Stevie‘s review of The Heart Principle (The Kiss Quotient, Book 3) by Helen Hoang
Contemporary Multicultural Romance published by Berkley 31 Aug 21
I didn’t realise when I picked this one up that it’s part of a series. However, it seems not to be directly linked to either previous book and works very well as a story in and of itself. Anna Sun is a classical violinist, who became famous after a YouTube video in which she had to take over from the delayed soloist went viral – mainly because of Anna’s quirky, nervous behaviour. This sudden fame has resulted in a piece being composed for Anna, but now she has developed extreme anxiety over playing it perfectly and is now blocked for all performances even in private. On top of all that, Anna’s arse of a boyfriend (who is totally focussed on his own pleasure and oblivious to anything that makes Anna uncomfortable) suddenly announces that he wants (them both) to try dating other people before they make a permanent commitment to each other.
Following the advice of her two best friends, both of whom she knows only through social media and messaging (not that that’s a bad thing, but it does show how isolated Anna seems to be), Anna decides to check out some online dating sites in the hope of finding one-night stands to see if her boyfriend’s suggestion has any merit. Also about to (re)enter the world of online dating is Quan Diep, who used to be a player but who has not dated anyone since completing treatment for testicular cancer. When the two are matched, they agree to meet for only one date, but then circumstances align to mean that each of their first few meetings don’t really count.
Meanwhile, Anna’s family is pressuring her to start performing again and are dismissive towards the suggestion broached by Anna’s therapist that Anna might be on the autism spectrum. When Anna’s father experiences a catastrophic stroke, Quan supports her decision to move back into the family home in order to help care for him, bringing food parcels from his family’s catering business in the face of hostility from Anna’s mother and sister. Anna’s family also make attempts to reunite Anna with her ex, and force her into playing a violin piece at a birthday party neither she nor her father want any part in. This all culminates in a pretty disastrous time for Anna and Quan, but also forces them to think about what they really want.
I enjoyed this book in spite of my annoyance at Anna’s indecision at times. I completely got why she was wavering, and I have no problem giving time to real-life friends facing similar issues, but it’s not as easy to make it work as a narrative device. Having said that, I liked all the representation that readers get to see in this book and want to read the rest of the series at some point.
Grade: B
Summary:
When violinist Anna Sun accidentally achieves career success with a viral YouTube video, she finds herself incapacitated and burned out from her attempts to replicate that moment. And when her longtime boyfriend announces he wants an open relationship before making a final commitment, a hurt and angry Anna decides that if he wants an open relationship, then she does, too. Translation: She’s going to embark on a string of one-night stands. The more unacceptable the men, the better.
That’s where tattooed, motorcycle-riding Quan Diep comes in. Their first attempt at a one-night stand fails, as does their second, and their third, because being with Quan is more than sex—he accepts Anna on an unconditional level that she herself has just started to understand. However, when tragedy strikes Anna’s family she takes on a role that she is ill-suited for, until the burden of expectations threatens to destroy her. Anna and Quan have to fight for their chance at love, but to do that, they also have to fight for themselves.
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
