Some books are gifts. You might have had a less than stellar day, a terrible week, or an awful pandemic, and you sit down with a romance that you don’t know much about and a few hours later the world has been transformed into a kinder, gentler, happier place. The Charm Offensive, by Alison Cochrun, is that kind of book.
The gist is that the star of a Bachelor-like reality series falls in love with his producer, rather than the women selected to be his bride. Pretty simple set up, right? But the problems facing the star, Charlie, and his producer, Dev, are anything but simple.
There is the inherent conflict that happens when Charlie and Dev fall for one another on a show that is geared towards a heteronormative HEA complete with women in gowns in a castle and a man they’re all competing for to be their prince.
But Cochrun doesn’t give us just another wry romcom that winks at the entertainment juggernaut that is The Bachelor and all the reasons we love to hate it. If she did, that would be fine.
Instead, like I said, this book is a gift. It treats the characters with such tenderness and respect that we fall in love with both of them – with all the characters, really. Charlie is on the verge of losing everything he’s always wanted because he is hiding his mental health issues, even though he receives treatment for them. Dev, on the other hand presents as being on top of everything – including his job as a producer on a show he’s always loved – despite his own unacknowledged problems. Neither man expected a deep and genuine love to come out of a reality tv experience, and the wonderful part is that as wonderful as their romantic love is, it doesn’t solve their problems. They solve their problems along with the help of their friends and family.
Cochrun is phenomenal at writing inclusively without being pedantic. Her description of Charlie’s slow awakening to his sexuality is empathetic, humorous, and unforgettable. The absolute delight Dev and Charlie take in each other is infectious and more than once I found myself smiling widely or holding my hand to my chest at something endearingly awkward or outrageous.
Quite simply, I loved this book. I loved Cochrun’s authorial voice, and I love how much she loved her characters. This book is a gift – go out and pass it on.

The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun is an awesome, witty, sassy, and perfect contemporary romance that I thoroughly enjoyed.

I am so glad I was able to read this book. The cover and synopsis drew me in, the wonderfully developed character cast, plot, and pacing kept me coming back for more.

I loved Dev and Charlie. Both come to the table with their own complicated pasts, hangups, insecurities, and imperfections. However, underneath it all both are lovable, likable, realistic, relatable, and charming. They have great chemistry, and both compliment each other remarkably well. Each seemed to help the other heal, move on, find purpose, and find a future within themselves and with one another. I love it when I get to see a healthy relationship.

The author did a great job with balancing out serious issues and diagnoses with humor, banter, wit, and wisdom. A great mix and a great ending.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Atria Books for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.

This book was so much fun and super cute. I actually dreamed about it the first night after starting it. A great representation of anxiety and OCD and how it can both isolate and connect us. I really enjoyed this book

As soon as I read the description, I knew it was a story I had to read, and boy oh boy, it did not disappoint. I am absolutely in love with everything about this book.

The Charm Offensive is a heartwarming, queer love story that follows Dev and Charlie as they attempt to navigate a supremely heterosexual environment, while being unapologetically in love with each other.

I don’t think I’ve ever connected with characters as much as I have with them. Charlie is neurodivergent, and Dev struggles with depression. The book captures their struggle with mental health as Charlie learns to accept that there’s nothing wrong with him, and Dev learns that it’s okay to trust others and accept help when he needs it. Their love for each other was so pure, and I wish I could experience it all over again for the first time.

This is a must-read! I will be recommending this book to everyone until they get sick of me. I’ve already preordered it. Seriously, I don’t have the vocabulary to explain the euphoria I have after finishing it. It’s just that good.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for providing me with this ARC.

Final Rating: 5 ⭐️

CW:
major: mental health issues, depression, OCD, anxiety, depressive episode
moderate: sexual content
minor: homophobia, biphobia, racist comments

Rep:
- Dev: Indian, Gay
- Charlie: Unconfirmed, mlm relationship
- Other: lesbian, bisexual, biromantic, asexual, nonbinary, pansexual

The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun is a queer love story that explores the question “What if the Bachelor accidentally fell in love with his handler rather than one of the 20 girls hired to compete for his affection?” and I loved every word of it. This is one of my new favorite books. The characters were incredibly well written and the story kept me so hooked that I read it in a day.

