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arbyreads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
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
4.75
I loved this book. The characters are so phenomenal and the love between them is so so good
Just a heads up: I heard about this book thru Tik Tok, and in none of the reviews I saw did they mention that emergency hospital visits and long term caretaking were in this book so def check the content warnings if that is something that you are not looking to read about rn
Just a heads up: I heard about this book thru Tik Tok, and in none of the reviews I saw did they mention that emergency hospital visits and long term caretaking were in this book so def check the content warnings if that is something that you are not looking to read about rn
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness and Death of parent
Moderate: Medical trauma and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Cancer, Excrement, and Gaslighting
ontheoffbeat's review against another edition
emotional
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
5.0
"The only good thing this broken heart of mine can feel is love for you."
There are two love stories occurring in The Heart Principle. The first is that of Anna and Quan. The second is Anna's path towards self love. In fact, the journey Anna goes through to love herself is just as, if not more, powerful than her love story with Quan.
Helen Hoang's books always feel like a safe space for her fictional characters as well as her reader. Her characters’ struggles are often real struggles that people can relate to and they are written in such an honest and tender way. Quan, who we have seen as a source of confidence and charisma in past novels, grapples with body image issues after recovering from cancer. The depiction of body issues in men remains to be lackluster in stories so it's a very big step seeing a romantic hero express his personal struggles with his own body image. We also see genuine support and love shared between Quan, his cousin Michael and his brother Khai, both of whom can be considered his closest confidants. When thinking about how masculinity is presented in past fictions (i.e. toxic as all hell) it is uplifting to read about this new form of masculinity where men are emotionally secure and free to express love for himself and his friends/family.
"No one should need a diagnosis in order to be compassionate to themself."
As for Anna, we observe her during a very difficult period. From receiving a late-in-life diagnosis of ASD to becoming a caregiver for her father after a stroke, Anna is going through a tumultuous time in her still young adult life. Building a relationship with Quan becomes the only secure thing she has going for her but maintaining it while also coping with the variety of events in her personal life pushes her towards a difficult metamorphosis. It is painful to read at times but I couldn't be more grateful that this plot exists in a romance novel. It only makes perfect sense that there would be a display of emotional resilience and total support between a couple along with the usual banter, romantic gestures and intimacy scenes.
Speaking of gestures, Quan planting milkweeds on Anna's patio so she can watch the monarch butterflies outside her window is the most romantic thing I have read in a very long time.
The Heart Principle is not your typical romance. In fact, for a genre that relies on formula, this goes completely against that and becomes its own unique story. Some may not like it but I for one am grateful that this book exists.
There are two love stories occurring in The Heart Principle. The first is that of Anna and Quan. The second is Anna's path towards self love. In fact, the journey Anna goes through to love herself is just as, if not more, powerful than her love story with Quan.
Helen Hoang's books always feel like a safe space for her fictional characters as well as her reader. Her characters’ struggles are often real struggles that people can relate to and they are written in such an honest and tender way. Quan, who we have seen as a source of confidence and charisma in past novels, grapples with body image issues after recovering from cancer. The depiction of body issues in men remains to be lackluster in stories so it's a very big step seeing a romantic hero express his personal struggles with his own body image. We also see genuine support and love shared between Quan, his cousin Michael and his brother Khai, both of whom can be considered his closest confidants. When thinking about how masculinity is presented in past fictions (i.e. toxic as all hell) it is uplifting to read about this new form of masculinity where men are emotionally secure and free to express love for himself and his friends/family.
"No one should need a diagnosis in order to be compassionate to themself."
As for Anna, we observe her during a very difficult period. From receiving a late-in-life diagnosis of ASD to becoming a caregiver for her father after a stroke, Anna is going through a tumultuous time in her still young adult life. Building a relationship with Quan becomes the only secure thing she has going for her but maintaining it while also coping with the variety of events in her personal life pushes her towards a difficult metamorphosis. It is painful to read at times but I couldn't be more grateful that this plot exists in a romance novel. It only makes perfect sense that there would be a display of emotional resilience and total support between a couple along with the usual banter, romantic gestures and intimacy scenes.
Speaking of gestures, Quan planting milkweeds on Anna's patio so she can watch the monarch butterflies outside her window is the most romantic thing I have read in a very long time.
The Heart Principle is not your typical romance. In fact, for a genre that relies on formula, this goes completely against that and becomes its own unique story. Some may not like it but I for one am grateful that this book exists.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Medical trauma, and Mental illness
Moderate: Gaslighting
cutewombat's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Cancer
egmamaril's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
READ THE CONTENT WARNINGS
I loved this book. It definitely resonated with me the most out of the Kiss Quotient trilogy for many reasons, but it is definitely darker and more in intense than the other two books. Many people have told me they struggled with it because of the themes explored, so maybe check trigger warnings.
But, otherwise, it's a sexy novel with immense heart. Helen Hoang is an auto-buy for me now more than ever.
I loved this book. It definitely resonated with me the most out of the Kiss Quotient trilogy for many reasons, but it is definitely darker and more in intense than the other two books. Many people have told me they struggled with it because of the themes explored, so maybe check trigger warnings.
But, otherwise, it's a sexy novel with immense heart. Helen Hoang is an auto-buy for me now more than ever.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Ableism, Medical content, Medical trauma, Toxic relationship, and Mental illness
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Cancer, and Infertility
Elder abuseananko's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Death of parent, Grief, Infertility, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Terminal illness
marciemarie's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I’m obsessed with Helen Hoang and this much-anticipated release didn’t disappoint me! It was far more personal and intimate that the other two previous books. I was a little worried it would be more of the same going into it, but The Heart Principle feels distinct from her other works while maintaining everything I love about her writing (loves me protagonists, swoon-worthy love interests, string character growth, *steaminess*).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Death of parent, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Medical content, and Medical trauma
sarabook's review against another edition
challenging
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Grief, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Death, and Chronic illness
mariahlindz's review against another edition
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 abusemeenakshisathish's review against another edition
emotional
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Medical content, Medical trauma, Ableism, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Cancer
sierraechobravo's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infertility, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Terminal illness