Passion Project 💌

“I don’t understand it, and if I could, I think l’d have unlocked the secret of life. I’d be the most powerful self-help guru on earth, and l’d make millions on a book titled Don’t Have Anxiety, It’s Just a Made-Up Thing in Your Head That Causes You to Do Crazy Things! and l’d spend my days in a villa in Greece never worrying about anything. I’d live my life and not ask questions.”

I mean, same girl, same! This was a debut that totally blew me away - I devoured it in a day!

Bennett is grieving the death of her first love, and is barely making ends meet living in NYC. When Bennett meets Henry, he promises to help her find her passion again - thus begins the “Passion Project”.

I loved this story because it’s not your typical romantic comedy. Sperry writes with incredible wit and humor, while also covering some heavy topics - mental health, grief - and while at the core it’s a lighthearted romance, there’s depth that kept me invested. I loved all of Bennett and Henry’s adventures!

To emphasize how much I enjoyed this one, I read it on my phone (ugh). There’s an issue currently preventing NetGalley files from being added to Kobo ereaders. The point is, it’s clearly a page turner because phone reading is not it!

About that wit and humor I mentioned, here are a few of the lines that made me chuckle:

“Sounds like Humans of New York but murdery. Which, by the way, actually is a crime.”

“I give myself a mental high five for that sick burn…”

“…and rainbow pigs will fly out of my ass and start dancing the Macarena.”

Thank you @penguinbooks and @netgalley for the eARC! And @londonsperrywrites for writing this absolutely adorable, sweet story 🙂

I enjoyed this book so much!! I love the idea of finding your passion through trying new things with a new friend. The chemistry was so fun to read but I absolutely abhor third act breakups. Especially misunderstanding third act break ups. Otherwise, this was a delight.

“Love doesn’t care about whether or not you have your shit together, or if you’re a grieving mess. Love doesn’t care if you’re anxious or depressed or drowning in everyday life. Love just loves”

Bennet is searching for a fresh start if NYC after the death of her ex-boyfriend. What she thinks is a failed date with Henry turns out to be everything she didn’t know she needed.

The Passion Project is a beautiful written story of grief and healing. Bennet and Henry set out on adventures around New York City on what they call the “Passion Project.” It is my goal to one day visit NYC so this book was such a treat for me, I loved how the city was brought to life in this book.

The way Henry cared for Bennett melted my heart. Henry saw someone hurting and in need of support and he stepped up to be exactly what Bennet needed. The banter was so much fun and the slow burn that builds is nicely done. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this story.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read Passion Project.

There was so much to love about this book! I loved the set up, Henry, and Bennet. My favorite parts were when they were together exploring New York and connecting with other people like Sal. I also loved the ensemble cast. I was locked in for the first 70%. However, the third act breakup annoyed me so deeply. I understood all the character motivations, but the second hand embarrassment took me all the way out. The epilogue quickly won me back though, that was lovely. I also wish we’d gotten more on Sam, seeing as grief surrounding him was the driving force of the narrative. I wish we’d gotten to know more about him than he loved baseball. Bennet’s journey with grief and how that influenced her friendships was another excellent piece of the narrative. Overall, I’m very impressed with this as a debut, and I’m very excited to see where London Sperry goes from here!

A cute little romance read that I ended up really enjoying.

To be honest, I hated it at the start because the MC was so caught up in her own head. But I think it was written as a very reflective way that we can sometimes tell a narrative in our head and believe a story that nobody else would ever tell about us. I loved seeing her development.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Love the setting in this book, especially as someone who is always going into NYC! The characterization was great and the characters were so sweet. A fun time, but had a lot of depth.

"I think you want to be miserable because you're afraid to be happy" - Well this quote does sum up a lot of this story, a complex romance, comedy, with themes of grief and healing.
Well done for a debut novel, while main characters Bennett and Henry are believeable, realistic and flawed humans, the NYC setting breathes life into this story. I have read similar setting and themes in other romance novels that I just connected with more, but I did still enjoy this! A solid 3.5 stars from me, rounding up because I love a New York novel and the Henry character was really well done (dare I say he deserves better than some of the stunts Bennett threw at him). While I didn't LOVE some of the conflicts in this story, it is a story about grief and healing, and not having been in these shoes before I can't fully judge Bennett's actions, even if I was internally screaming at her to make different decisions! But, that's a good sign of being connected to the characters and wanting to spare them hurt, even though that hurt is vital to the their growth. Read if you love NYC romances, a FMC who is working on finding herself and slow burn.

Thanks to netgalley for the advanced copy!

This book was so funny. The main characters had great banter. I’m not going to lie, but Bennet frustrated me. That girl was rather audacious let me tell you. My heart was aching in so many parts throughout the book. This book was equally fun and sad and painful.

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Books for the ARC!

I laughed, I cried, I fell in love with these characters and their story. Bennet’s story of finding her love of life again, was an incredible journey to go on. Henry was such a kind and patient man. The characters had their flaws, but that’s what makes them human! Especially with what they are going through. But I really enjoyed the character development in this story and am looking forward to more London Sperry books in the future.
4.5 ⭐️

Thank you for Netgally for providing a copy of this book!

