This was a delightful, fun read! There were many moments where I caught myself laughing out loud. I really enjoyed the main characters. This is a book that I would definitely recommend to others.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my advanced copy in exchange for a fair review.

The Charm Offensive follows Charlie Winshaw, a tech genius looking to repair his image in silicon valley by being The Prince on a reality dating show called Ever After (think Bachelor), and Dev Deshpande, his hopeless romantic handler on the show, over the course of 9 weeks as they fall in love with each other instead of the contestants.

I really loved the premise of this one. The bachelor-esque details were really cute and thought-through (see this description of a candidate that made me snort: “Lauren S., 23, Little Rock, former student: I’ve had my heart broken in the past, but I’m older and wiser now. I’m ready to find love again. I’m ready to be a wife. I’m ready to be a mom.“). Dev’s identity as a queer Indian man was discussed really well (I find that often the immediate substitute for character qualities in BIPOC written by non-BIPOC is gratuitous trauma, but Cochrun did a good job of avoiding that, and I also appreciated the writing of Dev’s non traditional parents). I also really appreciated the discussion of the spectrum of asexuality and how that played out for some of the characters— it’s not something I see often in romance.

It wasn’t perfect, though, and I do have a couple of critiques: somebody sobbed or vomited in every single chapter, and honestly it got kind of tiring to read by the end of the book. It made the Big Dramatic Moments seem a little less intense and valuable because of the high-resting-state of drama. I also have some questions about the handling of Dev and Maureen, the show producer, and their relationship. It struck me as odd how much Dev was willing to overlook Maureen’s racism as a man of color, and a little infantilizing of his identity as well. I struggled with the resolution of that arc, and how much Dev didn’t consider himself complicit in some of the behavior on set (or never confronted his complicity in a satisfying way). I also never got a resolution on Dev’s screenplay or career, which was unfortunate. The last point is more of a preference— I think the handling of mental health in the book was fine (and definitely well-researched) but sometimes I got the sense that too much was happening at once. It could be a little overwhelming to track all of these arcs at once and be invested in everyone’s wellbeing at once.

On the whole, I’d describe it as funny and light and interesting. I can safely give it 3-3.5 stars, and I’ll be reading future work from the author as well.

THIS BOOK!! I loved it so much. The explorations of sexual identity, neurodiversity, queer found family, representation in television - all of it was so beautifully done. The romance was stunning, the friendships equally so, and charm was off the charts. The Charm Offensive immediately joins the ranks of my favorite books I've read this year, and I want to thank netgalley/the publisher for giving me an opportunity to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I slammed the request button so hard on this one. Back in the day, I remember reading a lengthy Bachelor-inspired fanfiction, so I had high hopes for this, and they were met. As much as I love all of the white boy romcoms, Dev was such a great change of pace. And the juxtaposition of Charlie supposedly being Mr. Perfect, and be so incredibly far from perfect. The representation of mental health in this book was lovely, as were the queer cast in the background. I hope this has a future as a series, and I want Daphne and Angie's book (books? Idk I sort of ship it) next. This was so sweet and lovely, and the slow burn was immaculate. I've already told a handful of people to read it, and I can't wait to own in in September!

I love love love loved this book!!!! The Charm Offensive is set at a reality dating tv show called Ever After, which is a fictional version of The Bachelor. It centers on Dev Deshpande, a producer on the show who typically works with the female contestants but has been assigned to be the handler for the lead, the tech whizkid and heart throb, Charlie Winshaw. Charlie agreed to go on the show to rehab his public image, after being ousted from the tech company he founded with his college best friend after a panic attack during an important board meeting. As Dev and Charlie spend more and more time together, Charlie slowly realizes that he is more interested in Dev than he is any of the women who are competing to win his love -- and Dev realizes he's making the cardinal reality tv employee sin of falling for the lead of the show.

This book is so great. Dev and Charlie are such wonderful characters who have their own evolution and narrative journey through the book in addition to the blossoming romance between them. I loved watching them fall in love, from their first kiss in New Orleans to the dramatic reunion at the end. I really appreciate the clear effort and thought put into making this book as diverse and representative as possible, from discussions of mental health care and depression to characters of all races, genders, and sexual orientations. Charlie's exploration of his sexuality is so genuine and well done in a plot line that could easily fall into stereotypes or tired tropes. I also appreciate how thoroughly it dragggggs The Bachelor for being highkey problematic in basically all regards. I read this book in one sitting and I can't wait for more people to meet Charlie and Dev.

