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Fiction. Literature. Romance. Stella Lane thinks math is the only thing that unites the universe. She comes up with algorithms to predict customer purchases—a job that has given her more money than she knows what to do with as well as way less experience in the dating department than the average thirty-year-old. It doesn't help that she has Asperger's and that French kissing reminds her of a shark getting its teeth cleaned by pilot fish. She decides that she needs lots of practice—with a show more professional—which is why she hires escort Michael Phan. The Vietnamese-Swedish stunner can't afford to turn down Stella's offer, and he agrees to help her check off all the boxes on her lesson plan—from foreplay to more-than-missionary position... Before long, Stella not only learns to appreciate his kisses but also to crave all of the other things he's making her feel. Their no-nonsense partnership starts making a strange kind of sense. And the pattern that emerges convinces Stella that love is the best kind of logic. show lessTags
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I read this in one sitting, which is a really rare thing for me these days. I fell in love with both characters. It's a romance, yes, but it's also a celebration of what makes us unique and a story of becoming comfortable in our own skins. Both Stella and Michael had to learn to love themselves.
Also, hooray for a diverse romance which includes a heroine with Asperger's and a bi-racial hero. That made me very happy!
A really fun read with characters I rooted for from the first page. It's one of my favorite reads so far this year.
Review copy courtesy of the publisher via the First to Read program.
Also, hooray for a diverse romance which includes a heroine with Asperger's and a bi-racial hero. That made me very happy!
A really fun read with characters I rooted for from the first page. It's one of my favorite reads so far this year.
Review copy courtesy of the publisher via the First to Read program.
Veramente molto bello, mi è piaciuto tantissimo.
Una storia che mi ha colpito prima di tutto per la sua dolcezza e per quel tono di semplice ingenuità che lo rendono veramente originale.
Due protagonisti meravigliosi, dotati di una particolare umanità che tocca veramente il cuore. Un eros sottile e delicato che permea le tante pagine che descrivono i loro incontri, mai volgari o eccessivi ma sempre teneri, attenti e delicati.
Una storia che si sviluppa per gradi, lentamente e quasi inconsapevolmente ma che colpisce e si fa assaporare con il crescere del loro rapporto. Stella e Michael sono due personaggi unici, perfettamente caratterizzati e che si sono stampati nel mio cuore.
Un libro che mi ha conquistato, che riesce a raccontare show more come una cosiddetta “diversità” – e non ha alcuna importanza quale essa sia - non sia altro che un puerile pregiudizio perché dietro ad ogni persona si nasconde sempre un mondo unico e particolare.
Straconsigliato. show less
Una storia che mi ha colpito prima di tutto per la sua dolcezza e per quel tono di semplice ingenuità che lo rendono veramente originale.
Due protagonisti meravigliosi, dotati di una particolare umanità che tocca veramente il cuore. Un eros sottile e delicato che permea le tante pagine che descrivono i loro incontri, mai volgari o eccessivi ma sempre teneri, attenti e delicati.
Una storia che si sviluppa per gradi, lentamente e quasi inconsapevolmente ma che colpisce e si fa assaporare con il crescere del loro rapporto. Stella e Michael sono due personaggi unici, perfettamente caratterizzati e che si sono stampati nel mio cuore.
Un libro che mi ha conquistato, che riesce a raccontare show more come una cosiddetta “diversità” – e non ha alcuna importanza quale essa sia - non sia altro che un puerile pregiudizio perché dietro ad ogni persona si nasconde sempre un mondo unico e particolare.
Straconsigliato. show less
I couldn't stop reading this adorable and very sexy story, and I couldn't stop smiling. What more can I say about a romance. I loved the neurodiverse Stella and the beautiful but damaged Michael. I loved Michael's family (I hope they all get their romances.) I loved pretty much everything about this book. Perfect beautiful escapism with a deeply moral center and really sexy sex. Bring on book 2!
ETA, I did the audiobook for this, and really liked the reader very much.
ETA, I did the audiobook for this, and really liked the reader very much.
