Passion Project: A Novel

Overall I really enjoyed this one. I loved the writing style, the setting, and the premise of the book. However, I did struggle a little bit. I think the grief portrayal was so incredibly well done and written. Grief is not an easy thing to deal with or go trough. It is frustrating for the person grieving, and for the people around them. It is messy, raw, emotional, and so very real. Whever I found myself getting frustrated at Bennet for things she said or did, or didn't say or do, I reminded myself that she was grieving. And that my frustration was mostly because of how raw and real her grief journey was. Props to London because Bennet is the most honest and true portrayal of a grieving journey I have ever read. I will say during the middle I felt myself disconnecting a bit from the story, It started feeling a tiny bit repetitive and that's probably why this rating isn't higher. I kinda just wanted them to talk more and in a deeper way? When Bennet finally trusted Henry enough to open up though the book shone, and her pulling back from that hit very close to home. Henry was a shining star! What an incredible MMC. Patient, steady, honest, open, a little moody and broody, the perfect match for Bennet. I love how he made her feel safe, how he showed her she deserves love no matter what life looks like for her, and how he always managed to be honest, even when there were moments she didn't want or deserve that honesty, without being cruel. Overall I do recommend this book! And I was very teary eyed in the end. It's honest and human. I can't wait to read more from London!

absolutely loved this book

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!!

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫: 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐱 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟖, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 𝟓★ Oh my heart! I ADORED this book and I will be one of my top books of 2025! Bennet and Henry were two of the most amazing characters EVER and I loved them so much. If this book is not on your radar, it needs to be! If this is a debut novel, I cannot wait to see what author London Sperry has in store for us next! This book tackles so many different topics, but I love how delicately it approaches grief and love after loss. Bennet Taylor has been living with grief and guilt since the death of her first love. Now, living in NYC, her roommate matches her with someone named Henry on a dating app, only for her to stand him up instead. To her surprise, she runs into Henry hours later and confesses that she’s not ready to date and she’s not really passionate about anything these days. With her confession, Henry comes up with an idea to help Bennet find a passion for life. As friends, they will meet every Saturday and try something new in NYC. And so begins their ‘passion project.” As the two begin to get to know one another, secrets are exposed and it doesn’t take long before flirting turns into more. Is Bennet ready to move on, or will the grief and loss continue to hold her back? 🩷Mental Health 🩵Slow Burn 💚Blind Date 🩷Friends to Lovers 🩵Reverse Grumpy x Sunshine 💚Love After Loss 🩷Uplifting 🩵Set in NYC 💚Lots of Flirting 🎧I alternated between the book and the audiobook, which was narrated by the AMAZING Alex Finke. I don’t care how you read this book, but let me tell you, Finke was absolutely amazing! She was so perfect for this book. I cannot even put it into words. I highly recommend this one on audio if you enjoy audiobooks!

Loved it! Must read! This book had me feeling all the feels. It’s a multi-layered labyrinth of realness -- grief, depression, joy, self-discovery, patience, humor, sadness, romance, chemistry, sarcasm, adventure, friendship, guilt, hope, passion, and LOVE. Through masterful dialogue, London Sperry brought her characters to life in a very relatable and intimate way. It felt like I was watching my own private screening of Passion Project. The book is loaded with quotable nuggets! In fact, there are too many to list, but here are a few of my favorites… “But losing someone slowly must be like having the person and the memory of them alive at the same time.” “Love doesn’t care if you’re anxious or depressed, or drowning in everyday life. Love just loves.” “I am strong. I am resilient. I am kind. I always have been. I am proud that I’m able to say it, and even more proud that I believe it.”