I love Dev and Charlie so much (and all the side characters tbh). Their story is beautiful and If you’ve ever watched The Bachelor (ironically or not) or Unreal you’ll appreciate this book.

Maureen’s little tirade near the end of the book is (sadly) exactly how I imagine the behind the scenes of the bachelor playing out. I would give ANYTHING to see a season of The Bachelor play out exactly how this book did.

The Charm Offensive made me laugh out loud and swoon hard but I also learned so much. There is a ton of representation in here, LGBTQ+ rep, ace/aro spectrum rep, mental health rep. I loved the dialogue about acceptance and figuring out who you are and that there is no timeline or deadline for learning more about yourself. These are the conversations and this is the content I wished I had been reading all my life

Thank you so much for this arc. What a delight.

As someone obsessed with watching (and criticizing) reality dating shows like The Bachelor franchise, this book is actual perfection. Like I don’t even think I can fully express how much I loved this book!! I finished it two nights ago and I can’t stop thinking about how much I loved it. I read this with one of my favorite humans to gush about books with and I highly recommend The Charm Offensive for buddy reads! You will need someone you can text (in all caps) to squeal about how amazing this book is! ⁣
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It goes without saying that the dating show in The Charm Offensive reminded me of The Bachelor, but I think it reminded me even more of watching Unreal (a less dark, more romantic version of Unreal) I loved how much this story talked about how crafted and scripted reality dating shows are, and I loved seeing what production was going through while filming Ever After. ⁣
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This one is low on steam and high on kicking you in the feels. And I truly mean making you feel all the things. One of the few times I didn’t mind having super steamy scenes. I was too busy laughing, crying, and swooning over Dev and Charlie’s romance soft and tender romance. I adored both of their characters, and their friends are also incredibly well written (I need all of them to also get HEAs, please and thank you). ⁣
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Reasons you need this book:⁣
- Excellent queer representation⁣
- Excellent anxiety and depression representation ⁣
- Reality style dating show ⁣
- Forced proximity/there’s only one bed⁣
- Fake/practice dating⁣
- Forbidden relationship ⁣
- Soft, tender characters that you just want to wrap up in a blanket and hug. ⁣
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Cochrun’s writing style reminded me of Sarah Hogle, Emily Henry, and Cara Bastone in the best, best, best ways. This book cemented her in my auto-buy author list. The Charm Offensive is one of those soft, delightful, emotional romances I can’t get enough of. ⁣
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Ten stars, will never stop raving about it. Do yourself a favor and read The Charm Offensive ASAP!
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CW: on page anxiety attack and severe depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, biphobia

5 Stars

This amazing love story has so much diversity and the way the author dealt with Mental health issues was spot on, and with much dignity, and compassion. The story was unique, and-oh-so special. Ms. Cochrun has concocted the perfect Rom-Com with a very special spin. All the main characters were endearing, and I felt a strong attachment to Dev and Charlie.
I hate reality television but somehow the author made me cling to the pages to find out how this story would end. Charlie stole my heart. The handsome and rich executive that doesn't know his own self worth. His awakening to his true self, and finally understanding his value made the journey immensely satisfying. Dev can relate to Charlie for many reasons, and as his handler on the dating show it is his job to help him fin true love. Everyone but Dev seems to know the show is just entertainment. The few real couples that emerged from it were a fluke. Dev is perfect for Charlie in so many ways but the show has certain expectations that are challenging for poor Charlie.
Everyone has a motive for being on the show, and very few are seeking their prince or princess. Can Charlie finally fit in and can Dev realize that happily ever afters are best made when not manufactured by reality TV.
I strongly recommend you try this wonderful story filled with interesting and unique individuals.

There were a few times I thought about abandoning ship on this book. The first half is a lot slower then the second half. I get that most of that is due to story building and introducing characters and establishing the contestants on Ever After but I was ready to dip a few times.

Boy am I glad I didn't. The second half moves much quicker then the first and once Dev and Charlie finally kissed I was hooked. I stayed up well past midnight to see how this ended. Most of the time I was actively crying.

Kudos to the author for hitting me right in the feels. I'm not sure if it was Dev's depression and need to push everyone away or Charlie's adorableness and anxiety that I found so relatable. I was on board and rooting for them by the time they got to Cape Town.

