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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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Stella is an econometrician with Asperger's who'd rather spend her weekends at work than go on dates. However, her mother keeps setting her up with people and making noises about wanting grandchildren, so Stella tries to accommodate her. A comment from a coworker prompts her to decide that the solution to her problem (getting and keeping a satisfactory guy) is for her to become better at sex, so she does some research, finds a well-rated escort service, and sets up an appointment with Michael, figuring that it'd be best for her to learn from a professional.
One day a week, Michael has sex with women in order to pay his mom's medical bills. Neither his family nor his friends know what he's doing, and he wants to keep it that way. Stella show more is a surprise, though - he finds himself genuinely attracted to her and baffled at her request for instruction on being better at sex. He figures he can at least show her a good time and soon finds himself throwing his usual "no repeat appointments" rule out the window.
I was initially going to skip this book, since what I really wanted to read was the second book in this series, The Bride Test, which stars Khai, Michael's autistic cousin. However, I guilt-tripped myself into reading the series in order, and I'm glad I did, because The Kiss Quotient was much more enjoyable than I expected it to be.
I am painfully aware that my description of the book, now that I've read it, still doesn't sound particularly appealing to me. It makes no sense, especially considering that one of the first things I did after finishing this was turn right back to Chapter 2 and reread my favorite parts of the book, which were pretty much any scene involving both Stella and Michael. Even if I can't figure out the right way to describe it, this was such an enjoyable read.
One of the things I was initially worried about was that Stella would come across as sex averse, "cured" by Michael's talent in bed. A warning, as far as this aspect goes: Stella wasn't sex averse so much as dealing with the trauma of having rapey dates force themselves on her (one of the reasons I began my reread with Chapter 2 rather than Chapter 1, although there's an on-page forced kiss later in the book). She didn't recognize what her previous dates did as rape and instead figured that her experiences were terrible because of something she was doing wrong. Michael thankfully had a much better grasp of consent than Stella's past dates.
I loved how into Stella Michael was right from the start. Still, this didn't mean things went 100% smoothly for them, and both of them spent a large chunk of the book worried that the other person wouldn't love them if they knew everything about them. Stella didn't tell Michael she had Asperger's, which turned into a bit of an issue when they started going on dates - at one point she had sensory overload but still didn't want to tell him why she'd suddenly needed to leave, and her first time meeting Michael's family was horrible. It was a relief whenStella went to apologize and everyone was willing to try a fresh start.
Michael, meanwhile, had some emotional issues related to his dad. While I could sort of understand why he was so hung up on that, the more he and Stella got to know each other, the more frustrating his worries became. I seriously doubt his father worried about hurting and using people to the degree that Michael worried about potentially doing it, so he was already a few steps ahead there.
There were a few things I thought would be issues that just...weren't. Like Stella's very expensiveeffort to take some worries off of Michael's shoulders (maybe the fact that it wasn't just centered on him made it less shocking and grand gesture-ish?). Or some of the things Michael did when he learned Stella was autistic and she still didn't know he knew. They were good and helpful things, but still - she was so adamant about people not changing things to accommodate her that I thought she'd react more when she finally found out he knew.
I just realized I never mentioned this, but Michael is half Vietnamese (his mother) and half Swedish (his father). Except for the first visit, I enjoyed Stella's interactions with Michael's family, and I thought her efforts at proper home-visiting etiquette were sweet. That said, I thought it was a bit odd how not awkward Michael's "be honest, you're a K-drama fan who picked me because I look like Daniel Henney" moment with Stella was, because it really felt like it should have been awkward. I think that's part of why I spent a good chunk of the book assuming Stella was also Asian, but apparently she wasn't?
I wasn't going to read the next book before writing this review, but then I downloaded Book 2 so I'd have something to read during bad weather and my willpower evaporated. Individually, the characters in that book worked better for me, although I still prefer the romance in The Kiss Quotient. I wish my library had the third book, but it's looking like I may have to buy that myself - since I suspect I'll enjoy it at least as much as the first two, that's not necessarily a bad thing. The ladies' man types are not normally my thing, but Quan is the best older brother and I suspect he'll be a wonderful romance hero.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.) show less
One day a week, Michael has sex with women in order to pay his mom's medical bills. Neither his family nor his friends know what he's doing, and he wants to keep it that way. Stella show more is a surprise, though - he finds himself genuinely attracted to her and baffled at her request for instruction on being better at sex. He figures he can at least show her a good time and soon finds himself throwing his usual "no repeat appointments" rule out the window.
