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readwithde's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Wow. I literally picked this up and read it in one night; it was un-put-down-able.
I was a big fan of Quan before, and his story in this book really spoke to me.Testicular cancer can be a very difficult thing for men, especially when things change or look different physically. A lot of men dream about having a family, and the loss of that can be devastating, and I love seeing that as so many narratives focus on women wanting families, not men. I loved how he loved Anna, how he saw her and accepted her. It was beautiful.
Anna was amazing to read. I felt like I completely understood what she was going through, why she was having trouble and couldn't just change, push through, or turn it off. Her struggles with intimacy, family, and her career blend beautifully into how overwhelming life can be, especially when you have no voice or ability to be yourself. I felt that in my soul.
Honestly, the end of the book came too quickly for me.I wanted to see Quan help Anna, wanted to see her reunite with her sister and be understood, but instead, we got to read something realistic -- people don't always understand, and you can't always reunite with everyone.
Beautiful, emotional, steamy and romantic, heartfelt, incredibly personal and real... amazing.
I was a big fan of Quan before, and his story in this book really spoke to me.
Anna was amazing to read. I felt like I completely understood what she was going through, why she was having trouble and couldn't just change, push through, or turn it off. Her struggles with intimacy, family, and her career blend beautifully into how overwhelming life can be, especially when you have no voice or ability to be yourself. I felt that in my soul.
Honestly, the end of the book came too quickly for me.
Beautiful, emotional, steamy and romantic, heartfelt, incredibly personal and real... amazing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Grief
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, and Sexual content
Minor: Infidelity, Medical content, and Suicidal thoughts
zombiezami's review
emotional
inspiring
tense
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 my favorite in the series! It was so raw and emotional. I loved the characters, and I can tell the author's skill is growing. Beautiful
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Medical content, Sexual content, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Body shaming, Cancer, Excrement, Grief, Infertility, Infidelity, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Abandonment, Car accident, Child abuse, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Vomit, and Alcohol
self-loathing, romantic rejectionmariahlindz's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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? No
2.5
Trigger Warnings for familial abuse, verbal abuse, terminal illness, autistic burnout, caregiver burnout, suicidal ideation,
The Heart Principle isn't a romance. Let's clear that up for anyone going into this novel expecting The Kiss Quotient. Normally, I wouldn't be upset about the darker subject matter, especially since it has such deep meaning for the author. However, because the storyline is so chaotic, rushed, and unfinished the pain and the loss a caregiver goes through came off insincere.
The worst part of the book, technically speaking, comes in the form of single-page chapters we get towards the end when Anna is grieving the loss of her father and suffering autistic burnout. It's a shallow dive into someone going through suicidal ideation. One or two-page chapters can be a way to show depression physically as the loss of time and voice. This might have been compelling if it hadn't all been wrapped up in the laziest way possible - basically a fade to black and a two-year gap in the story where Anna gets better. However, we don’t get any details surrounding her recovery, other than a short conversation with her mother and a surprise rendition of "Happy Birthday" on her violin. We don't see whether she has developed any relationship with her sister or how her mother and her get along. We don't learn how she was able to start playing music again. We don't hear her talk to her therapist about what she went through. We don't hear from her friends. We don't hear about her relationship at all (which is the book's main point?) She doesn’t meet Quan’s family or his friends? The plot is lost at this point if it ever existed.
And poor Quan. He was set up through the entire Kiss Quotient series and ended up an afterthought in a novel where he was supposed to be one of the main characters. Sheesh, he was going through just as much as Anna, and yet we barely hear about him - except for a couple of obligatory sex scenes and a random business merger subplot that is boring oh and he runs the Grand Canyon because I think Hoang forgot she made him a runner at the beginning and had to circle back to that detail somehow. Justice for Quan. He had a bigger role in The Bride Test.
I would also recommend to the author and publishers that some trigger warnings be applied? Maybe an author’s note at the FRONT of the book instead of at the end? It's a bait and switch to have a cute cover and market this as a rom-com like the rest of the KQ series; the story is far from a romance; it's a sad, mediocre read. And I know Hoang can write better than this, so I don't understand what happened.
What a disappointing end to one of my favorite series, honestly.
