Mʏ Bᴏᴏᴋ Rᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ:

Fɪʀsᴛ...

1. Tʜɪs ᴡᴀs ᴍʏ Fɪʀsᴛ Hᴇʟᴇɴ Hᴏᴀɴɢ ʙᴏᴏᴋ.

2. Tʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴀᴜᴛɪsᴛɪᴄ- ɪ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ ᴛʜɪs ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʙᴇ sᴏ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴇsᴛɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴀɴ ɪᴛ ʜᴀs ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴡʀɪᴛᴛᴇɴ ᴀs. I ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴇ Fᴇᴍᴀʟᴇ Dᴏɴ Fʀᴏᴍ Tʜᴇ Rᴏsɪᴇ Eғғᴇᴄᴛ.

3. I ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴜɴʟᴇss ɪᴛ ɪs ʜɪsᴛᴏʀɪᴄᴀʟ ᴛᴏᴏ ᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ɪs ᴄᴏᴍᴇᴅʏ ɪɴᴠᴏʟᴠᴇᴅ. I ᴅɪᴅɴ’ᴛ ʀᴇᴀʟɪsᴇ ᴛʜɪs ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴡᴀs ɴᴏᴛ ᴀ Rᴏᴍ-Cᴏᴍ.

4. I ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ʜᴀᴛᴇ ᴏɴ Qᴜɪʀᴋʏ Fᴇᴍᴀʟᴇ Cʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs. I ʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴇ ᴡᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ᴀʟʟ ᴀ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ǫᴜɪʀᴋʏ ɪɴ ᴏᴜʀ ᴏᴡɴ ᴡᴀʏ. (Aɴɴᴀ ᴛᴀʟᴋs ᴛᴏ ᴍᴜsɪᴄ sᴛᴀɴᴅs. I’ᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴋɴᴏᴡɴ ᴛᴏ sᴘᴇᴀᴋ ᴛᴏ ᴍʏ ᴘʀɪɴᴛᴇʀ ᴏʀ ᴍʏ ʙʟᴀʀɪɴɢ Aʟᴀʀᴍ Cʟᴏᴄᴋ- ǫᴜɪʀᴋʏ ɪs Rᴇᴀʟ ☺︎︎) Bᴜᴛ Hᴏᴀɴɢ ᴛᴀᴋᴇs ᴛʜɪs ᴛᴏ ᴍᴇᴀɴ ᴏɴʟʏ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴇᴍᴀʟᴇ Lᴇᴀᴅ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀ ᴄᴀɴ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ ᴘᴇʀsᴏɴᴀʟɪᴛʏ. Tʜᴇ ᴍᴀʟᴇ ʟᴇᴀᴅ ɪs sɪᴍᴘʟʏ ᴀɴ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀsᴛᴀɴᴅɪɴɢ & ᴘᴀᴛɪᴇɴᴛ ɢᴜʏ. Rᴇᴀᴅᴇʀs ɴᴇᴇᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ. Wᴇ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴛᴏ ғᴀʟʟ ɪɴ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs- ᴛʜᴇɪʀ Wɪᴛ, ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ǫᴜᴀʟɪᴛɪᴇs, Hᴀʙɪᴛs ᴀɴᴅ sᴛᴏʀɪᴇs.

5. ᴛʜɪs ɪs ɴᴏᴛ ᴀɴ ᴀᴅᴅɪᴄᴛɪᴠᴇ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇɢɪɴɴɪɴɢ ᴡᴀs ғᴀʀ ʙᴇᴛᴛᴇʀ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴅ.

6. Bᴇ ᴘʀᴇᴘᴀʀᴇᴅ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ʜɪɢʜ ʟᴇᴠᴇʟ ᴏғ Sᴛᴇᴀᴍɪɴᴇss. I sᴋɪᴘᴘᴇᴅ ᴀ ʟᴏᴛ ᴏғ ᴘᴀɢᴇs. Tʜɪs ᴡᴀs ᴍʏ ʟᴇᴀsᴛ ғᴀᴠᴏᴜʀɪᴛᴇ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋ.

Pᴇʀsᴏɴᴀʟʟʏ, I ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ I ᴡɪʟʟ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ʜᴏᴀɴɢ ʙᴏᴏᴋ. Bᴜᴛ ɪ ʟᴏᴏᴋ ғᴏʀᴡᴀʀᴅ ᴛᴏ ʜᴇᴀʀɪɴɢ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ’s ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛs.