I love the author's details like including show notes that make you feel even more like you're on the set of Ever After. She establishes the typical dating show tropes without it seeming corny.

Also can we talk about the representation??? We got Charlie who can't fit into a box, Ace characters, non gender confirming characters..... Basically the entire queer spectrum.

I can't wait to see what Alison comes up with next and I will be impatiently waiting for her next title.

A huge thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this novel!
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First and foremost, this is, hands down, my favorite read so far this year! I loved it. I loved the characters. I loved the plot. I loved so much about it. The representation was incredible; so many colors, sexualities, and mental illnesses were present here. All of these were wildly important, but none of this defined any one character. Having a central character discovering where they fit on the asexuality spectrum was beautifully done, and there was such care taken to fully flesh out how anxiety, depression, and OCD presented in these characters. There was no generalizations of this issues, but a genuine understanding of how it functioned as a part of these particular people.
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I watch reality TV, but have never gotten into The Bachelor world, yet Cochrun builds it so clearly I didn't need any background knowledge. As someone who works in technical theatre, I loved how much she built the crew who creates the show into the fabric of the world of the book, rather than just focusing on Dev and then the "cast." Often times roles like these are overlooked or fall into a stereotype of those who would prefer not to be on the screen. Cochrun did not let any of these characters fall into that troupe, and it just makes me love the book more. Will I be reading this one again? Yes. Do I wish I had a physical copy to display? Absolutely. Get this book. Read this book. Thank me later.

The Charm Offensive takes the reality show idea and makes it original and heartwarming. What starts out as a man trying to be a prince and find true love with a woman turns into so much more. I was completely hooked on the characters, the experiences they were going through, and their emotions. So many emotions. All of it was very well done.

Charlie Winshaw is selected as the next Prince for a Bachelor type show however, it is quickly noticed that he does not have the charisma of a normal contestant looking for love. He's shy, awkward, anxious, and in all honesty doesn't even want to be there. He is there to try and redeem his image after a failed tech expansion. Dev Deshpande is a handler for the show and has been put in charge of molding Charlie and helping him find happiness. Dev believes wholeheartedly in the message of the show and is determined to make this work. The more time they spend together, they more a bond begins to form and their relationship starts to change. Dev tries to convince himself that it is for the good of the show and that he will sacrifice his own happiness if needed. He is a man who is used to making sacrifices for the things that he wants and he decides that this should be no exception.

From the beginning, I was hooked on the diversity of this story. There is so much representation - in race, in culture, and in sexuality - that is so nice to see in a contemporary story. Dev identifies as gay but Charlie has never investigated his sexuality. All of this new to him, and it is an even bigger surprise when he finds the connection that he does with Dev. I really liked the way that this was explored and opened up. It didn't feel rushed and felt honest to me. There were also several side characters with varying identities who I became very fond of and enjoyed their roles in the story.

Mental health is also an important aspect of The Charm Offensive. When we meet Charlie, it is apparent that he has a low concept of self worth. He also demonstrates characteristics of OCD and anxiety. This is the opposite of a normal Prince Charming on a reality dating show. Dev also has a relatively low concept of self worth and has tried to hide the depth of his depression. Both characters have a couple of really dark periods that they work through together. I loved them as individual characters and as a potential couple. I found that they helped each other grow and were a perfect compliment for each other. The emotional moments between kept me captivated and waiting to see what happened next.

I really felt that Alison Couchrun wrote the diversity and mental health of The Charmed Offensive so well. The challenges which each of the characters encountered felt very real to me. The only slight hold back for me was that some of the moments in the story started feeling repetitive to me. Regardless, I was invested in the story and found it to be emotional, sweet, and addictive to read. I can't wait to see what the author comes up with for her second novel. Maybe a sequel with one of the girls from the show? I would read that!

Holy wow! This book was everything! Simply everything.

