This is the third book in The Kiss Quotient series, and if you haven't read the first two you really should, they're so good!

Anna Sun is a violinist who goes viral on YouTube, but then finds herself completely burnt out by trying to replicate that success. While she's struggling to understand herself better her stress is compounded when her boyfriend declares that he wants to play the field before settling down. Hurt, angry, and looking to take back some control in her life, Anna decides that if he wants an open relationship he's going to get one. In other words, she's going to have some fun of her own. Enter Quan Diep. He's inked-up, rides and motorcycle, and hotter than sin. Anna thinks she wants a one-night stand, but Quan seems to understand and accept her in ways she doesn't expect.

I always love Hoang's characters so much. They're real and nuanced and I always feel like I really know them. This book will leave you feeling raw and emotional—it's intense but beautiful. There are a lot of serious topics in the book, but they're handled in a way that will rip your heart wide open but also make you want to hug the book when you're done.

The audiobook was so wonderfully narrated by Brian Nishii and Natalie Naudus (who you might also recognize from One Last Stop and the Dating Dare—she’s quickly becoming one of my favorite narrators). The audio comes in at nine and a half hours, but once I started I really couldn’t stop and just binged it in a weekend.

Basically, if you haven't got this on your TBR yet, you need to rectify that.

Oh gosh, this is such an important book. SO important. Please, never stop giving us representation for illness and disability in books. Please.

That said, I have to stop reading for now because of a PURELY personal issue. I'm someone who's sick, and also ND, and while I was reading, I was both simultaneously loving the voice, the stories, and the characters, all while having major anxiety, and it's all because of my own health. I'm still processing diagnosis amongst other things, and my brain is finding it difficult to live in someone else's head with this alongside of mine.

So, dear publisher, please understand that this is SUCH a wonderful book, and I'm so grateful for having been able to read a good chunk of it, but for now, I have to step aside for my own mental health.

Fantastic! Heart felt and poignant. This novel is wonderfully narrated and really brings the story to life. Anxiety and autism representation, great chemistry and tension. The Heart Principle had my attention from start to finish.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I was hoping that NetGalley would get this book as I loved the other books written by author Hoang. I did get the audio and have two different people voice the main characters was great. I will say there should be a trigger warning for those with anxiety and autism. I found that some of the anxiety that Anna went through started my mind whirling and I had to take a break. Some parts were really hard to get through but it was a great book.

There was so much going on in this book, in a great way! We are realizing self worth, we are breaking down stereotypes, and even finding love along the way. Anna has always felt like she was saying and doing what people wanted her to rather than putting herself first. Early on in the book, she sees a therapist who tells her she’s autistic and everything seems to fall into place. It’s almost a relief to finally know. But she’s surprised to find that not everyone agrees with her diagnosis. Hoang brings up a great point in this story and that is how much of an obstacle disbelief can be when it’s coming from someone you love. This book is so much more than a romance novel and really tackles big issues throughout Anna and Quan’s story. Anyone who reads this will come out the other side having learned a lot about self love and acceptance.

Wow! The author does it again! The first novel in this series, The Kiss Quotient really got me hooked on the romance genre. Before bookstagram, I didn’t read very many romance novels at all. I clearly remember everyone raving about The Kiss Quotient when it was first released, so I decided to give it a try. I obviously loved it, and have been a big fan of contemporary romance ever since. So thank you, Helen Hoang and Bookstagram for making me a romance reader! Hoang writes with so much grit, heart, and soul. She expertly brings her characters to life by tackling heavy topics, real life issues, and flawlessly incorporating an intense love story at the same time. You can’t help but care for the characters she creates, wish, and hope that they’ll be okay in their situations. It’s so easy to form connections with them. In The Heart Principle, Anna is diagnosed with autism late in life. She’s spent years bending over backwards to please her family, and feeling pressured by their high expectations of what they believe her life should look like. Her boyfriend wants to take a break in order to see other people, then her father becomes ill, and requires constant care from the family. Anna’s stress levels are extremely high, and she’s struggling with everything the universe has thrown in her direction at the moment. Enter Quan. Buff, sensitive, understanding, and deliciously tattooed. Their connection is strong, instant, and grows with intensity as he selflessly supports Anna through it all. GAH! I love this couple SO much, and I know you will too. The Kiss Quotient is still my very favorite in the series, but The Heart Principle definitely has a big chunk of my heart, and will stick with me for a long time. 4.5/5 steamy and emotional stars for Helen Hoang’s latest!

"A slow me is better than a sick me."

Y'all it's official - Helen Hoang OWNS my heart and is my ALL-TIME favorite romance writer.

Her characters are just so dynamic, so engaging, so grounded in reality. They always act within their character and personality. Hoang's commitment to neurodiversity and telling these love stories knows no bounds. Whenever I read her books, I learn a lot and I also turn into mush.

Out of her three heroines in this series, I related to Anna the most. The constant pressure she puts on herself to be perfect - very relatable content!

