The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang (Website, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads)Published by Penguin on June 5th 2018
Genres: Contemporary, Contemporary Women, Fiction, Multicultural & Interracial, Romance
Pages: 336
Format: ARC
Stella Lane thinks math is the only thing that unites the universe. She comes up with algorithms to predict customer purchases--a job that has given her more money than she knows what to do with, and way less experience in the dating department than the average thirty-year-old.
It doesn't help that Stella has Asperger's and French kissing reminds her of a shark getting its teeth cleaned by pilot fish. Her conclusion: she needs lots of practice--with a professional. Which is why she hires escort Michael Phan. The Vietnamese and Swedish stunner can't afford to turn down Stella's offer, and agrees to help her check off all the boxes on her lesson plan--from foreplay to more-than-missionary position...
Before long, Stella not only learns to appreciate his kisses, but to crave all the other things he's making her feel. Soon, their no-nonsense partnership starts making a strange kind of sense. And the pattern that emerges will convince Stella that love is the best kind of logic...
The Kiss Quotient has become one of my favorite romance reads this year. It’s refreshingly unique and captivating and I couldn’t put it down. There was a lot of initial buzz about this one and so I was a bit afraid when I picked it up, but I’m so glad I did!
Hoang has created such an amazing story here with characters that will stick with you even after you’ve turned the last page. Stella is brilliant and awkward and quirky… and has Asperger’s. She is professionally successful but at her mother’s urging she’s ready to move onto the next phase of her life and pursue a relationship. She’s tried before very unsuccessfully. She knows that with just a little practice she’d be able to get past how kissing and having sex makes her feel though and so she tracks down an expert.
Enter Michael Phan. Michael’s an escort… (and so much more) and he is completely intrigued by Stella when he first meets her. He recognizes her quirks and understands what she needs, but he also has a rule … no repeat customers. When she makes him an offer that breaks that rule, he caves and agrees to help her tick off all the tasks on her lesson plan.
What neither planned for were the feelings that would emerge between them.
Hoang’s take on this rom-com reverse Pretty Woman story was so refreshing! I adored getting to know both Stella and Michael, and Hoang effortlessly weaves their stories through the main plot that before you know it you’re in love! The chemistry between these two was so amazing, there from the initial meeting, it was steamy where appropriate and tender and lovely at other times. I just fell in love with these two more with every page I turned.
It’s not all easy sailing for these two of course, there are obstacles and challenges… assumptions and miscommunications, but through it all, I never stopped cheering for them to be able to make a real relationship work.
If you’re looking for something new and fresh in the contemporary romance genre, look no further. This is the book you need and want. With heartfelt writing, and a quirky, heart-warming story I can’t urge you enough to grab this book upon release!
Thank you to the publisher for an early copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
About Helen Hoang
Helen Hoang is that shy person who never talks. Until she does. And the worst things fly out of her mouth. She read her first romance novel in eighth grade and has been addicted ever since. In 2016, she was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder in line with what was previously known as Asperger’s Syndrome. Her journey inspired THE KISS QUOTIENT. She currently lives in San Diego, California with her husband, two kids, and pet fish.
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