4.5 ⭐️ / 5 ⭐️

Wow wow wow, what a fantastic debut novel!! I went into this mostly blind and was taken aback by the pull I felt even after four chapters. It wasn’t just a great story, but it was also thoughtfully written and the characters were beautifully drawn. I wanted to jump into the pages and tour NYC along with them (and heal along with them).

This book is about so many of our human experiences but my main takeaway is that it was a love letter to the art of forgiving yourself and holding space for the people in your life that show up while you grieve. Especially those that come into our lives during the thick of it all and find ways to shine light on the path to healing. ❤️‍🩹

The Cast:

👩🏻 🫥 Bennet (our FMC):
When we meet Bennet, she’s having a very rough night. Maybe one of the worst nights of her life. She’s trying to make ends meet in NYC (a city that she is convinced hates her), her roommate is pushing her into trying to move on romantically (but she’s not ready), and she was just over served while avoiding meeting her date (🍷🤮🚽).

Throughout the book, however, she’s forced into scenarios that push her to step away from the grief bubble she’s been existing in and to learn (and sometimes relearn) how strong and worthy she is. And this is in some part due to meeting Henry, who gives her reasons to step outside her “comfort” zone.

She can at times come across as selfish (and sometimes she is outright so), but it was nice to watch her try and fail and try and succeed (on repeat and not always in that order) and eventually grow.

🧑🏽 📷 Henry (our MMC):
(I want a Henry so badly) Henry is the charming, positive, understanding person we’ve all met and gravitate towards. But he is also multi-dimensional and has his own baggage. He knows what it means to try and fail, but also knows how to pick himself back up, brush it off and try again.

The way he supports everyone he meets, but specifically Bennet, is amazing. I want to be more like him. He knows his boundaries and he isn’t afraid to ask for what he needs or wants.

💁🏻‍♀️ 💎 Sonya: Bennet’s roommate / oldest friend
🙋🏻‍♀️ ☕️ Jamie: Sonya’s girlfriend
👴🏽 🍆 Sal: Bennet’s co-worker
👩🏻‍🦰 🦋 Andy: Bennet’s college bestie
🧑🏻⚾️ Sam: Andy’s brother

🚕🌇🗽 New York City:
This is really a third main character. In many ways, the city is the antagonist of Bennet’s story. But in many other ways, it’s a guardian angel. This book only spurred my love for what already was one of my favorite cities. It makes me want to plan a trip and do everything from the book!


Tropes:
🍷 Reverse grumpy / sunshine
🍕 Grief (healing / finding love again)
🍷 Strangers to friends to lovers
🍕 Cinnamon roll MMC (with a tattoo)
🍷 Slow burn (some open door scenes)
🍕 NYC adventures


Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group Viking, and London Sperry for and ARC. This is my honest review.

Passion Project stars Bennet, who is deep in grief after losing her boyfriend. She meets Henry after a failed first date attempt and the two end up on embarking on a quest to find Bennet's passion.

I liked the idea behind this book a lot but struggled with aspects of it. I appreciate when romance books include deeper topics, like mental health, and this book handled it well for a lot of the book, but I could have used a bit more lightness for balance. The writing was a smidge cliche at times, but still enjoyable.

I absolutely adored this book, it was full of emotion so deep that I was crying little by little the whole book!

This book deals with grief and mental health struggles and was dealt with in a way that felt so so real. I loved both characters and felt their struggles especially Bennett’s so much!

Henry was so baby girl I love him he’s like a golden retriever in all the best ways! Cannot recommend this book enough!
4.5 stars!

I choose to read rom-com because I enjoy a lighthearted read. This was not that.

Bennet, suffering from anxiety and depression, was in a constant state of negativity or suspicion making this read a total downer for me.

The analogs and obvious thesaurus use were a distraction.

Most readers love this story. I did not. Stories hit everyone differently. I’m glad most enjoyed it.

4.5 Stars rounded up to 5!

Thank you NetGalley & Penguin Books for the chance to read this eARC.

"Having your shit together is not a prerequisite for love" - Jamie (my favorite quote from the book)

I absolutely adored this book. Going to go out on a limb and call it now that this will be one of the biggest romance books of 2025 (as it should be).

