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    The Kiss Quotient: TikTok made me buy it!
    Unavailable
    The Kiss Quotient: TikTok made me buy it!
    Unavailable
    The Kiss Quotient: TikTok made me buy it!
    Ebook358 pages5 hours

    The Kiss Quotient: TikTok made me buy it!

    By Helen Hoang

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    Goodread's Romance Book of the Year, 2018

    A Washington Post Book of the Year, 2018
    An AmazonBook of the Year, 2018
    Cosmopolitan's 33 Books to Get Excited About in 2018
    Elle Best Summer Reads 2018

    __________

    A heartwarming and refreshing debut novel that proves one thing: there's not enough data in the world to predict what will make your heart tick.

    It's high time for Stella Lane to settle down and find a husband - or so her mother tells her. This is no easy task for a wealthy, successful woman like Stella, who also happens to have Asperger's. Analyzing data is easy; handling the awkwardness of one-on-one dates is hard. To overcome her lack of dating experience, Stella decides to hire a male escort to teach her how to be a good girlfriend.

    Faced with mounting bills, Michael decides to use his good looks and charm to make extra cash on the side. He has a very firm no repeat customer policy, but he's tempted to bend that rule when Stella approaches him with an unconventional proposal.

    The more time they spend together, the harder Michael falls for this disarming woman with a beautiful mind, and Stella discovers that love defies logic.

    Heart-tugging, sexy and utterly joyful - The Kiss Quotient is a book for anyone who has been in love, or in lust...

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherCorvus
    Release dateJun 7, 2018
    ISBN9781786495730
    Unavailable
    The Kiss Quotient: TikTok made me buy it!
    Author

    Helen Hoang

    Helen Hoang is that shy person who never talks-until she does and then all the worst things fly out of her mouth. She read her first romance novel in eighth grade and has been addicted ever since. In 2016, she was diagnosed with 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 with her husband, two kids, and pet fish.

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    Reviews for The Kiss Quotient

