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quinnxing's review
reflective
sad
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
3.25
phantomeyer's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I read this to escape Honeybee and then was disappointed by this book’s easily resolved plot lines? It’s literally a romance.
But if we ignore all that, why only 3 stars? Maybe I’m cynical, but it seemed just a little too convenient.The man that a lady you met in a bathroom wants you to marry is handsome, fit, smart, gorgeous, successful, rich, caring, smoking hot, obsessed with you and did we mention attractive? Of course it only takes one summer to fall in love. Especially when you’re also beautiful, gorgeous, smoking hot and did we mention attractive? (Yeah also hardworking and loving etc) I think I’m just sick of pretty, young people falling in love.
But if we ignore all that, why only 3 stars? Maybe I’m cynical, but it seemed just a little too convenient.
deschatjes's review
3.0
The good - a romance set in a diverse context, Borge ethnicity and non-neurotypical male lead.
Otherwise fairly stand fare.
Otherwise fairly stand fare.
jayarna's review
4.0
I loved loved loved this, I'd highly reccomend it. Although I can't rate it 5 stars because it has some tropes I'm not a fan of, and I felt they made the writing a little lazy. Either way, this is the perfect read for summer.
hopeofit_alll's review
3.0
I liked this story, but not as much as I liked the kiss quotient, the spark, the chemistry, I didn't felt it here, like there was in the kiss quotient.
ihateprozac's review
5.0
[b:The Kiss Quotient|36199084|The Kiss Quotient (The Kiss Quotient, #1)|Helen Hoang|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1527983633l/36199084._SX50_.jpg|57828311] was good, but The Bride Test was PERFECTION. There’s honestly nothing about this book that I didn’t love. I laughed out loud, I cried, and I smiled to myself like an absolute dork!
The Bride Test is a very different story to The Kiss Quotient, because Khai was diagnosed at an early age and is very cognizant of his triggers. Esme doesn't have any knowledge of autism from her life in Vietnam, which means she comes into their relationship with no judgement. But while Khai has his career and autism on lock, the boy has nooooo clue about relationships! He is peak virgin himbo n00b energy and it makes for some awkward bedroom hijinks.
I really loved Esme as our heroine. While a marriage of convenience and a secret daughter sounds super dodgy on paper, the reality was far more complex. Our hero & heroine are aware of what their arrangement entails, there are clear boundaries and consent, and there’s an exit strategy if it doesn’t work out. Esme hiding her daughter still reads as lying by omission, but it also reads as a young impoverished mother wanting to forge an identity outside of caretaking for 3 generations of her family - even if only for a summer.
I loved how this book was so heavily steeped in Vietnamese identity. Vietnamese food is such a big part of this story, and Helen Hoang’s writing had me positively salivating! We see firsthand Esme’s acute culture shock and how terrifying it is to be dropped in another country with minimal support networks. She proudly clings to her life in Vietnam, while tentatively eking out a new life in California and changing her circumstances.
God damn I loved this. So wholesome and heartwarming and I care about these characters so. damn. much. ;____;
The Bride Test is a very different story to The Kiss Quotient, because Khai was diagnosed at an early age and is very cognizant of his triggers. Esme doesn't have any knowledge of autism from her life in Vietnam, which means she comes into their relationship with no judgement. But while Khai has his career and autism on lock, the boy has nooooo clue about relationships! He is peak virgin himbo n00b energy and it makes for some awkward bedroom hijinks.
I really loved Esme as our heroine. While a marriage of convenience and a secret daughter sounds super dodgy on paper, the reality was far more complex. Our hero & heroine are aware of what their arrangement entails, there are clear boundaries and consent, and there’s an exit strategy if it doesn’t work out. Esme hiding her daughter still reads as lying by omission, but it also reads as a young impoverished mother wanting to forge an identity outside of caretaking for 3 generations of her family - even if only for a summer.
I loved how this book was so heavily steeped in Vietnamese identity. Vietnamese food is such a big part of this story, and Helen Hoang’s writing had me positively salivating! We see firsthand Esme’s acute culture shock and how terrifying it is to be dropped in another country with minimal support networks. She proudly clings to her life in Vietnam, while tentatively eking out a new life in California and changing her circumstances.
God damn I loved this. So wholesome and heartwarming and I care about these characters so. damn. much. ;____;
tessareadsbookies's review
3.0
Enjoyable and quirky, but I didn’t really fully buy it. There wasn’t really, I felt, a lot of chemistry between the leads and it all felt forced (and it was, literally…). The plot was only propelled forward when a side character stepped in, which created this boring aura around the main figures. This was cute, and I like autism awareness, but it just didn’t hit like Kiss Quotient.
cmrobe06's review
5.0
So I loved this book very much. Yes a love story and yes a bit corny at times but the characters were so endearing and you just wanted everything to work out. Also an important perspective on different conditions and a nice compliment to the first novel in the series.