THE SUNDAY REVIEW | THE KISS QUOTIENT – HELEN HOANG

Who knows why, after the failure of One Day In December I chose to read another romance story, but I guess I don’t have to make sense. In my defense, I didn’t really realize this one was straight up romance when I got myself into it. I thought it was more like The Rosie Project – literary fiction about a relationship. Turns out it’s a gender-swapped re-telling of Pretty Woman. Oops.

I can hear you thinking great, she’s going to tear another book apart. But you’d be wrong. I actually enjoyed this one for what it was. It wasn’t ground breaking, but then I didn’t expect or want it to be. I liked that typical gender roles were swapped, I liked that the main character has autism and is trying to work out how to get the type of relationship she wants in spite of that. I liked that the main characters are fairly decent people, and I liked most of the peripheral characters.

There were things I found hard, because there always are in books that are meant to make the reader feel good. There’s the typical misunderstandings that could have been avoided if just one person bothered to actually, I don’t know, communicate with the other. There’s the predictable drama. And there’s definitely the over-the-top lack of self-esteem (at least that was the case for both male and female leads in this one) that leads to constant feelings of inadequacy and wrong assumptions about the motivations leading to other characters’ behaviour. I still did find that annoying, but I also accept that’s par for the course with romance. It was bearable, if only just at times.

I’m no expert, but I think for a romance book, this one was pretty good. One word of warning though – it definitely bordered on flat out erotica at times. Which was fine with me, but I’ve heard that some other readers were a bit shocked and didn’t appreciate or expect that element. I just figured at least it was better written than 50 Shades, so whatever.

I don’t expect to remember much, if anything, about this book in a couple of years. I don’t think I’ll ever come back to it. But for the headspace I was in at the beginning of the year it was enjoyable and a good diversion. If you are a fan of romance novels and not easily offended by a bit of smut, and particularly if you’re looking for a romance book that has a bit more diversity, I’d definitely recommend checking this one out. The sequel, The Bride Test, is coming out in May. I won’t be rushing to grab it off the shelf the day it comes out, but I will remember it for next time I need some easy escapism. I wouldn’t mind finding out what happens to Stella and Michael.

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… – Goodreads

Book Title: The Kiss Quotient
Author: Helen Hoang
Series: Yes – The Kiss Quotient #1
Edition: Audio
Published By: Audible/Dreamscape Media
Released: June 5, 2018 (First published May 30, 2018)
Genre: Fiction, Romance, Erotica
Pages: 317 in paperback, 9 hrs 36 mins audiobook
Narrator: Carly Robbins
Date Read: January 8-15, 2019
Rating: 7/10
Average Goodreads Rating: 3.97/5 (41,193 ratings)