Friendly reminder that if you haven’t already read The Kiss Quotient, you should. And by friendly, I mean me-violently-shoving-the-book-in-your-face, because what the fuck have you been doing. I reread The Kiss Quotient before reading The Bride Test, and I’d worried a little bit it wouldn’t be as amazing as I remembered, but it was actually better if anything? Which…how? Helen Hoang’s a stellar new voice in contemporary romance, and she’s back with another book full of excellent representation and hot kissing.

To start, I will say that I didn’t love The Bride Test as much as The Kiss Quotient, but let’s be clear that that would be a huge ask, because I LOVE The Kiss Quotient. Like, it would be on my top ten favorite romances list, somewhere near the top. The Bride Test is a great book, but it didn’t send me to that obsessive shippy place where I want to do nothing but read and feel ruined by the amount I want the couple to work things out. Also, super subjectively, these aren’t my favorite tropes at work here, though I guess TKQ wasn’t really either but ya know.

The Bride Test is Khai’s book, cousin to Michael from TKQ. He was not a major character in the first book, but I was ready to love him. Khai’s autistic, like Stella. However, he truly believes he’s broken and incapable of loving, because he thinks his feelings do not work. As a result, his emotional arc is all about accepting that he does have feelings, which actually is a pretty standard male romance arc, only it’s a million times more sympathetic when the guy is autistic.

Khai’s love interest is My, who goes by Esme once she gets to America. Esme’s a hard-working single mom who helps support her mom and grandma by working as a maid in a hotel. When a wealthy Vietnamese woman offers to fly her to America for several months as a bride prospect for his son, she decides to do so, despite being deeply unsure about the ethics of such a thing.

I struggled with the romance largely because of this set up, because I didn’t love the way Khai’s mom was forcing him, like to the degree that she just drops Esme off in his house basically (he picks her up at the airport on her orders actually, but still SO AWFUL) and expects him to deal with it, even though routine is massively important to him. Also, Esme’s pretending not to have a child most of the time, and there’s an added lie that she’s an accountant, just so she can feel smarter. All of that was just so much that put me on edge for much of the book. I will say that I liked the resolution of everything, so I may be more into the ship on a future reread.

Khai and Esme don’t hit it off right away. Mostly she frustrates him, moving his stuff and interrupting his routines and giving him awkward boners while also making it difficult for him to masturbate. Esme’s tense, because she’s not good at English, misses her family, and doesn’t know how she feels about the bride test. Their bond grows slowly and starts out more physical than emotional, though it’s all tied up for Khai, really. For him, being comfortable around someone, willing to let them into his routine, basically is love. It’s not a particularly bantery romance, which again makes it less of a Christina romance, but they’re definitively sweet once they start learning how to communicate with one another. But omg one of my favorite scenes was View Spoiler ».

What gave me the most feels actually was Esme’s journey into confidence through education. If I summed her up in a sentence, it would be “immigrants, we get the job done.” Because she’s never had opportunity, she always assumed she wasn’t that smart, but she realizes that she does have the aptitude, and she makes use of her new freedom and money to attend night school. Her quiet strength is deeply admirable and is a reminder of what people can do with even an ounce of the privilege so many take as a given.

The real scene stealer of the book is Quan, who I already liked from The Kiss Quotient. Basically any scene with him was amazing, particularly because he was such a shipper, which is a trope I DO love. And omg I love that he had how-to guides about sex that he could pass on to Khai. I cannot WAIT for Quan’s book. I NEED IT.

Though The Bride Test wasn’t a favorite on this first read, it very much cemented Helen Hoang in my mind as a fantastic author. The story’s excellent, the character’s nuanced, and the writing fantastic. Maybe I’ll ship it more next time.

I was intrigued by the premise of this book but disappointed. I think it was a good start but it could have been so much more.

I adored this story. It was sweet and gave me those warm fuzzy feelings I love from romcoms and romance novels. Esmé was such an interesting character, as was Khai.

What rubbed me the wrong way was how inaccurately the visa process was portrayed. Having had first-hand experience of the US immigration fiancée journey, I know this is NOT how everything works. It may seem minor, but these inconsistencies pulled me out of the story more often than I would have liked.

