The Love Project Review — Is It Worth Reading?

Verdict: A funny, very slow-burn romcom from a favourite writing duo: Joni launches a web dating series to save her mother’s advice column, and its lovelorn star, Hope, turns out to be the one Joni falls for. Readers adore Hope and laugh out loud at the setups; a few ace-spectrum readers felt the representation leaned on cluelessness.

Best for: Readers who want a gentle, humorous slow burn and ace-spectrum representation.

Heat level: L3 · Open door (3/5)

Rating: ★★★★☆ (3.9/5 — a 4.27 Goodreads average across 1,080 ratings, 3.88 on StoryGraph from 124 reviews, and 4.5 stars across 1,182 Amazon ratings)

Tropes: Matchmaking, reality dating show, slow burn, “straight” girl crush, ace-spectrum heroine, romantic comedy, low angst.

The Love Project is T.B. Markinson and Miranda MacLeod’s 2021 contemporary lesbian romance, their third book together. Joni Fisher runs the Help Me Henrietta advice column with her mother, and it is on the brink of cancellation.

It holds a 4.27 average across 1,080 Goodreads ratings, with 81% of them four or five stars, 3.88 on StoryGraph from 124 reviews, and 4.5 stars across 1,182 Amazon ratings.

What Is The Love Project About?

Joni’s last-ditch plan is The Love Project, a web series to bring Henrietta to a new generation. Her star is Hope Alvarez, a teacher who dreams of love but has always suspected she’s different — physical attraction is a foreign language to her.

Fans swoon for lovable, unlucky Hope, and so does Joni, who has vowed never again to fall for a straight woman. But what if she has read Hope all wrong?

What Works in This Book

Hope: Even readers who didn’t love the book adore her — earnest, awkward and endearing.
The humour: Readers laughed out loud at Joni’s attempts to set Hope up.
Self-discovery: Readers like watching Hope realise nothing about her is broken.
Families: Readers enjoyed the family subplot and a glimpse of a long-time marriage.

Book Synopsis

A web series meant to find love for a hopeless romantic finds it for its producer instead.

Two lonely hearts, one long shot.

My Review

Readers call it tender, funny and refreshing. The slow burn rewards patience: one reader says the longer it goes on, the funnier and more romantic it gets.

The criticisms are worth knowing. Several readers found the start slow, and a couple cringe at reality dating shows. One found it not entirely believable. Some ace-spectrum readers were torn: one flags acephobia and loved Hope but not the narrative around her, another objects that demisexuality is shown as guilelessness, and one wished the book explored asexuality more deeply.

My honest note: Read it for Hope and the laughs, knowing ace readers disagree about how well it handles her.

Element	In The Love Project
Central relationship	Joni Fisher (advice columnist and producer) & Hope Alvarez (teacher and web-series star)
Core tropes	Matchmaking, slow burn, ace-spectrum heroine
Setting	An advice-column business and its web series
Heat level	L3 · Open door (3/5)
Length	300 pages (Goodreads)
Series	Standalone
Content notes	Acephobia, sexual content, swearing (StoryGraph and readers)

How Spicy Is The Love Project?

Moderately; one reader calls it funny, sweet and sexy.

StoryGraph and readers flag acephobia or arophobia, sexual content and swearing.

Who Should Read This Book?

You’ll likely love it if: you want a warm romcom with an unusual heroine. It is on our low-angst lesbian romance list.

You may want to skip it if: reality-show premises make you cringe.

In short: Hopeless, then hopeful.

What Readers Are Actually Saying (September 2026)

On Goodreads the split is 49% five stars, 32% four, 14% three, 3% two and under 1% one. On StoryGraph, 90% tagged it lighthearted and 70% funny.

Why readers love it (according to the discourse): Hope first. Second, the humour. Third, self-discovery. Fourth, the families.

What readers argue about and complain about: The ace representation, above everything. Second, a slow start. Third, the reality-show premise.

The comparison worth making first: The Business of Love, another gentle slow burn with a misunderstood heroine.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Hope asexual?

Hope is on the ace spectrum; readers describe her as demisexual. Many praise the representation, but some ace-spectrum readers had reservations (see below).

Is The Love Project a slow burn?

Very. Several readers say it starts slowly before the humour and romance take hold.

How spicy is it?

Moderate. One reader calls it funny, sweet and yes, sexy.

Is it low angst?

Yes. Readers describe it as a low-angst, light and entertaining romcom.

Is The Love Project on Kindle Unlimited?

Yes, when we checked. An audiobook edition is also available.

If You Loved The Love Project, Read These Next

Try The Business of Love, or browse our low-angst list and the full Book Reviews archive.

The Bottom Line

The Love Project sets out to be a funny matchmaking romcom with heart, and Hope makes it sing. What holds it back is a slow start and divided ace-reader opinion. Recommended. Check The Love Project on Amazon →