I received this book from Netgalley UK, Corvus Books, for review consideration. It was exciting to receive access to this title and I give my thanks to @atlanticbooks. All opinions are my own and completely honest.

Violinist Anna Sun’s boyfriend Julian wants an open relationship. So she decides she’ll go along with it and have a one night stand too. She then meets Quan (if you’ve read the other books in this series, you’ll recognise him from The Bride Test), will she decide to go back to Julian or stay with Quan?

That’s a poor description of this book to be honest - it’s so much more than that. It’s definitely my favourite out of the three so far (not sure if it’s intended to be a trilogy or if there’s another in the works) but I love how the three stories feature some of the same characters. This one in particular felt a bit more personal, and it was a lot more emotional than the other two. The toxic family situation made me alternately sad and angry - in particular Priscilla - but family relationships are complex and not easy and it resonated more than I wanted it to. I appreciated the tough real life storylines which don’t get dealt with enough in books, especially in the romance genre. Cancer, autism and being a caregiver to a sick family member are topics not usually addressed and I felt the author tackled them with sensitivity and skill.
I’m looking forward to seeing whether there’s a fourth in the series or if the author comes up with something completely different!

Wow wow wow! I loved this book so much. It was relatable, steamy and so emotional, reading the authors note just made it all the more impactful. Helen’s writing is so easy to read and I read 90% of it in one go! Hands down my favourite of the trilogy and Helen has placed herself into my auto-buy authors list.

Thank you so much to Berkley publishing and NetGalley for sending me this e-ARC of the book! Review on Instagram coming soon x

I really like this book. I can’t remember the last time I read a story in first person but I seemed to really enjoy it! I love how this story is about two people who come together at a time in there lives when they really need each other. It’s about self discovery and acceptance - something everyone can relate to. Definitely on the spicer side but it’s such a raw emotional rollercoaster. I loved it!

Given that I adored the previous two instalments in the series, I knew I would most likely love this one too and I'm pleased to say I was right! I liked Quan from the moment we met him in The Kiss Quotient and I was so excited to hear that this book was going to center on him and his own romance. As always Hoang delivers on the romance and makes it believable and so heartfelt, it made me tear up at times. She also has this ability to write some of the best male characters that readers *cough* me will have no trouble swooning over. I loved Quan's pov and Anna's and their moments together were nothing short of heartwarming. I loved how unconditionally accepting they were of each other and despite a few bumps in the road, they found something special with each other which is palpable as a reader.

Aside from the romance, I really appreciated the representation of Autism and how Anna deals with a diagnosis later in life. There was a lot which resonated with me personally and I just really liked how Anna gains further understanding of who she is and learns to love and appreciate the parts of herself she didn't previously. Quan is also such a supportive partner which was so lovely to see. However, there is also the very real and sad moment where Anna shares this news with somebody close to her and it's not well received and she's basically belittled which was so hard to read - but it happens and I'm glad Hoang chose to include this thread.

Hoang also explores the impact of family expectations, pressure and being a caregiver and the impacts of this in such a refreshing way and with so much honesty, which I believe many readers will come to appreciate.

Overall, I was sad to come to the end because I could continue reading Hoangs writing and about her characters in this little verse she's created forever but alas, all good things come to an end. I have no idea if there's going to be more stories following these characters in the future, but if so I will definitely be tuning in.

Helen Hoang's past two books have been packed with emotional turmoil, heart-wrenching stumbles on the path to self-acceptance and self-love for the main characters, and explosive chemistry. The Heart Principle is no different-- if anything, it is just... more, to an exponential degree.

Hoang posted on social media about having issues describing this book as a romance, given its contents, and to some extent, I agree; while it contains a HEA and the on-page intimacy I've come to expect from her writing, the overall tone of the book and the topics that it touches on are far more intense and emotionally fraught. (At this point, I should mention content/trigger warnings for cancer survival, infertility, caretaker burnout, medical content/hospitals, and suicidal ideation.)

Quan, one of our MCs, is no longer the same happy-go-lucky side character readers got to know in TKQ and TBT; in the two years since we last saw him, he has survived cancer treatment and is struggling not only with the relationship to the physical changes treatment and surgery have wrought, but also to the way friends and family treat him.

Our other MC, Anna, is a violinist whose viral performance of a piece and subsequent flash of fame has left her badly burnt out. When her long-time boyfriend asks to open their relationship, she meets Quan through a dating app, both of them determined to regain something of themselves from a one night stand.

