She can’t say no, she doesn’t want to let people down, and she doesn’t know how to stick up for herself. It is definitely not a light and fluffy romance, but an incredibly powerful story covering themes of physical and mental illness, depression, anxiety, suicide, family conflict, sacrifice, unconditional love, and learning to speak up for what you want and who you love.Īnna is on the autism spectrum (which she learns during the course of the story) and is constantly analyzing others and the situation in order to determine how to respond. 'I’m not even sure if I can adequately express just how much I loved this book or how validated and seen it made me feel. Brava, Helen! Brava!' - post shared by Suzy Lew photo posted by on When Quan meets Anna’s mom he can tell he was 'the wrong variety of Asian for her daughter.' Guys, the angst, the pain, the love-they are all here in this book. The author does not pull any punches as she lays out the expectations impressed on Anna as a younger daughter and sister, and even on Quan, the guy dating the daughter. The relationship dynamics inherent in an Asian family are so hard to describe unless one is Asian, but they are beautifully portrayed in the interactions between Anna, her sister, and her mother. The love story is beautiful, but there are so many themes that make The Heart Principle the masterpiece it is. One of my favorite moments from this book is when Quan tells Anna 'Just because something isn’t perfect doesn’t mean we need to throw it away.' The way these two characters come together is perfect despite all their 'imperfections.' Their first date ends with Anna hiding out in the bathroom, but the beauty of their relationship is when one falters the other picks up the slack. His confidence took a hit when he lost his health and although he has recovered, he feels like half a man. Only now he’s no longer that same happy-go-lucky guy.

However, his action sparks something in her and she signs up for a dating app in the hopes of a one-night stand where she meets Quan, the loyal, happy-go-lucky, shaved, heavily tattooed secondary character who stole everyone’s heart from The Kiss Quotient and The Bride Test.

The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang