Loved Helen Hoang's latest The Heart Principle! A young girl whose boyfriend is treating her poorly is something I just can't stand -- I wanted to give him the big sister treatment and tell him off for her. This book is adorable and will keep you intrigued by the family dynamics and challenges the characters face throughout.

I absolutely loved this book. Helen Hoang is an autobuy author for me and I was so excited when I got approved for this book.

The Heart Principle is the third book in the series and like the others in the series, the main character is neurodiverse. I loved the main characters and the vulnerability that they showed.

Helen has highlighted that this book is the most "me" book she has written and that made me love the book even more.

I highly recommend this book.

Dear Helen, you really didn't need to rip out my heart in this manner. I did go into this one thinking that it would be a lighter read similar to the previous two books, but it is NOT! I LOVED every second of this book, but please be mindful of triggers for this one!

TW: ableism, anxiety, panic attacks, suicidal ideation, death of a parent, grief, coping after cancer, infertility, gaslighting, toxic ass family members...there's definitely some that I am probably missing so please check out other reviews.

I have been struggling to write this review because I just want to scream for everyone to read this book. That being said, I know this book will not be for everyone because a lot of it is traumatizing, depressing, and rage inducing. It is evident that this mirrored Hoang’s own personal experiences, and my god was it brutal to witness.

I think the hardest part about this book is that I saw a lot of myself in Anna. From the way that masks around people to the point of burnout, putting up with toxic family that constantly gaslights you and undermines you until you physically break down, feeling like you’re not worthy of love…all of it. My heart yearned for Anna, and I just wanted to burn everything down for her.

Quan. Everyone needs someone like Quan in their lives (regardless if its romantic or platonic). From the beginning, he immediately understood Anna’s needs and never pressured her into any situation that made her uncomfortable. When Anna first started considering the autism label, Quan didn’t even bat an eyelash unlike Anna’s vile sister that I wanted to throw off of a cliff. Watching these two just be together was everything. I honestly can’t even describe it.

This book is easily one of the best books that I’ve ever read. It made me angry. It made me cry. It made me want to throw it across the room on Anna’s behalf. But it was also such a beautiful story about self discovery and love.

Thank you to Berkley Pub and PRH Audio for providing a review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.

Overall I enjoyed this book. I thought the characters were interesting and the love story was cute. However, there were parts of the story that felt a tad rushed and then other parts that seemed to drag.
I’d recommend to readers looking for a romance/ autism rep.

Oh man, the wait for this third book from Helen Hoang was worth every minute! I loved this story! Full of depth, truth, and the beauty of loving yourself for exactly who you are, The Heart Principle shines! I loved every minute of Quan & Anna’s story and the beauty of how they not only fell in love with each other, but also with themselves. I’m so grateful to have had a chance to read this beautiful story!

Everything about this book is sooo good. Helen Hoang always delivers amazing execution with her characters. Truly love love this one!

I’m having a hard time writing a review, so sorry in advance for this messiness.

While we get Quan’s POV, I think The Heart Principle focused more on Anna’s journey to self-acceptance. Just realizing that it was okay to be different was a tough road. It was difficult at times to read Anna’s interactions with Julian (her asshole BF) and her family. Anna’s sister, Priscilla was especially horrible. It was heartbreaking and frustrating to see Anna take so much crap! I welcomed Anna’s meltdown because I knew that would be the only way she’d stop pretending to be the perfect daughter, sister, girlfriend.

I also I think a lot of can relate to Anna’s feelings of guilt over her thoughts on taking care of her father. It wouldn’t be easy, and I can imagine feeling the same way if I were in her situation.

The Heart Principle wasn’t a light and fluffy romance, although I did really love Anna and Quan together. Finding each other didn’t automatically fix the issues each were dealing with. Both struggled with feelings of inadequacy. I appreciated that Quan and Anna supported and accepted each other just as they were. Quan was an absolute sweetheart, and I adored Anna.

I alternated reading an e-copy and listening to the audio. I’ve listened to and enjoyed Natalie Naudas’ narration in the past and she did a wonderful job performing Anna’s chapters. Brian Nishii was excellent as well. I listened at my normal speed of 1.5x.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

5 stars

This is the best of Helen Hoang's books so far. I have enjoyed her previous books but this one felt more personal and it allowed the reader to feel more connected to the characters. It was so refreshing to read a romance with real concerns and ups and downs that sometimes go to pretty dark places. I was excited to return to this book each day I was reading and I didn't want it to end. I would have happily continued and dare I hope that there is a sequel with these two characters?

I hope Hoang continues to write about characters like this. It creates greater empathy for me in how I interact with people in my daily life and that is something we all can improve on.

Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first foray into Helen Hoang's books - I had heard good things, and I think the book is fine enough, especially since it's not a "typical" romance. Anna is a good daughter who has been pleasing her parents her entire life, down to the charming but emotionally abusive boyfriend, Julian, they like for her. She's been in a creative slump since having a video of her playing violin went viral, and she's at a bit of a loose end. Her sister has left her shouldering many of the family burdens, and to top it off, Julian wants an open relationship before they take things to the next level.

Anna joins a dating app and ends up meeting tattooed "bad boy" Quan for a date. Quan might look dangerous, but he's actually stable and thoughtful, basically the antithesis of Julian. Though the original plan is strictly for one date/casual sex (Julian is already cutting a swath through the city), there's a bit of a comedy of errors until that can happen, and by then Anna and Quan feel a more serious attraction that goes beyond the physical, and he helps her navigate her complicated family stuff after her dad falls ill.

This definitely gets high marks for addressing topics that normally don't make it into romance novels: inability to climax and dealing with that with a partner, a main character realizing they are probably on the autism spectrum and the fallout from that, the expectations of immigrant families of their children; these are rarely, if ever, addressed in this genre! However, Hoang's writing is a little clunky (to me), I think her characters having autism is kind of her "thing" (not that it's a bad idea, but this is her third book and I know the first one's hook was that the main character has autism, is this the deal with every book?), and it feels like she tries to jam a LOT of stuff into this novel. I do wonder if she needs to start marketing herself as a fiction writer rather than a romance writer. There's a fair amount of semi-graphic sex in the book, but there's so much family and cultural drama that doesn't scream romance so much as "women's fiction."

I'm interested to check out the other books and see how they stack up, but this was a solid enough outing and I was not bored.

Anna's long time boyfriend suddenly wants them to have an open relationship before deciding on getting married. So if he wants it then she does too. She decides to use a dating app and have one-night stands. She is matched with Quan, who is still recovering from a surgery. The one-night stand doesn't go according to plan but it doesn't stop them from having a deep connection. Until an unexpected tragedy strikes Anna's family.

Anna is an amazing and a very relatable character. Her struggles (especially when dealing with her family) were hard to read at times and her character development brought me to tears. Quan, is sweet and just incredible. I adored him since I've met him in The Kiss Quotient. Just like Anna, he's also going through some hard times. The chemisty between the two is undeniable.

This isn't a light and fluffy romance. I don't even think that romance is the main focus in this book. It reads more like a women's fiction for me. Unlike the first two books, The Heart Principle is written in first person POV which I really liked. This book is also personal to the author and I admire her for being so brave.

There wasn't a lot of focus on Quan's character which was a little disappointing. Honestly, he's one of the main reasons why I (or probably most of us) was excited for this book. Overall, this is a heavy and an emotional read but it's also powerful and inspiring.

TW : gaslighting, ableism, suicidal ideation, cancer, anxiety, panic attacks, depression
Disclaimer: Thanks to PRH and the author for providing a free digital review copy via NetGalley. This did not affect my overall opinion of the book.

I ended up listening to this one on audio, and it was lovely. Sad and deep, yes--but romantic and charming, too. Knowing the author's personal ties to the story made it all the more powerful. I'd say this is more women's fiction than romance.

I held off on reading this for a while because I knew it wasn't quite a "beach read" so I expected to be emotional but I didn't expect to cry so many times throughout the story.

Anna was maybe my favorite heroines of Hoang's so far. On its surface this is a story about a brilliant violinist who had a slight brush with fame trying to push through a mental break to get back to where she was. She tries so hard to please everyone and it's a damn shame because everyone treats her like a pet, a child, or a piece of furniture. Her boyfriend opens their relationship with the expectation they'll marry when he's "done", he doesn't ask her or consult her at all. In fact, no one ever asks her or consults her about anything until she meets Quan on a dating app in an effort to have a one night stand. Quan, who needs to feel needed post-cancer, can sense when something is wrong with Anna and cares enough to see to her needs in a way that no one else ever has.

The love story was incredibly tender and I really enjoyed seeing Quan fall in love . He was so patient and understanding with Anna through everything she was going through - her diagnosis, her family, her mental health struggles - when he could have easily called it quits especially considering their relationship was only supposed to be one night and knowing that he was having his own struggles. The sex was as hot as to be expected from Helen Hoang and Quan, as the other heroes in the series, takes great care not just in Anna's pleasure but also understand that orgasms aren't always easy.

One thing I really liked about the story, although I really hated to read it, was Anna's family dynamic. Not everyone comes around now or ever, regardless of evidence, feelings, logic, whatever. Some people are very firm in their expectations of what life is, isn't, and should be - like Anna's sister. She was not kind to her sister at any turn but she wasn't open about her life either and we only get a little glimpse here and there of what it's like for her, why she handles things the way she does. I hate that for Anna's sister, her troubles manifest in her just being a nasty and cold person toward her little sister (that I know they love) and it's also a shame that the expectation is on Anna to forgive someone who may never understand the hurt they've caused while they were hurting.

