Reviewed by Jess
TITLE: Roses in the Devil’s Garden
SERIES: Fallen Rose #1
AUTHOR: Charlie Cochet
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 73 pages
RELEASE DATE: April 6, 2018
BLURB: Working for the Bureau of Prohibition means facing dangerous criminals, desperate gangsters, speakeasies springing up overnight, a city controlled by corruption, and an employer that can’t be trusted. If that’s not enough, best friends and lovers Harlan Mackay and Nathan Reilly still bear the scars—both seen and unseen—that they earned fighting in the First World War. When a ghost from the past resurfaces to destroy everything they hold dear, it might be the last straw for Harlan and Nathan.
New York City is a war zone, the government is in the pocket of organized crime, and the exposure of their illicit romance is a constant danger. For Harlan and Nathan, it’s not a question of whether they’ll escape unscathed, but of which enemy will get them first…
REVIEW:
I love Charlie Cochet and I love historical fiction set in the prohibition era, so I was pretty eager to read this short story. This is a re-release that precedes Cochet’s full-length 2014 novel, A Rose By Any Other Name, which focuses on Julius, a character who makes a small appearance in this story. I’ve not yet read that book, but since this story is a fast-paced, sexy, accessible piece of historical romance, it is definitely going on my to-read list. I’m glad these two stories can now both be purchased together at Dreamspinner.
This is one of those stories that introduces us to an already-established couple who are devoted and in love before we meet them. Since so much of romance is about the “falling” aspect of love, that can be a tricky task. But Harlan and Nathan instantly ooze chemistry from page one, even when we just see them as undercover partners at the Bureau of Prohibition. In so few words about their history together as soldiers then law enforcement, we can feel their devotion for one another and how passionate they are for each other in a world that isn’t very kind to men like them.
This story also has the great atmosphere of a historical setting that mixes nostalgia with honesty. We’re transported back to illicit underground clubs that sell poisoned drinks at astronomical prices and to smoky police precincts where crooked cops rough up suspects without a care. It’s a world we’re familiar with from books and movies, but often not with LGBT characters, so seeing Harlan and Nathan carve out some happiness for themselves in a more oppressive time makes for a great story. We get that feeling of “this has always been happening,” like there’s nothing abnormal about their relationship and that anyone who thinks so is obviously in the wrong, even in the time period. They are two men who are just trying for an honest life of integrity amidst a world of darkness, and those are the best kinds of characters.
The crime plot itself was a little thin, but that can be forgiven, since this is such a short and contained little story. And the romance plot does contain a little bit of the tired “it’s not what you think” trope, but it ends up being worth it when Harlan and Nathan passionately make up for past misunderstandings.
I’m eager to continue with this series, and since Cochet introduced several interesting characters, I hope she’s not yet finished with this universe.
RATING: 
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