I was really looking forward to this book as I am a huge fan of "The Rosie" series. "The Best of Adam Sharpe" is definitely a bit different. A story of true love and second chances, the book starts off great, building the story of Adam and Angeline, a love affair over 20 years ago that apparently neither can let go of. The build up of their love is absolutely incredible. Adam is an amateur pianist who enjoys playing at the local bar after work each day. This is when Angelina walks in and changes his life forever. The soundtrack throughout the path of their relationship is beautiful and emotional. Unfortunately her job as an actress and his job as a world traveling IT consultant causes the relationship to end and the two of them to go in opposite directions in life, finding other partners along the way.

An email from Angelina to Adam starts the two of them longing for one another again, and this is where the story takes a turn that ultimately made me dislike both and not want to root for their love anymore. It took all the charm and true love that the book had perfectly built and turned it ultimately into a adulterous mess. The story manages to somewhat redeem the characters in the end, but the damage was done for me at that point. Yes, relationships can be complicated and people are flawed, but from the "lemon tree" scene on, I completely lost interest in the two of them even trying to have a happy ending.

This is the third book by Graeme Simsion and after reading The Rosie Project and The Rosie Effect and as I really enjoyed both of them I was really excited.

The book tells the story of typically British Adam Sharp. At almost 50 Adam has life experience on his side. He is an keen quizzer and is really into his music. Although in a 20 year long marriage with his wife Claire, Adam has Angelina on his mind, an Australian actress he met when he was twenty whilst working down under who he was madly in love with. So when she gets in touch out of the blue Adam begins to realise how his relationship with Claire has ended and begins to wonder what might have been between his past lover. When Angelina suggests that Adam stays with her and her new husband and family on a quiet trip to France will Adam get his second chance with Angelina?

I was excited a brand new idea from Simsion and the idea behind the story is different to the usual love story. You can see that Simsion plays with the idea of falling in love, having a fling, leaving your true love behind as life gets in the way, and seeing a lover with someone else, but for me the story didn't come together. The book was slow and generally didn't grip me. I just didn't get the feeling that I needed to carry on and find out what happened.

I felt like the book was in two halves. The first part is greatly about Adam and Angelina's relationship in Australia twenty one years ago. How they met, how they fell in love, their happiest moments and how they left things when they were in their early twenties. I really like the idea of using flashbacks and they can bring out some of a characters most emotional memories but for me pretty much all of the first half of the book was boring and quite slow. I could picture the memories Adam had and they weren't really special, they didn't mean anything and I didn't feel the emotion that was intended behind them I think maybe because they didn't really capture how Adam felt they were quite basic about what happened not explaining any significance of each memory.

The second half of the book is a lot more about now and what happened between Adam and Angelina and begins to go over how they feel about each other twenty years later. For me this was the better of the two halves. It relates to different levels of realisation and follow Adam as he begins to accept that he loves Angelina but because of many different reasons cant have her. He accepts that they have two different lives and that you really have to try and work hard to make a marriage work and I really liked the fact that Adam sticks to that idea.

I feel that at some key parts of the book there was no emotion in huge parts of the plot e.g. when Adam and Claire split up, when Adam finds out about Angelina's sisters death and when Adam talks about his father leaving his family. The only time any part of emotion is shown is when Angelina sings "I Will Survive" in the bar without Adam the reader sees both ends of the spectrum as Adam comes across as being heartbroken where as Angelina doesn't seem to care. I think the lack of emotion comes from the male narration and doesn't always show Adams true feelings.

A huge issue for me was that I didn't find any of the characters likeable. For me Angelina comes across as being a diva. The way that she demands a martini in various bars and slaps the waiter, she flits between Adam and Charlie and doesn't seem to love either men, everything revolves around her so she comes across as being spoilt and selfish. Although you hear about the various issues in Angelina and Charlie's marriage which prove that they haven't had things easy recently, its hard to believe that she loves Charlie but I also don't believe that she loves Adam either I think that this comes back to the lack of emotion and chemistry between any of the characters.

I'm glad that I read the book but I'm not sure I would recommend the book sadly. I would read another of Graeme Simsion's books and hope that not really enjoying this book is just a personal thing and there are many more for me to read!

From the author of the Rosie project books, something completely different. A look upon lost love and I'd that could/ should be revisited.
Nearly 50 year old Adam Sharp is in a rut. Working part time and sort of happy with his life, he isn't happy enough. His wife sleeps in what used to be their bedroom, while he sleeps alone in a separate room. He plays pub trivia to keep his mind active. He has given up running and playing piano high used to give him great joy. His life changes dramatically when "the one that got away" contacts him out of the blue, 22 years after they last spoke.
Rewind to Adam Sharp's twenties. His career is taking off and requires him to travel internationally frequently. While in Australia, he meets Angelina, a woman whom he blissfully has no idea is a star in her country. Without spoiling too much, we get to see what their relationship was like back then, what their lives are like now and what has happened in between.
Is a long lost love best kept in the past or revisited? Adam answers this for himself when he reconnects to Angelina.