Helen Hoang does an absolutely amazing job of creating these characters that are so relatable and reachable that you are cheering for them throughout all of her books. I am so happy to finally have read Quan's story because he has been such a loveable and important side character in the earlier books in this series. Anna was so interesting and well developed even without knowing her prior to this book. This series had a great build and a few really good subplots going as well. I can't wait to read more from Helen Hoang in the future.
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC for an honest review.

This is hands-down Helen Hoang's best book yet. I finished this one within a day of starting it because I became so invested in the characters, specifically Anna. She is so, so real and raw, which makes sense as Helen Hoang has said that this book is the closest to her life any of her books have come. Anna spends this book dealing with the breakdown of a relationship, a career challenge, a new diagnosis, the decline of a parent, and battling her family's expectations. All while embarking on a new relationship, sort-of. I have seen criticism for the book's label as a romance. I understand that some people might have expected something more frothy and light or at least more like the previous two books in the series, but I think it is worth it to set aside expectations in order to see this book for it's true worth. It is deep and the romance, while not as central to the story, is real and powerful. Both protagonists have fully fleshed out arcs that will have you crying and laughing and cheering for them.

Please, please don't let the "bad press" keep you from enjoying this fantastic book!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Thank you Berkley and Netgalley for the gifted copy.

This is not a romcom. If you are wanting a light and fluffy read, this is not it. But it’s SO good! Anna is a professional violinist that is totally burned out to the point that she’s making herself ill. Then, her boyfriend (who I freaking HATE) decides they should have an open relationship. WHAT?! Anna decides that if he can sleep with other people, she can too, and decides to have some one night stands. She meets Quan, who is dealing with some things of his own, and wants the same. Of course, it’s never that easy, is it? Anna is faced with heartbreaking news about her dad and spirals, but Quan picks up the pieces and shows Anna (and himself) how to fight for what you want.

This book made me actually angry several times, because of things said to Anna. I wanted to throat punch the boyfriend, and shake her sister. Anna deserved better, and all I have to say is Quan is exactly what she needed.

The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang was a beautiful and emotional romance novel. This book definitely hit me deep in the feels.

After Anna’s long-time boyfriend, Julian decides to open up the relationship, she finds herself meeting Quan online in hopes of a one night fling. Soon, she realizes that her connection to Quan is much deeper, but can she break free from her family’s expectation for her marry Julian. After Anna’s father has a stroke, she is obligated to help her mom and sister as a full-time caregiver. Meanwhile, Anna recently learned she is autistic and has to deal with her sister being dismissive of her diagnosis. And the pressure is mounting for her to rehearse and record a violin piece written just for her, but she can’t seem to finish the piece. Needless to say this girl has a lot going on.

Anna is really admirable. I appreciated her journey to better understand and stand up for herself. I personally felt very heavy hearted reading about her struggles with her family and their expectations of her.

I also empathized with and admired Quan as he faced his own challenges of body insecurity after he survived cancer and also feeling not good enough in his business skills. While he had his own stuff going on, he was really what Anna needed and actually cared about her and tried to understand her needs. He was truly a sweetheart.

This was my first book by this author and I definitely look forward to reading more of her novels in the future! The romance was steamy, but the overall plot line and the depth of the emotions is what had me really invested. Overall, this was a really amazing book. And the author’s note at the end was touching as well.

I had heard that this was a tearjerker so, being the wimp that I am, I held off reading it until the last minute. But the second I started, I wanted to smack myself for waiting so long! Within the first few pages, I fell into the rhythm of Helen Hoang’s writing, drawn in by the dry humor and inner musings of the heroine, Anna Sun. And then there’s the reason I was excited to read the book in the first place. The Heart Principle is Quan Diep’s story, so I was already invested. Yet the Quan we’re presented with is not the Quan of previous books, but rather a starkly different man with less confidence, less swagger, and more vulnerability.  
 
Fresh off her boyfriend’s unexpected announcement that he wants an open relationship to see other people before they settle down, Anna is determined to have a string of one-night stands in retaliation. When she comes across Quan on a dating app, he seems like the perfect candidate to take home for a night of no-strings-attached intimacy. Her plan gets derailed not just once but over and over again, but the connection between persistently draws them back together. Their flirtation quickly develops into a quasi-relationship, but a number of obstacles - both physical and emotional - seem to conspire to make theirs a star-crossed romance.

