I really loved Hate Mail by Donna Marchetti last year, so I was truly excited about this book.

Unfortunately, I didn't get far. The MCs felt like litteral teenagers, made me actually annoyed? (It rarely happens in my household.)
Like what do you mean they stick their tongues to each other?

I'll keep my eye on Donna for her next release tho.

⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️/5

I’m sorry but I did not vibe with this at all. Reading this book felt more like a chore and I struggled to force myself to pick it up.

I can positively say that this was not the worst thing I have ever read, so there’s that.

Right out of the gate, I did not like the FMC. In the very beginning, she gets into a sort of altercation with her boss over a tape dispenser while he was firing her. It was so immature and rubbed me the wrong way but I kind of just chucked it up to her being emotional from losing her job and pushed on. Unfortunately, I quickly learned she was all around childish and that wasn’t a spur of the moment situation. Between the tantrums and the child like dialogue, it was hard to see her as an adult. I felt like the author was trying to go for a sort of fun and quirky MC with Priscilla, but it just did not work.

The MMC really sucked too. Oliver had the personality of a dead fish. Every single interaction with him felt so forced and awkward. The dude didn’t seem like he wanted to be a part of this book at all lol.

If the characters as individuals wasn’t bad enough, I really didn’t like them as a couple either. From the very beginning, there was this sort of forced enemies to lovers situation that didn’t make sense at all. Like, why do these two not get along? Their fake hatred for each other really interfered with the story and not just because it didn’t flow well at all. Between their unfortunate personalities and their forced animosity, I really couldn’t ship them. By the end, I genuinely did not care for either of them and in turn, I didn’t care if they had an HEA or not.

As if the MC characters weren’t enough, the side characters were equally as bad. Kinda like Oliver, Ryan was just kind of there. The only difference between them is we saw more of Oliver lol. Unfortunately, Tina played a big role in this story. She was such a bad friend. The way she would constantly meddle in Priscilla’s life and publicly talk about her personal matters was so gross. As much as I didn’t like Priscilla, she still deserved so much better.

I don’t think Tina wouldn’t have bothered me so much, if she didn’t play such a big role in the story. It’s not just the fact that it was her event that Priscilla was planning. There were times where I felt like this book was more about the two best friends than the actually couple and that rubbed me the wrong way. I feel like I would have enjoyed this story so much more if Tina would have just taken a backseat so that the relationship between the main characters could have fully blossomed. Idk. This dynamic between Tina and Priscilla really overshadowed Oliver at times.

Setting that aside, I wasn’t really a fan of the conflict in the storyline either. It was so stupid IMO. It was so frustrating because it could have been easily solved if Priscilla and Oliver could have set their fake differences aside to find some common ground. Maybe I wouldn’t have hated the “conflict” so much, if I truly felt like these too had a valid reason to dislike each other. Maybe then, them not being able to properly communicate would have made sense to me.

Overall, this was not a vibe for me. The characters all sucked and I really wasn’t impressed with the story either.

I don’t recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of The Proposal Project!

This charming rom-com is a trope-lover’s dream! With fake dating, forced proximity, enemies-to-lovers tension, and even a one-bed moment, Donna Marchetti delivers a feel-good romance that’s equal parts flirty and heartfelt.

Priscilla is the ultimate planner—organized, driven, and totally unprepared for the chaos that is Oliver, her best friend’s best man and her total opposite. Their chemistry is immediate, their banter is addictive, and watching them go from sparring partners to something much sweeter is so satisfying. Add in a secret joint proposal mission, and you’ve got a story full of hilarious mishaps, slow-building tension, and genuinely touching moments.

No third-act breakup? Yes, please. Clueless FMC and secretly obsessed MMC? Even better. The Proposal Project is light on angst, high on charm, and will leave you with a goofy smile by the last page. Perfect for fans of cozy, closed-door rom-coms with all the tropes and none of the drama.

The Proposal Project by Donna Marchetti is a standalone fake dating, forced proximity romance with loads of banter and laugh out loud moments.

Priscilla has been tasked with planning her best friend Tina’s proposal. The only problem is Tina’s boyfriend Ryan also has a proposal planned. Forced to work with Ryan’s best friend Oliver to keep Ryan and Tina from ruining each other’s proposals while still ending up engaged is a twist Priscilla truly isn’t prepared for. As Oliver and Priscilla are pushed together to make their friend’s dreams come true perhaps they can realize some dreams of their own.

The Proposal Project was a super fun romantic comedy. There was banter, tension, and plenty of laughs. Priscilla is an extremely determined woman on a mission and Oliver is right beside her every step of the way both infuriating and intriguing her. The plot was a welcome relief from the typical romantic comedy and I found myself truly enjoying both the characters and the story. If you enjoy contemporary romance, definitely give this one a read!

Thank you One More Chapter for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

3.5 Stars. I absolutely adored the author’s first book “Hate Mail,” so I was over the moon when the publisher offered me an arc for her next book.

