The One with Noble Paiges: The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion

Hi book nerds :) Today we're hosting our 7th Noble Paiges book discussion: THE ROSIE EFFECT by Graeme Simsion. The first book, THE ROSIE PROJECT, was our 2nd book discussion and we thought it'd be fun to read the sequel. Will there be more in this series? I sure hope so. Okay, let's get right to it and please note there are SPOILERS BELOW.

Synopsis: The highly anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestselling novel The Rosie Project, starring the same extraordinary couple now living in New York and unexpectedly expecting their first child. Get ready to fall in love all over again. Don Tillman and Rosie Jarman are back. The Wife Project is complete, and Don and Rosie are happily married and living in New York. But they’re about to face a new challenge because - surprise! - Rosie is pregnant. Don sets about learning the protocols of becoming a father, but his unusual research style gets him into trouble with the law. Fortunately his best friend Gene is on hand to offer advice: he’s left Claudia and moved in with Don and Rosie. As Don tries to schedule time for pregnancy research, getting Gene and Claudia to reconcile, servicing the industrial refrigeration unit that occupies half his apartment, helping Dave the Baseball Fan save his business, and staying on the right side of Lydia the social worker, he almost misses the biggest problem of all: he might lose Rosie when she needs him the most.

QUESTIONS:
1. The BIG question: did you like this book more than, the same, or less than the first book?
I'll be honest, I was quite disappointed and found it kinda boring! At first it was really good, then it just stressed me out the rest of the time with all of the problems and lying! It was still entertaining, and maybe if I was reading it in a relaxed environment instead of in the car on the way to the airport and then on a turbulent flight I'd think differently?? Anyhoo. Fun to read, but I like the first book waaaaaay better :)

2. Did you realize when Rosie was leaving because there was 'someone else' that the person was actually her father? What did you think of this?
I had no idea it was her father. Seems a little silly to leave your husband for your father... don't judge me, just my humble opinion! I guess she had reasons. But to say she's in love with another man when it's her father... dot dot dot

3. What did you think of the subplot of Don being arrested in the park and having to see Lydia for counseling? What did you think of Lydia in general?
Definitely one of, if not the, funniest and most entertaining sub-plot. Just SO Don! But Lydia just seems like one of those people that would drive me crazy with her "authority".

4. There have been kind of mixed feelings about Don—is he on the autism spectrum or not? What do you think? Did your opinion change from the first book to this one? Is Don more flexible in this book?
It's been awhile since I read the first book, but it seems like he is the same, but different? If that makes sense... He's still so super analytical and trying to figure everything out, but he has real friends and a marriage, albeit failing..., and is better at socializing. Is he more flexible? Eh. Sure. Maybe :)

5. Did you like the ending?
Very abrupt, didn't get much closure, not enough time being actual parents. Seems like they got back together all-of-a-sudden and not really clearly. But I guess he left it open for a third installment!

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Kelsey Noble has another set of fun and thoughtful questions about THE ROSIE EFFECT by Graeme Simsion on her blog!

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Time to announce our next Noble Paiges book: BIG LITTLE LIES by Liane Moriarty - and can I just say I love her last name because I LOVE Sherlock :)

Synopsis: Sometimes it’s the little lies that turn out to be the most lethal... A murder... a tragic accident… or just parents behaving badly? What’s indisputable is that someone is dead. But who did what? Big Little Lies follows three women, each at a crossroads: Madeline is a force to be reckoned with. She’s funny and biting, passionate, she remembers everything and forgives no one. Her ex-husband and his yogi new wife have moved into her beloved beachside community, and their daughter is in the same kindergarten class as Madeline’s youngest (how is this possible?). And to top it all off, Madeline’s teenage daughter seems to be choosing Madeline’s ex-husband over her. (How. Is. This. Possible?). Celeste is the kind of beautiful woman who makes the world stop and stare. While she may seem a bit flustered at times, who wouldn’t be, with those rambunctious twin boys? Now that the boys are starting school, Celeste and her husband look set to become the king and queen of the school parent body. But royalty often comes at a price, and Celeste is grappling with how much more she is willing to pay. New to town, single mom Jane is so young that another mother mistakes her for the nanny. Jane is sad beyond her years and harbors secret doubts about her son. But why? While Madeline and Celeste soon take Jane under their wing, none of them realizes how the arrival of Jane and her inscrutable little boy will affect them all. Big Little Lies is a brilliant take on ex-husbands and second wives, mothers and daughters, schoolyard scandal, and the dangerous little lies we tell ourselves just to survive.

Our next Noble Paiges discussion of BIG LITTLE LIES by Liane Moriarty will be on Saturday March 28th 2015, so mark your calendars and see you then! And make sure to visit Kelsey's blog for the other half of the discussion!