The Heart Principal by Helen Hoang | The Witty Banter Book Club #57

First, I did not realize this was part of a series so some things, I think are probably answered in the first two books. This isn't like a series, series though so it is okay that I read it and will be if you do too lol. I am absolutely enamored with this book. I am so sad it is over but I cannot wait to read the first two. Anna and Quan are complementary love interests that I don't think we see in romance books. Anna is a quiet, reserved, violinist who is diagnosed early into the book with Autism. She struggles with self expression, so much so that it is impacting her self worth and her ability to preform in any capacity below perfection. After her long term boyfriend tells her he wants to see other people, Anna finds herself meeting Quan. Quan is patient, energetic, and vocal. He doesn't hesitate to express his needs and desires, most of the time. After recently losing a testicle to cancer, Quan is navigating his new found romantic life when he meets Anna. Neither of them were expecting more than a hook up, but after not hooking up, they begin to spend more time with one another quickly straddling the line between a relationship and a failed hookup. I absolutely LOVE Quan. He is so patient with Anna and everything she does and does not want to do. He does not pressure her into doing anything she does not want to do. Not even just sexually, just anything in general. In the ways he does pressure it is to help her overcome her flaws, not to benefit himself. Quan cares very deeply for Anna in such a respectable way. It is a breathe of fresh air for this genre lol. Even when things get hard between them he does what he can to protect her feelings . Anna is a great FMC. She is going through a lot, and the book focuses on her journey with processing her diagnosis, dealing with a terminal parent, navigating hard relationships, and developing self worth. She is easily one of the most relatable characters in a book I have ever read. Her primary struggle is coping with her diagnosis. The diagnosis clicks for her and for once she finally feels seen, but knowing what is wrong and doing something about it is hard when those two things are in opposition. As things get more difficult throughout the story, she eventually reaches a breaking point. Thank you so much for watching this episode! Please support the show by leaving a like and your comments about the episode this week. We love hearing from you so please let us know what you’re thinking! Don’t forget to subscribe to us here on YouTube: we bring new podcast episodes every Monday! If you’re interested in finding us on social media you can click on the links below: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewittybanterbookclub/ TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@thewittybanterbookclub Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thewittybanterbc/ If you want to further support the show please check out or “merch” a.k.a BOOKMARKS on etsy! We designed all of these and all the proceeds are put back into the programs we use to bring this show to you all each Monday! Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheWittyBanterBC Thank you all again for your continuous support. We are so grateful for you all. Have an excellent day. For business inquiries please contact us at TheWittyBanterBC@gmail.com