Overall, this is a solid 3-star book. Enjoyable even if lacking a little more depth to it. Thank you for the chance to read and review this title!

Bride Test was an incredible 2nd book from Helen Hoang. We follow the journey of a girl coming to America to be set up with boy who does not want to be set up. I loved their dynamic. I loved how his mom was so involved but ultimately they both fall in love and it’s so sweet.

Delightful! I love Helen Hoang's voice and characters--characters from different cultures, neuro-atypical characters, etc. Will definitely read her future works.

The Kiss Quotient was my favorite read of 2018 so to say that I was hyped as fuck to start The Bride Test would be an understatement. I went into this sequel with very high expectations and I was not willing to settle if it didn't deliver (just kidding y'all)! Dramatics aside, I couldn't wait to dive into this story to see what Hoang had in store for us next and sure enough, once I started reading, I couldn't stop.

Khai Diep is all work and no play and his Vietnamese mother is not having it. Taking matters into her own hands, she goes to Vietnam to find him a potential bride and meets Esme Tran. Esme didn't know what to make of it when she was approached by the strange woman, but she decides to take a chance and agrees to the arrangement. Can Esme fly across the world and win Khai's heart or will she be the one to leave heartbroken instead?

I went into this book knowing that I was gonna enjoy it but I didn't expect to completely fall head over heels in love with it like I did. I also did not expect to love it more than The Kiss Quotient. Yes, y'all read that right, I loved The Bride Test more than The Kiss Quotient! I didn't even think this would be possible, but Hoang snatched my whole being with this sequel!

There's just so much that I loved about this book, the first being the importance of family and culture. First off, the amount of food mentioned in this book had me hungry. It all sounded so yummy! I also enjoyed seeing Khai's relationship with his brother Quan. These two had the most funniest conversations about love and women and they have a closer relationship than I expected. Quan really stepped up at times during this book which I totally wasn't expecting and now I just want his story because I need more of this sweet man in my life. My next favorite thing was the romance. Y'all, this romance left me for the dead. The angst nearly sent me to the emergency room. I was yelling at my eReader for Esme and Khai to kiss already because these two were taking forever to make a move. But despite my lack of patience, I loved the build up of the romance and how these two took their time to work through obstacles that would eventually bring them closer. Hoang totally had me swooning and tearing over these two and while the wait seemed forever, seeing Esme and Khai together at the end just made all that waiting worth it. Seriously, have tissues for the last two chapters because you will be bawling your eyes out!

Esme Tran made this book for me! I freakin' love this girl to bits and everything she stood for. Being an immigrant, I related to a lot of the struggles and obstacles that Esme faced when she came to America. Having to adapt to a whole new culture while somehow still maintaining your own isn't always easy and we see Esme struggle with that. Besides the culture shock, we see Esme just come into her own and find her voice and the courage to just take this opportunity to make something more even if it was a risk. Hoang wrote in her author's note that Esme shared so many things in common with her own mom and I related to that because Esme's journey reminded me of my own mother's in terms of coming to a new country and taking odd jobs and getting a GED and I'm sure many others will be able to relate to Esme's story too. Then we have our hero Khai who I was curious to get to know better. From the previous book, we already know that Khai is on the autism spectrum and he struggles with expressing emotions and letting people in. Relationships are not something that come easy to Khai and after having lost someone close to him, he doesn't really see the point in putting the effort to get to know Esme because he believes he can't ever give her what she wants. Throughout this book, we get to see Khai work through his grief and come to the realization that he is enough and he does have the capability to love. Seeing Khai come to this realization was another one of my favorite moments in this story and I think Hoang did a great job at handling this aspect of ASD and love and self-love.

The Bride Test was an amazing follow up to The Kiss Quotient and I eagerly await the next book in series. 2020 needs to hurry its ass up and get here already!

I seem to have a new favourite author when it comes to contemporary romance because I just can't get enough of Helen Hoang's writing. I was a little worried that The Bride Test wouldn't live up to my extremely high expectations because I adored The Kiss Quotient but I shouldn't have been because it was just as fun to read and I fell head over heels for Khai right alongside Esme.

