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evidoe's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
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 is packaged as a romance but I really wouldn’t class it as one. It has romance in it but it,, it deals with some heavy themes around carer burnout and the mental toll of masking neurodivergency that some readers might find a bit raw for a romance but they are the reason I loved this book:
I think that this was half fiction half memoir really shines in this book. As someone who is neurodivergent who masked most of my life AND had been/is a carer for family this book just spoke to my experiences, I don’t think I’ve ever felt so seen.
I think that this was half fiction half memoir really shines in this book. As someone who is neurodivergent who masked most of my life AND had been/is a carer for family this book just spoke to my experiences, I don’t think I’ve ever felt so seen.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Death of parent, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Ableism, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Grief
Minor: Cancer
library_kb's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-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
5.0
I really loved this book--first off, Anna and Quan are fantastic characters--the way that they worked to get over their own hurdles together was so satisfying to read about. I would say Anna takes a more central role in the story--and there is definitely some tough stuff that goes down. The way the book was written puts you so close to the characters and their struggles and thoughts that it is important to check content warnings--however if you are at a time to handle the content, highly recommend this story, for some it will validate their own experiences and other it will open eyes to what navigating life as an autistic woman can feel like.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Gaslighting, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Ableism
Moderate: Cancer, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, and Emotional abuse
matcha_pages's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
If you're looking for a light hearted romance don't read this book. It deals with some heavy topics, which is fine...but not something I want in romance books.
It starts off fun and exciting but quickly becomes Anna's journey with her autism diagnosis, family acceptance, and learning how to standup for herself. It gets really heavy and dark at points, especially with how Anna's family views her neurodivergence as weak and lazy character flaws. There's also a fair amount of family gaslighting going on. These experiences were incredibly raw and left me angry, emotionally drained, and appreciative of Hoang's vulnerability.
Given the above it felt wrong trying to enjoy the hot smutty scenes. And it didn't gave space for Quan to make mistakes, he felt stifled being perfectly patient and even keeled for Anna. I was really hoping we'd get other sides of him or learn what it was like being Khai's older brother.
I feel like Anna's story was strong enough to stand on its own.
It starts off fun and exciting but quickly becomes Anna's journey with her autism diagnosis, family acceptance, and learning how to standup for herself. It gets really heavy and dark at points, especially with how Anna's family views her neurodivergence as weak and lazy character flaws. There's also a fair amount of family gaslighting going on. These experiences were incredibly raw and left me angry, emotionally drained, and appreciative of Hoang's vulnerability.
Given the above it felt wrong trying to enjoy the hot smutty scenes. And it didn't gave space for Quan to make mistakes, he felt stifled being perfectly patient and even keeled for Anna. I was really hoping we'd get other sides of him or learn what it was like being Khai's older brother.
I feel like Anna's story was strong enough to stand on its own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism and Sexual content
Moderate: Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
booksandlooksss's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
sad
fast-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
wow.
This was seriously devastating. I think this is definitely more along the lines of women's fiction for sure, since the romance took a back seat to everything going on within the plot.
I would definitely check trigger warnings before reading or listening to this. This whole story just made me feel for Anna. Anna receives life changing news from her therapist in learning that she's autistic. She's in a toxic situation with her sister, who gaslights Anna into doing things against her wishes while also gaslighting her that she doesn't have Autism.
This whole story is Anna's journey with herself and her mind. As the book continues, things just keep piling on top of each other. Her dad suffers a massive stroke and she is tasked with taking care of him. This part of the story is honestly so devastating to listen to and you truly feel for Anna and what she's going through.
The romance elements with Quan definitely help lighten up the story for sure. He's the sweetest and I love how supportive he is for Anna their entire relationship.
Overall, it's seriously a fantastic read. Frustrating at times and honestly devastating, but that's what makes this book special.
If you want a more emotional reading experience, I recommend listening to this on audio.
This was seriously devastating. I think this is definitely more along the lines of women's fiction for sure, since the romance took a back seat to everything going on within the plot.
