This book was a sweet friends to lovers book that tackled the subject of grief (as well as the friends called anxiety, depression, & guilt) within a new romance quite nicely. The main female character was "flawed" (I use that very loosely as mental health makes you do and feel some crazy things) but felt very relatable. She had an amazing support system; she just needed to let them in. Most importantly, she needed to actually give herself permission to begin the process of healing herself first. The main male character was the most wholesome cinnamon roll I have read in a contemporary rom-com. He had such unwavering patience and even though there were some bumps in their journey, he was such a rock for her, and was okay with being vulnerable. I love the concept intentionally stepping out of comfort zones to find your passion, as its something I personally am still working on (let's just say I'm a decade+ older than main characters) so that was what initially drew me to the story. The HEA had everything wrapped up nicely, and this was quick read. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC opportunity.

I almost don't even have words to describe this book. It's been a long time since a story has so thoroughly wrecked me and put me back together. I read this book in one sitting because I could not imagine stepping away for even a second. Bennet's journey through her grief and depression was written in incredible detail. I had visceral responses every time she broke down. I loved watching the people around her love her so well and slowly help coax her out of the void. Henry was everything we could have asked for in this story. He was gentle, kind, patient, but he still challenged her and didn't accept less than he deserved even while she was trying to sort through her feelings. Every character in this story truly added to it. Even though the story had heavy topics, I would find myself laughing 30 seconds after something made me cry. I loved this book front to back.
Thank you so much to Penguin books for access to this eARC.

ARC REVIEW!!!

I absolutely loved this book so much it was so phenomenal!! Reading about Bennet growth throughout the book was so beautiful and watching the healing process with everything she did made me so happy. The last 30% had me sobbing so much I was a little upset about it at first but I think it’s what gave Bennet the final push in her healing journey to do better for herself and I also just truly love a good heartfelt angsty moment and this gave it to me. Henry was also the most perfect mmc so caring and patient I have no complaints about him at all! I recommend this book to everyone it’s lovely!!❤️

Sooo sweet! This DEBUT?! novel by London Sperry is an easy 5 stars! A quick read that will keep you engaged from start to finish— I loved Passion Project so much & will recommend it to everyone, forever.

This rom-com follows Bennet, an anxious girl dealing with grief, depression & guilt, as she navigates life after loss. For years she's been struggling to piece her life back together & to actually live again... but she just can't seem to quite break through her barriers. She becomes friends with Henry, ironically after standing him up on a date, & together they plan mini adventures & outings in hopes to help Bennet through her sadness & find what she's passionate about; aka their "Passion Project".

The exploration of grief & the way that anxiety manifests itself (be it physically or emotionally) was so raw & real that I found myself relating to Bennet so much. It was so validating to read a book that enters the mind of someone who thinks like me.

🗽 NYC setting
😢 learning to deal with grief & guilt
✌️ hopeful
🫂 friendship
🩹 mending & healing
💔 heartbreak
💞 friends-to-lovers
🪞 self-discovery
✅ I cried
🌶️ 2/5 spicy level

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Penguin Group Viking & London Sperry for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

4.5 stars

This was a really lovely book about grief and moving on and discovering who you are. Bennet is struggling to move on after the death of her boyfriend. She meets Henry after ghosting him on a first date and the two become friends and Henry decides to help Bennet discover her passion.
I loved the friendship between these two. Henry was so sweet and happy and exactly what Bennet needed. He pushed her out of her comfort zone and to try new things. I loved how Bennet also helped push Henry and supported him as well. Henry was so patient and understanding of the time that Bennet needed and of her conflicting feelings. Bennet was struggling with a lot of guilt and fear about moving on and she really struggled to see herself in a new relationship.
I thought this book did a great job of showing the ups and downs of grief and moving on. The relationship between Bennet and Henry was really sweet and I especially loved the little found family they built along the way.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Books for the ARC!

this was an absolutely stunning debut!!!

like??? i can't get over how good it was !! genuinely so hopeful, beautiful & tender !!! the way grief was approached in this book while also tackling the struggle of feeling worth it, of knowing who you are, of feeling excited about life?? 😭😭😭😭 such a real, raw and authentic representation to the crippling depression and exhaustion you feel when you lose someone you love. i cried a lot!!!

