*special thanks to Atria and NetGalley for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review!

My heart!!
I’m loving all these stories with the reality dating shows!

This was such a sweet book! There was LGBTQ+ representation, mental health representation. It was just a warm hug!

Charlie needs to overhaul his image after losing his job from the company he created after a rumored meltdown. He joins Ever After as this seasons eligible bachelor. However, Charlie is not necessarily made for tv.
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It’s up to Dev, his producer to get him camera ready. Charlie is uncomfortable and awkward and Dev finds himself quickly falling for him.
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When Charlie realizes he feels the same this “unscripted” journey really goes off the rails.
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This is a great one that so smoothly discusses the perils of mental health, what it means to be gender fluid, not fitting into the so called normal boxes and the acceptance that comes along with that.
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Acceptance is the true theme in this book. Acceptance of mental health, sexuality and ones true self whatever that is. There are some truly funny moments in this but what hit me in the heart is after a mini attack all Dev says, and in turn Charlie, “How can I help?”
Four simple words can mean all the world. When he responds with four more words, “You can just stay” and he does. It’s simple really. Such a small act can give a massive result. He broke me when he said, “no one ever stays.” Sometimes something as simple as just being there, no words spoken can make all the difference in the world!
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This book was fun, funny and packed so much depth and emotion between its pages. I can’t wait to discuss this one with @lovearctually
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Thank you @NetGalley and @Atria for an arc in exchange for an honest review

This book was not what I expected it to be in the best way possible. The author is a very talented writer and I throughly enjoyed this.

If The Bachelor really went like this, maybe I'd watch it! I'm a sucker for any sort of "plot twist romance," even when I can see it coming a mile away. Obviously the guy on the dating show is supposed to fall in love with one of the dozen of beautiful women playing opposite him, right?

Wrong.

It didn't take a genius to figure out that I was supposed to be rooting for Dev and Charlie, but I enjoyed each and every moment of it, watching them figure out how to bolster and support each other, even before they really knew what they were building. Like any good romance novel, the pleasure isn't in the suspense; it's in how they get to the ending everyone knows we're waiting for.

I churned through this in like four days, and hardly wanted to put it down even when I had to (the downside of reading at work: sometimes there's a job to be done, no matter how captivated you are by the budding gay love story between a TV contestant and his handler). And now, I'm ready to flip back to page one and enjoy it all over again. Whatever Cochrun publishes next, I'm already on board.

I loved the concept of this book. The prince on a bachelor-esque show is meant to fall in love with one of the 20 women competing, yet he is surprised to find that he rather spend his time, share personal inforamtion with, and perhaps fall in love with his producer instead. The supporting characters are amazing, it's funny, tender, and overall enjoyable.

This book has great mental health rep and the author handles it with compassion and nuance. This also has a focus on self discovery, finding identity, and becoming secure with/loving oneself in all of forms. Through Dev and Charlie's characters, there are healthy portrayals of support and holding space for each other with each of their own mental health struggles, while offering genuine and compassionate support.

This book highlights the struggles that people may go through with mental health, specifically: OCD, generalized anxiety, clinial depression, and a panic disorder. These representations I feel are not made into caricatures, nor are they dramatized for the sake of the story. They feel real and relateable to me as I have similar experiences to these characters and overall just very honest.

Self discovery and self identity are also at the forefront of this book. Charlie goes through the book finding his identity, comfortability with oneself and self love with both his mental health and sexuality. I especially loved that the author had Charlie feel his attraction to men as natural and wasn't ashamed by it. He also wasn't sure what being attracted to only Dev meant and didn't feel pressured or the need to label it, he contemplated being on the asexual spectrum, or demisexual but ultimately left it open ended and went with what just felt right and I think it is so important to see that representation in books. Those who are questioning and struggle with choosing a specific identifier are just as valid as those who are confident and sure in their identity.

Overall, I really enjoyed this tender book and look forward to reading more books from Alison in the future! With how this story ends, I hope we get a second book focusing on one on the supporting characters.

