Helen Hoang

Helen Hoang is an American romance novelist, best known for her debut novel The Kiss Quotient and the USA Today best-selling sequel The Bride Test.

Not to be confused with Helen Huang.
Helen Hoang
Born1982 (age 37–38)
Occupationnovelist
LanguageEnglish
NationalityAmerican
GenreRomance fiction
Notable worksThe Kiss Quotient
The Bride Test
Years active2018–present
Children2
Website
www.helenhoang.com

Career

Prior to being published, Hoang wrote paranormal and fantasy romances with a martial arts bent.[1] She states that she wrote on and off for around ten years before The Kiss Quotient was published.[2] Hoang says that the writers who influence her own work the most are Jayne Ann Krentz, Christine Feehan, Nalini Singh, Elizabeth Lowell, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Kresley Cole, Eloisa James, Julia Quinn, and Lisa Kleypas.[3]

The Kiss Quotient

Hoang wrote the first draft of what would become The Kiss Quotient within ten weeks.[1][2] The manuscript went through several drafts before she entered the online pitch contest Pitch Wars, where she revised it again with the help of her mentor Brighton Walsh, working for eight months.[1]

Published in June 2018, The Kiss Quotient follows Stella, an autistic woman who hires an escort in order to explore intimacy with other people.[4]

Hoang states that she initially wanted to write a gender-swapped Pretty Woman, but was stuck when examining why a "successful, beautiful woman would hire an escort."[5] During a meeting with her daughter's preschool teacher, Hoang found out that her daughter is on the autism spectrum. She researched autism and realized that she, too, is autistic, and used that as the basis for the book's concept.[5]

The Kiss Quotient received a positive review from Publishers Weekly.[6] It had an initial print run of 100,000 copies.[7] As of July 2018, the book was in its fourth printing.[7]

In August 2018, it was announced that Pilgrim Media Group acquired the film, TV, and other media rights for The Kiss Quotient[8] and partnered with Lionsgate for an expected domestic release.[9] A sequel titled The Bride Test, about Esme, a hotel maid who gets offered to accompany Khai, the autistic cousin of Michael from the first book[4] who never had a girlfriend before to weddings, was published by Berkley in May 2019.[5] Hoang says that she wanted to subvert the harmful tropes surrounding autism by writing an autistic character through protagonist Khai who is perceived by others as cold and heartless when this is not actually the case.[5] Hoang describes The Bride Test as "Green Card meets Four Weddings and a Funeral—but with autism."[4] The Bride Test received positive reviews from Publishers Weekly[10] and Kirkus Reviews.[11]

As of April 2019, Hoang is working on the third book in the series, tentatively titled The Heart Principle.[12] Hoang describes it as "a cross between a gender-swapped Sabrina and Say Anything."[4]

Personal life

Hoang was raised in Minnesota before moving to California.[13] Her mother is a Vietnamese immigrant.[4]

Growing up, Hoang struggled with social anxiety, which lead to her turning to romance novels as an outlet that guaranteed a happy ending.[14]

She received an undergraduate business degree and worked in finance after college prior to becoming an author.[15]

Hoang lives in San Diego with her husband and two children.[16]

References
  1. Gentry, Baihley (2018-06-19). "Debut Author Interview: Helen Hoang, Author of The Kiss Quotient". Writer's Digest. Retrieved 2019-05-30.
  2. "Helen Hoang: The Importance of Writing Personal and Realistic Fiction". Writer's Digest. 2018-06-19. Retrieved 2019-05-30.
  3. Wagner, Bonnie Lynn. "BWW Interview: Helen Hoang, author of THE KISS QUOTIENT". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2019-05-30.
  4. "Helen Hoang on how her mother's immigrant story inspired 'The Bride Test'". EW.com. Retrieved 2019-05-30.
  5. Hoang, Helen. "In Helen Hoang's Novels, Autism Is No Bar To Love And Happiness". NPR.org. Retrieved 2019-05-30.
  6. www.publishersweekly.com https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-451-49080-3. Retrieved 2019-05-30. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  7. Alter, Alexandra (2018-07-07). "The Changing Face of Romance Novels". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-01-03.
  8. Petski, Denise (2018-08-01). "'The Kiss Quotient': Pilgrim Media Group Acquires Book Rights For Film & TV". Deadline. Retrieved 2018-12-24.
  9. Wiseman, Andreas (2018-10-30). "Lionsgate Boards Helen Hoang Romance 'The Kiss Quotient' From Pilgrim Media Group — AFM". Deadline. Retrieved 2018-12-24.
  10. www.publishersweekly.com https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-451-49082-7. Retrieved 2019-05-30. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  11. THE BRIDE TEST by Helen Hoang | Kirkus Reviews.
  12. "Writing a romance novel with an autistic heroine helped Helen Hoang understand herself". EW.com. Retrieved 2019-01-03.
  13. Rivera, Erica. "Writing Asperger's romance novel 'The Kiss Quotient ' was liberating for author Helen Hoang". City Pages. Retrieved 2019-01-02.
  14. Alter, Alexandra (2018-07-07). "The Changing Face of Romance Novels". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-05-30.
  15. "How The Kiss Quotient, The Romance Novel Of The Summer, Sheds Light On Dating While Autistic". www.refinery29.com. Retrieved 2019-01-03.
  16. "ABOUT". Helen Hoang. Retrieved 2019-05-30.
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