Seeing this book compared to Red, White, and Royal Blue and One to Watch – two of my all time favorite books – gave this book high expectations. Luckily, they were exceeded.

The Charm Offensive takes place on the set of Ever After, a Bachelor-esque reality TV series where "princess" contestants compete to win the heart of the "prince." This year's lead in Charlie Winshaw, a reserved tech millionaire who's hoping to better his image so he can resurrect his career. When he freezes up on camera, however, he is assigned Dev Deshpande as his handler to help him open up. Dev is perhaps the only person on set who believes that true love can blossom on the show, and he's determined to make sure that Charlie gets his happy ever after... although it soon becomes clear that Charlie has more chemistry with Dev than any of the women on the show.

Everything about this book was perfect. The laugh out loud humor, the slow burn relationship between Charlie and Dev, and the thorough discussions on mental health were all executed flawlessly. Charlie and Dev were such strong leads and it was so heartwarming to see them encourage each other to be better while also finding themselves. The cast of characters was so diverse in identity and personality, but they all came together to create the perfect found family. In particular, I loved Charlie's friendships with the contestants, and I'm hoping there's a future sequel following the next lead of the show. Overall this was an amazing debut and I can't wait to see what the author comes out with next!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Atria for providing the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

*Thank you NetGalley for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review* This book is heartwarming, charming, and incredibly relatable (minus the whole reality TV show thing). Cochrun’s writing style is addictive and her characters are so fleshed out. Charlie & Dev own my entire heart.

I feel like this book does an excellent job with depicting mental health but I would love to hear from more ownvoices reviewers (OCD, depression and anxiety). Charlie grappling with his sexual identity hit me so so hard. I was taken aback at times whenever deeper conversations were had between characters but I believe that’s what made this book special for me.

Ultimately, this book is definitely quite heavy for a romantic comedy; however, I think there’s a lot packed into these 368 pages that make The Charm Offensive incredibly unique.

Sweet story line about a true happily ever after. There was also a positive focus on mental health and taking care of yourself. While I am unable to speak from firsthand experience, I think it paints the LGBTQ+ community in a positive light.

If you've ever wondered how dating shows like The Bachelor could be different (and better), check out Alison Cochrun's upcoming rom-com, The Charm Offensive. If only dating shows could be like this!

I couldn’t have loved this book more if I tried.

Dev believes in true love and fairytale romance. As a producer of Ever After, a popular reality dating show, he’s helped engineer some happy endings—it doesn’t matter that not all of them last (or they’re not all genuine). And even though his six-year relationship with fellow producer Ryan recently ended, he still is looking forward to another season of the show.

He’s got his work cut out for him this season, though. The new bachelor, Charlie, is a gorgeous former cologne model and tech mogul who (very) reluctantly agrees to go on the show in the hopes of resurrecting his tech career. The thing is, for someone who looks as suave and commanding as Charlie, he couldn’t be more awkward—in everything he does.

But Dev quickly learns it’s not disdain or ego that causes Charlie to act this way, it’s severe social anxiety, among other issues. As he tries to help Charlie loosen up and try to become more comfortable with being around people and interacting with the contestants, they realize they have more in common than they think.

Dev is determined that Charlie will find love and propose to one of the contestants by the end of the season. But why do the “practice dates” that they have been going on seem more intense than Charlie’s dates with the women? And amidst all of the chaos Charlie is experiencing, why is Dev the one whom he looks forward to seeing?

I was expecting a sweet gay love story—and boy, was this great—but I wasn’t expecting the deeper conversations about mental health, sexual identity, and self-esteem. I cried like a baby and smiled like a lunatic. The Charm Offensive was just amazing.

NetGalley and Atria Books provided me with a complimentary advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!

The Charm Offensive publishes 9/7!

The Charm Offensive is, as a matter of fact, a truly charming book. It’s heartwarming and neurotic and funny and sweet and is truly about falling in love. That it’s set on a reality tv dating competition is both antithetical and essential to the story.

This deserves book of the year! This book was AMAZING, and I never wanted it to end. As a Bachelor fan myself, I love this version as it is everything the Bachelor is not. This book discusses mental health, depression, anxiety, OCD, and the toxic culture behind the camera of what I imagine is pretty similar to what goes on behind the scenes of The Bachelor. I fell in love with Dev and Charlie, and I am so excited for everyone to read this book. What a fantastic debut novel! I look forward to reading more by Alison!!

Thank you Atria and NetGalley for my early copy!!

Charlie should NEVER have agreed to be the new Prince Charming on the reality tv show called "Ever After". There are a few reasons for that. Charlie isn't sure that he believes in true love at all and his primary reason for doing the show is that he wants to fix his image.

I believe this is Allison Cochrun's debut romance and it's a zinger! There's happiness, amusement, neurodiversity, misunderstandings, humor, sweetness and romance... it's just that nothing happens quite at the times and places that anyone expects!