I would definitely check trigger warnings before reading or listening to this. This whole story just made me feel for Anna. Anna receives life changing news from her therapist in learning that she's autistic. She's in a toxic situation with her sister, who gaslights Anna into doing things against her wishes while also gaslighting her that she doesn't have Autism.
This whole story is Anna's journey with herself and her mind. As the book continues, things just keep piling on top of each other. Her dad suffers a massive stroke and she is tasked with taking care of him. This part of the story is honestly so devastating to listen to and you truly feel for Anna and what she's going through.
The romance elements with Quan definitely help lighten up the story for sure. He's the sweetest and I love how supportive he is for Anna their entire relationship.
Overall, it's seriously a fantastic read. Frustrating at times and honestly devastating, but that's what makes this book special.
If you want a more emotional reading experience, I recommend listening to this on audio.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gaslighting, Death of parent, and Ableism
cnricochet's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Grief, Gaslighting, Death of parent, and Sexual content
Moderate: Cancer, Emotional abuse, and Infertility
Minor: Classism, Excrement, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts
jadejade's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-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
The final book in this series is noticeably less light-hearted from the first two books but I loved it all the same. In particular, I appreciated the portrayal of the incapacitation or death of the head of the family leading to a permanent change to the family dynamic, potentially even destroying family relationships. I'm glad I read this now, when I needed an exploration of this subject, when I needed reassurance that it's not just in my head.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Bullying, and Grief
Minor: Infertility, Excrement, Infidelity, and Medical content
jesseeeka's review against another edition
emotional
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Mental illness, Cancer, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Gaslighting, Classism, Ableism, and Death of parent
Minor: Infidelity
dorhastings's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I quickly and recently read both The Kiss Quotient and The Bride Test. It's fair to say that I came to this book with some expectations. And while it's possibly unfair to rate this book based on it not meeting my expectations, I also think it deviated so significantly and in ways that I think I may not have read it if I'd known more about it. (Well, I might have read it, but I'd set myself up different. This was not a book to read before bedtime, for me.)
Before going more into this book, I want to emphasize that Helen Hoang is an amazing writer. As much as I did not enjoy this book, I enjoy her writing immensely. I am grateful that she is calling attention to some really hard-hitting, crucial issues, and I applaud her attention to detail and integration of often unseen fictional characters. The Kiss Quotient and The Bride Test did have their light moments, but they had some darker ones as well (particularly The Bride Test and grief). I would heartily recommend Helen Hoang as an author and will read pretty much anything she writes.
That said, this book just did not do it for me, perhaps due to my earlier expectations. It was just so deeply dark that I did not enjoy it. The author's note doesn't particularly help here, which is funny, because her author notes have made me appreciate her other books more. I think the danger of writing a book (even a fictional book) that has so much of you and your experience in it is that it's a bit less about the enjoyment of the reader. And maybe that's not important to Hoang, and it sure doesn't have to be. (Or the enjoyment is truly her goal, and she's succeeded, because a ton of people love this book.) But it felt like she was loading so, so much into this book, and while it was all no doubt authentic, it was exhausting for me to read. I was ready for a medium-light read, and this was not it.
Again, this is not to say that she did a poor job writing it. But if you're trying to convince me that the relationship between Quan and Anna is a good one, good luck to you. The instant Quan and Anna got together after everything happened, I was out. I finished the book, but I didn't find Quan and Anna to be a compelling couple. For one thing, Quan was really shafted in this book. I was pretty happy to read a book about him; I've enjoyed reading about him in the previous two books. There wasn't a lot of depth here, or exploration into his own story. He was in every way secondary to Anna. (Granted, she's never been first in her life, and she deserves to be, but there's a better way to do it.) Arguably, Hoang has primarily focused on her female characters in the previous two books, but it really did feel that Quan got pushed back in a book where he's a main character. I appreciate that he's a positive force in Anna's life, the best one she has, but it just felt forced.
This book was not about them. And they said the right things to each other. This book was about Anna.