Tropes:
-One bed
-Virgin hero

CW: generalized anxiety, panic disorder, panic attacks, depressive episodes, OCD, queerphobia, misogyny, ableist language

**Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review**

If there ever was a book that could give me an extra large serotonin boost, make laugh and cry, and break my heart and then mend it all back up, it would be this one. I absolutely adored this book! What a wonderful novel about love, self-acceptance, mental health, identity, and the pressure of being perfect in the spotlight.

I love these characters so much and they need to be protected at all costs. Charlie is our awkward and lovable neurodivergent "Bachelor" lead who has anxiety disorder, OCD, and panic disorder. Dev is our hopeless romantic producer who has clinical depression and struggles with self-esteem. Both of these characters have my whole HEART. Watching them slowly fall in love cleared my acne and solved world peace (hyperbole, of course). It was so refreshing to see mental health disorders normalized in a romance novel. This is real life and people struggle on a daily basis with mental illness. This book was real and raw and hard to read at times (TW: panic attacks, homophobia, biphobia, depiction of depression), but it captured real love, not just the romantic comedy version of love.

Don't get me wrong though, this book was hilarious. The author really brought these characters to life. They were all so fun and flawed and easy to love and root for. Even Dev's ex-boyfriend ended up being such a great character (and exs are always villainized.) The friendships in this book were a real focal point too. This book put emphasis on how platonic love shouldn't be excluded from the narrative of a romance novel just because it isn't the main plot of the story. It's just as important and constantly overlooked.

ALSO, based on how this book ended, I can't wait to read a certain someone's love story who I think is getting their own book (that someone is a spoiler so read the book and find out hehe).

Thank you, Atria Books and NetGalley, for providing me with this ARC (Advanced Reader's Copy) in exchange for an honest review.

This is astonishingly good. It isn’t always easy or comfortable, but it’s filled with so much heart, and shows a startling breadth of human experience in its pages. Dev believes in Happily Ever After, and produces an alternate reality version of the Bachelor. Charlie doesn’t believe in much, except getting his position back in the tech world he was forced out of after a mental health episode. Watching these two spiral around each other was a joy.

Highlights:
Lots of tropes snuck in here. Just one bed. Practice dating. Forbidden love. Opposites attract. All wrapped up in a dating show and trip around the world.

So much representation wrapped up here. Lots of racial diversity, diverse lgbtq+ identities, neurodiversity (OCD, panic disorder, anxiety disorder, depression), and all of it handled so matter of factor, without making a bid deal about its own importance. Simply a recognition that this is what the world actually looks like, even if the camera shows two pretty, straight, white people.

Charlie and Dev are so wonderful together, wrapping themselves around the others broken bits, holding each other together when it becomes too much. This is a relationship of equals, with each giving and taking, pushing and pulling, and falling despite themselves and the seeming impossibility of their love.

This is one of the best of the year so far for me, and I can’t wait for the rest of the world to read it. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC, all opinions are my own.

Let me start by saying that I was a huge fan of this book. It absolutely gave me those Red, White, and Royal Blue/One to Watch Vibes that I have been looking for ever since finishing those novels. I loved the characters and the storytelling, like nearly everyone else that I have spoken to about it. I absolutely think it is so important to have proper representation for all kinds of characters and stories to be told, and I was so delighted to have the opportunity to read an early copy of this book. With that being said, after reading and being ready to write a five star review and recommend this book to many others, I did take a few minutes to read the reviews others had posted on goodreads, and one did call out rather problematic misrepresentation of Indians/Indian-Americans, so please keep this in mind. I truly loved the story and am eager to see more of the author in the future.

I'm struggling a bit to find the words to do this book justice! It is real, complicated and so incredibly sweet. It showcases mental health and queer themes in an incredibly thoughtful way. I loved everything about The Charm Offensive!

The premise of the plot centers around tech genius Charlie who goes on Ever After, a reality dating show, to rehab his image and get his career back on track. Problem is, Charlie as a contestant is pretty much an immediate disaster that producer Dev is assigned to "handle," if there is any chance to save his beloved show.

