Review: Great story of new found love and second chances.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 02 26, 2013
I am not usually a fan of historical fiction, but I am finding that I've come to enjoy reading the genre as long as the writing is done well and the story is an interesting one. This is the case with Promises Made Under Fire.From the beginning Charlie Cochrane pulled me into the story by introducing me to Tom Donald. His voice was a mix of frustration over his predicament at being in the trenches and his joy at having forged a friendship with Frank, a fellow soldier. He enjoyed their conversations and their friendship, especially sharing Frank's letters.  He came to look forward to these days because he could glimpse the love Frank shared with his wife Veronica - the kind of love he yearns to feel one day for another man.When Frank is killed he is surprised to find that Frank wanted him to deliver a letter to a friend. He's confused as to why Frank saw the need for him to do this, since Frank had not mentioned this friend to him in any of their conversations. Nevertheless, he sets out to fulfill his friend's last wish only to find that Frank was not who he thought he was and that his life would be irrevocably changed by delivering Frank's letter.This is the first work by Charlie Cochrane that I have read and I enjoyed the way the author went about telling this story. Giving us glimpses of Tom's life in and out of the war, his family dynamics and his struggles with his sexuality, Charlie Cochrane made it easy for me to connect to Tom. I could clearly understand his hesitations, thoughts and actions, which only made the story that much more enjoyable.The slow pace of the story and the emotions that the author brought out of Tom and into the story gave this novella a very romantic feeling. It was like watching on of those great classic movies where you're drawn into the story by the setting and the characters alone. Charlie Cochrane managed to do just that by taking me back in time to experience Tom's journey in finding what he had looked for all this time - a deep connection to someone else.I received this title from Carina Press through NetGalley in exchange of my honest opinion.Related articles