The Kiss Quotient: 10 Things To Know About The Book Before The Movie Comes Out (2024)

Published in 2018,The Kiss Quotientby Helen Hoang has had readers swooning. The novel tells the story of Stella Lane, a woman with Asperger's who hires Michael Phan, an escort, as she has trouble with relationships. It's an interesting premise and the book has also been optioned for film.

RELATED:10 Best Meg Ryan Rom-Coms Ranked, According To Rotten Tomatoes

There are manyromance books that have been turned into TV shows, and it's always exciting news when a beloved book is becoming a movie, too.Before the film adaptation ofThe Kiss Quotientcomes out, let's take a look at some facts about the popular book and author.

Helen Hoang Was Diagnosed With Autism

As Helen Hoang was writing her novel, she was diagnosed with autism. In an interview withEntertainment Weekly, she said that at the age of 34, she saw that she could relate to her character and others who have what the publication calls "trouble with social skills."

Hoang toldEW, "In the first draft of the book, Stella had a coming-out-as-autistic moment with Michael, and that moment was really good for me to work through the dialogue on paper before I actually said it." She said in an interview withPublisher's Weeklythat it's her first "personal book."

It's Like Pretty Woman But The Other Way Around

Some parts of Pretty Woman haven't aged well but the movie is still a classic '90s romantic comedy that many fans still love watching today. It's one of Julia Roberts's most iconic films and has so many famous moments and quotes.

Hoang wanted tocreate a"gender-swapped"Pretty Womanwhen she came up with The Kiss Quotient, according to NC News. It's definitely interesting to see this fresh take.

Hoang Would Love Henry Golding Or Simu Liu To Play Michael

As soon as news comes out that a beloved novel is becoming a movie, it's fun to think about who should play which characters. When asked what her "dream cast" for the movie adaptation would be, Hoang suggested Henry Golding and Simu Liu.

RELATED:Top 10 Best Romantic Gestures In Sitcom History

Golding is beloved for his portrayal ofNick in the 2018 movieCrazy Rich Asiansand also starred inLast ChristmasandA Simple Favor. Simi Liu starsas Jung Kim inKim's Convenience, a sitcom on CBCthat has had five seasons so far.

The Characters Have A Realistic Connection And Timeframe For Falling In Love

Hoang shared in an Q&A withGoodreadsthat she isn't a fan of fictional couples who fall fast and hard.

Hoang explained that while many books feature characters who have "instalove," that isn't something that she finds very realistic. The love story inThe Kiss Quotientis relatable because it feels like the characters have a real connection. They don't fall immediately and when they do realize their feelings, it feels like the pacing and timeframe are completely right.

Hoang Wanted ToRaise AwarenessOf Living With Autism

The Kiss Quotientis such a well-written and wonderful book because of the main character, Stella, and readers get to know her very well.

In an interview withNPR, Hoang explained that she wanted to write a book to portray how "autistic people can have these very full lives." She said, "I want to believe that I can be a main character, I can be a leading character in my life, that I can have a happily ever after, that I can find true love, and I can get married, and conquer, and be happy."

StellaIs An Econometrician

Movie and TV fans are used to seeing characters with cool jobs that don't make much sense. In the case of the main character inThe Kiss Quotient, she's got an incredible job, and Hoang put a lot of thought into it.

Stella is an econometrician. In an interview onShondaland.com, Hoang explained that Stella's careercouldn't involve "strong people skills."

This is a fascinating job, and according toIMF.org, it can be described this way: "econometricians develop economic models to explain consistently recurring relationships." Hoang shared in the interview that her brother-in-law has this job.

The Book Is A Huge Success

Hollywood often turns to the world of books to bring stories to the screen, and there are several horror films with literary roots. But there's something special about romance novels, especially when they offer a fresh and unique perspective.

RELATED:Game Of Thrones: 10 Shocking Twists From The Books That Weren't In The Show

The Kiss Quotienthas been a huge success since it was first published and with the movie adaptation in the works, the buzz is even bigger. The book was published in June 2018 and by July, it was on its fourth printing, according toThe New York Times. Book lovers, from critics to readers, are raving about it.

Hoang Was Very Passionate About Writing This Story

In an interview withBibliophilesoprano.wordpress.com, Hoang described the process of writing the book.

She explained, "Ihadto translate the story into words, and my time at the keyboard vacillated between pure elation and utter suffering. Ilovedthis story and these characters, but at the same time, I was fumbling to communicate what I saw in my mind." Readers can definitely tell all of the passion and dedication that went into craftingThe Kiss Quotient.

Hoang Was Part Of TheMentorship Program Pitch Wars

It's fascinating to hear about how a writer comes out with a story and how they move throughtheir publication journey. There are many interesting movies about authors, which can be a great way to become privy to the creative process. It's also fun to read interviews with writers to learn more about them.

RELATED:

In herinterview onShondaland.com, Hoang talked about being part of Pitch Wars, a mentorship program. She worked with a mentor and then went through the process of looking for an agent through to her book deal.

There Is A Second Novel

It's always exciting when great movies get sequelsand the same thing can be said for wonderful novels that make readers want to spend more time with the characters.

Helen Hoang also has a sequel,The Bride Test, that focuses on Khai, Michael's cousin who has autism. In an interview withRefinery 29, the author explained more about this book and character:"When he avoids relationships out of the misbelief that he has no emotions, his mom takes matters into her own hands and gets him a mail order bride. The novel follows these two over the course of a summer of forced proximity."

NEXT:10 Kids’ Movies You Didn’t Know Were Based On Books, Ranked According To IMDb