I don't know whether my frame of mind was different during this novel, or whether the writing was markedly different, but I found this novel soulless compared to the first. It seemed to be nothing more than 'set pieces', where Don got into more and more trouble. The affection and humour was missing from the writing. Disappointing.

(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

With the Wife Project complete, Don settles into a new job and married life in New York. But it's not long before certain events are taken out of his control and it's time to embark on a new project . . .
As Don tries to get to grips with the requirements of starting a family, his unusual research style gets him into trouble. To make matters worse, Don has invited his closest friend to stay with them, but Gene is not exactly the best model for marital happiness. As Don's life with Rosie continues to be unpredictable, he needs to remember that emotional support is just as important as practical expertise.

Well, the honeymoon is over...

And I am not referring to Don and Rosie. I am referring to the story - or lack thereof - in this book. What made The Rosie Project so successful seemed to be missing from this. The laughs, the plot, the interaction between Don and Rosie - all seemingly forgotten and in their place, an attempt at clever and some pretty poor storytelling.

The most annoying things for me were as follows:

1) Don's quirkiness has gone from cute to ridiculous - what was with the incessant need for constant Gregory Peck quotes (because Don was likened to the actor in the first book.)? It became tedious pretty quickly...
2) Rosie is almost a secondary character in this book. Don and his mates seem to be the focus and Rosie is left to be the mandatory "pregnant, irrational character..." Not only was this disrespectful, it was just so far removed to her character in the first book that it was hard to believe it was written by the same author.
3) The story - you know, the reason for buying the book in the first place - was just absent. I felt that, by the time I was 3/4 of the way through, that nothing had actually happened. It was just little situations tacked together to make a story. Bitterly disappointing...

Seems that someone(s) wanted to cash in on the success of the first book...stick to the first book and just enjoy it for what it was.


Paul
ARH