Δείτε επίσης και στο Chill and read
Το βιβλίο που κέρδισε στην κατηγορία Best Romance του Goodreads Choice Awards 2018 μεταφράστηκε και κυκλοφορεί στα Ελληνικά και δεν θα μπορούσα να μην το διαβάσω!
Η Στέλλα Λέιν δουλεύει σε μια κορυφέα εταιρεία της Σίλικον Βάλεϋ σαν οικονομέτρης. Καθώς είναι εξαιρετική στη δουλειά της και κατάγεται από πλούσια οικογένεια, έχει πολύ περισσότερα χρήματα από όσα θα μπορούσε να ξοδέψει, γιατί πολύ show more απλά, δεν ξέρει πως! Κι αυτό γιατί η Στέλλα είναι στο φάσμα του αυτισμού και τις λείπουν πολλές κοινωνικές δεξιότητες. Είναι όμως και τριάντα χρονών και οι γονείς της θέλουν να βρει κάποιον και γιατί όχι, να τους χαρίσει και εγγονάκια. Πράγμα εξαιρετικά δύσκολο καθώς για τη Στέλλα, ακόμα και να την αγγίξει κάποιος χωρίς εκείνη να το γνωρίζει από πριν είναι κάτι που δεν μπορεί να αντέξει. Αφού λοιπόν ακούσει και ένα απίστευτα κακό σχόλιο για τις σεξουαλικές τις επιδόσεις από ένα συνάδελφο, αποφασίζει να προσλάβει ένα συνοδό, ώστε να τη μυήσει στα μυστικά του σεξ.
Ο Μάικλ Φαν είναι ένας άντρας που θα μπορούσε να έχει όποια γυναίκα ήθελε. Έχει εμφάνιση πρωταγωνιστή Κορεάτικης σειράς, γυμνασμένος σώμα και κάνει πολεμικές τέχνες. Αναγκάζεται όμως να γίνει συνοδός για τους δικούς του λόγους και κυρίως γιατί χρειάζεται τα χρήματα. Όταν λοιπόν η Στέλλα του κάνει την πρότασή της, δεν μπορεί να αρνηθεί. Θα τη διδάξει όσα χρειάζεται να μάθει και μετά, ο καθένας τη ζωή του. Όταν όμως ο άνθρωπος κάνει σχέδια, ο Θεός γελάει.
Η ιστορία είναι αρκετά πρωτότυπη. Δεν είναι μια ρομαντική ιστορία δύο ανθρώπων που μόλις δουν ο ένας τον άλλον ερωτεύονται παράφορα. Στη συγκεκριμένη περίπτωση ο έρωτας έρχεται σιγά σιγά και αυτό είναι ένα από τα κομμάτια που μου αρέσει στο βιβλίο. Στην πρωτοτυπία συμβάλει και το σύνδρομο Άσπεργκερ από το οποίο πάσχει η ηρωίδα. Αυτό είναι και που δίνει το πλαίσιο μέσα στο οποίο κινείται η ιστορία και είναι μια έκπληξη για πολλούς. Σε κάποιες κριτικές που διάβασα στο Goodreads, αναγνώστριες αναγνώρισαν τον εαυτό τους στο πρόσωπο της Στέλλας και συνειδητοποίησαν ότι δεν είναι απλά διαφορετικές, αλλά στα όρια του αυτισμού. Και μάλιστα, συνειδητοποίησαν ότι δεν είναι μόνες σε όλο αυτό, οπότε ένιωσαν καλύτερα.
Η συγγραφέας έχει και η ίδια σύνδρομο Άσπεργκερ, γι’ αυτό και ξέρει πάρα πολύ καλά τι περνάει η Στέλλα. Για την ακρίβεια, η φωνή της Στέλλα είναι η δική της φωνή, τουλάχιστον έως ενός σημείου. Είναι νομίζω πολύ πιο βολικό να εκφράσει έτσι όσα θέλει να πει και παράλληλα ο αναγνώστης να καταλάβει τι περνάει ένα τέτοιο άτομο. Η άλλη φωνή στο βιβλίο είναι αυτή του Μάικλ.