I absolutely adored Alison Cochrun's writing and the way she created such deep characters and an engaging storyline. This book melted me in a way that very few romances have, I am pretty sure I literally swooned while reading this! I am hoping there is a Daphne book next but will be reading whatever Alison Cochrun writes going forward. Even her acknowledgments and message to her students hit me! Pre-order this one because it is absolutely fantastic!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advanced copy of this and the opportunity to share my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Ok but this book. THIS BOOK. it was absolutely delightful from start to end. I’m a sucker for the bachelor trope/storyline and this reversal did not disappoint.

Charlie’s anxieties are so well written and explained that even when he’s being “clumsy” and “awkward”, he’s very endearing. As someone who struggles with some of the same, I appreciate that it was taken seriously and not played off for jokes.

and then there’s Dev. Oh, my man Dev. The cutest little hopeless romantic with a fair bit of baggage. It’s possible I related to him even more. He watched Ever After for years before working on the show and he believes in the HEA. He’s helped create it as a handler.

As for the love story? It is such a wonderful slow burn. I won’t spoil any more of the plot though because it’s honestly one of the most enjoyable reads I’ve had in a while!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance reader copy.

“Some things are too spectacular for fear.”

This book is an absolute treasure. From the very beginning, it grabbed a hold of my heart and burrowed in deep. It is raw and poignant, tender and inclusive, witty and laugh out loud funny while also being genuinely deep and nuanced. I loved it so so much.

Charles Winshaw is trying to get his life back. He’s been let go from the tech company he helped found so he agrees to go on Ever After, a reality dating show, to repair his reputation. Problem is, when he gets there the same demons he battled before followed him and he struggles to lean in to the role of leading bachelor. His producer, Dev, has worked on the show for years and is a die hard believer in happily ever afters. As he gets to know Charlie, Dev helps peel back the layers to allow Charlie to open up to someone else and Dev finds himself doing the same. Charlie and Dev find that the chemistry between them is impossible to ignore and have to decide whether to flip the script and be true to the story their writing for themselves.

There is nothing I love more than people who have been through the trenches and decide to take charge of the narrative of their own life. Through the course of the book, we see both Dev and Charlie do exactly that. They each battle their own internalized lies to realize they are worthy of love and acceptance just the way they are (aren’t we all?). Their relationship builds with so much tenderness and intimacy, I felt like I was intruding on a private moment when they were together. Every time Dev tapped the Morse code for “calm” on Charlie’s arm or thigh or back, my heart burst a little bit in my chest.

I cannot believe this is Alison Cochran’s debut novel. It is masterful. And the acknowledgements at the end tie into the story so beautifully - so don’t skip them! I can’t wait to read every single thing she writes in the future.

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

I read this book with my whole heart, feeling every single one of the myriad of emotions in this story. I was enamored by Charlie snd Dev’s story, as they navigated through all of the obstacles that stood in the way of their happily ever after. A Charm Offensive is set amid the backdrop of a reality tv show, bringing with it a unique set of circumstances that added to the conflict and the barriers thar built up between Dev and Charlie. There is a depth to this novel that was staggering at times; I couldn’t shut off my brain or my emotions even when I wasn’t reading the story. And when I WAS reading, the rest of the world disappeared, as I was lost in the love, the tenderness, the insecurities, and the vulnerability of two people trying to find their way to each other.

This was a fun read. Full if wit, charm, and angsty love! It is a fun and unique take on a romcom and I love the inclusiveness of the characters.

I love reality TV, but I have never watched The Bachelor or Bachelorette or any spin offs they have done all for the simple fact that the show does not represent me as gay man. The world is so fascinated by the heteronormative of what true love should be (between a man and a woman) and that the man has got to be the most gorgeous, 6 pack tasty looking piece of meat with great hair and that the woman has to be blond, blue eyed, and be a size 0. Wake up y’all, that’s not realistic and you all know it is. Not to say that you all shouldn’t stop watching it if its your thing. My thing is watching rich women argue of minuscule shit. We all have our guilty pleasures when it comes to TV.

