The Charm Offensive is a queer contemporary romance starring an unlikely pair brought together by strange circumstances. It is a sweet, hot story, and a promising debut from queer writer Alison Cochrun.
Dev fell in love with happily ever after as a boy, and now he makes real ones on TV, as one of the crew of a Bachelor-esque dating show. Unfortunately, Dev is nursing a broken heart going into this season, following his breakup with his long term boyfriend Ryan, who also works on the show. Dev is prepared to power through filming on comfort Oreos, until the season’s Prince Charming puts a snag in his plans.
Dev is used to handling the female talent, the contestants for the prince’s heart, while his ex takes care of the prince. Charlie is no ordinary prince. He’s uncomfortable being touched, he doesn’t play well to camera, and he nearly falls off his horse at the first shoot. Despite being angelically beautiful, Charlie is possibly the most awkward person to ever have a crown perched atop his golden curls. So, Dev is set the most challenging assignment of his career: Cyrano the prince of disaster through a compelling season of reality TV.
Both of the main characters are absolutely to die for- Charlie is an adorable disaster while Dev is an ultra-competent mess, and they compliment each other entirely. I love the mental health rep for both characters, and the queer rep as well. I think LGBTQ+ stories can sometimes be stymied by the “coming out” narrative but this one is all smooth sailing. I love Charlie’s emotional intelligence and his kindness, he’s what I want romance heroes to be like moving forward. Dev is so special, I love his realization about choosing himself and getting what he deserves.
The secondary characters are also amazing- my favorite was Parisa, but Jules is adorable and I hope she gets a book! I think any lover of queer stories will be a fan, but especially those who loved Red White and Royal Blue or Cat Sebastian fans.
The reviewer was provided with a copy of this book for review. You can purchase The Charm Offensive anywhere books are sold, or borrow it from your local library.
The Chamber of Spoilers 