Δίνοντας βήμα και στη δική του φωνή η συγγραφέας μας τονίζει όλες τις ατέλειες που έχει εκείνος. Τις ανασφάλειές του, σαν προσωπικότητα και σαν επαγγελματία. Το φόβο του μήπως μοιάσει στον πατέρα του, έναν άνθρωπο που πρόδωσε τη μητέρα του αλλά και τον ίδιο και τις αδερφές του. Έναν άκαρδο άνθρωπο που πολλές φορές νομίζει ότι αναγνωρίζει στο ίδιο του το πρόσωπο. Κοινώς, έχει κι αυτός τα θεματάκια του!
Όταν αυτοί οι δύο έρχονται σε επαφή, αρχίζει να γίνεται πιο καυτό το βιβλίο, καθώς αρχίζουν τα μαθήματα. Έχει μια καλή ισορροπία γλυκού ρομάντζου και καυτού σεξ ώστε να μην ενοχλεί αλλά να θέλγει. Δεν πήρε άδικα το πρώτο βραβείο στην κατηγορία του. show less
Το βιβλίο που κέρδισε στην κατηγορία Best Romance του Goodreads Choice Awards 2018 μεταφράστηκε και κυκλοφορεί στα Ελληνικά και δεν θα μπορούσα να μην το διαβάσω!
Η Στέλλα Λέιν δουλεύει σε μια κορυφέα εταιρεία της Σίλικον Βάλεϋ σαν οικονομέτρης. Καθώς είναι εξαιρετική στη δουλειά της και κατάγεται από πλούσια οικογένεια, έχει πολύ περισσότερα χρήματα από όσα θα μπορούσε να ξοδέψει, γιατί πολύ show more απλά, δεν ξέρει πως! Κι αυτό γιατί η Στέλλα είναι στο φάσμα του αυτισμού και τις λείπουν πολλές κοινωνικές δεξιότητες. Είναι όμως και τριάντα χρονών και οι γονείς της θέλουν να βρει κάποιον και γιατί όχι, να τους χαρίσει και εγγονάκια. Πράγμα εξαιρετικά δύσκολο καθώς για τη Στέλλα, ακόμα και να την αγγίξει κάποιος χωρίς εκείνη να το γνωρίζει από πριν είναι κάτι που δεν μπορεί να αντέξει. Αφού λοιπόν ακούσει και ένα απίστευτα κακό σχόλιο για τις σεξουαλικές τις επιδόσεις από ένα συνάδελφο, αποφασίζει να προσλάβει ένα συνοδό, ώστε να τη μυήσει στα μυστικά του σεξ.
Ο Μάικλ Φαν είναι ένας άντρας που θα μπορούσε να έχει όποια γυναίκα ήθελε. Έχει εμφάνιση πρωταγωνιστή Κορεάτικης σειράς, γυμνασμένος σώμα και κάνει πολεμικές τέχνες. Αναγκάζεται όμως να γίνει συνοδός για τους δικούς του λόγους και κυρίως γιατί χρειάζεται τα χρήματα. Όταν λοιπόν η Στέλλα του κάνει την πρότασή της, δεν μπορεί να αρνηθεί. Θα τη διδάξει όσα χρειάζεται να μάθει και μετά, ο καθένας τη ζωή του. Όταν όμως ο άνθρωπος κάνει σχέδια, ο Θεός γελάει.
Η ιστορία είναι αρκετά πρωτότυπη. Δεν είναι μια ρομαντική ιστορία δύο ανθρώπων που μόλις δουν ο ένας τον άλλον ερωτεύονται παράφορα. Στη συγκεκριμένη περίπτωση ο έρωτας έρχεται σιγά σιγά και αυτό είναι ένα από τα κομμάτια που μου αρέσει στο βιβλίο. Στην πρωτοτυπία συμβάλει και το σύνδρομο Άσπεργκερ από το οποίο πάσχει η ηρωίδα. Αυτό είναι και που δίνει το πλαίσιο μέσα στο οποίο κινείται η ιστορία και είναι μια έκπληξη για πολλούς. Σε κάποιες κριτικές που διάβασα στο Goodreads, αναγνώστριες αναγνώρισαν τον εαυτό τους στο πρόσωπο της Στέλλας και συνειδητοποίησαν ότι δεν είναι απλά διαφορετικές, αλλά στα όρια του αυτισμού. Και μάλιστα, συνειδητοποίησαν ότι δεν είναι μόνες σε όλο αυτό, οπότε ένιωσαν καλύτερα.
