“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!

Thanks, @netgalley, the author & the publishers for the ARC.

This book was pleasantly surprising! It had all the usual tropes, Enemies-lovers, fake dating, secret proposals, and close proximity.
It was fun, lighthearted, and easy to read, and I liked how the author made you fall in love with both main characters! It had some great banter and made me laugh in parts! This is definitely a read for the summer!

Thank you to One More Chapter Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this title.

I fell in love with this author with "Hate Mail.' She has a perfect recipe of banter, sexual tension, and swoon. While I'm not the biggest fan of miscommunication and slow burns, this one was done so well that I loved it.
This is told from Priscilla's point of view, and I would have loved to have Oliver's perspective for the sole purpose that I am so obsessed with him. He is a perfect MMC.
The entire background of planning an extravagant proposal for their best friends was so cute and charming. I was hooked from the first page.

The author amps up the steam for the last quarter of the book and the slow burn was so worth it when the main characters drop the facade, start communicating and let their guard down.

I highly recommend this for all RomCom lovers!

This was so much fun!! I giggled at some point, and I never giggle, that's how much fun I was having with it! Ahhhh!

I don't like miscommunication as a trope, but that being said, this was really well-executed and believable, because they totally did sound like the kind of people who are too awkward and stubborn to just talk it out at some point. I can 100% buy that someone like Priscilla would go about her way believing something she thinks is true without checking for sure, which means her character is really well-written, if annoying at times (I see myself in her, which makes me wonder if I really think I'm that annoying, since every time I see myself in someone, that person keeps testing my patience).

Also, I had trouble putting this book down, even though I'm obsessive (ironic, much?) and just started getting into another hobby as I picked it up, that's how fun it is.

I loved it! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

The premise of The Proposal Project had me excited from the start—fake dating, enemies to lovers, slow-burn romance? Count me in. Unfortunately, the execution fell short for me.

From the beginning, I found myself frustrated with both main characters. Priscilla is portrayed as professional, but her impulsiveness and emotional reactions created constant, avoidable conflict. She often jumped into situations without thinking and got upset when others called her obsessive or impulsive—which only added to the disconnect.

Oliver, the main love interest, wasn’t much better. I wanted to like him, but he contributed just as much to the endless miscommunication. Their arguments often ended with Priscilla storming off instead of addressing the issues head-on, and it became repetitive and exhausting.

The couple doesn’t truly resolve their problems until about 90% into the book, and by then, their relationship felt more like lust clouded by unresolved tension than genuine love.

This book just wasn’t for me, but I appreciate the opportunity to read it early. I know some readers really enjoy the miscommunication trope, and I think those readers will get more out of this than I did.

If I could give this book more than 5 Stars, I would. The Proposal Project was one of the funniest book I read. It was light-hearted when needed and funny all together. I would definitely recommend this book! 💗💗

This book follows Oliver and Priscilla, two people who definitely don't get along — which is especially awkward since their best friends, Tina and Ryan, are a couple.

When Priscilla gets fired from her job, Tina asks her to plan an elaborate proposal for Ryan. But things get complicated fast when Priscilla discovers that Ryan is actually planning to propose to Tina first. With two secret proposals in the works, Priscilla ends up having to team up with the last person she wants to work with: Oliver. To keep their scheming under wraps, they decide to fake date — a trope I always enjoy — and honestly, their chemistry is fun to watch unfold.

While I liked the core concept and the author's writing style, I found myself distracted by several plot holes and unresolved threads that kept me from fully loving this story.

For starters, the entire reason for Oliver and Priscilla’s falling out felt a little flimsy. A drunken comment from Priscilla about being “obsessed” with Oliver makes its way back to him, and when he brings it up (in a way that’s arguably teasing, not cruel), she takes offense and refuses to speak to him for an entire year. That level of overreaction didn’t quite feel believable.