Part romance, part journey of self-realization, The Heart Principle is a gut-wrenchingly emotional story about two broken individuals. Helen Hoang gives readers a raw, unfiltered glimpse into the lives of two characters overcoming seemingly insurmountable challenges, but doing so in a way that we can understand and relate to. Much of the subject matter is sensitive, yet the author doesn’t stray from exposing every messy, complicated detail. She effortlessly conveys the maelstrom of emotions that Anna in particular goes through at any given moment, detailing her stream of thoughts and rationalizations in a way that gives the reader a better idea of what it’s like to be inside of her mind. I appreciated the unflinchingly honest portrayal of Anna and Quan’s relationship both with themselves and with each other. The narrative was that much more poignant and thought-provoking because of it.  
 
If you’re looking for a heartfelt, evocative captivating read, The Heart Principle is one of my top favorite books of the year so far. I couldn’t put it down once I got started! It seems like I’ve been waiting so long for this book, but Quan and Anna’s story is well worth the wait.  
 
Special thanks to the publisher for providing an e-ARC for an honest review. ❤️

[Possible spoilers]

This book was deeper than The Kiss Quotient and The Bride Test, in my opinion. Hoang states, in her author's note, that The Heart Principle is the most autobiographical of the three books, as it relates to her own journey with learning that she is on the autism spectrum. While this topic was broached a bit in The Kiss Quotient, this book also addresses issues that non-autistic folx may be unfamiliar with, like autistic burnout and not being believed by family or friends. I feel that it is also important to mention that this book contains ableism, medical illnesses, caregiving, and suicidal ideation.

Despite all of this, Hoang has delivered a romance with a slow burn and instant connection between Anna and Quan. Their conversations flow easily and they seem to fit. Quan and Anna are able to give one another the compassion and empathy that neither seem to be able to give themselves, at first. Anna's need to please everyone and Quan's insecurities stand in their way but these issues make the resolution very satisfying. Their sex scenes are very steamy but not quite smut because their intimacy is directly tied to their hang-ups, which is understandable. If anything, I'd say that their connection looks like lasting love. That #RideorDie type stuff. The only turn-off, for me, was the author's use of the phrase "her sex" and "his sex" to refer to the character's genitals. I'm not a fan, but you may not mind!

Although I predicted the climax of this book, it was still hard to read! I kept wanting to stop, but I knew that I just had to get through it to get to the resolution. I'm still not sure if I liked the pacing or not. The plot moves along slowly for most of the book as Anna's issues arise and she gets comfortable with Quan, but then it speeds up at the end. I understand this might be to connect with Anna's emotions as this book is written in first-person.

Verdict:
I recommend this book to folx who enjoyed Hoang's previous two and are okay with taking a walk in Anna's shoes!

Helen Hoang manages to write perfect books. Every book in this serious perfectly blends mental health issues and fantastic romance.
Anna Sun is a talented violinist that can no longer play. After accidentally achieving success with a viral youtube video, the expectations of others begin to wear on her. On top of that, her boyfriend Julian wants to be in an open relationship. When scrolling through a dating app one night, Anna meets Quan, a children's clothing designer who is struggling with his own personal issues. They're only supposed to have a one night stand, but could this lead to more?

Anna's boyfriend suddenly announces that he wants to open up their relationship before they fully commit to being together forever. Although Anna does not like the idea, she feels like she has no choice but to agree. She decides that she will test the waters and her skills in the bedroom with someone she meets through a dating app. When she meets Quan, she only intends to spend one night with him, but that one night turns into a plan to meet again...and then again. What started off as a search for a one-night stand turns into both of them finding a person who will help them fight their demons.

Whenever I find a romance book with Asian American main characters that I enjoy, I get so excited! It seems like such a trivial thing, but as an Asian American, I crave being able to read stories about Asians in romances because it's not very common and I like to see people like me get their HEAs. Quan is Vietnamese American and Chinese American, and I loved that their families and cultures were represented in this book.

I wasn't a huge Quan fan before this book, but now I am all about him. His health battle has left him in a vulnerable state, but he still has all of those bad ass traits that I love in men in romance novels (like having tattoos and riding a motorcycle). What I loved the most about him was that he was there for Anna. Anything she needed, he was there for her, even when she didn't ask for it. Quan was able to push Anna to see things about herself that she should celebrate.

I appreciated being able to witness Anna's journey in discovering her neurotypical traits and her struggles with an Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis. In some ways, it helped her feel better to put a name to what she experiences and in other ways she struggled with the idea of having Autism. I love that Helen Hoang could provide an own voice perspective on this journey that Anna went through.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable romance novel that touches on the important topics of mental health and neurodiversity.

Steam level: 🔥🔥🔥
⚠️: cancer, death of a parent, anxiety, implied suicidal thoughts