THE KISS QUOTIENT
Rating-4/5 Tails
Anime has inevitably shaped my existence. I honestly don't even know which anime I saw first; all I know is that Naruto was the first to leave a lasting impression on me and has continued to fuel my passion for anime to this day. As a young student, anime had such a profound effect on my thinking that I ventured out to read manga, which was followed by fanfiction and light novels. This inspired me to read and write similar novels that captivate readers through inventive storytelling, writing techniques, and narrative elements. It also completely impacted my personality, my professional aspirations, and my creative inclination, inspiring me to pursue a career in the writing industry.
The book is a simple yet refreshing
story about a woman with Asperger’s syndrome and a man with a not-so-mainstream
side profession.
Introducing Stella Lane,
the female protagonist of this book has an autistic condition that affects her
ability to socialize well but gives her high functioning. She is portrayed as a
headstrong and independent female lead who functions with logic and facts.
However, this makes her unable to walk on the 'normal' social
norms; not being able to wrap her head around the concept of forming an
intimate or romantic relationship. This makes her seek help from Michael
Larson; Good looking to his toes, he works in his family’s tailor shop
during the day but has a secret which no one knows. Being the only male in his
large family with bills piling up, he worked as a male escort at night.
However, his life takes a turn when he meets Stella. Not having met anyone as
different as her, he becomes attracted to her immediately.
The curiosity in her eyes and the
brutal honesty of her words drive him deep into her little world. He helps
Stella overcome her fear of intimacy and explore the realms of a normal
romance. Stella with her comprehensive set of rules, start to hang out with
Michael and they start feeling their attraction grow. Sticking to logic seemed
to not work anymore whenever Michael was involved, he kept breaking down her
barriers. As Stella’s feelings grow she starts realizing that love defies
logic. The couple’s life changes with the involvement of their significant
other, they soon start to learn from the past mistakes and understand how to
hold on to the people who are precious to them. Revisiting the idea of romance
never felt better as the protagonist’s simple curiosity leads her to find real
love.
Criticisms-
The novel is a lighthearted read in my
opinion but gets you hooked from the first chapter. The author keeps the
reader’s interested by adding some clever humour in between, So yes, I could
not put the book down and was savouring every page. The book even progresses to
show acceptance. To love me because even though I'm different, I'm me.
All things that make you different make you perfect.
- Helen Hoang.
Hoang couldn't have said better.
The back and forth conversations between Stella and Michael was also so
perfect, her wittiness and his charms. The novel portrays the struggle of a
socially awkward autistic person’s views, on point. Stella’s way of thinking
and her comments just cracked me right up. Her brutal honesty on everything was
a definite plus for me. Speaking of plus, Michael being the most understanding
person on the planet gave me such sweet vibes. Though the story’s plot seemed
to be quite steamy with a male escort and a woman wanting to explore. But the
innocence behind the characters was beautiful. I loved how Stella wasn’t just a
meek female lead who isn’t able to solve her problems, she shined as a
confident and strong-willed character on her own.
Yes, she was lonely
Yes, she had a broken heart
But at least she had herself
- The Kiss Quotient
I know I didn’t talk much about the
male lead but I did like Michael’s character development a lot too. From
overcoming his fears and fathers issues he embraced his past and realized he
wasn’t a shadow of his father but a person of his own. The ending though was a
bit too easy but I guess not every book needs to end in a crazy way. This book
cannot be criticized much or scrutinized, It's just a simple love story that
stole my heart. It might not have a lot of gut-wrenching moments which I love!
But it will make you want to fall in love.
Recommendation-
This is a delightful read if you’re a sucker for love stories like me
and adding a couple steamy scenes never hurt anyone. I couldn’t stop reading
this book and finished it in two days honestly, so I would definitely recommend
giving it a read. It’ll certainly make you wish you had an understanding of
Michael by your side too.
Perfect over a cup of coffee and a rainy morning.
Author- Helen Hoang
The author was born on the year 1982.
Debuting with this novel ‘The Kiss Quotient’ it quickly became a best seller.
She also came out with a sequel ‘The Bride Test’. Being a romance novelist she
came out with a masterpiece. Hoang even researched a lot on people with autism.
She read her first romance novel in eighth grade and has been addicted ever
since. In 2016, she was diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder in line with
what was previously known as Asperger’s syndrome. Her journey inspired The Kiss
Quotient. She currently lives in San Diego, California, with her husband, two
kids, and a pet fish. How did I not find her quicker! My only regret in life.
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