Think the Bachelor with all the pomp and circumstance of a prince looking for his princess, and you will have our fictional show 'Ever After'. Charlie is this year's prince, and he's much different from the contestants who have been on the show for the last 20 years. Charlie isn't looking for love, but he is looking for a way to get back into the good graces of the company he started with his best friend, after being fired. This show is his ticket to normalizing himself to the public, so that he can end the rumors and speculation in the media about his erratic behavior. That might be easier said than done though when even being touched without permission can send him into a panic.

Dev is one of the show's producers, and this year is Charlie's handler. It's his job to make Charlie look good for tv, and at the start, Charlie's anxiety and quirky behaviors are making Dev's job pretty difficult. But Dev believes in the show and in each contestant’s ability to find true love through it, so he is bound and determined to make Charlie relatable and likable.

As the two get closer, and open up to each other about their own experiences and how that has gotten them to where they are, a beautiful love story developes between the two of them. Only problem is that Prince Charming needs to pick a princess at the end of this show.

Alison Cochrun has hit a home run with this book in so many ways. The Charm Offensive is sweet and genuine, it portrays mental illness in such a real way, and it touches on so many of the diverse natures of love in a very authentic and true manner. I laughed out loud, I cried both happy and ugly tears. I'm amazed that this is a debut novel, and I'm so incredibly excited to see what Alison does next!

Thanks so much to Alison Cochrun, and to Atria Books who supplied me with an ARC of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you, Atria Books, for the gifted copy of The Charm Offensive {partner}

Genre: Romance
Trope: LGBTQIA
Pub Date: 9.7.21
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆.5


“I don’t know if the specific label is important to me.”

“It doesn’t have to be,” she says, “and you’re not obligated to figure it out, or come out, or explain yourself to anyone, ever.”

As someone who despises reality dating shows, I was hesitant to pick this one up as I was worried the vibe of the reality show would be too strong for me. I was wrong. Once I started reading The Charm Offensive, I absolutely couldn’t put it down.

I kept going back and forth between Charlie and Dev; which one did I like more? I honestly can’t say. They were both a delight to read about, and I honestly didn’t want their story to end. I loved that the story was about Charlie and Dev's relationship; there wasn't any family involvement. It was just the two of them navigating through their emotions.

❤️ Funny, witty, and impactful
🎬 Behind the scenes of a reality dating show
🥺 Mental health issues
💗 Story that builds empathy and understanding while being entertaining
🎢 Roller coaster of emotions

I recommend you read The Charm Offensive if you’re a fan of The Bachelor Series, Red White, and Royal Blue, or Hang the Moon.

The Charm Offensive was such a fun, fresh take on a fairytale, reality-based TV show. With the backdrop of the dating show, Ever After, we follow along the twists and turns of handler Dev and his challenging bachelor Charlie, who suffers from severe anxiety. Dev is a romantic at heart and pushes Charlie to believe in the magic of the show. Little did they know, they’d both find love in one another.

I really enjoyed the characters -- the chemistry and banter between them was fun. Daphne was also enjoyable and a good voice of reason. While this book is a rom-com, the author also spoke well to mental health issues (anxiety, OCD, depression), which is so important today. I appreciate how she connected the two together, providing a message of hope for people to know they are loved, and worthy of love despite their “flaws.”

Overall, this book is like a nice, cozy-up-on-the-couch binge-fest of charm, wit and adorableness overload. I’d recommend it to anyone in need of a feel-good story, reality dating show junkies and readers that enjoy LGBTQ+ topics.

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books and Alison Cochrun for an advance copy of the book.

One day is all it took for me to be swallowed up by Alison Cochrun’s debut novel The Charm Offensive.

Think Red White and Royal Blue, mixed with the bachelor type reality TV show. Charlie, the prince as they labeled him, had me swooning and wishing I could just give him the biggest hug for the leap of faith he took by going on the show. Dev, the producer, had me cheering him on as he watched from the sidelines. Neither thought they would find love on this season of Ever After, but fate had other plans. Plus the rest of the crew was great!

This book was like a big hug. I loved (almost) every single character. I loved the bachelor like story line. I loved the references to Raleigh, NC (since I grew up not far from there). I loved the discussion of mental health, in so many forms. I loved Charlie and his awkwardness. I loved Dev and his belief in the crazy show (even after he saw the behind the scenes). Most of all I wished this was a movie or a show that I got to watch unfold on TV.