I liked that this book spanned such a long time. I liked Adam despite him being quite self centered and absorbed. It was interesting to see people's opinions change so frequently, and how some decisions could be quickly revere see with no consequences, while others had long lasting repercutions. Angelina was also very self absorbed, spoiled, and obnoxious while also remaining interesting. Any other characters weren't really focused on too much. Interesting read with many themes to explore.

This is a wonderful book! The storyline had me thinking about.my life in a few years when i am 50, and the choices i have made along the way and what i would do if some people i havw met along the way showed back up and how i would handle that!!!

4.5*s. Graeme Simsion shows his writing range with "The Best of Adam Sharp" as it is very different from "The Rosie Project" and "The Rosie Effect". Adam Sharp is an almost 50 year old IT consultant who plays piano and sings on the side. He lives a contented life with his partner Claire. 22 years ago, he had a 3 month affair with young actress Angelina. Out of the blue, she gets in contact with him and he questions whether he should try again with the woman he once loved. This novel shows is about complicated relationships, love lost, regrets, guilt, and the ability to forgive. What I loved the most was how Adam's love for music plays such an important part in the book. So many songs play important roles in his love affair with Angelina. The book even comes with a playlist in the back. I loved the ending of this novel.

Adam Sharp, computer database architect by day and local pub quiz champion by night, lives a normal happy middle-aged life until he is contacted by the first love of his life, Angelina, a soap star actress that he met more that 2 decades ago.
The contact nudges him out of his stupor as he relives the memories and excitement of his younger days. Should he reply and risk losing everything? Needless to say he does and this start off a chain of events that change his life forever.
It is a heart-warming story of love lost and found, mid-life crisis and hard decisions to make. It is written beautifully with humour, pathos and pulls you into his world in a way that keeps you up too late to finish the book.
Having read the two previous Rosie Project books, I wished for this one through Net Galley and was not disappointed.

The Best of Adam Sharp chronicles his life from early twenties to present day, twenty-odd years later. The story has Adam meeting Angelina in Australia (in their twenties) and life is never the same for either one. Many people can identify with Adam and the reflection of their "great love lost" thoughts. Many hold those thoughts in a tender place in their hearts that still groan from the remembered love and pain. So what happens when we get an "out of the blue"message from that lost love and all the old feelings begin to churn and sizzle in our minds? This story is almost cathartic for those of us who can identify with the main character, Adam Sharp. He fumbles and blusters with feelings while feeling the warmth of that lovely fantasy of what could have been! Oh, to do it all over again! I loved the first 3/4 of the book. The ending was a little odd for me so I lowered my rating to 4 stars. Three cheers to Graeme Simsion for nailing the raw emotion and characterization of Adam Sharp!

The Best of Adam Sharp by Graeme Simsion will be available on May 2, 2017 by St. Martin's Press. An egalley of this book was made available by the publisher in exchange for a honest review

I was very happy to be approved for this total as I LOVED Simsion's The Rosie Project [I did not read The Rosie Effect, however].

BUT. No comparison. This too was a fast, (somewhat) enjoyable read but it neither captured nor captivated me as The Rosie Project did. Nor was it as funny, charming, or engaging.

This book was written well enough--no cringeworthy prose, but I found the story flat. A couple/few times I wrote down some sentences that amused me: "My beard needed a trim and so did my waist." And "Her husband was a dork of the first order... His surname, White, tied neatly to his profession as a dentist..."

There's a lot of high praise for this book but not from me. I liked the characters well enough but in the end [well, at least the last 1/4 of the book], too convoluted, and finally, too neat. I felt it wandered, grasped at the plot, and ultimately lost my attention.

So, entertaining but...

This book is nothing like "The Rosie Project" or "The Rosie Effect". If you are looking for that type of book - be warned - you are NOT going to get that with this book. With this book you get marital woes, infidelity, lots of music and sex.

Adam Sharp first meets Angelina when he is twenty six years old and living in Australia. Angelina is a semi-famous Soap Opera actress. Adam works with computers and is a musician who plays piano and sings at night. Angelina comes into the bar where he plays piano and they begin a relationship. Adam learns about love and loss while being with Angelina. She is in fact "the one who got away" for him. They both loved each other but she was married (separated) when they met and ultimately she stays with her husband while Adam returns to England after some more traveling for work.

Now close to fifty, he is comfortable with his life His relationship with his wife if stagnant and possibly on it's last leg. They seems to have grown apart over time. Then, out of the blue, Adam receives and email from Angelina. Adam is nostalgic for the past. What would have happened if they never went their separate ways. What would his life look like now if they remained together? With that one email, his world is turned upside down. He begins to get himself together : eating right, exercising, etc. He writes back and they begin to have a back and forth exchange of emails. Then Angelina invites Adam to spend time with her and her husband at their French home. So he decides to go. What harm can there be in spending some time with your old lover and her husband?

