Such a page turner!
I felt the grief and anxiety Bennet felt in these pages. I loved how patient Henry was with her. I didn’t love her behavior during wedding festivities but she really made up for it in the end.

This was a sweet unexpected surprise that could emerge in the top of my faves when it comes to romance stories. It's always fun to see a debut novel do so well because that means our author will have even more to give with future books! I find that I enjoy romance novels the best when the main characters form a foundational friendship first and then you see their love blossom throughout the story. There were a few too many moments where I felt like I wanted to shake our female main character for just being the absolute worst in situations that she created in her own mind. I gave her a pass through the bulk of the book as she was grieving, but by the end it felt like she was scared that she had something really great right in front of her in Gabe that she was afraid she'd lose a second time. This also felt like a nice dedication to New York City, with thick visuals of local restaurants and other spots that may or may not be attractive to tourists.

a solid four star read!! I cannot believe this is a debut novel. It was done SO WELL. A perfect mix of romance with heavier topics (ie. loss, grief)
I will say, sometimes the writing felt a bit young (although the story did not) but overall I sped through this book and was rooting for the main characters the whole way. They deserve the world 🤍 I also felt connected to side characters which sometimes is hard to do in a book, so I loved it! Thank you to the publisher for the chance to read this!

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I will say the beginnings was a little slow for me. but I really loved watching henry & bennetts story come together. I think writing about grief is a tricky thing because everyone experiences it differently but London did an amazing job portraying how grief can be. The overwhelming guilt and thoughts of horrible and cruel things. All & all I really loved watching their friendship develop into something more before bennett even realized. I love the pure confidence from henry & his assurance for her to truly be ready.

This book was so sweet. It is heavy with the MC grieving but I loved the vibes. The way they met and decided to be friends. I loved the NYC vibes. I thought he was a great MC. the two conflicts were a little meh but I loved how gone he was for her and how patient he was.

Thanks NetGalley for giving me access to this new release.

Bennet is living out her 20s in NYC, sharing an apartment with her childhood best friend. Except, she isn’t really living, she’s barely surviving. Since the loss of her college boyfriend, Bennet has lived in the shadows. Gripped by grief and depression, she only surfaces from her dark days to make it to her temp jobs and pay the rent. Before she calls it quits on NYC, a chance encounter with the date she just ghosted sparks something in her. Henry, the nerdy bartender/photographer, offers to help Bennet seek out her passion. Together they explore a range of hobbies and experiences across the city slowly opening Bennet up to the possibility of truly living again, and maybe even a new love.

I honestly did not have super high hopes for this one and I think my expectations were correct. This felt like a story I’ve heard before in a slightly different color. I think that the profoundness of Bennet’s grief and depression were important topics that felt cheapened by the fact that this was a romance after all. I also really hate main characters whose only personality is that they self-sabotage. Bennet lacked any real identity that wasn’t connected to her loss, even when she started to enjoy her outings with Henry. I knew where the story would end up before I got halfway through and I had to push myself to read on, hoping the book would surprise me.. but it didn’t. I think this book will find its audience with some of the romance crowd but it ultimately was not for me. 2.5 stars rounding down.

Excuse me, but this was a DEBUT??? This was a knock-it-out of the park, stellar debut and you better believe that London Sperry, with ONE book, has made it onto my auto-read list. I felt like she handled a tough subject with nuance and care, but also humor. I loved the character arcs of this novel. I did a hybrid listen/read on this novel-- half read on the kindle, and half listened to, and I will 100% listen to ANYTHING Alex Finke reads-- she was the perfect narrator for this novel.

Absolutely no complaints. Add this one to your TBR/listen list. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

My Selling Pitch:
Contemporary romance debut, and goddamn, does it read like it. Messy depressy FMC meets unrealistically perfect MMC who definitely deserves to be treated much, much better than he is. Skippable.

Pre-reading:
I’m not saying I’m going into it with a bad attitude, but I am still pissy that Book of the Month made Gifted and Talented an add-on so I had to pick up this book. I can’t imagine liking this, but also, every time I think I’m gonna hate a Book of the Month pick I end up loving it.

(obviously potential spoilers from here on)
Thick of it:
The dedication was cute.

I say it every time I pick up a romcom, but I love romcoms’ bonkers openings. I love a hook. Sue me.

