I was not ready 😭 This book took me by surprise. Sure, I had skimmed the synopsis but I was not ready for the amount of grief and heartfelt moments of this book. What a debut novel!! Not only was it all those incredible things, but it also had its fun moments with fantastic dialogue. Ah perfection.

Bennet stirred self reflection because GIRL, she put in the work on herself. She was such a real character and I love her deeply for it. And her banter was hilarious. When she said “I have this impulse to overthink everything all the time, and it’s a bit exhausting” girl SAME.

Henry 🥺 gosh he felt like an Emily Henry inspired dream in the absolute best way. Protect him at all costs!

Tears were shed (lol more like torrential downpour from my eyes but whatever) and I 10/10 recommend 🥹

Huge thanks to NetGalley, PRH Audio, and Penguin Books for the #gifted ARC. Passion Project by London Sperry is an absolute five-star read—funny, heartfelt, and brimming with emotional depth.

Bennet’s journey is a realistic, messy, and deeply moving portrayal of grief—I truly appreciated how the book handled mental health with care and authenticity. Watching her slowly open herself up to life (and love) again was such a rewarding experience. And Henry? One of my new favorite book boyfriends, hands down! His patience, kindness, and adventurous spirit made him impossible not to adore.

Their “passion project” dates were filled with laugh-out-loud moments, but what really made this book shine was the way it paired humor with raw, heartfelt emotion. The balance was perfection.

I listened to half on audio and read half—both experiences were fantastic, and I highly recommend either format!

London Sperry really blew me away with Passion Project and the quality of her writing and storytelling. I never would have guessed this was her debut novel!

This was such a heartfelt story, where you couldn't help but be invested in Bennet as she struggled to figure out life after the loss of someone important to her and letting herself be happy. I'm a sucker for a GOOD friends-to-lovers situation (especially if it also includes a grumpy sunshine trope), and this fully delivered. You couldn't not root for Bennet and Henry as a couple as they both came out of their shells and fell in love.

Thank you to Viking Penguin and NetGalley for the eARC!

Passion Project was stunning, emotional, five star perfection. I can’t believe this is London Sperry’s debut. I sobbed for easily the last 10% of the book.

This novel follows Bennet’s and Henry’s summer-long efforts to help Bennet find her passion after years of grieving Sam have left her listless in New York City. Bennet is raw and honest and painful to read in a beautiful way. Henry is also beautifully written, layered and complicated. There is so much pain, contrition, forgiveness, and love in this book. It was painful and cathartic to read.

As an NYC resident, I loved reading about my city through London Sperry’s words and Bennet’s perspective. I can’t wait to force literally every person I know to read this.

After finishing this one I can officially say I’m extremely passionate about Passion Project🥹 I was crying by the end of it which means I can personally deem it worthy of a 5 star rating. Genuinely cannot fathom that this is a debut because it’s written with a seasoned professionalism that reminds me of Em Hen or Abby Jimenez.

I pushed this one off for a while because I had read another book with a similar premise and deeply regret doing so. For whatever reason I have a personal soft spot for books where the main character has lost the love of their life and always get overly emotional in reading them. I honestly think it’s because I feel so blessed and couldn’t imagine my life without the love of mine.

Bennet has tragically lost her long term boyfriend and is drowning in both grief and the city of New York. She chose to move to NYC to honor her late boyfriend and the life he had envisioned for them but instead feels lost. In comes sweet, swoon-worthy Henry who helps Bennet find herself and her passion. We get to know Bennet and Henry as they go on a new adventure every week for their appropriately named “Passion Project”. In their search for Bennet’s passion, they end up finding MUCH more.

This book was amazingly well written, I was hooked from the very beginning and only became more invested as it went on. The main characters are so real and relatable with raw emotions that just tug at you. I appreciated how the author handled the ever delicate emotion of grief and mental health. It can be difficult to capture how all-consuming it is and then arrive at a happy ending by the end of 300 some odd pages. However, she did it and it was beautiful. This is without a doubt one of my favorite romances of the year and I want to thank Net Galley, the publisher and the author for a copy of this ARC🩷 Out 4/8–if you’re looking for an emotionally dazzling rom-com, trust me when I say you’re going to want to read this one.

London Sperry’s debut novel is a relatable exploration of grief, depression, and the pursuit of passion, emphasizing that life doesn’t wait for the “right time.” Despite my dislike for the miscommunication trope, I appreciated how Bennett’s journey toward emotional openness ultimately strengthened her relationships.

I knew from the beginning that I was going to love this story. The fmc, Bennett, struggles with her anxiety and grief. She’s also trying to figure out what she wants to do with her life, and it hit too close to home.
The mmc, Henry, is so freaking wholesome. He’s such a good guy who loves to chat with strangers, keeps a positive attitude, and volunteers to help Bennett try to find her passion.
This story definitely had me tearing up a few times. It touches on heavy topics, and seeing the characters navigate through things together was heartwarming.
I loved everything about this book, except the wedding scene. I wasn’t a fan of how she treated my guy Henry during that whole ordeal, and thought he deserved better!!

