With a reality show backdrop, The Charm Offensive is a wonderful book that pairs mental health, asexuality, and anxiety rep with one of my favourite romances. If you’re looking for a love story to get lost in or want to diversify your TBR, check out our review of The Charm Offensive, a book sure to steal your heart.
The Charm Offensive: what is it about
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.
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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: review
Star rating: ★★★★★
Spice rating: 1/5
Genre: romance, LGBTQIA+, contemporary, ace rep, mental health and depression rep
I’m in love.
The Charm Offensive is a M/M romance set in the world of reality TV. Charlie is set to star as the lead in a show similar to The Bachelor where he’s expected to fall head over heels in love with one of the women on the show. Spoiler alert, he doesn’t. Instead, he finds himself falling for Dev, one of the shows male producers.
What we get from here is deep character growth, cute and witty banter, emotional one-liners and declarations that will have you in your feels.
“Charlie wishes he could tell Dev it’s okay to flicker out sometimes. To tend to his own flame, to keep himself warm. He doesn’t have to be everything for everyone else all the time.”
Why it’s a new fave read
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♥ Charlie and dev validating each others emotions and leaning into their feelings
♥ Dev giving Charlie the space, permission and support to be who he is
♥ Charlie and Dev showing each other that they are worthy of love
♥ The heartfelt discussions around mental health, the spectrum of sexuality and coping with anxiety.
♥ Practice dates that put a smile on my face. Puzzling and burnt pancakes have never been so sweet.
♥ A messy first meeting that turns into an awkward friendship and a swoon-worthy romance.
♥ Steamy but wholesome.
“I’m terrified of letting you see me.
Oh love,…I already see you”
I don’t think I have enough words to describe how much I adored this book. Not only was I swept away by the romance, but I found myself completely taken with the way the author handled Dev and Charlie’s struggles with their mental health. Everything felt very raw and relatable, nothing was over the top and every heartbreaking and heartwarming moment had its place.
If you’re looking for a book with strong writing, likeable characters, great representation and one of the sweetest romances, you can’t look past The Charm Offensive.
Happy reading x
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Written by Monique Renee
Usually barefoot and deep in wanderlust mode, Mon loves binging Netflix, cuddling babies and stalking through IG looking for boho decor inspo and new books to read. You’ll usually find her on holiday, planning a holiday or thinking about holidays.
Favourite Instagram to follow: @the_female_lead
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