Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun

35 reviews

criticalgayze's review

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

5.0

2022 was a lackluster reading year for me, so I knew I wanted to start my year with a reread, but I also wanted a book I could get through as a quick "win" to start my reading year. It felt like the perfect time to revisit Dev and Charlie.

Boy, was that a great decision.

These two are just absolutely beautiful humans surrounded by other absolutely beautiful humans, and the talk about mental health that Cochrun has them engage in is so crucial. Dev and I are also incredibly similar even if his type and mine are radically different.

If "joy" and "reality dating competition" are words that spark excitement for you, pick this one up.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Vomit, Biphobia, Alcohol, Cursing, and Homophobia

Minor: Emotional abuse and Acephobia/Arophobia

buttermellow's review

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Emotional abuse

magnoliophyta's review

emotional hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective sad tense medium-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Bullying, Emotional abuse, and Mental illness

williamgideon's review

emotional funny fast-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

3.5

I really liked this book! The characters are so sweet I could die. Me and who honestly. I loved the discussion of mental health and how to deal with that within a relationship. 
The last third of the book felt like it dragged on tbh, a lot of the conflict felt forced, but other than that it was a really fun read.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Biphobia, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, and Child abuse

bialves's review

challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted fast-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

4.5

I think this book would've been a favorite if

Dev didn't do some thing that clearly triggers Charlie OCD, and the obsession with Charlie beauty, like it was all that matters sometimes. I was worry this wouldn't have a happy ending, but it did and it's cute (I maybe expect more)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Cursing, Toxic friendship, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content

sometimes_samantha_reads's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective 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

I will admit. When I first started this book, it was begrudgingly. Many friends told me to read it, but I put myself in a box claiming contemporary romances aren't "my thing". With that narrow lens, I thought the characters and premise of the show were annoying. But, as I read I saw myself in the characters and I do have a guilty love of trashy reality TV so it came together. It was actually pretty darn cute and held some mirrors up to hard truths when I wasn't expecting it. Only reason, for me, it gets 4 instead of 5 is the miscommunication was just almost unbearable and I felt a but over used. But not bad at all!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Panic attacks/disorders, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Bullying, and Biphobia

thefatpaperback's review

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

5.0

The writing in this book is incredible. Cochrun crafts humor, intimacy, and care into the characters and plot seamlessly. I gasped, squealed, blushed, and cried my way through this read. If you’re thinking “I can’t read another reality show romance”—Yes, you can. And you should. Because this one is special. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Biphobia, Ableism, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content

Minor: Fatphobia and Sexual assault

sabrinalefebvre's review

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Biphobia, Ableism, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Mental illness

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Cursing, and Acephobia/Arophobia

Minor: Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Vomit

jenny_librarian's review

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, and Mental illness

Moderate: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Transphobia, Vomit, Outing, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Acephobia/Arophobia, Biphobia, and Bullying

Minor: Cursing, Dysphoria, Sexual content, Body shaming, Alcohol, and Sexual assault

felixreads0321's review

challenging emotional funny hopeful lighthearted sad tense medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Acephobia/Arophobia, Alcohol, Homophobia, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Biphobia, Blood, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, and Sexism