I have a large pile of books to read, but I put them all aside to read this one--and I don't regret it.

I, like many readers, devoured The Kiss Quotient and, to a lesser extent, The Bride Test and applauded both for being funny, sexy, and great #ownvoices representations of the autistic experience. The Heart Principle is darker and more poignant, but from the author's note it also seems like Hoang's most personal novel. It doesn't sacrifice any of the chemistry or romance, but it's definitely more heartfelt and heartbreaking. Hoang details not only what it's like to be autistic in a neurotypical world, but also how to navigate the pain of caring for a loved one in a tumultuous family setting.

Mark your calendars for August 31, 2021.

Like all her others I loved this book. In many ways its a typical romance novel and you know the guy is going to get the girl in the end but Helen Hoang's characters are so special. Reading books about non-white and non-neurotypical characters gives the book depth that typical romance novels don't have.

Helen Hoang is a fantastic writer, and this book is no exception. She writes beautiful, realistic characters. This story tackles difficult issues and definitely has some sad parts, but I couldn’t put it down. I would give it 6 stars if I could.

This book was lovely and hopeful, yet also heartbreaking. Even before reading the author’s notes, it was evident the story had a ring of truth to it. This may be my favourite Helen Hoang novel to date.

Perfection.

I didn’t realize how much I’d missed Helen Hoang’s voice until I got swept away into The Heart Principle. And boy have I missed it. I’ve missed her unique way of blending such aching tenderness, raw openness, longing, heat, love, understanding.

I know a lot of readers have been waiting for Quan’s book and this was well worth it. Quan is an ANGEL and Anna is the perfect match for him.

The author’s brave storytelling, putting her own pain of loss on page, and the honest portrayal of the difficulty of caregiving…amazed me and, frankly, healed my own wounds from my own pain.

So so grateful for this book. LOVED IT.

I don't know how, but Helen Hoang's books just keep getting better (and this is only her third novel)! I was saving this to read for when I needed something I could be absolutely sure would be really good, and THE HEART PRINCIPLE was fantastic. While it is definitely very much a romance, I would also recommend as a crossover title to general and women's fiction's readers as well, along with readers looking for good representation of neurodivergent characters.

It’s just nice to read a romantic book where people actually listen and care and don’t overreact when people have a hard time and are just thoughtful and also this book is sexy and sweet. The ending felt a little rushed and I wish all the development that occurs for both characters at the end of the book, especially Anna, had been given room to breathe and be developed a bit. But besides that, another sweet, sexy read from this author!! Can't recommend these books enough.

Fans of Helen Hoang have been anxiously awaiting the third book in the Kiss Quotient series and The Heart Principle is almost here, releasing in August. I absolutely had to get my hands on it right away because I’m in love with Hoang’s writing for adult romance and the fact that she includes people with autism in her stories. The first half was exactly what we come to expect with Hoang’s writing, characters and storylines.
Then the book takes a sharp turn.
By no means was this a bad thing. In fact this was the best book I’ve read by her yet. Hoang is able to use real and true events from her life (you must read the author’s note), and the lives of others, especially after this year+ of a pandemic, and create something brutally beautiful in its reality. I wish I could personally thank her for taking topics that not many people discuss and bringing them to life. Within these pages the reader will see despair, sadness and dark times, but the optimism and hope are there too. Events in the story had me crying several times while reading this, which was unexpected, but it added so much depth and complexity to this amazing story. (And OMG where can I find a patient, understanding and loving man like Quan?!)
All the ⭐️ for this book. I will be recommending it to all the 18+ reader friends of mine. Purchase on August 31. Thank you Netgalley for granting me an ARC.

CW: depression, thoughts of suicide, caretaker burnout, autism burnout, cancer, stroke, death

Finally we get to have a story about Quan! He’s been a reliable side character in Hoang’s other two novels, and I’ve been looking forward to getting to know him better. Anna suffers from mental health issues and a family that doesn’t understand her. Quan has some performance anxiety of his own. When they come together because they both want a one night stand, they both find more in each other, but realizing and admitting that takes time. In Hoang’s most autobiographical novel to date, we get great insight into Anna and what she struggles with. What I wish we’d gotten more of is Quan - his character seems underdeveloped and tailored to fit Anna rather than being a fully realized character of his own. I loved this book until about 80% through, when the timeline started jumping forward sporadically, doing more telling than showing. That last 20% of the book felt like an outline rather than a finished novel, and I was left feeling a bit underwhelmed. The part of the book where the characters really fall for each other and realize how much they love each other is why I show up for romance, and that was the part of this novel that felt most skimmed over. Hoang is an excellent writer, her books are sure winners, and The Heart Principle is still a great book, but based on her earlier works I was expecting more.

