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Jonty Stewart is handsome and outgoing, with blood as blue as his eyes. When he takes up a teaching post at the college where he studied, his dynamic style acts as an agent for change within the archaic institution. He also has a catalytic effect on Orlando Coppersmith.
In the first novel of an explosive new series from K. J. Charles, a young gentleman and his elegant mentor fight for love in a world of wealth, power, and manipulation. When he learns that he could be the heir to an unexpected fortune, Harry Vane rejects his past as a radical fighting for government reform and sets about wooing his lovely cousin. But his heart is captured instead by the most beautiful, chic man he’s ever met: the dandy tasked with instructing him in the manners and style of the ton.
Lodging-house keeper Clem Talleyfer prefers a quiet life. He's happy with his hobbies, his work - and especially with his lodger Rowley Green, who becomes a friend over their long fireside evenings together. If only neat, precise, irresistible Mr. Green were interested in more than friendship. Rowley just wants to be left alone - at least until he meets Clem, with his odd, charming ways and his glorious eyes. Two quiet men, lodging in the same house, coming to an understanding...it could be perfect.
It's 1946, and the dust of World War Two has just begun to settle. When famous archaeologist Rufus Denby returns to London, his life and reputation are as devastated as the city around him. He's used to the most glamorous of excavations, but can't turn down the offer of a job in rural Sussex. It's a refuge, and the only means left to him of scraping a living. With nothing but his satchel and a mongrel dog he's rescued from a bomb site, he sets out to investigate an ancient church in the sleepy village of Droyton.
Gideon Frayne has spent his whole working life as a policeman in the village of Dark on Bodmin Moor. His first missing-child case is eating him alive. When his own boss sends in a psychic to help with the case, he's gutted - he's a level-headed copper who doesn't believe in such things, and he can't help but think that the arrival of clairvoyant Lee Tyack is a comment on his failure to find the little girl. But Lee is hard to hate, no matter how Gideon tries. At first Lee's insights into the case make no sense, but he seems to have a window straight into Gideon's heart.
Repressed scholar Percival Endicott Whyborne has two skills: reading dead languages and hiding in his office at the Ladysmith Museum. After the tragic death of the friend he secretly loved, he's ruthlessly suppressed any desire for another man. So when handsome ex-Pinkerton Griffin Flaherty approaches him to translate a mysterious book, Whyborne wants to finish the job and get rid of the detective as quickly as possible. Griffin left the Pinkertons following the death of his partner, hoping to start a new life. But the powerful cult that murdered Glenn has taken root in Widdershins, and only the spells in the book can stop them.
Jonty Stewart is handsome and outgoing, with blood as blue as his eyes. When he takes up a teaching post at the college where he studied, his dynamic style acts as an agent for change within the archaic institution. He also has a catalytic effect on Orlando Coppersmith.
In the first novel of an explosive new series from K. J. Charles, a young gentleman and his elegant mentor fight for love in a world of wealth, power, and manipulation. When he learns that he could be the heir to an unexpected fortune, Harry Vane rejects his past as a radical fighting for government reform and sets about wooing his lovely cousin. But his heart is captured instead by the most beautiful, chic man he’s ever met: the dandy tasked with instructing him in the manners and style of the ton.
Lodging-house keeper Clem Talleyfer prefers a quiet life. He's happy with his hobbies, his work - and especially with his lodger Rowley Green, who becomes a friend over their long fireside evenings together. If only neat, precise, irresistible Mr. Green were interested in more than friendship. Rowley just wants to be left alone - at least until he meets Clem, with his odd, charming ways and his glorious eyes. Two quiet men, lodging in the same house, coming to an understanding...it could be perfect.
It's 1946, and the dust of World War Two has just begun to settle. When famous archaeologist Rufus Denby returns to London, his life and reputation are as devastated as the city around him. He's used to the most glamorous of excavations, but can't turn down the offer of a job in rural Sussex. It's a refuge, and the only means left to him of scraping a living. With nothing but his satchel and a mongrel dog he's rescued from a bomb site, he sets out to investigate an ancient church in the sleepy village of Droyton.
