The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun easily became one of my favorites mlm romance novels. I donāt even know where to begin.
First hereās the summary:
Dev Deshpande has always believed in fairy tales. So itās no wonder then that heās spent his career crafting them on the long-running reality dating show Ever After. As the most successful producer in the franchiseās 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 doesnāt believe in true love, and only agreed to the show as a last-ditch effort to rehabilitate his image. In front of the cameras, heās a stiff, anxious mess with no idea how to date twenty women on national television. Behind the scenes, heās 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, theyāll have to reconsider whose love story gets told.
The plot might not be super original but you enjoyed the tv show UnReal or the writing style of Red, White and Royal Blue then this book is made for you. What makes this story absolutely wonderful are the characters, the themes and representation.
The main characters are so likeable and charming in their own way. The reader is automatically rooting for them. Both of them have great personal development and their relationship is just so pure and kind, and sweet and honest and⦠itās just everything.
The book also deals with so many important themes like self-identify, sexual identity, mental illness (anxiety, depression, and OCD are represented in the most respectful way), self-doubt, consent, acceptance, platonic and romantic love,ā¦
This book radiates comfort and I highly recommend it š
P.S.: if there is a film adaptation one day (we never know) Himesh Patel and Calahan Skogman would be perfect to play Dev and Charlie.