Meet Don Tillman. Don is getting married. He just doesn't know who to yet. But he has designed a very detailed questionnaire to help him find the perfect woman.One thing he already knows, though, is that it's not Rosie. Absolutely, completely, definitely not.
Don Tillman is a socially challenged genetics professor who's decided the time has come to find a wife. His questionnaire is intended to weed out anyone who's unsuitable. The trouble is, Don has rather high standards and doesn't really do flexible so, despite lots of takers - he looks like Gregory Peck - he's not having much success in identifying The One.
When Rosie Jarman comes to his office, Don assumes it's to apply for the Wife Project - and duly discounts her on the grounds she smokes, drinks, doesn't eat meat, and is incapable of punctuality. However, Rosie has no interest in becoming Mrs Tillman and is actually there to enlist Don's assistance in a professional capacity: to help her find her biological father.
Sometimes, though, you don't find love: love finds you...
Review
Don Tilman is a clueless professor in Genetics. He's looking for a wife, the perfect wife who must match all his requirements and there are so many requirements including a full survey of questions. I found Don endearing, charming with an innocent quality about him. Although Don is unaware that his habits, extreme time keeping and OCD are conducive to an Autistic sufferer, the reader can recognize that he is slightly odd and can sympathize with him.
The book is narrated from his point of view and this is a great tool, his very matter of fact edging on Aspergers with humor and self deprecation is engaging and I found myself unable to put the book down.
He is very straight forward, blunt at times, one of life's truth tellers. He reminded me of Sheldon Cooper on a scientific search for the perfect wife and Rosie, the smart, hapless woman who falls in his path teaches him the truth about life and love.
I wouldn't call this Romcom, I think it's smarter than that, it's not based on cliches and over the top dramatics. Greame Simsion allows for Don to come alive on the page with moments where I could visualize Don and Rosie especially the scenes in New York and unlike so many other Romantic Comedies, the Rosie Project didn't irritate me by trying too hard, it was simply funny and charming, an absolute masterpiece.
Glad you enjoyed this book, it certainly made me laugh :-)
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