After losing her boyfriend Sam, Bennet Taylor is drowning with grief, working as a temp, and doing what she needs to do to barely get by. After dodging a first date with a guy named Henry, she ends up drunkenly running in to him at a restaurant. Fate continues to play it's part when Bennet is brought back to the restaurant only to again find Henry. Bennet isn't so sure about him, but opens up to him over a glass of wine by letting him know she's a mess and has no passion in life. Henry concocts a plan called the Passion Project, which would allow Bennet the chance to explore new hobbies every Saturday during the NYC summer in hopes of sparking joy and helping her unearth anything she may be passionate about.

Henry was such a charming character. He was supportive, patient, humorous, nerdy, and kind. The whole package! He slowly opened Bennet's eyes to the wonders of NYC and what it has to offer and allowed her the time to explore her feelings for him without being too pushy.

This book is heavy on grief, as Bennet learns to let go of her past, forgive herself for mistakes she made with Sam (and Henry, Sonya, Andy, etc), and discovers how to trust her heart and open up to new love and opportunity. But this book is also full of growth, encouragement, and hope.

Published on 4/8/2025, I highly recommend this one for my romance friends out there!

This book had potential and I liked the first 60% of it and then it got so frustrating that I wanted to throw my kindle out of the window. Like I know Bennet is grieving but she’s so rude and inconsiderate and it was forgivable in the first 60% but it was just one thing after the other and poor Henry is such a sweetheart character and did not deserve what she did to him. Bennet also just didn’t have much personality and this book was trying to do a lot but it flopped. Also the other characters were very one dimensional. Also very similar to promise me sunshine but not executed as well.

loved this love story and the love story of these characters finding themselves! The author handled grief and real life heavy topics so well. I cannot believe this is a debut. Will be recommending to everyone!

3.5 ⭐ rounded down

I impulsively started this book as an ARC I received from NetGalley after seeing that it was an option in my BOTM box, but not caving and selecting it as my choice for this month. In the end, I'm happy I chose a different book and stuck to just keeping this one on my kindle. I don't often invest money in romance books that aren't written by Sarah Dessen as a personal rule because usually I get frustrated--inevitably, there's always a glimpse of the miscommunication trope and I HATE THAT ONE WITH ALL OF MY BEING. So, that being said, I enjoyed reading this book (seeing as I finished it in less than 24hrs), but there were some parts of it that left me rolling my eyes.

Passion Project follows Bennet Taylor as she navigates grief and anxiety whilst living in the heart of NYC. I would say the mental health aspects of all characters involved here are represented quite well. I haven't experienced the grief Bennet does, so perhaps that's where my jaded opinion comes from on how some of her reactions to moving on with her life after her boyfriend, Sam, dies prior to the start of the novel. Bennet is set up on a dating app where she finds Henry Adams, a bartender and photographer. Bennet and Henry's chemistry feels real and organic and Sperry does an incredible job portraying it on paper. Henry pulls Bennet out of her comfort zone and they embark on finding something she's passionate about over the course of a summer. That's the main gist of this novel and it's really quite sweet!

I enjoyed this and was very glad that there wasn't really any super graphic/explicit smutty scenes (yay for my girlies that like the cleaner romance novels! but be warned, there are a couple more intense romance scenes!!) I think that if it weren't for some of Bennet's reactions and thought processes, I would have rated this 4 stars. But I was simply too frustrated with her to do that (sorry!)

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group/Viking for the eARC!! 😊

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Group for an advanced Arc. Lighthearted, relatable and fun. This story kept me engaged from start to finish. I loved the characters and the charming storytelling made it an absolute delight to read. What a wonderful debut from an author to know more about.

•Debut
•Slow burn
•Witty banter
•Blind date
•Friends to lovers
•Opposites attract
•One bed
•He falls first
•Third act breakup

4/5 ⭐️
1/5 🌶️

Thank you to Penguin & NetGalley for a gifted ARC in exchange for my honest review

The Passion Project by London Sperry focuses on Bennett - named for Pride and Prejudice character (which I loved!!) who is weighted down by grief and guilt over the loss of her boyfriend Sam. She floats through NYC by stitching together crappy temp jobs...until she meets Henry. Well, they don't actually meet on purpose - she ghosts him but has to go back after she losses her wallet. Henry offers her something she desperately needs - friendship - and together they form the Passion Project. A once a week meeting where they challenge each other to find their passions in life. As they go from one crazy activity to another (climbing up the side of a building in NYC - WHAT!?) their friendship turns in to love. But Bennett is still not ready to confront her guilty past.

Of course this was a sweet and cute read. I absolutely LOVED Henry - he's like the Holy Grail of men! It was a bit predictable, but a good read nonetheless. It reminded me a lot of Cara Bastone's "Promise Me Sunshine" - although I like Henry a lot more. Many thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read an early copy!

