THE HEART PRINCIPLE is the third book in The Kiss Quotient series by Helen Hoang. I've all three of these books and feel that readers can enjoy each of them without reading the others.
These three books each follow three different couples, with one person in each pairing on the Autism spectrum. Another common thread in the books is that the male main characters are related to each other. They rarely appear in the present story's narrative, and when they do show up, it's not necessarily a part of the dominant storyline.
In THE HEART PRINCIPLE, per the author's note, this story has more of her personal experiences woven in the lead character. We follow the life of Anna and how she struggles with perfection and the way of life her family has prescribed for her.
From the start, we watch Anna see-saw between how she wants to be and how she is supposed to live, in every aspect of her life. It's two steps ahead and one step back for her, from the classical music she plays on her violin to her family-approved boyfriend. Against all odds, she somehow manages to seek help to understand and take steps towards being how she wants.
On the way, readers are introduced to the not-so-right for her boyfriend, who gives her a chance to finally try something different with her life. This brings in Quan, who is set up to be her hook-up date. This is where things start to go terribly wrong and are bad before they get good for Anna and Quan...
I absolutely loved Quan and wanted so much more of him throughout the story, but still loved him. I'd love to say Quan is not perfect, however from the little we have of him in the story, he simply wins your heart. He is brilliant in his interactions with Anna, and has his own reasons for keeping his guard up. Still, he is caring, loving, and understanding at the start of their relationship.
Anna is a character who will not win your heart immediately, but as your read and understand what she is made of, you will like her. I did appreciate Anna's character and could understand what was happening to her especially on the family front.
End of the day, THE HEART PRINCIPLE is a story of a couple, both with some medical conditions and family obstacles, as they get together and settle in their relationship. If you have read the previous books by Helen Hoang, you will like this one too.
Helen Hoang takes us through the characters' journeys in a straightforward, simple manner which somehow also makes us feel the complexities they have. If you enjoy non-fussy, low-drama stories, pick up THE HEART PRINCIPLE and enjoy the beauty and charm of the characters, especially Quan. which is Quan.
From the author of The Kiss Quotient, a witty and sizzling novel that shows how wrong you can be about someone ... and how right they can be for you.
To most, Quan is a surly, underachieving playboy. Anna dislikes him, or so she tells herself. She will never admit that she harbours a secret crush on Quan, especially because he only has eyes for her charismatic younger sister Camilla.
Now, with her sister's engagement on the line, Anna must bury her anxieties and overcome her OCD to try and seduce Quan and save her Camilla's marriage.
But when Quan discovers Anna's true intentions, he's forced to confront his own hurtful past and learn to forgive, while Anna must face her greatest challenge: truly opening herself up to love.