Another unresolved thread is the idea that Priscilla tends to “obsess” over things — something her dad mentions and which clearly bothers her — but this is never explored or resolved in a meaningful way. It felt like it was set up to lead to some personal growth or emotional insight, but it was dropped entirely.

The Malcolm storyline also felt unnecessary. Priscilla suspects him of getting her fired, but he later offers her a job. He comes off as inappropriate and untrustworthy, so she declines and blocks him — and that’s it. It added nothing to the story or her character arc.

There’s also a moment where Priscilla finds a handwritten book of poetry — presumably written by Oliver — but it’s never mentioned again. It seemed like it could have been a sweet or revealing moment, but instead, it just… disappears.

Finally, the fake dating twist falls apart a bit at the end. Ryan and Tina reveal they knew all along that Priscilla and Oliver were pretending — because Ryan saw her climb through Oliver’s window. But if they knew, why didn’t they say anything? Why wouldn’t they question it at the time? It just didn’t make sense that two best friends would discover their friends were fake dating and simply… not react.

Despite all these little issues, I did enjoy the book. The dialogue is snappy, the writing is charming, and the romantic tension between the leads is genuinely fun. I just wish the story had tied up its loose ends a bit more neatly.

Tropes featured:

Enemies to lovers

Fake dating

Forced proximity

O M G!!! I absolutely loved this book!! I loved the banter with Oliver and Priscilla! Tina was the perfect best friend and just the whole story was heartwarming!! The spice was great as well! The buildup to it was excellent! I laughed out loud and got giddy at others!! Please, please read this! It is such a good book!!! So lovely!!

I love Donna with my whole heart and she slowly became one of my favourite authors.
This is such a fun rom com!
The storyline is really amazing. I was afraid that it would be similar to other books with similar premise. Thankfully, this one felt refreshing. Perfect 2000's rom com vibes.
I am sad that the release day is so late, because this one is great to read during spring & summer.
One thing that I was not a fan of is misscomunication.
I know that books need a plot twist, but I don't like this one.
It made me not like the main characters during few moments. Thankfully, most of the book they were great. And the dynamic with their friends was super fun, too.
Overall, I really enjoyed it.

A feel-good, fake-dating romcom with total 2000s movie vibes! Donna Marchetti delivers again with a light, binge-worthy story full of hilarious misunderstandings, sweet moments, and just the right amount of chaos. Priscilla and Oliver’s enemies-to-lovers journey was super fun, and I loved the friendship dynamics just as much as the romance. Perfect for spring or summer when you want something adorable, funny, and heartwarming.

I'd never read anything by this author before but I completely ignored the warning that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover and requested it anyway because of its gorgeous cover. I'm so glad I did, The Proposal Project is a fun read with a really likable heroine, Priscilla and love interest, Oliver. There's definite chemistry between them and even though they're kept apart because of a miscommunication, which usually irritates me, in this instance I could completely understand how it happened. You know that feeling when two characters who are meant to be together finally figure it out and it gives you butterflies, that's how I felt with Priscilla and Oliver. The idea that they're both secretly helping their best friends, Tina and Ryan, propose to each other felt fresh and led to plenty of hijinks. Overall, I really enjoyed The Proposal Project and will definitely read more by this author.

I was super excited to get an ARC of The Proposal Project since I read and loved Donna Marchettis debut novel, Hate Mail, last year.
This book was just what I needed. Something light and fun. I really do love a good rom-com.
This book had me hooked from the start, and it was hard to put down.
There were a few minor things that I wish were different or were developed further, but I still thought it was great.
I can't wait to read future books by Donna Marchetti.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and One More Chapter for the opportunity to read to this book early in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a quick read! Priscilla and Oliver were fun enemies to lovers. Their chemistry when they started fake dating was so cute! Their scheming to help their friends Tina and Ryan plan the perfect proposal was such a unique story. Definitely a kick your feet and squeal book especially towards the end with the perfect amount of spice.

