I first heard of Helen Hoang’s books on one of my favorite romance podcasts. I was immediately taken with the premise of the novel and decided I had to read it myself. I went in expecting a sweet romance and came out having fallen in love with each character, reciting different lines, and becoming a new super fan of Helen Hoang.
“The Kiss Quotient” and “The Bride Test” are two novels by Helen Hoang. They are part of a series, but are standalone — so if you read the second one first (by accident), like I did, there aren’t major spoilers. Each book follows a different family member in a large family as they overcome past trauma and find themselves (and love) in the process.
I originally thought to do the reviews of these books separately, but I loved them so much as a pair that I had to share them together. Each book captured my heart and made it IMPOSSIBLE to put down. I read both books in one sitting–they were truly that captivating.
What I really loved about these books was the amazing representation of the characters. Each book includes individuals of all backgrounds, race, and includes individuals who are neruodivergent or are overcoming past trauma. These differences among the main characters and the challenges they face only strengthens their bond and love, and I enjoyed each moment. I loved the character development and arcs in each novel and was excited to see how each of the characters grew and came into their own strength and voice with each page.
I can’t recommend Helen Hoang’s books enough. They are truly a MUST READ for every romance reader. I promise you will fall in love with each main character (and many of the side characters) and be up all night reading “The Kiss Quotient” and “The Bride Test”. And if you want to go the extra step, join me in reading Helen Hoang’s next book in the series: “The Heart Principle”!
Stories by Shanna Pikora 