I have a tarmac and I love commuting on it. However like you noticed it's stiff, fast, and made to be raced. Most of my "commute" I treat like a time trial and I go for speed and track my segments on strava. It's not just a way to get to work for me it's a way to get my FTP up. If you ride your commute like that it's the perfect bike. However if you want to sit straight up, cruise and just take in the roses I would go with an AWOL. The diverge is more of a hybrid and probably too stiff and "racy" for someone who wants to commute a few miles a day.