Dev and Charlie were so good as individuals and as a pair. They made me laugh, they made me yearn, they made me cry. Their love for each other felt real.

This book also has a great discussion about mental health. Charlie deals with accepting himself even when his OCD makes it hard for him and Dev is on his own journey learning how to take care of himself while dealing with depression.

If you like queer romcoms that also make you feel like you’re personally experiencing the events hand in hand with the characters, The Charm Offensive is for you.

First off, this book may be 368 pages, but I flew through it, only stopping so I can prolong my enjoyment of it. There was never a point where I felt like something was unnecessary or just filler. It was all purposeful and made the impact of the story that much better.
Mental health and so much effortless rep play a big role in the story-line, and it is handled with so much care.
Now these characters, they truly do live and breathe in these pages, every single one.
Speaking of our main couple- Dev and Charlie are so amazing. Their romance is so cute, but I also just loved them as their own separate characters.
Make sure to pick this up and let it brighten up your day, absolutely great.

Special thanks to Atria Books and Netgalley for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for an honest review.

Because this was comped with RWRB in the promotion materials I had high expectations, but I wasn't let down at all! Plot-wise it's really...nothing like RWRB, but the voices of both books were similar. It felt like hearing the story from a close, wise-cracking friend. I loved it in RWRB, and I loved it here too.

One of the best parts about The Charm Offensive is that it is just unapologetically queer. But what I loved about it the most is that it is unapologetically queer in a traditionally (and aggressively) white, heterosexual space: Reality TV. Cochrun does an excellent job of forcing her readers to open up, to see this love story for what it is despite where it is happening. And she tells us, over and over again, that this is realistic, that people of all types can and will fall in love wherever they are, and that it should be celebrated.

TCO also does a lot of work with being neurodivergent and having mental illnesses, which was great. There's a part where Jules, probably my favorite character, says something like "Everyone has a fucking therapist" when Dev is surprised that she has a therapist, which I found hysterical and just a perfect mirror to the millennial/gen z experience. We really do all have therapists (and for good reason, life fucks everyone up).

And of course, Dev and Charlie. I loved them. Their struggles were realistic. Their love was adorable. I received TCO through netgalley and devoured it in a night, because I just loved them. They're so good, and so messy. I don't think I've ever read a book that is this daring enough to really show their characters at their worst. And for it, when we see Dev and Charlie at their best, it's so, so special.

THIS BOOK IS EVERYTHING! I was excited about an LGBTQIA+ themed forbidden romance set within the world of a heteronormative reality dating show, but worried about the relationship possibly being more secretive (shaming) than celebratory. However, Alison Cochrun has done a fantastic and sensitive job of creating a world in which pure love does exist.

The Charm Offensive is the story of reality TV producer, Dev, who is reassigned to be a "handler" for the male contestant, Charlie. Almost immediately, the two bond, but the show's expectations and their life experiences create a complex tension and steamy chemistry that drives this novel forward. I love so many of the characters in this book and want each of them to get their own versions of happily ever after!

I especially appreciate the way the author has included a diverse group of queer characters, including those on the asexual spectrum without it being forced or a negative stereotype. Mental health also plays a large role in the storyline, and neurodiversity, including OCD, depression, and anxiety disorder is handled with care. This book could have gone off the rails with the wrong author, but Alison Cochrun skillfully delivers a beautiful love story. I highly recommend it!

Reality TV... blech. And what was with all the puking?!?

Okay, beyond the things that weren't my usual, I really enjoyed the diversity of the characters in this. Yes, Charlie was blond and blue-eyed, but he was SUPER neuro-divergent and had mass amounts of anxiety. Dev was solid, but had serious struggles with depression on the page and gave POC representation beautifully, advocating for DEI in Hollywood. The toxic Hollywood behind-the-scenes felt accurate, as did the redemption arc for the Bachelor-style show. Fans of Pitch Perfect will love this!