Another winner from Helen Hoang. This is the story of Anna and Quan.
When Anna's boyfriend insists he wants an open relationship it is just one more thing that Anna doesn't want to face. Angry she decides she will find a hook-up. Anna and Quan met but the hook-up doesn't work out, so they try again, and then again. As their friendship and more builds they learn to support each other with their individual struggles. Quan in particular stand by Anna when her own family dismisses her issues. Emotional, heart-felt and a true love story. Highly recommend.

Helen Hoang is by now a household name for any readers of romance. In "The Heart Principle," she preserves the unique elements that have earned her such success: autism representation, Asian culture front and center, and well-plotted love stories. Anna is a professional violinist struggling to find her footing amidst her recent conversation with her therapist, during which she learned she was autistic. She matches with Quan on a dating site for what was supposed to be a quick, one-night affair but finds they hit it off more than either of them expected. Their relationship is disrupted by Anna's father, who experienced a stroke. She is propelled against her wishes into the role of caretaker by her toxic, unkind family. Quan and Anna have to navigate these changes all while her ex is trying to come between them.

I enjoyed this book, but it has a much more serious tone than Hoang's previous novels. The author acknowledges this in her final note, in which she explains that while writing the book she experienced similar struggles with family caretaking. "The Heart Principle" is as much family drama and saga as it is romance and is a great title to pick up for those who like their romance with robust substance and character development.

Content notes: hostility towards autistic people, family health issues, death

Advance Reader Copy through Netgalley.
This book was, somehow, everything I wanted in the third installment of the series. Hoang says openly that so much of herself went into the work, and it made reading it all the more poignant. Pick it up. Read it. Love it. It will be hard not to <3

I have to say, I'm starting to feel like with each of Helen Hoang's books, the writing and the emotional journey of these characters is getting just better and better (and her first book was fantastic, so that's high praise for the rest). The Heart Principle has been the most gut-wrenching journey for me; the emotional highs and lows it took me through were so fantastically written.

Our heroine in this title, Anna, is straining mentally - she's been hit with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and made shockwaves, but she's now finding that she's stumbling in the aftermath. What's more, her boyfriend suddenly seems to toss her aside in favor of an open relationship. She's struggling to find her identity and heal herself, but it seems she's also struggling without understanding herself fully when her therapist suggests she might land on the Autism spectrum. She find comfort and safety in a supposed one night stand, Quan, who's more than supportive and undestanding, but Anna struggles with years of hiding and misunderstanding in her disorder to get to a healthy frame of mind - to enjoy being with him and for herself. Quan is also struggling though: having recovered recently from an operation that's taken his toll him mentally, even after he's recovered physically. He's struggling to find self-worth and while he's gaining traction, events are pushing him back down - almost to a breaking point.

What I think is really fantastic about Hoang's books is the real connection she has to her characters, and that she can put the reader in their shoes so well. There were moments where I was emotional and breaking my heart over Anna's mental state breaking, even not having been in her shoes myself. I think too that she portrays all these characters realistically - all their flaws and their sympathies. Not all antagonists are villains, and even those who wronged us or have said or did hurtful things are struggling with their own personal issues.

I personally look forward to whatever Hoang writes next! I can't wait to take myself into the mind and world of yet another one of her fantastic and unique characters.

"The Heart Principle' is a beautiful, edifying story centering on the struggles of undiagnosed mental illness and the work it takes for an individual to find love and peace while fighting to find their new normal. Anna and Quan meet the most unusual way (dating apps to help relieve anxiety about recent medical diagnoses and complications!), and then fail to "just have a one-night-stand". As their relationship blooms through business ventures, artistic endeavors, and family crises. Anna and Quan begin to rely on each other, even as they have ups and downs emotionally and physically.

Hoang's previous works surrounds the topic of autism, but this peek into someone who knows there's something "off" without having a diagnosis or support of their family to get one. This work delves into the mind of someone who feels isolated and overwhelmed, whose family and friends struggles with an autism spectrum diagnosis, and what it looks like to have a partner so kindly and patiently work through your struggles. The story still hits all of the romance tropes, and the story is beautifully crafted around Quan representing a new type of male representation in this genre. He is patient and kind, and extremely focused on giving Anna an excellent time.