Η συγγραφέας έχει και η ίδια σύνδρομο Άσπεργκερ, γι’ αυτό και ξέρει πάρα πολύ καλά τι περνάει η Στέλλα. Για την ακρίβεια, η φωνή της Στέλλα είναι η δική της φωνή, τουλάχιστον έως ενός σημείου. Είναι νομίζω πολύ πιο βολικό να εκφράσει έτσι όσα θέλει να πει και παράλληλα ο αναγνώστης να καταλάβει τι περνάει ένα τέτοιο άτομο. Η άλλη φωνή στο βιβλίο είναι αυτή του Μάικλ.
Δίνοντας βήμα και στη δική του φωνή η συγγραφέας μας τονίζει όλες τις ατέλειες που έχει εκείνος. Τις ανασφάλειές του, σαν προσωπικότητα και σαν επαγγελματία. Το φόβο του μήπως μοιάσει στον πατέρα του, έναν άνθρωπο που πρόδωσε τη μητέρα του αλλά και τον ίδιο και τις αδερφές του. Έναν άκαρδο άνθρωπο που πολλές φορές νομίζει ότι αναγνωρίζει στο ίδιο του το πρόσωπο. Κοινώς, έχει κι αυτός τα θεματάκια του!
Όταν αυτοί οι δύο έρχονται σε επαφή, αρχίζει να γίνεται πιο καυτό το βιβλίο, καθώς αρχίζουν τα μαθήματα. Έχει μια καλή ισορροπία γλυκού ρομάντζου και καυτού σεξ ώστε να μην ενοχλεί αλλά να θέλγει. Δεν πήρε άδικα το πρώτο βραβείο στην κατηγορία του. show less
After reading Hoang's The Bride Test in 2 days obviously I was going to immediately start in on this one (which was published first) and I'm pretty sure I also read this one in approx 48hrs. I was utterly charmed by the gender flipped Pretty Woman structure and I also super appreciated that the book hit a lot of kdrama beats I'm familiar with. What a delight! Stella and Michael are such a great pair. I loved them together as much as I loved them for who they are on their own (but like all great romances they do show how we can be even better versions of ourselves when we are both loved and challenged). I think the moment I became completely smitten with Stella was when she was taking apology flowers to Michael's mom (and yeah, I cried show more in that scene). To be fair, that dinner would have been a nightmare no matter if you are good with people or not (did they not remember they had company? I was cringing while reading) but Stella knew she'd accidentally hurt Mom's feelings and she was not going to let that go. Got to love a person who can recognize where she's slipped up and want to make it right. And I do! I love Stella. But let's not sleep on Michael, he's pretty great, too. He's got a bit of the Noble Idiot in him but I can't fault him for being so dedicated to his family and trying the best he knows how. He's so tough and hot (seriously, super friggin' hawt!) and a bit tortured but also so soft and sweet and sincere. Phew! A fatal combination! Also, this book is sizzling! By coincidence I was mostly at home while reading this and I'm not sorry, I think steam was actually coming off the pages at some points. Highly recommended. show less
Stella Lane is a successful and prosperous econometrician in Silicon Valley. She's obsessed with math and works long hours, but struggles with interpersonal relationships, especially dating men. She also has Asperger's, so she's definitely not a typical romance protagonist. Her mother's desire for grandchildren prompts her to decide she will need to practice having sex in order to be more attractive to potential partners.
Stella hires male escort Michael Larsen for an extended program of practical sexual lessons that are humorous with their dispassionate checklists. There's an immediate attraction between the pair and yet each thinks that other would not be interested in a real relationship. Stella's social anxiety makes her feel that show more someone like Michael would not be interested in her if she wasn't paying him. Michael is embarrassed by being relatively poor to Stella and carries they weight of his absent father, a philanderer and con artist, who he fears he may be too much like.
