Having rad a Helen Hoang book before I knew I was going to enjoy this one.

My is a single mother living in Vietnam and working as a toilet attendant. She dreams of a better life for her family but how can she do that as a toilet attendant.

Khai is a highly functioning autistic person he has a regimented life and sees no reason for it to change.

While Khais mother is in Vietnam she meets Mye and makes her a proposition, come to America for the summer and see whether she is a suitable fit for her son.

Khai is stunned when his Mum calls and tells them that a girl is arriving from Vietnam and she is going to be living with Khai.

This uikely couple embark on a journey to see if they are on their way to happily ever after, the road is difficult but can they reach their destination.

This was another great book, I liked the way that Khais autism was dealt with so sensitively. The characters are as ever well written and was lovely to meet some people from her previous book.

An uplifting and positive book that leaves you with a smile on your face.

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this book in return for an honest review

I loved Hoang’s first book and was really interested in picking this one up. Another fantastic, pacy story which I adored.

This was a gorgeous story and the journey the characters go on was romantic, heartfelt. I couldn’t help but smile on so many occasions as I connected and warmed to the characters. Esme and Khai were both in their own way, complex. From difficult pasts to worries over being able to express or even feel things. There is a depth to this book that made the characters even more engaging and had me willing them to find happiness.

The Bride Test moves at a lovely pace and it didn’t take me long to fully appreciate both the characters and story. There is a little bit of everything that gives this book an extra bit of sparkle. I loved the mix of both sweet and steamy moments. There were parts where I smiled and others where I may have had a few tears in my eyes.

The Bride Test is a wonderful story about inclusion, diversity, romance and love

The first thing that I liked about this book is the way that it explores a different culture to most contemporary romance books on the shelves at the moment. I also thought that this book represented autism really well. Even if I hadn't read the Kiss Quotient before, this book is about different characters so it wouldn’t matter too much if you read it as a standalone. I did find some of the scenes a little more ‘graphic’ than was necessary, but I felt so invested in the characters and the story that it didn’t bother me too much. This book is all about empowerment, culture and autism and I loved it!

I'm not usually a romance fan, and I have yet to read Helen Hoang's first book The Kiss Quotient, But that in no way took anything away from my enjoyment of the book. I became so connected and invested in each of the characters, which were definitely not always black and white, there were a lot of qualities to like and to dislike for each character.
It was a brilliant romance read but with a little more depth.

Love, love, loved this book. I read the kiss quotient and then went straight in with this and I adored it. Esme and Khai were fab characters, I love that this is romance with a twist and the main character has autism. I'm sure people who are autistic will feel that it's about time they are represented in books especially as a main character. It was sexy, funny, sensitive and heartfelt. Will recommend to everyone for ever.

Amazing! Helena Hoang is quickly becoming my favourite adult fiction author. Her realistic, heart-warming stories are impossible not to fall in love with, and I thought The Bride Test was even better than The Kiss Quotient -- which I didn't think was possible!

I really hope the popularity of her novels encourages more publishers to publish and commission autistic authors, as the representation is desperately needed.

The Bride Test is the second novel from Helen Hoang, and shifts the focus onto Khai - the Vietnamese American guy with Aspergers that is briefly mentioned in The Kiss Quotient. Khai’s mother is desperate for Khai to marry, settle down and have children. She’s worried he’s going to end up alone, and knowing how he struggles with relationships, she orchestrates to bring Vietnamese girl Esme over to win him over. But Esme comes with her own baggage, including an illegitimate daughter and a desire to better herself. Can she win Khai over and reach her goals?

I didn’t enjoy this as much as The Kiss Quotient, and the main reason for this was the lack of development in the characters. Khai feels very one dimensional, never really evolving beyond his condition, and Esme feels weak and one note. The romance feels forced, under developed and almost like an instalove relationship. There’s no subtlety to it, or burgeoning, blossoming romance. Instead it feels manipulative, with Esme holding back a lot of her secrets from Khai, in order to try and get what she wants. If anything, it made me feel a little uncomfortable that someone Esme supposedly loved could be manipulated in such a way.

I still love Khai’s brother Quan. Just as in The Kiss Quotient, his personality shines through. His affection for his brother is lovely to read, and feels genuine and comfortable. He comes across as a good guy, happy to put his own life on the back burner for the sake of his brother’s happiness. He’s charismatic, incredibly likeable and I really hope the next book focuses on his love life - which I’m sure is just as exciting and entertaining as he is.