This develops into something else obviously, and things change quickly when Anna's father suffers a stroke and she and her family becomes dedicated to his full-time end-of-life care at home. All of this is to say that this book contains a lot of heavy emotional content, and not all things that solve themselves as neatly as the struggles and stumbles of the MCs in Hoang's other books. It is gut-wrenching and yet so satisfying at times, to see more of "real life" play out in the usual fantasy of romance. Anna is not suddenly cured of her debilitating anxiety when she gives herself a stern pep talk; Quan struggles to pick up the pieces of his self-esteem and self-image after they're shattered again.

And all of this makes THP something incredibly freaking special. It is visceral and real in a way that most romance can't touch, but the promise of the genre offers readers undeniable hope. At times my heart hurt for Hoang, who called this book "half memoir" with reference to her own mother's death and her own intense burnout following the intense success of The Kiss Quotient. But what she accomplished with this book is truly masterful-- and most certainly worth the wait.

“Nothing I can actually do can compete with the boundless potential of what I could do. But if I allow the fear of imperfection to trap me in perpetual beginnings, I’ll never create anything again.”

Anna’s long-term boyfriend decides that he wants them to start an open-relationship, unable to say no, Anna agrees to it, if he can start seeing new people, why cant she? After downloading a few dating apps one night, she matches with Quan, a lovely, rugged-looking, tattooed guy who has a past of his own, and they both hit it off, but what’s in store for them will be tougher to handle than either of them could have predicted.

This book had me hooked from the beautiful dedication. As somebody who needs a carer, it is extremely frustrating knowing how much they get forgotten about, so seeing this dedicated to carers, especially after what everyone has been through with the pandemic, was such a heartwarming moment for me.

This Heart Principle is the main reason why I have started drawing again after a 3 month art block that I never thought I would get out of. This… was such a beautiful novel. I read The Kiss Quotient last year and loved it to death, but I loved The Heart Principle MORE. I read this as an ebook and have screenshots of so many paragraphs in my camera roll to read again later, I need to buy a physical copy just so I can annotate it.

Helen Hoang’s writing is just so beautiful in the way that she describes living with illness, her novels aren’t just fluffy romance (which I LOVE too don’t get me wrong) they have grit and emotion in the heart of them, and I always connect to her books. I saw myself in Anna in so many ways.

I loved how things from internet friendships and family members not believing an illness were delved in to, I rarely read about that in books and both of those topics really hit me in the heart.

I am so excited to read all of Helen Hoang’s next novels! She is one of my all time favourite romance authors!

(Thank you to Netgalley for the E-ARC!)

“That’s what you do when you love someone. You fight no matter the cost. You fight even when it’s hopeless. Right?”

3.5 stars for me as I enjoyed it but there were a few cons.
I really liked Anna and Quan, they were super cute and I loved their relationship. It was interesting to read a slightly different story with diverse characters ☺️
Both the characters had a long journey and it was nice to see their character development throughout the book.
There were quite a few characters I really disliked which wasn’t so good but I think that’s the way they were supposed to be written 😌

Cons:
• At times I felt that the chapter or plot was really dragging on and that made the overall read much less enjoyable. Some chapters were super short (which I liked) and some were super long.
• It would have also been nice to have a prologue to find out more about their backstory :)
• Another thing I noticed was that Quan’s family isn’t mentioned too often and Anna never meets them which I would have liked to see.

Overall, I enjoyed the book, the plot was interesting and I recommend!! I’ll now have to read the first two books! 🙃🙃

Helen has done it again!
And, I believe, this is her best book yet. It's the perfect balance of raw emotion, steam, swoon, comedy, and pure genius.

Anna is a violinist who's hit a wall. She can't play anymore and is drowning under the pressure. Add to that, a douche of a boyfriend, a surprise diagnosis of Autism, and then a father who suffers a stroke and needs full-time care.
Things are tough. She's also under constant pressure to 'fit in' and fulfil her family obligations.

Enter Quan.

Quan is a character from the previous books in this series who I think all of us have been waiting to hear more from. He does not disappoint. His character voice is so distinctive and funny.
He's just dreamy. So sweet and caring and gentle but strong (tattooed biker) and sexy. I challenge anyone not to love him.
Over the course of the book, their relationship develops and both grow in confidence with each other's support.
I won't give too much away, but basically: It's wonderful.

On a personal level, this story touched me. Anna's trials were close to my heart.
Last year, I cared for, then lost my father to cancer. During which time, I was also going through the diagnosis process of Autism. (It takes a loooooong time in the UK.)
Anyone who's been through any of these circumstances will understand the toll it takes and the way Helen taps into that emotion and puts it into words... Well. I don't quite know how to explain it.
Put it this way: I cried. A LOT.

