This didn't work for me. I was cringing so hard when they tried to force their friendship and she was sniffing around the italian dude... NO.

The whole thing did not work for me.

2,5 stars

“If any place can turn two best friends into lovers, it’s Venice.”

This truly sounded like it was going to be such a cute, fun read. The premise had so much potential and I really felt it fell short. I truly started reading with the full expectation that I would fully enjoy this story. And I found myself bored through a lot of it and would have dnf’d if it weren’t an arc. Friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes and this wasn’t it. I don’t know how Daisy thought she and Jeremy would make a good couple. I barely believed them as friends, much less best friends who could become more. Their connection seemed shallow at best. And, something about Lorenzo irritated me and almost gave me the Ick. I feel like the minute he was introduced he was overpowering as a character. The insta love seemed a bit too rushed and unrealistic. A lot of it just seemed awkward for me. I thought the ending was sweet and the story had so much unrealized potential.

Thank you, Netgalley for providing me with an arc of this book. The content of my review was not affected by this in any way.

Rating: 3.75/5 stars

A sweet and easy friends-to-lovers romance. The characters had a natural dynamic, and I enjoyed watching their relationship shift from friendship to something more. Pacing dragged a little, but overall it was a fun and charming listen.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the audiobook ARC!

.When best friends Daisy and Jeremy are both dumped by their significant others in Venice, they decided to see if they can fall in love. I was expecting a cute friends-to-lovers story, but it ended up being something different entirely. It was a quick, easy read, but I had trouble connecting with the characters. I enjoyed the female narrator, but wished the male narrator had an accent seeing he is Italian.

What if falling in love was as easy as giving it the old college try?
When you live life with great expectations and a linear plan for what a perfect happily ever after looks like, it becomes a lot harder than just speaking it into existence.

Take our FMC, Daisy. She’s in Venice to restart her life—gather inspo for her future California restaurant, chase the stability her dad always dreamed she’d find, and finally get her life “on track.” But when her boyfriend and her best friend’s girlfriend run off together, abandoning her and Jeremy (her bestie), Daisy thinks… well, why not? Why not give the friends-to-lovers route a whirl?

After all, they’re in a city built on passion and persistence—might as well try to fall in love the old-fashioned way, right?

Except there’s one tiny problem… the ridiculously handsome hotel concierge who keeps inserting himself into her story. Lorenzo is supposed to help her and Jeremy fall in love. It’s literally part of his job. But his presence quickly turns into something far more personal, and suddenly Daisy’s finding herself distracted—by his eyes, his music, his charm—and forgetting the plan entirely.

This book is a fun little read and hits all the right spots. Romance, longing glances, a few laugh-out-loud moments, and a perfectly cozy Venetian backdrop. It’s one of those stories that reminds you love doesn’t always follow the plan… and that sometimes the “wrong” guy is exactly the right one.

The Friends to Lovers Project was such a charming, heart-melting read! Daisy is funny and relatable, Lorenzo is completely swoon-worthy, and their chemistry in dreamy Venice had me smiling the whole time. It’s light, cozy, and full of sweet banter—like a mini vacation in book form. Perfect for anyone who loves a friends-to-lovers romance with a dash of magic.

My biggest qualm with this audiobook is that the narrator for Lorenzo was American! I could deal with him speaking in English (this was not going to be a bilingual book obviously), but that they wouldn't get a narrator with at the very least an Italian accent was very disappointing. Every time he did have to say words in Italian, it would just take me out of the story making it even more jarring that he hadn't been playing Italian at all the rest of the time! This is one of those rare situations where I feel like if I'd read the book instead of listening to the audiobook, I would have given it a higher rating.

I mostly requested this book because of the title and cover... neither of which hinted at the fact that there was a love triangle aspect to the story! The title especially is very misleading considering what the story ends up being about. This is NOT a friends to lovers book, this is a strangers to lovers (basically instalove) story which is a completely different trope!

I will say this: the book DID make me want to go to Venice! And the spice scenes were enjoyable.

All that being said: I do think I'd give this author another chance and the premise of her book Never Date a Roommate seems right up my alley. I just might not get the audiobook for that one...