Some interesting characters, but the story is let down with a weak romance and manipulative plot. I’m holding out for a Quan book, otherwise I won’t be continuing this series.

I hadn’t read Hoang’s previous book, The Kiss Quotient, but didn’t I feel like I missed anything by reading this book as a stand alone. In the first novel, Michal was the protagonist, now its the turn of his cousin, Khai who has autism. I feel like this book delves into another dimension of romance novels and adds another aspect to this usually stereotypical genre.

The reason for the four stars instead of five was there was a lot of miscommunication between the couples and if they just talked already, there would have much less drama. However, if some of those mishaps were missing, would it make the story less interesting?

It was so lovely to read about the relationship between Khai & his family, particularly his brother Quan. I cannot wait to read Quan’s story in the next instalment of the KQ, I’m sure it’ll be just as big of a hit as her previous books.

I went into this book with high expectations because I absolutely adored Helen Hoang’s previous novel, The Kiss Quotient. Getting approved for this book on Netgalley was such a joyous moment, not only because it was one of my most anticipated reads of the year but also because being an international reader on Netgalley at the moment is rough.

Unfortunately, I didn’t love The Bride Test nearly as much as I did The Kiss Quotient and I’ll get into the reasons why today.

First, let’s discuss what I liked about the novel.

The autism representation is one of my favorite aspects of Helen Hoang’s novels. It is #ownvoices in that regard as well. Both The Kiss Quotient and The Bride Test have main characters who are neurodiverse. Khai is autistic, like Stella is in the previous novel. While both are autistic, I think the author does a fantastic job at showing that people experience autism in extremely different ways. Khai can’t handle light touch, as it causes him physical pain. He’s not great with touch in general, and needs warning beforehand so he can prepare. I love that the main characters communicate on this, and that Khai tells Esme what he needs and what she can’t do. It’s so important to have a proper discussion, and I’m glad that happened.

Another aspect of the book I adored was the importance of family. I love a good family in novels because I feel that for a lot of people, family is one of the most important parts of life. Khai’s family is so wonderful and supportive, even though his mom went to Vietnam to find a wife for him… In Esme’s life, family is equally (if not even more) important. Her mom, grandmother, and daughter are her entire life and she wants to give them the world.

Lastly, I also really loved Esme’s story. She moves to the US for two months, and has to adapt to living in an entirely different country and culture. Helen Hoang shows the difficulties of that experience through small things like not noticing the smell of fish sauce, startling at the lack of a garbage smell, etc. Esme’s story line is about making your own path in life, and not letting the opportunities you get pass you by. I absolutely loved it.

[Something I forgot to mention before posting this review this morning… I really appreciated how the first sex scene unfolded between these two characters. While it was intensely awkward to read about and I was suffering from secondhand embarrassment the entire time, it was so real. It wasn’t “perfect” like it so often is in romance novels.]

Unfortunately, it’s time to move on to the aspects I didn’t like.

Maybe it’s because I haven’t read a lot of adult romance novels lately, but I was caught off guard by some things in this book. Like the neverending references to Khai’s dick. I’m not even kidding. I can’t tell you how many (terrible) euphemisms I had to endure. In the first 20% of the novel, it’s on almost every page. EVERY PAGE has a reference to his genitals, and I’m tired. I’m also side-eyeing the author for the incredible unsubtle ways of telling the reader that he is… well-endowed. Why did I need to know that??

The sex scene at about 85% of the way through the ARC also made me incredibly uncomfortable. If you’ve read the book, please talk to me about this.

I was also irritated by what I started to call Esme’s absolute idiot moments. Throughout the novel, Helen Hoang tells us that Esme is quite smart through different ways, for example the test she takes at the end of the novel. However, those are all things told to the reader. What we are shown, is the complete opposite. She knows Khai’s mom is rich because of her clothes, bag, restaurant, etc. And while Khai doesn’t live in a villa, he doesn’t hesitate to spend money on things he deems worthy of it – like his car. So why does Esme constantly remind us that she doesn’t understand why everyone thinks Khai is rich? It just makes no sense to me. It’s these small things that undermined what the other told us about Esme.