The Heart Principle isn't a romance. Let's clear that up for anyone going into this novel expecting The Kiss Quotient. Normally, I wouldn't be upset about the darker subject matter, especially since it has such deep meaning for the author. However, because the storyline is so chaotic, rushed, and unfinished the pain and the loss a caregiver goes through came off insincere.
The worst part of the book, technically speaking, comes in the form of single-page chapters we get towards the end when Anna is grieving the loss of her father and suffering autistic burnout. It's a shallow dive into someone going through suicidal ideation. One or two-page chapters can be a way to show depression physically as the loss of time and voice. This might have been compelling if it hadn't all been wrapped up in the laziest way possible - basically a fade to black and a two-year gap in the story where Anna gets better. However, we don’t get any details surrounding her recovery, other than a short conversation with her mother and a surprise rendition of "Happy Birthday" on her violin. We don't see whether she has developed any relationship with her sister or how her mother and her get along. We don't learn how she was able to start playing music again. We don't hear her talk to her therapist about what she went through. We don't hear from her friends. We don't hear about her relationship at all (which is the book's main point?) She doesn’t meet Quan’s family or his friends? The plot is lost at this point if it ever existed.
And poor Quan. He was set up through the entire Kiss Quotient series and ended up an afterthought in a novel where he was supposed to be one of the main characters. Sheesh, he was going through just as much as Anna, and yet we barely hear about him - except for a couple of obligatory sex scenes and a random business merger subplot that is boring oh and he runs the Grand Canyon because I think Hoang forgot she made him a runner at the beginning and had to circle back to that detail somehow. Justice for Quan. He had a bigger role in The Bride Test.
I would also recommend to the author and publishers that some trigger warnings be applied? Maybe an author’s note at the FRONT of the book instead of at the end? It's a bait and switch to have a cute cover and market this as a rom-com like the rest of the KQ series; the story is far from a romance; it's a sad, mediocre read. And I know Hoang can write better than this, so I don't understand what happened.
What a disappointing end to one of my favorite series, honestly.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Abandonment, Ableism, Bullying, Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Infertility, Infidelity, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship
caregiver burnout, autistic burnout, suicidal ideation, mentions of medical procedures and care, familial abusekylieqrada's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
5.0
This book means so much to me. While I'm not autistic, I am also not neurotypical, and the way that mental health is portrayed in this book is EVERYTHING. The caregiving plot thread also hit real close to home. Like real close. While some readers may bemoan the relative lack of romance in this book compared to the other two books in the series, I really enjoyed how realistic and well fleshed out Quan and Anna's romance felt. I will definitely be returning to this one, and it won't be leaving my mind anytime soon.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Ableism, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, and Cancer
nebraskanwriter's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Infidelity, Medical content, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Vomit
thesaltiestlibrarian's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
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
5.0
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions expressed herein are mine alone and may not reflect the views of the author, publisher, or distributor.
So many people make the case for romance as more than just "kissing books." (Thanks Princess Bride.) At first I was hesitant to read them because I thought they were absolutely not up my alley. But my colleague--and head librarian--has been standing on the Romance Soapbox for a while now, and I've been fascinated by her arguments for the genre. When I say she's opened my eyes, I'm not exaggerating. I had vowed not to read romance because I thought it was silly.
Well, joke's on me, cuz THE HEART PRINCIPLE was the final nail in that particular coffin.
I'm quickly discovering that romance as a genre is just as varied and widely-niched as any other. Here we have a heroine learning about herself after being diagnosed with autism in her 20s. Anna can't seem to play the violin anymore, and she has to stop playing anytime she makes a mistake, go back to the beginning of the piece, and start over. She gets caught in this loop, and in the loop of fighting against the masking she puts on for other people: she's unhappy with her boyfriend who uses her, and feels like she has to be with him because her family approves; she's always trying to please her older sister Priscilla; she's been raised to believe she has to fit in, that she has no voice because she's female and the youngest and not yet established in a career.
That's enough to burn out anyone, but then you throw autism into the mix and it becomes a crap tornado real quick. So when her boyfriend, Julian, decides that they're going to see other people, Anna is thrown for a hard loop. Yeah, he just tells her, "I'm going to see other people before I decide to settle down with you." And Anna is left sitting there as if someone has already cast her ballot for her--she doesn't get a choice, and objection goes unheard. She decides, fine. If he can see other people, I can too. And sets out to have a one-night stand.