Plus, read her notes at the end.

A massive THANK YOU for writing this book!!!
❤❤❤❤

I feel so privileged to have read an ARC copy via NetGalley. My paper copy is already on pre-order.

I really enjoyed this!!

This book was a little different in tone to Helen Hoang’s previous works. This book felt a bit more personal and dealt with some serious themes regarding mental and physical health, and wider family issues; all of these were dealt with care and compassion and I felt so invested in the two main characters, Anna and Quan. Anna is at a of crossroads in her life and how she sees herself and her family, and I really sympathised with her, whilst Quan is dealing with the impact of health issues. Seeing how they come to support and help each other through their struggles was so sweet (and definitely had Hoang’s signature romantic touch!).

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. While dealing with some dark themes at times, these were dealt with care, and moments of humour and romance also shone through.

This book is so much more than a light and fluffy romance, it has a seriousness about it that I didn't expect. Anna is coming to terms with her diagnosis of ASD and Quan is recently in remission from cancer, each of their individual journeys to self acceptance is so authentic and gut wrenching, it hits you right in the feels. Their romance is almost a side note, but it is sweet and slow, it's so refreshing to see such a tender and trusting relationship blossom. The sex scenes are amazing, steamy but with the focus on communication, consent and mutual pleasure.

My only criticism is that there wasn't more, while the ending wasn't rushed, it felt a little emptier than the preceeding parts. Hoang could have easily spent another 150-200 pages concluding their story with as much depth and thought as the rest of the book and it would have only been better for it. I love that the book ended with what I can only describe as a 'hopeful' ever after- there was still a long way to go, but things for both Anna and Quan were getting better. And that's just how real life is, isn't it?

A massive thank you to Netgalley for this advance copy in return for my honest review

“Just because something isn’t perfect doesn’t mean we need to throw it away.”

Thank you to NetGalley and Atlantic Books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

When violinist Anna Sun accidentally achieves career success with a viral YouTube video, she finds herself incapacitated and burned out from her attempts to replicate that moment. And when her longtime boyfriend announces he wants an open relationship before making a final commitment, a hurt and angry Anna decides that if he wants an open relationship, then she does, too. Translation: She's going to embark on a string of one-night stands. The more unacceptable the men, the better. That’s where tattooed, motorcycle-riding Quan Diep comes in. Their first attempt at a one-night stand fails, as does their second, and their third, because being with Quan is more than sex—he accepts Anna on an unconditional level that she has just started to understand herself. However, when tragedy strikes Anna’s family she takes on a role that she is ill-suited for, until the burden of expectations threatens to destroy her. Anna and Quan have to fight for their chance at love, but to do that, they also have to fight for themselves.

Anna is an interesting character. Finding escapism in music is something I can relate to, but getting to see the struggles of lack of focus and going in circles was refreshing to see. She’s a very raw character, on a journey of self-discovery that’s difficult when events hit that force her to change completely. I really love the journey we get to go with Anna, and I especially loved the ending. It wasn’t perfect, but it was perfect for Anna.
Quan has gone through a lot since we last saw him, but he’s still sassy and oh so kind. Getting to see him overcome his previous problems was rather rewarding, Quan showing his resilience. Best of all, despite the serious hardships he experienced, he remained kind, thoughtful and considerate. Forget everything, can I have a Quan in my life please?

It was definitely time for us to get a Quan story! Getting to see gradually more of him in the previous two stories had me desperate to get more Quan content and we certainly did! Absolute brilliance. I really appreciate Hoang’s inclusion of Autism in each of her stories, but the addition of other mental illnesses really struck a chord in me. I found myself so seen in this book that it took my breath away. I feel I cannot recommend Hoang’s writing more if I tried!

Overall, The Heart Principle is a story that has you weak at the knees and your heart fit to burst.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you again to NetGalley and Atlantic Books for an advanced copy of this book. Review will go live on my blog on 27th September (due to schedule in place)

This book is so much more than a rom-com, I absolutely loved it!
I didn't realize the books were a trilogy so thankfully, even they're connected, this works as a standalone. Because this is my first Helen Hoang book, but I am definitely going to read the other two IMMEDIATELY.

