Reviews with content warning for Alcohol - The Charm Offensive

Oh my goodness. I have so much love for this book. So many topics are brought up in such a nice way. It didn't feel like too much. It didn't feel like a list of representation points they were checking off of a list. It was done tastefully and it felt natural. OCD, anxiety and depression. Heavy topics but dealt with so well. And the representation of not only non-binary characters but also asexuality, characters finding out they're gay & lesbian.

The story itself: I loved that it was basically like the bachelor but with a very great, very gay twist. Very engaging for most of the book, but got a little boring around 65% in. Got interesting again very quickly though :) And to be honest, I love when it takes a bit more time before they actually get together. I love the pining for each other without daring to make a move because "no way they like me". So I was a bit sad they got together so quickly lol. But that's definitely not a big issue to most people, probably!

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angietheace's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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jmcampbell57's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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sabrinaleaf's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

4.25 ⭐️
So cute! I’m not a really big fan of the Bachelor, which may be one of the reasons this isn’t a 5 ⭐️. But I thoroughly enjoyed myself during my reading. I can’t wait to see what the author has in store for us.

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galaxies's review against another edition

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When I read the sample the first 20-30 pages had me enchanted but after starting the book properly it continued to nosedive from then on.

I appreciate that Cochrun tried to include diverse characters and mental health representation but it did not work for me at all. The characters were unlikeable/annoying (especially Dev who continually ignores or barrels past Charlie’s boundaries which is such a shitty thing to do), nearly all women in this are mean or harassers (except for Jules who has no personality whatsoever) and the romance I found plain unbelievable. I did not get at all why Charlie and Dev would fall for each other. And why did Cochrun make Dev Indian American? It’s like rep for rep’s sake because in the parts I read there was no inclusion of Indian culture for Dev. Other people have said it before but if you replaced his name with “Matt” for example it wouldn’t change a damned thing.

Plus the writing itself was often awkward and the humour was a miss for me. Did not laugh even once.

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jenny_librarian's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

This is what One to Watch tried to achieve, with way more diversity at every level, and so much better done!

I loved absolutely everything about this book except one thing: the miscommunication. I know this is how this kind of book is supposed to go, but I just hate when conflict stems from the fact that the main characters won't just sit down and talk. And that's saying a lot, considering a lot of the time Charlie and Dev spend together is them talking...

But apart from that, the sheer amount of diversity in this book was so refreshing for this kind of romcom. We got multiple queer identities (including a whooping TWO characters under the asexual umbrella!!!), neurodivergence and mental health issues being discussed, characters of colour in the forefront of the story... It just felt so good to read!

I have to say, however, that the trigger warnings for OCD, anxiety/panic attacks and depression are major in this book. If this is triggering, better skip it altogether. They hit quick and they hit hard. One of Charlie's panic attack almost caused me to have one. Good writing, but very much triggering.
Everyone else, though: READ. THIS. BOOK!

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dusksolace's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

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amberinpieces's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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