Every reader goes through a time when not a single book appeals to them. I spent two months not able to get through the first 50 pages of anything. And then The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang came along and changed everything.Â
Let me just say that this is easily making my top 5 list for best reads of 2018.
Reasons to pick up this book:
1. Neurodiversity
I LOVED reading about a heroine who was on the Autism spectrum. Stella has Asperger’s, which makes it difficult for her to navigate the dating field. From the offhand advice of a colleague, she decides that in order to please her parents and find a suitable match, she first needs to garner a little more experience when it comes to dating. Up until this point, Stella has abhorred the thought of dating. (Girl, Stella, we totally feel you. Tinder and PoF are full of less-than-desirable prospects)
All the men she’s been with have only cared about their own needs and she has a history of locking up when it comes to anything sexual. So, logically, she believes she needs someone who can coach her through sex. That brings me to my next reason for reading this:
2. A gender-swap Pretty Woman storyline
I am a HUGE fan of the movie, so when I heard that Hoang’s story was a flipped version of Pretty Woman, I knew this was going to be an enjoyable read. Stella decides the best way to go about learning the dating ropes is to hire an escort. The escort? Michael — aka, the swooniest of swoony heroes to ever exist (Stella would argue this is a scientific fact and possibly have a flow chart to present the data). She was the sugar mama in this relationship and is rolling in enough dough that she could afford to buy Michael a Lamborghini on a whim if she so chose. YAS, QUEEN. More sugar mama heroines! I. Was. So. Here. For. It.
3. Women in STEM field
Before I gush about Michael, let’s first focus on the real superhero of this story. Not only is Stella a super intelligent woman, she is a trailblazer in economics, specifically, she is an econometrician. Stella’s a numbers gal and it was so fun to see her try and bring her progression chart into the bedroom. I could really appreciate that Hoang realistically portrayed Stella, her passion for mathematics, and how this was the perfect job for her beautiful mind.
4. A swoony, diverse love interest
Michael is a gift to us all. He’s been dealt a shitty hand, but has a heart of gold. No, platinum. This dude has gone above and beyond for his family and his reasons for pimping himself out as a male escort are truly noble. You don’t see a ton of Asian love interests, so I was stoked to read about Michael, who is Vietnamese and Swedish! He is kind, patient, and goes at Stella’s pace — something no other man has bothered to do with her. I really loved that he was so in tune with her emotions and knew just how to comfort her and make her feel safe. The best part about him: he loved Stella and embraced her, quirks and all (and, really, isn’t that all we can ask for in a significant other?) Not only that, but he’s an amazing cook and kicks ass in martial arts. Really, Michael has it going on.
5. Excellent Culture
As mentioned above, our beloved hero, Michael, brings a lot to the table in The Kiss Quotient. A large portion of the book takes place at Michael’s mom’s house. Learning about her and Michael’s adorably loud and chaotic family (soooo many sisters!) had me laughing out loud several times. Hoang does an excellent job creating a vibrant family that I found myself wanting to be a part of. Also, the food descriptions were divine and made me insanely hungry while reading the book.
So, do yourself a favor and go check out The Kiss Quotient! You won’t be disappointed with this adorable, sexy romance.
