Seriously, someone go find some goddamn paper towels because there are chunks of brain matter all over the floor. It's another beautiful emotional book from an author who seems to put so much heart into everything she creates.ĭon’t mind me, just sitting here, MIND BLOWN by this book. The truth is art will never be as effortless as it used to be, not now that people have expectations of me. It makes me sad to think this quote from Anna might reflect Hoang's own feelings: And from an audience, when you've gained a certain amount of popularity. From family and friends, when it comes to caregiving. From society, to perform a socially acceptable role. It's also, I think, about the burden of expectations. And the book is also about depression and anxiety, how they can make you feel immobilised, and the long journey of fighting against these illnesses. Nobody should feel too ashamed to ask for help when they need it. A lot of caregivers find themselves struggling and unable to cope, though they feel too guilty to ask for help. It's also about caregiving for someone who is terminally ill, and I really appreciate the discussion Hoang has opened with this. It is about a woman being diagnosed with ASD later in life and beginning to make sense of everything she had previously struggled to mask. One thing Hoang continues to excel at is writing sexy romances where neither of the protagonists are assholes.Īs I said, though, there's a lot more than romance going on here. Anna and Quan are so lovely (I think “I’ll wear rainbows out with you" is the most romantic thing I've ever heard a guy say), so kind, their vulnerabilities so real, yet the chemistry between them sizzles off the page. There's a lot going on in this book a lot more than a romance, though that is done excellently too. For another, I felt completely immersed in this story, pulled so entirely into Anna and Quan's world, their feelings and experiences seeming so real. For one thing, The Heart Principle is written in first person, not third like her other books, which I generally prefer for romance anyway. This is a big claim, but it genuinely might be my favourite romance novel ever.Īs always, Hoang's author's note explains her personal reasons for writing this kind of story, but I suspected early on that the raw emotions the book explores, and the sad places it goes to, were inspired by her own experiences. The Heart Principle was everything I wanted, and so much more. I gave The Kiss Quotient and The Bride Test five stars, so now I need a sixth star to emphasise how Hoang's latest book was my absolute favourite. How much of what people say is genuine and how much is politeness? Is anyone really living their life or are we all reading lines from a giant script written by other people? Anna and Quan have to fight for their chance at love, but to do that, they also have to fight for themselves.
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. 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 herself has just started to understand. That’s where tattooed, motorcycle-riding Quan Diep comes in. The more unacceptable the men, the better. Translation: She’s going to embark on a string of one-night stands. 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. 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. A woman struggling with burnout learns to embrace the unexpected-and the man she enlists to help her-in this new New York Times bestselling romance by Helen Hoang.
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