Unfortunately, I did not finish this one. I loved the author's first book and was hoping I would love this one too. Unfortunately, it just didn't work for me at all. I didn't like the setup of the whole proposal project. It was odd. Didn't particularly connect with the characters and just couldn't push my way through it. I would read a chapter here and there but just couldn't pull me in enough to keep reading. I'm definitely in the minority but this didn't work for me.

The Proposal Project by Donna Marchetti is an enemies-to-lovers, fake dating, constant miscommunication trope romance that I could not put down!

After losing her regular job, Priscilla agrees to let her best friend Tina help her start up her event planning business by planning an epic proposal to her boyfriend Ryan! Unfortunately, she quickly discovers that Ryan has already purchased a ring and confided in his best friend and Priscilla’s archnemesis, Oliver, to help with his proposal. To pull off what is turning out to be an extravagant double proposal, fake dating ensues. The banter, sexual tension, and evolution of the relationship between these two is beyond adorable and I could not get enough. I had a smile on my face from start to finish and would highly recommend this book!

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, and the author for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'd like to say a big thank you for the publisher making this book available to read on NetGalley.

This is a definite 4 star read for me, the book was really enjoyable and I loved the character but there was a few small issues which stopped the book from being my absolute favourite.

This is a great quick read with such a sweet story, something different to what I am used to. I don't really want to be putting anyone off from reading this book with some of the things I didn't like.

To go over this quickly, the writing is really good and I really enjoyed the author's writing style. I do think that perhaps there was less editing put in to the end of the book (felt like the story was missing something) some scenes were lacking near the end of the book. Hopefully this is maybe fixed before the book is published.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves romance and a quick read between big books.

Contemporary romance is GIVING. This was a delightful enemies to fake daters to lovers!

I loved the premise and execution. The writing felt effortless and the romantic tension built in the most glorious way.

Definitely a top read of the year.

This was such a delight. Such a sweet, fluffy, and light read. From the first page, I fell in love with the characters and the TENSION. MY GAUD. And it finished with such a great ending.
4

📚The proposal project by Donna Marchetti
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
I’m gonna be honest, I came to this book with no expectations at all, and I ended loving it, it was so much fun to just read a cute, funny story about two people who supposedly hate each other having to start fake dating in order two trick their best friends and help them propose to eachother ( yes it’s confusing at first, but it’s what makes it hilarious).
The characters Priscilla and Oliver really were great, I loved they’re dynamics with each other and with their friends Ryan and Tina.
Overall I did really enjoy it and would definitely recommend!!

Tropes:
💍 “enemies” to loves
🎇 meddling best friends
💍 only one bed
🎇 forced proximity
💍 double pining

Release dates:
Ebook/audio: June 27th, 2025
Paperback (UK): July 3rd, 2025
Paperback (US): November 11th, 2025
Cover artist: lenikauffman

I absolutely LOVED Hate Mail.. but this book was 10/10. Give me 14 of them right now.
I read this in less than a day. I'm obsessed with Oliver and Prescila.
This is the perfect combination of enemies to lovers, fake dating, secretly pining for each other romance and I. loved. it. 👏🏻

I adored Donna Marchettis debut novel Hate Mail so when I came across this novel on NetGalley I was so hopeful I would be approved.

This book had me laughing out loud from the very beginning. I almost died from second hand embarrassment a few times but it was worth it. I’m not a huge fan of the miscommunication trope but the fake dating more than made up for it.

I do think the family aspect with her parents was left unfinished and I wish that Priscilla had communicated better with Oliver her trigger with the obsessive comment. That all felt sort of swept under the rug.

I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see how the actual proposal would turn out and it did not disappoint. I would totally recommend this book and thank you to NetGalley and One More Chapter, Harper Collin’s UK for the chance to read this early.

I struggled through this one. You don't really get much of a sense of reality from Priscilla and whilst if you suspend belief (which is required for a lot of the book to feel realistic) she still doesn't seem like much of a redeemable character. I'm still not sure why she actually liked Oliver or why she thought she even wanted to plan a proposal; you don't really get much of an introduction to any of the characters so it's hard to root for them. I think this was a really fun concept but poorly executed.

This was surprisingly a really fun time! I finished it in one sitting and absolutely loved how lighthearted it was. Perfect for when you want something to read after a heavy, intense book.

I wanted to give this author another chance after not enjoying her first book, but after this one I can conclude this author is not for me. The main character is immediately infuriating from the first page. The entire falling out between the two main characters feels ridiculous for fully grown adults. The dialogue felt unrealistic and awkward. Overall, I decided to put it down because I knew it wasn't going to get better for me.

If you loved Marchetti's first book, I could see you also enjoying this one.

Thank you NetGalley, Donna Marchetti, and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for the opportunity to read this arc 🤍

The Proposal Project was a light-hearted rom com that was a much needed pallet cleanser for me. Donna's characters were fun and the anticipation of the "enemies to fake dating to lovers" trope kept me engaged and on my toes! I can't wait for the release and for more people to get their hands on this book!