HENRY! HENRY! HENRY! this man is the sweetest most wholesome man !!! but he's also SO FUN! a literal bundle of joy!! but he also has his own struggles and heartaches, and i love how we get to see both sides of him (happy & sad). but let me tell you !! the way this man shows up for bennet day after day, with no expectations other than friendship. the way he wants her to enjoy life again & do things that bring her joy. OMG what a man!!! I LOVE HIM SO MUCH !!!!!!

this book was so SO easy to read & love and enjoy. you can't help but root for bennet & henry in every single endeavor. it's full of laughs and lots of tears, but mostly it's full of hope. it reminds you to try new things, find your passion and to go after what you want -- living each day to the fullest!!

i genuinely cannot wait to see what london sperry writes next 🤭

also: if you liked promise me sunshine by cara bastone, you need to read this one!

thank you so much Penguin Books & Netgalley for the arc! this is my honest review.

Such a sweet / fun / sappy story of Bennet, a young woman with a grieving soul, and wonderful Henry, the guy that she stands up for their first date. Passion Project explores friendship, grief, depression, and love in a delightful rom-com. The story is easy to follow, with a limited number of characters, but is also somewhat predictable. I read it in record time, and loved the satisfying ending. This would be a great vacay read as the chapters are short, and the subject matter is light, but meaningful. I recommend it to those headed for the beach...

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Passion Project.

4.5-4.75★

Henry has my whole heart!! he was the sweetest soul and so patient with Bennet. I really really enjoyed this. It was slow burn perfection. I always love when a couple builds a friendship first and that’s what Bennet needed. After losing her ex, Sam, years ago, she’s been consumed by grief, feeling like there’s no escape from it. It was literally swallowing her whole, so much so that she lost herself and purpose.

When her friend sets her up on a dating app, she matches with Henry. Only when it’s time for their date, she panics and ghosts him. There’s some details in-between but when these two meet again, Bennet admits that she’s just not ready to date yet. Henry accepts that and realizes quickly that a friend is what she needs more than anything.

I loved the premise of this so much. Henry tasks himself with helping Bennet find her passion and they do all sorts of things around New York City to accomplish that.
It’s so much fun and it honestly reminded me of why I love visiting New York so much.

As fun as this was though, it also had a lot of emotional moments. Especially the last part, my heart was hurting so much for both Bennet and Henry. I really needed Bennet to work through her guilt over what happened with Sam because it was hurting not only everyone around her, but herself too. I do wish it happened sooner in the book but I’m happy that we did eventually see growth from her.

This was such a well written story about love, happiness, friendship and grief. I can’t wait to see what’s next from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin books for the ARC.

4.25 stars.

Thank you to Penguin Books for allowing me access to the digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ok, so, I requested this ARC on a whim. I had seen a few posts about it on social media, and I think there was one comparing the writing to an Emily Henry book that finally sold me on it. And I am so SO glad I did.

This book absolutely grips you from the moment you start reading. There's no entry period where it takes a minute to get into the book and get your mind settled in this new story. You are pulled in immediately and I absolutely could not put this book down until it was finished.

For a debut novel, the writing in this is fantastic. The author really knows how to describe an emotional state and have the reader FEEL that emotion and understand it, even if its not something they deal with in real life. I'm not one to normally get emotional with books, but the way that London Sperry describes grief and love and depression really tugged at me to feel that way too. I also loved some of her descriptions of seemingly simple ideas... for example:
"Where are we going?" I say flatly, pinching the end of the lit fuse of the conversation and snuffing out any potential banter.

The plot was also really well put together and the details of the past are woven so intricately into the details of the present that it doesn't feel like two separate thoughts or like the character is going on some random tangent. Both of the main characters were well-written and had wonderful chemistry, and I adored Henry so much. I struggled a bit more with Bennet, but she also struggled with herself, so, fair.

