I struggled through this one. You don't really get much of a sense of reality from Priscilla and whilst if you suspend belief (which is required for a lot of the book to feel realistic) she still doesn't seem like much of a redeemable character. I'm still not sure why she actually liked Oliver or why she thought she even wanted to plan a proposal; you don't really get much of an introduction to any of the characters so it's hard to root for them. I think this was a really fun concept but poorly executed.

This was surprisingly a really fun time! I finished it in one sitting and absolutely loved how lighthearted it was. Perfect for when you want something to read after a heavy, intense book.

I wanted to give this author another chance after not enjoying her first book, but after this one I can conclude this author is not for me. The main character is immediately infuriating from the first page. The entire falling out between the two main characters feels ridiculous for fully grown adults. The dialogue felt unrealistic and awkward. Overall, I decided to put it down because I knew it wasn't going to get better for me.

If you loved Marchetti's first book, I could see you also enjoying this one.

Thank you NetGalley, Donna Marchetti, and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for the opportunity to read this arc 🤍

The Proposal Project was a light-hearted rom com that was a much needed pallet cleanser for me. Donna's characters were fun and the anticipation of the "enemies to fake dating to lovers" trope kept me engaged and on my toes! I can't wait for the release and for more people to get their hands on this book!

Book Stats:

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐(4.25/5)

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Tropes: Fake Dating, Forced Proximity, HEA, miscommunication

Publisher: One More Chapter(Harper Collins)

Review:

*thank you to the One More Chapter and Harper Collins UK and the author for sending me a early copy of this book in exchange for a honest review-it means a lot that you trust little old me!*

I didn't think that Donna Marchetti's writing could get better after Hate Mail, but it did! I read this book in a DAY. It kept me engaged. The Banter was TOP TIER, Oh my Gosh! The tropes in this book, like forced proximity and fake dating really are written well and fully flushed out. I feel like the setting and the way the FMC and MMC have to work together is giving very much 2000's romcom. ALSO, THE COVER? CUTE AS CAN BE! I also love how in this book the FMC's character development wasn't as heavily attached to the miscommunication trope as I feel it normally is, and it was more career oriented, which is also a nice refreshing change than your typical romance book.

I only have two tiny things. And they really are microscopic. First, the miscommunication trope. Personally, I enjoy this trope when its done well, but I think the way it was written in this book personally felt just a tad childish. That is personally my opinion, I would still recommend this book majorly though! My second tiny thing that I wish was a little better communicated was the ending. It felt like we jumped to it just a teeny bit. Other than that, I think the storyline, character development, and plot were really great. TBH I think I liked this even more than Hate Mail, I think Donna Marchetti has really grown as a author even more from her last book.

It's honestly one of my favorite reads of this year, and perfect for that spring/summer romcom time of the year! Highly recommend!

This was an absolutely beautiful, lighthearted romance. Fake dating turns real, meddling best friends, enemies to lovers. This was written beautifully, the plot, the spice, the banter was amazing. I was so glad that I had the opportunity to read this book. I honestly wish that it could’ve been a dual POV, but it was wonderful even without it!

Here for the cute tropes, staying for the flirting, the yearning, and the fun vibes. I flew through this one. Donna Marchetti is so good at writing a quick, cute rom-com! Priscilla and Oliver are definitely a couple to root for!

💗Enemies to Lovers
💗Fake Dating
💗Forced Proximity
💗One Bed

Adorable. Just what you want out of a romantic comedy book. The characters were annoying from time to time but ultimately they grow on you.

Thank you NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, and Donna Marchetti for the early access copy of The Proposal Project.

The Proposal Project follows the story of Priscilla and Oliver. After an unfortunate work incident, Priscilla finds herself looking for a new way of work. When her best friend Tina asks her to help plan her dream proposal as her event planner, Priscilla can't refuse. The catch, she needs to help Tina propose before her boyfriend Ryan does. What that means is Priscilla needs to find a way to work with Ryan's best friend Oliver, who Priscilla has the unfortunate luck of not getting along with after an incident the year before. Priscilla and Oliver need to figure out a way to make an alliance, build both Ryan and Tina's dream proposal without anyone finding out.

