Speak Its Name: A Trilogy

by Charlie Cochrane

Three stories, six men and for all of them, a love that dare not Speak Its Name.

Aftermath by Charlie Cochrane

The 1920. The Oxford University. Since arriving at the college in the autumn, Edward Easterby has admired, and desired, popular and dashing Hugo Lamont from afar, never believing he had a chance for friendship—or more—with the man. Edward uses a chance, unfortunate encounter as a moment for an apology and a tentative conversation. Hugo, wary and guarded from a previous, unsatisfying liaison, slowly lets his defences down and opens his heart to the budding relationship between them. Poetic and beautifully written, Aftermath will stay with you long after Edward and Hugo’s picnic basket has been packed away.

Gentleman’s Gentleman by Lee Rowan

Lord Robert Scoville seemingly has it good looks, intelligence, a successful military career, a title, and the most devoted manservant anyone could ask for in the form of Jack Darling. Jack would give his life for his lord and master but dares not breathe a word of the love he feels for the man, lest his advances be rejected. Then, a clandestine assignment, a train journey, and a double-crossing opens both their eyes to what exists between them. Against a backdrop of the Alps and Vienna, this intriguing story combines a satisfying blend of clever mystery along with the romance of a newly-discovered, mature love.

Hard and Fast by Erastes

Major Geoffrey Chaloner is back from the war, possessed of all his limbs but not a wife, a situation his father is determined to change. Demure but painfully shy Emily Pelham is presented as the potential bride-to-be. While Geoffrey finds her pleasant, he discovers he is far more intrigued with her moody and baffling cousin, Adam Heyward. In the midst of a proper courtship complete with hovering chaperones and parents, Adam manages to awaken feelings and emotions in Geoffrey that he never knew he possessed. Marked by Erastes’ signature writing style, this lyrical novella is laced with humor, magnificent descriptions, and a bit of a twist that leaves the reader satisfied but still wanting more.

Genres: M M Romance, Historical, Anthologies, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Romance, Gay

205 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2008

About the author

Because Charlie Cochrane couldn't be trusted to do any of her jobs of choice—like managing a rugby team—she writes. Her mystery novels include the Edwardian era Cambridge Fellows series, series, and the contemporary Best Corpse for the Job. Multi-published, she has titles with Carina, Samhain, Riptide and Bold Strokes, among others.

A member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, Mystery People and International Thriller Writers Inc, Charlie regularly appears at literary festivals and at reader and author conferences with The Deadly Dames.

Reviews

[Elisa Rolle]

Three historical novella setting in three different moment of English history. There is a strange parallelism, from the first story by Cochrane, passing through Rowan's ones, till Erastes', the time goes back and the sensuality rate goes up.

Aftermath: Edward and Hugo are two young students at Oxford. The time is soon after the end of the WWI and England, and the little world of Oxford in particular, seems to not have fully recovered yet from the war. Edward is from a wealthy family, but he is not a nobleman. Money allows him to enter the college, an unthinkable event before the war, but now, the lack of youth and probably the times changing, set him among the few remaining sons of English aristocracy. But Edward is a shy and naivee man, innocent of life and experiences. He feels like an intruder among the others, more when he is near Hugo, the perfect epitome of a nobleman. Hugo is popular and loved, always among the right circle, always behaving in the right way. Nothing seems to link them if not something that no one of them has the courage to reveal: they are attracted to men, and in this moment they are attracted to each other. But where Edward has never experienced love, nor with women or men, and so he sees at it with wide and eager eyes, Hugo has had a disastrous experience that left him with a bitter taste in mouth and a disenchanted perspective.

Charlie Cochrane wrote a very tender and sweet novella. It reminds me a lot two of my favourite movies (and one of my favourite book): Chariots of Fire for the setting and Maurice (both movie and book) for the characters. Also like in Maurice there is the dilemma of one of the two characters if loving another man could be only limited to a spiritual sharing of minds, quite the idea that sex will taint a pure love, almost the feeling that for a noble soul, sex is something dirty. But when there is love, true love, can two lovers nurturing themself only with a sharing of minds and not of bodies?

