This is my first London Sperry book, and I was totally drawn in by the beautiful cover! I love a summer rom com set in NYC. She captured the city and the vibe so perfectly. It started off so strong for me and I found myself laughing out loud. Bennet is struggling with the grief of losing her boyfriend and not really knowing who she is or what she wants. Everyone experiences grief differently, but I didn't personally find her grief to be relatable so I felt a little disconnected to it. I loved the idea of Henry helping her try to find her passion as friends. He was a total gem and was so patient with her. I hated the way she treated him and her friends. As the story went on, she became more and more unlikable to me. I was so frustrated with the things she did and said. The romance was just not there for me. It had so much potential but the love story and her finding her passion felt very forced and rushed at the end. Thank you to NetGalley & Penguin for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love books set in New York and loved the premise of this book. But the same annoyance I felt towards the FMC 5% into the book lasted until about 90% in. I felt frustrated with all the self-sabotaging and found it difficult to sympathize for her, despite her loss. A few moments felt unrealistic (technicalities and how other characters acted or reacted). I found it hard to relate to the main character despite experiencing a similar crippling loss, and felt more frustrated than anything with the way she handled things. The moments between her and Henry were sweet and I enjoyed the ending but overall did not love the book.

With an excellent blend of heart, humor, and plenty of classic rom com tropes, Passion Project is a delightful summer time read! The romance genre often falls flat for me, but this story nailed the character development that so many stories lack. Even with her flaws, I was rooting on Bennett from the beginning and I loved watching her grow as a person and into a budding romance with Henry.

This book felt like a warm hug wrapped in witty banter and emotional honesty. Passion Project follows Bennet, who's totally stuck—grieving, aimless, and deeply unsure about life in her twenties. Enter Henry, a sweet and slightly chaotic guy who offers her a challenge: try something new every Saturday until she finds a spark again.

It’s part friends-to-maybe-more romance, part love letter to NYC, and part self-discovery journey, with plenty of heart (and hilariously awkward moments). Watching Bennet slowly wake up to life again—through carpentry, tattooing, rappelling (!), and yes, catching feelings—was so satisfying.

If you’ve ever felt lost in your twenties, or just needed a reminder that it’s okay to figure things out at your own pace, this one’s for you.

Passion Project was an ok read for me. I had high hopes and did enjoy the plotline. I really loved the first half of the story, but then it fell a little flat for me. I didn't like how Henry was treated by the FMC and didn't think it was fair. I know we eventually see growth from her, but I honestly just wasn't a huge fan of hers. He was the star of the story. I would say this would be a perfect beach read. Something to entertain yourself for the day, but not too memorable. I know it's a debut and I will pick up her next book as I did like the writing.

So bubbly and cute! I enjoyed this book over spring break and devoured it in a day. Perfect beach read :)

I thought Passion Project was a very solid debut novel. I found the author’s writing style to be similar to Emily Henry. I like how the author depicted depression in a very realistic way. The reader is taken on a roller coaster of emotions with the main character, Bennet who is struggling not to let her grief completely consume her. That is till she meets Henry, a failed blind date. He doesn’t judge her and slowly helps her to see the world in a positive light again. Bennet isn’t perfect, but she’s also her own worst critic. This is a love story, but it’s also a story of self growth, forgiveness, and discovery. I look forward to seeing what this author does next!

I enjoyed Passion Project by London Sperry. Bennet (even though her name is spelled incorrectly) struggling to find herself and who she wants to be after the unfortunate passing of her sweetheart, Sam. Along comes Henry, an optimistic and happy MC. Together, they try different "passion projects" to help Bennet find herself and perhaps a HEA.

Henry was a doll. I struggled with Bennet at times because she really got in her own way, but it made the story more relatable. I loved the supporting characters as well! Plus it was fun to go on the passion projects too.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

This was such a fun read. As soon as I started I didn’t want to stop. I haven’t read a romance in a bit that held my attention this well in awhile. I was so invested in this story and seeing how things would play out. For this being the authors first novel, im thoroughly impressed and will definitely be reading anything else she comes out with!

Hi yes I would like to order one Henry for same-day delivery, please and thank you.

This was an excellent debut! The NYC setting was the icing on the cake of an emotional and fun love story about a girl suffering from grief and lacking passion and a golden retriever boy who struggles with people-pleasing.

Thinks I liked:
- Fun romp through NYC (I was feeling homesick so this helped a bit)
- The writing was solid
- Bennet and Henry were unique characters and weren't just copy and paste
- Exploration of grief
- It felt like a realistic Gen Z relationship

Things I didn't like:
- The third act breakup, while I understood in terms of story arc and message, was a bit hard to get through as Bennet isn't always the best decision maker
- some of her relationships with her friends could have been fleshed out a bit more/given more page time

Overall, I would happily recommend this book. Definitely one of my favorites of the year so far!

