The Kiss Quotient

Who it's for

Stella Lane, a gifted econometrician who is autistic, hires an escort, Michael Phan, to teach her intimacy step by step because she believes she's simply bad at it.

Feelings it meets

• Neurodivergent Identity
• Fear of Intimacy
• Self-Worth
• Sensory Overload
• Masking

What it is

Helen Hoang's 2018 romance novel (Berkley) follows Stella Lane, a successful 30-year-old econometrician who is autistic and has little dating experience. She decides to hire a professional escort, Michael Phan, to help her learn about intimacy. The story follows how their arrangement develops into a real relationship as the two guarded people get to know each other.

Where to find it

In print; widely available from libraries (Libby/Hoopla) and as an audiobook. Not public domain in the US.

Before you start

Heads up: Explicit sex; a parent's cancer.

Age: Adult (18+)

I'm Nobody! Who are you? Are you – Nobody – too?Emily Dickinson, “I'm Nobody! Who are you?” (poem 260)