We had already met Khai in the first book as he's Michael's cousin but don't worry if you're jumping into the series here because they're more companion novels than a direct series (I would HIGHLY recommend both books though so you're missing out if you've not read either of them!). Khai is autistic so he doesn't always react in the same way other people do, he didn't even cry when his best friend died and because of that he thinks he is incapable of love or any other strong emotion. His family know better though, they see that he is still grieving for his friend even if he doesn't show it in the same way other people do and his family want to see him happy. His mother in particular has decided that it's time for Khai to get married and start a family so she decided to travel to Vietnam and find him a bride.

This is where we meet Esme, she's a single mother who works hard every day to support her young daughter. She desperately wants to build a better life for her family but it's hard when you're living in the slums of Ho Chi Min City. When Khai's mother offers her the opportunity to travel to America for the summer and meet a potential husband it's an offer Esme can't refuse, especially when it might give her a chance to find her own American father too. Arriving in a country where everything is different and she barely speaks the language makes things really difficult for Esme but she is determined to make the best of things. As she sets about trying to seduce Khai it doesn't take long before she starts to fall in love herself but it looks as if she's the only one developing feelings and perhaps this adventure in America is going to end in disaster after all.

I can't even tell you how much I loved both of these characters, Khai thinks he doesn't know how to love but he's actually a really attentive and caring boyfriend, even when he's only doing it to keep his mother off his back. He's the type of guy who gives things his all so when he commits to a relationship he's all in. He makes a lot of mistakes along the way because he doesn't understand how Esme thinks but this leads to some hilarious misunderstandings and some brilliant conversations with his brother Quan and cousin Michael as they try to help him figure out sex and women. Esme works so hard to build a better life for herself, she gives her all to both her new job and her relationship but at the same time she also goes to college and takes classes to better herself. She wants to prove that she's worthy of Khai but along the way she starts to realise that she doesn't need a man to give her daughter a good life, she's actually strong and capable enough of doing it on her own and I really respected her for that.

On paper it doesn't look like these two fit but in reality they mesh really well. Esme doesn't understand Khai at first but she's willing to make allowances for him when she starts to realise how his autism affects him and they're both able to talk about things like adults when there is something bothering them. Khai is initially horrified at having his routine disrupted when Esme moves in but he quickly adapts as they start figuring out new routines together. I thought they made an adorable couple and I loved how innocent and awkward some of their interactions were, don't get me wrong they had great chemistry but it took time for them to figure out that side of things and get on the same page emotionally too. Quan has been a stand out side character since the beginning of the series so I'm ridiculously excited that he's going to be the hero of the next book and I definitely can't wait to get my hands on a copy.

The Bride Test had me waiting in anticipation. I know that this author has a deal to write a book about each of Michael’s sisters from The Kiss Quotient, so this, about his cousin was a welcome surprise. Even from the little we know of Khai from The Kiss Quotient, I found him likable and another great character on the spectrum.

This was a quick and enjoyable read, with charming characters and a foreseeable romantic plot. Sometimes predictability in a book works just fine if I’m entertained and it moves fast. I loved that the plot had a woman doing the seducing and the man overwhelmed with love. It made for a unique dynamic.

As in her first book, food is described with tantalizing accuracy. Each item eaten or prepared made my mouth water. I liked this book a lot but it is still her first book that swept me away.

Once again, Hoang knocks it out of the park. It’s an arranged marriage sitch, but not quite, with an autistic hero and a fish-out-of-water element with the heroine, but their relationship felt very believable to me and the last line of the book (no spoilers!) left me beaming so happily. I can’t wait for the next book in the series!

A fairy tale story with an entirely unique take—Helen Hoang’s The Bride Test is fresh, charming, and steamy!!! Truly, no one brings a new voice to romance quite the way Helen Hoang does. She has the “it” factor with her books—that combination of modern and socially conscious, while still having that Cinderella fairy tale feel that HEA fans love! A fantastic summer-read for anyone who wants to escape into a love story with an edge and a whole lotta heat!

Well let me start off by saying that though this is marketed as the sequel to last year’s hit The Kiss Quotient, this book can absolutely be read as a standalone. It does feature a relative of the main character in the first book, but this is very much a unique story and new readers won’t feel lost at all. Plus it is romance so we all know there is no such thing as spoilers because we all crave those HEA, and the fun is in getting there!