I was initially going to skip this book, since what I really wanted to read was the second book in this series, The Bride Test, which stars Khai, Michael's autistic cousin. However, I guilt-tripped myself into reading the series in order, and I'm glad I did, because The Kiss Quotient was much more enjoyable than I expected it to be.
I am painfully aware that my description of the book, now that I've read it, still doesn't sound particularly appealing to me. It makes no sense, especially considering that one of the first things I did after finishing this was turn right back to Chapter 2 and reread my favorite parts of the book, which were pretty much any scene involving both Stella and Michael. Even if I can't figure out the right way to describe it, this was such an enjoyable read.
One of the things I was initially worried about was that Stella would come across as sex averse, "cured" by Michael's talent in bed. A warning, as far as this aspect goes: Stella wasn't sex averse so much as dealing with the trauma of having rapey dates force themselves on her (one of the reasons I began my reread with Chapter 2 rather than Chapter 1, although there's an on-page forced kiss later in the book). She didn't recognize what her previous dates did as rape and instead figured that her experiences were terrible because of something she was doing wrong. Michael thankfully had a much better grasp of consent than Stella's past dates.
I loved how into Stella Michael was right from the start. Still, this didn't mean things went 100% smoothly for them, and both of them spent a large chunk of the book worried that the other person wouldn't love them if they knew everything about them. Stella didn't tell Michael she had Asperger's, which turned into a bit of an issue when they started going on dates - at one point she had sensory overload but still didn't want to tell him why she'd suddenly needed to leave, and her first time meeting Michael's family was horrible. It was a relief when
Michael, meanwhile, had some emotional issues related to his dad. While I could sort of understand why he was so hung up on that, the more he and Stella got to know each other, the more frustrating his worries became. I seriously doubt his father worried about hurting and using people to the degree that Michael worried about potentially doing it, so he was already a few steps ahead there.
There were a few things I thought would be issues that just...weren't. Like Stella's very expensive
I just realized I never mentioned this, but Michael is half Vietnamese (his mother) and half Swedish (his father). Except for the first visit, I enjoyed Stella's interactions with Michael's family, and I thought her efforts at proper home-visiting etiquette were sweet. That said, I thought it was a bit odd how not awkward Michael's "be honest, you're a K-drama fan who picked me because I look like Daniel Henney" moment with Stella was, because it really felt like it should have been awkward. I think that's part of why I spent a good chunk of the book assuming Stella was also Asian, but apparently she wasn't?
I wasn't going to read the next book before writing this review, but then I downloaded Book 2 so I'd have something to read during bad weather and my willpower evaporated. Individually, the characters in that book worked better for me, although I still prefer the romance in The Kiss Quotient. I wish my library had the third book, but it's looking like I may have to buy that myself - since I suspect I'll enjoy it at least as much as the first two, that's not necessarily a bad thing. The ladies' man types are not normally my thing, but Quan is the best older brother and I suspect he'll be a wonderful romance hero.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.) show less
WHOA! This is a whole lot spicier than I was expecting -- made for a very uncomfortable reading experience when smushed between two 50-something year old dudes on an airplane. HOWEVER, my expectations for a light-romance does not mean this disappointed.
This is a fun, contemporary romance with wonderfully unique characters. It follows the traditional romance plotting, but includes a non-white romantic interest and a nontraditional leading lady. I really loved it.
If you like Sarah MacLean - read this book. If you like The Rosie Project - yep, you might just like this one, too.
This is a fun, contemporary romance with wonderfully unique characters. It follows the traditional romance plotting, but includes a non-white romantic interest and a nontraditional leading lady. I really loved it.
If you like Sarah MacLean - read this book. If you like The Rosie Project - yep, you might just like this one, too.
I received a free ebook copy of The Kiss Quotient from NetGalley in exchange for feedback and an honest review.