The Friends-to-Lovers Project was such a refreshing surprise. While the title hints at a traditional friends-to-lovers arc, the real magic happens when the heroine’s journey takes an unexpected turn. I loved how Paula Ottoni wove this twist into the story it felt organic, heartfelt, and gave the book a uniqueness that made it stand out from other romances in the trope.

The narrators brought so much life to this audiobook. Their delivery highlighted both the humor and the emotional tenderness, making the shifts in the story feel natural. The performance captured the heroine’s journey of self-discovery while also bringing warmth and vibrancy to her romance with the tour guide. Their voices played beautifully off each other, ensuring every interaction felt genuine and immersive.

This was such a cute read.
Loved the setting being Venice and all the sightseeing. The narrator did a fantastic job! The spice was unexpected but a good surprise. This book is just the right book if you’re looking for a fun, fast, cute contemporary Romance!

I loved the love triangle, the idyllic setting, and the drama! I’ll definitely be reading more from this author!

This was cute. But I hated the male narrator. I think it would have been more enjoyable with another person doing the male part

The Friends-to-Lovers Project
By: Paula Ottoni

- dual POV
- friends trying to become lovers
- handsome Italian hotel manager & tour guide
- beautiful setting of Italy

Daisy & Jeremy, two friends who have just gone through breakups, decide to try to fall in love with each other while on a trip in Venice. Lorenzo, the manager of the hotel where they’re staying, overhears their plan and offers to help them to prove to his boss, Luigi, that he can take over the hotel when Luigi retires. What no one planned on, however, is the connection between Daisy & Lorenzo when he plays tour guide for her and Jeremy. Will Daisy end up living the friends-to-lovers trope with Jeremy, or will she and Lorenzo find a way to discover what the connection is between them?

This was a cute book with a beautiful Italian setting and culture, along with intense chemistry between characters!

The narrators were great and added personality to the characters and their connections!

Content/trigger warnings: grief, break ups

Thank you to NetGalley & the author for access to this ARC in return for my honest review!

I enjoyed this book. I liked how it flipped the "friends to lovers" trope and totally ignored it. I didn't love the insta-love situation, with a woman giving up everything for a man she's known for a week. Overall, not a bad story. I definitely loved the Venice setting and looked up multiple locations mentioned to get a visual. It did make me want to go to Venice even more.

What starts out as unlikely deal to help Daisy see the sights of the city and get together with her best friend ends up blossoming into something so much more the longer she spends time seeing the sights of the beautiful city of Venice with concierge, Lorenzo. This mostly takes place over the span of a single week but the reader can feel the tension and attraction that grows between these two as they divulge past struggles and uncertainties about the future with one another. All in all a fun setting to travel to and a romance that had me rooting for the two MCs.

3.5 rounded up to 4 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley for an audiobook review copy of this story. The dual narrators did a great job bringing the two MCs to life. All opinions are my own.

Okay imagine you have a guy best friend, that you two are just like two peas in a pod, but there has never been anything romantic between the two of you. Then suddenly you’re on an Italy vacation and your respective partners breakup with you and leave you for each other. Talk about plot twist!
So Jeremy and Daisy are left in Venice together. Why not… try to fall in love with each other? Maybe there was always something there?
In walks hot Italian guide, and Daisy is having a lot of trouble falling for Jeremy when Lorenzo is around. The stuff she should be trying to feel for Jeremy is coming naturally with Lorenzo. Meanwhile Lorenzo is acting as their tour guide trying to take them to destinations to fall in love. But he does feel something for Daisy too.
I liked that this book pointed out that yes, a guy and a girl can be best friends and completely platonic. Also to follow your own dreams and not that of your parents. It never ends well. Lorenzo and Daisy have a steamy romance while also helping each other move to the next stage of their lives— the problem is with her living in L.A. and he in Venice, Italy— how will it work?
I love what they ended up doing.

Thank you Harlequin for the audio!

I adored this novel so so much! Any story about a woman getting the heck out of dodge (the ole U S of A) to start her new life is an INSTANT yes for me.

