Reviews - Riverside Public Library

Booklist Reviews

Hoang follows her well-received The Kiss Quotient (2018) with another charming and steamy romance featuring unlikely lovers. Khai Diep, who has autism, has trouble expressing emotions and doesn't think he'll ever fall in love, so his mother decides to play matchmaker. She returns to Vietnam to search for a likely bride and meets Esme, a young single mother and domestic worker living with her mother, grandmother, and daughter. She's never even met her American father, but being of mixed-race has always made her feel out of place. When Khai's mother suggests that Esme return to California with her to try to woo Khai, Esme embraces the plan as an opportunity to create a better life for her family. Drawing on her own and her family's experiences, Hoang again tells a winning love story that gives a voice to underrepresented characters. Readers will also enjoy cameo appearances from The Kiss Quotient cast of characters, including Michael and Stella. This is sure to be an ardently requested title. Copyright 2019 Booklist Reviews.

BookPage Reviews

Romance: May 2019

TOP PICK
Something very special happens within the pages of Red, White & Royal Blue, Casey McQuiston's dazzling debut. What begins as an irreverent chronicle of the first female president's reelection year through the eyes of Alex Claremont-Diaz, the FSOTUS (first son of the United States) becomes an account of the love story of said FSOTUS and England's Henry, Prince of Wales. This modern fairy tale unfolds in a gossipy, insider tone until emotion takes over and McQuiston gives us an aching glimpse of what it is to want someone you believe you cannot have. Yes, Red, White & Royal Blue is funny and fun, and the family and political dynamics feel spot-on, but it's the frank and unforgettable romance between these two young men that will compel readers to start it all over again when faced with the last page. It's that hard to say goodbye to this couple.

Helen Hoang introduces a unique and delightful couple in The Bride Test. In Vietnam, struggling single mom Esme Tran meets a woman who presents an intriguing proposal: spend a summer in California to see if she'll suit the stranger's handsome, successful son. It's a risk, but Esme is willing to take a chance at a new life. Her intended, Khai Diep, is a mystery to her, and the autistic Khai finds his potential bride just as difficult to understand. As the two come to know each other, feelings between them grow—the very feelings Khai is convinced his autism precludes. This emotional courtship-of-convenience story has a fantastic sense of humor and a stellar cast of sidekicks, but it's the exploration of the inner life of quiet, contained Khai and the insecurities and determination of Esme that set it apart. Two words sum up this romance: just lovely.

The suspense is high-octane and the sexual chemistry explosive in Every Last Breath by Juno Rushdan. Covert government operative Maddox Kinkade takes on her latest mission with her usual zeal, but the civilian she's tasked to recruit turns out to be her first love, Cole Matthews, whom she thought for years was dead. The two must set aside their former relationship and all the recriminations that go with it as they partner to stop a lethal world threat. The detailed plans and gritty action are authentic and exciting, and scenes from the point of view of a villain bent on vengeance add more chill to Rushdan's already thrilling plot. Readers will feel immersed in the action as this fast-paced story rockets to a satisfying conclusion that still leaves questions for future entries in the series. Buckle up for this romantic thrill ride!

Kirkus Reviews

A young Vietnamese woman seizes an opportunity to travel to America in hopes of finding a husband and a better life. Esme Tran isn't ashamed that she supports her family by working as a maid in a Ho Chi Minh City hotel, but she secretly wishes for a different life for herself and her 5-year-old daughter. After a chance encounter, a wealthy American woman invites Esme to spend the summer in the U.S., hoping Esme might be a good match for her son. Meanwhile, back in California, Khai is horrified to find that his mother has taken this drastic step, but he agrees to host Esme if his mother promises never to interfere in his life again. Hoang (The Kiss Quotient, 2018) has a gift for developing layered, complex, and dynamic characters. As a man with autism, Khai has dealt with the traumas of his past by convincing himself he has a heart of stone and is literally unable to love. Esme wants a better life for herself but wonders if Khai could ever be interested in her if he knew the t ruth: She's uneducated and has a young daughter she's hasn't told him about. Their misunderstandings and attempts to connect are full of grace, humor, and pathos. After an awkward sexual encounter, Khai asks his brother for sex advice in a painfully funny scene, and Esme's feelings of anger and hurt are just as lovingly crafted. As Khai and Esme spend more time together, they find that despite their differences, they are a perfect match. Their individual character arcs—Khai learning to understand his own heart and Esme's determination to pursue her goals and dreams—are just as pleasing and powerful as their evolution as a couple. A stunning, superior romance. Copyright Kirkus 2019 Kirkus/BPI Communications. All rights reserved.

Library Journal Reviews

A genius with numbers, relationship-challenged, and diagnosed with autism, Khai Diep is horrified when his mother decides he's been single long enough and brings him a potential bride from Vietnam to consider over the summer. For Khai, it's just wasted effort because he knows he doesn't feel deep emotions such as grief and love and, therefore, would never be so unfair as to get married. But for Tran Ngoc My (Esmeralda)—biracial, beautiful, intuitive, and nothing like Khai imagines—it is a chance to make a better life for her family (including her young daughter) and possibly locate her birth father. As the summer progresses, this tender, laughter-laced pairing blooms, but is the August wedding that Khai's mother has planned really in the cards? A lively supporting cast, excellent detail, and exceptionally well-developed protagonists keep the pages turning. While a few plot points are tied up a bit too neatly, the conclusion is truly satisfying. VERDICT With care, humor, and sensitivity, Hoang dives into the very core of her characters, bringing them to life in a romance that is original, engaging, and emotionally hard-hitting. Gorgeously done. Hoang (The Kiss Quotient) lives in San Diego. [See "Spring Awakenings: Editors' Picks," LJ 2/19, p. 20; Prepub Alert, 11/26/18.]

Publishers Weekly Reviews

Hoang's touching second contemporary romance (after The Kiss Quotient) explores what the American dream might mean to a young, mixed-race Vietnamese woman and the autistic Vietnamese-American man she's matched up with. California-born Khai processes emotions differently than most people do; at age 16, when he doesn't grieve in a conventional way over the death of a cousin, he thinks he's incapable of feeling love. Ten years later, he's a wealthy accountant, and his matchmaking mother informs him that Esme, an uneducated janitor she met in Vietnam, will be staying with him for the summer and is meant to be his eventual wife. Khai resolves to make the best of things until he can send Esme home, but their instant mutual attraction complicates matters. As they fumble toward understanding each other, Esme searches for her American father and pursues higher education. Class and cultural differences and mistaken beliefs prove to be greater barriers to their romance than differences of mental wiring. The evolution of Khai's feelings toward Esme, and the way she comes to understand and care for him, are beautifully developed, and the relationship they form feels delicate yet bursting with hope. With serious moments offset by spot-on humor, this romance has broad appeal, and it will find a special place in the hearts of autistic people and those who love them. Agent: Kim Lionetti, Bookends. (May)

Publishers Weekly Reviews