Reviewing Choosing Home by Alexa Milne

Choosing Home (The Call of Home #1) by Alexa Milne 3*

BLURB: You can never escape from yourself.

Zac McKenzie is an ex-professional footballer with a secret he gave up his career to protect. Several years ago, he fled to his home in the North East of Scotland to avoid being outed as gay. Now, he owns a successful hotel and restaurant, but is it time to finally come out into the open?
Seth Pritchard feels he is damaged goods. He comes to Scotland to escape memories of the accident that left him injured, his bullying step-brothers and a life of lies.
For their whole lives, Zac and Seth have denied who they truly are to themselves as well as to others. When they meet, each man is forced to confront his fears and tear them down one by one.
Reader advisory: Dubious consent. Recollections of physical abuse, emotional/mental abuse, torture and drug abuse. Profanity.

My Review: I received a free copy from Embrace the Rainbow in exchange for an honest review. To start I should say sorry to Embrace The Rainbow for this review being a little late (was supposed to have posted it during the blog tour) but I just couldn't get in the story and kept putting it down. Partly this wass because both characters had painful pasts but mostly it was just that I couldn't sink into the story as I usually do. A lot of the time I felt like I was being told the story rather than living it but, over all, it wasn't that bad a story. I don't understand why I had trouble feeling it (maybe the excess of descriptions was one of the problems?). I would say that, if you like M/M romance with a lot of reference to scenery etc., with a pair of hurt characters who have painful pasts but a sweet romance between them, then go read this book.

Title: Choosing Home

Author: Alexa Milne

Series: The Call of Home #1

Release Day: July 12th 2016

Genre: MM Contemporary Romance

BLURB

You can never escape from yourself.

Zac McKenzie is an ex-professional footballer with a secret he gave up his career to protect. Several years ago, he fled to his home in the North East of Scotland to avoid being outed as gay. Now, he owns a successful hotel and restaurant, but is it time to finally come out into the open?

Seth Pritchard feels he is damaged goods. He comes to Scotland to escape memories of the accident that left him injured, his bullying step-brothers and a life of lies.

For their whole lives, Zac and Seth have denied who they truly are to themselves as well as to others. When they meet, each man is forced to confront his fears and tear them down one by one.

Reader advisory: Dubious consent. Recollections of physical abuse, emotional/mental abuse, torture and drug abuse. Profanity.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30212537-choosing-home?ac=1&from_search=true

Buy Links: Pride Publishing | Amazon

EXCERPT

“So what did you do before coming here, then?” Seth drank the excellent coffee and stretched his knee again to stop it from stiffening.

“I played professional football.”
“Oh, should I know you? I’ve always been more of a rugby fan, I’m afraid.” He scrutinized his landlord’s face. His stepbrothers would have had football on the TV twenty-four-seven, so he’d been exposed to lots of games over the years.

“I retired six years ago with a back injury, but I was captain of Scotland and Glasgow Rovers. I guess I was well known at the time.”

Realization hit Seth between the eyes. “Hang on a minute—Magic McKenzie, that’s you, isn’t it? Didn’t you score the winning goal for Trentino when they beat Manchester United in the Champions’ League?”

Zac’s cheeks flushed red and he grinned. “Yeah, that was me—stupid nickname.” Seth noticed the way the skin around Zac’s eyes crinkled when he smiled and, oh my, his smile lit up a room.

Zac rose from the sofa and picked up the plates. “I’d better be on my way before Mina sends out a search party. No doubt she has a few jobs for me to do before tonight’s service. We’re nearly full, but can fit you in if you want to eat with us, or I’ll get someone to bring something over for you until you get organized.”

“Is Mina your wife?” Fuck. Idiot, where did that question come from?

There was the smile again. “Mina, good God, no. She’d eat me alive and spit me out. No, her husband plays in goal for Inverness Cally Thistle. We met when we both played in Italy. No, me… I’m not the marrying kind, not anymore.”

Seth watched Zac close the door then leaned back in his chair. So much for coming to the back of beyond to escape his problems. It looked like he might simply have found a whole lot more.

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About the Author

Originally from South Wales, Alexa has lived for over thirty years in the North West of England. Now retired, after a long career in teaching, she devotes her time to her obsessions.

Alexa began writing when her favourite character was killed in her favourite show. After producing a lot of fanfiction she ventured into original writing.

She is currently owned by a mad cat and spends her time writing about the men in her head, watching her favourite television programmes and usually crying over her favourite football team.

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