„THE KISS QUOTIENT” de Helen Hoang

Această poveste de dragoste m-a emoționat și m-a impresionat deoarece este prima dată cînd citesc o carte unde unul din personaje are sindromul Asperger.

Așa cum recunoaștea și scriitoarea, personajul feminin, Stella, a fost scris cu mare drag și cu înțelegere, deoarece Helen Hoang, autoarea romanului „The kiss quotient”, are la rîndul ei, o formă ușoară a aceluiași sindrom.

Pentru a deveni expertă și în limbajul dragostei, nu numai în  domeniul IT unde excelează, Stella plătește serviciile lui Michael, cel mai scump gigolo găsit online. 
Pentru început, Michael o învață pe Stella să sărute („That was a novel concept to her. The men enjoyed it–sort of. She did not.”):

Stella: „-Will you show me how to be a good kisser?”
Michael: „-I’m not certain you aren’t already one.”
Stella: „-I’m really not.”

„He bent toward her mouth once again, and she fisted her hands against his chest and braced herself. Instead of pushing his tongue between her lips, he kissed her like he had before, more drugging closed-mouth kisses. These she could do. These she liked.  They rained upon her mouth in an unhurried procession. Some of her stress drained away, and her fingers uncurled.

Wet heat stroked over her bottom lip. His tongue. Another stroke, and shivery sensation cascaded outward. More kisses.

Soon he was seducing her mouth, stroking her bottom lip, the top lip, teasing the crease. The closed-mouth kisses she’d liked at the beginning were no longer enough.

Over and over again, he gave her a brief taste of salt and heat, and then retreated. Without consciously deciding to do it, she sealed her mouth with his and touched her tongue to his. His taste flooded her senses. Butterflies exploded in her stomach and sped through her veins. Her legs went weak, but his arms tightened around her, keeping her from falling.”

Coming up for air, she said, <<Oh my God, you taste good.”

Michael: „-Do you always say exactly what you’re thinking?”

Stella: „-Either that or I don’t talk.”

Editura: Penguin Random House, 2018