Lastly, I can’t help but wish they had the conversation about Khai being autistic earlier. They bring Esme to the US for him, make her move in with him, and never tell her about it. It makes absolutely no sense to me? Obviously, if they want her to win his heart wouldn’t it be easier if she knew what not to do at the very start? That way, she would never do something that causes him pain or discomfort. Instead, they let her blunder around, causing both of the characters pain. It makes no sense to me.

While I enjoyed quite a few aspects of this novel, I was a tad disappointed by the overall reading experience. I still adore Helen Hoang’s The Kiss Quotient, and will continue to read the novels she releases. This one simply wasn’t it for me.

I really enjoyed The Bride Test.

I enjoyed the relationship between Khai and Esme and also the friendship that blossoms between Quan and Esme. I also loved the autism representation with Khai. It's not often you see this in books and it was really well written and dealt with very well.

I was also pleasantly surprised by how steamy this book was. Sometimes this can be uncomfortable in books if written badly but this was written brilliantly and I enjoyed this element.

After reading Helens debut novel The Kiss Quotient last year and completely falling in love with the story I’ve been highly anticipating her next release. When we found out that it’s going to be set in the same world as TKQ but following different characters I was so excited!
Now let me tell you, this book didn’t disappoint. I was worried that it wouldn’t live up to the hype and love I have TKQ but I adored The Bride Test just as much. It was so heartwarming and I instantly connected with the characters. I truly had such a fun reading experience.
The Bride Test follows Kai, Michaels cousin from TKQ, he is autistic and believes that he is incapable of showing real emotions to someone.
His mother wants him to find someone and have a family. She travels to Vietnam to scout potential wives for her son. This is where she meets Esme, and offers to pay for a trip to America in exchange with getting to know her son and see if she can get him to open up and seduce him....

The Bride Test is another solid, adorable love story from Hoang. I love the representation in her stories, from in depth storytelling about the characters cultural backgrounds to the autism rep, Helen is writing stories with such substance, and it’s important that these stories are told!

I can’t wait to read Helens next release. I’m so ridiculously excited for The Heart Principle (Quan’s book!!!)

Esmerelda Tran travels from Vietnam to California after being recruited by Khai's mother to woo him into marriage. Khai, who is autistic,has trouble accepting his feelings for Esme as she begins to charm her way into his heart, and he into hers. But Esme is keeping a big secret from Khai, that could ruin everything if he's not able to deal with it.

This is the second book in The Kiss Quotient series and focuses on Khai, who is Michael's cousin and who we briefly met in the first book and knew as autistic. This book explores Khai's feelings about himself and his inability to 'feel' for others really well and I really appreciated having another book with a wide array of diverse characters with their own personal battles. Khai is autistic, just like Stella, but that doesn't mean that he sees the world the same way and battles the same thing as Stella did which I loved as that could have been an easy trap to fall into. I really felt for Khai at times when he battled inwardly with his belief that he couldn't love people because outward emotions are hard for him, and I wanted to reach out to him (a hard touch, not a light one!)

Esme was an extrmemely sweet character and i really loved that she showed a backbone with the way she didn't let Khai away with some things. I really lol'd at the conversation Khai had to have with Quan and Michael about the female orgasm, and honestly if all guys could show such dedication as Khai, the female population would be ecstatic.

I also love how Esme accepted and understood Khai's needs as an autistic man. Even though she didn't fully know what autism meant, the way she was able to change her interactions towards him to be a way that were comfortable for him was truly beautiful (for example, running her hand down his sleeve before touching his hand so he would know she was about to lightly touch him).

I was a bit confused about how 'easy' in a way Esme's journey in the US seemed to be as an immigrant. She was on a tourist visa but I expected her to face a bit more trouble with some things like her studies, and college which could have also lent a good narrative to the story about hard it can be for people from countries such as Vietnam coming to the US trying to build up a life. I also found it a bit irritating that Esme kept her child a secret for so long, and it was treated so casually by the time she did admit to it. Bringing a child into your life, particularly when it's not your child by blood, is a HUGE decision and it definitely didn't feel realistic that Khai was just like 'cool cool.'

I did really enjoy the consensual sex scenes in this and that Khai was willing to really explore the realms of female pleasure as well because it's so important. And I love that Helen Hoang definitely pus an emphasis on female pleasure in her books. Yes Queen. The romance was really sweet and just like we saw Michael and Stella cameos in The Bride Test, I will look forward to seeing Esme and Khai cameos in the next book.

With her second novel, Helen Hoang has solidly become one of my favourite and auto-buy authors - The Bride Test was great!