Basically, The Charm Offensive, was so dang charming.

I requested this ARC on Netgalley for two reasons: the cover was intriguing, and anything that is “reminiscent of Red, White & Royal Blue” is an automatic must-read for me. The plot line sounded interesting - openly gay producer for a reality show that sounds almost exactly like The Bachelor starts having feelings for the ‘Prince Charming’ of the show - despite me knowing next-to-nothing about The Bachelor (and reality shows in general).

This book ended up surprising me - the depictions of anxiety & depression felt honest and real, and made the characters much more relatable - but it did feel pretty formulaic at times, and I didn’t end up loving it as much as I thought it would. And I hate to say this, but I wish the sex scenes had been a little more descriptive? Gosh, I hate even writing that, but it’s true. It wasn’t exactly ‘fade to black’ style but just about. Boo!

Anyway, this was a cute queer story, and despite me not loving the book, I’m excited to see what the author writes next!

The Charm Offensive is MM romantic comedy that celebrates love. It also has a very heavy focus on mental health awareness which I loved!
Both Dev and Charlie are just freaking adorable! They were sweet and kind, and I just loved them together. I have read quite a few books recently where characters are on a dating show, but I did like how this one was able to add a unique twist.
As I mentioned, there is a significant mental health focus. I've seen this quite a bit in books lately, especially rom-coms, and I think it's great. Unfortunately, though it is lessening, there is still a stigma around mental illness and therapy, especially for men. The Charm Offensive does a great job of showing multiple types of mental illness and how helping someone can be as simple as just being there.
My only complaint was how they talked about not labeling Charlie's sexuality and then trying to label it. I get why this was done, and I think the book did a great job explaining all the different types of sexuality. However, I do wish this was maybe handled differently. Everyone seemed to want to fit Charlie into a box, and it was clear he was just starting to figure things out.
This was a great book. It's adorable, topical, and just a fantastic love story!

“I want to just keep reading this book forever. Can I live in this book?” - a text I sent to a friend while reading The Charm Offensive. I absolutely loved this book - it’s the kind of romance that I just want to hold close.

Charlie is the new lead on Ever After - a show that is similar to The Bachelor. He agreed to find love on a reality dating show - but is really there as a PR move to save his career. Dev is a producer on the show who is assigned as Charlie’s handler. When Dev promises that he can help Charlie fall in love this season, they both think it will be with one of the twenty women. But what if the sparks are really between the two of them?

I loved so much about this story but especially the messages of loving someone for all of who they are, exactly as they are. I loved the open discussions of mental health and learning the best ways to show up for each other and themselves.

I can’t believe this was a debut novel and I can’t wait to read more from Alison Cochrun. Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for the advance reading copy.

4 1/2 "Charming" Stars!

Quite simply, I loved pretty much everything about this book. The setting is a reality show called "Ever After" which bears an uncanny resemblance to The Bachelor. Charlie is the most recent "Prince Charming" on the show and Dev is assigned to be his producer. Dev is excellent at his job and a good reason for that is because he believes in true love, romance and the show itself. However, he has his work cut out for him with Charlie who is awkward, timid, anxious and completely uninterested in the women on the show.

As time progresses, Dev and Charlie each start to have feelings for the other - - but they hide it because of the chaos it would lead to. Charlie signed a contract agreeing to propose to one of the women by the end of the show and Dev would lose his job if any fraternization was uncovered. Therefore, they resist until they can't anymore.....then things really get complicated.

Coupled with the drama tied to a reality show and a participant whose heart just isn't in it, both Dev and Charlie each suffer from some mental illness in the form of either anxiety or depression. It's debilitating for each of them and they've both also been ridiculed by those they love in the past for their conditions. All of this adds to their insecurities and makes it difficult for them to trust others.

In addition to these wonderfully sweet and sensitive men, I also found really caring about what happened to the secondary characters as well. The author did a great job of writing characters with so much detail and emotion that the reader easily feels connected.

