02/23/2015
This sequel to 2013’s The Rosie Project finds brilliant but socially inept Australian geneticist Don Tillman married to medical grad student Rosie Jarman and living in N.Y.C. Don’s orderly life is upended when Rosie gets pregnant and Don’s friend Gene moves in with them. Much of the humor involves Don’s mishaps as he struggles to manage things in a logical way, while misinterpreting social situations and taking people’s words too literally (he doesn’t get sarcasm, rhetorical questions, or hyperbole). In the wrong hands, this type of character might come across as unemotional or cold, but Australian narrator O’Grady strikes the perfect chord, conveying Don’s earnest desire to do the right thing, his befuddlement when he messes up, and his genuine love for Rosie—all with Don’s rigid thought process and likable quirkiness. O’Grady also does a good job differentiating between different characters: he speaks in a higher register for women and uses a tough-guy voice for a cop, and even makes a somewhat successful attempt at a New York accent for several characters. This is an excellent narration of a highly entertaining story. A S&S hardcover. (Jan.)

“In his bestselling debut, The Rosie Project, Simsion introduced the delightfully original character of Don Tillman, an Australian geneticist with Asperger’s syndrome who sets out to find the perfect wife by using the scientific method. In the sequel, set in New York, Don takes on impending fatherhood in the same clumsy yet endearing way, with results both funny and moving. This charming new chapter in the Tillman chronicles leaves you hoping it won’t be the last.”
—People

“Though painfully aware of his emotional shortcomings, Don determinedly sets out to be a good dad. Hilarity ensues…Simsion’s tale offers a playful look at a how a family of two fare when a third…enters the mix...There’s a moral to this quirky story: The best things in life can’t be planned on a spreadsheet.”
—Good Housekeeping

“Loveable science prof Don Tillman’s perfect (-ly concocted) marriage is about to hit a major bump.”
—Cosmopolitan

“The hilarious follow-up to The Rosie Project, one of the best novels I’ve read in ages. There’s no sophomore slump here. Simsion brings back some of the best characters and gags from the first novel while also bringing in enough new elements to keep it fresh. It’s a funny novel that also made me think about relationships: what makes them work and how we have to keep investing time and energy to make them better. A sweet, entertaining, and thought-provoking book.”
—Bill Gates, "Top Five Books of 2014"

"Don and Rosie are back!...Readers who loved the first book are in for another treat."
—Library Journal (starred review)

"The Rosie Effect is a celebration of the best attributes to be found in a friend, a husband, or a father, regardless of the way they are expressed." —Booklist (starred review)

“This is a very funny book, possibly the funniest this year as Don organizes his and Rosie's life in New York…Every thought creates a smile for the reader who can't help responding to Don's comedic behavior…We can only hope the third installment is lurking around to produce another chuckle-filled triumph.”
—Daphne Guinness, Sydney Morning Herald

Praise for The Rosie Project

“Sometimes you just need a smart love story that will make anyone, man or woman, laugh out loud.”
—San Francisco Chronicle

“Move over, Sheldon Cooper. There’s a new brilliant, socially inept scientist poised to win over a huge audience, and his name is Don Tillman, in The Rosie Project. . . .This rom-com is bursting with warmth, emotional depth, and intentional humor.” (A–)
—Entertainment Weekly

“An utterly winning screwball comedy. . . . If you’re looking for sparkling entertainment along the lines of Where’d You Go, Bernadette and When Harry Met Sally, The Rosie Project is this season’s fix. . . . This charming, warmhearted escapade, which celebrates the havoc—and pleasure—emotions can unleash, offers amusement aplenty. Sharp dialogue, terrific pacing, physical hijinks, slapstick, a couple to root for, and more twists than a pack of Twizzlers—it’s no surprise that The Rosie Project is bound for the big screen. But read it first.”
—NPR.org

“Filled with humor and plenty of heart, The Rosie Project is a delightful reminder that all of us, no matter how we’re wired, just want to fit in.”
—Chicago Tribune

“Simsion’s attention to detail brings to life Don’s wonderful, weird world. Instead of using Don’s Asperger’s syndrome as a fault, or a lead-in to a tragic turn of events, Simsion creates a heartwarming story of an extraordinary man learning to live in an ordinary world, and to love. As Don would say, this book is ‘great fun.’”
—USA Today

“It’s natural to be wary of a novel that’s been the target of such gushy praise. Publishers in at least thirty-eight countries have snapped up the rights to The Rosie Project, which has been touted as a ‘publishing phenomenon,’ an ‘international sensation’ and no less than ‘the feel-good hit of 2013.’ Well, squelch your inner cynic: the hype is justified. Australian Graeme Simsion has written a genuinely funny novel. . . . This is classic rom-com.”
—The Washington Post

02/15/2015
Don Tillman is back in this sequel to The Rosie Project. After the extremely logical genetics professor discovered his surprising ability to connect emotionally with Rosie, they married and are now living in New York City. They've settled into their happily ever after when life is seriously disrupted by Rosie's unexpected (by Don) pregnancy. As Don tries to cope with the introduction of a third party into their relationship and figure out if he's capable of being a father, the growing distance between him and Rosie becomes almost insurmountable. The chain of events that unfolds involves a run-in with the NYPD, a washed-up English musician, a pregnant cow, a lot of research, a lot of alcohol, and the Transportation Security Administration. Simsion offers plenty of insights through Don's unique take on the world before wrapping things up neatly. Narrator Dan O'Grady reprises his role with a perfect mixture of warm Australian drawl and deadpan delivery, allowing the humor in Don's various predicaments to shine through. VERDICT While the sequel isn't quite up to the level of The Rosie Project, it retains much of the first book's charm and humor—readers will be rooting for Don and Rosie all the way. ["Readers who loved the first book are in for another treat," read the starred review of the S. & S. hc, LJ 11/1/14.]—Anna Mickelsen, Springfield City Lib., MA

The sequel to THE ROSIE PROJECT is almost as accomplished as its predecessor, and narrator Dan O'Grady is every bit as engaging as he was the first time around. Don Tillman, a geneticist with Asperger's syndrome, and his new wife, Rosie, move to New York City from Australia. O'Grady deftly depicts Tillman in all of his well-intentioned awkwardness as he advises the pregnant Rosie on the do's and don'ts of her condition. Poor Rosie is nearly at her breaking point, a state of mind that O'Grady captures with humor and realism. Listeners will laugh out loud when Tillman comes to the attention of the NYPD as he tries to observe youngsters in a park to better prepare for fatherhood. Seldom has a "new dad" book been more delightful. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine