b o o k r e v i e w

✨The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun✨

Attention Bachelor Nation!! You must read this book. It’s a witty and heartwarming version of the show we love to hate & hate to love. It tells the story of Dev, a producer on the show, and the newest star of “Ever After”, Charlie. It’s full of warm, tender moments, and was just a joy beginning to end. It doesn’t shy away from exploring the icky parts of the show - the fact that their fanbase largely values a heteronormative portrayal of love and how the show caters to them and their closed-mindedness. But this book also wants to show us it’s okay to believe in ~ true love ~ (whatever that looks like to you). I closed the book feeling hopeful, even if my head was in the clouds a bit.

I absolutely loved the characters and the dialogue. Even the secondary characters were believable and had some great one-liners. I believed all of their obstacles and conflicts…it didn’t feel like forced plot devices. I was rooting for Dev & Charlie from beginning to end!

It’s a perfect mix of sweet, funny, and sexy (minor steam). Just a pure delight.

I recommend this book to anyone who’s a fan of the Bachelor, romcoms, and/or joy.

3.5 stars

In The Charm Offensive, Alison Cochrun takes what is now a predictable setup (two people meeting on the set of a reality show) and deepens the story quite a bit. Both Dev and Charlie have mental-health challenges to address, and both need to figure out where their careers are going. They address these issues, both individually and together, in a way that is realistic and enjoyable to read.

I’m not at all a fan of The Bachelor or similar shows, but I always have fun reading novels that examine their often ridiculous behind-the-scenes operations. What I liked about The Charm Offensive is how Cochrun points out that Ever After has an incredibly diverse staff, but the show they produce presents a very static, homogenized ideal of heteronormative romantic love. Not only Dev and Charlie experience growth in this book—Ever After does as well.

The Charm Offensive is a great weekend read and a strong addition to the increasingly diverse set of romances we have to choose from. More, please!

Absolutely charming love story between Charlie a bachelor on a dating show and Dev, a producer on that show. It’s funny and adorable and a great LGBT read.

I absolutely adore this book!!!! I had no idea what I was getting into but once I started, I couldn't put it down. Dave and Charlie are my kind of characters! Flawed and fighting their mental health issues, but the biggest hearts on those guys ❤ Really, the entire cast was fantastic, minus Maureen... she can suck it... I'll be buying this in print now because I will definitely be rereading it again and again!

It's like The Bachelor, but quirky and queer and I loved every single page!

I adored this sweet, slow burn story. The mm romance is really sweet with an almost friends-to-lovers vibe but then the story does deal with heavier mental health conversations as well. I thought it was balanced really well and I loved seeing the very real conversations about OCD, depression, anxiety, and panic attacks that the main characters have. This also has very raw, real conversations about sexual identity and I really appreciated the way it was written.

The book does center around a Bachelor-like tv show, a long running reality love competition called Ever After. I don’t watch shows like that in real life so that part of the plot didn’t really draw me in. Dev works for the show as a producer and handler for the “Prince Charming” character, which happens to be Charlie for the new season. And it’s there romance and just really sweet. I enjoyed seeing them get to know one another and fall I love while Charlie is on the show supposed to be falling in love with one of the ladies. Dev really helps Charlie with his social anxiety and panic attacks. There is lots of traveling to fun locations for the show, sharing of only 1 bed, and sparks flying between Dev and Charlie as they get to know one another. I did like how the behind the scenes of the reality show was brought into the story, and the conversation of why those type of shows are popular (reality tv shows being an escape from reality for the viewers). While I wouldn’t say there was anything new or groundbreaking being brought to this story, I do fully appreciate the characters and conversations in this read.

Thank you to the publisher (Atria) for an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest thoughts & review.

This was a really wonderful book that highlights the full spectrum of sexuality, the highs and lows of mental health, and it is set in a fantastically original storyline.

I think that any person who enjoys reality television or dating shows will absolutely devour this book. I’m not much of a watcher of either - so I liked it, but didn’t connect at the level I think the built in fan base will. Overall, great book & an impressive debut!

It's a good one, but it's not my type of book. I was expecting to like because I liked the synopsis but it didn't affect me.

This book really said feelings and it both hurt and healed me!

First of all, the mental health representation was wonderful to see on page and it was my favorite part of the book. I loved that it was a strong focus in the book and not just background.

Charlie is precious and I wanted to protect him at all costs, he truly deserves the world!

This is a book that I would recommend to everyone, it is cute and the romance is lovely! A wonderful queer romcom that deserves all the love!

The Charm Offensive was one of the best reads of my Summer 2021. It was light-hearted in moments but really packed a punch in others. I found myself laughing, cheering, and getting second-hand embarrassment multiple times throughout. I think the story of Dev and Charlie, but as individuals and as a couple, is so important and I absolutely loved being a part of their journey and growth. I recommended this to a lot of friends and will continue to do so. I also loved the cover and name of the book. I felt it was very accurate to the story and causes intrigue.

I knew going into this one that it was going to be a bit heavier as it dealt with mental health, but I still really enjoyed it! Sometimes it felt like there was a bit too much going on, and I wish the settings were developed a little more. I used to love the Bachelor, so the plot was such a blast!

Just when I thought I had my favorites of the year list finalized, The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun swoops in to earn its rightful place among the best books I've read this year. Set during a season of a reality dating TV show called Ever After, the story follows Charlie Winshaw (the 'prince' of the season) and his handler Dev Deshpande as they fall in love behind the scenes.

This book hooked me from the start with Charlie attempting to throw himself from a moving vehicle rather than star on Ever After and Dev stress inhaling mint Oreos. What followed was a romance that touched my heart as Charlie began to explore his sexuality and desires, and as they both learned to accept the fact that they're worthy of love. Cochrun skillfully explores their mental health (such as Charlie's OCD and Dev's depression), while infusing the book with moments of humor and light.

With found family elements, a focus on the idea that love comes in many forms that are all equally valid, and two heroes who are fiercely protective of one another—this truly hit all of my sweet spots.

This is a romance with a realistic portrayal of mental health (anxiety, specifically OCD, and depression) and an exploration of sexuality.

Dev is a 'handler' on a show called Ever After, a reality based dating show like The Bachelor. Charlie is the main character on the show. It's the last thing he wants to do, but he is trying to rehabilitate his image. He's a tech genius and pretty awkward socially. Dev is assigned as his handler to help him be successful on the show.

I don't want to spoil this with too many details. Dev and Charlie form a genuine friendship and are vulnerable with each other. Watching their relationship evolve and they become more comfortable with both themselves and each other was a privilege.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange fro an honest review.

Charlie Winshaw agrees to be the star of Ever After for the wrong reason: not to find love, but to reimage himself after an issue he had at work regarding his mental health and, hopefully, get himself back in the tech work force. When Charlie meets the contestants, it becomes clear, especially to Dev, a top producer on the show, that Charlie needs a bit of help in the romance department. No one is more capable than Dev to create a perfect love story, so he takes on the task. Can he help Charlie in his reimaging AND help him fall in love?

This book floored me. I thought I was getting your typical romcom - and trust me, I'm here for those - but this was so much more. The characters were real. They were HUMAN. I think anyone reading this book can see something of themselves in any one of the characters. It touched on a lot of important and relatable topics, such as:
⇢ Identity: both sexual and personal
⇢ Acceptance of yourself and others
⇢ Mental health and normalizing talking about your feelings/thoughts
I'm not a fan of The Bachelor, but I enjoyed seeing the aspects of the show play out. If you are a fan of those types of shows, that will be an added bonus. All at once, this was a delightful, thoughtful, and touching read.

Really enjoyable take on reality dating shows. Dev and Charlie were really sweet and tender with each other. I would love to see more tender romances. I think the mental health aspects were handled really well. One thing that really bothered me was one of the characters being Indian but having virtually no culture or representation to speak of. There are a few comments about Dev being the other "brown" kid at school or working in the entertainment industry but that is really it. I am not sure that I can articulate what would have made it stronger rep but I do also think that the Dev character could have been swapped with an American/white name and not much would have changed in the story. and maybe that is fine. Just my thoughts on this.

My heart is so full after reading this book! This was a binge read for me -- reading almost nonstop from start to finish -- and it was so worth it. I immediately fell for Dev and Charlie. While I'm not a watcher of reality TV (especially dating shows), I loved the story and got wrapped up in the drama. What really captured my heart was the way that Dev takes care of Charlie and learns to see him, appreciate him, and find ways to help him through rough spots. Likewise, I loved how Charlie learns to reach out to Dev, support him, and fight for them. Their relationship is so well paced and allows for Charlie to learn more about his sexuality and feelings. I also really appreciated how both Charlie and Dev's mental health struggles are handled throughout the story.

I liked all the supporting characters, especially Parisa and Jules. The entire cast of characters is great and offers a lot of representation. By the time I was done reading I was left feeling like I actually knew these characters and had lived their journey from day one of filming to the epic live finale of the show! There are highs and lows, angst and tenderness, soul-probing conversations and scorching kisses, cute dates and comforting cuddles. This book really gave me everything I could have wanted and more, and I'll be thinking about it and rereading it again and again -- an insta fave!

This book was fun to read. I was rooting for the main characters and their relationship the whole way, and appreciated the way the author touched on mental health issues. The book manages to be funny, empathetic, hot, and entertaining -- and that is not an easy thing to pull off together!

I wanted to like this story since so many people loved it but I had a hard time with it. I liked Dev and Charlie but the mental health issues made the story dreary for me. I also don't care for the bachelor show so I didn't enjoy the parallel at all.

What I did like was the coming to terms with their sexuality and the family support as both Dev and Charlie dealt with their feelings of inadequacy as well as their romantic feelings for the other. I was happy with the ending but I just couldn't get into it.

This is an interesting concept for a book! I felt like the author did a great job executing it! Though some of the situations seemed a bit stilted, it was a fun read overall.

This book took me by surprise. I was originally nervous to start the book simply because I’ve never been a fan of the bachelor-type shows and This book took me by the shoulders and I just—. As someone who is queer and also suffers from problems with anxiety and depression, this book hit me so hard. I went in expecting a sweet romance and this book DID deliver that but it also gave me so much more.

This book had so many different types of queer rep and so many conversations revolving around asexuality, spectrums of sexualities, etc that I genuinely felt so seen as someone who is queer and Demisexual. Having a character feel what I’ve felt made me feel validated and represented in ways that books don’t often show. Especially when it comes to the demi sexual/romantic/Ace spectrum.

I felt that both characters were so well developed that I cared about them both sincerely and wanted their happiness. Their maturity to approaching conversations about what the other person needed was so heartwarming that you could truly see the respect these characters had for each other. Watching Charlie come into his own was so beautiful and being with Dev while he worked through his own traumas was inspiring and done in such a respectful way. I felt like a lot of hefty topics were touched on and all done in a genuine way that translated through the book to the reader.

I highly recommend this lovely book!

This is really well written and lovable characters. I'm a big fan and fell for their love story. Looking forward to more by this writer!