The Project by Annie Lord

*minor spoilers ahead* ad/gifted

Annie Lord’s The Project examines modern dating through a female perspective as we follow Daisy and her best friend Maya, who navigate their 20s in London. After a regrettable one-night stand with her friend James, Daisy begins to question why she and the intelligent, capable women around her face such limited romantic prospects. This leads to The Project: a structured reinvention of dating, with James serving as her initial test case, as he’s a stereotypical guy with laddish behaviour. James is happy to participate if it gives him more time alone with Daisy and so as the premise unfolds, Daisy is forced to confront her feelings that intensify during this period.

Daisy is a compelling central figure who often reminds me of a younger Bridget Jones, particularly in her combination of self-awareness and humour. I also really loved Maya; the interactions with them both are a strong element of the book, marked by feminist discussions and candid exchanges that add depth to their friendship. James is also a great character as he is portrayed as a typical mid-twenties lad, shaped by common gendered assumptions. This makes him a realistic figure within the novel’s broader examination of modern dating culture.

This book reminded me of Everything I Know About Love as it’s similar in tone and theme as they both explore feminism, relationships (romantic and platonic), sex, and wider social attitudes. Lord’s writing is highly descriptive, which makes the book very easy to read. The book also added humour in perfect places throughout the book, especially during those deeper, emotional discussions. The first half of the book set up the story, and I found the second half was where it really picked up.

I really enjoyed the fun makeover and ‘friends to lovers’ tropes in this book, especially how it functions more as a mechanism for exploring emotional growth than as a traditional romance plot. As a big romance fan myself, I was hoping for more of a focus on the romantic side of Daisy & James’ relationship when they reached that moment, but I understand how that wasn’t the primary focus of the book.

An underrated part of the book was when Daisy went back home, and we saw more of her relationship with her mother. This added a lot of warmth to the story for me, as we saw another side to Daisy as to how she views herself and her parents. I wish her mum had been introduced in person earlier on in the book so we could have more of these moments, but I did enjoy the bits we saw.

Overall, The Project offers a distinct and refreshing contribution to contemporary fiction. It’s a modern take on a rom-com as it’s a blend of humour and emotional honesty. If you’re a fan of character-driven narratives that explore the complexities of modern relationships, you’ll love this book, which comes out in July 2026.

Thank you to Harvill, Vintage Books, Penguin & Annie for inviting me to the cover reveal party of this book and receiving a proof!

4/5 stars