Esme Tran is a cleaning lady in Viet Nam and a single mother. Despite Esme’s beauty, kindness, and spirit, the father of her child wanted someone with more social status. Esme herself has never met her father, so she is used to this dynamic. I loved reading Esme’s story. From the first chapter she was in, Esme was a true stand out character. She doesn’t begrudge her place in the world. She doesn’t look down on those with more. But perhaps Esme is someone who isn’t sure she is good enough to have more, and that made her incredibly humble, endearing, and a character I wanted everything for.

When Khai’s mother realizes that Khai’s unique way of experiencing emotions and socializing with others, she goes out to find Khai a match. And she finds Esme. I won’t spoil this scene, but I think you will absolutely love it—it was one of my favorite scenes of the book! When they return to California, all Khai’s mother asks is that they try dating eachother for the summer and see if it is a match. But Khai is not making it so easy on Esme!

I really enjoyed seeing their dynamic unfold across the pages of this book. Khai is so confused about what he feels and doesn’t feel, so he assumes he feels nothing. He is a data person and he sees how others express emotions. Since he doesn’t express them the same way, he assumes that he must not feel them at all. But of course, the fun of this book is seeing Khai learn how he feels emotions, and learn to identify them correctly. Stomach pain can sometimes be sadness. Wanting to be around someone can be love.

I don’t want to go too much into the plot because there are so many charming chapters and stories in this book! The afterward from Helen Hoang is a must-read. I felt so much about her experience writing this book from reading her note at the end. It still makes me feel teary thinking about it! I won’t say her motivation for this book—that is something that should be read in her own words.

Thank you to Berkley for my copy! Opinions are my own.

Helen Hoang does it again! Loved the characters, the families, the food! But, more than that, the care that the characters had for each others strengths and flaws. I look forward to all of Helen's books, they never disappoint.

I’m not really a reader of the romance genre, but THE KISS QUOTIENT and now THE BRIDE TEST has redefined the genre for me. Especially since it covers #ownvoices Vietnamese and autism rep.

What I appreciated about THE BRIDE TEST, is the rags to riches story of Esme, the poor Vietnamese-American immigrant who travels to the United States. When given the chance to woo Khai, an accountant who is autistic, she takes the gamble of chance for a better life for herself and her daughter.

Esme is such a soft character, although she’s not confident speaking English and doesn’t know American customs, her empathy and sensitive, caring nature comes through. As a new mum, I recognised the guilt she felt being away from her child and could emphasise with how heavily her temporary visit to the USA weighed on her. Not only does she have to learn how to live in the US, being so far away from her family, but she also has to seduce Khai in a matter of months. There’s also her wanting to reconnect with her long lost American father which kind of felt like an unecessary addition to the plot.

“Warm. Content. Safe in his arms. Him safe in hers. She hugged him tighter. He was bigger and stronger, but she would protect him with everything she had.”

Then there’s Khai – handsome, successful, intelligent – who believes he can’t love and can’t feel human emotion. Being on the ASD spectrum, I appreciated how the author explores different types of autism through THE KISS QUOTIENT as well as THE BRIDE TEST. The author’s note at the end describes how many of Khai’s thought pattern and mannerisms reflect her own – such as believing he has a stone heart. The thing about Khai, is even though he has these own beliefs about himself, Esme can see through his barriers into the kind and thoughtful person that he is.

Despite everything that they have between them – Esme not knowing what ASD is, Khai dealing with his own insecurities – the couple still manage to overcome their barriers and to explore their feelings of mutual attraction. Their relationship feels like it’s hard won, which offers the reader a lot of pay off at the end. Not to mention the sexual chemistry and saucy sex scenes between the two as Esme lives at Khai’s house and they inevitably act on their feelings.

“Everyone deserved to love and be loved back. Everyone. Even her.”

One thing that I felt was explored well in the novel as well, is how ASD isn’t a thing in Vietnam. Esme doesn’t know what it is, and therefore doesn’t judge Khai based on the stigma associated with it. Instead, there are a lot of misunderstandings as the two learn to communicate with each other. Khai’s confidante is his brother Quan, who offers him frank advice on dealing with Esme. I think Quan will become a fan favourite and I’m really looking forward to his book!

