by Helen Hoang
Stella loves her job. She uses statistics to figure out what people want (to buy). But when her lack of a personal life threatens to put her in the path of her meddling mom, Stella figures she just needs more data to understand how to attract a man. She hires a swoon worthy escort, Michael, to give her dating lessons. But when the data is more stimulating than she expects can she let him go? Let’s find out.
Read if you like: fake dating, autism rep, multicultural romance, dual POV narration, successful women, and sensitive men.
Stella has worked really hard to get where she is in her life. She’s worked hard because she loves to work. But she’s also worked hard to modify her behaviors and blend in. She’s done so well that her Asperger’s syndrome is all but hidden from view. And if she can learn to fit it, surely, she can learn how to date. She just needs to find the perfect teacher.
Michael has been an escort for several years. He has the whole process planned out to a T. It might not have been his first choice but his natural gift for wooing women has helped out in the financial department. What’s more, this is the perfect revenge against his estranged father. But when his next client isn’t a middle-aged divorcee with money and ‘energy’ to spend. He finds himself off-kilter. Stella is beautiful, smart, and kind. And she’s contracted his services to learn the ways of dating. And nothing is going as planned.
I can’t tell you why I loved The Kiss Quotient so much. It’s just that little something that pulled me in immediately. The characters were so accessible and realistic and I was so ready to watch their story unfold. Stella is a great character and she stands out amongst most romantic MCs because she is the one with the money, success, and social status. There’s a power differential and she’s in control. Yes, she’s awkward and has to work extra hard to maintain her ‘normal’ behaviors. But in the end, she’s the one who only has her heart to worry about.
Michael on the other hand has a rather self-imposed and complicated backstory that we usually see the leading ladies playing out. He’s making tough choices to try and make his family’s life better. But if something goes wrong, he has so much more than heartbreak to worry about. I loved seeing this relationship play out. It was the same vibes but with a different tilt on everything and I just couldn’t get enough.
I could keep on going but, spoilers… I’m so excited to read more of this series. Up next, The Bride Test.
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