This is a five-star read! Lighthearted, relatable, and fun, this book kept me engaged from start to finish. I loved the characters and the charming storytelling, making it an absolute delight. Thank you to London Sperry and NetGalley for the ARC!

4.5 STARS 🌟📖 Huge thanks to Penguin Books & NetGalley for this eARC! 💌 Passion Project is hitting shelves on April 8, 2025, and trust me—YOU WANT THIS BOOK.

📢 Calling it now: Bookish socials are gonna LOSE THEIR MINDS over this one. This is the kind of book that’s gonna be all over your feed, and you’ll see it in every beach bag this summer. London Sperry just entered the rom-com scene, and she did NOT come to play. She came to steal our hearts, make us laugh, and maybe even break us a little. 😭💖

THE STORY:

Meet Bennet Taylor. 25, lost, stuck in a temp job, and drowning in grief after losing her first love. She’s just trying to exist, but life? Yeah, life has other plans. Enter Henry Adams. Their first date doesn’t happen because… Bennet runs away (literally). But when they keep running into each other (fate?? 👀), she blurts out one very tipsy confession: she hasn’t felt passion for anything in years.

Henry, being the absolute GEM that he is, proposes a challenge. Every Saturday, they’ll try something new—pottery, rappelling, tattooing, who knows?! The mission? Help Bennet find what makes her feel alive again.

Oh, and obviously, it’s totally just friends. HAHAHA. Sure.

WHAT I LOVED:

🔥 The BANTER. The flirty, crackling, top-tier banter had me giggling like a fool. Henry and Bennet’s chemistry? 10/10. They had that natural, effortless vibe that made every conversation feel SO real.

🗽 NYC MAGIC. The city felt ALIVE. The way they explored different parts of New York, tried new things—it gave the whole book this cinematic, big rom-com energy. I need this adapted IMMEDIATELY.

💔 GRIEF & HEALING. The way London Sperry tackled loss was beautiful. It wasn’t just about moving on—it was about learning to live with your grief, instead of letting it consume you. Some scenes HIT HARD, and I absolutely teared up. 😭

👓 HENRY. ADAMS. PERIOD. Cinnamon roll king. Patient, supportive, funny, and he wears glasses. I repeat: HE WEARS GLASSES. And he collects cool rocks. I’m obsessed.

🚀 A DEBUT?? NO WAY. This book reads like it was written by a seasoned pro. The writing is fresh, smart, and emotional in all the right places. If this is what London Sperry is serving on her FIRST book, I am READY for whatever she writes next.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

If you love Emily Henry, or Lynn Painter, you NEED THIS. If you love slow burn, friends-to-lovers, NYC vibes, and a romance that makes you feel EVERYTHING, this is your book.

London Sperry—welcome to my auto-buy list. 🚀💖

TROPES:
✔️ Friends-to-lovers
✔️ Slow burn (SO WORTH IT)
✔️ Cinnamon roll MMC 🥹
✔️ NYC setting
✔️ Love after loss
✔️ "Just friends" (LIES)
✔️ He helps her find happiness again (MY HEART 😭)

TRIGGER WARNINGS: Loss of a loved one, grief, depression, sexual harassment, car accident.

Happy reading!! 📖💖

i am never getting over this book. there are no words to describe how i feel right now. i absolutely love every last thing about this book. thank you london sperry, this is truly such a beautiful story and masterpiece. i’m crying because it’s over but also crying because i am so happy to have gotten to experience it. i know it have said it a million times but please read this. it is truly so amazing. a new forever favorite

Starts strong — the Passion Project adventures of Bennet and Henry are so fun to accompany them on. The characters connect with each other and their community these excursions and it’s the best part of the book.

In the back 1/3 ish, miscommunication sends Bennet spiraling. I understand her grief and depression., but I wonder why no one in her life suggests seeing a therapist or getting other professional help. Overall, a good quick read, but after the first half I wanted more out of the ending.

4.75/5 stars rounded up!! oh WOWWWWW

Just so you know, I wrote this after I got a tissue to wipe my tears. It is almost midnight. I am very lucky that I have tomorrow off bc my eyes will be swollen lol. Having this book as your debut is absolutely insane in the best way possible!

I find myself relating to Bennet so much, not in the sense of someone with a dead boyfriend, but someone whose life was altered (for the worse) by grief almost a decade ago. Reading it feels so validating and therapeutic.