Oh, fuck me, am I gonna like this? (Kinda?)

Rom-com mentions serial killers sin

Yeah, that is an asshole move.

I’m amazed they were willing to serve you 2 1/2 bottles of wine by your lonesome.

Appearance revealed by mirror sin

Ayyy a me!

It’s giving Em Hem’s version of Definitely Better Now.

I’m assuming Sam is dead, and she’s just advertising that she’s codependent. (I don’t read blurbs. Y’all know this by now.)

Even in New York, in this economy, $189 for groceries for one person is CRAZY. At Trader Joe’s? Whole Foods, sure, but not TJs.

He does not owe you $10 for YOU standing HIM up.

Henry seems lovely. She seems like she needs major therapy.

The audiobook is good.

I don’t think you should describe anyone as eggplant given what eggplant has come to mean.

No, you need to tell him you had him blocked and were waiting for his text because at this point it seems like you’ve ghosted him again. It seems like you’re a massive dick.

I feel like he’s gonna basically fix her, get her to the point where she’s ready to open up and be like oh my god, I love Henry! and then his dad is gonna die and she’s gonna have to pull him out of his depression hole with his photography. (Argue with a wall that this wouldn’t be a healthier if more cliche plot.)

I just realized Trish Dollar blurbed this. I like her. I’m enjoying this so far.

It reminds me a lot of You, Again. (For a book I didn’t love, I sure think about it a lot.)

Or like she’ll convince him to go to the wedding with her, and then he stands her up because his dad dies? (My brain can never just vibe. We always have to try and “solve” the book.)

Wait, so she never even gave the lady the tampon???

Salt and vinegar and ginger ale is an elite combination. I approve.

How is every rom-com just published Star Wars fanfiction? What is happening?

Ma’am, that’s nothing like a founding father. Also, all I can think of is Sam Adams now.

I have gotta read Pride and Prejudice. Every fucking book references it, and I’m still like I don’t know it. I haven’t even seen the movie.

Dream sequences are lame.

Why are they being so suss about setting her up?

Fun fact: I confuse Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind with Clockwork Orange all the time. They are not the same movie. (I’ve seen neither.)

What, did they used to date or something? I’m so confused how they know each other, and normally I’m good at guessing. Mental hospital together for depression? I don’t know, man.

Henry is so likable. Why is he single? Also, call it the dating culture of our time, but like I genuinely don’t believe there are moderately attractive good men in New York who aren’t actively fucking around. Like this man has a six string. (Spot the horse girl, lmao.)

How very Beach Read.

He’s so likable!

Minty boy

Also, this audiobook narrator is so good.

I don’t know if I said title drop already, but title drop.

ONE BED ONE BED ONE BED

I want a Henry.

I love a rom-com ‘oh no, I saw boobies’ moment. Every. Stinkin’. Time. Lol.

Kit Kittridge. I’m 10, and I’m here to have my article published. (This clip lives rent free in my head.j

No contemporary should use the word chortle.

Like it’s not a prerequisite to have your shit together, but you’ve gotta tread the codependency line really carefully. Girlypop does not seem to build a life outside of her boyfriends.

Also reminds me of First-Time Caller.

People do love bond over getting scared together though.

I don’t know how they have the money for all these adventures.

Is it gonna be something dumb like he got an organ from her dead boy? I can’t think of anything else scandalous that they would need to hide from her.

Also, I do really like this book and them together, but it does give a whiff of pretty privilege. Like this book and his initial interest doesn’t work unless she’s pretty enough to excuse bad behavior, you know?

Do not stand this man up again, omfg. But also, I’m worried he’ll stand her up because his dad dies and maybe they reunite at the wedding then?

You need to manage better. Like you get a battery pack or you plug your phone in at the desk.

Borrow someone’s phone, ma’am.

I feel like there was no reason for them to lie about the dating setup.

No one’s this stupid to believe this third act breakup.

The way my Spotify hours cut me off right here at the third act break up is cruel and unusual punishment, and I do feel stabby. I’m not gonna spend an entire credit getting a book that I’ve already read most of. I’m first in line for it on Libby too. My hours renew in two days, so it feels financially irresponsible to be this impatient. And I don’t wanna eyeball read it. I was enjoying the audio so much. (I eyeball read it, and jesus christ, the book took a nose dive.)

Also, I do worry for Henry that he allows such horrible behavior towards himself.