So this is where the book takes a turn. I wont say anymore but this book touches on themes of sex, infidelity, infertility, passion, regret, life choices, secrets, love, loss, and second chances. There is also music which ties this book together. His characters are likable who make mistakes, use poor judgement, make hard decisions, and experience inner turmoil.

If you could have a do-over would you take the chance? I think all of us have that something in your life, where you think about what could have been. The "what ifs" and the "if onlys" . This book is about one man finding out what it is like to have that second chance. A second chance with his first love and a second chance to look at his life and decide which is the right path for him.

This book gives the reader something to think about. I enjoyed it. I found myself thinking about it after I read it. Initially I gave it 3.5 stars but upped this book to 4 stars as it did have the power to make me think. If you are looking for a laugh out loud book, this is not the one. Simsion went in a totally new direction with this book which is a good thing. I think he has proven he can do both funny and though provoking.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I once asked the girls at my book club if they have someone "they cannot purge from their heart" and nearly everyone put up their hand in agreement . This book is about an Englishman man who can't forget an Australian woman who he had a 3 month relationship with 22 years earlier. It appears that neither have been able to purge the other from their hearts. Set with music entwined with the story and characters (it helps if you have a musical knowledge to understand the message given by each song reference, and there are a lot) and a playlist to download, you will get songs stuck in your head (mine is for once in my life by Stevie Wonder).

My only drawback for the book is the portrayal of the female characters which did not always sit well for me, especially Angelina in part 2 of the book.

This is an enjoyable book, with an interesting plot line set between Australia, England and France. Having read it over a weekend I will say it was an easy read that keep me engrossed throughout.

Thanks to Netgalley for a proof version of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

I loved the Rosie books by Graeme Simsion. I am having difficulty following the story line. It is too jumpy and I am unsure where to look. I have tried going back to reread to see what I am unable to follow, it is just not flowing smoothly. I love all the music references!!

This is a story of a 50 year old man's mid-life crisis when the love of his life 20 years reappears via Skype. The character Adam is well-described and the reader is caught into his dilemma in what to do about his wife, his music, his job and Angelina.

From the author of The Rosie Project, this novel follows the midlife crisis of Adam Sharp. Sharp is in a marriage that has grown stale and he has never quite gotten over the girl of his youth, who he walked away from years before. When she gets in touch out of the blue, the plot jumps the shark, and Adam finds himself in a strange situation staying a couple of weeks with his exgirlfriend and her husband. This is the third novel by this author that I have read, and none have quite met the magic of The Rosie Project. This lacks the humor and, while there are some interesting issues presented, the plot twists defy belief. A quick and easy read, but not quite the sparkle of his earlier work.

I received an advanced copy of this novel from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks!

I absolutely loved Simsion's 'Rosie' books and so couldn't wait to read this new novel. It is very different and whilst I did enjoy it, I was not able to engage with the characters in the same way. I liked the narrative but in all honesty, I just didn't like the characters at all. They are flawed -as indeed are we all- but I didn't find much to redeem them. Their behaviour was either extreme selfishness or selflessness, either way they made me cross!
However, the plot was well-structured and provided an interesting portrayal of how we sometimes hanker for the past and how our past relationships can influence our future. I absolutely loved the way that music provided its own narrative to the story and it did make me look back over some much-loved old tracks. For these reasons, I did still enjoy the book and will look forward to reading more of Graeme Simsion's work in the future.

This was so different from the Rosie books. Those made me laugh and feel good. This was more reflective on past loves. I didn't like the sex scenes. I wish they were private and not in front of Charlie but I get that wouldn't have worked though. I am a bit of a prude. I keep thinking about all of the characters. It was a good book and worth reading.

On the cusp of turning fifty, Adam Sharp likes his life. He’s happy with his partner Claire, he excels in music trivia at quiz night at the local pub, he looks after his mother, and he does the occasional consulting job in IT.

But he can never quite shake off his nostalgia for what might have been: his blazing affair more than twenty years ago with an intelligent and strong-willed actress named Angelina Brown who taught him for the first time what it means to find—and then lose—love. How different might his life have been if he hadn’t let her walk away?

And then, out of nowhere, from the other side of the world, Angelina gets in touch. What does she want? Does Adam dare to live dangerously?

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No Rosie project 3

As so many others, I liked "the Rosie project". Simsions voice and humor was quite captivating. Realising he had a new book coming, I was quite curious if he'd evolve into something more, or would stay on his level of mainstream humor. The Best of Adam Sharp is a conscious attempt to move away from screwball romance, get out of its shadow and show the world that there is more hidden deph to Simsion. The premise was already different and I was intrigued by the influence of music. "High fidelity" anyone? I love Nick Hornby.