Thank you Net Galley and Penguin Group Viking for the ARC. Bennet is a young woman living in NYC. In an attempt to get her excited, her roommate Sonya sets her up on a date with Henry. It gets off on the wrong foot but then they meet again sparking a friendship of exploring different hobbies. In a story full of grief, depression and overcoming hurdles, I’ve related to Bennett. This book had me laughing and crying.

3.5/5

SPOILER-FREE SYNOPSIS:
Bennett Taylor has hit her rock bottom. Since the death of her first love, she's had no direction, no social life, and no passion. She works temp jobs and has completely pushed away all her loved ones - even her best friend/roommate Sonya. When Sonya sets her up on a dating app and is scheduled to go on a first date, Bennett stands him up. What she doesn't expect is to bump into him hours later. Henry Adams is sweet and outgoing guy who convinces Bennett to let him be her friend and to help her find her passion by hanging out every Saturday and trying a new activity together.

In the past year, I've really gravitated towards novels tackling the theme of grief and I've LOVED them. This one wasn't written poorly; it just wasn't for me. This is marketed as a romantic comedy, but the entire novel is written in Bennett's POV and reads much more like a drama film than a romcom film. Everyone grieves differently and every form of grief is valid, but in my opinion, this book lacked the depth and background needed for me to want to keep rooting for Bennett - especially by the 70% mark. For example, she'd say something along the lines of "I used to be so outgoing and fun" with no examples of her pre-grief to make me better understand her. Henry was such a golden retriever MMC and there were maybe 3 scenes that made me laugh, but it definitely had a much more serious tone than a romcom and I think I would've enjoyed it more had I known that before reading. With that said, I did appreciate the way London wrote Bennett's internal struggles and I enjoyed the ending so I'm glad that I powered through.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Books for this ARC, releasing April 8th!

Review: ⭐⭐⭐💫 (3.5/5)
Genre: "romantic comedy", contemporary romance, women's fiction
Tropes: slow burn, friends to lovers, one bed, reversed grumpy/sunshine
Trigger warnings: grief, death of a loved one (significant other)

*Edit after initially writing this review: After more time processing this novel, I realized that it has a very similar plot to one of my favorite romcom reads (Promise Me Sunshine - my review for that is on my profile) in which the FMC working temp jobs is deeply grieving a loved one and a new male friend helps her navigate her grieving journey and find purpose in her life. Maybe I was subconsciously comparing the 2 stories as I read Passion Project, but unfortunately it didn't impact me in the same way Promise Me Sunshine did.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Viking for providing the ARC.

Oh my goodness, this book.

I have nothing but praise for this book. The tender and caring way that Sperry handles grief and depression in this book is nothing short of amazing. Healing is not a linear path. There will be setbacks, small, large, and sometimes so significant that it alters our lives. But the outcome is the same, and that people can learn how to be fully human again, despite everything they have experienced. Bennet is so artfully crafted as a character. Sperry's prose lets you feel the ebbs and flows of her depression, guilt, and shame. She allows you to celebrate the wins and empathize with the losses because Bennet's story becomes your story. And as someone who has also lost someone so important to me, it was extremely rewarding being able to see this play out on the page in an accurate way.

And Henry. Henry is exactly the right person that Bennet needed in her life. Someone who may be outgoing, but never expects that from her. He gives her the space to heal and provides a place to land when she inevitably backtracks. He works to understand her completely, and finds ways to push her out of her comfort zone when he can. He loves her for who she is, even with the weight of the world on her back. He is patient and kind to basically everyone, but especially her, especially when she loathes herself. He is the catalyst she needed to find ways to get better. I don't know if Sperry could have crafted a more perfect counterpart for Bennet.

This book is one for the ages. It made me laugh, it made me ugly cry, and it filled me with so much hope and love for the future. London Sperry is one author that I will be on the lookout for in the future.

4.25 stars. Oh I LOVED this. This was one of those books that I immediately enjoyed from the moment I started it, and London Sperry just has such a strong writing voice. This was funny and beautiful, and I fell in love with Bennet and Henry.

Henry is such a sweet golden retriever boyfriend, and I just adored how he showed up for Bennet.

Did this get overly cheesy in the end? Sure, but it felt warranted. Truly my only complaint is that it felt hard not to compare it to Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone, which is a 6 star book for me and isn't the fault of this book at all that it didn't quite live up to it.

I'll be reading whatever London Sperry writes next for sure.