I could not have been more excited to dig into The Bride Test by Helen Hoang. After loving Hoang's first book, The Kiss Quotient, this one rose to the top of my To Be Read list. Once I got over the initial surprise that no, this was not a continuation of Stella and Michaels story, I jumped right in with enthusiasm. Brownie points to Helen Hoang for writing another irresistible romance that sheds light on individuals with different needs/abilities! I give The Bride Test an overall rating of 4-stars.
This story follows Khai, Michael from The Kiss Quotient's cousin, and a minor character in Hoang's previous book. Khai is smart, independent, and also (like Stella), on the Autism Spectrum. Khai's mother is increasingly concerned about his non-existent dating life, and she persuades Esme, a single mother from Vietnam, to travel to the United States and date her son for the summer. Esme leaves her family and daughter behind to live with Khai in hopes of a fresh start and a chance at love, but neither is as simple as she anticipated.
The dynamic and building relationship between Khai and Esme was exciting to follow. Their relationship exuded that feeling of first love, both characters being out of their comfort zones and naive in different ways. This set them up for such sweet moments, as they work through the challenges of being in an arranged relationship. Part of the charm also stemmed from reading from both Khai and Esme's perspectives. Seeing that difference between characters and how they interact with their social world added humor and irony to their story.
The biggest reason why I gave The Bride Test 4, instead of 5 stars, was because of how it whisked through certain moments in the story which I felt needed further explaining. A great example of this is when Esme gets a distressing phone call about her daughter. She is initially upset, but quickly moves on and it is not brought up again. I cannot imagine a mother getting heartbreaking news about her daughter, and not immediately flying home to her or bringing it up again. Even the conclusion, although emotionally gratifying, felt rushed too. Rushing through or brushing over moments impacts the authenticity of the story and characters.
I truly enjoyed how Hoang approaches the topic of Autism in this story. She writes in a way that makes the subject approachable to someone who could be wholly unfamiliar. Through Khai, Hoang showcases how we can better understand and be accommodating to someone with sensory needs or different abilities. I loved the scene where Esme is cutting Khai's hair, and he gives her directions and tips throughout for how to best support him through that experience. It just goes to show that sometimes the best way to help is to ask that individual what they need and listen to them, and not assume we know what is best.
If you enjoyed Helen Hoang's first book, I would definitely recommend you read this as well. I hear that she is now working on a third book and I cannot wait to check it out. In the meantime, happy reading.
Yours Literarily,
Lauren.
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