Donna Marchetti has a brilliant way of writing relatable characters, with hilarious (and at times unfortunate) situations. Reading the evolution of Oliver and Priscilla felt like being with friends and watching them realize what everyone else can see. This is a great fit for those who enjoy tropes like enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, spicy romance.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK (One More Chapter) for providing this eARC! 💖
I loved this book so much I devoured it in a day!! The story had me hooked from the very first chapter—it was fun, easy to read, and the banter between Priscilla and Oliver had me giggling and kicking my feet like a teenager 😭💅 Fake dating is my weakness, and it’s so well done here!

Now, I usually don’t love miscommunication, but in this case, it worked. I wasn’t even mad about it haha. There were just a couple of things I didn’t vibe with: the first spicy scene felt a bit rushed, and the lack of conversation threw me off (thankfully, the later ones fixed this!). Also, the author used the phrase “He touched his lips to mine” a few too many times for my taste—but tbh, that’s probably just the language snob in me 🤷‍♀️

All in all, I really enjoyed the story and the characters. It would have been perfect if we had Oliver’s POV—I loved him so much, I needed to be in his head to fully feel that yearning 🥹

Thank you to One More Chapter and NetGalley for the advance reader copy of The Proposal Project by Donna Marchetti. 

At the beginning of the story, Priscilla, an event planner, has lost her job. She now has the opportunity to begin her own event planning company and her first client is her best friend, Tina. Priscilla is tasked with helping Tina plan the perfect proposal to her boyfriend, Ryan. Ryan’s best friend is Oliver, who Priscilla is initially attracted to upon first meeting him but after an exchange where she believed Oliver was trying to humiliate her, she avoids him. Via Oliver, Priscilla learns that Ryan is also planning to propose. In order to ensure her Tina’s proposal can happen as planned, she must team up with none other than Oliver to make it happen for both of their friends.

This story was delightful!! Forced proximity scheming that turns into a fake relationship! Priscilla and Oliver have such great chemistry from the beginning. Each step of these story simply hit all the right notes for me and what I enjoy in a romance. I LOVED the spin on one of my favorite micro tropes. The Proposal Project is a gem that brought me so much joy. It has a great pace and once I started I didn’t want to put it down.

“The Proposal Project” by Donna Marchetti
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.25 stars)

I was lucky enough to receive an advanced reader copy of *The Proposal Project* by Donna Marchetti, and let me just say—this book was the epitome of adorable and heartwarming!

Pricilla and Oliver were the perfect blend of “enemies to lovers” turned “fake dating,” and I couldn’t get enough of their dynamic. The banter, the chemistry, the *moments*—all of it had me completely hooked.

What really stood out to me was how unique the premise felt. It brought a fresh twist to familiar tropes, and I genuinely haven’t read anything quite like it before. Marchetti’s writing is charming and full of heart, and I’m already looking forward to reading more from her in the future.

If you’re a fan of swoony romance, lovable characters, and a storyline that’ll leave you smiling, definitely add *The Proposal Project* to your TBR!

This was a really cute premise but the execution and characters fell a little flat for me. I'm not a fan of miscommunication (or lack of communication as the case may be) trope because it's just so frustrating.
I'm partially through currently but struggling to finish. Will update further once/if I am able to finish!

Thanks, @netgalley, the author & the publishers for the ARC.

This book was pleasantly surprising! It had all the usual tropes, Enemies-lovers, fake dating, secret proposals, and close proximity.
It was fun, lighthearted, and easy to read, and I liked how the author made you fall in love with both main characters! It had some great banter and made me laugh in parts! This is definitely a read for the summer!

Thank you to One More Chapter Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this title.

I fell in love with this author with "Hate Mail.' She has a perfect recipe of banter, sexual tension, and swoon. While I'm not the biggest fan of miscommunication and slow burns, this one was done so well that I loved it.
This is told from Priscilla's point of view, and I would have loved to have Oliver's perspective for the sole purpose that I am so obsessed with him. He is a perfect MMC.
The entire background of planning an extravagant proposal for their best friends was so cute and charming. I was hooked from the first page.

The author amps up the steam for the last quarter of the book and the slow burn was so worth it when the main characters drop the facade, start communicating and let their guard down.

I highly recommend this for all RomCom lovers!

This was so much fun!! I giggled at some point, and I never giggle, that's how much fun I was having with it! Ahhhh!