Am I crazy? I really don’t think they did anything wrong. They set you up on a date. You could’ve ended it at any time. I don’t think arranging dates for your friends is meddling.

Girl, you stood him up twice. Like HE should be allowed to be mad at YOU. (Lowkey thrice actually because she had his texts blocked.)

This is too fast for them to get together like this.

What do you mean y’all are fucking on the roof with your friends downstairs knowing that they set you up for this??? This is weird.

This book did not need smut!

You guys can still get each other off even if you don’t have a condom? What are we doing? What is this book doing? I was so on board, and now I’m like miffed.

You should not wait for her like that. That is not a good message. You should not let someone treat you like that and waste your time and not even try to contact you. That is not loving behavior.

The writing is getting REALLY awkward. Why do people stumble with smut so much?

Bringing up other women the very first time you fuck is extremely insecure. Also, he has literally been with you every single weekend, all summer. You know there’s no other women. Don’t fish.

“He lies inside me like a dagger” is CRAZY!

How did the writing take such a nosedive? Did we forget to edit the smut? Like what’s going on?

“Moves into me like a rain storm”?!?! what the fuck

He’s like a rainstorm-
ma’am, he’s a bartender

He doesn’t talk like an actual man. He does just talk like what TikTok says people should do to help partners! and it’s pissing me off a little bit. Like I hate when dialogue sounds like regurgitated therapy speak rather than something authentic.

How is she affording all these classes?

Ma’am, that’s not just your couch. That’s so rude.

Why would you pick chicken when steak is an option?

Oh my god, be honest with her. Do not make her pay for an extra hotel room. Someone else can use that. Don’t be a dick.

Also, the hypocrisy of like I don’t want to see him again because he lied to me, and then she goes ahead and lies to both of them. Like that’s so fucked up.

Oh no, he should not be OK with this. Henry, where’s your self-respect, my man?

Why is she making someone else’s wedding about her? Like girl, they’re there for themselves.

Dude, this sucks so much. They’re not ready to be in a relationship.

I would be pissed that he revealed an embarrassing moment if I explicitly said, don’t bring up that story, but she’s also not asking fair things of him.

How many times do her actions have to tell him that he’s unimportant to her? Like this is not how you treat someone you love. I don’t think you can come back from it at this point. He deserves much better.

Bitch, they better not get together.

I feel so bad for him, jesus christ. He’s so wonderful.

Another one bites the dust as a wedding song is crazy.

OK, this is really sad, but like they can’t get back together after this.

Why are you spending the morning after your wedding with this random girl? That is so weird!

They have to cover the field when it rains, though. Like this doesn’t make any sense.

Me: who the fuck is Sarah? Oh right his coworker that’s in love with him.

Oh, I guess we’re not going that direction. The author’s still like no, they’re gonna wind up together, and I’m like he should date his coworker who like actually protected him. Also, nothing she said was out of line.

They should not be together.

He literally did not say a single terrible thing, and he was smart for leaving, but he should stay away. She’s actually very bad for him.

OK, but who’s cleaning up your mess that you’re leaving in this restaurant?

This is so debut. Like it’s so messy. Parts of it are so good, and then other parts I’m like what the fuck, this is not fully cooked.

Oh look, another mentally ill girl becoming a psychologist because why fix her own problems when she can point at other people’s? Oh, it’s such a cliché!

This epilogue is giving the voice-over at the end of a rom-com.

That’s a terrible cover story because something you want your mom to wear is something very different from what you want to wear.

You should not get a tattoo for this girl. You have not known her long enough, buddy boy. Also, he’s gonna be the dad that’s like does this count as legal tender? Hardy har.

Post-reading:
This book is such a mixed bag. I went in kind of expecting to hate it and was pleasantly surprised. It’s by no means good, but I didn’t hate it.

Her authorial voice is very similar to Emily Henry’s and Abby Jimenez’s. It’s that aggressively contemporary, #sorelatable conversational tone. I always respond well to that. The plot is clear, and it’s well-paced for the vast majority of it, but it hits some typical debut snags.

