Reviews with content warning for Death of parent - The Heart Principle

Okay, so maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned the fact that I wasn’t 100% emotionally invested in the previous one. I feel like Mrs heard me and was like “Oh really? Well here’s an entire book about two people pleasers falling in love and also about how tiring it is to try and be what others want you to be.” Like, ma’am, I’m already dead, stop stomping on me. ~~And maybe I related a bit on the masking autism part but whatever.~~

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bettysbookshelf's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

this was such a perfect ending to this wonderful series !! quan and anna's story is one that i will hold in my heart for a very long time.

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annabananadel's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

“Just because something isn't perfect doesn't mean we need to throw it away.”

Okay this book I definitely forgot was a part of an interconnected stand-alone series. I did read The Kiss Quotient, which I looooove so much and would definitely need a reread. So it was a shock for me and immediately thought - "Hmmmm. This guys sounds familiar."

This book is a quick read but definitely not for me. I don't really love insta-love and this book screams that. I would have loved to see a bit more falling in love or simply just liking one another. Especially for Quan, it was like he just fell so deeply without looking back. One moment they were textmates - then met up - then immediately can't stop thinking about her and would do everything for her.

I did love the story of Anna (lowkey I forgot we have the same name lol) and her family. It shows how people doubts your condition. It was so hard for her to tell them about her diagnosis so when she actually did tell them, they simply chose not to believe her. I can't relate to her but Helen Hoang wrote it in a way that I felt it with Anna. You really can't blame her for being her because nobody diagnosed you at a young age so you thought what you were doing was the right thing - but the right thing was for you to just be yourself. Helen really wrote this book just to show that and if you want to understand more, this would be a good read. I would read it for the additional knowledge but not for the romance.

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alexisgarcia's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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caitlinemccann's review against another edition

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emotional funny inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The romance is almost the background to Quan and Anna's personal journies with grief and identity, but that makes everything about this story more personal and poignant. Yes, you still get the tender moments and the spice that the other books in the series do so well. But it's really a romance for readers who love character development and self-reflection.

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nutmegandselkie's review against another edition

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challenging emotional inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

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sas_lk's review against another edition

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emotional fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This was definitely my favourite of the entire series. Anna and Quan felt so real to me, and their problems felt like they were my own, even though I can't really relate much to either.

In this novel, Hoang discusses something that I very rarely see discussed in books and that is being diagnosed and coming to terms with it. Most books I read, the characters usually already have the diagnosis and most people around them know about it already. But in this novel, Anna has no idea in the beginning, and you follow her coming to terms with it and having to "come out" to her family and friends. Big trigger warning for the discreditation of one's own experience and diagnosis.

Hoang also touches on sexual insecurities and coming to terms with your own body and loving it as it is after sickness, as Quan is.

Helen Hoang is a very good writer and she's been a big part of my understanding of the autism spectrum - specifically autism with low support needs. Although I know that everyone on the autism spectrum is different, Hoang truly makes you feel like you are in their heads, and feeling their emotions.

These topics were so important and I highly recommend this series if you're looking for a romance with heavier topics.

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scarlettrogue's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring sad slow-paced

3.5

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