I was truly impressed by The Charm Offensive. It had a nice balance of rom-com tied in with the serious issues of mental health and sexual identity. I was so invested in the storyline that I had to keep reading until I could see how the story resolved itself.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

Thoughts
There were a lot of things I really liked about this book, but the main thing is how the main characters' mental health issues were at the forefront. The biggest health issues being anxiety, OCD and depression. The author did a great job going into detail of how both Dev and Charlie handled themselves. It was sad that neither of them thought they deserved love because of how crippling their health can be.
Due to the health issues being such a big part of the story, I would say this is a slow build of a love story, but when things finally started happening it really took off. I don't watch reality TV, but this book had me wondering if the ladies and gentlemen who do go on the Bachelorette/Bachelor really do have their own handlers. They almost have to, right?
I don't think I need to discuss this any further because it has been all over since pub day. If you enjoyed Red White and Royal Blue, you're sure to love The Charm Offensive.
Thank you Atria Books, Alison Cochrun and NetGalley for my #copy!
Book Rating: 4/5
Wine Pairing: St Supéry Sauvignon Blanc

This was my first time reading a MM focused romance, and it did not disappoint!

Dev is pretty unlucky with his love life but is able to craft up things pretty well for scripted purposes as a producer on a reality dating show. When Charlie is cast on the show, he isn’t necessarily the breath of fresh air they hoped for…he seems pretty clueless about what he is doing. Instead of finding a match with one of the women, Charlie may have met his match with Dev!

What I Loved:
-Representation of LGBTQ relationships and also of mental health! These are things that I feel like aren’t represented enough in books!
-It was emotional and funny all at the same time! I had warm and cozy happy feelings! It truly is such a “feel good” book!

Why It Wasn’t Five Stars:
Don’t come for me in saying this, but the whole “reality tv meet your soulmate” “bachelor/bachelorette” type shows are a huge miss for me. When I realized this was essential to the story, I was worried I wouldn’t make it to the end. I get that this aspect ultimately brings the two together, but scripted shows like that are not my thing. I did look past this however, and still was able to enjoy the story!

✨Rating✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Steam: 🔥/5 (just enough and well written)

A special thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

I had the pleasure of reading and reviewing this book for my podcast, Boobies & Noobies. I also had the chance to interview the author, Alison Cochrun, which only heightened my love for this book. THE CHARM OFFENSIVE is by far one of my favorite reads of 2021 and one I expect to see on most readers' end-of-the-year "favorites" list.

LGBTQ+ rep, neurodiversity rep, and mental health awareness all rolled into one m/m romance set in the world of reality television? Hell to the yes. The entire cast of supporting characters are memorable in their own right, but the true stars of this story are Charlie and Dev. These men made my heart sing. I am by no means an emotional reader and yet, THE CHARM OFFENSIVE had me laughing and crying (sometimes at the same time). I've seen the book compared to Casey McQuiston's RED, WHITE, & ROYAL BLUE (another book that had me crying in my tea) and I definitely see the similarities, however this book is sooooo much more real. Real emotions. Real people dealing with real struggles. It doesn't happen very often, but truthfully, I don't think I'd change a thing about it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/ 5

*Content Warnings* On-page anxiety, panic attacks, and experiences with depression as well as conversations about mental health stigmas and workplace discrimination

Full Boobies & Noobies podcast review coming in September 2021. Listen to my interview with the author, Alison Cochrun on your favorite podcast app or on the Boobies & Noobies website.

This book is super enjoyable, even if you're not a fan of any of the dating reality show empires.

I think what was really fascinating and fresh was this being a slow burn because the characters took time to address their mental health needs before rushing into a relationship to "cure" themselves or let love heal all wounds for them.

It was also nice to see the toxic positivity properly portrayed as Dev struggled with deep depressions, as well as his need to compensate by only showing his fun side and isolating during the not acceptable lows.

This was the sweetest thing I've read in a long time. Super inclusive, hilariously written, and totally enthralling from the beginning. I immediately fell in love with both of them--the reality tv show setting just added to the drama and I loved it so much. I cannot wait to purchase a copy of this to add to my shelves so I can re-read.

I adored this book! This sweet and quick read is dynamic and full of all the typical reality show drama, diverse characters, self discovery and mental health discussions. Throughout this story, I wondered - what would dating shows and reality tv look like if it wasn't so focused on straight couples and had more diversity? I will highly recommend this book to everyone!