The only thing I didn't like about this book was what the author chose as The Big Conflict (or the 3rd Act Breakup, I think others call it). I wanted to scream at the one main character for choosing to do things as they did instead of taking a moment to think it through and talk it out. But I'm really glad that the story didn't end there and that the character's stories were wrapped up in a really satisfying way.

[Thank you to NetGalley & Penguin books for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.]

Bennet Taylor is stuck in a rut, with no passion, no direction, and no social life. Her roommate sets her up on a date, but still grieving after the death of her first love, Bennet ends up ghosting Henry. But when she sees him again, Henry offers to help her find her passion. Every Saturday, they’ll try something new in New York City. But as their "passion project" continues, and their friendship deepens, Bennet has to decide if she’s ready to move on and embrace love and happiness again.

My heart ached for Bennet! She is having a rough time battling grief and depression and ultimately has begun shutting everyone out. Yet somehow, Henry is able to chip away at Bennet’s walls and with his help, she goes on a journey where she learns to open herself to new opportunities.

This is a slow burn, friends to lovers romance. Not only is Henry respectful of Bennet saying she only wants to be friends, but he’s kind and patient with her as she slowly opens up to him. He’s just a delightful cinnamon roll and I wish we got to learn more about him. Their banter will have you laughing. I will say that the third act is rough. Bennet’s habit of self-sabotage comes out in full force, and there’s nothing you can do but watch (read) as it happens.

Honestly, I wavered between 4 and 5 stars but for now, I’m going to go with 4 stars just based on how quickly Bennet was able to fix everything (a little unrealistic). I may come back and update this later.

This is a story about second chances, self-discovery, and finding what makes you happy. I was shocked to learn that this was Sperry’s debut novel… I cannot wait to see where she takes us next!

Bennet is a young woman crushed by the grief of lost love. She is barely going through the motions when she comes barreling into Henry, the guy she ghosted on a first date. Henry vows to help Bennet find her passion again.

The story is sad and sweet. Bennet was a relatable character, but I found myself getting frustrated with her character’s constant back and forth. What kept this from being 4 stars for me was how quickly things wrapped up at the end. It did not feel as authentic that Bennet would be able to get her life together so quickly.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group VIKING for this arc!

3.5 stars for me

This book was a beautiful exploration of grief and the messiness of people going through it. Henry is too good for this world, and I’ve been casually sobbing through the entire last act. Very excited to read whatever is next for London Sperry!

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

this is one of the most emotional and accurate representations of depression i’ve ever read about in a romance. this was so raw and so real and while it was so painful i absolutely loved this story SO much. bennet and henry are some of my favorite characters ive ever read about. from the moment they met their chemistry was undeniable and their connection was so special and it felt so realistic and made me forget i was even reading a work of fiction. i cried like an absolute baby while reading this, this book will stick with me for the rest of my life.

3.5 stars

I love a good rom-com type of book, and while this wasn't just a fluffy romantic read, it was nonetheless superb.

The story follows Bennett, a recent college grad who also recently lost her boyfriend tragically (this is revealed on the back cover, so no spoilers here!) and is aimlessly scraping by in NYC. In walks Henry, kickstarting a summer that both of them will never forget.

I loved that this book dealt with the very real subject of grief, depression, and anxiety. There were so many moments that I could relate to in terms of figuring out your passion/vocation in your twenties. I think the author handled the mental health aspects well, and ultimately gave our FMC a healthy arc.

What I didn't love was the oh-so-pervasive miscommunication trope which I can't stand, but was perhaps realistic for two twenty-somethings that are just trying to figure out how to be adults.

This was a fantastic debut novel for London Sperry, and one I would definitely recommend as a sweet but also thought-provoking summer read. Great for fans of Abby Jimenez, Emily Henry, etc.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Viking for the ARC. This title will be published April 8, 2025.

#PassionProject #NetGalley

Passion Project immediately became one of my top five favorite books of all time!

Bennet is a temp worker living in New York City and struggling with grief after the death of her college boyfriend. When she stands up a first date with Henry and then unexpectedly runs into him, they get to talking and he suggests they become friends and meet up weekly for an activity to help Bennet discover her passion.

