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tatyanavogt's review
4.0
Once I got past the strangeness of the books premise, a semi arranged marriage situation but with a complete stranger, I REALLY enjoyed it. It was very cute and sweet and I had a good time. I was confused at first about how it was related to the first book since it feels like it sort of takes place in a completed different world.
I personally really enjoy the Autistic romance aspect of it, because I find it to be relatable in some ways (that might be telling) and more importantly it requires an extra level of communication which for anyone who knows me is a BIG deal for me in and outside of books.
I did get annoyed a few times at some of the poor communication moments but It wasn't bad enough to mess up my enjoyment of the book as a whole. Overall I really loved it and I can't wait to read the next one in the series!
I personally really enjoy the Autistic romance aspect of it, because I find it to be relatable in some ways (that might be telling) and more importantly it requires an extra level of communication which for anyone who knows me is a BIG deal for me in and outside of books.
I did get annoyed a few times at some of the poor communication moments but It wasn't bad enough to mess up my enjoyment of the book as a whole. Overall I really loved it and I can't wait to read the next one in the series!
rnshack's review against another edition
5.0
5 stars
I love this book. It was sweet, and heartbreaking, and so so wonderful. I loved every single character and was rooting for them all.
The theme that kept coming to me was perseverance and kindness and hope. And we could use a whole lot more of that in our world today and it was so nice to read about these themes here in this book.
So far I have loved this series and can’t wait to read the final installment. Especially since it’s about the wonderful Quan Diep.
I love this book. It was sweet, and heartbreaking, and so so wonderful. I loved every single character and was rooting for them all.
The theme that kept coming to me was perseverance and kindness and hope. And we could use a whole lot more of that in our world today and it was so nice to read about these themes here in this book.
So far I have loved this series and can’t wait to read the final installment. Especially since it’s about the wonderful Quan Diep.
magikspells's review against another edition
4.0
Apparently I finished this book and I forgot to actually note that I did. It was a quick read, with some appearances by some of the characters from the first book. Overall, I enjoyed it though because of the characters, not necessarily the love story.
tisawizard's review against another edition
4.0
This is the first time an author's note has helped earn a star. It was rough for me to get into this book, but it ended up being a really sweet story made more meaningful by the author's connection to her characters.
thephdivabooks's review
4.0
A fairy tale story with an entirely unique take—Helen Hoang’s The Bride Test is fresh, charming, and steamy!!! Truly, no one brings a new voice to romance quite the way Helen Hoang does. She has the “it” factor with her books—that combination of modern and socially conscious, while still having that Cinderella fairy tale feel that HEA fans love! A fantastic summer-read for anyone who wants to escape into a love story with an edge and a whole lotta heat!
Reflection
Well let me start off by saying that though this is marketed as the sequel to last year’s hit The Kiss Quotient, this book can absolutely be read as a standalone. It does feature a relative of the main character in the first book, but this is very much a unique story and new readers won’t feel lost at all. Plus it is romance so we all know there is no such thing as spoilers because we all crave those HEA, and the fun is in getting there!
Esme Tran is a cleaning lady in Viet Nam and a single mother. Despite Esme’s beauty, kindness, and spirit, the father of her child wanted someone with more social status. Esme herself has never met her father, so she is used to this dynamic. I loved reading Esme’s story. From the first chapter she was in, Esme was a true stand out character. She doesn’t begrudge her place in the world. She doesn’t look down on those with more. But perhaps Esme is someone who isn’t sure she is good enough to have more, and that made her incredibly humble, endearing, and a character I wanted everything for.
When Khai’s mother realizes that Khai’s unique way of experiencing emotions and socializing with others, she goes out to find Khai a match. And she finds Esme. I won’t spoil this scene, but I think you will absolutely love it—it was one of my favorite scenes of the book! When they return to California, all Khai’s mother asks is that they try dating eachother for the summer and see if it is a match. But Khai is not making it so easy on Esme!
I really enjoyed seeing their dynamic unfold across the pages of this book. Khai is so confused about what he feels and doesn’t feel, so he assumes he feels nothing. He is a data person and he sees how others express emotions. Since he doesn’t express them the same way, he assumes that he must not feel them at all. But of course, the fun of this book is seeing Khai learn how he feels emotions, and learn to identify them correctly. Stomach pain can sometimes be sadness. Wanting to be around someone can be love.
I don’t want to go too much into the plot because there are so many charming chapters and stories in this book! The afterward from Helen Hoang is a must-read. I felt so much about her experience writing this book from reading her note at the end. It still makes me feel teary thinking about it! I won’t say her motivation for this book—that is something that should be read in her own words.
Thank you to Berkley for my copy! Opinions are my own.
Reflection
Well let me start off by saying that though this is marketed as the sequel to last year’s hit The Kiss Quotient, this book can absolutely be read as a standalone. It does feature a relative of the main character in the first book, but this is very much a unique story and new readers won’t feel lost at all. Plus it is romance so we all know there is no such thing as spoilers because we all crave those HEA, and the fun is in getting there!
