Début author London Sperry’s Passion Project is a love letter to New York, and an intense representation of prolonged grief. With its vibrant setting, agreeable characters and tender moments, there’s much to enjoy about this book – but in the end I wasn’t convinced by the romance.

Bennet Taylor is living in New York, depressed and drowning in grief and guilt after the death of her boyfriend, Sam. She’s dropped out of college and is working casual gigs all over the city but not really making a place for herself. Her well-meaning flatmate Sonya finagles a date for her with photographer Henry Adams but Bennet dips out when she has a panic attack. Henry tracks her down and offers to set up a series of weekly dates to explore New York and find things that Bennet could be passionate about. Bennet reluctantly agrees and these dates are terrific – from practising tattooing (on a rockmelon!), puppy rescues, picnics and ferry rides, to walks in the park – Henry is great at organising them and he’s so patient with Bennet, and I loved the depictions of New York as they move around the city during a hot and steamy summer. Henry is a delight. He’s funny, positive and extroverted and enormously kind; Bennet comes out of her shell, and they fall in love. It’s a slow burn with a little bit of steam when she’s able to open herself to him.

I also loved Bennet’s relationship with her flatmate, Sonya, who gives her space to reflect on her relationships and Henry. Sonya and her girlfriend Jamie add some layers to the plot and make Bennet feel less isolated. They are instrumental in Bennet getting herself together – eventually.

Unfortunately the story lost me when Bennet takes Henry to Sam’s sister’s wedding and she hurts him – and for all Bennet’s character growth, she can’t see that alive-Henry is more important than dead-Sam. As Henry puts it: “You deserve to be happy Bennet, but so do I.” Apparently Henry’s kindness and patience is not enough for Bennet who is still tightly enmeshed in her anguish over Sam.

I really struggled with Bennet at times, even though I wanted to give her a hug. So many grief portrayals overlap with self-absorption, which is what happens here, even though she tries to move on from her depression. Henry is all in, but he knows his own worth and there’s only so much he can take of being second-best. Bennet’s muddled thinking goes on for too long and made it hard for me to believe that she would be a loving and present partner. I only wish Bennet had let go of Sam sooner, and appreciated Henry a bit more. She does get it together in the final chapters, but it’s a bit too late.

For a debut, Passion Project is promising, and I’d recommend it for the New York scenes and the slow burn between the leads, but the third act and Bennet’s too-long indecision took the shine off the book for me.