This is an absolutely wonderful book with heavy Red White and Royal Blue vibes. It has a likable cast of characters that includes real-world levels of diversity in areas such as sexuality, ethnicity, mental health, and neurodivergance. Even thought the story felt fairly straightforward with few unexpected twists and turns, it was still a delight to read and I plowed through it in a few short days because I couldn't put it down. The two main characters are both likable and highly relatable and they are surrounded by a cast of equally likable supporting characters who I felt lucky to get to know. I recommend this book to adult readers who like romance, lgbtq+ stories, behind the scenes looks at the reality television industry, and honest talks about mental health and sexuality.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I saw Rachel Lynn Solomon raving about this one and immediately requested. She was so so very right about this book.

CW: obsessive-compulsive disorder, severe anxiety, depression, biphobia, queerphobia, misogyny, mocking of mental health, episode of severe depression

I would recommend this book if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-friends to lovers
-close-proximity
-forbidden relationship
-practice/fake dating and hookups
-only one bed
-a bachelor like dating show
-amazing secondary characters

I adored this book. The effortless representation. It was so reflective of the real world. The spectrum that sexuality is, neurodiversity, the importance of mental health and normalizing it, platonic love, and the importance of the right of everyone to find and be loved for exactly who they are. This book is a big hug and I want everyone to have it so they can be hugged.

The first half had me cackling as Dev and Charlie fell for each other, both of them not realizing it at first. It was so sweet how they both saw and just accepted the other immediately. There was no second-guessing just an immediate giving of what the other needed. I loved how the show was used as a timeline and also a countdown of sorts that they would have to go their separate ways. This book was so smart, so effortless, such a joy. Watching these two quietly fall in love. Every touch, ever acknowledgment. And consent, so much freaking consent. So much tenderness, and feelings, and acceptance. I loved both Dev and Charlie's best friends and fully support spin-offs where they get their happily ever afters.

But the second half. It ripped my heart out in the best way, the beating heart of this book. The social commentary on dating shows and just the heteronormative expectations that the media continues to perpetuate is subtle until it's not and this book faces it head-on. It was such a journey reading Dev and Charlie both learn that they deserve love and to accept it. My heart was pounding until the very end for these two. So much happens in this book but it was never overwhelmed by it, at its heart is a beautiful love story and it sucks you in.

Please just read this book it is so beautiful and one of the best I've read this year.

Rating: 5
Steam: 2 (vague terms/descriptions)

4.5 stars

This is such a sweet story about Charlie, a tech whiz who's trying to repair his reputation by going on Ever After, a reality TV dating show, and Dev, his handler/producer, who's trying to move past the ending of a 6-year relationship with Ryan, another member of the show's crew. Both men are so sweet and so vulnerable and they both need to be loved but neither is sure they deserve it. Then, there's also the unhelpful fact that they are contractually obligated to stay away from each other. Charlie is required to choose a "princess" and propose to her by the end of filming and must stay engaged for at least 6 months. Dev is supposed to remain professional and not get involved with the talent. But, they are drawn to each other like moths to a flame and can't stay away.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read a digital ARC in return for an honest review.

While I really liked the two main characters, what made my reading experience even better was the frame of a reality TV show.

I loved it! I read it in about 24 hours. This may be the first book I've read with multiple adult ace characters. You'll like this if you liked We Are Totally Normal by Naomi Kanakia, State of Us by Sean David Hutchinson, or Red White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston.

What a CHARMING book. I received an ARC through NETGalley and I was in the mood for a nice queer rom com. I have never been a fan of reality tv or the bachelor but I really enjoyed this book. The book was a sold 4 stars ⭐️ and I always give an extra star for asexual representation bringing it up to a grand 5 stars ✨. The characters were great, the story was cute, and I chuckled out loud more than once. Most importantly I greatly enjoyed the queer diversity in the book. I normally have to actively seek out a book with asexual representation and this one landed in my lap. Not only representation but having more than one character as asexual and having these characters have very different experiences from each other was so nice to see! I am now going to go preorder a physical copy of this book as should you.

