Spoilers:
The romance in this 3rd book of The Kiss Quotient series takes a back seat to the mental and physical health issues both Quan and Anna face, especially Anna’s autism. Whereas The Kiss Quotient and The Bride Test both have a humorous element, this one is much more somber and, at times, heart-wrenching. It’s also very anxiety-inducing. I was really looking forward to Quan’s story given his powerful and colorful presence in the first two books, so it was disappointing to see him subdued and somewhat emotionally side-lined by his cancer surgery and his feeling that his manhood has been diminished despite his efforts to hide these details from his family. However, his patience with and empathy and love for Anna show his emotional maturation and his understanding of autism gleaned from having a brother and cousin-in-law who are also on the spectrum.
If you need a crash course in autism, this story provides it. You’ll learn about masking, stimming, sensory overload, autism burnout, poor spatial awareness and more as you read about Anna’s struggles to adopt heteronormative behavior in order to fit into society and keep her family happy. However, readers are also witness to Anna’s devastation that results from trying too hard to be what others expect. Families are supposed to love unconditionally, but as we often see in novels, these same people can hurt their children and siblings by their greater concern for social standing than for their relatives. In this case, there are also the cultural expectations of being Chinese and the pecking order that puts a young female in last place. The respect that Anna’s much older sister demands is repaid with utter disdain, dismissiveness and casual cruelty masking as “tough love”, especially when she refuses to accept Anna’s diagnosis and need for compassion and understanding.
The beauty and purity of Anna and Quan’s relationship is manifested in their unconditional acceptance of each other, which allows them to be themselves, warts and all. So, even though this romance doesn’t fit any of the typical tropes, it shows that learning to love yourself and put your happiness first isn’t selfish; it’s the only way to truly be open to giving and accepting love from a partner. Highly recommended, but be sure to read books 1 and 2 to fully appreciate this final entry of the series.
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Berkley Publishing Group through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
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