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lateseptemberdawn · 1 year

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“But what about love? Love mattered, and no one could love her baby like Mỹ could. No one. She felt it in her heart.”

The Bride Test, Helen Hoang

#the bride test #helen hoang #arranged marriage #bookstagram #books #books and reading #romance books #book quote #book review #books & libraries

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lexxwithbooks · 2 years

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📖: 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝑻𝒆𝒔𝒕 (𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐾𝑖𝑠𝑠 𝑄𝑢𝑜𝑡𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡 #2) 🛬🥭🪴

✍🏽: 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐇𝐨𝐚𝐧𝐠

Get the book! 🌟

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realife-mermaid · 1 year

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Quan, enjoying his morning and happily answering the phone when his beloved baby brother calls him: heyyyyyyy what’s up?

khai, already outside his house: 🧍🏾

#PLEASE THEY ARE SO FUNNY #the bride test #kassie speaks into the void #helen hoang #there’s like something u can say for khai being comfortable enough to not mask as much around quan #and it’s very sweet but it also leads to khai showing up at 7:30 am at quan’s house completely unannounced and quan just rolls with it aksjd

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theblasianwitch · 2 years

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Been a while since I finished an entire series, but oh my god do I love this series. And now I shall do a one sentence summary of each book.

Kiss Quotient: A well known business woman with high level autism hires a male escort to train herself to get use to being touched in order to try and have a normal relationship.

Bride Test: A grandmother arranges a marriage for her grandson with high functioning autism to the first woman who was kind to her on her vacation.

Heart Principle: A struggling music prodigy starts therapy and finds out shes autistic but shes been masking it her entire life around her family ends up dating a guy completely against her family's wishes.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS SERIES FOR EVERYONE

#book reccs #best seller books #book recs 2022 #helen hoang #the kiss quotient #the bride test #the heart principle #bipoc authors #asian authors #asian american authors #twilight academia #shadow academia

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diaryoftruequotes · 10 months

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How did you change your life when you were trapped like this? Her history didn't define her. Her origins didn't define her. At least, they shouldn't. She could be more, if she had a chance. Helen Hoang, The Bride Test

#book quotes #quotes #Helen Hoang #The Bride Test

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deiumjeito · 2 years

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aesthetic | The Bride Test - Helen Hoang

#books #aesthetic #helen hoang #the bride test

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heyyyharry · 2 years

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1. THE HEART PRINCIPLE by Helen Hoang

When her boyfriend decides he wants an open relationship, Anna Sun, who is tired of pleasing everyone but herself, goes on a dating app and meets Quan Diep. What was supposed to be a no-strings-attached one-night stand, however, turns into a tangled tapestry of heady makeout sessions, watching animal documentaries together, and divulging the kinds of secrets that border on couple territory.

2. ALL THE MURMURING BONES by A.G Slatter

Long ago Miren O'Malley's family prospered due to a deal struck with the mer: safety for their ships in return for a child of each generation. But for many years the family have been unable to keep their side of the bargain and have fallen into decline. Miren's grandmother is determined to restore their glory, even at the price of Miren's freedom.

A spellbinding tale of dark family secrets, magic and witches, and creatures of myth and the sea; of strong women and the men who seek to control them.

3. THE BOOK OF LOST THINGS by John Connolly

As twelve-year-old David takes refuge from his grief in the myths and fairytales so beloved of his dead mother, he finds the real world and the fantasy world begin to blend. That is when bad things start to happen. That is when the Crooked Man comes. And David is violently propelled into a land populated by heroes, wolves and monsters, his quest to find the legendary Book of Lost Things.

Read reviews here

#All The Murmuring Bones is the best book I’ve read this year so far #ya fantasy #ya books #sirens #mermaids #book rec #book recommendation #book recs #book recommendations #ya novels #the heart principle #helen hoang #the kiss quotient #the bride test #ag slatter #angela slatter #the book of lost things #john connolly #bookstagram