It is rare that I find a book where there is not a single flaw to be found within it, but that’s what we have here - THERE ARE NO FLAWS. This book was the epitome of perfection. I have not loved a queer romance like this since Red, White and Royal Blue, and dare I say I may even love this more.

If you are a sucker for the Bachelor like I am, you MUST own this book. Cochrun calls out the flaws within the franchise, particularly within the diversity and representation arenas, that fans have been screaming about for years. The behind-the-scenes orchestrated drama, the splicing, the frankenbiting - yeah, she covers that too. I’m no tv professional, but I have watched the show for 11 years and consider myself an expert redditor, so I’m pretty well-versed in this area, and can’t clap enough for the accuracies she’s written as well as problematic issues Cochrun called out.

Also, can we PLEASE talk about the mental health discussion?! WOW. Was not expecting the care and compassion at which the author approached mental health and the toll it takes on the individual as well as loved ones, but man - the message was here and it was lovingly handled. Y’all already know how much I love mental health representation in books.

Finally, the actual characters. I was obsessed. Dev and Charlie, y’all can live in my heart forever. Parisa, can you be my BFF? We know there are tv show producers like Maureen out there, and it’s frightening. You’ll see what I mean.

I couldn’t wait to post this review even though the book doesn’t come out until September 7. I’m going to need you to pre-order it NOW.

🌹 VERDICT: 5 PERFECT STARS ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I flew through this book and loved it! It’s so funny, sweet and romantic. I laughed and cried. Dev and Charlie are such well rounded characters and written so well. I loved their relationship and how real they both are. It’s so refreshing to see a diverse characters that are all so real. A sweet romantic read for all!

Even with the predictable ending, this is a romantic comedy at it’s best! Charlie and Dev were super relatable. Even though there’s ALOT happening in terms of rep, it’s in that sweet spot of giving visibility without being too on the nose. So glad I got a chance to read this so I can hype it up to all my reader friends!

This book is pitched as "Red, White, & Royal Blue" meets "One to Watch" rom-com, and as a fan of both of those books, I was excited to see that juxtaposition come to life in this totally original romance novel. The story follows awkward tech wunderkind, Charlie, as he's set to become the next lead on a reality TV dating show, called "Ever After." Then, there's his handler, producer Dev, who wholeheartedly believes in fairy tales though hasn't had luck with his own. Charlie, who only agreed to go on the show to rehab his image to get a new job after the show airs, isn't the typical show lead and is very awkward and anxious. It's up to his producer Dev to jumpstart a massive "charm offensive" to get Charlie to open up, be a likable lead, and fall in love on the TV show. Along the way, Charlie starts opening up to Dev and vice versa and the two realize they have the most chemistry with one another. But, reality TV shows have scripts to follow and unfortunately, a queer love story with a show producer isn't what the executive producer had in mind for the season.

Told in dual perspectives of both Charlie and Dev, this book is broken down in a logical way by the weekly production and episode. Okay, as I read I really did love this book. It brought a similar narrative as "Red, White, & Royal Blue" if it were set in the world of "The Bachelor," and its language was so well-done. This language was engaging, funny, and enjoyable from the start that made it difficult to put this book down. It's so darn precious and cute, plus a quick, unputdownable read.

I love this book!

Alison Cochrun's THE CHARM OFFENSIVE follows Dev, a handler/producer on a Bachelor-like reality show, and Charlie, a tech guru who's been blacklisted from the industry because of his mental health issues. Their love story develops sweetly and slowly as they bond over "puzzing" (my new favorite word; it should definitely be a thing) and their mental health struggles. Cochrun's writing is beautiful (I love the phrase "within freckle-counting distance" and every time she describes the movement of anxiety through the body, I felt it) and she embodies both Dev's and Charlie's voices so smoothly. I love the behind-the-scenes look at the making of the dating show and the well-developed cast of side characters. This is such a fun, heartwarming read, and I can't wait to recommend it all over the place come September.

Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for the ARC!