by Helen Hoang
June 5, 2018
323 pages
Goodreads Summary:
A heartwarming and refreshing debut novel that proves one thing: there's not enough data in the world to predict what will make your heart tick.
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 crave all of the other things he's making her feel. 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...
A heartwarming and refreshing debut novel that proves one thing: there's not enough data in the world to predict what will make your heart tick.
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 crave all of the other things he's making her feel. 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...
Review
People have been raving about The Kiss Quotient and after reading it myself I think the praises are well-deserved. The story is relatable, the characters diverse and the romance super sweet and sexy. It's such a wonderful book.
Before I start swooning all over The Kiss Quotient I want to bring up the one small problem I had. The major conflict came and went too quickly. It was so talked up in both characters' minds I expected more resistance and concerns when they came face to face... Don't get me wrong, it was sweet as heck but a little bit more push and pull would've been nice.
Stella is an incredibly real reflection of every person. I think it's fair to say we all have our share of insecurities. I definitely identified with her need for routine. Similar to Stella, any disruptions made me feel uneasy. She was self-conscious and blunt but always true to her words. I love how she understood she was different. Stella was willing to try new things but she never forced herself into doing anything she wasn't comfortable with.
You can't read The Kiss Quotient and not love Michael Phan. Tortured by his father's actions and coupled with the reality he's in (with no career and escorting for money) his self-esteem was extremely low. "Love, he found, was a jail. It trapped, and it clipped wings." (p. 249). He was so good to everyone except himself. Meeting Stella helped him realize his worth. The tenderness and respect he showed her more than separated him from other self-serving a**holes.
The romance in The Kiss Quotient was so fantastic my eyes turned heart-shaped whenever Stella and Michael were together. Their relationship was slow and careful. When things did progress to the next level he was patient and protective of her. The sex scenes were explicit but not in an erotic way. The gentle sweetness of their contact was what made every sexy time hot and heavy and enjoyable.
I highly recommend The Kiss Quotient to all readers. Even if romance is not your usual thing you may find yourself falling in love with this story. It's lovely from start to finish.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not affected in any way. All quotes were taken from the copy I received.
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