The characters are a little rough. The FMC is unlikable, and not in a fun way. It’s hard to root for her when she’s genuinely so awful to the people around her and then the book tries to absolve her of all it because in the end she gets off her ass and goes to therapy. But we never get to see her do the work. We’re just expected to blindly trust that she’s better now. Henry’s too perfect to exist and is unnecessarily blamed for every little thing. The author clearly had so much love for her FMC, and I don’t know why she couldn’t love Henry enough to want better for him. The FMC had some pretty words for him, but her actions continuously prove over and over again that she does not value or respect him. There’s a line in the book that really upset me where he said he would wait in a bar forever for her. And it’s supposed to be romantic. And I’m like I’m sorry, but I need you to want more for yourself.

The majority of the dialogue felt authentic. There was banter. Every now and then it would feel like regurgitated therapy speak, but I think that’s something authors need to grow out of. It’s hard to reinvent the wheel, you know? It’s a hard job to spin healthy advice in a way that doesn’t feel trite or doesn’t drift so far from the central messaging that it’s unrecognizable as advice. But like that IS your job if you take it on.

The book’s biggest stumble for me was the smut. It felt so out of place. The book didn’t need it. The tone is so wholesome, and then all of a sudden we were calling his penis a dagger. Be so fucking for real. I’m shocked the editor didn’t make her reel it in. Although, it almost felt like an add-on the publisher asked her to make because sex sells. And it’s where the pacing went 0 to 60. Everything felt so rushed after that.

The book’s plotting also gets a little murky. It didn’t make sense to me why the friends felt the need to hide the fact that they set up the date for her. I never understood her anger over that. I feel like setting up a dating profile on your behalf is making it self-evident that they’re trying to set you up. She also agreed to go on the date without talking to him prior, so like she was already going on a blind date. And for some reason, this translated to Henry is a lying villain and everyone in the book acted like she was justified for thinking that.

The book also only works because of pretty privilege. It’s something I’ve been noticing a lot recently in rom-coms. Someone always has to be pretty enough to excuse bad behavior. If you can swap in someone who’s just average looking and the book falls apart, you don’t have a strong enough romance for me.

As is typical for the genre, money doesn’t seem to exist in this world. I don’t know how these characters were affording all these dates and classes in NYC of all places on temp and service industry pay. It’s not a damming flaw, and it’s a pretty excusable one for the genre, but I will always notice and point it out.

And while I liked a good portion of this book, at the end of the day it’s another romance where I actively did not want the couple to get together. That’s not a romance. I’d give the author another try. I don’t think this was a horrendous first outing. I do think she’s got some kinks in her writing to smooth out before she’s got a winner, but I think she does have one in there. If you do pick this up, the audiobook’s narrator does a phenomenal job, and it’s worth listening to even though it’s not dual narration.

Who should read this:
Emily Henry fans
Abby Jimenez fans
Rom-com fans

Ideal reading time:
Summer

Do I want to reread this:
Nope

Would I buy this:
Wouldn't go out of my way to buy a copy, but wouldn't say no to one either.

Similar books:
* You, Again by Kate Goldbeck-NYC contemporary rom-com retelling, unlikable characters, toxic romance sold as HEA
* Definitely Better Now by Ava Robinson-messy girl fiction, contemporary romance, grief processing
* Float Plan by Trish Doller-contemporary romance, grief processing
* Beach Read by Emily Henry-contemporary romance, family drama, grief processing
* A Five-Letter Word for Love by Amy James-contemporary romance, grief processing
* Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez-contemporary romance, family drama
* People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry-contemporary romance, friends to lovers
* First-Time Caller by B. K. Borison-contemporary rom-com retelling, toxic romance sold as HEA
* Text Appeal by Amber Roberts-contemporary romance, toxic romance sold as HEA
* The Pairing by Casey McQuiston-contemporary, second chance, queer romance, toxic romance sold as HEA

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this debut! Bennet is grieving the loss of her boyfriend Sam and feeling directionless. A bad first (non) date with Henry strikes up a beautiful friendship and discovery of self. I did want a little more from the ending, but overall I love it!
4.5/5 stars!

This book was a pleasure to read. Bennet is mourning the sudden death of her boyfriend, Sam. It’s been a few years but the loss is still very prevalent in her life. To try to honor the original plans they had to live together in New York, she moves in with her roommate and takes odd jobs. Seeing that she is miserable, her roommate convinces her to go on a date.

