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Synopsis from Goodreads:
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.
Review:
After reading two very heavy, depressing books, was looking to read something lighter and fun. That is exactly what I got as I read The Rosie Project, by Graeme Simsion. Don Tillman sure doesn't know he has Asperger's, but we do as the author shows Don lecturing at a conference for "Aspies". All the signs of the condition are laid out for us. Don fits the criteria (OCD, socially awkward, trouble with empathy). But Don sees that he would actually like to find a woman to share his like with. The story tells of Don's search for a wife. Since he is a genetics professor and researcher, he decides to to use a questionnaire to weed out obviously incompatible mates (absolutely NO SMOKING).
His friend, Gene, sends over a candidate named Rosie. But she is everthing that he does not want. She smokes, drinks, works as a bartender, is unpredictable and...stunningly beautiful. Slowly Rosie invades Don's orderly world as he helps collect DNA samples to find out the identity of her father. He lets her, he says, because she is clearly not a part of the "wife project". As the story progresses, Don and Rosie change each other's perspectives of the world. Could this be Love?
I really enjoyed this book. Though somewhat predictable, the love story was touching. I rooted for these two to be together. I also found the search for Rosie's Dad to be an unusual twist (it could be anyone of her Mom's Medical school graduating class). I winced and waited for them to be caught collecting swabs from glasses.
The one part I found slightly lacking was the assumption that Don, because he had Asperger's, was incapable of love. I am very close to several people with this condition, and I can say that "Aspies" are profoundly capable of love, loyalty, humor, and are fun people to be around. One of the things that is difficult for them is social interactions. This is due to anxiety. They are deeply worried they will say or do the wrong thing. I didn't see much of Don's anxiety. I think people with Asperger's are acutely aware of how uncomfortable unpredictable situations are. But in the book, Don's seems to gloss over these things. It would have been an even better novel had the author shown this aspect of Don's personality.
But overall I loved it and look forward to reading the sequel. There will be a movie version of this starring Jennifer Lawrence as Rosie. That should be fun, but who should play Don?
Rating: 
Source: Public Library
Format: Hardcover
Recommendation: If you like the Big Bang Theory, or simply a fun romance, you will love this book!
Will I read more from this author: Yes!
I've been looking forward to The Rosie Project; I'm so glad you liked it! Thanks for your review and happy reading! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for reading my blog, Maggie! Do you have a blog? I don't know all the actual names of some of the blog s I follow, so if I already follow you, I'm going to look foolish! I would love to follow your blog, if you have one.
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