Gentleman's Gentleman: Lord Robert is a Victorian nobleman, content with his ordinary life. He has served as Major and he still complies his duty for the Queen, here and there. And he has two sisters that kindly gave birth to more possible heirs to the title. So he is free to live as he likes, and he likes to be a bachelor and to be pampered by his man, Jack Darling. Former sergeant at Robert's command, Jack chose to leave the army with Lord Robert and now he is the perfect... wife. Yes, cause all he does for Robert is what a very good wife would do: attending to the house and to the master of the house as well. Only in one thing Jack is not like a wife: he doesn't share his master's bed. And not because Robert would not be interested, au contraire, Robert inside the private walls of his house makes not secret to prefer a male companionship. But not one time he proposes Jack and not one time Jack seemed interested in taking also that position. But not always what it seems is what it is.

Lee Rowan's novella has a lighter tone in comparison to the other two. Nor Robert or Jack have guilty feelings for what they are or what they feel. Obviously they are not open and careless with their inclinations. Probably their attitude and their apparently inability to share their feelings is due to their military extraction: men of actions more than of words. But when they arrive to the decision point, they are ready and willing to take the right decision, without regrets.

Hard and Fast:: Geoffrey is the third child of a wealthy family. Former Major, soon after the Napoleonic War, being in health and without apparently problems, he is expected to marry. The chosen bride, chosen by his father, not by him, is Miss Pelham, a rather shy but not unpleasant young girl. Unfortunately Geoffrey seems more drawn to Miss Pelham's cousin, Adam, a mourning young man. Geoffrey is not used to the feelings he has, not since they are toward a man, but since they are love feelings: he is not used to love. And discovering that his interest is awakened by a man and not by a woman is unsettling. Plus he doesn't understand Adam, who at once seems to draw him nearer and soon after to drive back him both from his cousin than from himself.

The most tormented between the three novella and yet the most sensual, it's also the one with the most unpredictable end. Erastes plays with the classical romance elements, the mother in search of a suitable husband for her almost spinster daughter, the unrepentant rake (even if it's a second line character without own scenes), the mourning but handsome gentleman, with a secret and unspeakable past, the former officer with a dislike for the social events... but then he turns the tables and the couples are not what you will expect, not at all, and not in the end... It's like a Georgette Heyer's novel (more since the Bath setting), where the main hero at once, decides to ravish not the virgin maid, but the debauched cousin! And the "breeches rippers" tag in this case is very worthy: indeed there are a pair of breeches which are ripped and in a scene that would be very right in a savage romance of the '70, even if the attacker is more the man with the breeches ripped than the man who rips them.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0979777364/?...

[hidefan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hubo una época en la que me compraba cualquier cosa que tratara sobre romance entre hombres. Y luego lo dejaba en la estantería sin leer porque sí (tbf, eso lo hago con casi todos los libros que me compro, aunque este año he mejorado bastante en ese aspecto).

Ahora sigo comprando libros sobre romance entre hombres, por supuesto (aunque soy un poquito más selectiva y miro reseñas primero) y estoy intentando leerme todos los que me compré hace años, así que me decidí a hincarle el diente a Speak Its Name, del que no sabía nada excepto que era romance gay histórico (lo cual ya es suficiente, la verdad...).

Speak its Name es una recopilación de tres relatos obra de tres escritoras que se prodigan mucho en este tipo de literatura: Charlie Cochrane, Lee Rowan y Erastes.

La primera historia se titula Aftermath por Charlie Cochrane y está ambientada en la Universidad de Oxford en 1920. Edward Easterby es un apuesto muchacho, algo recluido y solitario, que lleva tiempo admirando desde la distancia a Hugo Lamont, deportista, popular, guapísimo. Edward no sabe que Hugo también se ha fijado en él, hasta que un encuentro accidental desvela los sentimientos de ambos. Pero Hugo, que se siente terriblemente culpable después de su única experiencia homosexual, tiene miedo de dejarse ir con Edward.

