4.5 stars from me!

I personally love YA Contemporary novels, and this one takes the cake! She also very much gave me Jenny Han vibes from To All the Boys.

This book looks at things such as career, boyfriends, heartbreaks, and trying to find your way through the smoke of it all. Her family wants nothing but for Jasmine to be able to see her worth, and to essentially realize that her boyfriend did to her was wrong, and what better place to do that than at a graduation party.

All in all, such a cute book!

Unfortunately, this book became an immediate DNF for me, as I didn't even make it past the first chapter. The writing style was one I knew I wouldn't mesh well with upon beginning my read of THE JASMINE PROJECT, and I concluded that I would not like the book if I were to continue reading because of it. It came across as very repetitive and almost too banter-ish (like it was trying too hard to get the readers to like it, which had the opposite effect). I was really looking forward to liking this book, but it just wasn't for me.

Thank you to Book Terminal Tours and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book through NetGalley for this honest review!

This was a really sweet book about family and learning your own worth, with lots of cute romance as well. Jasmine's family dynamics were so fun to read about, and very relatable too! I also loved seeing her character growth, and the way she fully realized her worth and potential.

When Jasmine’s high school boyfriend, Paul, decides he wants to see other people for a few months before they move in together, Jasmine is devastated. Sure, Paul can be difficult sometimes, but she loves him. Her family sees this as an opportunity to make Jasmine realize that she deserves so much better than Paul, whether that’s a better boyfriend or being happy on her own for a while. They set up what they call “Little Bachelorette” - they find three boys and set them up to run into her at her graduation party, hoping that Jasmine will find romance with one of them. The catch? While Jasmine’s massive extended family is all in on it, Jasmine herself has no idea.

This was sort of an odd idea from the get go. Is it cute or overbearing that her family steps in in this way? It made the whole book a bit uncomfortable, being in on a secret that Jasmine would obviously be angry about if she knew. The upside is that this isn’t really set up as a love triangle (love square?) as it’s pretty evident early on who Jasmine is interested in, and the others don’t pursue her too strongly. Jasmine also learns about herself and her self worth throughout the story, which was part of her family’s intention. While some of the secondary characters are one-dimensional, Jasmine goes through significant character growth over the course of the novel.

My biggest struggle with this book was how long it took to get to the story. I definitely wouldn’t have finished this one if I hadn’t been reading it for review - the first hundred or so pages really dragged, and I didn’t get truly interested until maybe 250 pages in. It felt like a lot of the set up of this almost 400 page book could have been cut down; some parts felt repetitive or just boring. Setting up the background - Jasmine’s attachment to her boyfriend, her lack of self confidence, the group texts between the family - could have taken a lot less time. She didn’t start running into the boys until over 70 pages in.

Without giving away any spoilers, the ending also felt a bit abrupt and unsatisfying. It felt like there were two “good” endings to the book, but instead of committing to one, the ending landed in a weird space in the middle. I can see what the author was going for, but it really didn’t work for me.

Jasmine’s character growth and family relationships were easily the best part of the story, and were clearly intended to be more important than romantic relationships. Maybe part of the problem here is the marketing. The book is described as a romance and marketed as such. The cover clearly points to that. I was expecting a cute romantic story, and while that’s there, it really didn’t feel like the point.

Overall, this book wasn’t for me, but someone willing to spend more time with the character set up and who isn’t looking for a straightforward romance may enjoy it more. 2.5 stars, rounded up.

As someone who is adopted, seeing a transracial adoptee (Korean) as the main character of a happily ever after romance story is so amazing! I loved seeing how Jasmine finds her confidence after being almost decimated by her ex-boyfriend Paul. While her family did meddle in her love life and set her up with three boys without her knowledge, the events following did push her out of her comfort zone. On the topic of Jasmine's family: I adored them! They reminded me of my large(ish) family and the chaos that tends to ensue when everyone is together. I also loved the group messages in some of the chapters. Readers don't see some of the family members on page, but we can get a pretty good idea of their personalities based on their texts in these groups.

Overall, THE JASMINE PROJECT is a fun book full of food, family, and finding yourself!

The premise of The Jasmine Project was intriguing, and I would say that its content delivered. The suspense of the novel was in how the author would follow through when the reader pretty much knew the plot from the blurb. Considering its genre, it handled the myriad male love interests with surprising complexity, particularly the ex boyfriend. I would recommend this novels to fans of meet cutes and finding self worth.

