By Graeme Simsion
Don Tillman, professor of genetics, has never been on a second date. He is a man who can count all his friends on the fingers of one hand, whose lifelong difficulty with social rituals has convinced him that he is simply not wired for romance. So when an acquaintance informs him that he would make a “wonderful” husband, his first reaction is shock. Yet he must concede to the statistical probability that there is someone for everyone, and he embarks upon The Wife Project. In the orderly, evidence-based manner with which he approaches all things, Don sets out to find the perfect partner. She will be punctual and logical—most definitely not a barmaid, a smoker, a drinker, or a late-arriver.
Yet Rosie Jarman is all these things. She is also beguiling, fiery, intelligent—and on a quest of her own. She is looking for her biological father, a search that a certain DNA expert might be able to help her with. Don’s Wife Project takes a back burner to the Father Project and an unlikely relationship blooms, forcing the scientifically minded geneticist to confront the spontaneous whirlwind that is Rosie—and the realization that love is not always what looks good on paper.
This book was recommended to me and it was actually one of the most adorable books I’ve read in a long time. Not only was it a fun, fast-paced read, it was pretty funny!
I probably wouldn’t have picked this book for myself if it wasn’t recommended to me. Books that fit squarely in the category of romance or chick lit are not my thing. But I enjoyed this book so much I want to get my hands on the sequel!
This book does have a unique voice because it’s narrated by a man with Aspergers. But I knew that going in and didn’t find his voice bothersome. It only served to make the book funnier, as it was mainly indirect humor through the main character just not understanding things the way someone without Aspergers would.
The romance between Don and Rosie was very cute. I didn’t find it corny or trying, which is my usual reaction if the romance is front and center in a book.
If you liked Something Missing or The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, you will definitely enjoy The Rosie Project!
