Weekend Writing: Reviewing Helen Hoang's "The Kiss Quotient"

"All the things that make you different make you perfect." - Helen Hoang, "The Kiss Quotient" 

There were a few things I knew before reading Helen Hoang's The Kiss Quotient: It was a love story. It was about two characters who shouldn't be together. It was about a character on the Autism Spectrum. But there was one thing I hardly expected and that was how much I would love this book.

Stella is a highly successful economist on the Autism Spectrum. She has never had much luck in the "dating game." She's awkward and finds kissing to be "gross." But she's determined to get past her anxiety and fears, so she hires a male escort to teach her how to be good at dating, kissing, and even more.

Helen Hoang's "The Kiss Quotient" (photo/Kasy Long).

This man is Michael, a talented fashion designer who gave up his dream to pay for his mother's cancer treatment. He has taken up the escort business to pay for the treatment, but he also feels unworthy of achieving his dreams because of his father's criminal past.

When Stella and Michael meet, it was only supposed to be for one escorting session. That's until Stella gives Michael an offer he can't refuse: to pretend to be her boyfriend for at least three months. By this point, you should know the ending. Yes, Stella and Michael will fall for each other and want to be together for real--not just play pretend. At one point, Michael reflects: "He knew this was temporary, knew it wasn't real, knew it couldn't possibly end well, but he'd done what no escort should do anyway. He'd fallen for his client."

You know the ending of this book, but the pleasure is getting to that point. You know they'll end up together, but how? What will be involved in the perfect storybook ending?

The Kiss Quotient is one of the more pleasurable journeys I have read in a long time. I finished this book in three days because I couldn't put it down. While the initial interactions between Stella and Michael are sexual (Warning: There are sex scenes in the book, but not on the level of Fifty Shades of Grey), but there is a warmth that develops between the characters that is simply lovely to read.

Helen Hoang's writing is lively, spirited, and she accurately captures the friendly connection between Stella and Michael. They don't just kiss and make love; they have dinner at Michael's family home. They go out for ice cream. Stella learns to love Michael's favorite television show. These characters have a deep love and connection to each other that I think all of us hope for.

Helen Hoang's "The Kiss Quotient" (photo/Pinterest).

Told in alternating point of views, I enjoyed the fact that the novel allows readers to get inside the heads of both Stella and Michael. Reading their thoughts makes them more vulnerable as characters, but it also makes it easier to understand why they react to certain things the way they do. Michael is terrified of growing up to be just like his father. He's determined to be as honest as he can be with Stella, but he's afraid that once she learns the truth about his family's history, she'll leave him.

But Stella could never do that--because once she has a connection to Michael, it's impossible for her to ignore him. It's impossible for her to fall out of love. She becomes obsessed with him, and it's a fascinating insight to learn these alternating perspectives.

Helen Hoang (photo/NBC News)

Hoang's debut novel is witty and sweet. It's smart, sophisticated, and enjoyable for all readers. You'll fall in love with these memorable, flawed, sweet, and caring characters. The Kiss Quotient is truly a breath of fresh air.

I look forward to reading (and reviewing) Hoang's next novel, The Bride Test, available May 7. The fact that The Kiss Quotient was released last May and now she has another highly-anticipated novel soon-to-be-released, I guess we can all agree Hoang is a force to be reckoned with.

Read on.

-KJL-