This book felt like a love letter to New York City and a warm hug to anyone who has ever lost a loved one or struggled with their mental health.

The writing is phenomenal, intentional, and witty. It has the perfect balance between humor and seriousness. London Sperry explores numerous themes in this book including grief, happiness, passion, love, forgiveness, friendship, and mental health. This book has the most realistic depiction of anxiety, depression, grief, and panic attacks I've ever read. While this book deals with heavy topics and has its share of heartwrenching moments, I came away from reading this book feeling lighter and hopeful.

The character development is amazing and I was rooting for Bennet from the start. Her journey in this book will stay with me forever and she will always be one of my favorite FMCs. She is messy, flawed, relatable, resilient, and brave. Henry is one of the most wonderful MMCs I've ever read. His endless empathy, kindness, sincerity, patience, and optimism was so refreshing and awe-inspiring. Every character in this book is full of depth and intentionally crafted to move the story forward and contribute to Bennet's transformative journey.

I took away so many lessons from this book about personal growth, taking accountability, learning to forgive yourself and others, and accepting love. I think this story will be incredibly healing and helpful for anyone who has ever struggled with grief or mental health.

I highly recommend Passion Project to romance readers and fans of Emily Henry, Jessica Joyce, Ashley Poston, and Carley Fortune!

Thank you to Penguin Books and NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for access to this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

WOW! What a knockout of a debut! This book was so beautiful.
Bennet is struggling. She is living in NYC, grieving the sudden death of her boyfriend, who died in a car accident a couple years before the beginning of the book. She works a variety of temp jobs and is mostly just coasting through life, trying to manage her anxiety and depression. Her best friend and roommate, Sonya, sets her up on a date with Henry, a man they find on a dating app. Bennet ghosts Henry, planning to never contact him again, and through some serendipitous events has to face him. They strike up a friendship and a goal: to find Bennet’s passion by going on little adventures throughout the city.

There is so much to love about this book. So many shoutouts to parts of NYC, so many magical moments in which Bennet experiences new things and being present in her life.
Henry is truly the ultimate book boyfriend. He’s so patient, so supportive, tender, gentle, and clearly has been to therapy. He is so open to life, to sharing joy with others, and to gently easing Bennet out of her shell. Like, I’m gonna be honest with y’all, if Henry was real…it would be a gigantic reminder that I’m not 100% gay.

The exploration of grief/the complexity of grieving is done so well. Grief can be ugly, and can make us behave in selfish, self-destructive ways. Bennet is certainly not perfect and embodies how complicated a person can be/behave when they’ve survived such a guttural loss at a young age.

This was almost 5 stars for me; there were a couple minor plot points/choices the author made that I didn’t love but overall this is a beautiful, tender, lovely romance novel. You will laugh and cry and you will absolutely remember how joyful life can be.

5 stars 🌟 LOVED!!! This romance touched on grief, depression, finding your passion, friendship, and falling in love.

Fans of Cara Bastone and Emily Henry will love this book!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Penguin Group Viking for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is my new favorite book OF ALL TIME.

This book is a breath taking story of grief, friendship, love, & dare I say, passion. The insane amount of dialogue was my FAVORITE PART. It gave the reader such a wonderful insight into each character & the type of person they are.

The meet-cute, friends-to-lovers vibes were absolutely everything I want from every romance novel.

It is perfect. I’d say no notes, but I took A LOT of notes.

Beautifully written.
Insanely insightful.

I have never swooned so hard.
& I LOVE how flawed our FMC is, her journey is something that may be misunderstood by some, but carries such a remarkable message of growing through your pain.

Hmmm okay so i really struggle with rating this one. It started out soo strong for me i was literally giggling outloud and was soo into the banter but then i got so bored by the halfway mark. I wasn’t as interested in Bennet and henry’s “passion project” dates and it felt a little immature but then they did a complete 180 in their relationship and there were some spicy scenes thrown in as well. Idk i think i give it a 3.5-3.75 stars. Not my favorite romance