Dev Deshpande is almost the opposite of Charlie. Dev definitely believes in the full on fairy tale and that's one of the reasons that he's a talent handler on "Ever After". When the show runner notices that Dev seems to have a way with Charlie - they are assigned to each other. Rather than managing the potential Princesses, Dev is now tasked with managing Charlie. His job seems impossible at first... he must turn Charlie into someone desierable... romantic and engaging.

There is a grand twist in this book  - and okay - it begins with a practice-dating trope, but I loved it. Dev offers to spend time with Charlie, ease him into social interactions by practicing. As the practicing progresses, Charlie beigns to realize that he has made a tragic mistake by being on the show. As his feelings for Dev begin to surface... the dynamic changes and things go a bit sideways.

What I loved about this book is that it's a full on rom-com that brought tears to my eyes at the right moment. Like Dev, I found myself being convinced that "true love" was a real thing and I was cheering them on! I love when I get caught up in things I'm reading.

The humour was great... I loved some of the friendships in the book. They had just the right amount of spice!

The Charm Offensive is, as a matter of fact, a truly charming book. It’s heartwarming and neurotic and funny and sweet and is truly about falling in love. That it’s set on a reality tv dating competition is both antithetical and essential to the story. Charlie is a cinnamon roll, Dev is a delight, and the book was just what I needed.

Dev and Charlie are sooooo cute! Watching their relationship grow was so precious and beautiful. I loved how they supported each other in their times of need and they were so gentle and loving. I liked all of the LGBTQIA+ representation and also the mental illness representation too! I really related to Dev's depression and Charlie's anxiety.

The perfect book for fans of books like One To Watch and TV shows like reality TV shows like The Bachelor or Bachelorette. It is cute, fun, & a novel you won't wanna put down.

The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun is about a reality tv producer, Dev, who tasked with helping awkward, anxious, tech mogul Charlie get through starring in a dating show. Charlie can barely get through one date with the women in the show but behind the scenes things are heating up with his producer. I loved this book so much! The chemistry between Dev and Charlie was so sweet and I felt all the characters played such a big role in each other’s lives. The author did an amazing job featuring queer people and really making it THEIR story. The representation of mental health, POC and queer people in this book is something to be so proud of! This is definitely a reread!

The perfect book for PRIDE month, The Charm Offensive packs in diversity in all fronts and celebrates love in a way you don’t often see in a novel.

While I’m not a fan of The Bachelor, or really any reality TV, the idea of a reality film star busting open the premise and breaking the rules is deeply appealing. Cochrun delivers in a fast-paced and fun (not too spicy) Rom-Com for a new generation of readers.

Very cute and fun! A little forgettable but I think the comps are just so BIG that this book had a lot to hold up to in my opinion.

4.25 STARS

Set amidst a long-running reality dating show backdrop, “The Charm Offensive” is a unique, diverse take on a more traditional theme. Not only does it explore the concept of love while showcasing relationships in its varying forms, but it also addresses mental health issues that so often go untreated and even ignored.

Boasting a writing style that is both witty and heartfelt, I was easily drawn into the story right from the get-go. The two main protagonists were exquisitely charming in their mutual fallibility and bearing witness to their burgeoning love connection was quite endearing. However, I felt the author was trying a bit too hard in her efforts to demonstrate normality by depicting only characters that furthered this agenda. Still, I applaud her endeavor to shine a spotlight on the true meaning of love and to finding it in the most unlikely of places.

I have been hearing amazing things about The Charm Offensive and literally all of them are true. You must pick up this book. It is beautiful, it is funny, it is heartbreaking, and it is so relevant. Alison Cochrun wrote a fabulous story and stories like this, with queer rep, ace rep, mental illness rep, are CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.

Dev is a producer on the reality tv show Ever After, a Bachelor type show where contestants compete to win the heart of a prince/princess. Dev believes in happily ever afters, even though he just got out of a failed 6 year relationship with his colleague Ryan. He is responsible for creating these beautiful HFNs on TV but has his work cut out for him with the show's new prince, Charlie. Charlie joined the show to rehab his image after losing his job but is extremely uncomfortable in the spotlight. Dev becomes Charlie's handler and as their relationship grows they begin to realize their happily ever after might be right in front of them.

This book has not only mental illness representation but also ace, queer, and nonbinary rep. As I don't identify with any of those experiences, I can't 100% say that they are accurate but reviews from folx with those identities seem to highlight that positive rep. What I do want to state is that this book shows that diversity is critical, it's sellable, it's marketable, and it can be amazing to read, even if those identities aren't your own.

I loved the Bach setting - I am not a huge Bachelor fan and I absolutely loved this. It felt realistic the ways that production creates narratives that aren't their just for good tv, which is extremely frustrating and can be heartbreaking. A few of the twists felt obvious but the payout was still so good (I really want another book with a few of the secondary characters!).

I highly recommend this. It is honestly a beautiful book about finding love, not only with someone else but within ourselves. And definitely read to the Acknowledgments because they made me tear up.