Witty banter and light but also very emotional relating to grief/loss. The writing pulls you in and you really feel what the main character is going through. I enjoyed exploring NYC through their outings. I loved how the relationship formed very naturally.

Bennett Taylor has lost her passion. She is a temp worker in New York trying to find it again. She finds some courage to go on a blind date after a long time grieving the loss of her first love. She looses her courage and stands him up and then of course runs into him later.

After speaking with Henry about why she stood him up, they come up with a plan to find her passion. One new thing, every Saturday. She finds new friends and experiences with Henry with this plan.

This project has them going all around my favorite city. This book gave me ideas of things to do while in the city.

I loved reading this book. I’m a slow burn person, this was perfect for me. Seeing Henry be so patient with Bennett as he helps her, not realizing, she is also helping him.

I read this book right before my trip to New York. I visited some of my favorite places and found new ones. It’s always a great time.

oh i LOVED this one sooo much! 🥲 i didn’t want it to end. this story had so much grief and although heartbreaking at times, it was so beautifully written! i adore henry’s character and the bond he and bennett grew so quickly! this story had me laughing, crying and even reflecting in my own way as i was reading. definitely a favorite this year!

this is the authors first novel and it did not disappoint in any way! i cannot wait to see what other stories she writes in the future.

Passion Project is a sweet, emotional slow-burn romance with strong character development and charming banter. Bennet is stuck in grief and going through the motions until she meets Henry, who challenges her to rediscover joy. Together, they take on weekly adventures that push her boundaries and open her heart.

It’s funny, hopeful, and full of heart. I loved the chemistry, the emotional growth, and the message about rediscovering your spark—even when life doesn’t go as planned.

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Fresh, fierce, and utterly addictive—Passion Project is everything I crave in a modern romance: whip-smart dialogue, sizzling chemistry, and characters that leap off the page with all their glorious flaws and fire. London Sperry doesn’t just write a love story—she writes a vibe.

This isn’t just a workplace romance. It’s a battle of ambition, emotion, and undeniable attraction that feels like watching two brilliant stars collide. The banter? Sharp enough to slice glass. The slow-burn tension? Chef’s kiss. And underneath all the sass and steam is a deep, heartfelt exploration of passion—not just for another person, but for yourself, your work, your purpose.

Sperry’s voice is confident, bold, and refreshingly honest. She writes like someone who knows her characters inside and out—and invites you to love them just as fiercely.

After reading the first half of this book, I was ready to give it 5 stars. But once the characters got to the wedding, I was ready to light it on fire. It really made me dislike Bennet and I was just kind of disconnected from that point.

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

Passion Project, a beautiful debut by London Sperry, follows Bennet, who is struggling big time - having no direction, no social life, and dealing with the grief of her first love passing. Bennet runs into Henry after standing him up for a first date, and they strike a deal for an adventure: Passion Project, where every Saturday they will try a new activity in NYC.

I was blown away by how London Sperry weaved complex emotions, friendships, humor, self-discovery, and the depth of grief all together into such a beautiful, perfectly-paced story. The grief and mental health rep was incredible - it showed the messy, raw parts of grief and finding yourself after loss. She perfectly emulated the self-discovery and identity struggle so many of us have felt in our 20’s.

Bennet is easily one of my favorite FMC’s! She is so caring, funny, loving, and complex (in the best way). Watching her explore all different stages of grief and mental health was done in the absolute best way, with the most beautiful balance of light-hearted humor, and deep, dark, confusing emotions. Henry is the sweetest man, and their love story made my heart so happy.

Swoony, joyful, inspirational. For lovers of Promise Me Sunshine, finding yourself in your 20’s, and exploration of grief, love, and mental health. 5 beautiful, juicy stars!!!!!!

Thank you to Penguin Random House for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3 ⭐️ - Any book set in NYC is an immediate yes for me. This debut novel explored grief, passion, and love in such an approachable way. I loved the concept and the writing, but I found it hard to fully embrace the FMC. At times she came off as immature and selfish, but I was ultimately still rooting for her to find her way. Also OBSESSED with the cover.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

messy in the best way! good depiction of grief and the journey to finding passion again, no matter how hard the first step may seem

⭐Solid 4⭐ Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Group Viking and London Sperry for allowing me to read an advanced complimentary copy of the book. Opinions and thoughts expressed are completely my own.
My Lord what a debut novel! Also another spell bounding performance by Alex Finke. I have no idea how Finke is able to transport me to NY and leave no rooms for me question my emotional baggage Passion Project brings. Tears were shed on MULTIPLE occasions. Happy tears, sad tears, and suddenly angry tears that almost caused me to throw my Kindle at the wall based on Bennet's second half performance. HENRY DESERVES BETTER!!!
Sperry does a stellar job exploring the idea of finding love after loss and the deep seeded grief that somehow sticks to everything in the process. The romance was a mix of sweet and funny and yet tender and heartwarming all in one story. Gah! I loved this story and I just know Henry's and Bennet's adventures will capture and captivate the hearts of many readers out there. ❤

This was so cute! I really enjoyed the passion project of it all and watching them do all the different fun stuff around the city. The only thing is that i questioned some of the things Bennett did especially towards the end but at the same time I understood why she did everything. It’s literally what she was working on but overall such a fun book