There are a few aspects of this book that I really liked. First, I liked that Anna needed a lot of time to get healthy. And she took that time. So that felt very realistic. It's awful that her family's reaction to her seeking help was to push her aside, and it was really nice to see her mom grow and try to establish a relationship with her. As nearly everyone has mentioned, I thought Hoang's portrayal of caregiver depression was spot-on. And I like that Hoang has focused on different aspects of autism with every book. In The Kiss Quotient, Stella is very familiar with her personality and behavior, and her parents support her. In The Bride Test, Khai's autism is different, and not everyone in his family understands or accepts who he is, but his immediately family does. In this book, Anna's therapist tells her that she might be on the autism spectrum, so she is stunned with that diagnosis, and her immediate family (really, her sister, Priscilla) rejects the diagnosis as being an excuse for laziness and stupidity. I think this is excellent range, and I like that it shares different perspectives.
Before going more into this book, I want to emphasize that Helen Hoang is an amazing writer. As much as I did not enjoy this book, I enjoy her writing immensely. I am grateful that she is calling attention to some really hard-hitting, crucial issues, and I applaud her attention to detail and integration of often unseen fictional characters. The Kiss Quotient and The Bride Test did have their light moments, but they had some darker ones as well (particularly The Bride Test and grief). I would heartily recommend Helen Hoang as an author and will read pretty much anything she writes.
That said, this book just did not do it for me, perhaps due to my earlier expectations. It was just so deeply dark that I did not enjoy it. The author's note doesn't particularly help here, which is funny, because her author notes have made me appreciate her other books more. I think the danger of writing a book (even a fictional book) that has so much of you and your experience in it is that it's a bit less about the enjoyment of the reader. And maybe that's not important to Hoang, and it sure doesn't have to be. (Or the enjoyment is truly her goal, and she's succeeded, because a ton of people love this book.) But it felt like she was loading so, so much into this book, and while it was all no doubt authentic, it was exhausting for me to read. I was ready for a medium-light read, and this was not it.
Again, this is not to say that she did a poor job writing it. But if you're trying to convince me that the relationship between Quan and Anna is a good one, good luck to you. The instant Quan and Anna got together after everything happened, I was out. I finished the book, but I didn't find Quan and Anna to be a compelling couple. For one thing, Quan was really shafted in this book. I was pretty happy to read a book about him; I've enjoyed reading about him in the previous two books. There wasn't a lot of depth here, or exploration into his own story. He was in every way secondary to Anna. (Granted, she's never been first in her life, and she deserves to be, but there's a better way to do it.) Arguably, Hoang has primarily focused on her female characters in the previous two books, but it really did feel that Quan got pushed back in a book where he's a main character. I appreciate that he's a positive force in Anna's life, the best one she has, but it just felt forced.
This book was not about them. And they said the right things to each other. This book was about Anna.
There are a few aspects of this book that I really liked. First, I liked that Anna needed a lot of time to get healthy. And she took that time. So that felt very realistic. It's awful that her family's reaction to her seeking help was to push her aside, and it was really nice to see her mom grow and try to establish a relationship with her. As nearly everyone has mentioned, I thought Hoang's portrayal of caregiver depression was spot-on. And I like that Hoang has focused on different aspects of autism with every book. In The Kiss Quotient, Stella is very familiar with her personality and behavior, and her parents support her. In The Bride Test, Khai's autism is different, and not everyone in his family understands or accepts who he is, but his immediately family does. In this book, Anna's therapist tells her that she might be on the autism spectrum, so she is stunned with that diagnosis, and her immediate family (really, her sister, Priscilla) rejects the diagnosis as being an excuse for laziness and stupidity. I think this is excellent range, and I like that it shares different perspectives.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Mental illness
emmagossage's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Cancer, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Grief and Suicidal thoughts
amissabellator's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Grief, Ableism, Terminal illness, Chronic illness, and Death of parent
Moderate: Cancer, Cursing, Death, Gaslighting, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Alcohol, Body shaming, and Medical content
The text follows Anna Sun - a woman who is diagnosed with autism with low-support needs - (and, to a lesser extent, Quan Diep - a man who has recently overcome personal illness (