Search
Search results
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Charm Offensive in Books
Sep 2, 2021
A delightful reality show romantic comedy
Dev Deshpande works on the set of Ever After, a reality dating show he's loved since he was a kid. He truly believes in the show's premise of happily ever after, even as his own six-year-relationship with Ryan, a co-worker, ends. Then the show casts Charles Winshaw, a handsome millionaire tech genius as their next prince. Charlie has only agreed to come on the show to fix his awkward image, which has made it impossible for him to get another job in tech. He's terrible in front of the cameras and even worse with the women he's supposed to woo. Dev is assigned as his handler, a last ditch attempt to save Ever After. As he works to get Charlie to open up, the two connect, and realize that their chemistry is far better than anything Charlie has with his potential love interests. But Ever After demands a fairy tale ending--what does that mean for Charlie and Dev?
"And maybe then Dev will forget that in his own life, happily ever afters are never guaranteed."
This is a truly lovely book, with a great romance filled with crackling tension combined with excellent points about mental illness and being loved unconditionally (or not, as the case may be). I fell head over heels in love with both Charlie and Dev--they are wonderful characters, whom you grow attached to easily.
Dev truly believes in the romance of the show when no one else does--including his ex, Ryan, and Charlie. Yet sweet Dev does not feel worthy of the love he so fervently believes in and can only offer up what he terms "Fun Dev," a light, easygoing version of his personality that does not reflect his true self. Meanwhile Charlie struggles with OCD and anxiety. He has never been in a serious relationship or given himself a true chance to explore whom he likes. The two feel so real and are so well-written: they just fly off the pages. I don't watch the Bachelor and other type shows, but if you do, I'm sure you'll love this book. Even if you don't though, there's so much to enjoy in the dynamics of the story and the examination of the pros and cons of reality shows--a look at how they treat women, racism, sexuality, and more.
"Then again, it turns out Charles Winshaw is no one's definition of a Prince Charming, no matter how much he might look the part."
Cochrun writes and describes anxiety so well and truly mental illness as a whole. It's treated seriously and given the respect it deserves. There is so much great representation in this book, include ace. And while it covers serious issues, at heart, this is a romance, and oh, it's so cute! There's so much steamy, sexual tension between Charlie and Dev. So many hot scenes, so much love and wondering and flirting... they are adorable together! This book made me smile and laugh and cry; it's so wonderful written and just bursting with goodness.
I do think Charlie probably could have gotten a new job in tech without going on a reality show, but oh well. Overall, this is such an excellent read. It's a wonderful blend of serious and fun and flirty and a great exploration into love and what happily ever after really means.
"And maybe then Dev will forget that in his own life, happily ever afters are never guaranteed."
This is a truly lovely book, with a great romance filled with crackling tension combined with excellent points about mental illness and being loved unconditionally (or not, as the case may be). I fell head over heels in love with both Charlie and Dev--they are wonderful characters, whom you grow attached to easily.
Dev truly believes in the romance of the show when no one else does--including his ex, Ryan, and Charlie. Yet sweet Dev does not feel worthy of the love he so fervently believes in and can only offer up what he terms "Fun Dev," a light, easygoing version of his personality that does not reflect his true self. Meanwhile Charlie struggles with OCD and anxiety. He has never been in a serious relationship or given himself a true chance to explore whom he likes. The two feel so real and are so well-written: they just fly off the pages. I don't watch the Bachelor and other type shows, but if you do, I'm sure you'll love this book. Even if you don't though, there's so much to enjoy in the dynamics of the story and the examination of the pros and cons of reality shows--a look at how they treat women, racism, sexuality, and more.
"Then again, it turns out Charles Winshaw is no one's definition of a Prince Charming, no matter how much he might look the part."
Cochrun writes and describes anxiety so well and truly mental illness as a whole. It's treated seriously and given the respect it deserves. There is so much great representation in this book, include ace. And while it covers serious issues, at heart, this is a romance, and oh, it's so cute! There's so much steamy, sexual tension between Charlie and Dev. So many hot scenes, so much love and wondering and flirting... they are adorable together! This book made me smile and laugh and cry; it's so wonderful written and just bursting with goodness.
I do think Charlie probably could have gotten a new job in tech without going on a reality show, but oh well. Overall, this is such an excellent read. It's a wonderful blend of serious and fun and flirty and a great exploration into love and what happily ever after really means.
Mayenburg: Three Plays
Book
Eldorado: Anton's got it made: dream house, artistic wife, baby on the way. And, as the smoke rises...
The Man in the High Castle
7.5
Rate It
Book
A dazzling speculative novel of 'counterfactual history' from one of America's most highly-regarded...
Recruiting and Retaining Lawyers: Innovative Strategies to Attract, Develop and Retain Legal Talent
Book
The competition for talent that leading experts started to describe in the 1990s has now become a...
