The premise of this book sounded intriguing. But, I couldn’t get into the story like I had hoped.
It is described as an enemies to lovers. I have to say, for me personally, it was very very heavily a miscommunication trope.
I found Priscilla to be sooooo immature for her age!
The romance aspect? Definitely lacked substance.
There are some cute moments…which helped keep me reading.
Overall, this was just a ok read for me.

Donna Marchetti delivers another feel-good romcom full of heart, heat, and chaotic proposal planning. The Proposal Project is a delightful mix of fake dating, enemies-to-lovers energy, and “please just kiss already” tension. Priscilla and Oliver have electric chemistry, and watching them go from rivals to partners in crime (and maybe more?) was both hilarious and surprisingly heartfelt. I loved how the dual proposal setup gave the romance space to grow while keeping the pacing tight and entertaining. This is the kind of book that makes you smile, cringe, and swoon all at once — and honestly? I wouldn’t have it any other way. Can’t wait to see what Marchetti writes next!

Fake dating can sometimes really frustrating to read, but I loved this book. Priscilla and Ryan's chemistry is bonkers good and the way they both want a real relationship but are too scared to admit it was perfectly written. It was tense while still being delicious.

Overall I thought the cheesiness outweighed the funny bits. I found myself suffering from secondhand embarrassed majority of the second act. I don’t love the miscommunication troupe but it somewhat worked for Priscilla and Oliver

I found this such a cute and easy read - I love a bit of fake dating with a hint of enemies to lovers! When the lines start to get blurred of what is real and what is fake I am INVESTED. I listened to some of this on audio and found that a great addition. The spicey scenes were really well done in this. I need to go back and read Hate Mail now!

A great book . Priscilla is a event planner and she just got fired . Her best friend Tina wants to be the one to propose to her boyfriend Ryan so she hires her and persuade her that she must start her own business . When Priscilla learn from Oliver Ryan's best friend that he also is ready to propose they team up so they both propose the same time . Priscilla and Oliver can't stand each other but for their friends happiness they pretend that they are dating . All the pretending makes her realize that her crush for him is still there and maybe she is even in love with him . Will she be able to be successful both in work and love ?
I received this book from netgalley , the author and the publisher as an ARC . Thank you . All thoughts and opinions are my own .

This was a super light, summer read! It was one of a few ARCs I received and I left it on my shelf too long, given how fun this story was!

The story is about Priscilla- an event planner who is asked by her best friend Tina, to plan her dream proposal to her boyfriend Ryan, ironically at the same time he is trying to plan his own surprise proposal for her. Like Tina, Ryan calls on his best friend Oliver for help. But Oliver and Priscilla have had an unpleasant run-in in the past, and so there's some complicated history there. But in order to pull off their secret proposals, Tina and Ryan rope their besties in to help out.

Forced to keep the secret for the friends, Priscilla and Oliver have to work together to pull it all off. As they spend more and more time together, they come up with a plan to "fake date" each other so that they can justify to their friends all the time they are spending together- to keep the ruse going. This happens to the delight Tina and Ryan, who feel that their best friends would make the perfect couple themselves.

The story is filled with witty bander and delightful snark. Throughout the proposal planning, you see Priscilla and Oliver's feelings towards each other start to develop and realize that what they say is a 'fake relationship' becomes more genuine than either of them could of hoped for. They explore their complicated past and realize it was nothing more than a big misunderstanding.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for this ARC.

Priscilla and Oliver's story is a rollercoaster of emotions—once they were attracted to one another, but now they find themselves fierce adversaries. An unexpected twist involving a pair of proposals thrusts them together as reluctant partners in a fake relationship, adding layers of tension and intrigue.

From the very beginning, I found myself rooting for Priscilla. She’s had a rough patch, surrounded by people who consistently undervalue her. Her spirited and sassy attitude—particularly in her witty exchanges with Oliver—made her an instant favorite. It was disheartening to watch her get chastised for being passionate; all she truly needed were friends who recognized her worth.The story unfolds solely through Priscilla’s eyes, which initially made it tough to warm up to Oliver. However, once I pushed through that early frustration, I began to see his charm—a mix of cocky confidence tempered by moments of vulnerability. Their chemistry sparked right away, and I appreciated how the narrative didn’t drag its feet; the pace kept me hooked. That said, the constant reminder of their relationship being "fake," especially just before intimate moments, grew a bit tiresome. I wasn’t a fan of Priscilla’s best friend, Tina, who often seemed more of a hurdle than a support. She urged Priscilla to chase her dreams of starting a business but was quick to criticize her when opportunities arose, ultimately deepening the rift between Priscilla and Oliver.

Despite these hiccups, I genuinely enjoyed the book. It was a delightful read that kept me engaged from start to finish. Priscilla and Oliver’s relationship blossomed beautifully, and the sweet resolution left me grinning from ear to ear. I’m eagerly anticipating what Donna Marchetti has in store for us next!

Event planner Priscilla’s best friend asks her to help plan the perfect proposal to her boyfriend. When she talks to Oliver, the boyfriend’s best friend, she finds out the boyfriend is planning a proposal of his own. Priscilla and Oliver team up to plan a surprise joint proposal, but they end up pretending to date in order to cover up the planning.

