The Bride Test by Helen HoangMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
FIRST REACTION: This book had heart. So much heart and it was so cute. I'm missing out on sleep because of it but I have no regrets
Full Review
I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy of this book just after I finished The Kiss Quotient. I devoured this book and enjoyed it much more than its predecessor. The book has a lot of elements that I enjoy and I will list them out in detail below:
The arranged marriage trope
I'm a sucker for the arranged marriage trope as it generally leads to hilarious situations. This book took it up a notch and made the trope super fun yet did not take the attention away from the heart of the book, its characters.
Characters
I loved both the protagonists of this novel. As it is told from a duel point of view, the reader gets insight into the minds of both the unique characters. Unlike Stella (from The Kiss Quotient), Khai's voice seemed more natural and his autism more unpretentious. His raw emotions jump off the screen, despite his belief that he has none. Esme is a breath of fresh air. She is a feminist at heart despite being a victim of her circumstances. She isn't money hungry or an opportunist willing to do whatever it takes for a green card. She is a genuine female with wants and needs who is loyal to a fault. It was a pleasure reading this book because of the well etched out and humane characters, belonging to diverse backgrounds.
Vietnamese Culture
I loved reading To All The Boys I loved... because it introduced me to Korean culture. Similarly, this book focuses more on Vietnamese culture and heritage. While it doesn't take centre stage, I loved this tiny insight into the Vietnamese culture.
Overall, this book is cotton candy with substance. As it combines all the elements of a beautiful HEA romance and gives it a unique twist. I would highly recommend it to romance lovers as well as individuals who occasionally read romance.
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