That date is with Henry, a charming bartender. After standing him up (and accidentally throwing up in the bathroom where he works), Bennet ends up meeting him anyway and confessing that she really doesn’t want to date. In fact, she doesn’t want to do much of anything. She doesn’t have anything she is passionate about.

Enter The Passion Project. Henry convinces Bennet to give friendship a try and together they explore all kinds of passion possibilities—animals, thrill seeking…..and maybe love?

This book was great. I loved it. The feelings Bennet struggles with felt genuine and conflicting. Henry was exactly what I would want a leading man to be in this situation. Absolutely recommend, this was a fantastic debut and I can’t wait for more from London Sperry!

I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to London Sperry, Penguin Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read a digital ARC for review.

I really loved the MMC. The FMC was compelling too, especially in her grief journey. I didn’t totally buy their romance, but even though the book wasn’t fully working for me for most of the way through, I still ended up crying at the end.

At first, I couldn’t stand the main character.. I really don’t typically enjoy stories where I can’t get behind them. I was convinced I was going to hate the book. However, Bennet’s grief was just such a huge part of her personality that it lent her to treating everyone around her like garbage.
Thankfully, this turned around.. and I ended up understanding her and appreciating the growth.
Henry, Sonya. Andy.. Jamie. Loved them all! Especially Sal, what a lovely individual.

I saw other reviews where they loved the story up until a bigger conflict towards the end- but I felt the opposite. I didn’t like the conflict either but it helped bring the rating up for me. I was satisfied with the ending, and happy with the storyline. Great debut from this author!

Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC

Things I liked about this: the setting. I loved NYC, all the unique dating spots, neighborhoods. Henry is practically perfect. At times, I felt the main character Bennet could do a better job describing her grief - but then I realized grief is hard to verbalize. The scene where she’s pretty much stuck in her room helped me understand her mental state more.

Supporting characters were decently drawn and explained.

Some of the language felt a little elementary … again, it’s hard to convey a narrator who’s so down on herself, but I thought some other ways other than “I’m a mess” would be useful.

Great cover.
3.5 stars.

A wonderful, cozy story about finding your way back to yourself after loss. I loved Bennet and Henry’s story, and found the descriptions around Bennet’s anxiety to be very accurate from my own experiences as an anxiety girlie.

Heartbreak, grief, love- it’s all part of the same coin. The raw, gritty emotions shown in this book was wonderful. For anyone who’s experienced it, it created a feeling of being seen and heard. Love is the answer, the passion, the fix. It’s perfect.

Passion Project is a fun romance with the underlying serious themes of self-discovery and grief. It was the perfect balance of funny and deep. I loved the adventures that Bennet and Henry go on. While at times Bennet was immature, I found her amount of growth and self-discovery inspiring. The chemistry between Bennet and Henry was natural and developed without force or rush. I enjoyed the setting of New York City and could see myself wandering down the streets with our main characters. This is a fabulous debut and I look forward to more from London Sperry in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Viking | Penguin Books for a digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this! The story was so beautifully done. I cried, I smiled I just adored them so much. Henry is the best. And The FMC is so relatable. I just want to give her a hug. The best kind of stories are the ones that burrow into your heart and make you wonder why these people don’t really exist. I fell in love with these characters and I will be re-reading

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!


First off, I wanna say this was such a ride! I laughed and teared up. Some parts really hit home and made me tear up.
At times, I found myself so frustrated with Bennet that I wanted to shake her and tell her to wake up! I also realized how much of me I saw in her at certain points. I love Henry and he deserves the world . *cue tears* He is giving golden retriever energy and I love it. Just what Bennett needed before she even realized. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked this book up and I’m so glad I did.

4.5 stars!
I absolutely loved this book and can not believe this is a debut author. It was so well written and felt like therapy in book form. I've read several other books that center around grief/depression recently and some felt extreme in their portrayal. The grief portrayed in this book is deep but resonnated with me. The ending felt a tiny bit rushed, which is why it isn't a perfect 5 stars but that's just personal preference. I will definitely be recommending this book to others.
I loved the setting of NYC and loved being able to explore the city with the main characters! It made me want to plan my next trip there :)

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

I really enjoyed this book! The main character at times irritated me, but the story was written about someone with issues unresolved from grief, so I guess it was written, realistically being that I felt the way I did about her. But the story was beautiful and Henry was a perfect book boyfriend! A nice story that flowed easily and was a joy to read. Thank you for the ARC.!