After finishing The Kiss Quotient, I could NOT wait to get my hands on The Bride Test, so although I had a hold on a copy at my library, I bought the ebook. Impulse control? I don’t know her.

The Bride Test didn’t really pull me in the same way The Kiss Quotient did, but I still love Helen Hoang’s characters and ability to show us Vietnamese-American stories in a detailed and beautiful way. This book follows Khai (Quan’s little brother) and Khai’s mother’s intense interest in finding him a wife. (Swipe for the Goodreads synopsis.)

I think some of the issues I had with this book had to do with the difficulties Khai and Esme had communicating with each other. I have a hard time when plots hinge on assumptions and lies of omission, and much of the tension of The Bride Test stems from just those things. Hoang’s family dynamics are excellent as are all of the different scenarios she lays out for her characters. I also really value the way she provides tons of representation around neurodivergence, specifically the autism spectrum (Hoang herself is on the spectrum).