Enter Quan, the shaved-headed tattooed motorcycle enthusiast, cancer survivor, and kids' clothing designer. He's ready to get back in the game after surgery to remove his testicular cancer. It's in remission, and he decides he's going to have a one-night stand. No attachments. Just wants to see if everything is in working order, wink wink. Interests include long hugs, animal documentaries, and bringing homemade Vietnamese food to the people he loves. (Someone bring the smelling salts, I may just swoon.)
I loved the characters here. More than anything else, they drove the book forward and kept the gears turning. They grew and changed and made mistakes, and we still got our Happily Ever After. The side plot really cramped up my heart, because I'm a co-caregiver myself for my sick older brothers and have been before with an elderly person.
When Anna's father has a stroke, he's relegated to relying on his family for every tiny piece of care: feeding through a tube, diaper changes, baths, clean clothing, everything. The stroke has rendered him unable to produce speech or move on his own, so the line of communication is just cut. There's a moment when Anna is trying to put his liquid food into his feeding tube, and he keeps pushing her hand away and shaking his head, and oh my gracious, my heart just squeezed into a tight little ball. Anna's blur of grief is portrayed so realistically, and that being set beside her growing love for Quan--and Quan's for her--makes for a killer combination.
I enjoyed this so much. Once our library has it, I'll be practically throwing it at every patron who walks in.
So many people make the case for romance as more than just "kissing books." (Thanks Princess Bride.) At first I was hesitant to read them because I thought they were absolutely not up my alley. But my colleague--and head librarian--has been standing on the Romance Soapbox for a while now, and I've been fascinated by her arguments for the genre. When I say she's opened my eyes, I'm not exaggerating. I had vowed not to read romance because I thought it was silly.
Well, joke's on me, cuz THE HEART PRINCIPLE was the final nail in that particular coffin.
I'm quickly discovering that romance as a genre is just as varied and widely-niched as any other. Here we have a heroine learning about herself after being diagnosed with autism in her 20s. Anna can't seem to play the violin anymore, and she has to stop playing anytime she makes a mistake, go back to the beginning of the piece, and start over. She gets caught in this loop, and in the loop of fighting against the masking she puts on for other people: she's unhappy with her boyfriend who uses her, and feels like she has to be with him because her family approves; she's always trying to please her older sister Priscilla; she's been raised to believe she has to fit in, that she has no voice because she's female and the youngest and not yet established in a career.
That's enough to burn out anyone, but then you throw autism into the mix and it becomes a crap tornado real quick. So when her boyfriend, Julian, decides that they're going to see other people, Anna is thrown for a hard loop. Yeah, he just tells her, "I'm going to see other people before I decide to settle down with you." And Anna is left sitting there as if someone has already cast her ballot for her--she doesn't get a choice, and objection goes unheard. She decides, fine. If he can see other people, I can too. And sets out to have a one-night stand.
Enter Quan, the shaved-headed tattooed motorcycle enthusiast, cancer survivor, and kids' clothing designer. He's ready to get back in the game after surgery to remove his testicular cancer. It's in remission, and he decides he's going to have a one-night stand. No attachments. Just wants to see if everything is in working order, wink wink. Interests include long hugs, animal documentaries, and bringing homemade Vietnamese food to the people he loves. (Someone bring the smelling salts, I may just swoon.)
I loved the characters here. More than anything else, they drove the book forward and kept the gears turning. They grew and changed and made mistakes, and we still got our Happily Ever After. The side plot really cramped up my heart, because I'm a co-caregiver myself for my sick older brothers and have been before with an elderly person.
When Anna's father has a stroke, he's relegated to relying on his family for every tiny piece of care: feeding through a tube, diaper changes, baths, clean clothing, everything. The stroke has rendered him unable to produce speech or move on his own, so the line of communication is just cut. There's a moment when Anna is trying to put his liquid food into his feeding tube, and he keeps pushing her hand away and shaking his head, and oh my gracious, my heart just squeezed into a tight little ball. Anna's blur of grief is portrayed so realistically, and that being set beside her growing love for Quan--and Quan's for her--makes for a killer combination.
I enjoyed this so much. Once our library has it, I'll be practically throwing it at every patron who walks in.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Death of parent, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Cancer, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
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