Reviewed by Vicki (Tori)

TITLE: Wild Bells 

AUTHOR: Charlie Cochrane

PUBLISHER: The Right Chair Press

LENGTH: 131 pages

RELEASE DATE: December 1st, 2016

BLURB:

Wild Bells, two historical novellas.

The Shade on a Fine Day:

Curate William Church may set the hearts of the parish’s young ladies aflame, but he doesn’t want their affection or presents, no matter how much they want to give them to him. He has his sights set elsewhere, for a love he’s not allowed to indulge. One night, eight for dinner at the Canon’s table means the potential arrival of a ghost. But what message will the spirit bring and which of the young men around the table is it for?

The Angel in the Window:

Two officers, one ship, one common enemy.
Alexander Porterfield may be one of the rising stars of the British navy, but his relationship with his first lieutenant, Tom Anderson, makes him vulnerable. To blackmail, to anxieties about exposure—and to losing Tom, either in battle or to another ship. When danger comes more from the English than the French, where should a man turn?

REVIEW:

The Shade on a Fine Day:

The Shade on a Fine Day is set in small village in rural England and features William Church, who has recently taken the job of curate at the local church. He is now the most eligible bachelor in town… all of the girls are aflutter, both the young ones and the older ones! Two of his potential mates, at least in their minds, are Madeleine and Beatrice. Both are young and single, and looking for husbands. The two girls spend many hours discussing what William may like, what his favorite color is, etc. Beatrice and Madeleine, along with Benjamin (Beatrice’s brother), and William, are invited to dinner at the home of the current Canon and his wife. This proves to be an interesting evening, as the group of dinner companions is visited by a ghost! This ghost has words to impart to William about his choice of companion.

I really liked this gentle story! Obviously this is a gay romance, so you can assume that William is not actually interested in Beatrice or Madeleine, but the machinations the girls go through to catch his attention made for a fun story. There are some interesting characters, Not only William and Benjamin, Madeleine and Beatrice, but the Canon and his wife. There are some good lessons in this one about acceptance and love…

Rating:

The Angel in the Window:

The Angel in the Window takes place in 1803/1804, and follows the lives of Tom Anderson and Alexander Porterfield, both members of the British navy. The two men have had an ongoing relationship, since they were young and newly joined. They’ve managed to stay together and free from prosecution for some time now. This story picks up in the middle of their lives and follows them for a few months as they work through some intrigue, and a couple of naval issues.

I liked this story too, although I had a hard time picking up on the plot initially. We come in to their story after it has started, follow them for a little while, then go away, as their story continues on. I liked the bit of action we got with a battle, and the intrigue with a nasty character added some excitement. But… it was a little rambling for me. I did like Tom and Alexander, and I loved their banter! They have an unknown helper toward the end of the story that was nice to see, not everyone is the enemy of men like them in that time.

Rating: 

OVERALL REVIEW:

I haven’t read a book from Charlie Cochrane in a few years, I dearly loved her Cambridge books. I drifted away unintentionally, and this book reminds me of what I loved. She has just a beautiful lyrical way of writing. Her stories are gentle, even when dealing with deep issues. These are set in a historical time, so homosexuality isn’t acceptable. She gives us a look at how men could have realistically lived, as “confirmed bachelors”, or close shipmates. We see some people maybe picking up on the true love between the main characters, but keeping it to themselves. I normally want more descriptive sex in my books, but I honestly don’t miss it in Charlie’s books because the build up to the sex scenes are so beautifully written. These are true romantic stories, not erotica.

Although I liked them, and I’m very glad I read them, I will say they could have been a little more exciting for me, I missed a little of the action we get with some of her other stories. They really did make me want to go read the last couple of Cambridge books I’ve missed!

If you are looking for a light historical book, with no angst or drama, I can recommend this book. If you like a little more action, or more graphic sex, this may not be the book for you.

OVERALL RATING: 

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