Review: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

Title: The Rosie Project

Author: Graeme Simsion

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Release Date: Oct. 1, 2013

pp length: 305 pgs

An international sensation, this hilarious, feel-good novel is narrated by an oddly charming and socially challenged genetics professor on an unusual quest: to find out if he is capable of true love.

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.


The Rosie Project is a moving and hilarious novel for anyone who has ever tenaciously gone after life or love in the face of overwhelming challenges.

I can’t remember the first time I read about this book, The Rosie Project.  I don’t even know half the reason I saved every article on this book that popped into my email just so I wouldn’t forget the title, I have a horrible relationship with a pen and paper (the moment I write anything down, I loose it the next second).  But what I can tell you is that I am so glad I checked out my first library book of 2013 last month!

Graeme Simsion had me in stitches with laughter all through the 305 pages, I swear every time I put this book down to do something, my heart and my mind always went back to Don and Rosie and their projects that they were both working on.  It wasn’t long before my hot little hands were back on that red cellophane wrapped cover.

Don Tillman starts off with trying to find a wife, but in the process comes across Rosie who is trying to find her father.  Don sets his frustrating wife project on the back burner to help Rosie on her father project.  In the process of determining who gave Rosie’s mother the other half of Rosie, she and Don fall in love in a very hilarious fashion.

Don Tillman reminded me so much of Andy in The Forty Year Old Virgin; Rosie was the perfect opposite for him.  You know who else Don reminded me of?  Sheldon in The Big Bang Theory!  Actually, Don was more of Sheldon than he was of Andy truth be told.  Don took everything thing so literally!  And I mean literally... (Smirking over here, thinking about it).  He didn’t even realize his best friend…his only friend’s marriage was in trouble until it was almost too late.  All the signs were there, but for someone who couldn’t even take a hint, had to have everything spelled out for him or he didn’t get it was funny to read.

I’m so glad I held onto this title and got over my fear of germs to check out a library book.  Although I think I’m either going to have to check it out again or just buy the damn thing, because I REALLY want to read it again.  It was such a feel good book and Graeme Simsion was a good new author to read, it is always so very exciting to find a new author!