Sin duda es la historia más floja del libro. Es la más corta, además, por lo que no hay desarrollo ninguno ni de los personajes ni de la historia en sí, que es muy típica y cliché: básicamente son los dos personajes hablando de lo complicado que es mantener una relación homosexual en esos tiempos, con los temores a ser descubiertos de historias ambientadas en estas épocas. Diría que parece un fanfic pero hay fanfics muchísimo mejores que eso. Los dos personajes son muy sosos y simplones, con muy poca personalidad, y su romance es bastante descafeinado, Además, es la única historia sin sexo, o sea que ni eso nos llevamos.

Pero me gustó que Hugo se diera cuenta de que con Edward es muy diferente a su otra experiencia porque cuando hay sentimientos y lo haces con una persona a la que quieres y te quiere, el sexo es otra cosa. ESE es mi kink, people. Sexo con amor, con cariño y con respeto.

La segunda historia es Gentleman's Gentleman, obra de Lee Rowan, y está situada en 1891. Lord Robert Scoville, un atractivo, inteligente y ex-militar condecorado, se dirige a Vienna junto a su fiel sirviente Jack Darling en una misión secreta de la corona que no ofrece demasiadas complicaciones, en apariencia. Hasta que Scoville es atacado en el tren y se verá envuelto en una conspiración en la que se reencontrarán con un viejo amigo y gracias a la cual saldrá a relucir el intenso deseo que sienten Robert y Jack el uno por el otro.

Esta es la mejor historia con diferencia, porque no solo trata del romance entre Robert y Jack sino que ofrece una entretenida trama de espías y un misterio bastante apañado. La ambientación es muy buena y la autora hace muy buen trabajo con los dos personajes, alternando entre los puntos de vista de ambos y ofreciendo una buena explicación a por qué nunca han dado el paso cuando ambos están enamorados del otro desde hace una década. Pese a que es una historia corta el tratamiento de las dificultades de una relación entre ellos no solo por ser dos hombres sino también por ser amo y sirviente es bueno y creíble, y vale mucho esperar el momento en el que por fin se juntan. La verdad es que se me hizo muy corta y me hubiera gustado leer un poco más de Robert y Jack, porque me gustaron mucho los dos y todavía más cuando se convierten en una pareja, muy sexy.

Creo que tengo un libro de esta autora por casa, lo pondré arriba en la pila de para leer.

La tercera y última historia es Hard and Fast de Erastes. Después de volver de la guerra contra Napoleón, Geoffrey Chaloner es presionado por su padre para contraer matrimonio con una chica de buena familia lo antes posible. Y su padre ya tiene a la candidata perfecta: la joven y tímida Emily Pelham. A Geoffrey nada le apetece menos que ponerse a cortejar a una mujer que le causa indiferencia, pero todo se complica cuando conoce al primo de Emily, Adam Heyward, quien despierta en él algo que no había sentido nunca antes.

Esta historia está bien, a secas. Creo que se queda corta en lo que propone, porque el final es un poco abrupto desde que Geoffrey y Adam se pelean hasta la decisión final, y es un poco demasiado insta-love para mi gusto. La trama en sí no está mal y Erastes escribe bien, así que tengo fe en que una historia más larga de ella me gustará más. Creo que también tengo alguna otra cosa de esta autora por casa.

En resumen, este libro vale la pena especialmente por la segunda historia. La primera no aporta nada y la tercera tiene sus momentos, pero me alegro de haberlo leído principalmente por haberme descubierto a Lee Rowan, de la que seguro leeré más en el futuro.

[Jerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three great short stories by great authors. Very different in style from each other. The longing expressed to each other by the men in the era of deepest secrecy is heartfelt. The love expressed seems somehow more than a contemporary novel of the twenty-first sentury. Charming and enthralling.

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me a while to get back to this book and read the third and last story, the middle one being rather boring. But the first and last were nice stories and well written.

[Charly · Rating 4 out of 5]

One so-so story, one decent story, and one triumph

Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.

