This one has quite the buzz! I've heard/read/seen several friends talk about it, so of course I was thrilled I got approved (Thanks, Berkeley Romance!). I adore books that are out of the norm. Autistic heroine? Non traditional hero? I'm all in, baby. But maybe, and don't shoot me for saying it, but I think my expectations were too high with The Kiss Quotient, because I feel like I'm the only person in the world who isn't going to give it five stars right now.
Normally, I know when a book is going to own me. It usually happens by around page five (if not before). And I kept waiting for it to happen here, but it never did. I had a lot of trouble connecting with Stella's character from the very first page. I mean, don't get me wrong--the book isn't bad. The idea of it is great. I want to high five the hell out of Helen Hoang for writing this story. Her characters were lovely. But Stella and Michael together? I didn't get it. I'm still lost on whether or not I actually believe they should have fallen in love.
The whole thing felt very insta-lovey to me, which in certain situations, I don't mind at all, but in this case it felt like there should have been more angst. More struggle, for both of them. With Stella's diagnosis and Michael's hangups about his dad and the whole thing, well, it just felt too easy, too sweet. So sweet it wasn't believable for me. Clearly, I'm broken because I can't enjoy a sweet book for what it is anymore, but that's where I'm at with this one.
Normally, I know when a book is going to own me. It usually happens by around page five (if not before). And I kept waiting for it to happen here, but it never did. I had a lot of trouble connecting with Stella's character from the very first page. I mean, don't get me wrong--the book isn't bad. The idea of it is great. I want to high five the hell out of Helen Hoang for writing this story. Her characters were lovely. But Stella and Michael together? I didn't get it. I'm still lost on whether or not I actually believe they should have fallen in love.
The whole thing felt very insta-lovey to me, which in certain situations, I don't mind at all, but in this case it felt like there should have been more angst. More struggle, for both of them. With Stella's diagnosis and Michael's hangups about his dad and the whole thing, well, it just felt too easy, too sweet. So sweet it wasn't believable for me. Clearly, I'm broken because I can't enjoy a sweet book for what it is anymore, but that's where I'm at with this one.