THE BRIDE TEST – HELEN HOANG

**Spoilers Ahead, Read On With Caution**

Ah! I’ve waited so long to get to finally read and now review THE BRIDE TEST! I’ve read THE KISS QUOTIENT twice, once for me and once for the book club that my sister and aunt have created; brilliant both times. I eagerly slid into the DMs of Berkley, the publisher, asking for a copy to please please please review, and I got one! So here we are!

Khai Diep has no feelings. Well, not big, important emotions – like grief. And love. He thinks he’s defective. His family knows better – that his autism means he just processes emotions differently. When he steadfastly refuses to consider a relationship, his mother takes matters into her own hands and returns to Vietnam to find him the perfect bride. As a mixed-race girl living in the slums of Ho Chi Minh City, Esme Tran has always felt out of place. So when the opportunity arises to go to America and meet a potential husband, she can’t turn it down. This could be the break her family needs. Seducing Khai, however, doesn’t go quite as planned. Esme’s lessons in love seem to be working… but only on herself. She’s hopelessly smitten with a man who’s convinced he can never return her affection. As Esme’s time in the United States dwindles, will Khai let his head catch up with his heart? Will he find the strength to let go, and let love in?

“Everyone deserved to love and be loved back. Everyone. Even her.”

When we first meet Khai in THE KISS QUOTIENT and he sort of gets placed into the outer skirts of the book as he isn’t particularly relevant to the plot, besides making Michael notice the similar quirks in Stella. But from this brief introduction we don’t get to know anything about Khai, except that he takes his training, and sets very seriously. What I love about THE BRIDE TEST is that we really do get to both meet, and see him in a completely mixed light. There are moments when he’s heavenly, and then some where you’re face-palming yourself on behalf of him. He’s an honest to god real person that you could so easily meet at any point. Esme however, is his complete opposite in a number of ways. She’s openhearted whereas Khai believes that he is without large emotions, fundamentally his perfect opposite. It’s just a shame that Khai isn’t looking for, or even wanting another half. He’s actively avoiding it in fact. 

“Happy people don’t wear all black.” 

The plot of the book is both serious, and utterly hilarious in the best possible way. You’re rooting for them, whilst also wanting to wrap the pair of them up in bubblewrap because the harsh realities might break them. Khai thinks he’s completely devoid of emotions that could be big or important, whereas Esme is brimming with love. With Khai being so stuck in his routines and ways, it takes some real back-breaking work from Esme to get past his carefully constructed walls and defences. 

“Their bodies lined up next to each other in that perfect way, and he pressed his cheek to hers like he was savouring being close to her.

“Please, don’t let me make you cry,” he whispered in her ear. “If something is wrong, tell me so I can fix it. Please.”

Her heart squeezed, and she hugged him tight. “I’ll tell you.” 

As we know from THE KISS QUOTIENT, Helen Hoang writes about characters with autism and absolutely excels at it. She handles the condition with elegance, respect and accuracy that compels you to continue reading wholeheartedly. With characters as loveable as Khai and Esme, we also get to get a mini catchup with older characters such as Michael, Stella, and Quan. Quan being a bit of a favourite from TKQ as he’s just easy-breezy, handsome and a tad rough around the edges, he’s just a genuinely good guy. He’s exactly the kind of brother Khai needs who’s no-nonsense, honest and aware. 

I thoroughly enjoyed THE BRIDE TEST, and cannot wait for whatever Helen Hoang brings out next! And thank you to Berkley/Berkley Romance for sending me a copy!