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Review

5 “you are my favorite puzzle” stars!!

Two lonely halves found comfort together.

The Kiss Quotient, Helena Hoang’s debut novel, is a stunning, heartfelt love story that will pull at your heartstrings and secure a special place in your heart. Honest, real, and full of feels, it is easily a new favorite of mine and has put Helen Hoang firmly on my radar.

Stella is thirty years old and has Asperger’s. She is socially awkward with men, doesn’t like touch unless she initiates it, and doesn’t enjoy sex. That is a problem if she ever wants to be in a successful relationship. She approaches challenges methodically and decides to hire an escort to help her gain experience with sex. After much research, she hires Michael, a male escort she finds online. Michael never sees the same client twice but Stella makes an offer he can’t refuse.

I loved everything about The Kiss Quotient! The plot is original and the characters are wonderful. I couldn’t help but fall for them and desperately wanted them to find a HEA.

Individually, Stella and Michael are delightful. Stella is honest, sincere, brilliant, and kind, and completely unaware of how endearing she is. She was written in a believable way and my heart hurt for everything she faced. I loved that she was brave enough to make a move when it came to her struggles and she confronts them head on. I loved watching her learn new things and face situations that made her nervous. Her emotions were realistic and I felt them all. I loved watching her confidence grow and her bravery grow as she became more comfortable with Michael and herself.

“She had a disorder, but it didn’t define her. She was Stella. She was a unique person.”

Michael is a unique individual. He is gorgeous on the outside yet he is even more so on the inside. He has a huge heart and cares deeply about the important people in his life. He carries a lot on his shoulders and must deal with things out of his control, making me long for the happiness he puts on hold. Michael thought he was full of darkness but I saw only light in everything he did.

Stella and Michael are wonderful together. They are different in so many ways but they perfectly complement one another. I loved watching them open up and show their true selves to each other. Michael is patient, understanding, and gentle with Stella. He was willing to help her even if it’s not what he usually does. He gave her control, challenged her, and took her out of her comfort zone. He understood Stella completely and he was sweet and swoony without even trying.

“All the things that make you different make you perfect.” 

Stella accepts Michael for all he is and never judges him, truly wanting to get to know him for more than his escorting. Watching both learn to trust was beautiful and I fell in love right along with them.

“I don’t want just a night or a week or a month with you. I want you all the time. I like you better than calculus, and math is the only thing that unites the universe.” 

The progression of the story was well paced and entertaining. It was a slow burn and the buildup was delicious. Though the setup started out to help Stella with physical contact, the most development was from within. The character grow was believable and endearing. I saw them change as they realize their worth and everything they are both individually as well as a couple.

The romance was gorgeous, the sexy times were steamy, and I felt butterflies take flight as they fell in love. Even though it’s not overly angsty, The Kiss Quotient still tugs on your heart. I was wholeheartedly invested in Stella and Michael and I didn’t want to see them suffer more than they already had. It was easy to fall in love with this story and it is definitely a new favorite.

“When you love someone, you fight for them in every way you know how.”

I have to give a shout out to the secondary characters. They all played a special role in the story and I loved the support they gave to Michael and Stella. They also added an extra dose of humor that had me grinning from ear to ear. I cant wait to get more when Khai’s book, The Bride Test, releases May 2019.

*Note: The audiobook is fantastic!! Usually I enjoy reading verses listening but when I every once in a while I will find an audiobook that is so good I just want to listen. This is one of them and I highly recommend it!

 

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The Kiss Quotient