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milfreads · 1 year

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The Bride Test

5/5 stars ★★★★★

SPOILER WARNING

First 5/5 stars of 2023 and very well deserved. I loved everything about this book. When I read The Kiss Quotient in 2022 I instantly fell in love with it and I was expecting the same when I picked up this book, and that’s exactly what I got. I loved learning about Khaki and his thought process and being able to glimpse into the life of someone with Aspergers and their mind. Esme was so strong, balancing coming to a new country and being supposed to make this man she doesn’t even know fall in love with her and studying in school and missing her family and her daughter while also hunting for her father that she never met. I love her and Khai so much. The way he’s so in love with her without realizing until the end, the small touches. The whole part where she was cutting his hair and he was teaching her how to touch him was just perfect. This whole book. Also the fact that she was his first time :0 and seeing him work through what intimacy is and how she would communicate with him and teach him. Him trying to hide the fact that he’s heartbroken then coming to discover that he was, was absolutely perfect. When he couldn’t tell her he loved her too 3 different times throughout the book broke me but when he finally came to terms with it and confessed and told her made everything put me back together again. This book was so amazing

Quotes

“It was just the two of them here. Just the moon and just the ocean, and the sand and the music, and two hearts beating”

“He didn’t know how to explain himself, he just needed to be by her side”

“He liked this, the snuggling, her smiles, the fact that she helped him be there for her”

“You can look at me however you like, I don’t mind it. Goodbye Ahn Khai”

tropes: forced proximity, “arranged” marriage, single parent, grumpy sunshine, book bfs, angst, I hate everyone but you

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justapayneaway · 2 years

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This week I’m reviewing The Bride Test by Helen Hoang 💫

Follow me on IG at @ritasbookclub for more content!

#the bride test #helen hoang #rita's book club #book #bookclub #the kiss quotient #I really loved this #it's so sweet and lovely #my covid book

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reverie-quotes · 2 years

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There was no Khải, no Cô Nga, no Mom, no Grandma, no Jade, no one. Just Esme. And she had nowhere to go. There was a great big world all around, and none of it was hers. Where did you go when you had nowhere?

— Helen Hoang, The Bride Test

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heloisedaphnebrightmore · 1 year

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The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang is this year's biggest disappointment for me! (No Spoiler!)

‘Heloise the book addict’ masterlist | Heloise’s map

I don't like to be mean about books because I understand everyone has a different perspective when reading and we all have different taste, but damn, I was more disappointed in The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang than the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas which says a lot, because that was a huge let down for me.

Now I'm not saying it's a bad series, because it isn't. I liked the first and second books, The Kiss Quotient and The Bride Test, both got 4 stars from me. But my excitement for finally reading Quan's story got trampled on so hard I could not have predicted it even if I wanted to.

I'm still absolutely fuming!

Apparently Anna is a loose portrayal of Helen, or so she said at the end of the book. Part of me didn't want to say anything, since the author compared herself to the character and I feel like it would be a personal attack, even though it wouldn't. But another part of me knows that this was only a contemporary fiction book and I have every right to rant about a character.

So, to clear it up, I will indeed be ranting about Anna and her relationship with Quan, because this man deserved the world and she didn't give it.

I was— I am— I have been so furious with Anna, I can't even put it into words. She has had a hard life, noone is questioning that, nor would I ever dare so, because people go through similar situations, similar life experiences all the time and I can't even understand half of what hardships they have to overcome. However, I expected a romance book with obstacles that our FMC, Anna, and our MMC, Quan, would have to overcome to be able to get/stay together.

That was not the case!

I have read 300+ pages about our MMC, Quan, struggling with "something" (no spoiler!) that has fundamentally changed him not only physically but mentally and emotionally, only for him to give everything he could to our FMC, Anna, and get back nothing! He has given love, care, support, kindness, understanding, an endless list, only for our "dear" Anna to give back nothing. Not a bloody thing.

*Okay, let's take a breather, I'm not supposed to be this emotional over fictional characters!*

By all means, people go through hardships, in and out of relationships. It's completely normal. But! But for 300+ pages I read nothing but how Quan has given himself fully to Anna, only for her to just accept it all, but not give back a thing. Nothing. Zero. Nada. And no (to those who read it) even her "redemption arc" could not save her for me. That was just a low excuse to show that she could be vulnerable and trusting.

No! No! Not good enough! This woman has been leaning on Quan's shoulder about everything. We know she could be trusting and vulnerable. I understand it was supposed to show that she was completely opening up to Quan, but no, I can't accept that. That man was giving Anna everything. EVERYTHING! Only for this woman to take, take, take and if I wasn't clear enough, TAKE!

