What do you do when falling in love is not an option? In “The Bride Test” by Helen Hoang, romantic hero Khai Diep believes he is not capable of feeling anything especially strong emotions like love. He is content living alone and has accepted that he will be alone the rest of his life.

Esme Tran is the modern-day equivalent of a picture bride. Her matchmaker is Khai’s mother herself who returned to Vietnam to find her son a wife. Both women take a chance with each other, agreeing that it will only be a seduction. Falling in love is not an option.

The Bride Test

“The Bride Test” is a romantic drama-comedy that delves into several social issues – living with autism, being born mixed race, immigration and being a single parent. These issues might be sensitive, but author Helen Hoang handled them deftly. Politics and grandstanding never reared their ugly heads. And that is one of the reasons why I love this book so much.

Khai, Esme and all the characters were not presented as caricatures. Rather, they were developed as individuals, as if they are real people. Khai will tug at your heartstrings. Even with his autism diagnosis, he has become a leader of industry. He is even a good son and a good brother to his siblings.

I love Khai’s inner dialogues (or should I say monologues?). The author Helen Hoang has his character down pat. Perhaps, its because she herself has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder in line with what was previously known as Asperger’s Syndrome according to her website.

When I found that out, my respect for her as a writer just went up several notches. Don’t get me wrong, I loved The Kiss Quotient and The Bride Test when I first read/listened to them. It was not until I was writing this review that I found out when I visited her website.

That said, Helen Hoang is a good role model. Her books show a positive light to those diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. But I digress… It’s time to go back to the review.

Like The Kiss Quotient, “The Bride Test” has been written with a light hand. Like a ballet, it’s elegant from beginning to end. There are no adrenaline pumping car chases. Again, like in ballet, strength and speed are demonstrated with a graceful pirouette or a leap wherein the ballerina is caught and carried by a danseur. Raw power is shunned. It is the quiet power of the characters that dominate.

I can go on and on, but I think you get the gist. The powerful message in “The Bride Test” might have been said softly, but it roars in the readers’ ears.

For the narrator, Emily Woo Zeller delivered another perfect book!I have listened to her before and she did not disappoint in “The Bride Test.” She has a wide range of voices. She got all the accents down pat. And most of all, I can differentiate Khai and Esme’s inner dialogues from their speaking voice.

“The Bride Test” is Rated T for Teens. Parental guidance is advised for some adult situations.

Story
Performance

The Bride Test

“The Bride Test” has been written with a light hand. Like a ballet, it’s elegant from beginning to end. There are no adrenaline pumping car chases. Strength are speed are demonstrated with a graceful pirouette or a leap wherein the ballerina is caught and carried by a danseur. Raw power is shunned. It is the quiet power of the characters that dominate.

Title: The Bride Test

Author: Helen Hoang
Narrator: Emily Woo Zeller
Length: 10 hrs
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 05-07-19
Language: English

Publisher’s Summary

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 important emotions, like love. 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. Seducing Khai, however, doesn’t go as planned. She’s hopelessly smitten with a man who’s convinced he can never return her affection.

Image credits collage photos: Palo Alto freeway by ahsing888; Girl in white photo by Xuân Hoàng; House photo; all from Pixabay.

Title: The Bride Test

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