So based on this little synopsis I provided, we can see that there's no crazy stuff goin' on, but there's just enough to fill a book. Another book by Philippe for my favorites shelf! He combined standout characters with the perfect amount of humor, romance, and emotion. I was delighted to be part of Henri's world and grateful to accompany him on this journey.

Henri had many talents, and his charm was one of his secret weapons. A chameleon, who could easily fit into all school cliques. A persuasive orator, who dominated at debate. An entrepreneur, who created a successful dog walking business. He was also a first generation American, who was under a LOT of pressure from his parents to achieve their dream of him attending Columbia, and for once, his charm might not be enough to help him attain this goal. Henri's best friend is Chinese and adopted by a Jewish family and this dynamic hardly gets screen time, I want to know more I henceforth pledge myself to read whatever book Ben Philippe writes because Charming as a Verb was just so good and, true to its title, so charming.

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Their first kiss Corinne just randomly jumps at him and kisses him and it talks about how she awkwardly bumps his chin with hers. And that their teeth smashed against each other’s on accident. like ow😬 Charm is the quality in others that makes us more satisfied with ourselves.” ~ Henri Frederic Amiel It was genuinely a struggle for me to get through this book and it took me over a week to read it, when normally a contemporary like this would take me 2-3 days. The story felt like it dragged so much and I couldn’t find myself invested in any of the plotlines that the author was introducing. Also, for how prominent dog-walking is in the synopsis, there is very little of it in the book and I would have liked to have heard more about this “less-than-honest” dog-walking business. AI Dubbing Automatically translate and dub new or existing videos in over 100’s of languages with AI video dubbing.

Soon what started as a mutual hustle turns into something more surprising than either of them ever bargained for. . . . Life just feels like it’s suddenly on the express train… It all finally starts to become inescapably real… The dreaded high school finish line. Ben Philippe, Charming as a Verb Henri has an active social life and is on the debate team. He also has super supportive parents. Yet, he has his issues. For one, he won’t let anyone from school come to their tiny apartment. He’s also DESPERATE to get into Columbia just to fulfill his father’s dreams. Still he is a sincere character that many will root for. I also loved his friendship with Ming, who is a trans-racial adoptee and Henri’s best friend. I’m honestly not sure what to rate this. I feel like 2.5 is too low but 3 is too nice. Maybe I’ll settle for a 2.8? I’m not sure😆 It’s the final year of high school, a bittersweet time – the excitement and anxiety of looking ahead along with the nostalgia of what will be left behind. And Henri, the main character, is feeling both the highs and lows. He keeps busy with his dog-walking business, his star position on the debate team and the need to study hard and obtain top marks at the FATE academy. Underneath it all is his ambition to be accepted at Columbia University, not letting anything stand in the way of his dream. During this busy senior year, Henri discovers Corinne Troy, a classmate and neighbour who has been there all along but only now registers on Henri’s social radar. But despite this undercurrent of academic worry and social busy-ness, Henri presents himself as charming, a bit of a hustler and smooth talker who can generally get whatever he wants with a word and his trademark smile. But that’s the catch. Henri has to separate what he wants for himself from what others want for him.

And finally, my favorite part, the ✨romance✨. In Charming As A Verb, Corinne and Henri's relationship evolves from just neighbors/classmates, to friends, to lovers. I truly enjoyed seeing them learn more about each other throughout the story and show their affection for each other. I liked that this wasn't an insta-love where they magically see each other, and they're "in love". Corinne Troy is "intense." With a focused drive to succeed and attend Princeton, she's turned her high school career into a marathon race of studying, applications, and academic achievement. However, that leaves zero time for the social side of things. To put it bluntly, like Corinne would, she's stunted in the social niceties department and could do with some "wine and dine" lessons. There’s something almost freeing about this strange young woman who just comes up to him and says “No need for that BS smile: this is what I want; give it to me and I’ll go away.” That interviewer turned out to be right, not only about Henri’s collegiate education, but also about his relationship with Corinne. Things did have a way of working out for both of them, but first, they had to suffer through the trial and error of new love.