February Read: “The Rosie Project” by Graeme Simsion

I’d like to welcome you all to my second annual mini book review series called February Reads. (Creative title, I know.) For my month-long book review series, I’m going to review books that contain any component of love. I am using love in its more general meaning of the word. It could be loving yourself, loving another person or even finding and losing love. You get the jist. I hope my book review series inspires you to seek out these swoon worthy reads this month. Also, I hope it reunites you with one of the most timeless loves: the love of reading.

For my first book review, I wanted the pick something that was a little unconventional. Though it is one of the most circulated romantic books, it isn’t the most typical story line to say the least.

“The Rosie Project” by Graeme Simsion is systematically clever and downright funny.

If you asked me to describe this book to you in one sentence, I would tell you to imagine this, if Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory was trying to find love, this would be it. This book would be his love story.

The relationship between Don and Rosie is unique. You could not pick any couple who were more polar opposite from one another. But you know what they say about opposites, they do attract. Don precisely follows a strict schedule, is very predictable and lives a close, structured life. His smarts and in the case of Rosie, his looks, are some of his shining attributes. But he lacks the social cues needed for daily human interaction, making him adorable and frustrating at the same time.

On the other side of the personality spectrum, you have Rosie. Rosie is a fireball. She is not afraid to speak her mind and has mastered how to live her life freely. With her bar occupation, one may cast immediate judgment on her educational background. However, this outspoken and strong lady has smarts too.

Both positive attributes and character flaws are what make this dynamic duo lively and entertaining. They make the pages come to life.

Throughout the story, Don tries his best when it comes to going with the flow with Rosie. His routine disappears. His world is tossed upside down. Though he minds it, he can’t seem to stop his feelings and attraction to Rosie. It’s an internal struggle for him throughout the book. But as the story progresses, he realizes there is no such thing as a perfect match. He can’t change Rosie nor can he deny the natural pull towards her. Rosie is not perfect, but that’s okay and he has come to terms with that. Love is about accepting the person for who they truly are.

It is not until he finally notices that Rosie “isn’t evaluating me as a partner.” Sometimes we have to not only look at someone as a potential partner, but how they are as a whole. Don learned to not judge Rosie and let his way of life change because that change was for the better. He learned that he couldn’t live with trying to find a woman that checked off everything on his check list. That was what he wanted, but not what he needed.

“And it dawned on me that I had not designed the questionnaire to find a woman I could accept but to find someone who might accept me,” Don realizes.

Overall, it is unlike any other romantic book I have ever read. Foremost it being in a male perspective, which I find to be refreshing. There are not a lot of romantic books that I find are told through a male’s point of view. Let alone a male who has no fundamental idea of how social cues work, which brings in the humor. I highly recommend you read “The Rosie Project” this month. It’s different and will still give you the feels.

If you have already read it, share in the comments below what your thoughts are! Stay tuned to more swoon worthy reads to come.

Rating:  9 out of 10

Length: 320 pages

Publisher: Simon & Schuster (June 3rd, 2014)

Genre: Romantic Love, Fiction, Humorous Fiction