Anna and Quan are in the running to become my new favorite couple; Michael and Stella from "The Kiss Quotient" were my favorites, but these two are giving them a run for their money. An absolute delight, I could not put this down and would absolutely recommend.

3.8 - this was my 2nd favorite of hers, after Kiss Quotient. You could tell this really resonated with the author, and after reading her note, she says it was the most autobiographical of her works. It took her years to flesh this out into being. I could tell when reading it that she was pouring herself into it. I think it must be difficult to put yourself out there in the open, issue by issue. For the book itself, Quan is a saint, and I loved how much he supported Anna. Maybe it was a little too saintly, because he really was amazing, but he loved her quirks. Anna loved him too, but when you're in a downward spiral, that has to be very difficult to express. Quan took his time, as he was dealing with his own trauma, and loved her for being herself. I would have loved to see how Anna and Stella would interact. I'm also happy that Anna and her mom could understand each other in the end, and I just wanted to slap Priscilla the entire time :)

This book hit me really hard in the heart.

I loved the first two books in this series so much, because they were unique and beautiful and I ADORED the characters. This book was an entirely different level.

Hoang always manages to make things so realistic, and captures the emotions of the characters in a way that you know it would be in real life. I was in complete awe.

I adored Anna and Quan. I loved their love. Their struggles broke me, but it also mended me.

I am just in utter shock by how beautiful this book was.

This was a lot more devastating than I was expecting! I don't necessarily need romances to be all light and happy, and I think in previous books in this trilogy Hoang has balanced really well more serious issues with the romance. But I just felt miserable for the main character in the Heart Principle, and I really wanted her to get out of the bad relationship and her somewhat abusive family. It felt less uplifting when she finally did escape because so much of the book was spent on her misery.

Sad, depressing, awkward. Not romantic at all. No chemistry between the characters. I’m super disappointed because The Kiss Quotient is my favorite contemporary romance and I was really look forward to Quan’s story and I feel let down.

5 stars

Helen Hoang has done it again!

I love the first two books in this series, and I literally screamed when I got approved for this arc, so it should be obvious that my incoming expectations were high; they were exceeded.

Anna is the m.c. of this one, but she shares perspectives with Quan, who is her love interest (and a familiar face from earlier in the series). At the start of the novel, it's clear that Anna's boyfriend needs to go. He has the brilliant 'let's sow our wild oats before we settle down' idea, and while readers are rooting for Anna to run immediately, we can at least be happy that she gets in on some of this action, too. Everything about Anna and Quan's developing relationship is both endearing and quirky, and it's impossible not to hope for the best on that front. Both characters are flawed in totally different ways, but instead of providing nonstop frustration, they just offer distinct possibilities for growth. I truly could not get enough of either of them.

While this novel unquestionably centers on romance, I love how much focus there is on Anna's personal development. She makes some tough realizations throughout, and while it can be painful to watch her attempt to overcome them, her realistic growth is totally gripping.

For me, Hoang's works are gifts. They are great examples of the genre, but they also provide remarkably rewarding characters whom readers cannot help but love themselves. I am already looking forward to what Hoang has planned next!

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. The first 2/3 were fantastic. I do want to say that this book leans more toward regular fiction than romance. There are alternating viewpoints from both Quan and Anna, and you do get a mini-arc from Quan, but really this book is about Anna and her journey from not understanding herself and her family and trying hard to be what she thinks that the world wants her to be. The author's note makes clear that Anna is an author self-insert - that Anna's struggles are Helen Hoang's struggles.

This is just overall a heavy book - it deals with extreme illness, care taking of an infirm family member, and past cancer. There were next to no cameos from the previous couples (Michael plays a role since he and Quan are business partners, and Stella shows up once or twice, but Khai has one scene and Esme doesn't even get a mention) and part of the fun of series with multiple couples is seeing them pop up again. It also deals with emotional and manipulative family members.

The heat level is high-ish, although really there are only 2 steamy scenes.

The final third of the book is really just a wrap of Anna's story. By the time you get to part 3, Quan and Anna's story is over. It was a long epilogue. From the author's note, you can understand that the pressure and all was too much, and this is the best effort that she could manage at this time. And that's fine, it still a pretty good book. It's just not up to the level of either The Kiss Quotient or The Bride Test, and I think as long as you go in with those tempered expectations, this book is worth reading.