I really enjoyed this book for the most part but I really have issues with the Indian rep. I was very happy to see an Indian-American MC, that too an LGBTQ+ identifying in YA literature but it's sad to say that there was absolutely no political-social correctness of his identity. It felt that all that was Indian about Dev was his name. And that is not how you sell me an Indian rep. I wish theta the author did more active research and included plot points that pointed clearly to how the Indian culture comes into play at least somewhere in the story! This was otherwise such a fun book but because of this whole - let's do an interracial romance part - I will deduct not one but two stars because it's done that poorly.

Let me start by saying this book surprised me in the best way possible. I fell in love with the characters right from the start, their love is so pure and genuine that it's impossible not to smile while reading it. The plot itself was right up my alley, reality tv shows are my guilty pleasure and there's nothing better than read about something you enjoy and consume every single day. I truly recommend this book for anyone in need of a good romance novel full of representation, wich is something we need to see more of. The Charm Offensive is gonna make you smile, cry and wish for a happily ever after like Dev.

I absolutely loved this book. The characters were so well written and the representation was thoughtfully and beautifully presented. I will be recommending this one a lot.

Super great book for fans of the New Adult genre. The storyline was so fun to read! Cochrun was also very detailed in her descriptions which really transported me into the story!

So earlier this year I was disappointed in 'One To Watch' with a similar premise because I felt like the idea could be so much more than what was presented in that book - and The Charm Offensive is why!! I couldn't help but root for Dev and Charlie the whole time, and I just didn't want to put it down. It was refreshing to read characters with a little more depth (even supporting characters) than you sometimes find in other romance novels.

Full transparency: I am not a fan of dating game shows, and the impact they can have on impressionable young people dreaming of romance. It was for that reason that I went into The Charm Offensive pretty sure that this would not be the book for me. I am happy to say that my expectations were THOROUGHLY exceeded.

First off, I was impressed by the balanced portrayal of the Bachelor-esque show. Dev, our main character, is a devout believer in true love, and is convinced that the show he is a producer on is the real deal when it comes to helping people find the one. You would think this would lead to a biased narrative, but Cochrun did an excellent job of showing the darker side of dating shows behind the scenes, while still not shaming people for wanting to believe in the fantasy the show creates.

A book can only be as good as its characters, and The Charm Offensive has absolute winners in Dev and Charlie. Both of these characters are raw and genuine, and you can’t help but root for both their individual growth and their relationship with each other. The portrayals of their mental health are very honest, and do a great job of driving the plot without villainizing their conditions. The cast is rounded out with a group of incredible, diverse characters who all bring something special to the plot. I’d also love to shout out the excellent representations of asexuality, which is very rare in contemporary fiction!

The only drawback for me was that the ending started to drag a bit, but that was not enough to take away from my thorough enjoyment of this book! I would recommend The Charm Offensive to anyone who is looking for a diverse, queer book in the new adult category (especially if you loved the tone of Red, White, and Royal Blue).

This is a super cute Bachelorette/Bachelor esque novel. I would definitely recommend it as a fun beach/summer read

Hi it's just me, feeling incredibly seen by the queerest romance book that I've ever read. As a former fan of the Bachelorette and a reality TV stan, the idea of a fairytale themed dating show with an emphasis on what happens behind the scenes was perfect! Add in the mental health representation and an organically grown relationship? Amazing!

As an asexual, I found the rep in this book to be so accurate. The theme of nonromantic love is presented frequently throughout the book and felt so authentic. Bravo!

*Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review*

Well, this was absolutely precious.

I adored this story of Dev and Charlie. More importantly than the romance was the discussion about mental health. It was amazing to read about people who DON’T have it all together…and that’s ok.

You can tell this is based on The Bachelor franchise and I’m willing to bet it’s more accurate than not. Dev is so quirky and so authentic and Charlie is just a beautiful human trying to figure himself out (aren’t we all?). I loved their story and relationship so much!

5/5 on this one!!

Charming, poignant, and a romantic read with MCs you grow to love. Charlie is a tech whiz on a dating show, but instead of his possible female dates, he falls for Dev, the show’s gay producer.