This was a fun story filled with cute banter and likeable characters. It had a great concept and who can say no to friends to frenemies to lovers?!

There was a lot of miscommunication, which normally I’m not a fan of but it works for this story. There were some great scenes with the leads, but I wish Pricilla and Oliver had a bit more emotional depth. I felt the misunderstanding they had a year prior could have been discussed more. It just felt brushed over and rushed.

If you enjoy the tropes- one bed, forced proximity, miscommunication, fake dating and some open door spice give this one a go.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Quick Summary: A super fun NA summer read romance

My Review: The Proposal Project by Donna Marchetti is a lighthearted 2025 new adult romance novel. It was released on 6/19/25.

About the Book: “Falling in love was never part of the plan.”

Identified Tropes/Content:

“Spice 🌶️

Miscommunication ❌

Fake Dating 👫

Forced proximity 🙅‍♀️

Enemies to Lovers ❤️‍🔥

Clueless FMC & Obsessed MMC 👩‍❤️‍👨

One Bed 🛏️”

In My Own Words: What happens when a drunk confession puts you on blast? Where do you hide when an intense “obsession” for the best friend of your best friend’s boyfriend is found out? There is nowhere to go but…


My Final Say: This little charmer was so easy to lose myself in. It was cute and quick. It wasn’t too serious, rather it was light, fluffy, and sweet. There was not much to it, in terms of conflict. It dealt with misunderstandings, wishful thinking, fake dating, fun-posals, dropped hints, and a healthy dose of petting & parking for newbies in love.

Other: Readers who enjoy friends to enemies to lovers stories may like this novel.


Rating: 3.5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: NA
Status/Level: 💛

Thank you to the author, to the publisher (HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter | One More Chapter), and to NetGalley. It was a pleasure to review this work. I appreciate the opportunity.

I enjoyed reading The Proposal Project by Donna Marchetti. You will fall in love with all the characters. I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely. Happy Reading!

I sped through this book in one day! I love the fake dating trope, and this was no exception.
Priscilla was such a likable character and I loved her development through the book. Her friendship with Tina and how willing she was to support her and make her dreams come true was very relatable. This book had wholesome moments and also moments that made me laugh out loud. I enjoyed Marchetti's first novel but this one was even better.
This is the perfect book to binge.
Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins, One More Chapter for an ARC copy of this book.

3.75 stars

The Proposal Project was such a cute concept. I can totally see this being adapted into a really fun romcom. I really enjoyed the mix of rivals-to-lovers and fake dating. It had the kind of setup that pulls you in quickly, and all of the characters each added an entertaining layer to the story. The banter between Priscilla and Oliver was definitely one of the highlights, as it had me literally laughing out loud and kicking my feet. The way they came up with the fake dating plan was especially funny. It had me cracking up and fit perfectly with the playful tone of the book. Watching the two of them gradually grow more comfortable with each other and form that reluctant connection was really cute and heartwarming.

That said, the romance didn’t feel super convincing to me. Their connection from the past was pretty minimal, so it was a little hard to fully believe in the depth of their feelings. I also felt that Oliver’s explanation for what happened a year ago wasn’t very strong, and his reaction felt a bit immature. I just wish they had communicated a bit more. I really wanted to see Priscilla explain why she was so upset about the past, instead of just jumping into bed with him right after. The transition to intimacy felt a little too fast and not fully earned. Some parts, like Oliver’s journal, were introduced but never followed up on, which felt like such a missed opportunity. The final quarter of the book just felt a bit rushed overall.

Still, I had a fun time reading this. It was fast-paced, funny, and lighthearted, and all the characters were very loveable in their own ways. If you're in the mood for something sweet and easy to read, this is a great pick.

Thank you, NetGalley and One More Chapter, for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I guess I am just a little too old for this book. As much as I liked the premise of working on a friend's proposal, the story felt very high school-ish. I didn't connect with the characters, It wasn't for me and that's ok.

I liked it a lot! It was cute and funny and I even got a little teary-eyed. I would say it's a perfect romcom and a perfect beach read. Also LOVED that there is no third-act breakup 🥰

However, the thing that brought it down a couple of notched for me was the miscommunication and I felt there still were some loose threads at the end.

Overall I would still recommend this book because I like Donna's writing, her characters are great and the pacing is fast and easy to read.

I received an ARC from Netgalley (thank you!!), but the opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and One More Chapter for providing the ARC.

What happens when your best friend wants to propose the same time as her boyfriend, and you get roped into planning it along with the guy you swore you hated? An adorable rom com that's what.

Everything about this book was sweet and cute, and everything a romcom should be. Oliver and Priscilla are so smitten with each other at the beginning of the book that it's only a manner of pages before they're moving out of the fake dating realm and into the real world. And the hijinks that ensue to not only keep their friends from proposing to each other but also planning the mother of all viral proposals are hilarious. This book had me smiling for hours.

