Bennet is a twenty something floundering in New York City. She's paying the bills by working temp jobs, she has become disconnected with her childhood best friend/roommate Sonya. and she's still grieving the death of her college boyfriend, Sam. When Sonya and her girlfriend Jamie encourage Bennet to try dating apps, she matches with Henry. Only she can't actually go through with the date and ends up drunk at the Italian restaurant across the street where she leaves her wallet. When she goes back to retrieve her wallet, she finds Henry behind the bar. After the two talk about the events of the prior night and what led Bennet to bail on their date, Henry convinces Bennet to let him help her find her passion - hence The Passion Project is born. The two spend the summer trying new things together and getting Bennet to come out of her cocoon of grief. But what will happen when Bennet invites Henry to be her plus one to Sam's sister's wedding at the end of the summer?

This was a story of finding yourself and finding love amidst living with grief. It's very similar to Cara Bastone's "Promise Me Sunshine." However, I had some problems with Bennet's constant tendency to self-sabotage. In fact, if the wedding scene at the end had happened earlier in the book, I probably would have DNFed it because I was so frustrated with Bennet at that point. However, Henry was a patient cinnamon roll MMC and I kept coming back to the story for him. We all want to find someone who loves us even in our worst moments and that's what Henry was. In full transparency, I also read this title while grieving the loss of a pet and dealing with a friend's cancer diagnosis so that may have affected my reading.

Loved this quote: "Having your shit together is not a prerequisite for love."

Overall: 3.75/5 rounded up
Spice: 1.5/3

Passion Project by London Sperry completely stole my heart. Henry’s unwavering loyalty and quiet strength were such a grounding force throughout the book—his gentle encouragement for Bennet to actually sit with her feelings instead of pushing through the pain was so moving. It’s rare to see a friendship portrayed with such tenderness and care, and Henry’s presence felt like a soft, steady light in Bennet’s storm. His patience wasn’t just admirable—it was healing to witness.

What really stuck with me was how honestly the book handled grief. It didn’t try to wrap everything up in a neat little bow or pretend there’s a finish line to mourning. Instead, it showed how grief morphs and lingers, sometimes silently, sometimes like a tidal wave. And the writing? Absolutely stunning. Sperry’s words made me feel like I was right there with Bennet and Henry—I laughed with them, cried with them, and rooted for their healing every step of the way. I closed the book feeling like I knew them, like they were real people I had the privilege of loving for a little while.

I thoroughly enjoyed it. Henry Adams is a dream come true. He’s fun, flirty, gentle and kind. He immediately saw something in Bennett that he had to know more about. The depiction of anxiety and depression after a traumatic event and the grief that comes with it was raw but tender. These sensitive subjects were handled with care. The passion project activities were all very thoughtful and different and some of them have made it to my list of things to try. It was a good reminder that the worlds we create in our minds are often considerably scarier than the reality we are living in. I was satisfied by the ending, both frustrated and empathetic towards Bennett and overwhelmingly grateful for never having experienced the depth of her grief.

4.25⭐️
Wow i loved this one!
The depiction of anxiety & grief was so well displayed in this story. The FMC deals with very realistic forms of grief after loosing her “one true love” and the way that our MMC really understands in his own way and through his own struggles & really just wants to help her is endearing to read through!
The passion project that they come up with and follow through with through the story really inspired me to do some of my own soul searching, passion finding! Thanks NetGalley for an e-copy of this lovely book!

I loved this one so much! I pretty much binged it in a day. I just couldn’t stop listening! Alex Finke is an amazing narrator. This story was just so sweet. It handles the topic of grief so well. I found myself tearing up multiple times through the book. I just loved our MMC, Henry. It was so fun to see all of the ‘passions’ he and Bennett explored. I really loved seeing how Henry was able to help Bennett through her grief and find herself after loss. I’m so impressed by this debut! Highly recommend checking this one out!

IN LOVE!!
"Passion Project" is a heartfelt, humorous journey of rediscovering joy and purpose through unexpected connections. Bennet Taylor, adrift in her twenties, is grappling with grief and a sense of unfulfilled potential when she stumbles into Henry Adams, a man she had previously stood up on a date. What starts as a tentative friendship, full of self-deprecating humor and awkward honesty, blossoms into a series of spontaneous adventures designed to rekindle Bennet's passion for life. From carpentry to rappelling off skyscrapers, each new experience brings them closer, and sparks fly between them in the most delightful and genuine way.

The story balances deep emotional resonance with light-hearted moments, offering an authentic portrayal of navigating loss, opening oneself to new experiences, and finding love when least expected. Bennet's messy journey feels relatable and real, while her chemistry with Henry is electric and full of delightful banter. "Passion Project" is an absolute winner—a perfect blend of romance, personal growth, and hope. The slow burn and witty dialogue will have you rooting for Bennet and Henry until the very end.