This was such a fun summer read. I loved Jasmine's Big Fat Italian-Filipino Family and their chaotic group texts. The romance is a bit predictable, like, as soon as she met bachelor #1, I figured out who was ending up with whom, but cheese is honest. The romance is great, but I also appreciated the coming-of-age aspect. Jasmine's journey to self-discovery was painful to read initially, but didn't we all have cringey awkward growing pains in high school? Her complete lack of self-awareness initially had me worried I wouldn't like her as a protagonist, but by the end, I was rooting for her even more than I was rooting for the Jasmine Project to work out.

The Jasmine Project is a fun YA rom-com about starting over and finding who you are. This YA take on The Bachelor provides readers with several potential love interests and it's really entertaining to see who Jasmine ends up with. The element of the secret podcast and family text-chains add a little something special to this story. Jasmine reminds teen readers that a break up doesn't have to be the end of the world. You will come out on the other side with a renewed sense of who you are.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

When Jasmine’s boyfriend wants “time apart”, her family seizes the moment to show her there are more fish in the sea. They secretly arrange for three bachelors to prove to Jasmine that she could do better, and maybe even recognize how she stands out in a crowd.

I knew this was going to be super cute and that I would fall in love with Jasmine’s meddling family, but I also adored the personal journey Jasmine took during this story. That space between high school and college can be tricky for some, and it was a grey area for Jasmine. She kept with the status quo for many reasons, but once she was separated from her boyfriend, she was able to see things in a different light.

The three bachelors – the boy next door, the athlete, and the cook, all allowed Jasmine to shine in a way she never could before. Their friendship and encouragement gave her that nudge to stretch her wings a bit, recognize her talents, and want more for herself. Jasmine experienced a tremendous amount of growth, and I cannot argue with the road she was on at the end of this book. I was happy for her, as well as very proud of her.

Though this story was about Jasmine finding herself and her way, it was fun, light, and breezy. I had such a great time on all her dates, and her gigantic family was delightful. Their plan may have been a bit duplicitous, but it really did come from a good place. They all loved Jasmine so much, and they wanted her to want more for herself. Their love for her showed in those hilarious family chats, as well as in the podcasts.

Overall: A wonderful and heartwarming story of self discovery, taking chances, and not accepting less than you deserve.

“A part of me will always want to take the safest route. I just have to conquer it.”

Jasmine Yap has a plan: graduate high school with honors, move in with her long-time boyfriend Paul, attend community college on a great scholarship, and eventually become a nurse. Everything seems to be falling into place, and she’s mostly happy—but then her family catches Paul with another girl, and Jasmine’s stable world suddenly becomes shaky. She finally has a chance to see what the world is like outside of her comfort zone, but Jasmine refuses to meet anyone new. So, her large, overprotective family decides to take matters into their hands and creates a secret Jasmine Project to set Jasmine up with the most eligible teen bachelors in Orlando…without her finding out. But what starts as semi-successful soon becomes anything but as hilarious shenanigans ensue. Will Jasmine finally figure out her self-worth? Or will the Jasmine Project crash and burn before she has a chance?

Meredith Ireland’s debut is hilarious, heartwarming, and best of all, full of romantic and family-centric misadventures. I loved everything about this fantastic book! Jasmine is a brilliant protagonist, and her gradual discovery of her own self-worth is simultaneously heartbreaking, inspirational, and oh so very real. Each of the bachelors are fabulously fun and unique, and I had a hard time deciding which one Jasmine would fall for. Of course, a review of The Jasmine Project would not be complete without mentioning Jasmine’s hysterically loving fifty-strong family, and that brings me to one of my absolute favorite parts of this book: the family group texts! Ireland’s creative inclusion of group texts to discuss how the Project is coming along—as well as podcast episodes, diary entries, and bookkeeping notes—really brought the story and the characters to life and added even more levity to this loveable tale. Moral of the story? Grab yourself a copy of The Jasmine Project as soon as it hits shelves because this is one book you don’t want to miss!