I love the dynamic between the two characters. They overcome their initial misunderstandings and work together to plan an epic proposal for their friends. Along the way, their fake relationship starts to feel real. The way they have to navigate all the zany things that happen, while still keeping their friends from finding out is a blast! I also love how supportive their friends are too. Priscilla’s bestie fully encourages her to start her own event planning business and uses the proposal as an excuse to help fund the dream. The

All in all, it’s a really fun and uplifting enemies-to-lovers romance. I can’t wait to read mor from this author!

Super cute enemies to lovers romance with a miscommunication troupe that actually works. Love the main couple and their friends. I had a blast reading this and pretty much read it in one sitting.

I received an arc from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Swoony, fun, and full of rom-com sparkle 💍💖. The Proposal Project is a playful, heartfelt love story about grand gestures, unexpected feelings, and finding love when you least expect it. Donna Marchetti delivers witty banter, slow-burn chemistry, and feel-good energy throughout. I adored the romantic mischief and emotional payoff. A perfect read for rom-com fans.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.75 stars)
I totally loved this book! The Proposal Project has been such a fun and heartwarming read. The enemies-to-lovers vibe between the main characters is done so well, full of tension, emotion, and that undeniable soft spot they clearly have for each other. It makes every interaction between them feel charged and meaningful. I also really loved how tight-knit the friendships are in this story. Watching both leads go above and beyond to help their best friends plan perfect proposals? It was honestly beautiful. Friends like that don’t come around often, and it added so much depth to the plot. A huge thank you to Donna Marchetti and NetGalley for the ARC, this one was a joy to read!

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

After losing her job, event planner Priscilla Cain is determined to help her best friend plan the perfect proposal—until she discovers the groom-to-be has plans of his own. Forced to team up with his infuriating (and annoyingly attractive) best friend Oliver, Priscilla must navigate secret scheming, close quarters, and unexpected chemistry. As the proposal takes shape, so does a potential love story neither of them saw coming.

While I was intrigue by the premise (In another live, I’d LOVE to be an event planner!) , this book just wasn’t it for me. Honestly, I probably should have DNF’ed it. Though it’s described as an enemies to lovers, it leaned very heavily into the miscommunication trope. Not only that, I found Priscilla to be shockingly juvenile for her age- I needed much more emotional maturity in order to connect with her. I also felt the romance lacked substance and depth. While there were some cute moments, overall it just fell flat for me.

🌟Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
💧Drip-o-Meter: 💦💦💦
💗Something I Loved: I recall loving this from Marchetti’s debut novel “Hate Mail” as well but honestly, she just kills it when it comes to writing that enemies to lovers tension. The animosity and teasing and baiting sarcasm that serves to mask the characters pining! Serve me that shit with a ladle because I’m eating it up. Her sense of humor is utterly delightful as well and she ties all of it together so well.
🫤Something I Would Have Changed: There were a couple of loose ends (tell me more about that journal of yours Oliver) and the ending itself seemed a little rushed (or I’m just greedy and wanted a few more chapters) but mainly I just wished that the proposal itself was real so I could watch it because it seemed epic.
🥰Favorite Moment: It’s a tiny moment that you won’t understand until you read it but… the initials on the bench. I had no doubt about what Oliver was doing when he “forgot his water bottle” but seeing it play out in the epilogue made my heart happy. I just love when the MMC can’t even begin to hide how down bad he is for her.
🌶️Spiciest Scene: Chapter 26. The hot tub scene. The spice was medium, the tension was high, and all in all it worked for me.
📚Standalone vs. Series: Standalone.
📖Would I Recommend: Yes. I had a great time reading this and honestly if it hadn’t been for the rushed ending, this could have gotten 4.5-5 stars for vibes alone. And while the romance itself lacked some substance (and went from 0-60 fairly quickly) and there was definitely some miscommunication between the main characters, for some reason none of these things bothered me as much as usual. Overall I don’t think this is a book I’d read again but the journey was fun and I have zero regrets.
💬Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Only One Bed, Fake Dating, Forced Proximity, Spicy Rom-Com, Cabin Getaway

Cute enemies-to-lovers, fake dating romance
4 stars

Having loved Donna Marchetti’s debut novel, Hate Mail, it was an absolute no brainer that I’d want to give her second book a go, too. And that was before I read the blurb. I do love an enemies to lovers and this sounded amazing. And I adore the cover, too.

Priscilla and Oliver hate each other. Okay, they once thought that they liked each other - but that ship has sailed and now they’re very much in the enemies camp. But that’s before an unfortunate set of incidents involving dual proposals lead to them to mistrusting adversaries, to co-conspirators, to in a very real fake relationship together.

I really liked Priscilla from the first page. She’s a bit down on her luck and seems surrounded by people that don’t value her or love her for being herself. She’s excitable, exuberant and sassy with it - especially when it comes to Oliver. I liked her a lot and it was easy to root for her. I hated the way she was constantly berated for being obsessive. It was some sort of running theme throughout the book. Who cares if you put your heart and soul into everything you do? Priscilla just needed better friends.