This book was so good. Maybe its because I have been in Bennet’s shoes with grief - I know how much it can change you? But from the first few pages I was hooked. London Sperry’s writing is great too and I'm seriously impressed this is a debut. You can’t help but love Henry, he is like the perfect cinnamon roll book boyfriend. Henry helps Bennet find joy in life and rediscover herself again and realize that you don’t need to have your shit together to be able to love. For a book about crushing grief and depression it was incredibly uplifting. I think Sperry did such a great job portraying grief and depression, while also giving this character a solid support system and making them all so relatable. And the friendships in this book were just as strong as the romance was. I found myself laughing out loud many times, but also crying along with all the characters. This is a beautiful and raw story that might break your heart a little, but it will definitely put it back together again too.

4 Stars

I was captivated by the cover of Passion Project as soon as I saw the bright colors and city in the background. I enjoyed the story for the most part! It lagged a little bit at times and sometimes the main character, Bennet really drove me crazy. But overall it was a good read— heavy on grief recovery, friendship & the romance wasn’t the center but was sweet. The main male character Henry was such a little sweetie pie!

If you recently have read Summer in the City by Alex Aster and Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone, I think this was a mash-up of the two. All three take place in NYC! It’s a bit less depressing than Promise Me Sunshine but also grief heavy & friends-to-lovers. And it has a similar romance arc & “summer of experiences” storyline like Summer in the City!

Thank you to NetGalley & Penguin Group Viking for the ARC of Passion Project in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! I appreciated the in depth look at how hard grief can cut for some, while others seemingly move on without problem, and all the things that are often not said. I really enjoyed both the FMC and MMC and watching the romance develop in its own time. My one critique is that, while it is known the FMC is dealing with grief which highly influences her actions, she was often just not likeable.

This book is a bit of an emotion bomb. Despite being frequently frustrated by Bennett, I couldn’t help rooting for her. Henry was a delight - a well done foil for Bennett who helped propel the book forward. The slow burn was a bit back and forth in a way I found frustrating, but overall this book was lovely. It made me cry like 4 times.

It might seem like books — even romance books! — that are also about grief are everywhere these days, and it’s not a trend I personally mind. In fact, I prefer stories like this that combine emotional fantasy and the truly tough stuff.

And yet … often, I felt as if “Passion Project” was unable to find a way to balance both and also round out outside details that didn’t fit either mold. (Or, a long way of saying, I missed things that felt like they should be there, like getting to know Bennet’s family more, or a much more charitable take on a supporting character like Sarah, who is treated like a monster for no good reason.)

Also, the book often slips into high drama that’s way too much — and also makes a lot of characters, especially Bennet — feel both unlikable and unreal. The two third act fights/upheavals/revelations speak to that. Grief is messy and healing is hard, but these beats felt entirely contrived to move the story. They felt false, and obscured what was good about the book (like Bennet, its warm take on NYC, Sonja).

Passion Project! I fell in love with Bennett and Henry and their wholesome friendship & slow burn romance. This story was raw and real and emotional, uncomfortably so at times, but in a way that will have you rooting not just for them together but for their individual development too. The growth was exquisite.

I can’t wait to read more from this author! She’s a true talent.

Thank you Penguin for the eARC in exchange for this honest review.

Enjoyable romance. Not a traditional rom com as there is an underlying storyline that deals with the death of the female protagonist’s college boyfriend.
The author does a good job working in local NYC color and locations.

Passion Project was a captivating story centered in New York City about Bennett who is living in a cloud of grief. Henry and his idea of a Passion Project slowly bring Bennett back to life. I loved the romance, it was slow and sweet and had me absolutely swooning. The side characters were all amazing and really helped me fall in love with the story. Bennett frustrated me a little bit, I felt like the final act breakup at the end was unnecessarily mean, it was hard for me to even want a happy ending for them after the things she said. Henry, whom I loved the whole book, also came off as a pushover lacking self respect at the end. Overall, ending aside, it was a cute book and I’d absolutely read more from this author!

Bennet and Henry’s story hooked me from the beginning. While not a typical rom-com introduction, I was cheering for them from the moment they met in the restaurant bathroom. Bennet’s past plays a huge role in her present, and Henry was the perfect person to get her to move beyond her heartache.

I appreciate how Bennet and Henry discuss their mental
Health journeys throughout the book. While there are always obstacles, I felt like they worked through their issues and on themselves and became better in the end for themselves. It was refreshing to have a book where mental health is taken seriously and the characters discuss issues with a frankness not often found in lighthearted books.

Why Did I Listen To Passion Project by London Sperry?
Passion Project by London Sperry appealed to me because of the colorful cover — and because I’ve been reading a lot of books with a grief theme lately. There’s just something I enjoy so much about a contemporary romance via audio. The plot concept caught my attention as well.

What’s The Story Here?
Sperry’s Passion Project is about Bennet Taylor who is not quite doing her twenties right, but there’s a good reason for that. She lives in NYC with a roommate. Bennet works different gig jobs. She has no direction. She’s stuck. You see, Bennet’s first love passed away and she’s been in stasis and grief ever since. So, she decides at one point to make a change and ends up on a dating app. Only, it doesn’t quite work out when she stands up her blind date, Henry Adams. Only, when she goes the next day to retrieve her lost wallet, she runs into him. She lets him know that it’s not him – it’s her. She isn’t ready to date and hasn’t been passionate about anything. So, Henry takes on this project – trying something new every weekend with Bennet so that eventually Bennet can find her passion again. Only, maybe, there’s some sparks eventually between Bennet and Henry.