"I don't think happily ever after is something that happens to you. I think it's something you choose to do for yourself."

As an avid watcher of all different permutations of The Bachelor as well as practically any reality dating show, I was primed to love this book. However, even going in prepared to fall in love, I was unprepared for how much I would absolutely adore it. Charlie and Dev were easy characters to connect with - the two felt well-rounded, human and flawed while also being adorable, funny and charming. Parisa, Jules, Daphne, Angie and so many of the background/supporting characters were a complete delight as well and filled out this fun, pulpy world that I enjoyed inhabiting the entirety of my time reading the book.

Cochurn is well versed in the world of reality tv dating shows, introducing elements readers will be familiar with while also never punching down. I never felt mocked or silly to be someone who enjoyed these types of shows while also understanding the fragility of the atmosphere created and the very strict script these shows are supposed to operate within.

Charlie and Dev both deal with various mental health issues throughout the book and I loved the way these were dealt with - the two of them falling in love with each other not in spite of their mental health struggles but because they are able to go through it together in healthy and thoughtful ways. The two learn from each other and accept one another and the world the book lives in is one of inclusivity and acceptance while not denying that some people are rooting against them.

I feel so grateful I was given a chance to read this book. Thank you so much to Atria and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this advance copy in exchange for my honest review. I've already preordered this book and can't wait to see what Cochrun writes next.

Thank you so much, NetGalley and Atria Books, for the chance to read and review this book!

TW: homophobia, mental illness, panic attacks and anxiety attacks, ableist language

Dev Deshpande believes in fairy tales, in happily ever after. He's a producer in the reality dating show Ever After and he scripts the perfect love story for this contestants, even though his love life is terrible and he just broke up with his boyfriend, after six year old. But then they choose the tech wunderkind Charles Winshaw as the show next prince and star. He's so far from the perfect Prince Charming. In his last effort to reabilitate his image and get back to work in tech, Charlie is determined to do anything, but he's stiff, anxious and he doesn't believe in true love and in this show. When Dev becomes his handler, in order to instruct him and tell him what to do and how to act in the show, to connect with the women in the show, slowly they become to know one other, to get, help and support each other. When they start to realize how strong is their chemistry and connection. they have to battle with their show contracts, hopes and futures and fears. And what love story they get to tell and live.

I LOVED The Charm Offensive! The story was so cute, a wonderful, funny and brilliant rom-com, told by two different POVs, Dev's and Charlie's.
They are very different from one other. Dev believes in happily ever after, he's a windwhirl, always smiling, always fixing and helping people, while Charlie is nervous, emotionally closed-off and socially awkward. It was wonderful to see how slowly they get to know one other, how they clicked, understanding, helping, support and loving each other, while filming the show, visiting cities and places and sharing their lives, traumas, fears and desires. Dev and Charlie fight with their own traumas and difficulties, mental illness and work.
How they start to accept their own fears and desires and to open themselves to let people in. In a game of pushing and pulling, running away and closing onelsef off, Charlie and Dev are complex and wonderfully intricate main characters.

I liked the way the author talks about their struggles, mental and emotional ones, their fears, desires and hopes and how the author talked about Charlie's mental health, his compulsion, anxiety and panic attacks, the importance of therapy and to be surrounded by loved ones and also the importance of loving oneself first, being healthy and working on oneself.

I also loved the representation. In The Charm Offensive we have gay MCs (a questioning one, slowing realizing his sexuality), lesbian, gay and pan side characters. In a sweet and witty story, The Charm offensive address the hidden reality of the reality shows, the villanization of women just for public entertainment, the often homophobic and ableist enviroment and in this situation, Charlie and Dev have to survive, fight for themselves, to be true to themselves and love one other.

This story is really sweet, romantic and I really loved it! Charlie and Dev will stay in my heart!

What a joy! This was so smart and fun and poignNt and honestly pretty nearly perfect. I was hooked from the beginning, loved the diverse characters, and really enjoyed the care with which the author took as she navigated the mental health of both characters and how she portrayed the ups and downs of supporting yourself and a loved one who is neurodivergent.

This was a fun romance that takes place on a reality dating show. Charlie is this season's prince and Dev is his handler for the show. Charlie is very shy and standoffish, he is not comfortable being on the show but is only doing it to help his reputation so he can get back into his work. Dev is the opposite, he is very upbeat and a happy person who believes in the fairytales that he helps create one the show. Their relationship was so fun to watch! I don't watch reality tv so I don't usually go for stories like this but I really enjoyed. I love a sunshine and grump and this one did not disappoint there. I struggled with the story towards the end, I just wasn't a fan of one the plot devices but overall still a great read. Highly recommend this one, especially if you are a fan of The Bachelor type shows. Thank you Atria Books and Netgalley for my gifted copy for review!

This is a cute story and definitely appeals to those who can't get enough of the "meet-cute" trope presented in a lot of "younger" romances. It's not a book that just stands out above the rest as super-memorable, but it's good nonetheless.