From the Bookshelf of Audiobook Junkies…

The Kiss Quotient (The Kiss Quotient, #1)

Helen Hoang

Start date: June 11, 2019

Finish date: June 16, 2019

Discussion: 2019 Goals and Challenge

Discussion leader: Jonetta

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What Members Thought

May 09, 2018 ☕️Kimberly (Caffeinated Reviewer) rated it it was amazing

Do you ever enjoy a book so much that you are dying to pick it back up and finish, but you want the perfect uninterrupted time to do it? I read this in two sittings. The first until I knew if I didn't stop I'd be a zombie in the morning, and the following evening as soon as my hubby's basketball game was turned on. The premise of this story was refreshing and at first, made me a tad nervous.

Stella is an econometrician who loves all things math and has Aspergers. Having a son with the disorder ma Do you ever enjoy a book so much that you are dying to pick it back up and finish, but you want the perfect uninterrupted time to do it? I read this in two sittings. The first until I knew if I didn't stop I'd be a zombie in the morning, and the following evening as soon as my hubby's basketball game was turned on. The premise of this story was refreshing and at first, made me a tad nervous.

Stella is an econometrician who loves all things math and has Aspergers. Having a son with the disorder made me understand this sweet, driven woman. Her work is her obsession, it makes her happy, but her mother wants grandbabies and is determined to set her up.

When a male co-worker makes a remark that rings too close to the truth about Stella's intimacy issues, she decides to hire a male escort to teach her about sexual intimacy. Her own sexual experience was downright horrible and she tackles this analytically.

"Girls like me have never been asked out by a single boy. Girls like me have to find their own way, make their own luck. I've had to fight for every success in my life, and I'm going to fight for this. I'm going to get good at sex, and then I'll finally be able to entice the right person into being mine."

My nervousness stemmed from the said escort. This isn't a scenario I particularly enjoy, but Hoang gave me a character I instantly swooned over. Michael Phan a Swedish-Vietnamese clothing designer stole my heart. The man was sexy, patient and beautiful.

Hoang herself lives with Aspergers and I adored her portrayal of Stella. She showcased not only her brilliant mind but how different their thought process and perception of the world is. Like most folks, she wants to be known for herself, not her condition. Like many, she keeps her disorder a secret. However, routines, crowds, clothing issues and open unabashedly candid comments made for some of the sweetest, laughable and tender moments in a romance I've ever read.

Michael has his own hangups most stemming from his father, but he is very close to his mother and siblings. In fact, the whole reason he works for the escort service on Friday evenings is for them. It melted my heart and only further endeared him to me.

"Michael was mint chocolate chip for her. She could try other flavors, but he'd always be her favorite."

I laughed, wept and simply lost myself in this sexy, heartwarming and sometimes erotic story as Michael gave Stella lessons that began as sexual and moved to dealing with relationships, family, and social outings. As the two worked towards helping Stella learn the nuances of a relationship something incredible happened. Of course, there were plenty of stumbling blocks and growth but the story that unfolded was one that will stick with me. In fact, I may never look at my hubby's underwear the same way again. Ha, and I don't mean sexually, you'll have to read the book to discover the true meaning of briefs.

"I like you better than calculus, and math is the only thing that unites the universe." This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer ...more

17 likes · Like · see review

May 28, 2018 Sunny rated it it was amazing

Shelves: a-1-favorites, a-contemporary, a-1-favorites-contemporary

Here is my book chat review with Nerdy Lo:

ARC Review. Originally posted at Scandalicious Book Reviews

THE KISS QUOTIENT by Helen Hoang has been on the radar of every romance reader for the last six months. You’d have to be in a hole the size of Mars not to have heard or have seen the cover to a book I’d like to say is the romantic comedy of the year. A book immersed in the realm of own voices offers more than just the Asian American experience but also a heroine that is smart, unpredictably fu ...more

9 likes · Like · see review

Jun 10, 2018 Darcy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: romance, 2018, audio-book, listened-to-at-work

Prior to release this book had gotten a ton of buzz, so when it showed up on my library's website I requested it. I really liked this one right away. Loved Stella and how literal she was, but hated how she viewed herself, there was nothing wrong with her. I liked Michael too, loved that he put his dreams on hold to take care of his family. He made some hard choices to ensure the family was fine. I hated how he viewed himself.

Sure Stella and Michael met in an unconventional way, but they were ju ...more

7 likes · Like · see review

May 25, 2018 Jen (That's What I'm Talking About) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, romance, my-favorite-books, contemporary

Since she is 30 years old, Stella’s very wealthy parents feel it is time she finds a man, gets married, and has babies. Stella has Asperger’s which comes with a multitude of socially awkward behaviors and difficulties being around other people, and her parents feel it is their duty to get her past it. Stella is brilliant, loves her job as an economist and is extremely successful, but she knows she is letting down her mother, which means she’s not successful.

