The Project: A Novel

by Annie Lord

“Annie Lord is a phenomenal talent.”―Dolly Alderton, author of Everything I Know About Love

From the acclaimed Vogue writer and author of Notes on Heartbreak comes a decade-defining a funny, sweet, and subversive debut novel, reminiscent of Dolly Alderton and Monica Heisey, about two women, tired of the London dating scene, who decide to transform their most annoying male friend into the perfect man.

When twenty-six-year-old Daisy wakes up next to James Stanley, she can’t believe what she’s done. She slept with James. The most boorish boy she knows. The black sheep of their friendship group. Someone who once told her that he’d never cried in his entire life—and sounded proud of it.

But sleeping with James is a casualty of a Much Larger Problem—there is not a decent, single man to be found in London. At least, that’s what Daisy and her best friend Maya think. All the good ones are taken. Even the average, not-so-good men have beautiful, educated, and accomplished girlfriends with perfect hip-to-waist ratios. Where have all the good men gone?

Fed up with the dating scene, Daisy and Maya decide to stop waiting and take matters into their own hands with “The Project.” Their goal? To build the perfect, eligible match out of some of the most lackluster, raw material. And who better to start with than their embarrassingly uncivilized (yet frustratingly attractive) friend, James?

Embarking on a series of social and cultural lessons—from art exhibitions to feminist book clubs, designer clothing stores to house parties—Daisy and Maya chaperone James on a journey of discovery.

But which of them will change more?

Genres: Romance

384 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication July 9, 2026

Reviews

[Annie M.]

I ate this up with a spoon. It feels like a mixture of Dolly Alderton, Mhairi McFarlane, and Bridget Jones, but gen-z. I’m a sucker for a book about a British woman’s juicy crush and fabulous friend. Can you blame a girl?

The characters felt like real people I could meet. Daisy and Maya were fab, but James sparkled. It’s rare to see a fully realized male romantic interest, but here he is. That’s not to say that everyone in this book is perfect—they really, really aren’t—but that made it feel more believable. And the titular project felt breathable, more real-world, which was a relief. While there was a lot more TikTok-level discourse and lingo than I care for, I can’t fault it too much; I ripped through this at a rapid clip. The style was frictionless. And boy did I love that party scene (vision: standalone episode).

Thanks to Harper and NetGalley for the ARC. Writing the first review on here is bananas. I hope this gets buzz!

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Net Galley for the early copy! The Project felt like the perfect lit-fic romance, it’s very reminiscent of Dolly Alderton’s writing and had me laughing, feeling nostalgic, and deeply heartbroken all at once. I must say that I don’t think the concept of ‘the project’ in the novel is developed fully enough and could be fleshed out a lot more - perhaps it would help if it was more than just James who was undergoing the process. With that in mind, the title and the blurb are somewhat misleading and if that is the element that draws a reader in they may be a bit disappointed. However, for me it was enjoyable nonetheless and for the most part this was down to the pure relatability of the writing; Lord’s references to small things that felt so accurately specific for a woman in her 20s really elevated the novel for me. Daisy was somewhat unbearable in parts, but what 20-something female isn’t painfully frustrating from time to time!!

[Chloe Doherty · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written story on love and complicated relationships. I really enjoyed this, it felt like i was on FaceTime to my best friend and she was filling me in on all the dating gossip. Lord’s writing is super contemporary and nuanced - I connected with all the characters and felt they developed well. The plot and “unlikely lovers” trope isn’t one I’d usually go for but it really surprised me!

[Lucy Skeet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Annie Lord I love you

Thanks so much to Harvill for my copy!!! Preorder this

[Alexandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably 3.5 stars. This is a difficult book for me to review because I have such conflicting feelings about it, and I am pretty sure all the things I didn’t like have nothing to do with the quality of the writing, plotting, etc. The author is definitely skilled. Everything in the book felt (painfully) real, including the protagonist’s infuriatingly self-sabotaging behaviour. The titular Project was just as much Daisy as it was James and it was satisfying to see her eventual character growth after becoming so frustrated with her choices for hundreds of pages.

But maybe I am too far removed age-wise to be able to connect with the characters’ lifestyle, because while I found many of Daisy’s insecurities relatable (sadly, they are probably timeless), I was also repelled by some of the uninterrogated lifestyle elements among her cohort: the fake tan and lip filler, the constant recreational Class A drug use, the complete absence of condoms or conversations about protection during casual sex, the expectation that casual sex encounters will mimic the choreography of pornography. It all just seemed so grim. Is this how people in their mid- and late-twenties live now? I too moved to London after my undergraduate degree, and never left, and the experiences of the characters in the book bear almost zero resemblance to my own at that life stage… but perhaps I just wasn’t hanging out in the same circles.

Overall, though, while the book horrified me in many respects, I found it compelling to the point where I read it voraciously over the course of two days. So objectively speaking, it’s probably quite a good book, albeit one that’s a strange blend of gritty realism most of the way through and romcom-style fluff toward the end.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance reader copy.

[Soph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Harvill Books & Vintage Books for a proof!

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. 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, and the interactions with Maya are 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 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. 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. An underrated part of the book was when Daisy went back home, and we saw more of her relationship with her mother, which added a lot of warmth to the story for me.

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, and 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.

For a more in-depth review, here’s the link to my blog: https://sophslibrary.com/2025/12/03/t...

