Reviewed by Jess
TITLE: A Tender Curiosity: A Collection of Three Short Stories 
AUTHOR: Charlie Cochet
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 90 pages
RELEASE DATE: June 15, 2018
BLURB:
Take a journey into the past and meet the men who laughed, lived, and loved in a bygone era. This collection includes three short but sweet tales of infatuation, adventure, humor, and even a dash of the paranormal.
When Love Walked In
Private investigator Bruce Shannon’s cases of missing persons and infidelity don’t inspire warm feelings around Valentine’s Day. Luckily Bruce is quite happy with only his cat for companionship—until handsome Jace Scarret wanders off the street and into Bruce’s life.
In His Corner
Former world heavyweight boxing champion Jessie “the Demon” Dalton needs a cornerman, and Eli jumps at the chance, hoping for answers about why Jessie broke his heart years ago. It soon becomes clear that Jessie needs Eli in his corner—and in his life. Now all Eli has to do is convince Jessie.
Believe Me, Beloved
Robert Bradley dreams of singing on the radio, and when he attends the masked ball of handsome station owner Gabriel Chase, Robert has no idea his dream is about to take an unexpected paranormal turn.
REVIEW:
Charlie Cochet is an incredibly diverse and varied writer, but her historical works have a special place in my heart. I was excited to see she has a collection of three historical stories set in the first half of the 20th century. We get all the smoky noir and Gatsby-like glam of the times while still feeling the urgency of what it meant to be a man who likes other men in a very unforgiving era. These romances are all sexy, sweet, fun, and just the right amount of dramatic. And they are all tightly-written without ever losing our interest or wasting a word.
“When Love Walked In”
Now, I’ve read a lot of stories with a female secretary paired with a gruff detective or business, but this is the first time the secretary has been male. The sexual tension that builds between the two very different men sizzles right off the page. The language and word choice in this story feel very true to the time period. Excellently written, paced, and plotted!
Story Rating: 5 Hearts
“In His Corner”
Though this story feels slightly less grounded in a certain time, I think it is my favorite of the three. A romance between an aging boxing champion and his young, optimistic biggest fan is sure to bring the sparks and steam, and this didn’t disappoint. We really get to know these two men in so few words. I love a happy ending in a time where LGBT people maybe didn’t get their dreams realized all the time.
Story Rating: 5 Hearts
“Believe Me, Beloved”
I will admit, I wasn’t quite prepared for a paranormal story after two very realistic pieces, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it. Robert is such a sweet, innocent character, so seeing him react to his longtime crush’s biggest secret was a lot of fun. And their eventual “mating” totally brings the fire. Out of the three, I think this is the only one that feels a little rushed—there’s a lot of supernatural backstory and worldbuilding that got in the way of the romance here and there.
Story Rating: 4 Hearts
Though all of these stories were previously published in other works, they mesh fairly well together. The last story, “Believe Me, Beloved,” is definitely the outlier, since it is the only one of the three to delve into the supernatural. It’s a very good, sexy read, but when werewolves appeared, I was totally stunned…I wasn’t expecting the break from realistic fiction. Despite the slightly bumpy transition, the historical stories transported me into a different time in the best way. I definitely recommend this little collection.
RATING: 
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