Helen Hoang is one of my favorite authors. The Kiss Quotient was an immediate hit, and Hoang's sophomore novel was just as delectable. While still good, The Heart Principle didn't quite meet my expectations and I found myself putting it down to read other things, going back to it later because I still wanted to know how the book ended. I think my main issue with the book was how different it was in mood to the others. When I read romance it is usually so I can disconnect a bit and have something more fluffy and light. I don't love sad books and usually make a point to stay away from them. I'm already a sad person on the regular and don't really need any extra feelings being pushed my way.

That being said. the book was still good. The writing was great as I have come to expect from Hoang, I just couldn't thoroughly enjoy this book because the plot just wasn't for me.

I will still absolutely be on the look out for any of her future releases.

Genuinely my favorite Helen Hoang book so far. This was deeply emotional and unlike anything else I have encountered in romance. I love the sparse but gorgeous way that Hoang writes about love and this book really nailed it. Not traditional in any sense of the word but, instead, very special.

I personally did not finish this title. I enjoyed the other two books in the series but this one wasn’t for me. Looking forward to seeing what Hoang does next!

I absolutely loved this book and feel bad for not posting here earlier, but my review got lost during the dark times of the big P. Aside from the thoughtful autism representation, the unique characters, the passionate love story, the inner workings of a perfectionist creative's mind, and the complex emotions involved in being a caretaker, the most memorable element for me from this book is the exploration of consent and sexual empowerment for women. I wish I have read this when I was younger. I think all women have to know that we are all unique, and what we see in the media is not always the rule when it comes to achieving our pleasure and satisfying our desires. Thank you Helen Hoang for this masterpiece.

Hoang put a lot of herself into this book and it is a serious divergence from her previous 2, but this may be my favorite. While the romance aspect of many romance books is obvious, the emotions that Anna goes through were universal and really heart breaking. Combine that with Hoang’s deft touch at disability representation and you’ve got a hit. This is not your traditional light hearted romance, but it’s well worth a read.

Anna is a violinist and she is struggling with burnout, but learns to embrace the unexpected. This was a super sweet, cute, and spicy romance. This is the third book in the Kiss Quotient series.

I believe that it was The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang that was my gateway into nerdy, quirky, and neurodivergent rom-coms, and The Heart Principle was able to maintain that momentum. Years later, I find myself consistently returning to see if Hoang will soon have another addition to her bibliography. The contrast of the characters, Anna and Quan, achieved an intensity that was distinctly stressful--its not often that I read a rom-com and wonder if I'm about to experience a "The Break-Up" situation, if the characters *really* may not make it in the end, denying me my gods-given right to a happily ever after. Their romance isn't an easy-go-lucky one, and not only do Anna and Quan "work for it", but the reader also feels like a vested stakeholder by the end.

DNF 15%. Boring. Boring. Biring. Even having an Autistic son and understanding how their minds work, to a certain extent, I found Anna to be so dry. I also understand that no one Autistic person is the same, but the way Anna was written she has no personality. I should be able to connect with her. But she’s just unlikable. Maybe she gets better. I don’t know. It doesn’t sound like it though from some of the other reviews.

Lord. I just want to read a good book.

The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang is a perfect fit for readers who appreciate emotional and hopeful stories about self-discovery, love, and resilience, particularly those who are drawn to contemporary romance novels that explore themes of grief, autism, and Asian American experiences with sensitivity and authenticity.

I tried several times to read this, but I could not get into the story or the style. Full disclosure, I had kind of a visceral reaction to people walking all over someone who is on the autism spectrum, as well as the plot points of caring for someone dying, discussions of suicide, and all kinds of emotional abuse, manipulation, and dysfunction. I also hadn't read the first two books in the series, so that's probably a factor as well. Other people seemed to have liked it, though?

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

I waited to read this book, and I'm glad I did. I wasn't ready for it until now. Similar to Hoang's other titles in the series, there's a main character who is autistic, and the narrative delves into struggles with mental health. Hoang skillfully navigates both topics, in my opinion. Read it if you're prepared for a powerful emotional experience – a genuine, heart-wrenching cry. I was given an advanced reader's copy via NetGalley, thank you to them. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Hoang does it again! She delivers yet another steamy pair of characters with depth and nuance that you can’t help but root for despite being frustrated at times. I did want to shake Anna at times and talk some sense into her but I loved the path she and Quan took to get to their ultimate HEA. Representation is top notch as always and I continue to be grateful for authors that do such a good job of showing the intersectionality of two underrepresented voices in literature, especially in the romance genre.

dnf - 10%

i know this is so incredibly late, and i am so sorry for that, but three years ago i dnfed and never picked it back up. it just didn't hold my interest then and i just can't see myself ever picking it back up.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me a free eARC of this book to read in exchange for my review!

Anna was just a person you felt so much for. You want to hug her even though she would not like that. Quan just accepted her and loved her quirks and all, which made for some passionate moments. Anna family I just want to bap on the head a few times. Hoang as once again wrote a book you need to read slowly to get all the feels.

I can see why this took the author an extra year to finish. Not that any of Hoang’s books shy away from difficult topics but this one runs straight through them. This title focuses as much on mental health and burnout as it does the relationship between the main characters. The romance was gentle and sweet to balance out the rest. Not sure if it beats Kiss Quotient for my favorite of the three but still an incredible read.

This is ok. 2.5 stars? I think I want to like these more than I actually like these. The FMC's story feels authentic (there's also an author note about the autobiographical inspiration). Characters from the previous books in the series make an appearance but don't require the reader to remember a lot of details-- I followed along ok, even with a gap of several years between the books. Both primary characters are Asian, and there's some narration about how they're still from two separate groups and how one of their families is a little bit racist about it.

Like other books in the series, the boyfriend is a little too perfect. The life experience of being any flavor of ND would be a lot easier with a partner like this!
Readers who are reading the series close together may be thrown by abrupt change this late in the game of switching to first person. I wouldn't have noticed, again with a big gap in the middle, but the writer gives her reasoning in the author note; I think it would have made more sense, and provided a better reading experience, to have all series books written in the same style.
This story also just kind of peters out. The FMC has her big confrontation with her family, and then falls into a depression. The rest of the story is told very vaguely, with developments over the next year.

This was fiiine. I thought the first half was good and I liked the romance. The second half went into a completely depressing direction.

This is really not my usual genre, but looking at my Read shelf, it’s clear I’m in a mood for escapism. I enjoyed this the most out of the three “Kiss Quotient” books. I appreciated that Hoang wove bits of all her characters’ lives throughout the series, and in this one I found the most heart. Discovering (in the afterword) that it drew from experiences the author herself lived through enriched my enjoyment of the book.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely love Helen Hoang's books, and The Heart Principle is no exception. In fact, I think it's my favorite of all of her books.

Anna is a violinist. She's on a leave of absence from her job; she's inadvertently become an internet sensation, with a record deal and music written especially for her. Unfortunately, she's stuck in a loop and can't play.

Quan is struggling with self esteem after a cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment. His body has healed but his self-confidence hasn't returned.

I absolutely love this book. It was a one sitting read for me. I would give it 10 stars if I could. I would highly recommend this title to anyone who loves chick lit and romance.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received a free digital copy of this book to review from Net Galley.

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