Content Warnings: Underage drinking, emotional manipulation, bullying, infidelity, divorce, moderately strong language

(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)

4.5 ★

thank you so much to netgalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

ok this was absolutely adorable. i swear i was grinning like an idiot almost nonstop the entire time i was reading this touching contemporary. the humor and banter between everyone in this book honestly deserves an award.

i loved the idea of an OwnVoices, YA bacholorette romcom, and this definitely met all my expectations. the romance (or romances i should say) were all so cute, and it was apparent that jasmine had a genuine connection with all three boys. im gonna be honest and admit i was really rooting for one specific boy from the very beginning. i was swooning and screaming at every one of their scenes omg, im just in love.

the family dynamics between jasmine's family made up some of my favorite moments from this book. it made my heart go all fuzzy seeing the love and acceptance that ran through her massive family, and the DRAMA oh my god it was hilarious, i was crying. the group chat was absolutely wild- i could not stop smiling. i absolutely adored her family.

i also loved how while being a lighthearted, sweet romcom, this also touched on a variety of important, more serious topics, such as self-esteem, self-worth, toxic relationships, acceptance, and more. seeing jasmine's character growth was so incredibly awarding as she starts to stand up and see her own self worth. i loved her as character, and the epilogue was just absolutely perfect.

overall, i cannot wait for more people to read this wonderful, charming story about love, self worth, and pursuing your dreams, filled with what has got to be my one of my favorite casts of characters ever.

5 stars for this upcoming YA Contemporary!
There is so much I want to say about this novel.
1. It’s a debut and omg it is good. 2. #triggerwarning for emotional abuse by a significant other, but holy cow. The same things were said to me while I was in high school. I dated a Paul. I don’t think I have ever ever felt so seen in a ya novel. So good. 3. If you love the Bachelorette, read this book. 4. This book is very light and fluffy, even with the emotional manipulation. It’s a great growing into yourself story and I cannot recommend enough.
🚨 Release Date : September 7, 2021

The Jasmine Project is thrilling, charming, and endearing from start to finish. Every shade of relatable - from having a partner who is truly no good for you, but you don't want to leave because you're worried no one will ever love you? - The Jasmine Project resonated deeply with me. Because that wonder if you'll ever find someone else and maybe you should hold on to someone, even when you're not sure? Can someone please not expose my past so thoroughly?

But besides the fact that The Jasmine Project feels like it was ripped from my diary, I was captivated from the first page. There's a current of energy that picks you up. It feels cute and charming, even if you're scared of the fall out. Because you want to find out who Jasmine ends up falling for and, most importantly, if she can realize her own self worth. Jasmine's journey in The Jasmine Project may seem like it's about her dating, but it's about her realizing her potential, dreams, and value.

With adorably sweet moments, The Jasmine Project is a book that will captivate readers and give them all the feels.

Give me a book about food and romance and I am all in.

Recently I have fallen head first with delicious prose, where the stories main character is in the profession of making food. Add some hot spices of romance you’ve got one reader pre-ordering your book.

Meredith Ireland’s debut novel is one that covers a gambit of topics of the main character being adopted, the deep bonds of family, to the discovery of self-worth, every page materialized into a meal you couldn’t decide to savor or devour or just doing both.

Further, what was most apparent throughout the novel was Jasmine’s lack of confidence. Through most of the novel there is this internal struggle of Jasmine not being aware of her worth. Beyond her kindness and caring, she never fully realizes what a wonderful person she is, which felt at time self-deprecating. This is mainly due to a boyfriend who belittled and made her feel less. Not realizing, until this book, she deserves kindness and caring she shows to others in her own relationship.

The sure force of this novel, besides the premise of the Bachelorette Jasmine’s family pulls together (without her knowing) in order for her to see she could date people who would appreciate her, the family aspect is absolutely perfection. It made me remember my dearest friend from high school, whose family is as large as Jasmine’s with aunties and uncles and cousins who are hilarious as they are supportive. Who always made you feel included and part of the family.

Even though Jasmine’s family gets caught up in the whirlwind of the “competition” you know at some point the other shoe is going to drop it’s just a matter of when.

Eloquently crafted, The Jasmine Project will have you rooting for Jasmine the moment she’s introduced, hoping she finds happiness when you get to the very last page.

Happy Reading ̴ Cece

If you regularly read my reviews, you know this isn’t a typical genre for me. For whatever reason, when the publisher sent me a widget I decided to play outside my usual sandbox and give it a try. After finishing this delightful book, I would have kicked myself if I’d passed it up.