While there are many aspects of THE BRIDE TEST which I enjoyed, I felt like much of the drama was manufactured especially towards the end. Emotional manipulation through sex was used to get each party to act in a certain way, which I couldn’t help but feel squeamish about. Then there’s also a deal that Esme and Quan make which kind of forced Khai to deal with his feelings for her, and I felt like it was a bit over the top. However despite these minor qualms, I still enjoyed the sweet, soft developing relationship between Esme and Khai.

Featuring insight into an autistic accountant and a poverty-stricken mother from Vietnam, THE BRIDE TEST was a thoroughly enjoyable romance even for those who are new to the genre. It’s heartfelt and filled with emotion, and also explored some more serious topics when it comes to anxiety, moving to a new country and the sacrifices that one has to make in order to do so. Both Esme and Khai go through a learning experience in the book, and there are a lot of obstacles for them to overcome in order to be together. This is an adorable, romantic book with a lot of heart that will leave a lasting impression.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Thank you Netgalley and Berkley for the review copy!

Helen Hoang is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine. The characters in this book felt very realistic and interesting, and I enjoyed their story immensely.

5 stars! To be honest, I don’t even know where to begin with my level of love for this book, which is something I never expected to say in all sincerity.  I wasn’t sure how well The Bride Test could follow up Ms. Hoang’s first novel, The Kiss Quotient, so I went into this novel with my expectations super high with a level of dread that it wouldn’t supersede its predecessor. I’m proud to announce that all of those fears were unwarranted because this novel was exceptional from beginning to end. I loved the presence of the characters from all standpoints, both main and secondary, and how easily they came to life and breathed every emotion into all the pages they appeared on. I’m not going to lie, I have been in the biggest book funk of all times, lasting well over two years and this novel and Hoang’s ability to pull her reader in had me pouring over every word and character interaction from the very first second I picked the book up one night and well into the wee hours of the morning about five hours later when I finished it. This book was the very definition of unputdownable for me, and that’s an experience that I’ve craved and haven’t found in a book for so long.

I could wax poetic about this book, the depth of characters, and realness that the author brought to every situation and complication the novel presented, or go on and on about the levels of sexual tension and flat-out sexiness this book inherently is, but I’ll leave that as something to entice you and experience for yourself. And in case it isn’t absolutely obvious at this point, I’m definitely recommending this book. Not only that, but I’m insisting that you shortlist it and push it to the very top of your reading list. I’m relatively positive you won’t be disappointed. I know I wasn’t. Just like I know this certainly won’t be the last book I ever read of Helen Hoang. She’s created a fangirl for life in me.

If, like me, you fell in love with Helen Hoang’s storytelling in The Kiss Quotient, I’ll let you know right now that The Bride Test is every bit as charming, poignant, arousing, and heartbreaking as its predecessor.

Here, we have Khai, a successful accountant who believes he is as incapable of feeling human emotions as a ledger. His mother wants him to get married, and she decides it’s time to go old school: she imports a prospect from Vietnam.

Esme is ready for a change. A mixed race young woman with considerable familial responsibility, she not only is ready for a change, she knows that by agreeing to Khai’s mother’s proposition, she will be that much closer to finding the father she has never known.

The conflict is immediate. For one thing, Khai doesn’t want anyone moving into his home, least of all a complete stranger being paid by his mother. There is something about Esme, though, that draws him to her. She’s hot, yes, but it’s more than that.

Esme wants to connect with Khai. She sees beyond his quirks and into the man he is, and she likes him. Those moments when he shows her kindnesses are beautiful. She isn’t accustomed to people doing nice things for her, and, much like dressing for a wedding, she has to learn it.

There were times in this book when I wiped tears away as I swiped to the next page. There were also times when I thought I would faint from swooning over Khai and Esme. Yes, Khai is on the Autism spectrum, but as Helen Hoang shows so beautifully, he is not flawed. He is not less than. Esme sees that. The question is whether Khai will give himself the chance to love her.

I am completely under Helen Hoang’s thrall, and I don’t want to stop. Her characters enchant and educate, letting you see a few quirks do not diminish you.

This is my first Helen Hoang book so I had no expectations. I heard about The Kiss Quotient — it was big on the book blogging community — but I haven’t had time to read it yet. But when I got an ARC for the second book, I couldn’t miss the opportunity.