But with all that being said, it was refreshing to read a book that I can relate too. Not so much as the two main characters being sexy fucks that i would jump on a heart beat, but that I can relate to the fact that i struggled with my sexual identity for so long and surpassed my feelings and urges that I had as a teenager. And my struggle with mental health that was brought on by this struggle. And I appreciate Alison for bringing awareness to all of this.

For me, the love story that blooms over the course of 2 months is also relatable. People don’t understand that you can fall in love fast. It is possible. I met my boyfriend online, and within a few weeks I knew I was in love with him. And within 2 months we were living together. And here we are 13 years later.

Anyways, The Charm Offensive is everything I didn’t think I needed and more. One of my favorite RomComs of the year. And one of my favorite reads of the year. Go get this book when it comes out.

Charlie is a brainy, handsome tech guy who is looking to rehab his image when we relents to be the new "prince" on the reality dating tv show Ever After. As his panic disorder comes out, he begins to rely on and get close to his producer handler Dev. Dev, having just gotten out of long relationship, is also dealing with anxiety and depression. This same sex romance set in the background of a straight reality dating show could have been cheesy and overly predictable, but it was not. This book was actually delightful and really dealt with the characters' anxieties and what they felt like were initially mental disabilities in a really balanced and lovely way. The overall theme of this was "you desire love". I loved that the couple, and also their friends, supported their quirks and helped the characters see these traits as assets and part of their personalities.

This was fun, at times steamy but not outrageously so as it was fitting for the storyline, and had a satisfying ending (it is a romance but I wasn't 100% sure how they would stay together in the end.) All in all, this is what romance, and same sex romance especially, should be. I would say it was a blend of Red, White, and Royal Blue mixed with One to Watch and a little The Kiss Quotient.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for the advance copy for review. I hope this book gets the attention it desires.

4.5 stars

This was such a beautiful and tender novel. The premise intrigued me right from the start and the fictitious reality dating show Ever After was the perfect backdrop for this adorkable romcom. It allowed favorite tropes like forced proximity, friends to lovers, workplace taboo/forbidden, and even a little fake dating to really shine. The story unfolds following the show’s timeline, and though it does create some very long chapters, everything flowed together wonderfully. It’s hard to believe that this is Alison Cochrun’s debut novel.

The mental health representation, humor, and emotion were balanced so well and I loved how the story explored sexual identity. My heart was bursting with love for Charlie and Dev while I was reading. Every longing glance and brief moment of contact helped fuel the slow burn between them. It was so beautiful how they saw right to the heart of each other and could just be exactly who they were. Their struggles and concerns were relatable and understandable and every hurdle they encountered only made me love them more. So many times I wanted to reach through the pages and give them both a big hug. I appreciated that they didn’t always have all the answers and that they were still working towards being their truest and most healthy selves. I thought the mental health representation was really well done and it was the raw honesty and vulnerability of these characters that truly made this book outstanding.

The secondary cast of characters were all equally wonderful and added just the right touch of humor and heart to the story. I would love to see spin off books for each of them, especially Parisa and Jules. As much as I loved The Charm Offensive, I do wish that Dev being Indian American had played a more significant role in the book. There really wasn’t any exploration or discussion about Indian culture or how it might have contributed to his character development. It almost felt like a throwaway mention and besides his name, it was easy to forget that Dev was Indian American at all.

The Charm Offensive is a heartfelt and beautiful celebration of queer joy, queer love, and choosing happily ever after.

CW (from the author’s website, possible spoilers):



-On-page anxiety, panic attacks, and experiences with depression
-Conversations surrounding OCD and mental illness stigmas, including workplace discrimination (off-page, alluded to)
-Drinking and discussions of alcohol dependency
-Familial estrangement and rejection based on mental illness (off-page, alluded to)
-Brief references to homophobia and racism (all challenged)

*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*

I’m a member of the Bad Bitch Book Club and a few subgroups, specifically Bad Bitches in Love, where we talk about anything and everything romance. For months, I kept seeing people talk about The Charm Offensive and how great it was. I kept getting caught up in other books and putting it off until one day I decided the ARC I’d been sitting on to my Kindle and start it.