The Kiss Quotient is a truly sweet romance. Stella, an autistic woman and econometrician, hires an escort to teach her how to be a better sexual partner (i.e. her past sexual partners were just bad). He just happens to be the man of her dreams, and vice versa, because this is a romance novel. That's not a complaint: I really did enjoy this book, and rooted for Stella and Michael the whole time. I may be a flagrant lesbian, but even I can see the appeal of a tattooed Swedish/Vietnamese clothing designer and martial artist with an eight pack. And Stella? She's a dreamboat, and utterly relatable to me. They're perfect for each show more other: the end.
All else aside, I was really happy with how much verbal consent there was in this romance. Stella's journey to sexual (and otherwise) fulfillment is a bumpy road, and Michael makes it clear that he is not interested in sex without enthusiastic consent. Thank you, please! Additionally, he loves Stella for who she is: amazing. There really is a low bar for people, but Michael is a really great character. His family is lovely, as well, and bring a lot of color to this novel. This was a refreshing, cheering read; do recommend. show less
The Kiss Quotient is a truly sweet romance. Stella, an autistic woman and econometrician, hires an escort to teach her how to be a better sexual partner (i.e. her past sexual partners were just bad). He just happens to be the man of her dreams, and vice versa, because this is a romance novel. That's not a complaint: I really did enjoy this book, and rooted for Stella and Michael the whole time. I may be a flagrant lesbian, but even I can see the appeal of a tattooed Swedish/Vietnamese clothing designer and martial artist with an eight pack. And Stella? She's a dreamboat, and utterly relatable to me. They're perfect for each show more other: the end.
All else aside, I was really happy with how much verbal consent there was in this romance. Stella's journey to sexual (and otherwise) fulfillment is a bumpy road, and Michael makes it clear that he is not interested in sex without enthusiastic consent. Thank you, please! Additionally, he loves Stella for who she is: amazing. There really is a low bar for people, but Michael is a really great character. His family is lovely, as well, and bring a lot of color to this novel. This was a refreshing, cheering read; do recommend. show less
Econometrician Stella Lane with Asperger's thinks she needs to learn how to perform better sexually in order to date, marry and give her mother the grandchildren she just asked for. Her 3 past sexual encounters have been disasters. Her solution is to hire an escort to teach her. Enter Michael, beautiful man of Vietnamese and Swedish descent, with a load of problems and back story. He agrees to 3 sessions which he feels will get her started. Needless to say things don't go as planned and things go longer and outside of their simple sessions. I loved this book. Both characters are so needy and have just what the other needs, they just need to learn to communicate. The story is definitely explicit but with such a loving undertone.
Finally, a romance with a male lead who isn't a giant overbearing boundary-crossing jerk! This was cute with likeable characters and a sweet romantic buildup that focused very heavily on consent and taking your own time. At the very end I didn't like how Michael teetered a teensy bit toward some questionable persistence, but it worked out, they communicated, and I will definitely be reading the next book.
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
I have been postponing The Kiss Quotient ever since I got dragged back into reading hell. I would like to smack myself across the face. A large thwack. A painful wallop to the back of my head. Once I started, I couldn't stop reading.
Stella and Michael's relationship was both spicy and wholesome at the same time. One minute I was swooning from how kind and considerate Michael was, and one moment later, I went: wait a minute. hold on. i'm not prepared for the heat??? (I loved it.)
Michael's one of the types of male leads that I love. Sweet, sincere. I also loved how Stella adored her work and found a home in it. Stella's mom? Gold. There was this one moment I went yes, go fuck him up, miss stella's mom! when Philip and Stella's dad acted show more like elitist idiots.
It was a fluffy, heart-racing, light read. I enjoyed it very much after three back-to-back tearjerkers! show less
Stella and Michael's relationship was both spicy and wholesome at the same time. One minute I was swooning from how kind and considerate Michael was, and one moment later, I went: wait a minute. hold on. i'm not prepared for the heat??? (I loved it.)
Michael's one of the types of male leads that I love. Sweet, sincere. I also loved how Stella adored her work and found a home in it. Stella's mom? Gold. There was this one moment I went yes, go fuck him up, miss stella's mom! when Philip and Stella's dad acted show more like elitist idiots.
It was a fluffy, heart-racing, light read. I enjoyed it very much after three back-to-back tearjerkers! 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
- ISBNs
- 54
- ASINs
- 10