Release of the week: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

It’s pretty hard to get anywhere near a publishing deal these days.

It’s even harder to get a $1.3million US dollars advance and a contract to sell your debut in 30 countries.

But that was the case with Australian author Graeme Simsion’s wonderful comedy, The Rosie Project.

This story is rich with humour and makes for a perfectly hilarious, feel-good read.

In it we are welcomed to the world of Don Tillman, a professor unaware of the obvious parallels between his study of Asperger’s Syndrome and his own socially awkward existence.

With this lapse of knowledge, our protagonist embarks upon a somewhat risky assignment, The Wife Project.

In his efforts to find a partner who meets his rigid expectations, Don encounters a completely inappropriate candidate, the feisty red-headed Rosie.

An unexpected friendship blossoms, and when Don discovers he could help Rosie find her biological father, the two begin a surprising journey together.

Writing a jovial narrative about a character with learning difficulties has the possibility of catastrophic failure, but thankfully Simsion manages to make Don a heartwarmingly likeable character.