Why it's essential
This inclusive and sex-positive listen about a neurodivergent woman who hires an escort to learn about love is authentic and raw but delivers the warm fuzzies as well.
Featured in The Top 100 Romance Listens of All Time.
What is The Kiss Quotient about?
The Kiss Quotient follows the unexpected romance between Stella Lane, a 30-year-old autistic woman, and Michael Phan, the male escort she hires to help her become more comfortable with intimacy.
Editor's review
Mysia ("Misha") is a book person who loves escaping into twisty mysteries and contemporary fiction driven by complicated characters.
My cousin Mallory is autistic. She's 29, nearly a decade older than my daughter, and we get together every few months. I love hearing her talk about subjects she’s passionate about—bluegrass music and elephants, among them—and I'm used to her sensory sensitivities, including discomfort with being hugged.
Because I know and love Mallory, I was fascinated by Helen Hoang’s romance, The Kiss Quotient. After reading an author profile and discovering Hoang's own autism story, I just had to listen to the audiobook. I was immediately captivated by the heroine at its heart, Stella Lane. Smart and driven, Stella has a rewarding, well-paid Silicon Valley job as an econometrician—she comes up with algorithms to predict customer purchases. Outside of work, her life is unfulfilling and lonely. Stella is autistic, and struggles with being comfortable in social situations. Though not a virgin, she doesn’t enjoy sex (especially if there’s revolting French kissing involved) and has never experienced romance. At 30, she feels her mother’s pressure to meet someone to settle down with like a dragon breathing down her neck. So, Stella decides to start her search for a mate by improving her skills in the bedroom. Taking a methodical approach, she hires a professional coach—a male escort. Enter Michael Phan.
Half Vietnamese, half Swedish, and all hunk, Michael blew me away. He's confounded by Stella, but he does what she hires him to do—teach her how to have sex with a priority on pleasure. The lessons get steamy! But Michael is also tender, patient, and kind to Stella. While practicing having sex, again and again, they gradually develop a genuine relationship that’s romantic, giving, and mutually satisfying.
While following Stella and Michael’s journey from transactional to true love, you’ll get to know their complicated backstories and colorful families, all brought vividly to life by the voices of Carly Robins—a narrator who also rocks at making love scenes sound clinical and sexy at the same time. Throughout, Hoang writes with deep empathy and respect for her flawed lead characters, and Stella and Michael come to understand and respect one another too. I recently recommended The Kiss Quotient to Mallory, and I hope she enjoys Stella's story as much as I did.
Did you know?
For years, Helen Hoang had been obsessed with writing a novel based on a gender-swapped Pretty Woman. But she kept hitting a block—Why would a beautiful, successful woman hire a male escort? When a preschool teacher suggested that her young daughter was on the spectrum, the answer began to emerge. Hoang seized on the idea of creating an autistic heroine who needed help with social and sexual skills. During her daughter’s autism journey, Hoang began to explore her own experiences and quirks. She eventually attained her own diagnosis at age 34. As Hoang has shared in interviews, understanding herself as neurodivergent set her free and allowed her to find her voice as a writer.
What listeners said
"A delight of an audiobook!! The story is such a great romance, but it is the characters, how they engage with each other and how the author was able to show so much of their inner thoughts that made them seem real making this story unique and wonderfully refreshing! The narration is OUTSTANDING!! Carly Robins has always been a favorite of mine but she really delivered a solid performance filled with humor, heart, compassion and great tempo. Deserving of all the accolades!!" -Patricia, Audible listener
"Growing up with a sibling on the spectrum, this book touched my heart. It was a wonderful perspective with plenty of steamy scenes along the way." -Morgan, Audible listener
"If this is an example of romance, I’m hooked. It was full of passion and steamy scenes. Surprisingly, it was also an amazing love story which kept me interested the entire time. I cannot wait to listen to more by Helen Hoang." -Wendy, Audible listener
Quotes from The Kiss Quotient
"How did one not obsess over something wonderful? How did one like something a reasonable amount?"
"She ached so badly to be held it felt like a sickness had invaded her muscles and bones. As usual, her own arms provided little comfort."
"She wasn't broken. She saw and interacted with the world in a different way, but that was her. She could change her actions, change her words, change her appearance, but she couldn't change the root of herself. At her core, she would always be autistic. People called it a disorder, but it didn't feel like one. To her, it was simply the way she was."
"All the things that make you different make you perfect."
"The world stopped. All was silence but for their hearts trying to synchronize their crashing."
About the author
Helen Hoang read her first romance novel in eighth grade and has been addicted ever since. In 2016, she was diagnosed with autism, in line with what was previously known as Asperger’s Syndrome. Her journey inspired The Kiss Quotient. She currently lives in San Diego, California, with her husband, two kids, and pet fish. The Kiss Quotient is the first novel in a series, followed by The Bride Test and The Heart Principle.
About the performer
Carly Robins is an actress and voice-over artist who has narrated more than 500 audiobooks, including The Dakota Series by Debbie Macomber and, along with a talented cast, Rachel Beanland's Florence Adler Swims Forever. She won the 2023 Audie Award for her performance of Getaway.