Right from the beginning, I was hooked. It even made me stay up late until 4 AM even though I had work in the morning. It was that good.

WHAT I LOVED:

• Focus on autism. When I read the blurb, I was really looking forward to understanding more about it. I even searched the symptoms and sure enough, they were there. However, as someone who has zero to little knowledge about it, I really wish it was explained further.
• The humor. There were conversations that were so ridiculous, you just can’t help but laugh.
• The heroine, Esme. I definitely appreciate diverse characters, especially when they’re Asian. It makes me feel represented. Esme is not your usual heroine. Although she came to America to possibly marry a guy to help her family, it is not who she solely was in the story. She is fierce and determined. Most importantly, she knows her worth.
• The hero, Khai. He is such a sweet, sweet guy. He might be different from what society dictates is normal but he cares in his own way. He shows up when it matters.
The romance. Everyone who knows me knows I’m a sucker for love stories. This was such a swoon-fest.

WHAT I WISHED IT HAD:

•More moments after the conflict. This is just a personal preference but I don’t like it when the book ends immediately after the conflict is resolved. Yes, this has an epilogue but can you let a girl enjoy some happiness a little longer? 😂

I read some reviews that were a bit disappointed because The Kiss Quotient set the bar too high. Lucky for me, I read this first. This is only the beginning for us, Helen.

Let me start by saying that I LOVED The Kiss Quotient- like, you know, everyone else who read it. I had high hopes for The Bride Test and while I certainly enjoyed it I did not enjoy it as much as TKQ. I feel like as few as 10-20 more pages could have fleshed out some of the premises better- the three weddings for example- and made a world of difference. That said I am really looking forward to reading (what I am assuming will be, considering the amount of sequel-bait) Quan's story.

Adorable as The Kiss Quotient, I loved this just as much. Helen Hoang can write incredibly believable, authentic characters that you're invested in from the beginning. I also love how steamy she writes love scenes. To me, this is crucial for a good romance.

WHAT DID I THINK OF THE BRIDE TEST?
The Bride Test by Helen Hoang is set in the same universe as The Kiss Quotient and it proves that Hoang is not just some flash in the pan author. Her talent is genuine. This story follows Esme and Khai. Esme is essentially a janitor working in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam supporting her daughter and mother. She’s basically a single mother. Anyways, one day she happens to receive this opportunity to go to America and seduce Khai, this one woman’s son because Khai’s mother seems to think he’ll never get married and be forever alone. So, Esme takes the opportunity (it is a bit more complex than that) and flies out to California and ends up living with Khai while also attending all the weddings with him and working in his mother’s restaurant. Now, Khai is autistic and only speaks English. He can understand Vietnamese though. Meanwhile, Esme only speaks Vietnamese and understands English, but she wants to learn, badly.

For Esme, this is a huge chance to change her life around. And well, she ends up falling hard for Khai. Except, he doesn’t seem to reciprocate her feelings. I can’t really say anything at all about rep. But, I will say, I loved this book. I thought Esme’s character was very well written and so admirable. Her drive to obtain an education and make something of herself was so cool to read. I really rooted for her. And then Khai, I rooted for him as well. He makes some pretty big realizations. I think if you like character driven, you will for sure like The Bride Test. Also, definitely would recommend both books via audio.

HOW’S THE NARRATION?
The audiobook of The Bride Test is narrated by Emily Woo Zeller. I am kind of neutral with her narration. There’s some books that she’s narrated that I love and some that I could take or leave. Blessedly, The Bride Test is a book that I loved. Granted, again, this is an audiobook that I listened to at 2x speed, because I think Zeller’s narration tends to be really slow. However, it was worth the listen. I think I liked this as much as I enjoyed listening to The Kiss Quotient. The audiobook is ten hours long. It’s very compelling and honestly Zeller does a superb job bringing the story to life. Plus, it was good to listen to because I was questioning how to pronounce things in the book and it was awesome to know how they should be pronounced.

I found the overall experience of reading this book to be enjoyable, with both plot and character elements that unfolded nicely and with forward momentum. While not the best book I have ever read, I would pass this title along to other readers and librarians.