The Heart Principle

"The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang is an eye-opening and, at times, confronting book that tells the story of a young, Chinese-American violinist on the autism spectrum whose sudden fame has not only paralysed her creatively but also driven her to the point of burnout. She meets a man online, only looking for a one-night stand at first, but nothing goes as planned, and their temporary arrangement slowly begins to take on a life of its own. The very impermanent nature of their relationship, however, gives the heroine the freedom to show a man for the very first time in her life the chaotic, insecure, panic-attack-ridden side of herself—something she’s always kept to herself in order to please those around her. When tragedy strikes her family, she expects the hero to run for the hills. Instead, his unwavering support gives her the courage to free herself from the burden of expectations, and to find the person behind the mask she’s always worn. This book, more than any other book I read this year, is a perfect example of how powerful and multifaceted a story about love can truly be."