Her stories are heavy (I recommend looking up TWs for this one) and at times frustrating, but isn't that life? She melds the high romance with realism beautifully.

This is my first read of the series and it wasn't what I was expecting. I expected more of a light hearted romance, but this book surprisingly showed depth and emotion of the main characters. Anna is diagnosed with autism as an adult and Quan is coming off of surgery and some health issues when they meet for a one night stand. They were never meant to be.

Tld in alternating points of view, this book has depth of characters and exploration of deep issues. I mostly read thrillers and don’t usually connect and empathize with the characters, but you can’t help but be drawn into this story. It’s told in the first person and you get to feel all the ups and downs, highs and lows as Anna and Quan navigate through their relationship and life.

Anna is struggling to figure out who she is if she isn’t pleasing others and the author writes in such a way that you are immersed in all of her feelings of inadequacy, grief, loneliness and pressure. Quan is a sensitive young man covered in tattoos so you see his pain when he is judged in addition to his feelings of inadequacy related to his surgery. And with any relationship there is the vulnerability of opening up to another human being.

Hoang is masterful at revealing all of those emotions without making the characters seem needy or unlikable. This is the hardest I’ve rooted for a fictional couple in a very long time.

Brian Nishii and Natalie Naudus are the audiobook narrators. They do a fabulous job of capturing the emotion of Anna and Quan.

If you are looking for a book to make you jump right in and feel along with the characters, then this is your book. It really is so much more than a romance.

I loved this book! I liked the other two books in this trilogy by this one was my favorite by far. Once I started listening, I didn’t want to stop. I was captivated by Anna’s journey in this book and just had to see how things would work out for her in the end. I found this to be a very entertaining and moving story.

This really felt like Anna’s story. Quan is an important character in the story and there is a romance but the heart of the story was about Anna. At the start of the book, Anna spends her days trying to be what other people expect her to be. She controls her reactions so that she fits in. She has a boyfriend that she tries hard to please despite the fact that he does not treat her well. When he decides to open up their relationship, Anna signs on a dating app to find a one-night stand for herself. She ends up finding something more with Quan.

The second half of the book switches gears and we see Anna trying to deal with her family in the middle of a tragic situation. Quan and Anna spend little time together during this part of the book but he did try to support her as much as he could. Anna has spent her life trying to be the person that her family expects her to be and they are really not interested in her new diagnosis. I felt so bad for Anna as she tried to navigate this difficult situation and be allowed to be the person she really is.

This book brought on the feels. I really felt for Anna throughout the book. It was hard to imagine her playing her violin trying for the perfection that was always just out of reach. Quan had his own challenges after having a serious health issue and dealing with some stress on the job. I thought that these two were really good together and I love how patient and caring Quan was throughout the story. Some parts of the book were more difficult to read and my heart broke for Anna.

Brian Nishii and Natalie Naudus did a fantastic job with this story. I thought that they were able to bring the story to life and I loved the voices that they both used for the various characters. I felt that they both added a lot of emotion into their narration. I believe that their narration added to my overall enjoyment of this story.

I would recommend this book to others. This book is a little different than the first two books in the series but I really appreciated what the author was able to do with Anna’s story. I will definitely be planning to read more of this author’s work in the future.

I received a review copy of this audiobook from Dreamscape Media via NetGalley.

Well, my past few reads have been extremely heavy, so I started this one in hopes of a light romance. Well, this was not it! I absolutely loved it, don't get me wrong! But this was a much heavier read than I expected. Heavy in family drama and a very emotional read at times. Still a great romance, but also so much more! I strongly recommend this book! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to Netgalley, Helen Hoang and the publisher Dreamscape Media for the ALC.

The Heart Principle was one of my most anticipated books of 2021, as I loved the first two books in the trilogy. This was a good book, but definitely my least favourite of the three.

I liked the realness of this book- sometimes I find romance books to very unrealistic, but this book definitely didn’t hold back in adding in lots of heaviness for the characters. But it was also a bit of a negative at times, because I felt like this book was more of a family drama than romance for a lot of it as much of the plot lines focused on Anna and her family dealing with caregiver burnout. Anna and Quan’s relationship felt like a side plot for much of the story, when I wish it was the main focus because I loved Quan’s character!

I give this book 3.5 stars rounded up to 4. I liked it, but I didn’t love it, and if you are looking for a fun, romantic book to get your mind off heavy topics, this book definitely isn’t that.

Anna is burnt out and having trouble focusing on her music after a huge success, when her longtime boyfriend suggests a break to see other people. She tries a one night stand with Quan, a “bad boy” with a huge heart and finds that one night isn’t enough.

I love the themes, autism representation and important topics that Helen Hoang’s books always cover. Anna and Quan were definitely my favourite couple of this series. I found the storyline of Anna learning about an autism diagnosis later in life very inspiring and informative.

If you’re looking for a light read, this isn’t it. This book tackles so many tough topics - TW for sickness and death of a parent, and has a huge focus on mental health. It was handled very well but came as a bit of a surprise to me later in the book.

