ARC Review: The Charm Offensive

Hopefully, by now, you’re already excited about The Charm Offensive. We most definitely were, the moment we learned about it. If, however, you live under a rock, let us introduce you to one of the loveliest books of the year. (And hey, the comparison to Casey McQuiston’s writing? Totally deserved.)

Anyway, give Alison Cochrun a follow on twitter, and enjoy!

In this witty and heartwarming romantic comedy—reminiscent of Red, White & Royal Blue and One to Watch—an awkward tech wunderkind on a reality dating show goes off-script when sparks fly with his producer.

Dev Deshpande has always believed in fairy tales. So it’s no wonder then that he’s spent his career crafting them on the long-running reality dating show Ever After. As the most successful producer in the franchise’s history, Dev always scripts the perfect love story for his contestants, even as his own love life crashes and burns. But then the show casts disgraced tech wunderkind Charlie Winshaw as its star.

Charlie is far from the romantic Prince Charming Ever After expects. He doesn’t believe in true love, and only agreed to the show as a last-ditch effort to rehabilitate his image. In front of the cameras, he’s a stiff, anxious mess with no idea how to date twenty women on national television. Behind the scenes, he’s cold, awkward, and emotionally closed-off.

As Dev fights to get Charlie to connect with the contestants on a whirlwind, worldwide tour, they begin to open up to each other, and Charlie realizes he has better chemistry with Dev than with any of his female co-stars. But even reality TV has a script, and in order to find to happily ever after, they’ll have to reconsider whose love story gets told.

The Charm Offensive

Alison Cochrun

Goodreads

Rep: Indian American gay mc with depression, gay mc with generalised anxiety disorder, OCD & a panic disorder, Chinese American bi side character, lesbian side character, Black ace bi side character with anxiety, gay side character, Muslim pan side character, Black bi side character
CWs: panic attacks, biphobia (from side character)
Release: 7th September 2021

Charlotte’s Review

If you’re looking for a romance that’ll give you the same shot of serotonin as reading one of Casey McQuiston’s novels, you should look no further than The Charm Offensive.

Set on a Bachelor-esque reality show, it follows Charlie, who’s on the show to rehabilitate his image after being blacklisted by his company’s co-founder, and Dev, whose job it is to mind him. And, of course, it’s them who end up falling in love. It’s the kind of book you can devour in only a few hours, because you want to know exactly what happens with them.

And the reason it’s so good in that respect is in its characters. Each one jumps off the page, fully realised, as if they’re right there next to you. Even the side characters are distinctive and fully fleshed-out. In fact, there are plenty of them that you want their own story for. Of course, you fall for the main characters first and foremost, but the background cast hold their own.

It’s also a romance that’ll tug at your heart in the best way possible. I said it was like McQuiston’s up top, and I think that’s primarily from the sense of community you get from it (I’m happy to say there are no straight characters). It’s like being wrapped in a warm hug.

So, if you’re stuck in September, wondering what to read, I’d definitely recommend giving this one a shot.

Anna’s Review

You know when you’re hanging out with your best friend, having the time of your life, understanding each other completely & not a single worry enters your mind? That’s how reading this book feels.

It’s primarily a romance. You shouldn’t be expecting groundbreaking plot-twists or action scenes that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Instead, what you get are two wonderful main characters just doing their best to live life, who also happen to fall in love. Now, here’s the kicker. Romances don’t actually work if the protagonists aren’t incredibly well fleshed out, if they aren’t basically real people put on paper. Luckily, though, this is definitely a romance.

There’s also something to be said about keeping the readers interested in the book without all those Big Events and with a simple story-line instead. Well, as simple as a dating reality show & all its backstage drama can provide.

The magic, I think, hides in the fact that the characters grow. They do feel like actual people; they have flaws, they make mistakes, they make bad choices. But they learn from all of that – and the narrative shows it. They learn by themselves or with a a help of a friend or, indeed, the person they love. It’s never portrayed to imply that it’s love that allows them to change for the better. The Charm Offensive is very clear that love doesn’t fix a person. It can only make them feel seen & understood. Which is an idea even more important in a book like this, where both the main characters struggle with mental illnesses.

The side characters form a beautiful found family, always there ready to support. All of them made even more beautiful by the fact that basically not a single one of them is cishet… We can have that sometimes in books, as a treat! Not only is it obviously believable, but it also gifts the reader this feeling of absolute comfort and a safe space. It’s a book for us and we can tell.

All in all, The Charm Offensive is charming in every way possible. A perfect read for a slightly chilly autumn day. Or really any day when you need some extra love in your life, with a side of fluff.

So, have we convinced you that you want to read this book?

• 

•