I read this book so quickly! Such a sweet and easy read. The characters were likable and the story was cute. Very light-hearted but kept you engaged. I love this author!

3.5/5

This is a cute little romance about an event planner (who is being fired) who ends up in a fake dating situation in order to help get things done for their friends (a couple who is getting engaged). It is a very complicated and dramatic situation as I'm sure you're thinking.

This reads so fast and easily.

I can definitely see this being the plot of a classic 90's or early 2000's romcom. This also feels so perfect to be reading as we're entering the spring and summer months.

I liked seeing these characters and their relationships develop. We start with our main "fake" couple reluctantly working together and not really getting along, to a true friendship and that snowballs into a romantic relationship.

This was very cute, I would recommend! This was so light-hearted and fun.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

One proposal, two scheming best friends, and a whole lot of unexpected chemistry… what could go wrong?

The Proposal Project is a fun, trope-filled rom-com with a charming premise and plenty of flirty moments. Event planner Priscilla teaming up with her best friend’s best man to plan a secret joint proposal? It’s got all the right ingredients for chaos, comedy, and unexpected romance.

I loved the forced proximity setup, cabin getaway tension, and classic “one bed” moment—all delivered with playful energy and a clear affection for the genre. While I found the characters’ miscommunication slightly frustrating at times, the writing is light, engaging, and easy to fly through. It's a fun and super cute rom-com, perfect for a light-hearted weekend read.

Perfect for fans of trope-heavy, low-angst romantic comedies, this is a sweet, feel-good read with a guaranteed HEA and a whole lot of heart.

The Proposal Project follows event planner Priscilla, who has been asked to plan her best friend Tina’s dream wedding proposal to her boyfriend, Ryan. However, Ryan might just beat her to it. Priscilla must team up with Ryan’s obnoxious, but gorgeous, best friend Oliver to plan a secret joint proposal. But as Priscilla and Oliver work together to pull off the proposal of the year, could there be more than one happily ever after on the cards…

This was a quick, lighthearted, fun read that played with a lot of much-loved romance tropes (fake dating, forced proximity, one bed etc). There wasn’t much angst, so I feel like this book would be perfect for when you want a fluffy, feel-good romcom.

The premise was really fun, and I enjoyed reading about the characters trying to plan an elaborate joint proposal while keeping up the fake dating ruse.

However, the characters were quite immature and acted like teenagers a lot of the time, and their miscommunication frustrated me. There wasn’t much emotional depth in their relationship, which made everything feel very surface level. I also found the writing during the intimate scenes to be a bit wooden, which made them quite boring and awkward to read.

The ending and epilogue were sweet, and I overall had a fun time reading this book. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK/One More Chapter for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

DNF at 30%.

Thank you to One More Chapter and Netgalley for the arc. Unfortunately this one wasn’t for me.

I adored Hate Mail. It was one of my favorite romances of last year. But I could not get into this romance. It was … so standard, so trope heavy, and so disjointed. Their banter felt like it was staged, like I was watching a terrible performance instead of an actual conversation. Both of them were terrible people and so rude to one another and so incredibly selfish. And it was so obvious that the guy already likes her but he knifes it behind sarcasm and jokes that make me want to punch him.

Also, whoever started this trend of the FMC and friend talking about the FMC’s sex life in front of the friend’s boyfriend and the potential love interest needs to be reprimanded. It’s GROSS and no one would ever talk about a friend’s sex life or lack thereof in front of other people like that. 🤮

I’m so sad I didn’t like this one but I can’t take it anymore. I really tried here but this one just isn’t for me.

I loved Pricilla and Oliver’s story so much, I wish they could have gotten together from the jump but that is not how life works and certainly not in novels. Would have loved a little more time with them as a couple at the end too. A quick and fun read!

The nickname Priss, that’s annoying didn’t like it. I hated her parents and stopped reading shortly after they were introduced. I did feel like the plot was very predictable and this book was just not for me.