The Heart Principle

Violinist Anna Sun is burned out after an unexpected viral moment raises impossible expectations for her career, leaving her unable to play. When her longtime boyfriend asks for an open relationship before he'll commit further, a hurt Anna decides to try dating on her own terms too. She meets Quan Diep, a tattooed, motorcycle-riding man who turns out to be more patient and understanding than she expects. As their connection deepens, Anna begins to suspect she may be autistic, a realization that brings clarity but also strains her relationship with her family. At the same time, her father suffers a serious stroke, and Anna, her mother, and her sister take on his care at home. The novel follows Anna and Quan's relationship alongside Anna's process of understanding herself and her family's response to crisis.