    4/5

    1,010 ratings75 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Stella Lane is a successful and prosperous econometrician in Silicon Valley.  She's obsessed with math and works long hours, but struggles with interpersonal relationships, especially dating men.  She also has Asperger's, so she's definitely not a typical romance protagonist.  Her mother's desire for grandchildren prompts her to decide she will need to practice having sex in order to be more attractive to potential partners.Stella hires male escort Michael Larsen for an extended program of practical sexual lessons that are humorous with their dispassionate checklists.  There's an immediate attraction between the pair and yet each thinks that other would not be interested in a real relationship.  Stella's social anxiety makes her feel that someone like Michael would not be interested in her if she wasn't paying him. Michael is embarrassed by being relatively poor to Stella and carries they weight of his absent father, a philanderer and con artist, who he fears he may be too much like.It's refreshing to see these characters sort through some very ordinary problems of social anxiety and self-identity.  They are both constantly described as being incredibly hot, though, so I guess they're extraordinary in that way.   This book has a lot of lot of sex, but also a lot of talking.  It's very good in dealing with issues of consent in relationship, which alone, makes it worth a read.
    • 4/5
      Stella is an autistic econometrician who decides to solve her problems having sex (and thus attracting a mate acceptable to her mother) by hiring an escort. Michael, said escort, is a super-hottie devoted to his mom, whose cancer treatment led him to give up his aspirations in fashion design and return home to take care of her, and they quickly get far more involved than a mere business transaction. I know it’s endemic to the form, but I never quite warmed to the idea that Stella’s immediate, unique physical attraction to Michael made it relatively easy for them to have sex (although they did have communication problems at first). Still, the sex scenes were hot and mutual pining is always tasty.
    • 3/5
      Stella is an attractive, rich and intelligent woman who also happens to be on the spectrum, with certain autistic traits. In her case she is extremely awkward socially and with her parents hounding her to marry, she decides to hire a male escort to teach her social and sexual skills. While this was a mildly enjoyable read, it comes across like a cheesy romance novel. I found the constant, graphic descriptions of their sexual encounters off putting and ended up skipping over many of those passages. And there were many!
    • 5/5
      I couldn't stop reading this adorable and very sexy story, and I couldn't stop smiling. What more can I say about a romance. I loved the neurodiverse Stella and the beautiful but damaged Michael. I loved Michael's family (I hope they all get their romances.) I loved pretty much everything about this book. Perfect beautiful escapism with a deeply moral center and really sexy sex. Bring on book 2!ETA, I did the audiobook for this, and really liked the reader very much.
    • 4/5
      The premise of this story is that Stella Lane, a 30-year old attractive and smart woman with Asperger’s living in Palo Alto, California, caves into pressure from her mother to find a man and generate some grandchildren. To this end, she signs up with an escort service so as to have a “professional” teach her how to manage the physical end of a relationship. From online pictures she selects Michael Phan, a half-Vietnamese, half-Swedish escort who looks a Korean martial arts movie star from her favorite film genre.The only problem is, in spite of having just a contractual arrangement, Stella and Michael are immediately attracted to each other, not only physically but emotionally. But neither one of them knows what to do with that fact. Stella is afraid if Michael finds out she is “autistic,” he won’t like her. Michael is afraid if Stella knows who his father is, she will think he is not good enough for her. Plus, he has a rule never to get involved with clients.The plot is predictable and the outcome obvious, but in this case, Stella and Michael are so likable and interesting, it turns into a very entertaining story. Both of the characters are devoted to their families; excited by their work (Michael is only an escort “on the side” because he has a legitimate need for a lot more money); kind and considerate; overwhelmed by insecurities in spite of their assets; and needing love and acceptance so deeply you can’t help but provide it to them, just as they do that for each other.The story is perhaps unusual in that sex comes first, then the romance and eventually love. It also has more sex than I ever can remember in any book. Ordinarily I would have eschewed a book like that, but the characters and their complications kept me interested throughout. The author is so good at realistic family relationships and dialogue that I would love to see her write a “regular” novel, as opposed to one that is clearly geared to the “hot romance” category.Evaluation: This is a lovely story, but be prepared for more graphic descriptions of physical encounters than you might ever find outside of a sex manual. . . . not that I would know, needless to add....
    • 4/5
      I’m not sure what I was expecting when I finally picked up The Kiss Quotient from my TBR pile, but it wasn’t the racy, romantic and entertaining novel I discovered.Thirty year old Stella Lane has everything she needs – a successful and satisfying career as an econometrician, plenty of money, and an orderly daily routine. However her mother wants grandchildren, and Stella wants to oblige, despite a lack of suitors and an aversion to intimacy. Recognising the need to overcome both of these issues, Stella approaches the challenge in her own unique way – she hires an escort to tutor her in the art of lust, and love.The plot of The Kiss Quotient is, in part, a twist on the classic movie, Pretty Woman (if you aren’t familiar with, watch it asap!),. Though Hoang gives it her own creative flair, the novel offers the same delightful sense of unexpected romance, drama and fun.Fair warning, there are no fade to black scenes in The Kiss Quotient, there are several explicit sex scenes between Stella and Michael. I was surprised to find such explicit encounters in a mainstream romance novel but I thought they were tastefully written, and sexy, as opposed to tawdry.I thought Stella was a wonderful character. I’ve read several books lately that feature a neuroatypical character and I felt Stella’s voice was one of the more authentic, something that was less surprising when I learnt the author herself, and her daughter, are on the spectrum.Michael has an interesting backstory, and though it could be said that he personifies the ‘hooker with a heart of gold’ trope, I thought he was a well rounded character. I had to google Daniel Henney (whom I recognised by sight if not by name), and I certainly can’t fault Stella’s taste in men.A charming and thoroughly modern romance novel, The Kiss Quotient is an enjoyable and engaging read.