Know the Truth: Why Knowing Who You are Changes Everything
Book
Having gained major recognition as the only European to be named a SuperSoul 100 Teacher by Oprah...
Between Two Worlds
6.0
Rate It
Book
From Tyler Henry, a twenty-year-old clairvoyant and star of E!’s hit reality series Hollywood...
Biography Spirituality
Boat Watch Pro - Spotting Boats, Ferries, Cruise Ships
Navigation and Travel
App
Ever wanted to know more about the boats and ships you see? Boat Watch Pro lets you spot boats and...
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Marriage Act in Books
Jan 22, 2023
Set in a time not too far away, this is a dark and rather creepy tale that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Would you 'upgrade' your marriage if it meant getting preferential treatment ... the best jobs, the best houses, better health care, education, etc., etc., etc.? But then what if that meant artificial intelligence was listening in to snap shots of your conversations and then analysing them to make sure you are keeping to the terms of your marriage? And if not, a scale of interventions would be put into action. Would you still do it? Well, The Marriage Act will probably make you think again!
Mr Marrs certainly gets you thinking and poses really interesting questions and dilemmas in this well plotted, perfectly paced book told from the viewpoints of his well created characters and with some great twists and turns.
Thoroughly enjoyable and quite an unsettling book that actually doesn't feel that far from becoming a reality! How many have an Alexa, Siri or similar digital voice assistant in the home or on your wrist that just sits there? I'm not a conspiracy theorist, however I imagine it wouldn't take much for a law to be passed in the name of improving the economy or society in some way, then a switch is flicked and the process would start ... definitely not beyond the realms of reality and very scary!
This is the second of Mr Marrs' books I have enjoyed and I will definitely read more in the future and thanks must go to Pan Macmillan, Macmillan and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Marriage Act.
Would you 'upgrade' your marriage if it meant getting preferential treatment ... the best jobs, the best houses, better health care, education, etc., etc., etc.? But then what if that meant artificial intelligence was listening in to snap shots of your conversations and then analysing them to make sure you are keeping to the terms of your marriage? And if not, a scale of interventions would be put into action. Would you still do it? Well, The Marriage Act will probably make you think again!
Mr Marrs certainly gets you thinking and poses really interesting questions and dilemmas in this well plotted, perfectly paced book told from the viewpoints of his well created characters and with some great twists and turns.
Thoroughly enjoyable and quite an unsettling book that actually doesn't feel that far from becoming a reality! How many have an Alexa, Siri or similar digital voice assistant in the home or on your wrist that just sits there? I'm not a conspiracy theorist, however I imagine it wouldn't take much for a law to be passed in the name of improving the economy or society in some way, then a switch is flicked and the process would start ... definitely not beyond the realms of reality and very scary!
This is the second of Mr Marrs' books I have enjoyed and I will definitely read more in the future and thanks must go to Pan Macmillan, Macmillan and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Marriage Act.
Who would have thought that a book about being on a reality TV show after being dumped on TV would be such an interesting book topic?
I love that Helly Acton dreamt up an entire Tv show around a devastating moment in life and turned it around to something positive. Having seven women in a house at a low point in their lives could have gone completely horribly, but the characters that Helly wrote gelled together so well that there wasn’t a lot of drama but you still rooted for each and every woman in The Shelf house.
I loved how she integrated social media and technology into the house with The Wall and The Tracker, and used them to show how they would be interacted with if they were included in a real reality TV show.
I didn’t want to put this book down, and didn’t know who I wanted to be evicted each time there was an eviction as I loved each one of the characters. I also liked how at the end of the book, everyone’s happiness wasn’t measured by whether they were in a relationship or not, it was whether they had met their goals. And I also love that the theme throughout this book wasn’t that you need to be in a relationship to be happy, but that you need to love yourself first to be happy and don’t rush into being with someone who ultimately isn’t right for you just because you think that you’re running out of time.
I can’t wait to read Helly’s next book now.
I love that Helly Acton dreamt up an entire Tv show around a devastating moment in life and turned it around to something positive. Having seven women in a house at a low point in their lives could have gone completely horribly, but the characters that Helly wrote gelled together so well that there wasn’t a lot of drama but you still rooted for each and every woman in The Shelf house.
I loved how she integrated social media and technology into the house with The Wall and The Tracker, and used them to show how they would be interacted with if they were included in a real reality TV show.
I didn’t want to put this book down, and didn’t know who I wanted to be evicted each time there was an eviction as I loved each one of the characters. I also liked how at the end of the book, everyone’s happiness wasn’t measured by whether they were in a relationship or not, it was whether they had met their goals. And I also love that the theme throughout this book wasn’t that you need to be in a relationship to be happy, but that you need to love yourself first to be happy and don’t rush into being with someone who ultimately isn’t right for you just because you think that you’re running out of time.
I can’t wait to read Helly’s next book now.