Title | The Bride Test |
Author | |
Series | |
ISBN | 9781760876029 |
Publisher | |
Ed. Language | English |
Format | Paperback |
Length | 312 pages |
Pub. Date | July 1st, 2019 (*first published May 7th 2019) |
Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
The Bride Test is a sweet and unique story that will entice you to read it. The slow burn was totally swoon-worthy, and it also has great representation of Autism and Vietnamese culture.
Summary from Publisher:
Khai Diep has no feelings. Well, he feels irritation when people move his things or contentment when ledgers balance down to the penny, but 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 avoids relationships, 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. When the opportunity arises to come to America and meet a potential husband, she can’t turn it down, thinking this could be the break her family needs. Seducing Khai, however, doesn’t go 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.
With Esme’s time in the United States dwindling, Khai is forced to understand he’s been wrong all along. And there’s more than one way to love.
This was the second time I read this book. I read both the first and second series for the first time in 2019, and I have no recollection of either book. It was as if I was reading it for the first time. Because the only physical book I have in this series is the second one, I read this first.
It was adorable. I loved reading both POVs with each of their feelings, Khai with his stubbornness, and Esme with her patience. I liked how their personalities complemented one another. Esme was very aware and considerate that she could understand the unique Khai.
I don't remember ever reading about autism (*of course I DID read it, considering I'm reading this book for the second time. I just completely forgot.) The main character in this book also has autism. It surprised me as an unusual topic for a romance novel. I like it when I come across something that piques my interest enough for me to google it up, an extra star for that.
Esme's growth was also appealing to me. Given her disadvantaged background, she initially valued herself very lowly, but many of the characters in this book, such as Khai's mother, Khai's older brother, and Miss Q, assisted her in discovering her true self. The side characters in this book play an important role in the plot, not just as filler.
What I didn't like was Esme's mindset that Khai isn't worth it if he can't accept her *censored*. I agreed, but Hoang describes it in this sentence: "She lifted her chin. If he thought she was unclassy for having a *censored*, he didn't deserve her" Wow. I don't think she has the right to raise her chin at Khai after hiding her *censored* all this time. She's very selfish about that. Khai has every right to leave her. Even if you love your partner, having *censored* is a huge decision.
"She wasn’t impressive in any way you could see or measure, but she had that fire. She felt it. That was her worth. That was her value. She would fight for her loved ones. And she would fight for herself. Because she mattered."
"My heart works in a different way, but it’s yours. You’re my one."
"Em yêu anh yêu em."
Recommended for those who like:
Arranged marriage
Cinderella trope
Vietnamese culture
Dual POV
Steamy
Content Warnings: sexual content, death of loved one, grief.
Where to buy:
Google Play (e-book) | Shopee: Periplus (Paperback) | Amazon (kindle)
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