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ninetalevixen 's review for:
The Kiss Quotient
by Helen Hoang
So, funny story. I tried to reread this one in April 2020 while working on a blog post related to autistic characters, and I was so irritated by the writing style and characters that I gave up 14% in. Make of that what you will.
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[2018 review - 4 stars]
All in all, I’m not usually super into romance novels but I definitely enjoyed this one. My only complaint is that so much could have been solved if not for what my friends and I jokingly call a “lack of miscommunication.”
Goddamn, Michael is dreamy, and it’s not just because he’s surreally similar to my current boyfriend. This is the kind of guy I would want to marry: a genuinely good person, helpful and protective and domestically competent. (That said, I do feel like “raised by mother and/or grandmother and/or sister(s)” is kind of a trope for building a sensitive love interest, the gender-swapped version of “raised by dad and/or brother(s) so grew up tough and with something to prove”; however, it’s at most implied here so I don’t really take issue with it.) I especially loved that he (as well as Stella) had a fully fleshed-out storyline independent of the romance, in addition to, of course, his POV narrating the main plot.
My personal experience with high-functioning ASD (formerly called Asperger’s) is of the even more high-functioning type (eg, can pick up on social cues) but I did recognize quite a few symptoms (including sensitivity to textures and sounds) and the author based it on her own experiences, with a disclaimer in her end notes on top of that — so I think it’s safe to call this good representation. Stella was definitely likable and relatable, and I hope this book goes a long way in normalizing ASD. I love her clear ability to take care of herself, the way she doesn’t necessarily need Michael but still wants him and how that’s enough, the way she stands up for herself against Philip’s advances/harassment, her dynamic but ultimately healthy relationship with her mother. Even the econometrics sections were interesting; I loved imagining her lighting up with a new puzzle to solve.
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[2018 review - 4 stars]
All in all, I’m not usually super into romance novels but I definitely enjoyed this one. My only complaint is that so much could have been solved if not for what my friends and I jokingly call a “lack of miscommunication.”
Goddamn, Michael is dreamy, and it’s not just because he’s surreally similar to my current boyfriend. This is the kind of guy I would want to marry: a genuinely good person, helpful and protective and domestically competent. (That said, I do feel like “raised by mother and/or grandmother and/or sister(s)” is kind of a trope for building a sensitive love interest, the gender-swapped version of “raised by dad and/or brother(s) so grew up tough and with something to prove”; however, it’s at most implied here so I don’t really take issue with it.) I especially loved that he (as well as Stella) had a fully fleshed-out storyline independent of the romance, in addition to, of course, his POV narrating the main plot.
My personal experience with high-functioning ASD (formerly called Asperger’s) is of the even more high-functioning type (eg, can pick up on social cues) but I did recognize quite a few symptoms (including sensitivity to textures and sounds) and the author based it on her own experiences, with a disclaimer in her end notes on top of that — so I think it’s safe to call this good representation. Stella was definitely likable and relatable, and I hope this book goes a long way in normalizing ASD. I love her clear ability to take care of herself, the way she doesn’t necessarily need Michael but still wants him and how that’s enough, the way she stands up for herself against Philip’s advances/harassment, her dynamic but ultimately healthy relationship with her mother. Even the econometrics sections were interesting; I loved imagining her lighting up with a new puzzle to solve.