The Charm Offensive

“Alison Cochrun’s debut is a gift, as fizzy and intoxicating as the champagne they ply reality dating contestants with… Charm Offensive is wondrous—a heart-in-your-throat romance that pulls you intractably into its orbit… Cochrun makes her debut with this title, but she proves amply to romance lovers that she's here for the right reasons. To quote a former Bachelorette, she did the damn thing. And then some.” —Entertainment Weekly
“Cochrun’s polished, smart, and delightful debut romance delivers all the quintessential feel-good moments of a great romcom... In between the meet-cute, quippy banter, and red-hot sexual chemistry, Cochrun also offers readers a thoughtful and caring exploration of gay love and the mental health struggles people with social anxiety and depression deal with every day.” —Booklist (starred review)
"Fans of 'The Bachelor' will fall in love with Cochrun’s sweet spin on a reality dating show....The Charm Offensive urges readers to scrutinize which love stories get told in Hollywood and pushes for a future where everyone gets to see themselves living happily ever after." —USA Today
"A swoon-worthy debut." —Harper's Bazaar
"The Charm Offensive is a heartwarming rom-com with unforgettable characters who will challenge you to see love in a new light. Set behind the scenes of the fictional TV show Ever After, Alison Cochrun is unafraid to flip reality TV's tired tropes into fresh storylines. With entertaining insight into how the happily-ever-after sausage gets made and nuanced discussions about mental health and sexuality, this witty, moving page-turner is nothing short of delightful. Networks would be wise to take cues from Cochrun's ode to reality TV romance."
—Hannah Orenstein, author of Head Over Heels
"This book is my new obsession. As a longtime (and long-suffering) Bachelor fan, I grinned at all the winks to the franchise, cheered at the subversions of reality TV tropes, and grew faint as Dev and Charlie danced closer to embracing their true feelings—and even truer selves. Heart-stoppingly romantic and radiantly empathetic." —Rachel Lynn Solomon, author of The Ex Talk
"The Charm Offensive will sweep you off your feet." —PopSugar
“[R]eaders seeking romance that prioritizes inclusive explorations of sexual identity and mental illness will treasure this.” —Publishers Weekly
“With its lush locales and LGBTQ and BIPOC representation, this novel shines, especially for readers underrepresented or underappreciated in mainstream romance. For fans of Kate Stayman-London’s One To Watch and Casey McQuiston’s Red, White & Royal Blue.” —Library Journal
“Alison Cochrun twines an earnest exploration of mental health and sexuality through a truly mem­orable love story… Cochrun’s clever behind-the-scenes glimpses of ‘Ever After’ will delight reality TV fans, but it’s The Charm Offensive’s tenderness and deep, believable emotion that will linger in readers’ hearts.” —BookPage (starred review)
“Perfect for fans of Casey McQuiston and Cat Sebastian . . . . The Charm Offensive is a funny, diverse, subversive romance that brings an unexpected happily ever after to a reality dating show.” —Shelf Awareness
“[N]ot just a fluffy LGBTQ+ rom-com. It starts out looking as though it might be a scathing satirical sendup of reality TV romance dating franchises, then subtly segues into a searing exploration of gender identity, sexism and mental health... The Charm Offensive succeeds in becoming an enthralling, entertaining and thought-provoking novel.” —Portland Oregonian
“This book is special. It is sweet and funny, the way rom-com novels ought to be, but it’s also deeply honest about the human experience.” —Book Reporter