The Charm Offensive: A Novel | 
@TheIntrovertedDodoBird here's the first special edition I bought from Dazzling. I follow the artist who designed the cover and she posted about it, which introduced me to the shop. My gateway book, if you will 🤣
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 Perfectly enjoyable and not challenging romance novel that kept me company while I was not feeling well and lying low for the last couple of days.
pickCute cute cute cute cute! Rom coms aren‘t usually my jam (I cannot handle cheese in my books) but this worked for me. My grinch heart needed a little sweetness; now it‘s back to my regular program 😏✌️
pickWholesome, witty & unequivocally charming, not the mention wholly reminiscent of my favourite enemies-to-lovers romance Red, White & Royal Blue, I am once again impressed with my capacity to hold utter adoration towards rom-coms while being a self-confesssed sourpuss, but I'm an escapist at heart, apparently. A perfect balance of fun & fluffy while handling subjects embodying mental health & sexual identity with the utmost cognizance & care 🩷🌈.
I'm seriously loving this novel 🩷🌈👑.
#thecharmoffensive #ace #asexual #demisexual #greysexual #aspec #representation #LGBTQIAP #gay #alisoncochrun #romance #NA #mentalhealth #depression #OCD #anxiety #neurodivergence #happilyeverafter #fairytaletropes #quotes
Happening upon wholesome A-spec representation has been my favourite part about reading this book so far! This quote especially made my heart warm and happy 💜🤍🩶🖤.
#thecharmoffensive #ace #demisexual #greysexual #aspec #representation #LGBTQIAP #gay #alisoncochrun #romance #NA #mentalhealth #depression #OCD #anxiety #neurodivergence #happilyeverafter #fairytaletropes #quotes
pickObsessed! I read this in 2 days, Charming is the only way to describe it. I loved Dev and Charlie and their romantic journey. Mental health was addressed so well. I don't watch dating reality shows because I am a pessimistic scrooge but I am over the moon for this book of behind the scenes reality show book.
Contestants:
Lauren L , 25, Dallas, professional cat cuddler
😻😂😂🤣😂😹😻
"'Nice to meet you [....] you are not where you are supposed to be right now.'
'Sorry.' He stares at her hand but doesn't take it. 'Uh, you.... also meet.'
'Does he think that was a sentence?' Jules asks Dev. 'God we're screwed.'
No one warned me this book is charmingly funny. I just caught myself giggling in public.
Excited for this!
pick@LiteraryinLawrence Thanks for the rec!! Really inspired by the multiple forms of representation in this book, and the steaminess was on point, too!
As the International bookfair in Turin has ended, these are all my new books. I can't wait to read them all ✨️
pickNot a huge fan of the reality TV storyline, but the book did a great job talking about mental health and sexual identity issues.
pickIf The Bachelor had this much diversity I might actually watch it. A delightful queer romcom with accurate mental health representation. Definitely a pick for me.
pickI‘m not typically a romance reader and don‘t watch The Bachelor, but thought this queer romance would be fluffy and fun. It is, but it‘s also so much more. Like, I did not expect probs the best ace-spec rep I‘ve seen in a romance novel!?! And Dev‘s struggles with depression were so relatable. Well developed characters I couldn‘t help but root for. I‘ve seen some critiques about Dev‘s Indian heritage being portrayed too superficially, which is fair
“Charlie‘s heart is hot butter, seeping through his body, warming his chest, his stomach, his arms. In describing the ridiculous dates on this show, Dev once said it is impossible not to fall in love on a boat.
Charlie should have known better than to doubt him.”
“‘. . . Okay. Do you think you might be asexual?‘ She asks it so simply, without any judgement or pressure, and he can‘t believe in four years of friendship, they‘ve never had this conversation. He wonders how many times Parisa wanted to initiate it and was patiently waiting for him to open the door just a crack.”
As someone in the ace spectrum, this whole scene with Charlie and Parisa means so so so much to me.
“Dev tamps down all feelings associated with what happened in the bathroom until filming is over. Until the crew starts deconstructing the set. Until Dev can vanish to the hotel bar, order himself a whiskey neat, and forget about this entire night.”
