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The Bride Test (The Kiss Quotient, #2)

Helen Hoang

Start date: August 1, 2019

Finish date: August 31, 2019

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May 22, 2019 Michelle rated it it was amazing

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I don't know what it is about Helen Hoang's writing; the characters pop off the page and feel so real! On the outside, this looks like a book that brings attention to neurodiverse characters. Once I started reading, I felt like this book was less of a PSA about autism and more of a commentary on people being human. The labels don't matter. For this idea alone, Helen Hoang is one of the best writers around.

This is the second book in the same universe as "The Kiss Quotient". There are overlapping I don't know what it is about Helen Hoang's writing; the characters pop off the page and feel so real! On the outside, this looks like a book that brings attention to neurodiverse characters. Once I started reading, I felt like this book was less of a PSA about autism and more of a commentary on people being human. The labels don't matter. For this idea alone, Helen Hoang is one of the best writers around.

This is the second book in the same universe as "The Kiss Quotient". There are overlapping characters. "The Bride Test" delves into the life of a supporting character from the first book. Readers first meet Khai in "The Kiss Quotient". He's described as being disciplined in martial arts, hot, and oblivious to female attention. Khai has autism, and this is mentioned insofar as it relates to the main character, Stella.

"The Bride Test" shows more of Khai's point of view. He's still lovable, still disciplined and smart as hell. He grew up believing he doesn't have feelings because he processed grief differently, and this prevents him from getting close to anyone. Enter My (aka Esme), the half-Vietnamese.], half-Caucasian woman that Khai's mother coaxed into being a potential wife. Khai's mother flies Esme from Ho Chih Minh City to California in the hopes that Esme's charms will break down her son's walls. What follows is a rom-com about two reluctant people from different parts of the world who learn to fall in love with each other -- and with themselves.

As the story continues, Khai becomes less of a representative for autism. His story is fleshed out, and his personality shines through. Esme becomes more than a maid who ensconces herself in the U.S. to find a better life for herself and her family. You want to root for them both. They feel like real people you could meet walking down the street. This is where Hoang strikes gold. About 2/3 into the book, I forgot that Khai has autism. I became so invested in these characters' inner lives and the plot that the labels simply fell away.

The themes are: the immigrant experience, two opposites finding out they're meant to be together, autism and its social effects, the stereotype of green card gold-diggers, men thinking/talking about sex. The way that Helen Hoang blends these components together makes this book a worthwhile read! It's funny and human and relatable.

She infuses elements of recognizable Asian-Californian culture into her story. 99 Ranch makes an appearance. Food is practically another character. She weaves Vietnamese phrases and names into the narrative. UC Berkeley and Stanford are part of the plot. And yet, there's something for every reader -- even if they don't identify with the Asian aspects. The universal part of this story, for me, focuses on how the main characters transform; they begin seeing possibilities and change within themselves as a result of being together. ...more

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Mar 19, 2024 Michalina rated it it was amazing

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