Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
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." - Goodreads
Review:
More great writing by Helen Hoang! I sped through this book, in part, because I was really rooting for Esme. From the first scene, I felt her love for her family and knew that she was going to be a fighter. Khai was a bit harder for me to connect with because of a few outbursts. I'm a bit sensitive to men's outbursts as I'm often worried it will escalate to abuse. However, this was not the case!
While the story was just as intricate as The Kiss Quotient, there were a few things that drove my rating down by a star:
-The last few chapters felt a bit like the author was trying to tie up loose ends quickly which made the situation with Esme's family more awkward. I would have liked to see more of Khai interacting with her daughter and family.
-I wanted some more time spent on Esme in school and her dad.
Hoang's notes at the end of each book really make them personal and I love them! She's vulnerable and honest.
Verdict:
I recommend this book to the same folks who liked The Kiss Quotient!