The story is told entirely from Priscilla’s point of view so it’s really no surprise that I didn’t much care for Oliver at the start of the book. It took me more time than I’d have liked to get over my dislike and start to see him as leading man material. Had we had his point of view - I know I would have liked him from the get go. But having only Priscilla’s point of view did lend itself to understanding how Priscilla was feeling - unaware of Oliver’s feelings towards her. But when I got over it, I did really like Oliver. He was cocky, funny but also a bit unsure.

I love how much time Oliver and Priscilla spent together and from so early in the book. Sometimes books take so long to set up the story and back story that it’s ages before things get going and we get into the story. There’s an obvious chemistry between our pair even if it takes until the last throws of the book for them to get together. And that’s nice and steamy when it finally occurs. I did feel there was a wee bit too many times that they both spoke of their relationship as fake just as they’d kissed or were about to kiss etc. It got a bit annoying - just realise that you’re actually dating and actually like each other already.

I didn’t much care for Pricilla’s best friend, Tina. She showed herself time and time again to be a poor friend. Telling Priss to start her own business and then berating her when it looked like she was getting her first real client. Because it would take her focus away from Tina’s proposal. And it was actually Tina’s fault that Priss and Oliver were at odds with each other in the first place. Priss told Tina a secret about Oliver, Tina told Ryan and Ryan told Oliver. Bad enough but Tina had absolutely zero regret over what happened and what she did.

I really enjoyed this book. It was fun, interesting and kept me reading. Oliver and Priss were a wonderful pairing and I adored their ending and happily ever after. In fact, I was smiling through the last chapter - it was so sweet. Donna Marchetti’s writing is just my style and I’m definitely looking out for what she’s writing next as it’s sure to be another winner. 4 stars - and that’s mainly just because of Tina!

Spicy, male female, 1st person single point of view, contemporary romance. This is a fluffy romance with a happy ending. Lots of tropes - misscommunication, forced proximity, one bed, enemies to lovers, fake dating.

I embarrassed myself laughing out loud while walking my dog listening to the audiobook, the part in which they trek up a trail and find the initials Ryan and Oliver carved when they were younger. I could not control my laughter. This is my kind of book, it’s hilarious, MCs liked each other until one of them “wronged” them and now they hate each other. The banter was fun and witty.

Thank you Netgalley and Donna Marchetti for this ARC. After reading Hate Mail, I was interested in reading more books from Donna.

This book was very reminiscent of early 2000s rom-coms. Priscilla and Oliver, who despise each other, need to work together to create the most perfect proposal for their best friends. They have to trick their best friends into thinking they are dating (since they are covertly working together), which leads them to spending more time together, and ultimately falling for one another.

It was a sweet story, with a good amount of spice, however, it was the miscommunication trope that deterred me from fully enjoying this story. There were SO many moments in which they could have discussed what went wrong between them, that I wish I would have seen them working out through it earlier in the story. Overall it was a good read, with feel-good moments.

It’s crystal clear to me that this book is something special. A perfect example of a cute rom-com with amazing characters and banter.

Pricilla Cain and Oliver Edison are frenemies, but when Pricilla is given the chance to plan an event for her best friend we find out it’s not as easy and one two three… because Oliver is planning his own scheme with his best friend— the proposals.

Gosh I could not put this book down. Such a well described plot! I could heavily visualize the scenes and characters in my head, all the little details about the planning, their group moments and the love story between Pricilla and Oliver. Such a beautiful read, would definitely recommend.

I came to The Proposal Project with high expectations. After all, Donna Marchetti’s debut, Hate Mail, was one of my favourite reads last year—a sharp, emotionally satisfying romcom that stuck with me long after the final page. So I dove into her sophomore novel, ready to be swept away again. And while Marchetti’s writing is still lean, witty, and compulsively readable, this one didn’t quite deliver the magic I was hoping for.

From the start, I struggled to connect with Oliver, the love interest. Where I expected swoon, I found red flags—subtle but persistent behaviours that kept me at arm’s length. I even began to wonder if the problem was Priscilla’s POV, and for a moment, I almost gave him the benefit of the doubt. But their relationship is built on a house of miscommunication (and when they do talk, it’s so clunky it might have been better if they hadn’t). It’s frustrating, especially when you know Marchetti is capable of writing such vibrant romantic tension.

Beyond the central romance, a few elements just didn’t land. The subplot involving Priscilla’s former boss feels unresolved, and the conclusion doesn’t quite match the character dynamics established earlier—Malcolm, in particular, doesn’t react in a way that makes narrative sense. There are also minor but nagging plot holes, like the introduction of Oliver’s notebook, which is dropped without any follow-through.

And yet, despite all my reservations, something shifted for me in the final stretch. Somewhere in the last 30% of the novel, I found myself rooting for these characters—against my better judgment, perhaps, but genuinely invested. Marchetti’s strength is in those small, intimate moments that ring emotionally true, and even in a book that didn’t quite work for me, she manages to deliver just enough of them to keep me turning the pages.

Will I read whatever she writes next? Absolutely. But The Proposal Project was a bit like a mismatched date—charming on paper, but not quite right in practice.