The Heart Principle
A woman struggling with burnout learns to embrace the unexpected--and the man she enlists to help her--in this new New York Times bestselling romance by Helen Hoang.
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. 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. Translation: She's going to embark on a string of one-night stands. The more unacceptable the men, the better. That's where tattooed, motorcycle-riding Quan Diep comes in. 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 herself has just started to understand. 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. Anna and Quan have to fight for their chance at love, but to do that, they also have to fight for themselves.
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. 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. Translation: She's going to embark on a string of one-night stands. The more unacceptable the men, the better. That's where tattooed, motorcycle-riding Quan Diep comes in. 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 herself has just started to understand. 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. Anna and Quan have to fight for their chance at love, but to do that, they also have to fight for themselves.
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Community Reviews
An absolutely stunning, heart wrenching, yet heart healing masterpiece.
Wow...
This book is truly monumental in fiction. So many wonderful aspects that were woven into it, to learn from. The Heart Principle is about Anna a talented violinist, that has reached internet stardom from a viral video. Growing up there has always been lots of pressure to be the best at whatever she does, she had to also live up to her perfect older sister. With all the pressure to create a the next musical masterpiece Anna starts reaching burnout phase very quickly.
On top of her personal and mental burnout, her boyfriend of several years tells her he wants to see other people. He wants to "make sure" Anna is what he wants before they marry. (YUCK!)
Well Anna becomes brave one night and out of spite downloads a dating app to make sure she at least has her own one night stand.
What Anna wasn't expecting was finding Quan. A delicious, tatted, motorcycle riding bad boy, with a heart of gold to sweep her off her feet.
Anna and Quan connect on such an intimate level and they both soon decide that trying to coax up a quick one night stand is impossible for both of them.
As the book goes through the motions it is important to point out that as Anna is seeing a therapist mainly for what she thinks is writer's block, Anna is diagnosed with being on the Autism spectrum. Such a finding is monumental for Anna, as it starts to explain her quirks and the way she experiences the world.
What I love about this book is how easy it is for two neurodiverse people to fall in love. Quan is insistent on learning how and who Anna is. The wonderful conversations on intimacy and sex are so beautiful and healthy for two adults to have.
I had many moments where I swooned, chuckled, and had a therapeutic cry and released some deep things that only Helen Hoang could muster up in me. Make sure to read the author's note, as it is as important as the rest of the novel. This is def a 2021 favorite!
Wow...
This book is truly monumental in fiction. So many wonderful aspects that were woven into it, to learn from. The Heart Principle is about Anna a talented violinist, that has reached internet stardom from a viral video. Growing up there has always been lots of pressure to be the best at whatever she does, she had to also live up to her perfect older sister. With all the pressure to create a the next musical masterpiece Anna starts reaching burnout phase very quickly.
On top of her personal and mental burnout, her boyfriend of several years tells her he wants to see other people. He wants to "make sure" Anna is what he wants before they marry. (YUCK!)
Well Anna becomes brave one night and out of spite downloads a dating app to make sure she at least has her own one night stand.
What Anna wasn't expecting was finding Quan. A delicious, tatted, motorcycle riding bad boy, with a heart of gold to sweep her off her feet.
Anna and Quan connect on such an intimate level and they both soon decide that trying to coax up a quick one night stand is impossible for both of them.
As the book goes through the motions it is important to point out that as Anna is seeing a therapist mainly for what she thinks is writer's block, Anna is diagnosed with being on the Autism spectrum. Such a finding is monumental for Anna, as it starts to explain her quirks and the way she experiences the world.
What I love about this book is how easy it is for two neurodiverse people to fall in love. Quan is insistent on learning how and who Anna is. The wonderful conversations on intimacy and sex are so beautiful and healthy for two adults to have.
I had many moments where I swooned, chuckled, and had a therapeutic cry and released some deep things that only Helen Hoang could muster up in me. Make sure to read the author's note, as it is as important as the rest of the novel. This is def a 2021 favorite!
A surprisingly interesting romance about how a young lady on the spectrum experiences love. Easy but enjoyable read that’s hard to put down.
Anna has just been diagnosed on the Autism spectrum after masking her entire life without even realizing it. When her boyfriend says that he wants to see other people before settling down, Anna decides that she wants to venture out as well. She meets Quan through a dating app and they set up to hook up. Their hookups keep failing and they keep trying, but they start to grow feelings for each other. Anna struggles with the idea of getting back with her ex, the identity of her diagnosis, and her family falling apart.
I related so much to Anna that, at times, it felt like this book was personally attacking me. Struggling with saying no, learning about her diagnosis, her family constantly putting her down and pressuring her into things that she doesn’t want to do? Same.
The romance was more of a side plot in this story, but it was still good. It just took a little while for my brain to adjust my expectations.
I wish we had gotten some insight into Priscilla. The epilogue is set two years after their father passes away and she is not there to watch Anna's performance which means she still has not gotten over herself and realized the importance of family. I think Helen Hoang wrote Priscilla as a narcissist, but either did not know that that was what she wrote or she just didn't want to draw attention to it which would have been an interesting choice since Helen writes about autism. Why not draw attention to the havoc a narcissist can bring in your life if you do not draw clear boundaries. Or Priscilla had other issues, but it would have been nice to know.
I barely forgave Anna's mother. The story of her childhood in China put so much into context, but she still was pushing Anna to be the one to forgive Priscilla and tried to guilt her with "there's only the three of us now."
I picked up with book because I wanted something light and fun to read, instead I got an anger inducing, traumatic book, full of gaslighting and family who does not accept you. It was not the palate cleanser I wanted, but I still enjoyed the book.
I wish we had gotten some insight into Priscilla. The epilogue is set two years after their father passes away and she is not there to watch Anna's performance which means she still has not gotten over herself and realized the importance of family. I think Helen Hoang wrote Priscilla as a narcissist, but either did not know that that was what she wrote or she just didn't want to draw attention to it which would have been an interesting choice since Helen writes about autism. Why not draw attention to the havoc a narcissist can bring in your life if you do not draw clear boundaries. Or Priscilla had other issues, but it would have been nice to know.
I barely forgave Anna's mother. The story of her childhood in China put so much into context, but she still was pushing Anna to be the one to forgive Priscilla and tried to guilt her with "there's only the three of us now."
I picked up with book because I wanted something light and fun to read, instead I got an anger inducing, traumatic book, full of gaslighting and family who does not accept you. It was not the palate cleanser I wanted, but I still enjoyed the book.
надо как-то запомнить, что мне максимально неблизки героини хелен хоанг и их проблемы, и перестать уже не про них читать. потому что бесит - очередная женщина на аутическом спектре всю книгу переживает, что расстраивает родителей, а попутно встречает идеального мужчину необыкновенной красоты без мгс, который кладет себя к её ногам, занимается с ней феерическим сексом и полностью обслуживает её в быту, когда у нее депрессивный эпизод. ну да, ну да, конечно
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