This was such a feel-good romantic story but the complexity of Anna was really something. The way the topics were dealt with, from autism diagnoses, palliative care, overbearing families and sexual conservatism (is that a word? Oops), Anna was just such a brilliant character. I really felt her struggles through the book and was fist-pumping when she had her breakthrough.
And I see from other reviews that Quan is a beloved character from the other books and I love that because he was a great character too! So thoughtful and caring and exactly what Anna needed in her life.

I actually LOVED THIS BOOK and am excited to get stuck into its two predecessors. Will definitely be recommending this one!

This was absolutely spectacular.
This is not a traditional love story. I thought this was going in one direction and then it went completely the opposite way and I appreciated it even more. This does read more like a women's fiction to me because the romantic relationship is not at the forefront for most of the story. The heroine's journey to self-discovery and both their journeys to self-healing and love is what was prevalent.

Learning to love oneself and knowing what you are capable of bringing to a relationship was a strong theme in this story. Both characters are broken people who believe they are not good enough and seeing them discover who they truly are whilst being with each other was beautiful to read.

Whilst reading, I kept thinking how this read so personal. I couldn't shake the feeling that some of the emotions were based on true worries, anguish and hurt and then I read the author's note and it all made sense.

This book starts off with a boy meet girl but slowly becomes much more. With each layer peeled back, the story thickens to reveal multi-dimensional, Anna. Autism in women is rarely touched upon in fiction. Seeing the vulnerability and culture denial of Anna's Aspergers sheds further light on how Autism goes unnoticed and denied in women.

The woven experiences of the author show in scenes described between Anna and her family and her daily interactions with others. Even dealing with a sick parent, is portrayed beautifully and authentically.

If you are going to take a chance on a book, this is the one to do it on!

Finally got my hands on this book, which is the third book in The Kiss Quotient trilogy. For those that have read the previous books, the focus is on Quan, brother of Khai / cousin of Michael and his love interest Anna. Like the other two books, one half of the featured couple has ASD like the author herself. This in itself makes these books stand out, offering both an interesting dynamic to the romance genre and representation to a marginalised group rarely seen in literature or indeed any media, in anything other than a stereotypical light. This book beautifully highlights that those with ASD can experience, feel and give love, have feelings and relationships. Anna is a classical violinist facing ASD burnout from the stress of managing the pressures of her life including her family’s denial of her diagnosis. Quan is the bad boy with a heart with his own hang-ups, in need of his own happy ending. This is an honest, moving and heartfelt book (especially when you read the Author’s Note and reflections on the semi autobiographical elements of the book at the end) that is a fitting finale to the series. Whilst it is connected to two earlier books, you do not need to have read them to enjoy or understand this one, as it works as a standalone too💓

Helen Hoang's latest addition to The Kiss Quotient series, THE HEART PRINCIPLE, is a title unlike its predecessors.

In The Heart Principle, we are introduced to Anna who is on a journey of self-discovery which is aided by counseling, when her long-term boyfriend decides he wants an open relationship to find out "what else is out there" before settling down. Devastated by this news, and in the midst of learning about a possible autistic diagnosis, Anna decides that if the relationship is open then she, too, will see what else is out there. She downloads a dating app and stumbles across Quan, a heavily tattooed motorcyclist with who she decides to embark on a one-night-stand/fling. But Quan is unlike her previous boyfriend - he's gentle, caring, and considerate - and Anna starts to feel strongly about him. However, her father suddenly has a stroke and ends up requiring round-the-clock care from the family, and Anna is called in to help. Her relationship with Quan is tested and that old boyfriend? Yeah, he's back again.

The Heart Principle is a much deeper, sadder, read than the previous two novels in The Kiss Quotient series and I admit it wasn't exactly what I was expecting because of this. I felt, compared to the other novels in the series, that the book was mostly about Anna's journey, rather than necessarily being focused on her relationship with Quan. Because we know Quan from previous books I felt like this allowed us to feel he was sufficiently developed, where he might otherwise feel underdeveloped as a character here if our relationship with him was based on this book alone. I also found the overwhelming sadness around the family tragedy and Anna's poor mental health hard to pull myself out of and therefore the sexy scenes didn't draw me in in the same way.

Instead, I think what Helen Hoang has produced is a very emotional and emotive book exploring the devastating effects of autistic burnout, and the need for society to make space for conversations around 1) autism acceptance/making space for autistic people so they don't have to mask to feel accepted in society 2) the lack of support for carers and the impact this has upon everyone involved. Whatever you do, don't skip the Author's Note at the end of The Heart Principle.