    • 3/5
      This book starts with an interesting question -- how can an autistic girl learn how to do sex? It also supplies an interesting answer -- reversing "Pretty Woman", she hires a male prostitute. Both of the central characters soon find themselves way more involved than they intended, which makes for a powerful plot line. Also, both of them are appealing and interesting people. So far, this novel has a lot going for it. What bothered me about it was the very frequent, and very graphic, sex scenes. I know romantic fiction isn't exactly chaste, but in this case the sex (for this reader at least) was too much and too explicit, and got in the way of the story. Despite this negative, I will go on read the writer's other novel.
    • 4/5
      While you kind of know all along how this will end up, it's a great rom-com read. It's light, it's easy, but it really gives an accurate portrayal of what it is like living with autism. It was a different twist on a typical romantic novel, which I really enjoyed.
    • 5/5
      I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. I loved this book! The characters were all really interesting and I enjoyed the plot as well as the fact that the author changed the point of view throughout the story so that sometimes we saw things from Stella's perspective and sometimes we saw what Michael was thinking. By changing the perspective the readers were able to get to know the main characters better as well as meeting other characters that interacted more with one character than the other. It was really interesting to see how Stella and Michael's relationship with one another developed as well as how they each worked through their own personal issues through out the story. I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading more by this author in the future.
    • 4/5
      3.5 Stars. This book is a sweet romance novel that has more substance than others that I have read. It did drag a little towards the end. I have to say that I HATE when characters in books clearly like each other but are super quick to assume their partner no longer wants to be with them. This book had a lot of that. It was a sweet read with a pleasantly unique plot and definitely steamy!
    • 4/5
      dragged a little, a little too male-takes-care of female, great portrayal of a person with autism
    • 5/5
      When neurotic number cruncher (who happens to have asperger's syndrome) hires an escort to 'practice' the art of love things get pretty steamy. I fell in love with these well-drawn characters as they fell for each other. Definitely a clever piece of candy literature and sure to put a smile on the face of romance readers.
    • 5/5
      Finally, a book that lived up to the hype. Most of the time I find myself disappointed or not liking at all the books that everyone else seems to love. But, I really loved The Kiss Quotient. I loved the relationship between Stella and Michael. I also love that this an own voices story, as Helen Hoang has Asperger’s. I loved the pacing and writing style as well. There was never a dull moment, and I felt engaged the whole time I was reading this which is a problem I have been having recently. This was pretty steamy, and I think that it is important to know going into the story. I have heard so many people talk about this and that was never mentioned. I did not mind, and encourage you to still pick this up even if that is not your thing (you can skip over those sections) as the story is worth reading!Overall, I loved this!
    • 4/5
      I thought that this was really good. I have had a copy of this book for some time but never picked it up despite the fact that other readers have been raving about it. I wanted to read the book but I just couldn't seem to work it into my reading schedule so when the audiobook went on sale recently, I jumped on it. Sometimes, it is just easier to work an audiobook into my reading schedule and I have to say that the narration added to my enjoyment of this wonderful little story.I wrongly assumed that this would be a sweet and rather tame romance largely because of the cover. Boy, was I ever wrong! The story may have had its sweet moments but this is not a tame romance. This was pretty steamy and there were a lot more sex scenes than I would have guessed. I don't mind romances with a lot of heat and rather enjoy them in most cases so the fact that my assumption was wrong didn't make a difference to me but I thought I would mention the fact to other readers.Stella has Asperger's and sometimes looks at the world a little different than others. She excels at her profession as an econometrician but knows that she has a few things to learn when it comes to sex. She decides that the best course of action is to hire a professional to teach her what she needs to know which is where Michael enters the picture. Michael is not proud of his job as an escort but he is resigned to doing what his family needs him to do. He has a one date rule for his clients until he meets Stella and agrees to help her with her lessons.I really liked getting the opportunity to be in Stella's head. I loved the way she described everything and her internal monologue provided a lot of insight to the reader. She tries to break everything down into logical steps but is really unsure about a lot of things. Michael's character was just as interesting. He is willing to sacrifice himself for the sake of his family. He really was a great guy and I loved how he was with Stella. He thought highly of her and thought others should as well. He seemed to know just what she needed.I had a great time watching these two fall for each other. They had such great chemistry with each other but they also seemed to be able to see everything good about each other. They didn't hold anything against each other. Michael didn't care about Stella's labels and Stella didn't care about Michael's history. They instead saw what kind of person the other was.Carly Robins did a fantastic job with the narration of this audiobook. I think that her performance really helped to bring the story to life for me. I think that she captured the personalities of both Stella and Michael and brought a lot of emotion into the reading. She had a very pleasant reading voice that was easy to listen to for hours at a time.I would recommend this book to fans of contemporary romance. This was a great romance with wonderful characters that made me laugh and touched my heart. I look forward to reading whatever Helen Hoang comes up with next!I received a review copy of this book from Berkley Publishing Group via Bookish First and purchased a copy of the audiobook.