“‘Shit,‘ is all Dev says. Because it *is* a good idea. And because Dev is the one who‘s supposed to charm him.”
pickMy first book finished for #auldlangspine was a really excellent start. It‘s been on my TBR for a long time so really glad @xicanti had it on her list.
I loved this!! I was so wrapped up in Dev & Charlie‘s story I stayed up much too late reading & got up early this morning to finish it. I loved the queer representation here, the platonic relationships, the themes of reality tv & how “real” it is. If you haven‘t yet, definitely pick this one up.
I finally had a chance to run to the library today and picked up this stack of #auldlangspine titles. 🎉
I think I‘m going to start with the tagged title as it is my #doublespin this month. And it‘s one from my TBR I keep almost checking out and then passing on for a different title so I think it‘s time!
pickAnother super adorable queer romance! This one takes place on a Bachelor-inspired reality show set (except the bachelor falls in love with his male producer rather than one of the 20 women he's "dating"). A little angsty, but a lot of heart! ❤️
PS: apparently I'm just gonna ride this romance wave of a mood I'm in, before my cynical side takes over. I'm also in denial that I have to work tomorrow and am not, in fact, a stay at home cat mom
pickDev is a producer on the reality dating show, Ever After. Dev is a big believer in fairytale love. Charlie is the new, very awkward, hot, but beset with almost crippling OCD, contestant Dev is in charge of who will be choosing his princess from 20 contestants. What neither of them foresees is the way Dev is the first person who sees Charlie for all the wonderful he is and how it has Charlie wanting to choose Dev. This was lovely. Thank you👇🏼
I never got a chance to post but I did make my #bookspin list a few days ago. The past couple of weeks have been crazy with the holidays and traveling to see family both for Christmas and New Years. I‘m really glad things can get back to normal this week.
Anyway, most of this list (1-16) is #auldlangspine titles; planning to read as many as I can this month @xicanti @monalyisha
Bookspin is a #roll100 title
Doublespin is The Charm Offensive
#12BooksOf2022
I absolutely adored this book! A reality show romance where the bachelor and the producer fall in love. Great queer characters
@Andrew65
pickI am a sucker for books that take place in reality tv shows and this is by far the best book I read in that genre. It had a level of diversity I don‘t think I‘ve ever seen in a book before. And while yes, this is very much a romance book, it focused a lot on platonic love as well and how it‘s just as important as it‘s romantic counterpart. 5🌟
This lovely rom-com is on sale today for Kindle! If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it.
pick4/5
There was a bit towards the end that stressed me out, but overall this was a super fun romance happening behind the scenes of a reality TV show.
I recently moved 3,000 miles so I haven‘t been reading much of anything new, just rereading all my old comfort reads but I did read a bunch of romances at my sister‘s behest. Not pictured due to bodily harm being threatened if they weren‘t returned in a quick manner are, the Written in the Star trilogy by Alexandria Bellefleur, and The Love Study by Kris Ripper. @kera_11
Don‘t worry @Sydneypaige I‘m getting to Seven Days in June soon.
pickThis was a fun story with a serious side as one of the main characters deals with depression and the other has his own challenges. I don‘t watch The Bachelor but for some reason I find it fascinating to read about, so this fictionalized take was great for me.
pickYes to the couple, yes to the mental health representation in the book, yes to the romance and love and characters. AH just do yourself a favor and read it!
pickRating: 5 🌟
Book: 18 of 2022
Oh my goodness, my heart is bursting! An amazing queer romance, full of so much humor and genuine characters you can‘t help but fall in love with. Also this book does not shy away from mental health diagnoses and the impact it can have on a person‘s life, especially when not understood by those around them. Highly recommend this book!
pickVery cute #romance about reality tv dating show where the prince falls for his male production assistant. Lots of talk about mental illness & health. Big bonus points for diversity. It was less comedic than I expected, but I‘d love to see it as a movie. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🌈
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
A really cute love story & possibly the most inclusive romance I‘ve ever read, I had a lot of fun with this one. It did lag a bit in the middle for me, but the cuteness and the amount of shade thrown at The Bachelor franchise was enough to keep me engaged.
“Dev Deshpande knows the exact moment he started believing in happily ever after.”
