Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway: Choosing Home by Alexa Milne

We’re so pleased to welcome author Alexa Milne today, on the release tour for her new novel, Choosing Home. Enjoy this exclusive snippet from the book, and then be sure to check out the Rafflecopter widget below where you can enter for the chance to win an autographed copy of the book.

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About the Book

Title: Choosing Home
Author: Alexa Milne
Series: The Call of Home #1
Release Day: July 12th 2016
Genre: MM Contemporary Romance
Buy Links: Pride Publishing | Amazon
Add the Book to: Goodreads
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.

Excerpt

Zac took Abby’s hand. “Okay, it’s all right if you liked kissing Jess, and it’s all right if you didn’t like kissing her. It’s a cliché, but at your age, you try things out, and it’s not always easy to work out if you like one sex, or the other, or both. You choose what’s right for you. But—and it’s a big but—Jess is still your friend and she needs you. If you don’t feel the same way, you need to tell her.”

“But what if I don’t know? I mean, I’ve never thought about it. I fancy boys, but kissing Jess wasn’t bad. It was kind of nice, but I don’t want to lead her on.”

“Then you need to be clear with her. Everyone experiments.” As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he knew he’d opened a door he’d kept locked and bolted. Abby sat up and put both feet on the floor.

“Did you, Dad?”

“We’re talking about you, Abby.” Guilt speared him through the gut, but he didn’t want to lie.

Her blue eyes fixed on his face and refused to let him look away. “I saw you, you know. I was eight, and you and Uncle Jed were pressed up against the wall of the swimming pool, kissing. I don’t know why I didn’t say anything, but somehow I knew I had to keep it to myself.”

“Shit!”

Now she reached out a hand and put it on his arm. “It’s all right, Dad. I always knew you and Mum were different, and there’s never been any other woman after you divorced. Did you love him?” How the hell did this get to be about him and Jed after all these years? “Abby, I can’t talk about this, not now, maybe some time.”

“But you are gay, aren’t you? That’s why I needed to come to see you. I thought you’d understand. I thought you’d be able to tell me what to do.”

He sighed. “Abby, I’m the last person you should ask. I ran away to the north of Scotland because I couldn’t face being exposed by the press. I never lied to your mum, and she always knew, but she wanted more than the life we had together. She deserved the sort of love I couldn’t give her, and Jed and I couldn’t risk being exposed. I made a total mess of everything, so I’m definitely no role model. You and Jess need to talk and be honest with each other before you do anything else. Now, drink your hot chocolate. I have to go downstairs and help Mina in the kitchen. You know where everything is, so make yourself at home.”

She got to her feet as he did, and he pulled her into a hug. He’d come out to his daughter and the world hadn’t ended. Perhaps it wouldn’t end if he did the same with other people. Maybe the time had finally come to face up to who he was and begin to live, and maybe even open himself up to the possibility of letting love into his life again. Butterflies tumbled around in his stomach and he gulped. “Dad?” Abby let go and stared up at him, tears streaking her thick mascara.

“It’s okay, baby. Whatever you decide, I’ll be here. I’ll always be here.”

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.

Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

The Giveaway

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