I can't decide if I hated Anna, or I didn't like that Helen wrote Quan's struggles as if they were nothing. Or possibly both. I feel like Quan needed the same amount of support (his whole damn life changed!) but all attention was on Anna. Anna who was incapable of giving any of the care, love, support and understanding to Quan that she got.

*Deep breath!*

I understand this is a controversial opinion, and I also get that we won't agree on this, but Quan was struggling just as much as Anna and throughout the whole book, his struggles were only mentioned, whilst Anna was made out to be someone I was supposed to feel sorry for or empathise with. I couldn't. I understand her autism played a part in her behaviour, but in the previous two books we didn't have this issue. In this book the focus was on Anna so much that Quan's just as real struggles were pushed aside and I can't accept that. Quan deserved so much more! Whether he could have had someone else or Anna should have worked so damn hard, 100x harder than what she did as a dumb "redemption" that was just a damn cop-out.

If I offended someone I'm really sorry, but this really provoked my patience.

#heloise the book addict #heloise reads #helen hoang #the heart principle #the kiss quotient #the bride test #bookblr #bookish #books #bookstagram #booktok #booktwt #bookworm #book review #bookish rant #book rant

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maiahiraya · 3 years

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REVIEW: The Bride Test by Helen Hoang

DATE STARTED: 22 September 2022 DATE FINISHED: 23 September 2023 RATING: 5 / 5

I loved The Kiss Quotient so much that I knew I had to read this immediately… despite saying that I’d just do so by Saturday… and I’m just happy I did!

I fell in love with Michael & Stella in book 1, and so I had high expectations for this, too. And you’d know just by looking at my rating that Helen Hoang did NOT disappoint!

Esme and Khai are just so… precious. 😭 I love them both so much, and I really enjoyed their individual characters. Esme/My, whose story was loosely based on Hoang’s own mother’s, is just so well-written. With her flaws & perfections, innate & acquired personalities, and in-depth character… oh, chef’s kiss! She’s a baddie, but also with a big heart. She would do anything for Jade and proved it by coming to great lengths (also known as flying to the other side of the world) to give her a father and a complete family. I also love how despite her insecurities and self-doubts, she continued to pursue adult school and then college not just for herself or for Khai but also to be an inspiration to Jade.

Khai, on the other hand, is also a well-built character on his own. Hoang, yet again, introduced another autistic character to the world, and she wrote him so wonderfully. After reading Stella, I now have a rough understanding of the soft complexities of autistic people. But Hoang introduced another angle at this by writing Khai. Right off the bat, I already saw how he — a male autistic person — was so different from Stella — a female autistic person. Where Stella hid her autism from Michael because of her fear of being boxed by her ‘labels,’ Khai, on the other hand, was straightforward in informing Esme that he’s autistic. He was so honest in saying what he doesn’t like — being touched lightly — and what he does. I also love how far off Khai had been in the end compared to the first few chapters. I saw his struggles with his character development, and I’m just so satisfied with how he came to be at peace with himself in the end.

Esme and Khai’s relationship, now this I absolutely loved! Esme was just so perfect for Khai and him for her. She’s the sun to his moon, the soft to his hard, the sound to his silence, and movement to his stagnation. They complemented each other so wonderfully that I just found the miscommunications between them so funny (sometimes borderline on frustrating too, haha). I also love how Khai guided Esme on his preferences (laying her hand on his own skin to let her know what pressure to put; telling her how he did not like the changes she did in his house, among others), and how Esme also did the same (evident in how she told him to put his hand on the small of her back; how she grabbed his arm and put it around her to show him that she likes him to hug her, etc.). The development of their relationship made me laugh & swoon & maybe a little sad — but I can’t deny that their ending with little Jade was just too wholesome! <3

Now, now… Quan. Oh, my freaking gods, Quan! I already loved him so much in the first book, and to say that I fell more for him in here was an understatement. Please!!! He’s just so perfect a brother to Khai! He’s so sweet and caring and soft despite his façade. I absolutely love how he helped Khai with his morning-after problem with Esme, how he helped him realize that he was indeed in love, how gentle he still came off in explaining and making Khai understand that all of Khai’s self-depreciation was not because of his autism, but because of his guilt over Andy’s death. Please, I literally shed tears when Khai finally came to terms with this.

