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.

I loved this book! It was such a cute read and would be a perfect summer book. I heard about it through book of the month and I’m so glad I did because it’s been my favorite romance so far this year! Thank you for letting me read it!

Thank you so much for this gifted copy in return of a honest review. Super cute! This was a super cute romance and I really enjoyed it. It was a solid 4 stars

This was such a rollercoaster of emotions for me. Bennet made so many mistakes but I don’t blame her either all her grief. Henry was such a good guy and I hope he gets everything he wants. This one made me cry

♾️ stars!!! this book means the world to me. 🫂💝🥹

wow, where to even begin?! i just finished while on the train and i am sitting here with tears in my eyes. they’re tears of joy for the beauty that this book encapsulates through its portrayal of grief and growth and love. i cannot believe this is london sperry’s debut novel — absolutely phenomenal writing. i cannot wait to read more from her in the future.

let’s start off with our two main characters. we’ve got bennet taylor, our beautiful, sad girl living in new york with her ~sort of~ best friend sonya. stuck in the pain and despair of grieving her late ex-boyfriend, bennet has lost her sparkle and her love for literally anything. her life is a day to day of get up, find a way to survive, and sleep. enter henry adams, the human manifestation of a ray of sunshine. the kindest, brightest, most caring man with a heart big enough for the entire world despite the burdens he carries. after a whirlwind meeting, henry and bennet engage in the passion project, a plan to find bennet’s passion and bring out her sense of joy once more.

bennet’s grief was palpable throughout this entire story. i have experienced depression, and though it was not caused by loss of a loved one, i understood bennet so deeply. the eternal sadness and weight on your chest, the mess you can’t get yourself to clean up even though you’re drowning in disaster, the inability to properly engage with friends — i get exactly what she was experiencing. furthermore, her character development was one of the most important and outstanding parts of this story. despite originally not wanting to really push herself to do anything new, bennet slowly reintegrated herself into life and remembered what it was to be happy and live for more than just existing. she worked through her grief while learning how to love again, both romantically and platonically. her inner monologue was such an imperative part of this story and it made a lot of sense why she would often progress, then take a step backward. ultimately, i think her grief was deeply tied to her sense of guilt, and her reunion with andy played an essential role in her journey to forgiveness and peace.

i briefly want to touch on three side characters who i thought were critical to this book: sonya, jamie, and sal. sonya bridged the connection between bennet’s past and present, and while their relationship was not at all smooth, its development and recovery was a big step in bennet’s return to real life. jamie was the advice-giver and supporter we all need. though she didn’t always do things exactly the right way, her heart was always in the right place, and her thought process was spot on. she also delivered one of my favorite quotes of this book: “having your shit together is not a prerequisite for love.” and lastly, sal! our beloved grandfather figure who was bennet’s original anchor and her first real friend in a long time. even when bennet was a somewhat cold shell of herself, sal was a friend to her and wanted the best for her. their relationship (singular and also eventually with henry) was one of my favorite subplot points, especially because it was sal and the baby that first made bennet realize she could still care for people.

henry and bennet’s strangers to friends to lovers arc is one of the most wonderful that i’ve ever read. it was done so beautifully, and with so much consideration for each of them every step of the way. with compassion and friendship as their foundation, bennet and henry found a love that could overcome, a love that could thrive.

i am so thankful to my friends anna, rebecca, estefania, and jo for recommending this book!!! a new all-time romance favorite that i will come back to 100%. perfect in every way.

i love this book so much fa currently sobbing bc i love henry and bennet's relationship. henry was so understanding and i related to bennet at times! i was highlighting something on every single page the writing is so beautiful!
thank you to netgalley for the e-arc <3

Bennet somehow finds herself talked into “finding her passion” by the guy she ghosted. As she and Henry explore New York, she begrudgingly finds herself coming out of the black hole of grief she’s been mired in for the past few years. But as feelings surface and secrets are shared, Bennett has to decide whether she’s willing to allow love back in, or continue to close herself off for good.

This story felt so incredibly real. I found myself sobbing at times as I witnessed Bennet unwillingly self-sabotage by pushing everyone away. Gah! There’s so much good stuff in this story. Both Bennet and Henry are so layered and nuanced. They’re both grieving but for very different reasons in vastly different ways. There’s Bennet, who has the pre-disposition for depression and grieving the loss of Sam, not to mention the guilt that she carries with her throughout. Then, Henry, whose dad is experiencing dementia, having to live with the sense of active loss, as well as a helplessness as he’s witness to it. But, while Bennett is mired in her grief, Henry is actively trying to move forward.