As I now expect from her books, this was smart very funny and sexy. Though a completely different premise to The Kiss Quotient, this book also centred around a couple who had significant barriers between them. Khai, who gets his own novel here, is autistic, convinced he can't love someone and unaware if the depths of the grief he has been living in for a decade. Esme is a young mother with fire in her soul to teach her daughter how much a woman can achieve through example - but that is hard to do when you had to quit school young to work and have no opportunities open to you in the class divide of Vietnam.

Enter Co Nga, Khai's mum...

In Vietnam, My bumps into a woman whilst she's at work cleaning. The woman offers for her to move to America and marry her son Khai - if they don't hit it off by the end of summer she can come back to Vietnam. My eventually decides to accept her offer as a potential way of creating a better life for herself and her daughter, but also in an attempt to track down her father who left Vietnam twenty-four years ago not knowing that her mother was pregnant. When she arrives in America she changes her name to Esme after her daughter's favourite Disney princess.

Khai is furious with his mum for trying to set him up with a bride. He's convinced himself that he's okay on his own, and that he isn't capable of feeling emotions - especially not love. The Bride Test follows the couple's ups and downs as they try to figure out if they're compatible or not.

This is not my usual genre, but I'd heard so many great things about The Kiss Quotient and I really wanted to check this book out. I like that it was a nice romantic story but that there were so many extra layers to the story - it wasn't just a will they/won't they tale, it went deeper into what it was like for Khai being autistic and how Esme was an immigrant trying to build herself a new life. I absolutely loved it! I'm pushing The Kiss Quotient straight to the top of my TBR

After having read the Kiss Quotient, I had high standards on a sequel but I'm so happy this did not disappoint. It follows the same brand of humor, fun, sexy but realness Kiss Quotient has but with new characters that you immediately love and wish them the best. Although we're introduced briefly to Khai in the previous book this time we get to know him and see how his character unfolds. Although the Bride Test's storyline is very much taken from a trope, it twists it and makes it its own that for a minute you forget its such a common trope. Khai and Esme are both lovely characters and how their story and their love unfolds is a joy to read. This book not only does a good job in presenting issues as being an immigrant, feeling like an outsider, mixed heritage. Not only that but as its own voices, its portrayal of autism and clash of cultures feels very authentic and honest. Helen Hoang has me as a fan forever

I absolutely adored The Kiss Quotient so when I heard Hoang was writing a sequel I knew I had to read it and it did not disappoint. Just like her previous book it's sweet, funny and hot, hot, hot. Oh and if you're wondering if you need to read the Kiss Quotient before picking this one up, you do not (there's a little bit of crossover but the focus is very much on different characters).

This is a story about Esme and Khai (who popped up briefly in TKQ). Khai is autistic and believes he can't feel emotion so has no intention to ever marry or have children. His mother won't accept this however and travels to Vietnam to find him a wife. Esme is a single mother living in poverty in Hoh Chi Min city and working as a cleaner when she meets Khai's mom. After some persuading she agrees to travel to the US to spend the Summer living with Khai in hopes that he'll agree to marry her.

I loved that yet again Hoang took a common trope and created something very unique and unputdownable. It's wonderful to see non standard characters, a hero with mixed heritage and autism and a heroine who is an immigrant from a background of real poverty. The way the author draws on her own background and her family history makes this feel very authentic and she covers a lot of difficult issues with sensitivity and heart.

I loved both Khai and Esme, he's very sweet and thoughtful but completely clueless and she's strong and determined but feels like an outsider. The highlight as it should be however was the chemistry between them. Every single interaction between them was a joy to read and I shipped them soooo much. I loved the clash of cultures, the misunderstandings and how considerate they were of each other. They are absolutely perfect for each other, if they can just overcome the obstacles in their way.

If I had one criticism of this book it would be similar to my criticism of the Kiss Quotient in that a lot of the drama and obstacles could have been overcome if they communicated more. Khai tells Esme that he's autistic and that he struggles with things but not once does she look into it, something I found odd considering she was trying to understand him and be what he wanted her to be.

I also felt like his family could have stepped in to explain things to her rather than leaving her thinking she was doing something wrong. I mean Michael and Stella feature briefly but not once do they speak to Esme about how they made their relationship work. It's frustrating.

Anyway, it is still a wonderful story and it made me both laugh and cry. I can't wait to read what Hoang comes up with next.

