The Proposal Project has to be one of my favourite reads of the year. A light and fluffy story that reminds me of early 2000s romcoms and I can easily see it adapted.

The Proposal Project follows in the first pov of event planner, Priscilla, who loses her job and finds herself helping her rich best friend, Tina, plan an extravagant proposal. In comes Oliver, who is also helping his best friend, Ryan, propose to Tina.

Because of prior miscommunication, Priscilla and Oliver do not get along, but somehow they have to come together to help their respective best friends have the proposal of their dreams.

I really enjoyed this and finished it in one sitting. I enjoyed the banter between Priscilla and Oliver. the writing was fast paced but the story felt fleshed out so there was no rush at the end to tie up loose ends.

Also one of my favourite parts: no third act breakup!

Tropes include (spoiler free) but are not limited to:

✨ enemies to lovers
✨ miscommunication
✨ fake dating
✨ forced proximity

Thank you so much to One More Chapter for an advance reader copy in exchange of an honest review <3

My newest obsession!!! I had the best time reading this book, just like Donna's previous. The plot was fun and messy - i lapped it up. I live for a good fake dating plots and in this book, the lines are very blurred.
The characters are so fun, they have the best banter and I was laughing and giggling all the way through.

Love love love!!

Thank you @onemorechapterhc and @netgalley for my free copy 💖.

🗓️Out 6/19/25

✨What it is about:
Priscilla’s planning her best friend’s perfect proposal—until the groom-to-be has the same idea. Now she’s teaming up with his infuriating (and hot) best friend, Oliver, to pull off a joint surprise. But as sparks fly, their fake partnership starts to feel a lot like the real thing.✨

💭My thoughts:
This was such a sweet, light, and fun rom-com. The cover was the first thing that caught my attention (isn’t it cute‽), and the premise sealed the deal. I love proposals and party planning, so this was right up my alley, and exactly the lighthearted read I was looking for. I’m not usually a big fan of the miscommunication trope, but it didn’t bother me this time as much as it usually does.
The writing was engaging, the pacing kept things moving, and the ending while predictable, felt just right. Sometimes you want a story that doesn’t try too hard to shock you but just lets you settle in and enjoy the ride. If you’re in the mood for something simple, light, and full of charm, this one makes a perfect palette cleanser. It left me smiling.

3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Read if you like:
💍Fake dating
💍Forced proximity
💍Enemies to lovers
💍One bed
💍Clueless FMC
💍Obsessed MMC
💍Cabin getaway
💍Meddling friends
💍No third act breakup

⚠️CW: Sexual content.

This is a cute book. It’s very fun, the writing is engaging and readable and it’s very fluffy. I liked the dynamic between Priscilla and Oliver, there was a lot of fun to be had with it, and their chemistry was good. The wider plot had amusing points and I liked the secondary characters.

Personally, I thought some of the interactions between the characters were a little on the immature side at points and it was one of those stories where I didn’t understand why these adult characters were not just having an honest conversation with each other. I also thought it needed a bit more conflict, especially towards the end of the book.

However, this is a very enjoyable and fluffy read, and if you’re looking for something uncomplicated that doesn’t have a lot of conflict then this would be perfect for you. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free copy of this book.

Content Notes: On-page sex, oral sex, fingering, semi-public sex.

This book was such a fun surprise! I went in with average expectations and ended up totally hooked—I kept thinking about it whenever I wasn’t reading. It’s full of charm, banter, and swoony moments that had me smiling (and maybe blushing a little too hard over Oliver 👀).

Priscilla is adorable—quirky, competent, and totally relatable, especially with her anxious overthinking. Oliver? Yeah, he had me twirling my hair like a teenager. The chemistry between them is chef’s kiss, and the setup is super fun: both of their best friends want to propose… and they’re secretly planning it behind each other’s backs, with Priscilla and Oliver teaming up to pull off the ultimate double proposal. Of course, they don’t get along at first—which makes the slow-burn tension even better.

The only downside? The big misunderstanding felt overblown but also a bit rushed when it came time to resolve it. I wish we’d gotten more depth there, especially around Priscilla’s emotional triggers. That said, it didn’t ruin the ride for me.

Fake dating, he-falls-first, a dash of enemies to lovers, and tons of heart—this one was a total win and left me grinning. Definitely recommend if you're in the mood for something light, sweet, and a little steamy!

A big thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter | One More Chapter for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars – fun moments, but a bit mixed for me

There’s definitely a lot I liked, especially the chemistry between Priscilla and Oliver. Their dynamic was fun to read, and the tension and banter worked well throughout.

