Synopsis:

Khai Diep has no feelings. Well, he feels irritation when people move his things or contentment when ledgers balance down to the penny, but not big, important emotions—like grief. And love. He thinks he’s defective. His family knows better—that his autism means he just processes emotions differently. When he steadfastly avoids relationships, his mother takes matters into her own hands and returns to Vietnam to find him the perfect bride.

As a mixed-race girl living in the slums of Ho Chi Minh City, Esme Tran has always felt out of place. When the opportunity arises to come to America and meet a potential husband, she can’t turn it down, thinking this could be the break her family needs. Seducing Khai, however, doesn’t go as planned. Esme’s lessons in love seem to be working…but only on herself. She’s hopelessly smitten with a man who’s convinced he can never return her affection.

With Esme’s time in the United States dwindling, Khai is forced to understand he’s been wrong all along. And there’s more than one way to love.

Personal Thoughts:

Rating:

This book was absolutely adorable in every way I can think of. Here we follow Khai, the cousin of Michael from The Kiss Quotient, and Esme. Khai is on the autism spectrum and thinks he is incapable of feeling love while Esme is a Vietnamese woman whom Khai’s mother met when she went home to Vietnam. Khai’s mother arranges a wedding for Khai and Esme because she’s afraid that her son might never find anyone if she doesn’t force it.

As a result, we get to read about Khai and Esme’s fake relationship which is one of my all-time favorite romance tropes. I loved how Khai and Esme bring out the best in each other and how they managed to get through their personal issues and secrets. Also, it was so refreshing that it was the male protagonist who doesn’t have a lot of experience when it comes to relationships and sex. Another thing that I loved about this book is the brother dynamic between Khai and Quan.

I really adore Helen Hoang’s writing-style because it’s just so easy to read. It’s fluffy and cute and makes my heart feel all jumpy inside. To be honest, I loved The Kiss Quotient more than I did this one, but it’s still such a fun and great read all the same. I am most definitely excited for the third book because it will be from Quan’s POV! I loved Quan’s character in this book, so I’m really psyched to hear about him being the protagonist in the next book.