Weekend Writing: Reviewing Helen Hoang's "The Bride Test"

"Warm. Content. Safe in his arms. Him safe in hers. She hugged him tighter. He was bigger and stronger, but she would protect him with everything she had." - Helen Hoang, "The Bride Test" 

Sometimes, you need to read a fun romance novel. In my case, I spend a great deal of time reading classic novels and plays (from Shakespeare, the Bronte sisters, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, etc.). These novels require intense reading and concentration. So, if I ever have the opportunity to read a carefree romance novel, I take it.

That's what happened recently with Helen Hoang's 2019 novel, The Bride Test. Hoang, the bestselling author of The Kiss Quotient (which I also reviewed on the blog), returned with another bestseller about two unlike people who fall in love.

Helen Hoang's "The Bride Test."

Much like the protagonist in The Kiss Quotient, Khai Diep in The Bride Test is autistic and romantic relationships don't come with ease. In fact, he believes he has a cold stone heart. He doesn't have any feelings, so he knows he can never fall in love with someone. He's convinced he's unable to love.

His mother decides to set Khai up with Esme Tran, a Vietnamese woman who worked at a hotel, cleaning restrooms. His mother brings Esme to America, and she is tasked to seduce Khai into falling in love with her. She will live with him for the summer, and the summer will end with an "I do." If it's a disaster, Esme will return home to Vietnam with her mother, grandmother, and young daughter.

When Khai hears the news, he's understandably upset. He doesn't want an arranged marriage with someone who (he imagines) is a younger replica of his mother. But when he meets Esme at the airport, she is anything but what he imagined. She's a young, mixed-race woman with bright-red lips, straight white teeth, and stunning eyes. Khai knew people called her pretty, but she was more than that. She was gorgeous. Breathtaking. He was immediately attracted to her, and it scared him. He had never felt that way before, so why was he feeling this way now?

"He didn't know how to say this. It felt too big. At the same time, it didn't feel like enough. 'I've missed you.' So badly his body had broken down. 'I need to know you're safe and happy. And I want you close. With me.'" - Helen Hoang, "The Bride Test" 

Khai and Esme face many challenges. She doesn't understand why Khai doesn't behave the same way other men have behaved towards her. She assumes she's not good enough for him. But deep down, Khai is simply struggling with feelings he didn't know he could have. He's not supposed to want to kiss her. He's not supposed to want to be intimate with her. During the course of one summer, Khai changes as an individual in ways he never knew were possible. He's charmed by Esme, but it's not just her looks.

It's her. Everything about her. But, will Khai ever admit that he loves her? I'm not going to spoil the ending of the novel because you need to read it yourself. You need to read Hoang's fun writing to fall in love with these characters--who very much have a chemistry neither of them can deny.

Helen Hoang's "The Bride Test" (photo/Penguin India).

Hoang, who has herself been diagnosed with a form of autism spectrum disorder in line with Asperger's Syndrome, accomplishes a tour de force in making readers understand and feel both Khai and Esme's perspectives. We know why these two unlike people are perfect for each other. But Hoang also includes many heartbreaks and frustrating themes--because every good romance story needs to have some conflict, as well.

Helen Hoang (photo/Entertainment Weekly)

It's difficult to write a sophomore novel, especially a year after releasing your bestselling novel, but Hoang tackled The Bride Test with her head held high. The novel is emotional, compelling, and readers connect to the characters. We find a version of ourselves in Khai and Esme, and that's what makes it so enjoyable to read.

The Bride Test further solidifies Hoang's place in literature. She has truly found her voice--an important, entertaining, sexy, compassionate, and skillful voice at that. I look forward to reading many more books by her.

Read on.

-KJL-