Moreover, I also love Quan’s established relationship with Esme. How he seriously considered marrying her for her citizenship, how he did not judge Esme when she told him of Jade, and even was supportive of her with her love for Khai. He was the perfect support system for someone who was so down because of his brother. He knew Esme’s who Khai needed, and until the end, he was willing to be used like that if it’s what it takes for Khai to melt. Aaa 🥺

Overall, this book is just so perfect! Helen Hoang captured my heart yet again, and I can’t wait to finally meet Quan in his own story. <3

#maiahiraya 2021 reads #maiahiraya reviews #helen hoang #the bride test #book review

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anotherenglishmajorxo · 2 years

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Finished up The Bride Test. Did I cry? Yop. Is KhaiEsme my fave ship right next to MichaelStella? Also yes. Do I want them to get married soon??? Hell yeah-after Esme gets done with her education (or before that). Also I need more daddy!Khai taking care of Jade please and thank you.

#booklr #the bride test #helen hoang #khaiesme

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thebitchthatiam · 2 years

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It’s like you hurt too much for your brain to process, and then your body shuts down, too.

#helen hoang #the bride test #khai #its flu

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bookishlyread · 2 months

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A heart is drawn around your name: Read a romance

-The Bride Test by Helen Hoang

#bookishlyread #2024 reading #A heart is drawn around your name #The Bride Test #Helen Hoang #book #booklr

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ihatetbrlists · 3 months

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Rewiew #30: The Bride Test

The Bride Test, by Helen Hoang

From my TBR? No but it's kind of from my mental TBR soooo...?

Second novel in the contemporary romance series The Kiss Quotient.

Unusually for me, I read this second volume without having read the first. I like to go in chronological order, but I was like "screw it, I want to read a modern mail-order-bride now" so I did.

The story is about a poor and uneducated Vietnamese woman who suddenly gets the opportunity to spend a summer in the US trying to convince a second-generation autistic Vietnamese man who doesn't want to get married to marry her. Basically, his mom spots her cleaning toilets and thinks she is perfect. I'm not kidding, that's the first chapter.

Now, if you want to read about The Yearning, this book is for you. So much physical yearning on the part of the hero, it was insane. He is SO sexually frustrated at the beginning. But their relationship didn't develop much further than physicality, in my opinion. It felt like they were put together by the circumstances and were like "meh, the sex is super hot and living in the US is cool so I guess we'll get married". The firs time he sees her, the Hero literally describes her as having a stripper body.

When he is not having lecherous thoughts, I found the Hero to be likeable. I enjoyed his journey to self-discovery through grief and unlocking past trauma but the Heroine was paper thin. She goes on and on about how unprivileged she is back in Vietnam and she is so stupid she couldn't even complete high school etc etc. I suppose that was her arch but it didn't rock my boat at all.

Why and some spoilers and the final verdict under the cut:

The main conflict during the story's climax is that she wants him to say he loves her. But he thinks that being autistic means being incapable of love so he sternly refuses. But as I was reading that particular dialogue, I couldn't help but think: ok but what if he is aromantic. What then? What if he cares about you like if you were his family but he just doesn't feel romantic love. What then? You would throw your whole relationship away because of that? Why??

This woman literally thinks "I can see that he loves me from his actions but I want to hear him say it". Again, why?

There were also a couple of absolutely unhinged moments. At one point they attend a banquet. The heroine wanders into one of the dressing rooms for the bridal party and sees the Vera Want wedding dress hanging there. After checking that no one is around, she completely undresses, remaining in only her panties, because she wants to try it on. What decent person would ever do that?? Try a stranger's wedding dress at their own wedding? What?? It felt like a cheap way to have the hero barge in, see her in Deshabille and get The Yearning going again.

Also, I didn't mention it before because it's not really relevant but the heroine has a child back in Vietnam. She keeps this hidden from the hero until literally the last scene and then he is like "no probs". Like, I would at least have some questions.

Verdict: The plot is overall frustrating but The Yearning and Sexual Tension makes up for... some of it.

#the bride test #helen hoang #bookblr #book review #booklr #books #romance #romance novel

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