The story follows Priscilla, who’s just been fired and unsure of her next steps, when her best friend Tina announces she wants to propose to her boyfriend Ryan. Turns out Ryan has the same plan — with the help of his friend Oliver but Priscilla and Oliver don’t get along, but end up teaming up to plan a joint proposal for their friends. It includes fake dating, a bit of enemies to lovers, and him falling first.

For some reason it didn’t quite land emotionally for me but was still a good read

thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter for the ARC!

The Proposal Project is a playful, trope-heavy rom‑com filled with banter, flirty tension, hot-tub moments, and a cozy cabin setting. It delivers everything you'd want for a feel-good, escapist read with a sweet, satisfying finale. If you're in the mood for a lighthearted rom‑com that’s easy to devour in one sitting, this hits the mark—just be ready for some romantic clichés, a dash of miscommunication, and a few emotional undercurrents.

the proposal project by donna marchetti is pure rom-com gold. five stars, easy. it’s got fake dating, real feelings, and enough witty banter to make you grin like an idiot in public. the characters are loveable messes (in the best way), and the pacing keeps things snappy without losing the heart. it’s like your favorite comfort movie in book form—cozy, clever, and totally swoon-worthy. 10/10 would fake a relationship again.

Thank you, One More Chapter and NetGalley, for the advanced copy of The Proposal Project.

Yes, yes, yes! I ate this one up! This novel was fun and flirty. All the tropes were shining in this one: fake dating, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, one bed. This is the one you want if you are in a reading hangover or slump. Quick fun read that promises a happily ever after.

Ugh! Priscilla was let go, dismissed, fired. When commiserating with her bestie, Tina has a brilliant idea to have Priscilla plan her dream wedding proposal to her boyfriend, Ryan. But uh-oh! Ryan already has a ring and is ready to get down on one knee with the help of his bestie, Oliver. When Ryan's plan A gets stalled, Oliver and Priscilla decide to work together to give both Tina and Ryan the wedding proposal of all wedding proposals. Priscilla and Oliver haven't been friends for over a year after Oliver teased Priscilla in front of all of their friends. Their close proximity starts minds wondering if the two have buried the hatchet and become more. Since they can't let Ryan or Tina know what the other is planning, Priscilla and Oliver decide to dive all in on the fake dating. What problems could that possibly create?

Since when do grown adults stick their tongue out at each other? I swear it is the cringiest thing in rom coms I read these days. Like why?? Also the plot was very poor and none of the fake dating and the forced chemistry made any sense. Honestly it made me angry.

this one was cute! i felt like at times the bickering between characters was a bit childish, but it was overall a cute read! it was very fast paced to read and the plot moved quickly as well. from fired to fully booked Priss had a whirlwind of a journey. and Oliver was a smitten kitten since day 1., he will always have my heart.

ugh this was such a cute, fun book! this felt like a 2000's romcom in the best freaking way possible, and i loved the light banter and the dynamic between our two main characters. if you're looking for a lighthearted, fun book with spice, this book is the one for you!

thank you to netgalley and donna marchetti for this arc in exchange for an honest opinion! <3

After reading and loving Hate Mail, also by this author, I knew I had to read The Proposal Project as well, and I'm glad I did. This was a quick, fun and cute romance book, which was also easy to read. At the start of the book, I sometimes wanted to put the FMC behind the wall, but throughout the story, I started loving her more and more. I laughed out loud sometimes and it was a good book all together.

2.5 🌟
If you want bingeable fluff with no substance as a snack after a hard day. This is for you. If you were looking for a romance that elicits strong emotions with beautifully written characters, then maybe skip this one.

This felt like a very streamlined story. They meet, someone misunderstood something, they avoid each other until they're forced to cooperate, lust takes over, and they decide to give it a go. Simple. I would've like some more depth, in both the characters and their relationship.

Seriously it's just based on mutual attraction. Oliver says he knows Priscilla, but outside of one instance, we don't know what that means, and there's nothing on her end. It's maddening. Who are they? Where do they come from? What are their previous interactions? What makes them tick? We know nothing! How can we believe they know each other, when we don't know them.

The story doesn't allow for any of that discovery because it's so focused on getting to the end. There are many instances where we could've learned something about them, but those things are mentioned once and never again (Malcom, the journal, heights).
How simplified everything is exemplified by the stupidly complicated proposal being a walk in the park to organise. Nothing is that easy to organise. Nothing. Especially a marching band/flash mob, with live singers, fire works, 2 planes, and a county fair. There was no hard work for anything, and therefore no pay off.

That ended up being more rant-y and negative than I expected. There were good things too I swear. It was a fast and easy read. It was funny. And all the "practicing" behind close doors was excellent. I loved how seriously they took to practicing. You don't usually get that level of commitment from fake dating scenarios.