Gideon Frayne has spent his whole working life as a policeman in the village of Dark on Bodmin Moor. His first missing-child case is eating him alive. When his own boss sends in a psychic to help with the case, he's gutted - he's a level-headed copper who doesn't believe in such things, and he can't help but think that the arrival of clairvoyant Lee Tyack is a comment on his failure to find the little girl. But Lee is hard to hate, no matter how Gideon tries. At first Lee's insights into the case make no sense, but he seems to have a window straight into Gideon's heart.
Repressed scholar Percival Endicott Whyborne has two skills: reading dead languages and hiding in his office at the Ladysmith Museum. After the tragic death of the friend he secretly loved, he's ruthlessly suppressed any desire for another man. So when handsome ex-Pinkerton Griffin Flaherty approaches him to translate a mysterious book, Whyborne wants to finish the job and get rid of the detective as quickly as possible. Griffin left the Pinkertons following the death of his partner, hoping to start a new life. But the powerful cult that murdered Glenn has taken root in Widdershins, and only the spells in the book can stop them.
France, 1915: Lieutenant Tom Donald envies everything about fellow officer Frank Foden - his confidence, his easy manner with the men in the trenches, the affectionate letters from his wife. Frank shares these letters happily, drawing Tom into a vicarious friendship with a woman he's never met. Although the bonds of friendship forged under fire are strong, Tom can't be so open with Frank - he's attracted to men and could never confess that to anyone.
When Frank is killed in no-man's-land, he leaves behind a mysterious request for Tom: to deliver a sealed letter to a man named Palmer. Tom undertakes the commission while on leave - and discovers that almost everything he thought he knew about Frank is a lie....
What did you like most about Promises Made Under Fire?
I like the build up of the characters, the great description, the of-the-time appropriate vocabulary used (that I had to look up to discover what they meant) and small idiosyncrasies of all the characters.
What did you like best about this story?
I liked the twist to the story. Although somewhat guessable as the protagonist also wonders, I enjoyed how it was woven well before me.
What about Kevin Stillwell’s performance did you like?
The narration was sincere and variable which was good. Only issue I had was that the characters are meant to be in the 20-30s but with the narrators' voice, it made them sound much older. However, given the times that this was set, it may well be that this is how the projected their voices and spoke.
If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?
As secret love intended.
Any additional comments?
A perfect short story with a clear beginning and end that leaves the reader fulfilled.
A review for an audio book is slightly different to a review for a written book, they are the same story but for an audiobook to work, especially if the listener has not read the story first, the narrator has to be able to convey the right tone, inflection and pace for the story to resonate without the listener loosing track of what is going on. The narrator for Promises Under Fire is Kevin Stillwell, and his narration in a slow, dry, English voice is perfect. Even though I could have been doing anything while listening to the story I found myself absorbed in it.
Charlie Cochrane's tale may have been set in WWI but the experience can be applied even to today's lives...at least mine. I related so much with Tom Donald and his experiences of never telling the one that you love...Kevin Stillwell's narration was fantastic and made the characters come to life. A great story...
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
This is a sweet romance. The author successfully casts you into the cadence of an epistolary relationship set in the years of World War I. Sufficiently self-contained but leaves you wanting (in a good way) to know more about the characters and their lives.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I don't understand why this book gets such good reviews. It took me ages to get through it, even though it is a short book. It only picked up for me at the very end. I found it quite dull, mostly because of the narration, I think. It seemed so very slow. Sorry, not for me.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Such a lovely WWI story. The narration was amazing and I just adore how it unfolded. Anything extra would have felt totally fake.
What was one of the most memorable moments of Promises Made Under Fire?
I loved this story. i cried through it like a frigging baby lol Seriously it touched my heart. This was such a sweet full filling story, it was lovely.
What about Kevin Stillwell’s performance did you like?
He did excellent and I wouldn't hesitate to listen to him again.