I wish I’d listened sooner.

Once I started it, I was hooked. In my opinion, there are so many things that were done well about this book. It flips between the perspectives of Dev and Charlie. Dev is a producer on the reality show Ever After (think: The Bachelor) and is also a hopeless romantic who actually believes that the people on the show are there to find love. The new guy who’s set out to find love this season? That’s Charlie. And to say he’s not what anyone expected is an understatement.

From the very beginning, the tension between Charlie and Dev was palpable. The two just worked together, despite so many factors that had the potential to pull them apart. Personally, I loved them both as individuals and as a couple.

I loved so many things about this book but particularly the way it represented mental health and asexuality. I loved that the topic of mental health was front and center and we got to see everything that comes with it. So many books and movies romanticize what it’s like to deal with depression, anxiety and other disorders. They are turned into palatable, cutesy little “quirks” that make people want them as some sort of fun little personality trait. But this book really delved deep into what it’s actually like to struggle with these things and how it can affect everything from your relationships to your job.

I’d never read a book with ace rep before and this book did a good job, in my opinion, of representing it well. Like most things, sexuality is a spectrum and when asked what people identify with, there isn’t a direct answer for most. We get to follow Charlie on his journey to uncovering and understanding his sexuality which was not an easy one but it was worth it. The book also touched upon other topics like bias and discrimination in the television/media industry.

Overall, a fantastic read. 4.5 stars. Lovable characters all around, except for a few but that was intentional. I wish I’d read this as soon as I received it as an ARC (thanks, NetGalley) and regret waiting so long to start it. Just because I waited long to read it, doesn’t mean you have to! The book will be available to the public on September 7.

The Charm Offensive is a cute mlm rom-com about Dev Deshpande, producer for reality dating show called ‘Ever After’ (very similar to the bachelor) & Charlie Winshaw, ex tech mogul who is trying to break back into the tech world by finding love on a reality dating show.

Charlie struggles with sever anxiety and OCD which makes it difficult for him to connect with contestants on the show, or really just anyone. The thing I appreciated most about this book is how they handled writing characters with mental illnesses such as anxiety, OCD & depression. Cochrun did not write them off as burdens for not being mentally stable, instead allowed the characters to have bad days and surround them with phenomenal side characters that really made the book.

Something that got me stuck a bit while reading was the repetitiveness of the storyline, a good middle chunk of the book was the same thing again and again, it took me a while to get hooked and finally finish. I will say the ending definitely made up for the ‘meh middle’ as I call it.

If you’re a huge fan of the Bachelor & Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston, this book is definitely up your alley. Ever wonder what would happen if instead of falling for any of the girls on the show, the star of a dating show fell for his male producer? Read this book!

What a lovely story!!!!!!!!!!

I loved the behind the scenes vibe of trashy realty tv, i loved charlie, dev, parisa, jules. i loved the self discovery and the representation of sexuality and mental health.

i also really loved the ending, it would be lovely to see daphne’s story!

This book was sheer perfection-the type of book you rush to finish even though you never want it to end, I don't watch dating shows so but thought the book might be cute. I liked the idea of the star falling for his handler rather than the bevy of beauties that are supposed to be vying for his affections. The fact that it was a m/m story added an element of intrigue for me, I wasn't expecting the wonderfully diverse cast and the emphasis on mental health which made this book so refreshing and even more wonderful. As much of those items added immensely to my enjoyment, the fact is that I fell in love with Charlie and Dev before they fell for each other. I laughed with them. I wanted to punch other characters on their behalf. I swooned like crazy with them. And oh man did did my heart ache with them. Reading about them discovering the love they deserved as they discovered that they deserved love at all destroyed my heart and put it back together all at the same time. Just read it already.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review,