Recent high school graduate Jasmine has dated Paul the pig (my name for him – trust me, it’s well-deserved) for the past four years – they even have plans to move in together when college starts. While the early years might have been happier, Paul now points out skinny burritos on the menu at a restaurant they frequent (and she’s never enjoyed) and suggests she order diet sodas. And now you agree with my nickname for him. After a hurtful incident occured in middle school, Jasmine’s self-esteem plummeted so far that she considers herself lucky to have her pig boyfriend and plans to pursue a career in a profession that’s considered more stable instead of her dream of becoming a chef. Stability and safety have become her mantra.

Enter her ginormous (50+ strong – and that doesn’t count all the cousins), intrusive, well-intentioned family. They reminded me of the family in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, and I adored them all. They want Jasmine to learn her worth, to see herself as they do, and realize that she deserves so much more. Naturally the way to do that is to screen teen bachelors until they come up with three worthy candidates to date her. It’s not difficult to figure out what happens when their well-meaning intentions spiral out of control. At least their hearts are in the right place.

From the first page, I adored Jasmine’s voice and laughed out loud so many times at her internal thoughts. Some chapters are first person in her POV, but several chapters are the text conversations between her family concerning the contest – utterly hilarious. This novel has so many important messages for teens and adults alike – pursuing your dreams, living life instead of watching from the sidelines, valuing yourself, and not conforming to someone else’s expectations just to name a few.

From start to finish, The Jasmine Project is a charming, entertaining read – an outstanding debut by this author. I’d be shocked if someone doesn’t snatch this up for a movie. I’d recommend this to fans of romantic comedies and readers like myself who want to step outside their comfort zone. Easily a crossover.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

When I read the announcement for this book, way back when, I knew I wanted to read it! The premise sounded so fun, and I’m all for family antics. The Jasmine Project throws Jasmine into a Bachelorette-type situation where she is unknowingly set up with three different guys, which begins a great personal journey.

Jasmine is content with her life…in a way. What would she be upset about? Having a dedicated long-term boyfriend Paul who she’s about to move in with and going to college to become a nurse? Except that it turns out that Paul has been cheating on her and that she’s always wanted to be a professional chef, not a nurse. To cheer her up, her family sets her up with three different guys, Eugene, Justin Michael, and Aaron in a Bachelorette-type situation, all without her knowledge. From there, she begins to realize that she’s been complacent in a life that she never really wanted.

I’ll be honest and say that the first third of the book was a bit rough to me, mostly because Paul was the absolute worst and it was difficult for me to get through Jasmine not realizing this. However, this was intentional: she needed to realize that Paul was a factor in her life bringing her down, not lifting her up. It was the start of her character growth, and I ended up really enjoying the second half of the book once this was more apparent.

Jasmine is resigned to being a side character in everyone else’s lives. She settles for Paul because she doesn’t think she deserves more, and she settles for becoming a nurse like her mom after her aunt’s restaurant failure. She self-sabotages and looks down on herself, which Paul enables; over time and throughout the competition, she realizes that she’s allowed to want things for herself and that she deserves to be treated well. I really enjoyed this character arc and found it very well done over the course of the story.

The family dynamics were great as well. Jasmine has a large extended family, with her mother’s Italian side and her father’s Filipino side. They’re meddling and nosy but ultimately, they care so much for each other. Jasmine’s sister Cari is the one who starts the Jasmine Project to help her get over Paul. At first, I had some issues with this because they were pushing the romance aspect a little too much; however, I liked that Cari makes sure to emphasize that this project was mainly to help Jasmine realize her true potential. She doesn’t have to end up with one of the guys; she just has to realize that she deserves better and can have better than Paul.

The plot itself was pretty fun! In addition to Jasmine’s narrative, we also have the extended family’s group chat (her excluded, of course), as well as Cari’s podcast detailing the progress of the project. I liked getting to see both sides of this. You, as the reader, always know what is happening and can read between the lines while Jasmine remains oblivious. It adds to the fun of the story in an unexpected way.

We have three main love interests, excluding Paul: Aaron, a hot minor league baseball player; Justin Michael, Jasmine’s childhood best friend who’s back in town after five years away; and Eugene, the son of a famous chef who Jasmine instantly connects with. The family sets up meet cutes as well as run-ins with Jasmine. I won’t spoil who she ends up with, but I really liked reading all their scenes together. Also, and this is a bit random, but I liked how awkward Jasmine is yet she still manages to connect with each guy. There’s not always smooth dialogue but the scenes feel very genuine.