It's refreshing to see these characters sort through some very ordinary problems of social anxiety and self-identity. They are both constantly described as being incredibly hot, though, so I guess they're extraordinary in that way. This book has a lot of lot of sex, but also a lot of talking. It's very good in dealing with issues of consent in relationship, which alone, makes it worth a read. show less
Stella hires male escort Michael Larsen for an extended program of practical sexual lessons that are humorous with their dispassionate checklists. There's an immediate attraction between the pair and yet each thinks that other would not be interested in a real relationship. Stella's social anxiety makes her feel that show more someone like Michael would not be interested in her if she wasn't paying him. Michael is embarrassed by being relatively poor to Stella and carries they weight of his absent father, a philanderer and con artist, who he fears he may be too much like.
It's refreshing to see these characters sort through some very ordinary problems of social anxiety and self-identity. They are both constantly described as being incredibly hot, though, so I guess they're extraordinary in that way. This book has a lot of lot of sex, but also a lot of talking. It's very good in dealing with issues of consent in relationship, which alone, makes it worth a read. show less
After lots of pressure I finally gave this book a chance. It was the perfect dirty little happy joy machine. Stella is on the autism spectrum. She likes things just certain ways. She really likes work, but her mom likes the idea of a husband and babies. Stella has been on dates, and she has had sex, but it sucks. She’s so bad at it. After an offhand comment by a coworker Stella hires a professional. Sex is just like anything else it takes practice, and a good teacher.
Michael is an escort. He is also caring individual looking after his family. His friday night job isn’t always his favorite but it pays the bills. Right from the beginning Stell is not like any other client. She wants to talk and have things explained, and she show more doesn’t treat him like a piece of meat. By the end of this story Michael will break every rule he ever had about clients, girls, and love.
This story is sweet and funny. It’s dirty in a classy way that is more than just raunch or repackaged 50 Shades. At the heart it is two people finding each other when they need it most. I listened as an audiobook, and could not stop once I got started. It was a pleasant way to spend 9 hours. show less
Michael is an escort. He is also caring individual looking after his family. His friday night job isn’t always his favorite but it pays the bills. Right from the beginning Stell is not like any other client. She wants to talk and have things explained, and she show more doesn’t treat him like a piece of meat. By the end of this story Michael will break every rule he ever had about clients, girls, and love.
This story is sweet and funny. It’s dirty in a classy way that is more than just raunch or repackaged 50 Shades. At the heart it is two people finding each other when they need it most. I listened as an audiobook, and could not stop once I got started. It was a pleasant way to spend 9 hours. show less
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- Canonical title
- The Kiss Quotient
- Original title
- The Kiss Quotient
- Original publication date
- 2018-06-05
- People/Characters
- Stella Lane; Michael Phan (Michael Larsen); Ann Lane; Edward Lane; Quân Diệp; Mai (Larsen) (show all 13); Janie Larsen; Ngoại; Sophie Larsen; Maddie Larsen; Philip James; Aliza James; Frederick Larsen
- Important places
- San José, California, USA; San Francisco, California, USA; Silicon Valley, California, USA
- Dedication
- Dedicated to my family.
Thank you, Ngoai, Me,
Chi 2, Chi 3, Chi 4, Anh 5, and 7,
for being my safe place.
Thank you, Henry,
for loving me, labels, quirks,
obsessions, and all.
Thank you, B-b a... (show all)nd I-I,
for letting your mama write.
You are the best thing I have. - First words
- "I know you hate surprises, Stella. In the interests of communicating our expectations and providing you a reasonable timeline, you should know we're ready for grandchildren."
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)He interlaced their fingers the way he always did and squeezed. "That's right. It's economics."
- Blurbers
- Lauren, Christina; Feehan, Christine; Krentz, Jayne Ann; Singh, Nalini; Douglas, Penelope
- Original language
- English
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- 10 — Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Romanian, Spanish, Swedish, Portuguese (Portugal)
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- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
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