I would recommend The Heart Principle. While I would say you could read either of Hoang's previous books as standalones, I think this one works best when you've read both of the preceding novels in the series. All we need now is a big festive family novella with all the characters in it (please).

I’m not typically someone who loves quick romances when reading (slow burn is one of my favourite tropes) and I do feel that the relationship between Anna and Quan happens a lot faster than I would have liked it to. However (!), the dynamic between the two characters was refreshing and sweet, and I enjoyed reading it a lot.

I loved Anna and Quan both together and as individual characters. Both of their story arcs were well rounded and executed; full of real life tragedies and experiences that I think a lot of people will be able to relate to, and hopefully feel seen and/or inspired by.

Anna’s story was an unexpected one for me, and it went to certain levels that I appreciate, as it felt honest; making Anna’s chapters feel like you’re reading pages of a real persons diary. Both intimate and real. Although I know Quan has appeared in Helen Hoang’s novels before, this is the first of her books I have read (and definitely will not be my last) and Quan was an extremely loveable character that I find myself wanting to read more about, aswell as dive more into the Kiss Quotient world that Hoang has created (I can’t wait to start the other two books.)

I didn’t give the book 5 stars simply because I feel the romance was very quickly paced, as was the ending and as mentioned, I do prefer when stories are more slow burn than not. However, I did really love Hoang’s writing, story telling and both Anna and Quan as characters and partners. If you’re looking for a genuine and heartfelt romantic story, The Heart Principle is for you.

A huge thankyou to Atlantic Books and NetGalley for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

There goes Helen Hoang, ripping my heart out of my chest yet again. This is to me the most heavy-hitting of the series so far, but I didn’t mind that the focus shifted from the romance and the main characters sometimes. The journeys these two characters go through is heartbreaking and humbling and I feel like I learned some things about myself throughout this series too.

All of the props and praise to the author. The personal experiences that she weaves throughout the novel are a testament to her own strengths and it is an honour to have it presented to us all in such a heartfelt book. Quan is an incredible male hero, understanding and patient, and Anna is strong even when she doesn’t feel like it.

My only gripe is that the end felt like it came on all of a sudden, there was 9% left and I was like 👀 thinking things were going to be busy the last few chapters.

Another bonus the author’s note also made me cry.

Go and read this.

So I will absolve myself of all blame and say NetGalley did this. I was briefly popping on to leave a review for another book and literally logged in and the next page showed me "The Heart Principle".

How could I say no.

I wasn't looking for romance this month. It's all YA, fantasy and general fiction. And I knew that if I picked it up, I would have to read it straight away, practically in one sitting as those are the types of books that Helen Hoang writes - engaging, enthralling and unputadownable

I loved it.
But that was to be expected.
So why was it so lovable?

For the leads of course. For these broken real human beings who through their self discovery and desire for connection, find each other. Through their support of each other we see how true love manifests, where the sexual relationship is only one component. It's in the quiet moments, the boring and mundane. In acceptance of the person who presents and not what you think they should be.

"He let me choose. And because of that, I could choose to give. That completely changes things."

When you truly understand yourself, like and love yourself and finds someone who loves you for who you are - messy and complicated, it's a beautiful thing. And makes for a lovely read when deftly written as The Heart Principle is.

"Perhaps this is what I’ve always needed without really knowing it, to love myself without shame and without reservation."

This is a modern romance where we get the happy ever after yet not at the expense of raw honesty, with individuals who are hurting becoming a couple who find healing in each other.
I have highlighted the heck out of this book with character development, traits and personality shining through.


We pick up the familiar themes of family obligations, the uneasy mesh of tradition and modern society. Illness and loss also feature heavily.

"Family is not safe. Not for me. Tough love is brutally honest and hurts you to help you. Tough love cuts you when you’re already bruised and berates you when you don’t heal faster."


Anna comes to a self discovery that she has been minimising herself and prioritising others to make them feel comfortable and fit the expectation of family and friends. In the long term that isn't sustainable without painful cost of physical health and mental wellbeing.

Quan is different here - book three of this series. He isn't the brash, confident happy go lucky brother, cousin and friend of the earlier books. This is a man who has been derailed from his original trajectory and is finding his way back.

Together they make the loveliest couple.

"Does it feel right to you?” he asks, and I can tell that’s what matters to him. He trusts me to know myself. I didn’t know how important that was to me until now. I get to be the expert on me"
"He matters more to me than the voices in my head."

This is why I love Helen Hoang's books. Because she has characters who are like this, can convincingly say things like this and I believe it.
4 stars