The different backgrounds of Jasmine’s family and friends was really cool to read too. She’s an adopted Korean American, and her brother is adopted and Laotian and Dominican. Meanwhile, her dad is Filipino and her mom is Italian, which adds up to a large extended family on both sides. Jasmine manages to combine all sides of her heritage, Korean and Filipino and Italian, in her cooking somehow. Jasmine’s friends are Chinese-American and Black, and Eugene, one of the love interests, is Indian and white.

The Jasmine Project was such a fun story with great character growth for the protagonist and a cute love story! I really liked the plot and the family dynamics too. If you liked 10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston, I think you’ll also enjoy The Jasmine Project!

Absolutely fantastic rom-com that explores family, friendships, and romantic relationships with lots of humor and heart. Perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Suzanne Park, and anyone who loves main characters discovering who they are and learning to stand up for themselves. Highly recommended.

4 stars

In this charming debut novel, Ireland introduces readers to Jasmine, the main character, who is both sweet and suffering from an incredible lack of self-esteem. One of the most obvious places in which this is apparent is in her long-term boyfriend, Paul, who is an absolute dirt bag. When the novel begins, readers learn that Jasmine's WHOLE family agrees with my diplomatic assessment and that we are all correct. Paul proves the collective point by telling Jasmine that before they take the leap (move in together later in the summer), they should make sure it's right by seeing other people first. A more mature or less down-on-herself individual would catch on and cut bait immediately, but Jasmine needs *a lot* of encouragement.

These early events - which have had a clear and long pre-novel build up - lead Jasmine's entire family to initiate the titular Project, in which they do everything they can to get Jasmine away from Trash Paul and onto anyone else at all. It is so fun to watch this plot unfold, and one of my favorite parts of the novel is the short chapters that encapsulate the family group chats. I really couldn't get enough of this dynamic and would have loved to see even more focus on the family interactions throughout the novel. There are countless opportunities for spin-offs in this very large group, and I hope we get to see some!

Though the characters are extremely loveable - Jasmine included - I found myself so frustrated with her behavior. This is clearly the point, but I was almost horror film-style yelling at her to not do stuff on a regular basis. Because she has so much growing to do and has a wonderful heart from the jump, she is an ideal m.c. for the genre.

This is a strong debut from Ireland, and I am already looking forward to reading many more wonderful works from them. This is an uncomplicated and nicely constructed YA novel with a relatable protagonist, and I think it'll be a hit with its target audience.

Jasmine is a sweet recent high school graduate who has two problems that she doesn't even realize: she is dating a jerk, and she can't see herself for how wonderful she really is, even though her whole family can. When her boyfriend decides he wants to take a summer-long break from their relationship (maybe because he got caught with another girl on Insta) Jasmine's family decides to intervene without Jasmine's knowledge and show her that she can do better. The family comes up with a Bachelorette-light competition with some boys they know, that they know would treat Jasmine well and help her find herself. It's up to Jasmine to choose her fate-go back to her old boyfriend, or explore the world that she's been missing.

This was a fun, cute read! Jasmine is pretty relatable with her self-image issues and sorta being a doormat. I enjoyed seeing her slowly grow and learn to be her own self, fully realizing her dreams and what she wants to do with her life. I especially appreciated the ending. I recommend this for anyone who likes YA, rom-coms, and/or the bachelor franchise.

Thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Plot: I adored this book! Reading about Jasmine gaining confidence in herself, and figuring out what she wants in life was wonderful. Her family's meddling was hilarious! And I loved the group text chats with her family between chapters, those were some of my favorite parts of the book.

Characters: Jasmine was a wonderful main character, who deserves so much goodness in her life, and I am so happy she figured that out by the end of the book. Her family is huge and hilarious and I love them! Her friends were great and supportive. And the love interests were great guys. (All except Paul, who is awful and manipulates her. Though I respect the fact that the author writes it, so you understand why Jasmine would want to get back together with him.)

The Cover: I like it!

Overall: I absolutely loved this book, and I know it will make my end of year list for 2021, because it was so good! I loved the ending, and would happily read more books about Jasmine and her family. Overall, I can't recommend this book enough!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.