"Aftermath" by Charlie Cochrane - 5/10

PROS:
- There’s a lot about this story that appeals to me: opposites attracting, the insistence upon friendship/emotion being necessary to make sex enjoyable, being true to oneself, etc.
- Cochrane paints a convincing picture of an English college in 1920. There aren’t many details about the setting, but the ones that are present seem well-researched.
CONS:
- The story covers a period of several months but is only a little over 40 pages long. The result is that everything happens very quickly and most of the descriptions are cursory at best. Rather than focusing on a few key scenes, the writing brushes over numerous instances when the two men are together, leaving the impression that the men have certainly spent a good amount of time together, but leaving out any detail as to how those interactions affected them.
- I wanted more dialogue. Many of the conversations in this story are covered as though from a distance: “he and his visitor simply drank tea and talked…They found some common ground--an interest in the stories about Sherlock Holmes, a fondness for stodgy traditional English puddings, an affection for the music of Gilbert and Sullivan.” But we don’t get to see much ACTUAL conversation: it’s like the author says, “They connected. Trust me,” without actually SHOWING them connect.

"Gentleman’s Gentleman" by Lee Rowan - 9/10

PROS:
- Rowan is a fantastic writer. She moves her stories along at a brisk pace without seeming rushed or perfunctory in her descriptions.
- The scope of the story fits its length: other than the first three pages, the story covers a period of 3 days to a week, I’d guess. The first chapter establishes the characters’ background and the beginning of their relationship, and the rest of the story focuses on a current intrigue and the present condition of the men’s feelings for each other.
- The romance is lovely: masculine men, each completely (yet silently) devoted to the other, with believable reasons for not having spoken up about their feelings sooner. When they finally DO get together (after 11 years’ acquaintance), the love scenes are tender and beautiful.
CON:
- I found the plot just a little hard to follow at times because the characters converse the way real people do: without providing a lot of background information that’s out of context. Still, this is sort of a Pro also.

"Hard and Fast" by Erastes - 6/10

PROS:
- The writing is pithy and succinct and dry. I was so delighted at the wording of some phrases that I read them several times before moving on. Example: “I am a plain man of few words and am unable to compare it to the particular shade of a bird’s wing or some such but it was brown and it suited her well enough.”
- I love reading about characters who are imperfect, particularly physically. Adam has a limp, which neither turns Geoffrey off nor makes him think of Adam as a total weakling.
- The tone of the story is relaxed and conversational: the narrator not only relates the plot but also waxes slightly philosophical at times.
CONS:
- I don’t typically think of first-person narration as a weakness; it’s simply a storytelling technique. But sometimes (this story is one instance) I’m really disappointed that I don’t get any insight into the OTHER guy’s head. Geoffrey, the narrator, behaves terribly on a couple of occasions, and I was dying to know Adam’s thoughts during and after those situations.
- The relationship seemed to me not so much to EVOLVE into love as to LEAP from cold formality and physical attraction to love.
- There’s an aspect of the ending that I found very disappointing (nothing to do with the men’s relationship, though: the conclusion is happy for them).

Overall comments: I think Rowan’s story in this anthology is one of the best short story/novellas I’ve read in this genre. I’d happily pay the price for the whole book again just for that story. The Erastes story is well-written also, despite my qualms with the pacing of the story and the ending.

[Mark Probst · Rating 5 out of 5]

Speak Its Name is a wonderful collection of three historical gay romances set in England that are very different from one another and yet complement each other quite well. The first, Aftermath by Charlie Cochrane is set in Cramner College in 1920 and features two students – popular Hugo Lamont and socially awkward Edward Easterby. While they both are enamored with one another, neither has the courage to act upon his feelings. The story is a simple one with very little in the way of plot, but rather a character study of the complications of a burgeoning romance in a repressed time.

The second story, Gentleman's Gentlman by Lee Rowan is a delightful escapade of an English Lord and his Valet. Lord Scoville has dalliances with temporary male lovers and this is accepted by Jack who carries on a few clandestine affairs of his own but manages to fool his employer into thinking that he’s a ladies man. During a secret mission for the government in which Scoville is to retrieve secret papers involving plans of the Germans, things get a little complicated and in the chaos the two men finally reveal that they have actually been carrying a torch for one another. The nice thing about Rowan’s story is that it really is an exciting adventure and the romantic feelings between the two leads were always just below the surface creating dramatic tension, because the reader feels that the truth could erupt at any moment.