Thank you to Viking, London Sperry, and Netgalley for a digital copy of Passion Project in exchange for an honest review.

“𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞.”

This is a fantastic debut novel from London Sperry! I loved the imperfect and compelling characters so much. Ugh, it really had me in my feels 😢. This reminded me so much of one of my favorite books, Promise me Sunshine. Absolutely recommend this read! Thank you to @netgalley for this ARC.

Passion Project is a novel that explores themes of grief and depression. I wasn’t expecting a romance with such heavy emotional weight to draw me in the way it did.
Bennet is upfront with Henry, letting him know she’s not ready for a relationship. Still mourning the loss of her first love who passed away a few years prior, Bennet is consumed by her grief. She’s withdrawn from her closest friends, including her roommate, distanced herself from her parents, dropped out of college, and feels stuck, unable to move forward.
Henry enters her life and helps reignite a sense of purpose and passion within her.
The banter between Bennet and Henry was great. I found myself rooting for something deeper to develop between them.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story and would recommend it to friends.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher PENGUIN GROUP Viking for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Passion Project was everything I needed to get me out of my reading slump-the right pace, the right story, the right amount of romance. I loved this book and will recommend it

This book is a heartfelt story about friendship, love, and healing. Bennet is struggling with the loss of her college boyfriend and the guilt she carries. Unable to move on, she drifts from one temporary job to another, distancing herself from friends and avoiding honest conversations with her parents. Then she meets Henry, who inspires her to step outside her routine and try something new each week. Both heartbreaking and uplifting, this novel is filled with humor, emotion, and hope. I highly recommend it!
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I tried really hard to get into this book, but a DNF at 26%. The main character, Bennet, is trying to move on after the death of her first love. She was unlikable right away, but some books can get away with that; this one could not. Henry enters the picture and they decide to work on a “passion project” to help her move on. The story felt very basic and was hard to get into, despite being a cute idea.

I absolutely loved this book. Seeing the growth of Bennet was so satisfying. I completely expected a fluff piece but there was a lot of depth and growth. Henry was the perfect golden retriever boyfriend.

OMG this was a book I could not put down! The realistic way things just happen when you least expect it - whether it's a good thing or bad one. Bennett is a mess but aren't we all. She meets Henry through a dating app but doesn't go on the date. She chickens out at the last minute and who can blame her. Dating apps are scary - you're ready but you're also not ready. Tragedy in Bennett's past has haunted her but it is time to move on girl. She meets Henry anyway in the most embarrassing way of course. They decide not to date but they do decide to try to work together to find Bennett's passion - their Passion Project. And it's just amazing from there on. The writing, the relationships, the friendships, and of course sometimes you get in your own way. Totally recommend this 100000%. Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Books for giving me early access to this book.

*The Passion Project* was an okay read for me overall. The story centers on a woman navigating the effects of anxiety and past trauma, and I appreciated the way her emotional struggles were portrayed. It’s clear how her experiences have shaped her relationships, and the book takes care in showing what healing and repair can look like. These were the strongest elements for me.

The characters are likable, and there are some touching moments that reflect the book’s themes of growth and reconnection. However, I found the plot predictable, and the writing wasn’t always as smooth as I’d hoped—it occasionally disrupted my immersion in the story. I had to push myself a bit to finish, which made it feel more like effort than enjoyment at times.

That said, there’s real heart in the story, and readers who are drawn to emotionally driven, character-focused narratives may connect with it more deeply. *The Passion Project* shows promise, and I’m curious to see how London Sperry’s writing evolves in future work.

Thank you to NetGalley and Viking Penguin for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this was a fun and well rounded read. I was originally intrigued by the bright vibrant cover and I have heard a lot of buzz about this book. The FMC Bennet was somewhere between relatable and annoying. There were a lot of times I wanted to jump in and shake her and scream, “What are you doing?!” but you can see her growth through the novel. The MMC Henry is described as… perfect, of course. To me it was a bit of a cheesy and corny story but sometimes that is what I am looking for in a rom-com. There was a little spice but I’d probably give this about 1 pepper on a 1-5 scale. Despite the main theme of grief, I would probably say this book was a light read. There were some emotional parts but lots of funny and lighthearted scenes as well. It’s not in my top 10 or anything like that but I would recommend it. It gives “awww” vibes.

First time reading a book from this author and now I need to read her past work! I loved this book such a fun quick read