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tine9625's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Death of parent
entiresunset's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Wow. I can only say wow.
This book turned out to be so much more than I expected. Being a part of the Kissing Quotient series I expected this to be also about an autistic protagonist trying to find love and struggling but this was just so much more complex and also darker as I expected.
First of all I absolutely adored Annas and Quans love story. The way Quan was so patient and kind and loving with Anna right away melted my heart. The way their struggles matched another and made them both able to help each other moved me.
This was not just a story of lust, crushes and passion. It was that too but mainly it was a story of trust, commitment and deep love. And also a story of tragedy, loss and grief.
I loved to see Annas Story arch. It was so complex and multi layered. I liked the fact that she didnt just miraculously healed and felt better just cause everything between her and Quan was resolved.
I loved how the author was able to portray mental health struggles in such a respectful but still impactful and real manner. So many times I just wanted to hug Anna and tell her that everything is gonna be okay.
Im impressed how the author always manages to create sucht complex and loving relationships in her books with autistic protagonists while still not making their autism the center of their character.
And the sex scenes? I love how they are always the right mixture of sexual tension, spice but also based on consent and love.
This book turned out to be so much more than I expected. Being a part of the Kissing Quotient series I expected this to be also about an autistic protagonist trying to find love and struggling but this was just so much more complex and also darker as I expected.
First of all I absolutely adored Annas and Quans love story. The way Quan was so patient and kind and loving with Anna right away melted my heart. The way their struggles matched another and made them both able to help each other moved me.
This was not just a story of lust, crushes and passion. It was that too but mainly it was a story of trust, commitment and deep love. And also a story of tragedy, loss and grief.
I loved to see Annas Story arch. It was so complex and multi layered. I liked the fact that she didnt just miraculously healed and felt better just cause everything between her and Quan was resolved.
I loved how the author was able to portray mental health struggles in such a respectful but still impactful and real manner. So many times I just wanted to hug Anna and tell her that everything is gonna be okay.
Im impressed how the author always manages to create sucht complex and loving relationships in her books with autistic protagonists while still not making their autism the center of their character.
And the sex scenes? I love how they are always the right mixture of sexual tension, spice but also based on consent and love.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Death of parent
elle_bright's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Chronic illness, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Death of parent
leximoonbeam's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book absolutely gutted me. I don't have autism but I felt Anna's exhaustion from masking and burnout in my chest, because that is how elegant a writer Helen is. The truth of this book is that there is a line where you have to recognize your own brain and body's limits, or else your brain and body will tell you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
annaonthepage's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism
Minor: Cancer, Mental illness, and Death of parent
Brief mentions of mental ill health and cancer as things the characters have survived so has a hopeful angle. Disablism in the form of scathing dismissal by a family member of a late diagnosis of autism in the protagonist. Slight infantilisation of protagonist throughout, through the voice acting and through the dialogue and action.penn_and_paper's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness and Death of parent
0live_tr33's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Death of parent
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
annadelreads's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
“Just because something isn't perfect doesn't mean we need to throw it away.”
Okay this book I definitely forgot was a part of an interconnected stand-alone series. I did read The Kiss Quotient, which I looooove so much and would definitely need a reread. So it was a shock for me and immediately thought - "Hmmmm. This guys sounds familiar."
This book is a quick read but definitely not for me. I don't really love insta-love and this book screams that. I would have loved to see a bit more falling in love or simply just liking one another. Especially for Quan, it was like he just fell so deeply without looking back. One moment they were textmates - then met up - then immediately can't stop thinking about her and would do everything for her.
I did love the story of Anna (lowkey I forgot we have the same name lol) and her family. It shows how people doubts your condition. It was so hard for her to tell them about her diagnosis so when she actually did tell them, they simply chose not to believe her. I can't relate to her but Helen Hoang wrote it in a way that I felt it with Anna. You really can't blame her for being her because nobody diagnosed you at a young age so you thought what you were doing was the right thing - but the right thing was for you to just be yourself. Helen really wrote this book just to show that and if you want to understand more, this would be a good read. I would read it for the additional knowledge but not for the romance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Death of parent
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Grief
Minor: Bullying
nutmegandselkie's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Sexual content, Medical content, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Cancer and Mental illness
sas_lk's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This was definitely my favourite of the entire series. Anna and Quan felt so real to me, and their problems felt like they were my own, even though I can't really relate much to either.
In this novel, Hoang discusses something that I very rarely see discussed in books and that is being diagnosed and coming to terms with it. Most books I read, the characters usually already have the diagnosis and most people around them know about it already. But in this novel, Anna has no idea in the beginning, and you follow her coming to terms with it and having to "come out" to her family and friends. Big trigger warning for the discreditation of one's own experience and diagnosis.
Hoang also touches on sexual insecurities and coming to terms with your own body and loving it as it is after sickness, as Quan is.
Helen Hoang is a very good writer and she's been a big part of my understanding of the autism spectrum - specifically autism with low support needs. Although I know that everyone on the autism spectrum is different, Hoang truly makes you feel like you are in their heads, and feeling their emotions.
These topics were so important and I highly recommend this series if you're looking for a romance with heavier topics.
In this novel, Hoang discusses something that I very rarely see discussed in books and that is being diagnosed and coming to terms with it. Most books I read, the characters usually already have the diagnosis and most people around them know about it already. But in this novel, Anna has no idea in the beginning, and you follow her coming to terms with it and having to "come out" to her family and friends. Big trigger warning for the discreditation of one's own experience and diagnosis.
Hoang also touches on sexual insecurities and coming to terms with your own body and loving it as it is after sickness, as Quan is.
Helen Hoang is a very good writer and she's been a big part of my understanding of the autism spectrum - specifically autism with low support needs. Although I know that everyone on the autism spectrum is different, Hoang truly makes you feel like you are in their heads, and feeling their emotions.
These topics were so important and I highly recommend this series if you're looking for a romance with heavier topics.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Death of parent
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Body shaming and Cancer