The third story, Hard and Fast by Erastes is the crown jewel of the three. The somewhat feckless Geoffrey Chaloner is a pawn in his father’s plans to match him with a lady of some standing, Miss Pelham. However in order to court her, Geoffrey must first win the favor of her cousin, Adam Heyward. Adam is an enigma. He’s scathing and yet he also manipulates Geoffrey into doing what he wants. Geoffrey and Adam eventually have a torrid encounter and Geoffrey has to make some radical decisions about the direction he chooses for the future. Written in the first-person, the story has a style that is sumptuous and precise. The formality and structure of the language are spot-on in reflecting the rigid, polite society and the dry humor and subtle digs that Geoffrey makes toward his father and society in general are deliciously rich. This is first-class writing and I predict the name Erastes will soon be much wider known.

[Didi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rounded up from 3.7 stars

What happens with anthology is you might like some of the stories and not so much of the rest.
For me Gentleman's Gentleman worked the most out of all three. The long silent crush turned up requited love with amusing exchanges between master and manservant.

Aftermath was a sedate story between two students in Oxford. There was hopeful HEA there which we gathered from Edward and Hugo planning their future as colleagues of their alma-mater. If you're familiar with Ms. Cochrane's Cambridge Fellows Mystery, you could sort of foresee that future for them. ;D

The third story... While I expected this was often what happened with plot in Regency era, I didn't like how it turned out. I felt the MC's effort to escape from under his father's thumbs no effort at all. He's waiting for a miracle and then it fell into his lap. No, Hard and Fast was not hard and fast enough for me.

[Reader (Show me, don't tell me) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Too short, very touching love stories.

I'm so very glad I persisted in finding a copy of this book. Three stories about men who were afraid for one reason or another, but especially because their hypocritical society deemed it wrong, to love the men they desire and love.

Erastes and Lee, I never expected less; their stories always leave me wanting a whole lot more. I've never read anything of Charlie Cochrane's, though I've always come across her books but being an MM Romance Reading Snob to the point of rejecting any year beyond 1899 as historical, would give them an 'oh' glance. Not to say I have not read one or two from that period but they were that engaging.

I read Aftermath, time period didn't get in the way of the story. Now Charlie is on my must read list.

Beautiful writings ladies. Keep writing!

[Kaesa · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Aftermath," the first story in this three-story anthology, about two college boys in the '20s, was sweet but light on conflict; I'd give it three stars. The second, "Gentleman's Gentleman," had a fun espionage subplot and also concerned a long-standing military friendship/employee relationship with tons of UST, which I have to admit I am a sucker for, so five stars. "Hard and Fast," the third story, was a romance between an ex-soldier and the acerbic, overprotective cousin of the girl he's supposed to marry. I really enjoyed it, but I felt like the ending was a little bit hurried and I wish Miss Pelham had had more of a part before she solved everything, so it gets four stars.

[Ros · Rating 3 out of 5]

A relatively quick and easy read, romantic without being over-the-top schmoopy. I personally enjoyed the first two stories much more than the last one, which seemed to drag on without getting anywhere, and wrapped up with an ending that seemed straight out of high school fan fiction. The first two stories are definitely worth reading, and I would have given the book a much higher review without the third story dragging it down.

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me the best story was the middle one, "Gentleman's Gentleman." I was surprised I didn't like the Regency one best, since that's one of my favorite genres, but apparently Victorian war vets who are secretly in love win this time around. :)

[kasjo_peja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating based only on Lee Rowan and Erastes stories. Good historical background; likable, realistic heroes; a bit of humor, a bit of sexual tension, a bit of mystery. Solid 4 stars.

Charlie Cochrane pushes all the wrong buttons for me and here was another story I couldn't finish.

[Linda-Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the first two stories but did not like the last one much.

[Verity · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this to be a surprisingly good read, especially seeing as it had been on my to-read pile so long it had gathered dust.
Glad I gave it a chance instead of just chucking it.

[Wren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three wonderful short stories by three of the best writers out there.

[Chris Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three fav authors, one anthology. What could go wrong? In this case, nothing!