Thank-you NetGalley and HarperCollins | One More Chapter for allowing me to read this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I read the Hate Mail by Donna Marchetti last year and loved it, so when I saw she had a new book out, I just knew I had to read it!

Priscilla is down on her luck. After getting fired from her job, she doesn't know what to do. But a lunch with her bestie Thea solves everything. See, Priscilla is a killer event planner and getting fired just opened her up to organize Thea's proposal! Thea has grand plans to propose to her boyfriend and she wants Priss to pull out all the stops.
Cue Oliver. He's the future best man of the wedding and is helping Thea's boyfriend hide the ring from her. But when Priscilla finds out that both Thea and her boyfriend intend to propose to each other, it's a race to the clock to beat each other-- unless, they can work together?

The Proposal Project is a lovely book. The writing is conversational and really helps you speed through the story.
It had banter, it had spice, it had all the tropes I love, and I genuinely think that this book will make a perfect romcom movie!

My only gripe, and I feel that that's perfectly personal, is that Priscilla was a little 'too' clueless at times. I mean, the man obviously loves you and you still think "nah, he can't possibly feel that way, we're faking it!"

Would definitely recommend this book to all romance readers and fans of romcom movies!

Event planner Priscilla Cain has been asked to plan her best friend Tina’s dream wedding proposal to her boyfriend, Ryan. Yet, Ryan might be planning his own proposal, and so Priscilla teams up with Ryan’s best friend, Oliver, to plan a joint proposal.
This feel-good read with Many great tropes, including fake dating and ‘only one bed’ being available, made this an entertaining read. Priscilla and Oliver have great chemistry after the initial dislike. Both are likeable characters who are trying to help their friends have their magical moment.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Yes! As I have stated before, my criteria for romance novels are quite different than my standards for other genres. I expect to get sucked into an original plot with characters that have depth to them. I expect palpable chemistry and witty banter. I love a romcom that can make me laugh. And I have to believe the characters are genuinely into each other through the unlikely or super predictable plot. It doesn't matter as long as I can't put it down.

The Proposal Project delivered! This was such a cute plot, and I adored Priscilla and Oliver. Both main characters had depth, and I loved the evolution of them as the story went on. I read this in one day so that is a testament to how much I enjoyed the story. I was rooting for them, and the ending did not disappoint. If you are looking for a lighthearted summer read...or honestly any time of year read, pick this one up!

Thank you to Donna Marchetti, One More Chapter, and NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins UK for my ARC copy of this wonderful rom-com.
& Cue all the tropes! This story has almost everything. Forced proximity, enemies to lovers, miscommunication, and fake dating.
I have to admit that I struggled with the first part of the book. Our FMC made me crazy. Prescilla and Oliver met a year ago, but the two quickly became enemies and not the couple their best friends hoped for. Though the story talked about how awful Oliver is, I felt like Priscilla was really the awful one. I did grow to like her over the course of the story. Oliver and Priscilla team up to give their best friends the best proposal ever. Once the story got going, I really enjoyed it. This read is fluffy and a true escape from reality.

Thank you to Net Galley and The Publisher for an Egalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book gave me the exact same feeling as a 2000s rom com and i devoured every second of it. It also is perfect for anyone who is fans of the ex vows and enjoys the trope where exes need to team up together in order to save their friends proposal from imploding.

I really enjoyed reading about these characters although some parts did feel a bit juvenile to me and there could have bit a bit more communication, i enjoyed this book and it had every aspect of a rom com that i look for!

this is my first book by donna marchetti but i am looking forward to reading more from the author.

Priscilla was recently fired from her job. Her best friend, Tina, is encouraging her to start her own event planning company and offers to be her first customer. She wants to propose to her boyfriend Ryan and have Priscilla plan an elaborate proposal and then the wedding. Ryan; however, is planning a proposal of his own which Priscilla discovers when Oliver, Ryan's best friend, sees her shivering on a walk home and offers her a ride - with the ring in the car. Priscilla wants her best friend to get to do the elaborate proposal that they are planning - and keep her only customer. She and Oliver haven't gotten along since he embarrassed her in a bar a year ago when he found out she'd told Tina that she was "obsessed" with him. But now they're going to pretend to be a couple so they can give both of their best friends the joint proposal of their dreams.

This was my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it! It's full of romcom tropes - fake relationship, forced proximity, and enemies to lovers. While it sounds like a lot, it works together wonderfully. I really enjoyed the characters and especially the scene with the weird games in the cabin. It's both funny, sweet, and spicy - my favorite romcom combination!