My one complaint is that some topics were glazed over and at times the pace was too fast.

I will also say that the voice acting of this was great. Would recommend on audio. Thank you very much for the advance audio copy!

I love rock the rock. The best thing to come out of this series. The Heart Principle is my favorite book of hers so far. It was wonderfully written. Five out of five stars. This book was so beautifully crafted. I love Helen Hoang’s writing style. The pacing, drama, themes were perfect. I felt emotions that I don’t typical feel while reading- anger, frustration, love, and comfort. I didn’t want this book to end.

My third book by Hoang and she has another winner. Hoang's characters are so complex and well developed. They are diverse and so real! This book is about Anna, who is struggling with finding herself again after a career setback, a failed romance (not her fault- her boyfriend was a complete scumbag) and her father's failing health. When Anna decides she needs to have a one night stand, she meets Quan, who is also making his way back into the dating world after a health scare.

I really enjoyed Anna and Quan and their immediate connection. Quan is such a kind and softhearted person, the kind of person Anna desperately needs in her life. She needs someone supportive and who sees her as someone with valid thoughts and feelings, and Quan fits the bill.

I spent most of this book very frustrated because I could NOT stand Anna's family. They treated her terribly and honestly it was borderline abusive. She is taken advantage of time and time again and it made me sick to my stomach to see how she was treated. I was rooting for Anna to find her voice and stand up for herself even when it seemed like everything was working against her. She really deserved a happy ending.

I love a story that evokes this much emotion!

I listened to the audiobook for this one and as far as the narration goes, it was well done. I liked that there were two narrators (one male and one female) to differentiate between Anna and Quan. It was very easy to follow and it enhanced the story.

This is a challenging one to review. I really enjoyed Helen Hoang's debut "The Kiss Quotient" when I read it earlier this month, but reading "The Heart Principle" so soon afterward negatively impacted my opinion on this new book. My biggest hang-up was how extreme the insta-love was in this novel, with the romance developing so quickly it gave me a bit of whiplash.

From there, I was able to enjoy the characters and the way the story develops. I really appreciated the end-of-life subplot and the way it illustrated the ways families can fracture in those times of extreme stress.

Overall, despite reservations about the way the romance is developed, I ended up really enjoying this book. Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

Another great romance by Helen Hoang. I loved Anna and her road to discovering who she really is and ways for her to stand up for herself. The love story and steamy parts were great as well. The narrators of the audio did a fabulous job. I highly recommend this book.

Wonderful book! The narrators were so GREAT. Both of them conveyed the range of the emotions from the characters, and they really brought the story to life. The book dwelves into mental health and boundaries in such an honest and reflective way. Anna's struggles with her family and her confidence felt raw, and I think any reader would feel connected to her struggle and resolution for herself.

I’ve been waiting on this follow-up book for 2 years now. I adored “The Kiss Quotient”, but just found “The Bride Test” to be alright. “The Heart Principle” is a nice in-between, where I really enjoyed it, but it didn’t capture all the magic of the first one for me. This is a modern love story where the main characters initially were looking for something casual. This book has some deep lesser storylines that moved my emotions all over the place, but I’m not sure how I felt about that. I’d recommend this one. 4 stars ⭐️. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

The Heart Principle is a heartfelt, raw romance novel that follows the two previous novels in the Kiss Quotient series consistently.

The standout factor of this book to me was the main characters experience with being diagnosed with Autism later in life. Follow Anna in real time as she comes to terms with her new diagnosis, and learns so much more about herself. So much of her past personality is explained by this diagnosis, and she does so much deconstruction of herself and how she should act in the future during this novel.

I do wish we got the same intricacies from Quan's character, which is the biggest flaw I see in this novel. Quan has a very interesting set-up in the first two novels as a background character, and his history with cancer and disability gives his perspective so much potential, but this book unfortunately just didn't follow through with that. I would've liked to see more set-up from his perspective in the first 75% of the book; his perspective just wasn't dived into with detail like I would've liked to read.

The romance between the two main characters was great! I loved their chemistry and the way their stories collided. I did find myself wanting a bit /more/ from them, as there was very little that stood them out from many of the other romcoms I read, (such as the interesting dynamic from The Kiss Quotient) but again there was nothing to complain about on that front.

As far as the audiobook goes, I enjoyed the narration from the two lead actors. I got uncomfortable during the sex scenes because I found the moans to be a bit much, but that's more of a "me" complaint than a fault with the narrators. Anna's narrator especially was fantastic at drumming up the emotion for the more tense scenes, and I found my heart literally twisting with anxiety in a way I don't think I would've felt if I was just listening to the book.

Overall, this book struck pretty average with me, and the audiobook was above average.

I really enjoyed this book. This author connects readers to the characters by telling the same story from multiple points of view. The author addresses contemporary issues and creates a love story that has its ups and downs and keeps you waiting to see if the couple ends up together!