    • 4/5
      This so sounded familiar. I get the wanting things to be organised logically and trying to come up with strategies to cope with the world, Oh boy do I.I can see the logic of deciding that if you're not good at something, like dating, to experiment with it and test how it should work, and how numbers are so interesting.Stella wants to settle down and marry, it's the next step for her life, not least according to her mother. She decides to hire someone to help. Into her life comes Michael who uses his good looks and charm to make sure his mother is getting the medical help she needs. Michael has rules about not getting involved with clients but he finds Stella compelling. He understands her and wants her to have a fulfilling life, but he's not sure he's enough for her. Meanwhile Stella is getting used to wanting to have someone else in her life, she cares for Michael and it's somewhat confusing her.I liked it, liked the characters and the fact that they all had their own agency, I did want to punch her co-worker.
    • 4/5
      Synopsis: Stella Lane's parents are becoming increasingly persistent in their quest for their daughter to find true love. Stella - who has Asperger's - comes up with the perfect idea, to hire an escort to help teach her how to be intimate and be in a relationship. My Opinion: The quality of writing was more of a young adult book (being easy to read and simple sentence structures), however the content contradicts this. Some parts were just way too cheesy. The plot unravels rather quickly and I personally found that while some authors really make the most of suspense - dragging them out for a couple of chapters - Helen didn't make the most use of this (i.e. there is not much tension/suspense). That being said, I really enjoyed it and really enjoyed the characters.
    • 5/5
      Stella hires Michael as an escort so her mother will get off her back about being single. She also decides to have him teach/practice social skills/sex with her so she will be able to get a husband. Michael does not do doubles but decides to help her because he is attracted to her. He does not feel he is good enough for her as they get deeper into their relationship because of his family and past. She's not interested in anyone else after Michael.This was fun! Both Stella and Michael are lovable. They are perfect for each other. As Stella stumbles along in relating to others Michael accepts her as she is. I like the squabbles between Michael and his sisters. I like that Stella is able to stand up for herself. The story was believable. I hated for it to end. It is a keeper.
    • 3/5
      This was a fun romantic lark! Imagine Pretty Woman, but with a gender switch -- lead female character, awkward in relationships and a male escort. It had all the elements of an upbeat Romantic Comedy, that was probably R rated. Light, but fun.
    • 4/5
      I'm not generally a reader of contemporary romances, but I saw this one reviewed here on LT and thought the premise — beautiful, brilliant woman with Asperger's hires a male escort to teach her the necessary social skills to land a boyfriend — was more interesting than the usual cowboy/hellcat plot line. And it was, with the added bonus of learning about the Vietnamese family and heritage of Michael, the male escort. Along the way there's a fair bit of smut, so if that's not your thing you'll want to steer clear.
    • 3/5
      When Stella Lane's mother drops the not-so-subtle hint that she wants grandchildren, Stella is at a bit of a loss. Interacting with other people has always been a bit of a challenge for her due to her autism and all of her attempts at romantic relationships have been completely dissatisfying for everyone involved. In an effort to try and make herself better at the whole romance thing, Stella comes up with an unorthodox solution: hire a male escort to teach her the basics of sex and romance. But when Stella hire Michael Larsen, neither of them are prepared for what will come of their business arrangement.A fantastically diverse and very smutty romance novel. Hoang does a fantastic job of putting the reader inside Stella's way of experiencing the world and also makes Michael a thoroughly believable hero with a whole cart's worth of baggage that led to his current job as escort. The romance between the two is very sweet but be warned that if you aren't into lots of sex in your romance novel, this one may be a bit much.
    • 5/5
      The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang is a 2018 Berkley publication. A real charmer!Stella, an Econometrician, has intimacy issues, perhaps a symptom of her Asperger’s. With her mother growing impatient for grandchildren, and after absorbing an ugly comment, which took aim at Stella’s lack of sexual experience, she decides to hire a male escort to ‘teach’ her everything she needs to know about dating and sex. Michael Phan has never had a client like Stella. She touches a part of him, he keeps barricaded, especially with clients. Her effect on him is so powerful, he agrees to give her lessons on sex and dating, against his better judgment, and breaking every single personal rule of his profession.However, their business arrangement soon develops into something neither of them could have anticipated. Before long, Stella begins to figure in a new type of equation- love!Okay, I’ve seen the huge marketing push for the book, and I’ve had many friends on social media and book sites fawning it. From experience I know when a book gets this level of hype it is very important to approach it with a modicum of caution. Even though I was chomping at the bit to start this one, pushing everything else to the wayside if need be, I cooled my engines and let some of the furor die down before I finally allowed myself to read it. So, did it live up to all that publicity?I adored this story. It’s unique, featuring a female character who struggles to find her niche in a world that embraces conformity and uniformity. I don’t have Asperger’s syndrome, but I am an extreme introvert, so I could relate to some of the struggles Stella fought to overcome. I immediately