I don't like miscommunication as a trope, but that being said, this was really well-executed and believable, because they totally did sound like the kind of people who are too awkward and stubborn to just talk it out at some point. I can 100% buy that someone like Priscilla would go about her way believing something she thinks is true without checking for sure, which means her character is really well-written, if annoying at times (I see myself in her, which makes me wonder if I really think I'm that annoying, since every time I see myself in someone, that person keeps testing my patience).

Also, I had trouble putting this book down, even though I'm obsessive (ironic, much?) and just started getting into another hobby as I picked it up, that's how fun it is.

I loved it! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

The premise of The Proposal Project had me excited from the start—fake dating, enemies to lovers, slow-burn romance? Count me in. Unfortunately, the execution fell short for me.

From the beginning, I found myself frustrated with both main characters. Priscilla is portrayed as professional, but her impulsiveness and emotional reactions created constant, avoidable conflict. She often jumped into situations without thinking and got upset when others called her obsessive or impulsive—which only added to the disconnect.

Oliver, the main love interest, wasn’t much better. I wanted to like him, but he contributed just as much to the endless miscommunication. Their arguments often ended with Priscilla storming off instead of addressing the issues head-on, and it became repetitive and exhausting.

The couple doesn’t truly resolve their problems until about 90% into the book, and by then, their relationship felt more like lust clouded by unresolved tension than genuine love.

This book just wasn’t for me, but I appreciate the opportunity to read it early. I know some readers really enjoy the miscommunication trope, and I think those readers will get more out of this than I did.

If I could give this book more than 5 Stars, I would. The Proposal Project was one of the funniest book I read. It was light-hearted when needed and funny all together. I would definitely recommend this book! 💗💗

This book follows Oliver and Priscilla, two people who definitely don't get along — which is especially awkward since their best friends, Tina and Ryan, are a couple.

When Priscilla gets fired from her job, Tina asks her to plan an elaborate proposal for Ryan. But things get complicated fast when Priscilla discovers that Ryan is actually planning to propose to Tina first. With two secret proposals in the works, Priscilla ends up having to team up with the last person she wants to work with: Oliver. To keep their scheming under wraps, they decide to fake date — a trope I always enjoy — and honestly, their chemistry is fun to watch unfold.

While I liked the core concept and the author's writing style, I found myself distracted by several plot holes and unresolved threads that kept me from fully loving this story.

For starters, the entire reason for Oliver and Priscilla’s falling out felt a little flimsy. A drunken comment from Priscilla about being “obsessed” with Oliver makes its way back to him, and when he brings it up (in a way that’s arguably teasing, not cruel), she takes offense and refuses to speak to him for an entire year. That level of overreaction didn’t quite feel believable.

Another unresolved thread is the idea that Priscilla tends to “obsess” over things — something her dad mentions and which clearly bothers her — but this is never explored or resolved in a meaningful way. It felt like it was set up to lead to some personal growth or emotional insight, but it was dropped entirely.

The Malcolm storyline also felt unnecessary. Priscilla suspects him of getting her fired, but he later offers her a job. He comes off as inappropriate and untrustworthy, so she declines and blocks him — and that’s it. It added nothing to the story or her character arc.

There’s also a moment where Priscilla finds a handwritten book of poetry — presumably written by Oliver — but it’s never mentioned again. It seemed like it could have been a sweet or revealing moment, but instead, it just… disappears.

Finally, the fake dating twist falls apart a bit at the end. Ryan and Tina reveal they knew all along that Priscilla and Oliver were pretending — because Ryan saw her climb through Oliver’s window. But if they knew, why didn’t they say anything? Why wouldn’t they question it at the time? It just didn’t make sense that two best friends would discover their friends were fake dating and simply… not react.

Despite all these little issues, I did enjoy the book. The dialogue is snappy, the writing is charming, and the romantic tension between the leads is genuinely fun. I just wish the story had tied up its loose ends a bit more neatly.

Tropes featured:

Enemies to lovers

Fake dating

Forced proximity

O M G!!! I absolutely loved this book!! I loved the banter with Oliver and Priscilla! Tina was the perfect best friend and just the whole story was heartwarming!! The spice was great as well! The buildup to it was excellent! I laughed out loud and got giddy at others!! Please, please read this! It is such a good book!!! So lovely!!