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A review by simonlorden
The Charm Offensive – Sármháború by Alison Cochrun
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Read this on my 6-hour train ride today. Major mixed feelings.
The first part was torture. I cursed everyone (author and certain characters both) who thought it was a good idea to put this touch-repulsed demisexual gay with severe anxiety and OCD into a situation where he has to be on camera all the time, and not only be on camera, but act charming and romantic and touch and kiss women. Of course he kept throwing up and having panic attacks. It wasn't fun to read at all, tbh.
The middle part was nice. Dev and Charlie are genuinely cute, and I enjoyed their scenes that weren't on camera. The extended queer cast and the focus on mental problems (OCD, anxiety and depression) was really neat! There were good things in this book that I enjoyed. Daphne and Angie were really nice.
Then came the obligatory third act breakup, which is in every second romance book I read, and I can't think of a single one that didn't feel kind of forced and annoying. This is usually where a 4-5 star book becomes a 3 for me.
And then the very end, which is a sugary sweet fairytale happy ending. I'm not really /mad/ about it, because a fairytale ending like that kind of fit the vibe of the whole book, but it still felt a little too much for me and my suspension of disbelief.I mean, they re-cut the entire season to focus on Dev AND then make the next season to be about lesbians, AND the showrunner gets fired for discrimination even though Charlie signed a contract saying he'll get engaged to a woman, regardless of his sexuality? Idk, man.
The first part was torture. I cursed everyone (author and certain characters both) who thought it was a good idea to put this touch-repulsed demisexual gay with severe anxiety and OCD into a situation where he has to be on camera all the time, and not only be on camera, but act charming and romantic and touch and kiss women. Of course he kept throwing up and having panic attacks. It wasn't fun to read at all, tbh.
The middle part was nice. Dev and Charlie are genuinely cute, and I enjoyed their scenes that weren't on camera. The extended queer cast and the focus on mental problems (OCD, anxiety and depression) was really neat! There were good things in this book that I enjoyed. Daphne and Angie were really nice.
Then came the obligatory third act breakup, which is in every second romance book I read, and I can't think of a single one that didn't feel kind of forced and annoying. This is usually where a 4-5 star book becomes a 3 for me.
And then the very end, which is a sugary sweet fairytale happy ending. I'm not really /mad/ about it, because a fairytale ending like that kind of fit the vibe of the whole book, but it still felt a little too much for me and my suspension of disbelief.