⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 stars | Helen Hoang is an auto-read author for me and for good reason. Her latest and much-anticipated book, The Heart Principle, did not disappoint and I loved learning more about Quan Diep, who was a background character in her previous novels, and new heroine Anna Sun. As with all her characters, they're multi-faceted, honest, and real. And that is in large part thanks to how the author infuses so much of herself into her stories. She said this is the most personal book yet and it shows.
Anna is a violinist and an accidental viral YouTube star who's burning herself out trying to recapture the magic of that moment. At the same time, her (douche-y) boyfriend has decided that they should have an open relationship so he can sleep around to make sure she's the one (he made me so mad!). Anna decides she's going to have a one-night stand too and meets Quan, who is definitely more boyfriend material than hook-up. (I dare you not to fall in love with him while reading -- seriously.) Quan, with his tattoos and motorcycles, may not seem like the perfect fit for Anna but he's the one person who accepts Anna unconditionally and helps her to find that confidence within herself. After multiple failed one night stands together, they naturally move towards dating instead and I was 100% here for it. All the little and big ways they connected, whether it was over Netflix or their interests, made me smile and swoon, and provided a good counterpart to the more serious plot line that came later on.
Of Hoang's books, this one was admittedly the heaviest (but not overly so) and it hit rather close to home for me in ways I didn't expect.
Do I recommend? Absolutely! If you're been a fan of Helen Hoang since her debut novel, you'll enjoy this one too.
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