several years older than them) just to get a green card and send money back home. These real-life girls have a lot in common with Esme. Esme faced similar struggles and in so doing made these Southeast Asian girls more human to the audience. Esme’s journey even touches base on stuff that one doesn’t normally consider romantic, like the struggles of immigrants, the lives of mixed-race Asian kids with absentee fathers, and being a young parent in a developing country. It’s crazy how one character arc can show all this and I’m so happy that the author pulled it off beautifully. 

Then we have Khai, this drop-dead-gorgeous-reluctant-potential-husband who just so happens to have Asperger’s. Again, Hoang does her magic by writing Khai as a fully-fleshed out human being. Sure, we can chalk up his a-la Kpop star good looks to the romance plot of everything, but beyond that, the reader also gets a good view of what it means to be someone with autism in the world today.

Khai is the perfect foil to Esme: he’s an Asian boy who grew up with all the comforts of America, but is still somewhat different from the people around him. I love how the author lets us see how Khai responds to different situations and emotions. Personally, reading about Khai gave me a deeper understanding of how people with Asperger’s deal with things like grief, happiness, and love— and I, again, appreciate how the author wrote his character with much heart and vibrancy.

I enjoyed The Bride Test so much because it wove all the “serious” elements above into a giddy love story. Want an honest-to-goodness Enemies to Lovers trope? It’s here. Moments to swoon over? Covered. Steamy romance? Also covered. As we say in Filipino, it’s kilig to the bones. Hoang injects humor and balances it with just a little bit of angst and heartbreak to create a contemporary masterpiece. 

If you loved The Kiss Quotient, you will for sure enjoy The Bride Test. The pace is nice and even, the characters are relatable despite their different circumstances, and the romance simply makes you keep turning the page. Before you know it, you’ve finished the entire thing in one sitting and are now left with this deep feeling of satisfaction. Honestly, the only thing I didn’t like about this book was literally one line. It’s the one that had something to do with debit and credit, but I can forgive this book for that major cringe. It’s still a 5-star romance for me!

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/the-bride-test-review-book-helen-hoang-the-kiss-quotient-autism-a8945486.html

My soft pandemic brain was Very Into the Kiss Quotient and I was jazzed to read The Bride Test. It was maybe a little bit of a letdown in comparison? I definitely didn't dislike it and I've been recommending Helen Hoang to everyone I know now, but I tell them to start with the Kiss Quotient instead.

Esme Tran is a young Vietnamese woman supporting her family by working as a maid in Ho Chi Minh City when she has a chance encounter with an American woman who offers her the chance of a lifetime. The woman invites her to come spend the summer in California, thinking she might be a good match for her son. Her son Khai is horrified but agrees to the arrangement if his mother promises to never interfere in his life again. Despite their differences (Khai is autistic and believes himself incapable of love; Esme has a 5-year-old daughter she hasn't mentioned), the two find themselves falling for one another.

Hoang has a talent for creating complex and compelling characters, and that is on full display here, in her sophomore novel. The novel is full of the usual tropes readers can find in rom-coms: misunderstandings, attempts to connect, etc., but Hoang breathes new life into them with her capable writing and genuine warmth and humor. Refreshingly, there are other plot points here, too - Esme attends school and discovers that she's smart and loves learning and Khai confronts his own grief from a past trauma - and this adds to the complexity of the novel. I enjoyed this one immensely. A real treat of a read, not to be missed.

The Bride Test is the second book in  The Kiss Quotient series by author Helen Hoang. I loved The Kiss Quotient, so I was super excited to read The Bride Test, and I have to tell you...I loved this book EVEN MORE! The Bride Test is a romantic comedy about two characters that will make you fall head over heels in love with them.  Helen Hoang is now a must read author for me because she knocked it out of the park two times in a row and I am just a little bit in love with her books and characters and romance. This book is everything I want in a romance, and is one that I will easily revisit time and time again just to fall in love once more with Khai and Esme. The books are each standlones but they are linked to characters from the other books. For example, Khai is Michael's cousin.

In The Bride Test, we meet our main characters Khai and Esme. Khai, just like Stella from The Kiss Quotient, is also on the autism spectrum, and he does not think he is capable of feeling romantic love for someone. So when his mom sets him up, he knows it is doomed for failure. Insert Esme. Esme is a hard worker from a poor part of Ho Chi Minh City, so when a well-to-do woman offers her the chance to marry her son in America, she knows she has to give it a shot for her family. Helen Hoang has a fantastic way with characters. I am not really sure how she does it, but I have fallen in love with all of her characters, both primary and secondary. Everyone is so fantastically developed, nuanced, unique and still so darn relatable that I think it is almost impossible to not fall in love with them. Esme is lovely. She tries so hard to get to know Khai and to do things for him that she thinks he will appreciate. She starts out with the intention of doing it to make her fall in love with him, but watching her fall for Khai warmed my heart. And Khai is great as well. I really enjoyed a deep dive in getting to know him throughout the story. He is an awesome guy!

The Bride Test is like sunshine and smiles in a novel. I enjoyed every page of this novel from start to finish, even the ugly and tough parts. It is one of those books that will put a smile on your face, no matter your mood. I also love that The Kiss Quotient series features characters that are on the autism spectrum. Helen Hoang handles this beautifully, Khai and Stella, though both on the spectrum, are nothing alike. This was perfect because it added a realistic element to their relate-ability, because being "on the spectrum" can mean and present itself in so many different ways. Not everyone on the spectrum is the same or acts the same. I am excited to read about more characters like Khai (and Stella from The Kiss Quotient) in romance novels! Overall, this romance was a ton of fun and super satisfying! I would recommend it to everyone because this book was easily one of my favorite reads of the year in the contemporary romance category. It was just so cute and romantic! The secondary characters were also great. This time around, I really enjoyed Quan, Khai's brother. I hope the next book in this series is about him!

Helen Hoang is phenomenal! She has a true gift to write delightful characters who leap off the page and just feel real. She fleshes out her worlds so beautifully and the characterizations are spot on. Loved this book so very much for its nuanced portrayal of daily life.

I really wasn't sure who I felt about this book when I started it. The idea of one of the main character's mom going to get him a "mail-order bride" basically forcing him to get married when he was autistic and didn't believe he could love. I'm not going to lie, the start of the book made me a little uncomfortable, but this is Helen Hoang and I trust her writing. I was right to do so because as the story progressed, I just fell in love with both characters and started to really root for them not only as individuals but as a couple. This ended up being another amazing one of hers. It just solidified why I will always read Helen Hoang's books. I can't wait for the next one!!

After finishing the Kiss Quotient I was very excited to hear that Helen Hoang was writing another book and hoped that it would be Quan's story. After the initial disappointment that Bride Test would feature Quan's brother I was still excited as I love Hoang's writing style and her diverse characters. I then devoured this one...I loved Khai and Esme and enjoyed watching their story unfold. And there was one scene with Khai, Quan and Michael that had me laughing out loud. In true Hoang story this was a really sweet story filled with love, laughter and family. Its was hard to stop reading once I picked it up and just gave me all the happy feels. I'm still eager for Quan's book but until that one comes to be at least I'll have Khai and Michael's stories to re-read.