Let's keep this short and sweet.

I practically started reading The Bride Test the moment I received it. I read the majority before bed one night and the moment I woke up I picked it up again and finished it. In some ways I was more drawn towards the story of Khai and Esme than Stella and Michaels in The Kiss Quotient - which I also really enjoyed, but I think The Kiss Quotient will remain my favorite of the two.

Khai also has autism and is the brother of Quan who we meet in The Kiss Quotient. I believe this can be read before The Kiss Quotient if you're more interested in this story. Since Khai is autistic and single, his mother decides to find him a wife. She meets Esme who has a daughter back in Vietnam, where Khai's mother finds her. She decides to see if she can win Khai's heart, but on her own terms - kind of. I did not appreciate that she lies or tries to deceit him, her reasons are clearly stated, but I really didn't like that part of the story.

I loved getting to know Khai and seeing his character unfold, Esme was not as complicated a character and Khai definitely brought complexity to the table. Their relationship was also interesting, but it did not leave me completely satisfied.

In conclusion: I really enjoyed the book and read it in under 24 hours but I still prefer The Kiss Quotient to The Bride Test.

- own voices - Vietnamese characters
- autism
- romance and steamy scenes

This is a lovely quirky novel that I really enjoyed.

I have never heard of the author, but now that I have read The Bride Test I will be downloading the other novel the Kiss Quotient.

Khai is autistic and therefore cannot read feelings, either his own or other peoples.

His mother travels to Hoi Chi Mingh to find him a wife, and after holding unsuccessful interviews, propositions a toilet cleaner My to travel to California to marry her son (with a large fee involved).

What happens is a lovely story of My (or Esme as she decides she wants to be called in America) immerses herself in Khai, and his family’s lives and heats. Her adaptation to the America is hilarious. Esme and Khai are so cute, and the interactions between each other, and between the rest of the family are touching. I read this in one day and came away wondering about some of the characters. Esme’s mother and her absent father being two of them.

Definitely recommend and cant wait to read her other book.

Arc provided by Netgalley for an honest review.

The story starts ten years ago when Khai Diep (who is 16 years old at the time) is at his cousins funeral. He struggles to understand the emotions family members are feeling and feels conflicted by the death of his cousin. Then the story flashes back to the present when Khai is 26.

Esme is working in Ho Chi Minh City hotel cleaning the bathrooms when she notices a few girls coming into the toilets crying, one after the other. She then meets a woman (who is in fact Khai’s Mother) who starts to talk with Esme and offers her a once in a lifetime opportunity. She worries for her son and is there to find him a bride, she believes Esme is the one. Esme really grapples with this, but living in a tiny apartment with her Mother, Grandmother and 3 year old daughter she has often wondered where her life was going and wanted to provide a better life for her family. So, she accepts the offer to stay with Khai for the summer and see whether they would be compatible. Romance ensues.

At the start Khai is very frustrated with his Mother and rightly so. But he goes along with the plan and is resolute it getting it over with. There is a bit of a communication/language barrier and it is clear from the start that Khai has different views on life. The early moments are quite uncomfortable and almost funny at times as he tries to pull away and she tries to seduce.

Things I enjoyed were Khai’s Mother - that character is guided by her desire to see her son happy and doesn’t necessarily know how to help him achieve this. Khai’s brother is fantastic, he is able to cut through to Khai and be honest and brash with him. The love scenes are just fantastic and your heart is racing by the time they end. The representation from an own voices perspective for Asperger’s is fantastic and I really appreciated this.

Now for the moments I didn’t enjoy so much. There were times when I found myself frustrated with Esme. I can understand living in someone’s home, far away from your own home and your family must be stressful but she starts to do things around the house and “busy” herself any way she can which runs Khai up the wrong way as well as the reader. She keeps secrets - never telling him about her daughter. Whilst I can understand why she would be concerned about his reaction I still didn’t like this aspect. The other part I didn’t feel comfortable with was the “brother and Esme” situation. Won’t go into details here so I don’t spoil the story but again I didn’t like this narrative.

The epilogue was the moment of pure joy I feel as everything came full circle and we got to see what happens after the end of the story.

All in all, The Kiss Quotient will always be my favourite. I felt there were a few moments that detracted from my enjoyment of this story but I love the writing style and the feeling you get whilst reading this authors books and am happy I read this book.