I didn’t even realize this was a debut novel, and I highly recommend!

Thank you Netgalley for the Arc!

Okay, I’m sobbing!! This was such a heartwarming read about dealing with grief, finding yourself, and accepting the love you deserve. Bennet is coping with the loss of her college boyfriend who passed away a few years prior. Living for his memory, she moves to NYC and is set up on a date with Henry. When their date doesn’t exactly work out, Bennet and Henry begin a friendship to find Bennet’s passion in life, and for Henry to do more things in the city.

The portrayal of depression and anxiety, as well as grief in the Bennet was so masterfully done 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 please pick this up as soon as possible! This tore my heart out and shoved it back in my chest!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Books for the ARC copy!

First of all, congratulations to London Sperry for absolutely knocking it out of the park with such a beautifully written debut novel. It was relatable and moving, and I am so impressed that this was her first book.

Following the loss of her first love, Bennet is struggling with depression and anxiety so severe that she has stopped being an active participant in her own life. In a failed attempt to “get back out there,” she tries to go on a blind date and winds up standing Henry up - only to run into him later that night. Rather than write her off, Henry decides to help her discover a new passion. Thus, the Passion Project - a series of “just friends” adventures begins.

May we all find someone as patient and gentle with us as Henry was with Bennet. He is the ultimate cinnamon roll. At first, he seems like her total opposite. He’s charming and likable while she is standoffish and pushes everyone away. He’s happy go lucky while she is drowning in pain. However, the author did such a great job of creating these well rounded characters, and we soon learn there is more to both of their stories.

I thought the depiction of Bennet’s grief and mental health struggles was very well done. The way that her anxiety and depression was described felt very relatable to me. At times, it is so frustrating to read, because you just want to scream at her not to make the choices she’s making - and to go to therapy, for goodness sake. However, not being able to do the things that, from the outside, seem so obvious and easy is unfortunately part of the struggle.

While this book deals with heavy topics, they are balanced out with a lot of humor and heart. There is a lot of great banter between the characters, covering everything from FMK with Star Wars characters to Mamma Mia 2 to Pride and Prejudice (2005, obviously). The Passion Project introduced a lot of great side characters and heart warming stories, and I especially loved meeting Sal and Fred.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I think London Sperry is an author to watch, and I can’t wait to check out what she writes next. Everyone go read the Passion Project, out April 8th!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for allowing me to read this arc for free in exchange for my review!

Wow! I laughed, I cried, I demanded more from this author immediately. Passion Project was such a beautiful rumination of grief, living life, and learning to love again. The depth of the story took me by surprise (listen, we're not supposed to judge books by their cover but this one looked so...happy!) - but in the best ways.

But besides the deep well of emotion this story brings up there is some top tier banter making this such a fun romantic comedy. Sperry has a new fan and i'll be auto-buying whatever she writes!

This book was heavier than I thought, not just a fluffy romance. It concentrates on grief, depression and guilt. The trope is stranger to friends to lovers and the MMC is kinda like a knight because she is a mess. There were times I really started to lose my patience with Bennet when she would self sabotage. I liked how even though we don’t have Henry’s POV, we get good description of his reactions and I loved getting to know him even from this limited POV. The writing was good and the story was engaging. A really wonderful debut.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own

Hands-down a 5⭐️ read! I can’t stop talking about this delightful book—a swoon-worthy debut!!

What I loved:

✨ Dynamic, multi-layered characters who are relatable and likable

✨ Friends to lovers

✨ Henry 😍😍😍

✨ Strong female friendships

✨ A beautiful (and accurate) depiction of life in NYC as a 20-something trying to figure it all out


What I didn’t:

✖️That it’s over 🙃


Thank you to Penguin Books and NetGalley for this ARC!

The sweetest book that blew me away! While it deals with heavy topics like grief and depression is does so in a way that isn’t too heavy and I felt happy when reading this one. Bennet is the FMC, who lost her college boyfriend in a tragic car accident. She’s in a bit of a funk after this and when she meets Henry, while she's not ready to date, they become friends and spend a summer trying to bring back her passion.

I am truly so blow away by this book. It brought out so many feelings and the way mental health and grief were handled was EXCEPTIONAL. This book will stay with me for a long time. It is beyond a 5-star book and quite literally broke the scale. It was absolutely perfect and there isn't a single thing I would want to change!

It is such a healing and powerful story that will stand the test of time. I absolutely loved Bennett and found myself being able to connect with her character in a way that I haven't been able to do in such a long time. I could go on and on about how much this book means to me. I will be purchasing a physical copy when it is released on April 8th!

London Sperry managed to write an absolute genius story that will inspire healing in so many people. I am so grateful to be a reader and even more so after reading this.

EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ THIS BOOK!!!!

THAT WAS THE SWEETEST BOOK I’VE EVER READ!!!!
The most perfect rom-com with the best vibes and best scenario. Henry and Bennet and Andy and Jamie were everything, it truly holds such joy and gives the exact feeling you’ll be looking for.
This book is perfect for summer, I loved how it represented Bennet’s journey through loss and grief and finding her passion and happiness and her mess overall.
I giggled and smiled a lot, the scenes were giving it and I could not get enough! I think Passion Project got me out of my semi-reading-slump. Can’t wait for you guys to read it. Lastly, thank NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.

📚ARC BOOK REVIEW📚
Passion Project by Sperry London

🗽I loved this book! It was so full of hope, and was a beautiful portrayal of friendship, grief, and love.

❤️Bennet lost her college boyfriend, Sam, in a tragic car accident. Since then she's just been going through the motions of life. When she meets Henry, she's not ready to date. But they become friends and spend the summer trying to figure out her passion so she can come back to life. Their Passion Project serves as a beautiful backdrop for the development of a strong friendship, and opens Bennet up to the possibility that she might someday love again.

🗽I think my favorite part of this book was that, despite the heavier topics, it still felt light and happy. Bennet was struggling, but deep in her heart she wanted to move forward in her life. Henry was so kind and patient and treated her well. He opened up to Bennet and let her see his baggage and emotions, and I just wanted to wrap him in a hug. Watching their friendship unfold made me smile, and even during their conflicts, they were open with each other and communicated well.

❤️I also really loved the author's writing style. The story flowed quickly while still managing to dig deep into the characters in a way that brought them to life for me. I thought that the mental health representation was written sensitively, and Bennet dealt with her anxiety and depression in the best way she could. I was so surprised that this was a debut novel, and will absolutely look forward to more books in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Viking for the e-arc of this book! This story and these characters will always hold a special piece of my heart! Passion Project publishes on April 8th.

I couldn’t help thinking the entire time I read this book that there is not one single person in this girl’s life that could see how much she needed therapy. She also seemed completely immature and Henry was the absolute perfect friend/boyfriend that she didn’t deserve. I wish so badly that the author would have allowed Bennet some emotional growth and resolution to her grief.
Not really a rom-com per se but there are romantic moments. The overwhelming grief that Bennet is dealing with became pretty much the dominant voice. It was too much to balance a really great love story that could have been beautiful. This book has a lot of great reviews so maybe it’s just not the right fit for me.

I haven’t seen anyone talk about this upcoming release which is a crime!! AND I’m shocked this was a DEBUT because it was so good!!

This is a similar novel to Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone - a FMC who is grieving a loss who meets a MMC who is offering to help her find meaning, joy, a *passion*!But slightly different because the grief is from losing a boyfriend so how can she be okay with moving on??🥲 and I honestly liked it more!

I thought the depiction of grief/depression here was so well done👏 and the banter and friendship between Bennet and Henry was soooo goood! They were funny and flirty while also being raw and honest with each other🥹 I loved rooting for them! I loved the side characters! I loved their adventures!

It started off SO strong and I was sure I found a 5 star read (finally) but toward the end I got a bit frustrated with the characters and pacing (but again for a debut?! I’m impressed)!

I definitely recommend!!

So great! I loved every second and wished I could experience NYC this way. Fun, lighthearted, but also serious at times. Everything I like in a book! Author to watch for sure!

******Two potential typos I caught in my copy (Not included in my Goodreads or Storygraph Review!):
1. pg 123/256 (Chapter 16, second page) "Carlyle" is missing a L --> "Carlye".
2. pg 175/256 (Chapter 25, fifth page) "only" seems out of place, "..."I've been assigned to the only library since Sal....", think it maybe should be "....I've ONLY been assigned to the library since Sal...."

This was a quick easy light romance that tackled difficult topics. All in all, a very impressive debut.

In 'Passion Project' we meet a main character 'Bennet' that is periled by guilt and depression after a serious loss, living in NYC, going through the motions at a temp job, until friends/acquaintances/strangers come together to compel her to turn over a new leaf and start living again, primarily via trying out different passions.

Bennet is deeply flawed and a lot of this book is driven by her slow growth. I found her flaws realistic and, unlike some other romance novels I have read recently, they didn't feel just like manufactured plot devices to throw hurdles in the way of the romance.

I would have appreciated slightly more investment in side characters - there was a not insignificant trope of the male main character's female friends being jealous/problematic that was not fully resolved. I also wonder <spoiler> if Bennet is just as precipitously reliant on a relationship in the end as she was in the beginning, and that's what got her into this spiral in the first place. For it to be a romance, I know it had to end up this way, but if this was my friend irl, I would be a little worried. </spoiler>

Descriptions of NYC and general plot/setting was quite nicely balanced - I like this author's writing style.

I would readily pick up this author's next book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.