The miscommunication that started their animosity was a struggle for me, because if he was really that enamored with her, why did it take a year for them to communicate about what really happened? We don't get a lot of insight into that year other than Priscilla being angry and mean and Oliver responding accordingly. I feel like they could have buried the hatchet sooner than they did.

Fun, easy read for the summer!

3.75⭐️
This was an enjoyable, engaging, lighthearted read that, while not perfect, was cute and fun. The initial misunderstanding and reason why they weren’t friends anymore to begin with felt so incredibly silly on the female main character’s part and was one of the less enjoyable things about the book. The banter between Priscilla and Oliver was funny and they had great chemistry, but there were definitely some cringy parts once they actually got together. Overall I thought it was cute and I would read other titles by this author. Thank you to Donna Marchetti, HarperCollins UK, and NetGalley for the ARC in return for my honest review.

This was an enjoyable, light-hearted read. I liked that readers got to know both couples while on their respective journey.

2.5 ⭐️

Okay, I enjoyed some of this book. It was cute and fun, and it had the fake dating trope, which I absolutely love. Outside of that, it was just a little infuriating. The main reason is the miscommunication trope. I understand this trope is needed sometimes, especially in a romance, but if it's not done right or the miscommunication wasn't done for a valid reason, then it's just infuriating to read. The MCs seemed a little petty, more so the FMC, and for a good chunk of the book, i was screaming, "JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER!". I kinda got past this, but then when I found out why they were no longer 'friends' in the first place, I was ready to throw the book away. It seemed ridiculous, and the FMC was clearly holding a grudge. I just wish there was more to their relationship. The book quickly became predictable, and I was just waiting to see who would speak up first.

I flew through this book. What a fantastic summer read. I love the fake dating trope so this was perfect for me.

The characters are fun, relatable and likable. I enjoyed the history between Pricilla and Oliver as it added depth to their relationship, it would have been weird if they didn't really know each other well before this. It's feel-good, 2000s rom-com vibes are in full force, bordering on cheesy in parts but keeping it just that side of the line that it's enjoyable. They had great chemistry, even if they let a bit of miscommunication get the better of them at times.

The whole plot of planning the proposal made for an enjoyable read, and the getaway to the cabin was great fun. Perfect blend of sweet and funny.

This is such a binge-able book and I devoured it, almost in one sitting. It's light hearted, fluffy and entertaining.

I definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a cute, rom com summer read! And I will be checking out more of this authors books after this.

Thank you, NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for providing the ARC for my honest opinion.

3.75/5

Oliver and Priscilla used to be friendly before he embarrassed her in front of everyone. Now, a year later, they need to join forces to make sure that their best friends' proposal extravaganza is perfect in every way. Which is difficult when they can't stop bickering...

This was a fun book. It wasn't perfect, but it was still a lot of fun.

Tina's idea for a proposal was so over the top it was funny to me. I'm more like Priscilla - instead of a flash mob and fireworks, I'd rather have only my partner there. But it was perfect for Tina, who wanted to recreate her mother's proposal and add her own spin on it.

Priscilla was an interesting character and I enjoyed her. She was standing her ground when her parents disapproved of her starting her own business (I hoped we would have something more about them later on, but still), and she started to work hard on it almost immediately.

Oliver was fun, cocky, a generic MMC, but I enjoyed him a lot. He was so down for Priscilla from the start, and poor girl never noticed, even though it was so obvious. I enjoyed that he tried tot ell her how he felt and she was so oblivious, she thought he was only pretending.

Same. I would have done the exact same thing as Priscilla and be obtuse about what's in front of me. That spoke to me on a spiritual level.

She was also "obsessive" about something for short amounts of time, and I can relate to that too. Honestly, Priscilla is me and I am Priscilla.

I loved the relationship between Oliver and Priscilla and how they started to trust each other again. The spice was great and the bond between them was so good.

I also loved their friendship with Ryan and Tina.

This is a great book for everyone who loves enemies to lovers who have to be partners in crime.

I had a really good time with this one. I loved the plot, specifically the way at the beginning that the proposal project comes about between Priscilla and Oliver, and how that drew these two characters together from the outset and how they couldn't escape each other no matter how much they tried. It was absolutely delicious to read. I loved the tension between them and how you get sucked into watching them be completely unable to leave each other alone. It also has such a great chorus of side characters! Highly recommend.

I loved Hate Mail by Donna Marchetti and was super excited for new story written by this author which did not disappoint. It was cute, funny, and full of banter that made it fun to read.
This book had me laughing out loud so many times.
It kept me engaged and on the edge of my seat even when I had figured out where the story was heading.
If you're looking for a light-hearted romcom that will have you laughing out loud then this is for you. It doesn't take itself too seriously and was a lovely little read.

Thank you so much for this ARC! I was really excited to read this one since I LOVED Hate mail by the same author. The concept of this book is so fun and very original I think. The writing style is amazing and I absolutely flew through this book. The only thing that I enjoyed less was the reason why the two main characters were not together and the epilogue was a bit much for me to be honest. But all in all, a very fun and easy romcom!