The Bride Test

Starred review from March 1, 2019
A young Vietnamese woman seizes an opportunity to travel to America in hopes of finding a husband and a better life.Esme Tran isn't ashamed that she supports her family by working as a maid in a Ho Chi Minh City hotel, but she secretly wishes for a different life for herself and her 5-year-old daughter. After a chance encounter, a wealthy American woman invites Esme to spend the summer in the U.S., hoping Esme might be a good match for her son. Meanwhile, back in California, Khai is horrified to find that his mother has taken this drastic step, but he agrees to host Esme if his mother promises never to interfere in his life again. Hoang (The Kiss Quotient, 2018) has a gift for developing layered, complex, and dynamic characters. As a man with autism, Khai has dealt with the traumas of his past by convincing himself he has a heart of stone and is literally unable to love. Esme wants a better life for herself but wonders if Khai could ever be interested in her if he knew the truth: She's uneducated and has a young daughter she's hasn't told him about. Their misunderstandings and attempts to connect are full of grace, humor, and pathos. After an awkward sexual encounter, Khai asks his brother for sex advice in a painfully funny scene, and Esme's feelings of anger and hurt are just as lovingly crafted. As Khai and Esme spend more time together, they find that despite their differences, they are a perfect match. Their individual character arcs--Khai learning to understand his own heart and Esme's determination to pursue her goals and dreams--are just as pleasing and powerful as their evolution as a couple.A stunning, superior romance.

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Starred review from April 1, 2019

A genius with numbers, relationship-challenged, and diagnosed with autism, Khai Diep is horrified when his mother decides he's been single long enough and brings him a potential bride from Vietnam to consider over the summer. For Khai, it's just wasted effort because he knows he doesn't feel deep emotions such as grief and love and, therefore, would never be so unfair as to get married. But for Tran Ngoc My (Esmeralda)--biracial, beautiful, intuitive, and nothing like Khai imagines--it is a chance to make a better life for her family (including her young daughter) and possibly locate her birth father. As the summer progresses, this tender, laughter-laced pairing blooms, but is the August wedding that Khai's mother has planned really in the cards? A lively supporting cast, excellent detail, and exceptionally well-developed protagonists keep the pages turning. While a few plot points are tied up a bit too neatly, the conclusion is truly satisfying. VERDICT With care, humor, and sensitivity, Hoang dives into the very core of her characters, bringing them to life in a romance that is original, engaging, and emotionally hard-hitting. Gorgeously done. Hoang (The Kiss Quotient) lives in San Diego. [See "Spring Awakenings: Editors' Picks," LJ 2/19, p. 20; Prepub Alert, 11/26/18.]

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2019
Hoang follows her well-received The Kiss Quotient (2018) with another charming and steamy romance featuring unlikely lovers. Khai Diep, who has autism, has trouble expressing emotions and doesn't think he'll ever fall in love, so his mother decides to play matchmaker. She returns to Vietnam to search for a likely bride and meets Esme, a young single mother and domestic worker living with her mother, grandmother, and daughter. She's never even met her American father, but being of mixed-race has always made her feel out of place. When Khai's mother suggests that Esme return to California with her to try to woo Khai, Esme embraces the plan as an opportunity to create a better life for her family. Drawing on her own and her family's experiences, Hoang again tells a winning love story that gives a voice to underrepresented characters. Readers will also enjoy cameo appearances from The Kiss Quotient cast of characters, including Michael and Stella. This is sure to be an ardently requested title.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)