When a romantic-ish trip turns sideways, Daisy Hogan, a LA chef, gets stuck in the city of loooove with her best friend, Jeremy. At this point she is LOST, she thinks maybe she should try falling in love with her best friend. I mean, he's stable, reliable, and she knows they get along well. They both agree to try it out, what could go wrong??

*Enter hot, foreign conceirge violinist guy, Lorenzo* swoooooon

As the hotel concierge, Lorenzo has vowed to help Jeremy and Daisy find love in the gorgeous city of Venice.

As their project progresses, Daisy starts to question if she is going in the right direction.

I received this as an ALC and let me tell ya, it was phenomenal! Carly Robins and Will Damron did a great job at executing thier characters and keeping me in the story.

I adored the resolution of the conflict in this story. I have loved seeing the trend in novels where there is COMPROMISE and it's not just one of the characters giving up thier hopes and dreams to keep their love.

This one was a super cute, lovely read! It had a lot of the elements I look for in a romance novel: a charming setting, a friends-to-lovers setup, and a dreamy love interest who is not the one you're supposed to be rooting for.

The story starts with Daisy, a chef who has her whole life planned out, taking a trip to Venice to get inspiration for her restaurant. She's with her best friend, Jeremy, and they decide to try a "friends-to-lovers project." It's a fun premise, and I enjoyed watching them navigate the awkwardness and anticipation of it all.

But then we meet Lorenzo, a charming hotel concierge and violinist who is hired to be their personal guide to romance. Of course, he and Daisy have amazing chemistry, and the sparks between them were palpable from their very first interaction. I absolutely adored Lorenzo. He was so sweet and passionate, and his love for Venice and music was infectious. The book did a great job of using the city as a character itself, and I felt like I was right there with them, walking along the canals and eating delicious Italian food.

My only real issue with the book was that the resolution felt a little rushed, and I wanted a bit more from the ending. I felt like the friends-to-lovers aspect of the story was a bit undercooked, and I didn't get to see as much of Daisy and Lorenzo's relationship as I would have liked. But overall, it was a delightful read and a great escape. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a sweet, swoon-worthy romance with a beautiful backdrop.

Rating: 4.5⭐️

I absolutely loved that the setting was in Venice, Italy. It felt so romantic and sweet and added to the swoon-factor.

The narrators did a fantastic job, especially when the male narrator started speaking Italian? Done for.

Rating: 3/5
This was a crazy book, so hold on for the ride! Daisy Hogan goes on a couples trip with her boyfriend, Ryan, her best guy friend, Jeremy, and Jeremy's girlfriend, Alice. All is well until Alice and Ryan run off together, leaving both Daisy and Jeremy single in one of the most romantic cities, Venice, Italy. The night of the breakup, Daisy and Jeremy are drinking at the hotel bar when Daisy comes up with an idea after the hot, local bartender/concierge, Lorenzo, recommends romantic places to visit that are not well known by tourists. Daisy and Jeremy have been best friends since they were in diapers. It would've been so convenient if they were sexually attracted to each other... But maybe they can grow into being in love in the most romantic place on earth! Hence, the Friends-to-Lovers Project: Lorenzo is to schedule activities in the city to help the two fall for each other. Romance may be in the air, but not where it should be...

This book was a rollercoaster full of all the drama, and I was here for it. Daisy comes to Italy for a vacation and ends up falling for the hot Italian dude. A lot of the story is not the most believable.... but that's why we read romance! We all dream about being swept off our feet in a passionate love affair with a sexy man with an accent. However, it was insane for both main characters to have fallen in love in just a week.... If Daisy was my friend, I would be telling her that he is a red flag and he is love-bombing her..... But it sounds like Daisy was definitely having a super good time with Lorenzo in the spicy scenes of the book.
Overall, cute book about a travel abroad romance with some hot spice.

Thank you NetGalley for the Audiobook ARC!

I really enjoyed this romance set in Venice, my favorite city. The main characters both showed growth and supported each other's decisions. The ending seemed a little rushed, and their separation a little contrived. I appreciate that the storyline between Daisy and Jeremy is what got the book started, but it ended up seeming like an afterthought. I think I would have liked it more if the relationship development between the main characters had been less insta-love.