Hi guys, we have Zee Kensington popping in and kicking off her blog tour for her brand new release Finally Home! Zee also has a great giveaway where you can win a copy of Finally Home and Two Tickets to Paradise where Marco and Chris first met. So guys enjoy my review and click that Rafflecopter link <3 ~Pixie~
Finally Home
The Traveler and the Tourist 02
by
Zee Kensington
After one night in Bangkok turned into ten days trekking together, novice backpacker Marco and seasoned travel writer Chris parted ways thinking they’d never see each other again. Three months later, Marco still can’t forget the greatest adventure of his life—or the gorgeous guy he shared it with. Too afraid to come out to his family, Marco is suffocating in his suburban Southern California life, until Chris announces he’s coming to LA.
Chris has spent the past four years wandering alone, rebuilding himself from the ashes of a failed journalism career. He arrives in Los Angeles eager to eat, write, and resume the sexy, casual fun he had enjoyed with Marco. But when Chris finds his friend is a terrified closet-case at home, he’s determined to help Marco confront his fears.
Priorities change when Chris’s father suffers a stroke, and Chris rushes to New York City to face a harsh homecoming with the family he abandoned. When Marco defies his parents to be at Chris’s side, Chris begins to realize there may be more to their relationship than just work and play, and that Marco may be the one to show Chris what it means to finally be home.
Purchasing Information
Dreamspinner Press eBook: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5363
Dreamspinner Press paperback: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5364&cPath=55_558
About Zee
Zee Kensington discovered a passion for writing erotica in her freshman year of college, and has been crafting sweet and sexy stories ever since. Inspired by her years working and playing in San Francisco’s LGBT community, she is especially drawn to tales that explore the joys and challenges of queer identities.
An almost-native Californian and a card-carrying geek, she currently lives in the SF Bay Area with her husband and toddler. When she’s not writing or catching up on her sleep she enjoys watching films, playing video games, experimenting in her kitchen, and dreaming of the day her son is old enough to travel the world with her.
Blog: http://zeekensington.wordpress.com/
Facebook: http://facebook.com/zee.kensington
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ZeeKensington
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4563478.Zee_Kensington
Dreamspinner Press author page: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/index.php?cPath=558
Amazon author page: http://amazon.com/author/zeekensington
Giveaway!
Blog tour-wide giveaway for an autographed book bundle of “Finally Home” and “Two Tickets to Paradise.”
(Just click the link below)
Zee Kensington Rafflecopter giveaway!
(Ends 11th September 2014)
Review
Series: The Traveler and the Tourist 02
Author: Zee Kensington
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Novel (220pgs)
ISBN: 978-1-62798-907-7
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (29th August 2014)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts
Reviewer: Pixie
Blurb: After one night in Bangkok turned into ten days trekking together, novice backpacker Marco and seasoned travel writer Chris parted ways thinking they’d never see each other again. Three months later, Marco still can’t forget the greatest adventure of his life—or the gorgeous guy he shared it with. Too afraid to come out to his family, Marco is suffocating in his suburban Southern California life, until Chris announces he’s coming to LA.
Chris has spent the past four years wandering alone, rebuilding himself from the ashes of a failed journalism career. He arrives in Los Angeles eager to eat, write, and resume the sexy, casual fun he had enjoyed with Marco. But when Chris finds his friend is a terrified closet-case at home, he’s determined to help Marco confront his fears.
Priorities change when Chris’s father suffers a stroke, and Chris rushes to New York City to face a harsh homecoming with the family he abandoned. When Marco defies his parents to be at Chris’s side, Chris begins to realize there may be more to their relationship than just work and play, and that Marco may be the one to show Chris what it means to finally be home.
Sequel to Krung Thep, City of Angels, which can be found in the anthology Two Tickets to Paradise from Dreamspinner Press.
Purchase Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5363
Review: This story is part of a series and although it can be read as a standalone it is more enjoyable to be read in order. Marco is coming to the end of his holiday in Thailand, he’s had an incredible time with Chris and doesn’t really want it to end but it is time to face his closeted life once again. Chris has had a great time with Marco and he knows that he will always remember their time together fondly, now it’s time to get back to his real life of travelling through countries trying their culinary delights. But neither man counted on the effect they really had on the other and when Chris arrives in LA on an assignment Marco is delighted… as long as he can still hide in the closet. A dinner Marco handles badly and Chris’s estranged father suffering a stroke separates the two again, until Marco man’s up and rushes to Chris’s side. Can Marco face his fears or will he live a half-life and will Chris realize the truth of his own actions or will he continue to travel the world pushing away the people he loves?
This is a very good story of facing fears, even the invisible ones that you are blind to. Marco is scared to tell his family that he’s gay, he still lives with his parents and goes on the dates his mother arranges for him. The spark of life that he enjoyed with Chris still resides within him but his fear is much stronger. Chris is estranged from his father which has a knock on effect with his mother and brother, he’s also running from the type of man he used to be: chasing the next big story, capturing other peoples misery on camera and with no real empathy for what’s happening around him. Marco begins to change things for Chris, creating a chick in the armor that Chris has surrounded himself in, while Chris has Marco thinking about being open with his parents.
I really enjoyed this story, Chris and Marco’s relationship is at first a holiday romance where they both have a blast but when Marco’s holiday is ended neither man can forget their Thailand companion. Marco’s closeted situation seems so easily remedied, talk to his parents and just lay it all out there, but as we learn it isn’t all that easy as we discover what Marco heard when he was just a young boy so his fear of rejection is justified. Chris’s situation is much more complex as not only does he have to deal with the estrangement with his family but the fear of the type man he was becoming when he was a foreign correspondent and everything he saw in the course of his assignments.
Chris and Marco together were wonderful, they really mesh really well but they still have difficulties as Marco struggles with his closet and Chris deals with his own actions of pulling away from people. This story is wonderfully written, you get to know the characters really well, their fears and anger, and their hopes and happiness. We watch as a holiday romance becomes a true love story, we see two men who are ideal for each other finally coming together in harmony and there’s also a touch of unexpected excitement.
I recommend this to those who love men overcoming their fears, standing up for what they want, admitting their flaws, finding happiness and lovely happy endings.
Finally Home Blog Tour
August 29: Dreamspinner Press Blog Party
August 29: MM Good Book Reviews
September 1: Allison Cassatta
September 2: The Novel Approach
September 3: Charlie Cochet’s Purple Rose Tea House
September 4: Cup o’ Porn
September 7: LIVE Facebook Chat with Dreamspinner Press
September 8: Prism Book Alliance
September 10: Guys Like Romance, Too
September 11: Vicktor Alexander’s Purple Fantasy Den
September 12: Zee Kensington (home blog)–Giveaway winner reveal
Thanks so much for having me here, Pixie, and thanks for the lovely review!
These two books for the raffle look like really good reads! Best of luck with your blog tour.
Looks like a great story.
Thanks so much for the review!
Hi Zee, I look forward to reading you novel, and I am enjoying your blog tour.
Great review! Looking forward to giving this a read =)
Looks amazing. Hope to read it.
Sounds like a great read!
please count me in 🙂
Hi Zee thank you for a chance to win this story and the story that inspired it 😀 I also love the review, thank you Pixie, as I love reading stories where the characters are not perfect, bit of angst and then happiness.