warmed to her character and hoped she would find the confidence she had buried inside of her all along.While I didn’t know how to feel about Michael’s unorthodox occupation, I did LOVE this guy’s gentle patience. It was fun watching Stella crawl under his skin, seeing how he understood her, quirks and all, and how they managed to create a relationship with each other, as Michael slowly draws Stella out. Michael turned out to be a terrific hero, and I might have developed a secret and deliciously sinful crush on him. That said, the book was still a wee bit over-hyped. While I understand why some felt this one was special and deserved a lot of attention, the format, at its core, is not much different from any other contemporary romance. The writing or prose didn't set it apart from any other books out there, although it is obvious the author knew her subject matter intimately. What does set it apart is the diversity, and the boldness of placing a character with Asperger’s as a lead in a romantic comedy. The delicate balance of approaching the syndrome with respect and the gravity it deserves, while adding in humor and poignancy, is very well done. From that perspective the story is very original, unique, and refreshing! Everything you love about romance is here: It's hot and steamy, funny, charming, emotional, and inspiring, with a lovely feel good ending. However, this one gives voice to those rarely featured in these types of stories. I love that about this book!! I for one, applaud this new angle and approach to contemporary romance, and hope to see more books step away from the standard 'Plain Jane' tropes and branch out into new, mostly unexplored territory, in the romance genre. Books like this one could help the genre shake off a few of its hardwired stigmas and reach a much broader audience. 4.5 stars
    • 4/5
      I probably would've walked right by this book in a bookstore. I don't read much romance or chicklit, so the cover and title wouldn't have caught my immediate interest. And I would've missed a great story!Be aware that this story contains graphic sex and language. If that offends or bothers you, this book definitely isn't for you.The story alternates between Stella's and Michael's points of view. Stella is autistic, and the author's own history with autism adds tremendous insight into this difference in perspective. Michael is the slightly damaged bad boy you can't help but love. I enjoyed spending time with and getting to know these characters. They're definitely memorable, and will stick with me.Humor abounds in this story. That and the unique spin on a romance tale were my favorite aspects.The plot offers a few little twists, but for the most part is predictable in the way of chicklit. For me, the sexual content became too repetitive by midway, veering more into erotica and diminishing the romance aspect. The relationship's focus is most definitely sex, even as the couple evolves and they get to know one another. If you're looking for a steamy read, this one should definitely do the trick!*I received an advance copy from the publisher, via BookFirst, in exchange for my honest review.*
    • 3/5
      I haven't read a romantic comedy in a while so I was excited to check out The Kiss Quotient because it had been receiving a lot of buzz! A successful businesswoman obsessed with her job in economics becomes frustrated and scared at the prospect of dating and sex. It doesn't help that her mother keeps pressuring her to find a man and hinting that she ants grandchildren. Stella decides that her Asperger's is getting in the way of relationships and she vows to get more practice so she can find a man and not scare him away. She decides to hire a male escort to show her the ropes in the bedroom and to give her tips on dating and small talk. To each of their surprise they hit it off perfectly, and soon her "training" is stretching out, it's almost as if they're really dating. She's all in, but her sexy male escort has some skeletons in his closet. Pretty sexy and mildly explicit, fun, and fresh. A nice beach read.
    • 5/5
      What would you do if you were a very well-off and well-respected professional woman who was terrified of dating and sex because you had Asperger's? Perhaps you would hire an escort to help you become more comfortable with those interpersonal areas of your life. And what would you do if you were a man who had mountains of debt and responsibilities, but had been told you had a particular talent for sex? You'd become an escort, naturally. Thus, the basis for 2018's greatest love story. Michael and Stella are both characters you root for, to be able to overcome their own shortcomings and power through the things that challenge them. It gives nothing away to say that they end up together, but the process, oh, the process. Very steamy and very sweet.
    • 4/5
      I picked up this book based on a few very good reviews. In brief, Stella has Asperger's and it is brilliant, professional women with a great job and salary. But her attempts at relationships (read intimacy) have fallen flat. So she hires a male escort and proposes that they date exclusively for three months. She had a lesson plan which went out the window as Stella and Michael, the escort, found themselves liking each other, posing a problem for Michael's no repeat customers. So the story is about relationships, understanding and acceptance. It's a good story and I enjoyed that they delved into their families, especially that of Michael's which is part Vietnamese. I gave it a 4 star rating out of five because I would have preferred more depth to the story and less steamy sex.
    • 5/5
      Really enjoyed this non stereotypical romance. The heroine is autistic, the hero is an aspiring fashion designer, and the tilt is feminist. The book still manages to be what a romance novel should be - fun and hot.
    • 2/5
      This gets 2.5 stars even though I didn’t finish it because I was really intrigued by the characters and I liked the writing. Interesting plot but it went on too long. I also got bored with the pacing and the soft porn was odd.
    • 5/5
      I loved Helen’s written take on autism. It’s perfect yet unique to the characters, just like autism is in real life.
      The book makes you laugh, cry and I never wanted it to end. Now it’s one of my favourites.
    • 5/5
      If you're looking for something refreshingly quirky yet sexy at the same time, this is it.
    • 3/5
      The beginning was very strong and I liked the idea of an unconventional love match between autistic heroine and a male escort but in the end it was too predictable and didn't hold my attention after the first half...