Book Challenge...Books 3 & 4!!!

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

& The Flavours of Love by Dorothy Koomson

The second stage of The Novel Cafe's book challenge....Which book did you prefer?!

Don Tillman is a socially challenged genetics professor who’s decided the time has come to find a wife. His questionnaire is intended to weed out anyone who’s unsuitable. The trouble is, Don has rather high standards and doesn't really do flexible so, despite lots of takers, he’s not having much success in identifying The One. When Rosie Jarman comes to his office, Don assumes it’s to apply for the Wife Project – and duly discounts her on the grounds she smokes, drinks, doesn't eat meat, and is incapable of punctuality. However, Rosie has no interest in becoming Mrs Tillman and is actually there to enlist Don’s assistance in a professional capacity: to help her find her biological father. Sometimes, though, you don't find love: love finds you…

Review by Laura

An excellent read! I don't think I could recommend this book highly enough, it really does deserve the rave reviews that it has received since being published. I was so enthralled, I couldn’t put the book down and finished it in half the time it usually takes me!

The Rosie Project is the story of Don Tillman, a professor in genetics, and his search for the perfect wife. While embarking on a scientific project to find the ideal woman for him, he accidentally stumbles across the imperfect but ideal match in Rosie. Along the way, Don’s relationships with the few friends that he has is interesting, it makes Don and the reader question what is ‘normal’ and what is ‘perfect’. But above all, this story is of the battle between mind and soul – what our minds tell us we need in a partner is not often what our hearts desire, a lesson for us all perhaps?! The question is, does Don follow his heart or his mind?

Don is such an endearing character, making me smile and laugh throughout that I was left wanting more. I would love to see what happens to him after The Rosie Project and hope that the author, Graeme Simsion, does consider a sequel.

I give this book 10/10, A Novel Café Cupcake! Grab a cuppa and get stuck in, it won't take you long to finish it!

'I'm looking for that perfect blend of flavours; the taste that used to be you. If I find it, I know you'll come back to me.'

It's been 18 months since my husband was murdered and I've decided to finish writing The Flavours of Love, the cookbook he started before he died. Everyone thinks I'm coping so well without him - they have no idea what I've been hiding or what I do away from prying eyes. But now that my 14-year-old daughter has confessed something so devastating it could destroy our family all over again, and my husband's killer has started to write to me claiming to be innocent, I know it's only a matter of time before the truth about me and what I've done is revealed to the world. My name is Saffron Mackleroy and this is my story.

Review by Nicole, book received from publisher, thank you!

This story focuses on Saffron and her battle with life after the murder of her husband Joel just 18 months ago. Struggling along through life with her son and daughter in tow, juggling the burden of truth she knows about the murder of her husband, her own personal self and the life changing news her 14 year old daughter is carrying, how can things get any worse? Maybe by your husband's murderer sending you threatening letters in the post? How much more can Saffron take before things just get too much?

I am still confused as to how I actually feel about this book. In places I could not put it down, thoroughly intrigued and enjoying the suspense but then within another few chapters I would find myself skipping over paragraphs feeling quite bored. I liked the suspense Koomson carries through the book and the different secrets which appear as the story develops. I did miss the laugh-out-loud moments im used to in most books I enjoy reading but then I realise this would be inappropriate for this storyline and was quite open to reading something i'm not quite used to. Many readers may find it a hard book to read as the author jumps backwards and forwards from present day to the past, however I quite liked this and thought it really helped with relating more to Saffron and her story.

I rate this book 7/10, a chocolate brownie. It was worth a read and enjoyable, the storyline was very good, maybe just too deep for me and did loose my attention at times.