Anna and Quan have to fight for their chance at love, but to do that, they also have to fight for themselves. Their first attempt at a one-night stand fails, as does their second, and their third, because being with Quan is more than sex-he accepts Anna on an unconditional level that she has just started to understand herself. However, when tragedy strikes Anna’s family she takes on a role that she is ill-suited for, until the burden of expectations threatens to destroy her. That’s where tattooed, motorcycle-riding Quan Diep comes in. An develops an understanding of the Vietnamese belief system Thuc, or the Heart Principle. Seeking a better understanding of herself and her motivations, she turns to her past and her roots. The more unacceptable the men, the better. An turns to self-help books for guidance, but instead of finding solace in them she finds them lacking.

Translation: She’s going to embark on a string of one-night stands. And when her longtime boyfriend announces he wants an open relationship before making a final commitment, a hurt and angry Anna decides that if he wants an open relationship, then she does, too. While it's thematically heavier than her previous books, Hoang's writing breathes with the kind of kinetic power and acceptance that feel freeing because she lets her characters fully realize themselves - even when those around them can't.When violinist Anna Sun accidentally achieves career success with a viral YouTube video, she finds herself incapacitated and burned out from her attempts to replicate that moment. The Heart Principle wears its heart on its sleeve. Having read all three of Helen Hoang's books, I can confidently say she's a consummate wordsmith of soulful romances, with soft, honest-to-goodness love stories paired with euphoric steaminess. In fact, it's evident that while Anna's autism is a turning point for her, it's not meant to define her or the story if anything, it's just the missing puzzle piece that lets her fully love herself without a nagging sense of uncertainty. It's an emotional journey, but a fulfilling one to watch Anna and Quan not only reconcile with the limits of their bodies and health but wield enough power to stand up for themselves. So much of the story manifests the act of grieving. We want to protect them while we collectively bemoan their loss of agency. Perhaps one of the hardest parts of reading this book is the visceral reaction to seeing other people mistreat Anna and Quan because of their differences.

It's a little on the nose to say that Hoang's new romance is sex-positive, but it's important to show how she neutralizes the social pressures around physical intimacy. I would've loved to see Quan and Anna step outside their bubble and interact in more social settings together, but it feels just as good to see them learn about each other without external influences (although her family certainly tries).

The heart principle book