booksblabbering 's review for:

The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang

2.75

---

This book has definitely made me crave more neurodivergent books and representation. 

The two romantic interests are extremely understanding of each other. They make them put the other one first in every situation and they listen and check in. Constantly. Because we change. What we feel or think one day, one hour can change. This hit close to home to me, especially as someone who hates confrontation and is a people-pleaser. 

<b>No one should need a diagnosis in order to be compassionate to themself.

All I can do is go forward, and to do that, I must stop chasing perfection. It doesn't exist. I can never please everyone. It's hard enough just pleasing myself. Instead, I must focus on giving what I have, not what people want, because that is all I can give.

</b>

I think this had a potential to be extremely moving, and while it was emotional (check trigger warnings because this touches on a lot), it got bogged down in uneven pacing and waaay too many spicy scenes. 

Finally the caregiver situation kind of made me feel icky. It also meant that the romance took a backseat. Basically, it meant we had less Quan especially and I wouldn’t have loved to have seen his own life more if we got so much of Ana.

I haven’t read the previous two books and I don’t feel like I missed out on anything.