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!

📖 Title: The Proposal Project -a standalone

✍🏾 Author: Donna Marchetti- I read Hate Mail and gave it 4 ⭐

📅Publication date: 6/19/25 | Read 6/15/25

📃 Format: eBook 384 pgs.

Genre:
*Contemporary Romance

Tropes:
*fake dating
*enemies to lovers
*1-bed
*forced proximity
*slow burn

👆🏾POV: 1st person, single

🌎 Setting: New York

Summary: When Tina enlists Priscilla in planning a wedding proposal to her boyfriend Ryan. She convinces Priscilla to start her own event planning business after being fired. Priscilla learns Ryan is also planning a proposal for Tina with Oliver's help. Priscilla hates Oliver, but they are forced together for a dual proposal if they can get along.

👩🏾 Heroine: Priscilla
👨🏾 Hero: Oliver

🎭 Other Characters:

* Tina+Ryan-Priscilla and Ryan's BFFs
* Bailey-Ryan's ex-girlfriend
*Majorie-Ryan's mother

🤔 My Thoughts: This was another great fake dating trope between Priscilla and Oliver. They helped plan proposals for their BFFs and fall for each other in the process. Not much drama, some miscommunication that was resolved quickly with two HEAs!

Rating: 4/5 ✨
Spice level 4/5 🌶️open door, explicit

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins, and Donna Marchetti for this ARC! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions are my own.

The Proposal Project follows Priscilla, who after losing her job, finds herself roped into planning her best friend's proposal to her boyfriend. However, when she discovers that said boyfriend is planning to propose with the help of his own best friend, Oliver, Priscilla decides to join forces with him and plan a dual proposal for the couple.

This was such a fun romance! The fake dating and plot was so refreshing and breezy, I loved how Oliver and Priscilla worked together and got to connect after so much distance. Their banter and chemistry was everything, not to mention the tension of the will they or won't they was unmatched. The two had so much charged energy and I love how it exploded and they just fell into pace with each other. Beyond the romance, the writing and plot flowed so well with all the crazy happenings surrounding the proposal. The build up and fake dating added the perfect touch of light drama, steam, and emotion. If you're in the mood for a playful and sweet rom-com, I highly recommend this one!

Where do I even begin?
A fake-dating, slow-burn romcom where two people team up to plan a wedding proposal for their best friends? It’s like this book was written just for me.

I haven't enjoyed a romcom this much in a long time! Donna Marchetti is incredibly talented. She crafts an intricate, beautifully executed plot that stays engaging throughout. From the first page, I was completely entranced. The balance between the humour and seriousness was spot on, and I felt every emotion on the page.

The dynamics between Priscilla and Oliver were amazing, and their dialogue flowed effortlessly—sharp, witty, and full of chemistry. Every interaction between them felt very real. Even the fake dating setup felt believable, never forced.

I also really enjoyed seeing Priscilla interact with Tina. Their friendship was truly beautiful, and I'm glad that Tina had depth, even if she wasn't a main character. Tina and Ryan’s relationship was also wonderfully written, adding richness without being the main focal point.

Overall, Donna Marchetti has earned a spot on my 'Top 10 Authors' list, and I'll gladly pick up anything she writes in the future.


Finally, thank you so much to HarperCollinsUK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book! All opinions are my own.

Priscilla has just been fried form her dream job. But upon hearing her best friend wants to propose to her boyfriend, Ryan, just like her mom did to her father, she decides to start her own event planing company.

Of course on her way home Oliver, friend’s boyfriend’s friend’s, gives her a life home. Finding an engagement ring in his car which is hold on for Ryan. She knows she is going to have to endure her greats her moment to propose before he does.

I loved the authors other book, Hate Mail, and have been eagerly waiting for her next book. This was just as fun and as her first! I eat it up!!

I had to get my tabs out to save all of the fun and heart wrenching moments.

This reads like a romcom and I didn’t want it to stop,

Thank you one more chapter for sending me this ARC!


Spoiler below (this is my explanation for why it’s not a five star read)

Hey spoilers coming!!

Ok fine here are the spoilers:

- the author did a great job of explaining why the word obsessed is a trigger for Priscilla. I would have liked this to have been carried through to the fall out and had ensured that Oliver fully understands why this upset her.
- when they were having their big argument, I really wanted a few lines of inner monologue to explain how she didn’t know he liked her the whole time. I know to the reader it was obvious but it did feel sort of like whip lash. If she had thought something along the lines of “all this time? He liked me back… it wasn’t just me falling” I think it would have made this book perfect!

First of all - wow! When I read “Hate Mail” by Donna Marchetti, I was instantly hooked. The banter, the chemistry, the charm - I couldn’t get enough! So when the chance came to read and review her latest novel “The Proposal Project”, I said YES faster than a surprise rooftop proposal!

And let me tell you: it DELIVERED, and even more than I could have imagined! This book is bursting with all the best rom-com tropes: fake dating, forced proximity, unstoppable chemistry, and a main character duo that had me grinning like a fool. Priscilla and Oliver are pure magic: witty, warm and hilarious with just the right amount of spice.

The setup?

Priscilla plans proposals for a living, just not her own.
So when her best friend ropes her into organizing the perfect moment to pop the question, things are under control… until the groom’s best friend Oliver shows up with a competing plan.

The compromise? Join forces in secret to pull off one epic double proposal. The problem? They’re terrible at keeping it professional, and even worse at pretending they’re not falling for each other.

Two planners. One bed. Zero chill. Love wasn’t on the itinerary… but it might just crash the party anyway!

If you love enemies-to-lovers with a big heart and bigger laughs, this one needs to go straight to the top of your TBR.

This book? ABSOLUTE ROM-COM PERFECTION.
Enemies to fake dating to lovers with top-tier banter, sizzling chemistry, and enough swoon to make me reread scenes on the spot.

✨ What I loved:
💘 The banter—so sharp, so flirty, so FUN.
🔥 Oliver. Just… OLIVER. That man was hopelessly into Priscilla and it was glorious.
😆 I laughed out loud so many times, especially watching them sabotage each other’s proposal plans.
📖 The writing felt effortless and quick—fast-paced without ever feeling rushed.
🥹 The tension?? Unmatched. Slow burn excellence.

💬 I usually DESPISE miscommunication plots, but Donna Jay actually made it work. It felt natural for these two chaotic disasters to get their wires crossed, and it added to the payoff rather than dragging the story down.

💭 Tiny gripe? The Malcolm subplot didn’t really need to be there—it fizzled out fast and felt kind of random. Also, remember the poem Priscilla read in Oliver’s journal? That was SUCH a cute moment and then it just… disappeared?! Still not over it.

But honestly, those are just minor things. This book was a total delight. Think early 2000s rom-com vibes with a fresh, modern twist. I read it in a single day and loved every second.

💞 If you’re into:
✔️ Enemies to lovers
✔️ Fake dating chaos
✔️ Big feelings + bigger kisses
✔️ Laugh-out-loud schemes
✔️ Book boyfriends with soft hearts and sharp suits

…add this to your TBR immediately.