Esme Tran is a cleaning lady in Viet Nam and a single mother. Despite Esme’s beauty, kindness, and spirit, the father of her child wanted someone with more social status. Esme herself has never met her father, so she is used to this dynamic. I loved reading Esme’s story. From the first chapter she was in, Esme was a true stand out character. She doesn’t begrudge her place in the world. She doesn’t look down on those with more. But perhaps Esme is someone who isn’t sure she is good enough to have more, and that made her incredibly humble, endearing, and a character I wanted everything for.
When Khai’s mother realizes that Khai’s unique way of experiencing emotions and socializing with others, she goes out to find Khai a match. And she finds Esme. I won’t spoil this scene, but I think you will absolutely love it—it was one of my favorite scenes of the book! When they return to California, all Khai’s mother asks is that they try dating eachother for the summer and see if it is a match. But Khai is not making it so easy on Esme!
I really enjoyed seeing their dynamic unfold across the pages of this book. Khai is so confused about what he feels and doesn’t feel, so he assumes he feels nothing. He is a data person and he sees how others express emotions. Since he doesn’t express them the same way, he assumes that he must not feel them at all. But of course, the fun of this book is seeing Khai learn how he feels emotions, and learn to identify them correctly. Stomach pain can sometimes be sadness. Wanting to be around someone can be love.
I don’t want to go too much into the plot because there are so many charming chapters and stories in this book! The afterward from Helen Hoang is a must-read. I felt so much about her experience writing this book from reading her note at the end. It still makes me feel teary thinking about it! I won’t say her motivation for this book—that is something that should be read in her own words.
Thank you to Berkley for my copy! Opinions are my own.
iz_readz's review
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
A little disappointed with this one.
I loved The Kiss Quotient and was excited to start this one. The characters didn’t seem to have an emotional connection at all, which I was upset about. The writing style was bland and honestly I don’t remember TKQ having the same style. And the way Esme never told Khai about her kid and he just accepted it immediately?!? Extremely unrealistic.
I loved The Kiss Quotient and was excited to start this one. The characters didn’t seem to have an emotional connection at all, which I was upset about. The writing style was bland and honestly I don’t remember TKQ having the same style. And the way Esme never told Khai about her kid and he just accepted it immediately?!? Extremely unrealistic.
torinori's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely incredible! I am a huge fan of The Kissing Quotient and this book also stole my heart. Their love and relationship were so pure and good. Every chapter I felt both of their pain and heartache. Khai struggling to deal with his past issues and his emotions and Esme holding her independence while struggling with deep insecurities.
Esme is truly one of my favorite heroine's of all time. She was so badass and so determined. I loved her self-respect and that she didn't accept less than what she knew she deserved. Her story as an immigrant and as single mom was so empowering and the way Helen would write her made me feel like I was in her shoes. Khai was so incredible. I loved him so much and felt his pain and struggles. My heart would clench and sing with every triumph and tribulation.
Helen Hoang's writing is truly unparalleled. I experience so much emotions while reading her books I have to pause and breathe to gather my thoughts. I cannot express how much I recommend this book to everyone especially if you loved The Kissing Quotient.
Esme is truly one of my favorite heroine's of all time. She was so badass and so determined. I loved her self-respect and that she didn't accept less than what she knew she deserved. Her story as an immigrant and as single mom was so empowering and the way Helen would write her made me feel like I was in her shoes. Khai was so incredible. I loved him so much and felt his pain and struggles. My heart would clench and sing with every triumph and tribulation.
Helen Hoang's writing is truly unparalleled. I experience so much emotions while reading her books I have to pause and breathe to gather my thoughts. I cannot express how much I recommend this book to everyone especially if you loved The Kissing Quotient.
nplunkie's review
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
3.75
I enjoyed the book. There’s not that many spicy scenes (2 or 3 I think). It’s nice to get a bit of an update on the characters from The Kiss Quotient too
reeyabeegale's review
3.0
I got an ARC ebook copy of The Bride Test, and I was so excited because I enjoyed The Kiss Quotient a lot last year.
I’m not truly disappointed because I found this funnier than TKQ but I didn’t enjoy the plot of The Bride Test. It started out well, I enjoyed the flow of the story until I was at least 70% in the novel. There were a couple of things I didn’t like —
1. Why was Cô so quick and trusting of Esme? They only met at a bathroom, and immediately she “hired” her. How was it that Cô didn’t do a background check on Esme, she didn’t know about Jade.
2. I would’ve wanted a bit more focus on Esme searching for her dad, it was a nice touch (Khâi’s effort) towards the end, but I wish I was able to read more of her searching for her dad.
There are a few more but I can’t exactly specify/pinpoint it (probably because lately I’ve been writing my reviews super late at night), I just know I didn’t exactly enjoy this book as much as I did TKQ. Nonetheless, I will still recommend this book and I will definitely read more of Hoang’s works!