Book Stats:

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐(4.25/5)

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Tropes: Fake Dating, Forced Proximity, HEA, miscommunication

Publisher: One More Chapter(Harper Collins)

Review:

*thank you to the One More Chapter and Harper Collins UK and the author for sending me a early copy of this book in exchange for a honest review-it means a lot that you trust little old me!*

I didn't think that Donna Marchetti's writing could get better after Hate Mail, but it did! I read this book in a DAY. It kept me engaged. The Banter was TOP TIER, Oh my Gosh! The tropes in this book, like forced proximity and fake dating really are written well and fully flushed out. I feel like the setting and the way the FMC and MMC have to work together is giving very much 2000's romcom. ALSO, THE COVER? CUTE AS CAN BE! I also love how in this book the FMC's character development wasn't as heavily attached to the miscommunication trope as I feel it normally is, and it was more career oriented, which is also a nice refreshing change than your typical romance book.

I only have two tiny things. And they really are microscopic. First, the miscommunication trope. Personally, I enjoy this trope when its done well, but I think the way it was written in this book personally felt just a tad childish. That is personally my opinion, I would still recommend this book majorly though! My second tiny thing that I wish was a little better communicated was the ending. It felt like we jumped to it just a teeny bit. Other than that, I think the storyline, character development, and plot were really great. TBH I think I liked this even more than Hate Mail, I think Donna Marchetti has really grown as a author even more from her last book.

It's honestly one of my favorite reads of this year, and perfect for that spring/summer romcom time of the year! Highly recommend!

This was an absolutely beautiful, lighthearted romance. Fake dating turns real, meddling best friends, enemies to lovers. This was written beautifully, the plot, the spice, the banter was amazing. I was so glad that I had the opportunity to read this book. I honestly wish that it could’ve been a dual POV, but it was wonderful even without it!

Here for the cute tropes, staying for the flirting, the yearning, and the fun vibes. I flew through this one. Donna Marchetti is so good at writing a quick, cute rom-com! Priscilla and Oliver are definitely a couple to root for!

💗Enemies to Lovers
💗Fake Dating
💗Forced Proximity
💗One Bed

Adorable. Just what you want out of a romantic comedy book. The characters were annoying from time to time but ultimately they grow on you.

Thank you NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, and Donna Marchetti for the early access copy of The Proposal Project.

The Proposal Project follows the story of Priscilla and Oliver. After an unfortunate work incident, Priscilla finds herself looking for a new way of work. When her best friend Tina asks her to help plan her dream proposal as her event planner, Priscilla can't refuse. The catch, she needs to help Tina propose before her boyfriend Ryan does. What that means is Priscilla needs to find a way to work with Ryan's best friend Oliver, who Priscilla has the unfortunate luck of not getting along with after an incident the year before. Priscilla and Oliver need to figure out a way to make an alliance, build both Ryan and Tina's dream proposal without anyone finding out.

Donna Marchetti has a brilliant way of writing relatable characters, with hilarious (and at times unfortunate) situations. Reading the evolution of Oliver and Priscilla felt like being with friends and watching them realize what everyone else can see. This is a great fit for those who enjoy tropes like enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, spicy romance.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK (One More Chapter) for providing this eARC! 💖
I loved this book so much I devoured it in a day!! The story had me hooked from the very first chapter—it was fun, easy to read, and the banter between Priscilla and Oliver had me giggling and kicking my feet like a teenager 😭💅 Fake dating is my weakness, and it’s so well done here!

Now, I usually don’t love miscommunication, but in this case, it worked. I wasn’t even mad about it haha. There were just a couple of things I didn’t vibe with: the first spicy scene felt a bit rushed, and the lack of conversation threw me off (thankfully, the later ones fixed this!). Also, the author used the phrase “He touched his lips to mine” a few too many times for my taste—but tbh, that’s probably just the language snob in me 🤷‍♀️

All in all, I really enjoyed the story and the characters. It would have been perfect if we had Oliver’s POV—I loved him so much, I needed to be in his head to fully feel that yearning 🥹

Thank you to One More Chapter and NetGalley for the advance reader copy of The Proposal Project by Donna Marchetti. 

At the beginning of the story, Priscilla, an event planner, has lost her job. She now has the opportunity to begin her own event planning company and her first client is her best friend, Tina. Priscilla is tasked with helping Tina plan the perfect proposal to her boyfriend, Ryan. Ryan’s best friend is Oliver, who Priscilla is initially attracted to upon first meeting him but after an exchange where she believed Oliver was trying to humiliate her, she avoids him. Via Oliver, Priscilla learns that Ryan is also planning to propose. In order to ensure her Tina’s proposal can happen as planned, she must team up with none other than Oliver to make it happen for both of their friends.

This story was delightful!! Forced proximity scheming that turns into a fake relationship! Priscilla and Oliver have such great chemistry from the beginning. Each step of these story simply hit all the right notes for me and what I enjoy in a romance. I LOVED the spin on one of my favorite micro tropes. The Proposal Project is a gem that brought me so much joy. It has a great pace and once I started I didn’t want to put it down.

“The Proposal Project” by Donna Marchetti
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.25 stars)

I was lucky enough to receive an advanced reader copy of *The Proposal Project* by Donna Marchetti, and let me just say—this book was the epitome of adorable and heartwarming!

Pricilla and Oliver were the perfect blend of “enemies to lovers” turned “fake dating,” and I couldn’t get enough of their dynamic. The banter, the chemistry, the *moments*—all of it had me completely hooked.

What really stood out to me was how unique the premise felt. It brought a fresh twist to familiar tropes, and I genuinely haven’t read anything quite like it before. Marchetti’s writing is charming and full of heart, and I’m already looking forward to reading more from her in the future.

If you’re a fan of swoony romance, lovable characters, and a storyline that’ll leave you smiling, definitely add *The Proposal Project* to your TBR!