#FirstLineFridays
@ShyBookOwl
Audiobooks and puzzling is a great combination but I will say, this has been one of the hardest puzzles yet!!
this is hands down one of my favorite romances I‘ve read this year. it‘s so freaking good.
Charlie is the new “Bachelor”™️ and Dev is a producer/handler tasked with making this very awkward man into a prince. Dev starts to get Charlie to open up to him so he can open up to the women he‘s dating on the show but also like what women??? positive gay relationship, mental health rep, no gay panic, I can‘t say enough how much I loved this book
pickJust finished this totally awesome m/m #romantsy rom-com. Dev is a producer on Ever After ( a tv show very reminiscent of The Bachelor) and Charles is the star for this season . Dev is tasked with turning Charles into Prince Charming so he can choose his future Princess. But Charles is so sweet and gawky and lovely…Dev just might be falling for him. This book is so sweet and so positive - all the feels !
pickAs a Bachelor and Bachelorette fan, I was all in for this book. It absolutely delivered. Charlie is utterly adorable and will tug at all your heart strings. Dev will make you want to believe in Disney-like happy endings. Honestly, I could gush about all the characters. The interviews and the extra footage transcripts really sold the behind-the-scenes feel of a reality show. I‘m very glad I treated myself and bought this book.
pickThis quirky queer romcom was a fun bit of escapism during a busy work week. I loved the diverse cast of characters and found family vibe along with the behind the scenes setting of a The Bachelor-type show. #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks #awesomeapril @Andrew65
I read a ton of great stuff in March. Alongside the tagged 5-star read, I revisited my favourite romance series (Rachel Reid‘s Game Changers) and found four new-to-me 4.5ers: THE STRANGERS by Katherena Vermette, SOMETHING FABULOUS by Alexis Hall, DRAGON HOOPS by Gene Luen Yang, and MALIBU RISING by Taylor Jenkins Reid.
April #bookspin! Where did March go? I know I lost at least a week adjusting to Daylight Savings, but it really feels like the days are flying by.
I caved this month and made a NetGalley account. Not sure yet if this is a good or bad thing considering how it has distracted me from my original reading list for the month (though, to be fair, it doesn't take much). I'm adding specific spaces to limit my NetGalley requesting to a manageable amount.
pickOf course I loved this book.The romance is sweet and steamy, it has LGBTQIA+ representation coming from a bunch of places, and it takes on mental health in a respectful way.The author does a great job of making the cast of characters lovable and memorable.The only thing I was disappointed by was a B-plot that went in a different direction than I expected (spoiler below) but I think the author‘s resolution was just as good!
Going to try to finish The Charm Offensive today while I enjoy the good weather (until the temperature drop and rain comes this afternoon ☹️). Still loving the book. The coming out and mental health conversations are so kind.
My crocuses just started blooming in the warmest part of the yard, I hope they pull through!
Having a rough migraine week, so I spent the morning making some chocolate chip banana muffins. This book is a really nice antidote to feeling run down. I am loving the friendships and support, the mental health representation, and there is a certain B plot that I am very excited about. I can‘t wait to see them get into the end-game aspects of the show and see how those add to the chaos!
pickHOLY CRAP, Y‘ALL. THIS BOOK.
I FELT SO MANY THINGS. I CRIED SO MUCH. IT‘S SO DAMNED GOOD I DON‘T EVEN WANT TO DISSECT IT. I JUST WANT TO SHOUT ABOUT HOW GOOD IT IS, WITH ITS GLORIOUS MIX OF QUEER DISCOVERY AND REALITY TV AND MENTAL HEALTH AND FRIENDSHIP. 😭😭😭😭😭
5 stars
Earlier, I ate sausage and barley soup (it tastes way better than it looks, I swear) and read a nice wee chunk of THE CHARM OFFENSIVE. It feels like a book I could love.
I read a lot of great books in February but this one snuck in at the end and overtook them ALL 😍
#readingbracket
Enjoying this book so far! I love a good trope, but I always come in wondering if the author will lean on it too hard and the characters will end up feeling like cardboard cutouts. That‘s not the case with this book! The characters are likable, the narrator is great and the premise just brings a lot of fun and chaos in.
I‘m working on my first brioche stitch piece while I listen. It‘s tricky, but I love how cushy the fabric is! #audioknitting