[Hana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been describing this book to everyone I know as a "a chick flick but nuanced", and after finishing it I still believe this to be true. The story is exactly as "girliepop" as you could possibly want from a book titled The Project, but it has so much more substance than your average, surface-level, 3-star rom-com and really makes you think about the state of modern dating, the patriarchy and the emotional labour of women. Annie Lord writes her fiction exactly as she writes her non-fiction - with her instantly recognisable voice, surprising humour and oodles and oodles of relatability. I have rarely read a fiction book that has made me reflect more deeply on myself and that has sparked so many conversations between myself and my own partner about our dynamic, and with my (female) friends about their relationships too.
Reading this also made me realise that I've never had an original thought and I feel comforted in the knowledge that all of the things I struggle with about myself and in my relationships are truly normal and that I am walking the same well-trodden path that many women navigating their 20s have walked before me. Thank you Annie, this was a genuine delight and I can't wait to read more wonderful books by you in the future!

[alex alderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

★★★★
#pr — gifted proof 💥

𝙢𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙚 𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙𝙣’𝙩 𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙗𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙝𝙚𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙜𝙤𝙩 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙚 𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨, 𝙬𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙥𝙮, 𝙜𝙤𝙩 𝙖 𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙚-𝙛𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙩-𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙧𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙨.

this was a very funny, very spicy book!! 😏🌶️🔥

𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 is delightfully wicked, with bold characters and a trio you absolutely adore <3

𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭: daisy and maya are best friends working and living in london. tired of dating the same ‘man-child’ over and over, & looking for a fun new distraction, they start ‘the project’.

they come up with the idea to radicalise and reinvent their chosen man for gorgeous women all over, to finally instill some hope in modern dating (in a fun, kind of early 2000s twist on the classic ‘girl makeover’ trope)

and who is the perfect candidate? audacious, loud, happy-go-lucky james. but james has his own reasons for getting involved with the project, and as time goes on, daisy starts to think this might not be such a good idea after all, as emotions towards their test subject starts to cloud her judgement.

read if you enjoy:

🍭 cheeky books with lots of charm
🍭 books about modern dating (with a twist)
🍭 wonderfully strong & brazen female characters

thank you Penguin Vintage for the proof! 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 will be published in july 2026; a sizzling, sexy summer read you won’t want to miss ☀️

[Harriet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fair warning: The Project really got me. I went into it already knowing how much I absolutely loved Notes on Heartbreak. the flow, the honesty and the way it felt like Annie Lord had somehow crawled into my brain and this just confirmed it for me. All her books are painfully, beautifully relatable.

The high expectations I had.. it delivered. Reading it genuinely felt like I was scrolling through my own memories, my own thoughts, my own patterns, as if my life had been laid out on the page but written better that I ever could. That mix of vulnerability, self-awareness, longing, and reflection is just so her and it works every time.

There is something about the way Annie writes that feels intimate without trying too hard, you're not just reading a story, you're inside it. Inside her head, but also weirdly, inside your own. If you ever loved deeply, lost yourself a bit, questioned everything or just sat with your feelings for a little too long then this will resonate! Another Annie Lord book, another reminder of why her writing feels like being understood. Highly recommend.

[Han · Rating 5 out of 5]

Put this on your wish list!

This book is funny, sexy, and incredibly honest about how messy relationships can be in your twenties where a "regrettable one-night stand" can feel like a major crisis in an seemingly hopeless dating scene.The bond between Daisy and Maya is the heart of the book. I loved watching them pour all their energy into "The Project"—attempting to "renovate" their friend James—only to realise they were the ones who needed to grow. It was great to see the main character Daisy, find the courage to stop settling for people who just used her and watching her bring down her walls to find something real rather than "perfect" was truly moving.

Thank you to Netgallery for allowing me a copy before publication.

[Katie Peal · Rating 3 out of 5]

A funny, gritty and I've got to imagine, realistic, account of life as a twenty-something in the city.

The Project element is just a small part of this story, and it's essentially a friends to lovers story with a lot of frustrating miscommunication and alcohol.

The narrative often felt quite chaotic but I think that was by design as it added to the overall story and took you on a journey with the main characters through their chaotic lives.

I'd recommend this book for the demographic featured, it would probably be a lot more relatable for the Hinge & TikTok generation but overall it was an enjoyable read.

[KrstyCrgr · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Project reads with cinematic scope in this Pygmalion retelling told with a new adult British vernacular. Always ready for some coke and unprotected sex, Daisy attempts to re-educate the brash James in this well-written, blind-leading-the-blind love story.

[McKenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hardly ever read rom coms but this one was really sweet, a bit unbelievable and the writing was cliche at times but the ending made me tear up

an enjoyable read and one for the girlies who struggle finding a good man to date because it’s unfortunately harder than it should be !!!!

[booksinmybag · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why do men so often feel as though they can’t let their guard down and talk about their feelings? Why is it so often down to their girlfriends to teach them how to be vulnerable?

Can a makeover ever not be problematic? The idea of an emotional makeover is an interesting one. And interestingly the problems that arise as a result of James’s emotional development pretty much just affect Daisy’s self confidence and flare up issues she had already.

It was definitely satisfying to read about the emotional arc from the type of guy who pretty much every girl has come across. The very laddy types that love to create a big scene to get a few laughs, for him to actually want to learn about the female experience and how to express his feeling in order to show up better in relationships. Sure they give him an actual makeover too but it’s the emotional stuff that really struck me.