Love at Absolute Zero by Christopher MeeksWhite Whiskers Books, 2011
Fiction; 406 pgs
You wake up one morning and everything seems typical. It's just an ordinary day. You expect the worst only to be rewarded with a promotion--or in Gunnar's case, tenure. Suddenly, life is looking pretty good. Gunnar Gunderson has always been all about his work. He is a physicist, both a researcher and a professor. He is on the verge of a major break through in his research and suddenly and everything seems to be going his way. He is reminded, however, of the fact that he has no one to share his successes with, other than his research partners. Time is tight, however, and so Gunnar decides to try and find a wife during his spare time. He gives himself three days. He approaches the experience as he would a science project, sure science won't fail him. What comes next is a comedy of errors as Gunnar, so clearly out of his league, attempts to date and find the woman of his dreams.
Love At Absolute Zero is more than just a love story--or a comedy. It is the story of a man coming into his own. My initial response to Gunnar was one of sympathy. It was hard not to feel sorry for the guy as he bumbled his way through the dating process. While an expert in science, his social skills and knowledge of women left a lot to be desired. He sure tried though, it was impossible not to like Gunnar as the story wore on. I found myself cheering for him, wanting him to get the girl in the end.
While the novel's beginning was on the comical side, it grew rather serious towards the middle. It was a natural transition as the reader sees Gunnar grow and learn from his experiences. The author did a remarkable job capturing what it would be like for someone in Gunnar's shoes, being solidly ensconced in science to diving into love and all the joy and pain it can bring. I also appreciated the author's ability to describe the culture shock Gunnar went through, traveling from Wisconsin to Denmark under especially difficult circumstances.
Love At Absolute Zero was not only an enjoyable read but fit my mood well. It was humorous even while being serious. I was riveted to the story and couldn't wait to find out what would happen next to the protagonist, Gunnar Gunderson.
You can learn more about Christopher Meeks and his books at the author's website.
Source: I bought an e-book copy of this book for my own enjoyment.
Fiction; 406 pgs
You wake up one morning and everything seems typical. It's just an ordinary day. You expect the worst only to be rewarded with a promotion--or in Gunnar's case, tenure. Suddenly, life is looking pretty good. Gunnar Gunderson has always been all about his work. He is a physicist, both a researcher and a professor. He is on the verge of a major break through in his research and suddenly and everything seems to be going his way. He is reminded, however, of the fact that he has no one to share his successes with, other than his research partners. Time is tight, however, and so Gunnar decides to try and find a wife during his spare time. He gives himself three days. He approaches the experience as he would a science project, sure science won't fail him. What comes next is a comedy of errors as Gunnar, so clearly out of his league, attempts to date and find the woman of his dreams.
Love At Absolute Zero is more than just a love story--or a comedy. It is the story of a man coming into his own. My initial response to Gunnar was one of sympathy. It was hard not to feel sorry for the guy as he bumbled his way through the dating process. While an expert in science, his social skills and knowledge of women left a lot to be desired. He sure tried though, it was impossible not to like Gunnar as the story wore on. I found myself cheering for him, wanting him to get the girl in the end.
While the novel's beginning was on the comical side, it grew rather serious towards the middle. It was a natural transition as the reader sees Gunnar grow and learn from his experiences. The author did a remarkable job capturing what it would be like for someone in Gunnar's shoes, being solidly ensconced in science to diving into love and all the joy and pain it can bring. I also appreciated the author's ability to describe the culture shock Gunnar went through, traveling from Wisconsin to Denmark under especially difficult circumstances.
Love At Absolute Zero was not only an enjoyable read but fit my mood well. It was humorous even while being serious. I was riveted to the story and couldn't wait to find out what would happen next to the protagonist, Gunnar Gunderson.
You can learn more about Christopher Meeks and his books at the author's website.
Source: I bought an e-book copy of this book for my own enjoyment.
© 2011, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved.If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