Like with his other books I entered this world without problems. While I was skeptical, it is easy to loose yourself in Adams world of songs. The story starts with the one that got away. A simple "hi" emailed after 22 years. What this "hi" is doing with Adams life, is a rollercoaster of flashbacks and feelings. All of a sudden he's questioning his whole life, the last 22 years.

Adams telling us the story of Angelina, how they met, fall in love, and broke up. How he starts a conversation with her again. The truth behind a person put on a podest. Was she really as great as his memories want him to believe? A book about the big What ifs and a destructive decision: To find out exactly that. The narrative deals with some complex issues like: infidelity, death, infertility, emotional abuse, divorce, regrets and passion.

Where the first half was appealing, I disliked the second part of the book. Just what was that?

The whole ending ruined it for me. I'm curious to see how the audience will react to this when the books comes out.

Let me start off by letting you know there is a playlist for this book. https://play.spotify.com/user/thebestofadamsharp/playlist/52HEENZTAQaoMLiAnZLk3H And there it is right there. Because so many times during this book I thought that I'd love to listen to the song Adam was referencing but was too lazy to open my computer and search it. Here, they're all here, and I'm kicking myself for finding this after the fact.

Because this was a good one. Oh, how I loved this one. All of the feelings and all of the torment and it all felt so darn real... even the parts that were terribly strange and unexpected, even the parts that had me wondering what exactly I was reading.

This focuses on the idea of "the one who got away" which is a concept I adore, but is not often done well. This was beautiful in that it captured the way the person in question remains perfect in one's memory as there was never a real chance to experience them. Yet it also captures that people in real life moves on, which made it so believable for me. I can really see this entire scenario playing out.

Claire's relationship with Adam added a really fascinating layer to the book and was a very apt description of how a relationship can be long lasting and safe, but can taper out or be reinvigorated at any point. I felt she brought a lot to this story even though we didn't see much of her.

The music really added to the book. I didn't know a lot of the songs but as they're all of the right time periods or they have references that make total sense. They brought a lot of character to Adam--not that he needed it, but it really enhanced him.

This is not The Rosie Project. This is a different beast, but I admire Simsion all the more for tackling something new. Still, this book is addictive, witty, and an absorbing read. I highly recommend it for fans of books about real adult life as well as for fans of romance.

I did enjoy this. It's a quick read and I laughed out loud in several places as our hapless protagonist decides what to do about the reappearance in his life of the alluring Angelina. It was well written and I found the author's use of songs both clever (when I knew the song) and distracting (when I didn't). If you're interested in novels dealing with relationships, then I'm sure you could add a star to the rating.

While this book is very different from the authors previous best seller "The Rosie Project" he has once again written a wonderful little gem. Great story from start to finish that I am certain will get rave reviews. Loved each character and for me the story was flawless. I will not hesitate to pick up his next works.

Having read The Rosie Project and The Rosie Effect, I was keen to read Graeme Simsion's new book. It was very different although it still contained the same wry humour in places and it was also about love from the male viewpoint. However there the similarities ended. If you are expecting a novel in the vein of the Rosie Project this book is not for you!
Adam Sharp our eponymous hero has lived with Claire for 20 years in Norwich in a house inherited from her mother. Aged 49 he is an IT architect although his work seems to be sporadic. His childless marriage has become stale and his only excitement seems to be his weekly pub quiz outing. Claire is consumed with her company and its imminent sale to a US company. It looks like they could be heading in different directions.
One day a former Australian girlfriend, Angelina, contacts him via email and this rekindles the romance in his mind. He has always felt that this lost love was unfinished business. He had left Australia and Angelina when he still had feelings for her.
The book is written in the first person and once he receive's the catalyst email, the reader is told the full story of the young Adam's romance.
There are many music references in the book as Adam is also a piano player and singer. His meeting with Angelina in his twenties and their subsequent relationship occurs to the backdrop of 60s and 70s songs. In fact there is even a play list at the end of the novel.
The second part of the book is set in France when Adam reconnects with Angelina and her current husband Charlie. They stay in the family holiday home in a small village and there are several surprises that ensue before the conclusion of the book.
By about half way through the novel, in the french section, the novelty of the music backdrop had worn off and I did not find the plot as compelling as it could be. In fact I found some of this section quite muddled, particulary Adam's coversations with Angelina when they are trying to decide what to do. I was not sure that Charlie's behaviour was entirely believable either.
I quite enjoyed the book although I thought it lost its way a bit in the middle. The nostalgia aspect with the songs was unusual and I am tempted to follow the playlist now that I have finished reading it.. I liked some of Adam's sardonic comments and the humour they injected into the book.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for my advance copy in exchange for an honest review.