Passion Project: A Novel

I love reading about New York as a fiction setting so when I came across Passion Project I knew I wanted to read it. The story follows Bennet and Henry as a ghosted date turns into a summer long weekend project to help Bennet find out what she wants from life. This was a really emotional read at times with Bennet working through a lot of guilt and grief over the death of her first love. After their initial misunderstanding Henry offers Bennet a shot at being friends and a shot at helping her find her passion. There is an underlying chemistry between them both that sizzles away in the background until they both reach the point of being unable to deny it. At times the relationship between Henry and Bennet reminded me of the connection between Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson’s characters in How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days - one of my favourite films. This is London Sperry’s debut novel and I would definitely read more from her in the future!

After losing her first love, Bennet is living in NYC but is directionless, lost and struggling. After a failed first date with Henry, he agrees to help her find her passion for life again, through the titled ‘passion project’. Whilst Bennet makes it clear she is not ready to date yet, she starts to realise maybe Henry is exactly what she needs. This was such a beautiful story!! I didn’t know much about it before downloading the audiobook, just that I had seen a few positive reviews on here and I loved the cover! It gave me similar vibes to Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone, which I read earlier in the year and loved! Bennet was struggling with grief and depression, and stuck in a rut. Her guilt and grief over the loss of her first love left her unable to move on with her life. She was isolating herself from her friends and family, working a temp job she only did to pay the bills and considering packing in the New York life and moving home. When golden retriever Henry, the man who will talk to anyone and always tries to look at the positive side, enters her life, he’s the right person at the right time to help her find her spark again. The passion project was so fun! All the different activities they did together around the city, getting to know each other and bringing Bennet out of her shell! Their friends to lovers storyline was effortless, nothing felt rushed or forced. The author depicted Bennet’s grief in a really authentic way, not linear, affecting every aspect of her life, and that it’s ok to move on with your life and be happy. I laughed, I cried, I swooned, I adored listening to this book!!! A stunning debut novel! Add this to your TBR asap!!

It’s hard to believe The Passion Project by London Sperry is a debut—because WOW. I laughed, I cried, and I felt everything in between. This book had me completely wrapped around its finger from the very first page. Henry has officially joined the ranks of my all-time favorite fake boyfriends—charming, layered, and completely unforgettable. And Bennet? I just wanted to hug her and be her friend. Her journey felt so real, so honest, and so deeply relatable. This story manages to be sweet, sad, dark, and hopeful all at once, and that balance is what makes it truly special. The romance is rich with emotion, but it’s the authenticity of the characters and their growth that makes this story shine. And let’s not forget the setting—falling in love with New York through Bennet’s eyes was such a treat. I listened to the audiobook and it was absolute perfection—the narration brought every emotion to life and made the story feel even more real. This is easily one of the most memorable romance novels I’ve read, and I already can’t wait to see what London Sperry writes next. A total standout.