Michael has been a male escort for thr Since she is 30 years old, Stella’s very wealthy parents feel it is time she finds a man, gets married, and has babies. Stella has Asperger’s which comes with a multitude of socially awkward behaviors and difficulties being around other people, and her parents feel it is their duty to get her past it. Stella is brilliant, loves her job as an economist and is extremely successful, but she knows she is letting down her mother, which means she’s not successful.

Michael has been a male escort for three years, doing what he can to help cover his uninsured mom’s medical bills. His attitude towards sex has become sardonic, although he still enjoys it. But he is well aware that people just use him. So meeting Stella, who is completely honest about herself and her intensions, is refreshing. Plus she hits all of his hot teacher fantasy buttons. He knows their interactions can be only business, but when she asks Michael to teach her how to enjoy sex and be her pretend boyfriend, Michael’s head may say no, but his heart doesn’t agree.

What do you say about a romance between a high-functioning autistic economist and a hard-working sexy male escort? The premise of The Kiss Quotient is unconventional but beautiful because these two seemingly opposites are perfect for one another in so many ways. Right from the start, there is an attraction and common interests, which helps, but it’s the way that they interact that brings them together. Michael honestly enjoys Stella’s quirks and oddness that most find off-putting. He is kind and gentle, but never views her as a charity case or someone who needs to be fixed. However, his own self-view is dark. Because of his father’s actions and words, Michael feels he will never be good enough for someone as wonderful as Stella.

Stella knows she doesn’t always fit in, but she’s learned many ways to compensate and deal with her perceived idiosyncrasies. By spending her time with Michael, she learns that she doesn’t have to hide or be embarrassed. She grows and learns to give up some of the fears that rule her life. Together, Stella and Michael are so adorable and sexy, which doesn’t seem possible when she is learning from him how to kiss and enjoy sex! But via Michael’s eyes, she’s lovely and desirable… And Stella’s world is so real. I feel her anxiety without it overwhelming the story. I feel his desire and honest affection.

In the end, I absolutely loved The Kiss Quotient. It was just one of those stories that touched me right from the start. I connected with both Stella and Michael, feeling both their fears and successes along side of each. Ms. Hoang’s storytelling is emotional and honest, leaving me utterly satisfied and hopeful.

My Rating: A+ Personal Favorite
review copy provided by NetGalley
Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About ...more

5 likes · Like · see review

May 15, 2018 Anne - Books of My Heart rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 7arcs, 2018

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart

Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

4.5 hearts

In spite of the unusual characters, The Kiss Quotient felt realistic. It was easy to drop into the character of Stella because she is so straight-forward. That bluntness may cause some awkward social situations or misunderstandings but you know what you get. I love the math and science stuff so her enjoyment of it was c ...more

4 likes · Like · see review

Nov 07, 2019 Summer rated it did not like it

Shelves: did-not-finish

I really wanted this book to be good, but it just...wasn't. The male lead's motivation makes no sense at all (the female lead is bordering on the edge of sex repulsed and that's attractive to him? Okay, creeper!), both leads are abandoning their characterization and principles left and right for mediocre sex that is neither well-written nor seems all that enjoyable to them, and the book is a good 100 pages longer than it needs to be. Off to the DNF shelf with you! ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Mar 15, 2019 Liz (Bugetta) rated it really liked it

Shelves: audiobook, contemporary-romance, sex-workers, m-f-romance, arp-borrow, ptp, chal-ptp-3

This was so good. I really loved the MCs, and thought the romance developed so well given all the baggage they both brought with them. Stella’s autism was handled really well and Daniel was swoon worthy. I did want to knock them both upside the head towards the end when their mistaken assumptions go in the way of their HEA (especially Daniel!!!), but it was necessary. Loved the epilogue and I can’t wait for the next book!

2 likes · Like · see review

Aug 06, 2019 The Book Junkie Reads . . . rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: audible-borrowed, favorites, borrowed_book, againagain-and-again, contemporary_romance

there are advantages to being different

Overall 5 out of 5 stars
Performance 4 out of 5 stars
Story 5 out of 5 stars

Hearwarming was just the first word I thought of. But this one was so much more than just heartwarming. It was different, special, refreshing, enlightening, interesting. Aspergers' is not the end of the world. You just see the world differently. I loved the romance they built together. I loved Stella and all that was her. I loved Michael because he was doing him the best way he knew ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jun 18, 2020 Charmaine rated it really liked it

Shelves: book-of-the-month, kindle

I rarely read romance books, so this was different. Stella was a likeable character - very sweet and intelligent. I have a sibling who has autism, so Stella's personality and mannerisms were relatable to me. It's interesting that the author based the character on herself. The ending was predictable, but it was satisfying to see how the story resolved itself. I will pick up the sequel sometime. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Oct 27, 2018 Liza rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This book gave me all the feels! I had heard from so many people about this book and was super excited to finally get a chance to read it. It was such a delightful romance. I honestly wasn't sure what to expect when I got started and found out Stella was autistic. However, I absolutely loved how her mind worked and how she worked to figure out how to fit an actual relationship in her world. I loved that Michael got her pretty much from the start and they just fit together even though they were b ...more

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