The warm and compelling narrative covers so much more than their touching romance. We get to see the characters struggle with mental health issues, described in such an authentic way that any reader so impacted will instantly relate. Highly recommended for lovers of rom coms, LGBTQ fiction, and novels that include REAL discussions of mental health.

5 of 5 Stars
Pub Date 07 Sep 2021
#TheCharmOffensive #NetGalley

Thanks to the author, Atria Books, and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.

Reasons I love this book: Number one: queer, number two: relatable characters, number three: the characters had real issues, number four: they dealt with their issues. This was a super enjoyable book and so well written. I love this author's voice and style. I cannot wait to read more by this author. I highly recommend this book. It has ups and downs, laugh out loud moments, sad parts, and great supporting characters. I would love to see more stories with parisa or Jules.

This book was a slow start. I'm not sure why, but I had a hard time getting into it. Yet I couldn't get it out of my head and I found myself picking it up once again and really falling for the characters. I loved seeing that depiction of mental health and seeing it talked about in a healthy way and seeing the characters grow and get help with their issues. I have to say, I cried for the last quarter of the book. Dev broke my heart and I just wanted to hug him. Charlie grew so much!
This was definitely a rom-com but definitely one that was truly enjoyed and I will probably read again.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

In Alison Cochrun's "The Charm Offensive", we meet Dev, a producer on a popular reality show that helps one lucky contestant find love. The contestant for the current season of 'Ever After'? Charlie. With Dev's job now involving minding Charlie, the two find out there is so much more to the other and sparks fly -- all while Charlie is still trying to find love onscreen.

Can I just say that I absolutely LOVED this book from the first page. Seriously. The first few paragraphs had me hooked because of how easily this seemed like a romantic comedy -- meaning, I could SEE it all playing out in my head like I was laying in bed watching a movie that I KNOW is going to make me squeal, laugh, and FEEL things. "The Charm Offensive" did not disappoint in any of those departments.

Also, let me say a huge THANK YOU to Alison Cochrun for writing such a DIVERSE and INCLUSIVE book. Not only did the author provide representation through different POCs, LGBTQ, but was also tackled mental health issues in a way that did not serve as a stagnant plot device.

I truly, truly enjoyed this book and recommend it to everyone!

This book was so incredibly sweet! <3 If you like any of Casey McQuiston's books then I highly recommend checking this one out. The story has so much representation for the LGBTAQ community, as well as POC representation. To top off the cake with a cherry, it ALSO has mental health representation and delves into what it is like to experience GAD, panic attacks, and OCD.

The characters are all unique in their own way and the romance was believable, at least in my opinion. The banter was delightful. The chemistry between the main characters was *chef's kiss* and the pacing for the book felt just right. I'm really hoping some of the side characters get their own books in the future.

Thank you to Atria Books & NetGalley for the eARC of The Charm Offensive!

This book is about Dev, a producer on the hit TV show Ever After. He's put in charge of the lead of the reality show, Charlie. Through the show's progression, Dev learns a lot about Charlie that Charlie doesn't want shown on screen. Charlie also begins to learn about the things Dev would rather keep behind the scenes. When Charlie and Dev become more than friends, they will have to figure out how to keep Charlie's romances alive on screen.

I thought this book was a cute, quick read that served as an alternate reality to the show The Bachelor. At times, the fake and real shows were very similar that it honestly felt like I was reading a season of The Bachelor. I really liked that the book discussed the behind-the-scenes of the show since it always seems like a mystery how they film them. Even though this is fiction, it seems pretty realistic to what goes down off-screen.

The book was very diverse and included a lot of POCs with all different sexualities. This is one of the most diverse books I've ever read and I really liked that it reflected the real world in that way.

Charlie has OCD in the book and I feel like that was presented well in the first few chapters of the book. There were times in the middle where I felt Charlie's OCD was ignored, but I was glad that it was something that was continuously brought up in a way that also explained the thought process to readers who might not have OCD or know what it is. This book definitely goes into a lot deeper places than expected when just looking at the cover and reading the short summary accompanying it.

The book is told from both Charlie and Dev's perspectives and I felt they were somewhat similar and would get mixed up in who's eyes I was supposed to be seeing the world from in a specific chapter.

I'm giving this 4/5 stars because I felt it dragged in places and the similar perspectives really took away from my reading experience. This is a great book for anyone in Bachelor Nation, and I hope to see a season like this on-screen one day.