The beauty in this story is that it’s never a competition on whose grief or method of coping is better, it just highlights the various, imperfect ways people cope and deal with hard situations. Recently, I found myself in a situation much like Sonya and Henry – witnessing someone else’s grief with no real knowledge on how to help them other than to just be there, and goodness, it’s so hard. Oftentimes, the only thing you can do is to just exist next to them, but at a certain point, if they persist in existing in the grief, you have to point it out like Sonya, and at others, push them out of their comfort zone like Henry.

As a whole, Passion Project is a simple, yet poignant reminder of how showing sympathy can impact people's lives. It weaves a delicate story on finding the joy in the all the big and small things in life, despite the bad. It’s easy to read and easier to like. A lovely, deep, hopeful rom-com that causes introspection, teaches empathy and leaves you happy.

I wanted to love her so bad 🥲 unfortunately (and i don’t see a lot of people talking about this) this book was literally the same concept (with a list basically), state (New York), had almost the exact same locations visited AND touched on the same topics as Promise Me Sunshine - which I read right before this one. Maybe if I hadn’t read Promise Me Sunshine right before I wouldn’t have noticed but i was SO confused and getting major dejavu while reading. I even felt like the audiobook was somewhat similar?? Idk y’all if I’m crazy but then i started chatting with others that have read the same 2 books and they also said they found them eerily similar.

Now that I have that out of the way, I enjoyed the concept of PMS therefore I also enjoyed the concept of this one. I don’t feel like I connected with Bennett much, but I did love Henry. I thought their banter was great and i loved how funny and sarcastic they were towards each other. They definitely had the kick your feet type of banter yano?

All in all, if you read these books months or years a part maybe you won’t catch how similar they are? But if you’ve just read Promise Me Sunshine… maybe don’t try this one right after hahahahahaha

Thank you NetGalley & Penguinbooks for the uncorrected proof and for trusting me for a honest review. (I was given this the day after release day) 💓🫶🏻

Very sweet story about grief, loss and the guilt that can come along with it. The male lead character is great and I found myself rooting for them both.

This was just the book I needed to get out of a little slump and mood read for spring! Bennet’s story is tough and her grief is hard to imagine, but Henry steps in at a much needed time to help her find her passion in life. I really enjoyed the adventures they went on and were rooting for them to end up together! Don’t let life pass you by.

Thank you for this ARC!

“This life is one that I didn’t feel worthy of, but I now know I am. It’s 𝘯𝘰𝘵 too good to be true. It’s just true.”

I hate comparing books but I have recently read a romance with a MC that I ADORED. She was funny and witty and a joy to read about. The MC in this one was…not. In fact she irritated the shit out of me.

I get trauma and guilt and all of that, but I struggle to get invested and root for someone that just revels in being the broken one, the miserable one. So while this book was somewhat enjoyable it won’t be one that I will remember for long.

Thank you to Netgalley, Viking Penguin, and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This was such a gem of a book. I can already tell it will be one of my favorite rom coms of the year. Fans of Abby Jimenez will love this one! Could not recommend more!
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest feedback.

I love a good friends to lovers trope, this one featuring he helping she overcome grief with a summer of random passion projects. So, was the story transparent? Well, yes, but not in a bad way. It came together as expected, but sometimes the “expected” is just the type of story you need.

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I had been hearing such raging reviews about this book that I squealed when I got an ARC of it!

We follow the main character as she navigates the grief of losing her boyfriend while living in a new city- New York City to be exact. She is doing temp jobs and finding little joy in any part of her life. Her roommate sets up a dating account for her in hopes that she will meet someone and begin to experience joy again. In a funny way- she meets Henry who is determined to help her find what she is passionate about in life but doing different things around the city that may spark joy in her. Themes of navigating grief after loss, moving on from a past love, and self-forgiveness.

Henry is a cinnamon roll MMC and you will just LOVE him. This is an easy read that will leave you wanting to hug the main characters. London Sperry's writing will be great for fans of Cara Bastone and Abby Jiminez IMO

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and publisher for an ARC in exchange for a review. Book was released 4/8/25 and you should definitely get your hands on it asap.