How Did I Like Passion Project?
The concept of Passion Project is fantastic. I love projects and I love when characters do things beyond be dramatic. It is especially interesting when they volunteer with the adoptable dogs from the shelter. There’s other great parts of course. Henry is a gem – a cinnamon roll who charms everyone he meets. Bennet is more complicated. She’s very deep in her grief and to be honest could have also benefited from some mental healthcare to process her feelings in a safe and healthy way. Mental health is healthcare afterall. But, Bennet does step out of her comfort zone and start to come alive again. She does make a lot of mistakes along the way of course, so I felt like that was realistic.

How’s The Narration?
Alex Finke narrates the audiobook of Passion Project. Finke has an easy to listen to voice. I feel very positively about the narration. If you aren’t burned out on grief contemporary romances, I think this is a good one to pick up — especially via audio. It is slightly longer – clocking in at nearly ten hours. However, it goes quick and is very compelling.

Passion Project is a beautifully written, emotionally resonant story that completely drew me in. London Sperry characters feel real—flawed, lovable, and wholly human. The romance was both slow-burn and satisfying, with just the right balance of tension, vulnerability, and swoon-worthy moments.

What really stood out to me was how layered the story was. It’s not just about love—though the chemistry was undeniable—but also about rediscovering purpose, healing from the past, and learning to trust again. Overall, this book was a joy to read, and I’ll definitely be picking up more from London Sperry.

Highly recommend if you’re looking for a romance with heart, soul, and a lot of passion.

3.5/5 stars, rounded down

Okay, Passion Project by London Sperry had me hooked from the start. The first 70%? Chef’s kiss. The banter between Bennet and Henry was so fun, the NYC vibes were immaculate, and I was fully onboard with Bennet’s messy, emotional journey as she coped with the loss of her college boyfriend, Sam. It felt like a solid 5-star read in the making.

But then…the last 30% happened.

Let’s talk about Henry. I really liked him as the MMC—sweet, grounded, a cinnamon roll man if there ever was one. I appreciated that he was grieving in his own quiet way, too. But I wish we’d gotten more insight into his grief. His father’s dementia diagnosis is mentioned, but never really explored, which felt like a missed opportunity. In the end, Henry felt more like a supporting character in his own romance, which was disappointing.

Now Bennet…sigh. You know that America’s Next Top Model meme—“I was rooting for you! We were all rooting for you!”? That’s exactly how I feel about her. I loved her at first. She was flawed and clearly grieving, but there was something endearing about how real and raw she felt. Her quirks didn’t come off as try-hard, and I appreciated how the story showed her spiraling into depression and slowly climbing out of it. Her growth felt genuine—especially when she took responsibility for her behavior with her roommate (whose name I can’t even remember, which probably ties into my one complaint about the many side characters).

But once she and Henry started dating, it was like all her character development evaporated. The two major conflicts at the end felt totally unnecessary and made her come off as cruel and manipulative. What really frustrated me was how she kept falling back on her grief as an excuse for her actions—when earlier in the book, we had seen her take accountability. It felt like a huge step backward.

And the resolution? Rushed. Bennet seems to “get over” Sam after one conversation with his sister, and for a book that’s so centered around grief, that moment needed way more emotional weight. The ending just didn’t land for me—I didn’t feel like Bennet was truly sorry for what she put Henry through, and that lack of emotional payoff left me feeling disconnected.

That said, I still really enjoyed Sperry’s writing. Her portrayal of New York was vibrant and full of possibility—the city felt like a character in its own right. I loved the little activities Henry and Bennet did together; they added great texture to their romance.

The side characters were mostly fun (even if there were too many to keep track of), but Sal? Obsessed. I would 100% read a whole novel about him and his adorable eggplant grandbaby. Someone make that happen, please.

One last note—I couldn’t help but compare this to Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone. The vibe is super similar, both center on grief, they share the NYC backdrop, and they even share the same (incredible) audiobook narrator. So, if you enjoyed Promise Me Sunshine, I feel like you’d also enjoy Passion Project!

So yeah—Passion Project had a ton of potential, and I honestly really enjoyed the first half. But because it started so strong, the second half was even more disappointing. That said, this is a strong debut, and I’d absolutely check out what London Sperry writes next!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Viking for an Advanced Reader Copy of Passion Project by London Sperry in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a bit of a slow burn but when it burned it was so good! Loved Henry and all of his creative passions that he came up with. The struggle that Bennet dealt with felt so realistic. Overall I loved this and can’t wait to see what this author writes next!!

4 stars

I really enjoyed this book. It did tackle many important themes of grief and did remind me a bit of Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone (another book I enjoyed). Part of me does wish she uncovered some new hobby but I do like where the passion about love was revealed. I appreciate the mental health rep and raw representation of grief. I wish we got more with Henry's father and in general more of them together towards the end. This is such a strong debut novel and I will be reading more books by London Sperry.

SPOILERS
The scene at Yankee Stadium towards the end had me in tears.