I’m not truly disappointed because I found this funnier than TKQ but I didn’t enjoy the plot of The Bride Test. It started out well, I enjoyed the flow of the story until I was at least 70% in the novel. There were a couple of things I didn’t like —
1. Why was Cô so quick and trusting of Esme? They only met at a bathroom, and immediately she “hired” her. How was it that Cô didn’t do a background check on Esme, she didn’t know about Jade.
2. I would’ve wanted a bit more focus on Esme searching for her dad, it was a nice touch (Khâi’s effort) towards the end, but I wish I was able to read more of her searching for her dad.
There are a few more but I can’t exactly specify/pinpoint it (probably because lately I’ve been writing my reviews super late at night), I just know I didn’t exactly enjoy this book as much as I did TKQ. Nonetheless, I will still recommend this book and I will definitely read more of Hoang’s works!
libvin96's review
2.0
The writing style of Bride Test is a vast improvement from that of Kiss Quotient. There was a much fairer equilibrium between steam and story here, not to mention the cameos from some of the Kiss Quotient characters were Laugh-Out-Loud-And-Concern-The-Neighbors hilarious. Because of this, I was really hoping to give this one a higher rating, however, along with the improvements came new elements that I did not like as much.
Firstly, the premise is just a little too strange to me, even for a fun romance novel. I think if Hoang took more time to flush some things out, it would have worked. For example, if Hoang had spent more time in the exposition describing Esme's sheer desperation to start a better life for her and her daughter, her willingness to do something completely drastic like moving to America to meet a random woman's son and marry him at the drop of a hat, it wouldn't have felt like Esme was just flippantly making this crazed life changing decision she hadn't ever thought of before.
Secondly, are we not going to address how invasive Khai's mother is? It was hard to believe how she orchestrated this blind arrangement for her son living in America in the 2010s, in which a stranger would be residing in his home, without there being some tension about this later on in the novel.
Thirdly, nearly every character in both of these novels has the similar past of a father abandoning them and / or being a criminal. This constant trope repetition really stuck out and started feeling like a force feeding of stale cardboard. The only character it really seemed necessary for was Esme, since in the end finding her father was what allowed her to make her decisions independently at the end of the novel.
Fourthly, the arc of the "secret daughter" felt very, very hastily resolved. Khai finds out about her and immediately accepts it without so much as a blink. No questions asked, nothing about the secrecy, nothing about the baby's father, really? Hoang peppers the novel with constant reminders that Esme's child is a Secret From Khai and it (rightfully) Will Be A Big Deal When He Inevitably Finds Out. But the end of this arc does not get a bow, does not get wrapping paper, it's just carelessly chucked at the Christmas tree on the last few pages. What?!?!
This feels like the meanest review I have ever written on here, so I just want to add that I love the inclusion of Authors Notes in this novel and its predecessor. After a fun rom com ride, Hoang is incredibly vulnerable with us, explaining the important and extremely personal influences that go into her character building. I really love the representation of autistic characters in contemporary romance, and the exploration of how their autism affects their romantic and sexual experiences. Although the sequence of events has a few plot holes, Hoang has a brave and critical voice to offer, and yes, I probably will be picking up The Heart Principle upon release.
Firstly, the premise is just a little too strange to me, even for a fun romance novel. I think if Hoang took more time to flush some things out, it would have worked. For example, if Hoang had spent more time in the exposition describing Esme's sheer desperation to start a better life for her and her daughter, her willingness to do something completely drastic like moving to America to meet a random woman's son and marry him at the drop of a hat, it wouldn't have felt like Esme was just flippantly making this crazed life changing decision she hadn't ever thought of before.
Secondly, are we not going to address how invasive Khai's mother is? It was hard to believe how she orchestrated this blind arrangement for her son living in America in the 2010s, in which a stranger would be residing in his home, without there being some tension about this later on in the novel.
Thirdly, nearly every character in both of these novels has the similar past of a father abandoning them and / or being a criminal. This constant trope repetition really stuck out and started feeling like a force feeding of stale cardboard. The only character it really seemed necessary for was Esme, since in the end finding her father was what allowed her to make her decisions independently at the end of the novel.
Fourthly, the arc of the "secret daughter" felt very, very hastily resolved. Khai finds out about her and immediately accepts it without so much as a blink. No questions asked, nothing about the secrecy, nothing about the baby's father, really? Hoang peppers the novel with constant reminders that Esme's child is a Secret From Khai and it (rightfully) Will Be A Big Deal When He Inevitably Finds Out. But the end of this arc does not get a bow, does not get wrapping paper, it's just carelessly chucked at the Christmas tree on the last few pages. What?!?!
This feels like the meanest review I have ever written on here, so I just want to add that I love the inclusion of Authors Notes in this novel and its predecessor. After a fun rom com ride, Hoang is incredibly vulnerable with us, explaining the important and extremely personal influences that go into her character building. I really love the representation of autistic characters in contemporary romance, and the exploration of how their autism affects their romantic and sexual experiences. Although the sequence of events has a few plot holes, Hoang has a brave and critical voice to offer, and yes, I probably will be picking up The Heart Principle upon release.