The art of love is never a science: Meet Don Tillman, a brilliant yet socially inept professor of genetics, who’s decided it’s time he found a wife. In the orderly, evidence-based manner with which Don approaches all things, he designs the Wife Project to find his perfect partner: a sixteen-page, scientifically valid survey to filter out the drinkers, the smokers, the late arrivers.
Rosie Jarman possesses all these qualities. Don easily disqualifies her as a candidate for The Wife Project (even if she is “quite intelligent for a barmaid”). But Don is intrigued by Rosie’s own quest to identify her biological father. When an unlikely relationship develops as they collaborate on The Father Project, Don is forced to confront the spontaneous whirlwind that is Rosie―and the realization that, despite your best scientific efforts, you don’t find love, it finds you.
This was an absolutely charming book about how love is rarely conventional or logical.
From the first chapter, I thoroughly enjoyed this as a light, easy read, but I also thought that Don's character gave a unique and valuable perspective.
I related to Don quite often, especially when it came to timeliness. He planned out every single moment of his life, it seemed, and believed that being late and starting events late was an ineffective waste of time. How absolutely true that is! Though I'm not nearly as organized as him and never will be, it was intriguing to get a glimpse into his lifestyle.
He also evolved as time went by. His initial questionnaire looked for someone who didn't drink at all, because he wanted to cut back himself. Closer to the end, his ideal answer was someone who drunk moderately.
I also loved that this was Australian. There aren't enough books from ANZ, and as a born and raised Kiwi living in the US, I found the trip Don takes to New York City to be wildly amusing. He pointed out some cultural differences that I hadn't noticed, surprisingly--Americans don't call taps taps; they call them faucets. Weird.
I love that this is stand alone, though if time allows I'll be excited to read the second.
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