Customer Reviews

Passport Diaries: A Novel

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Set against the legal backdrop of Los Angeles and the cosmopolitan setting of Europe, Passport Diaries by Tamara Gregory is an entertaining and intriguing read. After being suspended from work, and dissed by her vacation partners, Kia Carson sets off solo to Europe for a much-deserved vacation. Scared and slightly trepid regarding traveling alone, yet anticipating the chance to visit France, England and Greece, Kia is about to experience the vacation of a lifetime.

After all, there are some advantages to traveling alone: she gets to set her own agenda, view sights that she enjoys, she does not have to pretend to be happy when she is not, she does not have to be personable or talkative with anyone else and she will get a chance to spend time meditating, reflecting and journaling without intrusion. Taking the advice of a stranger, she also plans to try something new in every country-some antics will be so scandalous that what is done in Europe should stay in Europe. When she gets to her last destination (Greece), she is pleasantly surprised and a romance ensues. She might just have found a man who is as loving, supportive, encouraging and stable as her father.

Do not be fooled by the cover and do not allow the scantily clad model to be the impetus for not reading this book. As there is so much more between the covers than what is thinly portrayed via the cover image. Filled with wit, history and inspiration, Passport Diaries by Tamara Gregory is a favorite 2005 read for me. Gregory's voice is fresh and original and she does a good job of quickly capturing a reader's attention and drawing one into her storyline. If one is low on funds, curl up with Passport's Diaries as Gregory's details and descriptions of places visited are so panoramic, vibrant and realistic that you will feel as though you are experiencing the sights firsthand.

Vivid imagery, sassy dialogue and an empowered female protagonist really brought this story to life for me. Passport Diaries has universal appeal and is a storyline that has good crossover potential. It was a sensational reading experience for me and after I finished reading I was ready to grab my passport, make hotel arrangements and flight plans and fly off to make my own memories. I highly recommend this book for those who like storylines that are different, well written and showcase empowered women. APOOO rating: 4.5 stars.

Reviewed by Yasmin
APOOO BookClub

Finally a story about a woman I would be friends with!!! I have suffered through dozens of books about desperate single women who are either ghetto fabulous, filthy rich or grossly bourgeois with one purpose - wanting a husband. Kia Carson in PASSPORT DIARIES is a smart, sexy, successful flawed woman who wants love but is not in search of it. After being suspended from her job, Kia doesn't wallow in self pity, she bravely books a vacation to Europe. Just like any woman, she initially has reservations about traveling alone then embraces all the possibilities. It was both entertaining and thought provoking to watch Kia learn the history of her people all while being open to new experiences. Tamara Gregory is my new favorite author - this is a must summer read.

PASSPORT DIARIES is the debut title of author Tamara T. Gregory, a movie producer known for her work on the films Brown Sugar, The Rock, and Celtic Pride. PASSPORT DIARIES chronicles the travels of Kia Carson during one of the most vulnerable times of her life. Kia is an extreme shoe lover and also the prosecuting attorney with the District Attorney's office, known for not going for the jugular in cases in which it isn't warranted. However, her boss disagrees and suspends her after her latest case. For Kia, it isn't too bad since her suspension parallels the time she has planned to take a vacation.

Not able to convince any of her family or friends to join her, Kia, after being cajoled by Drew, a white coworker, decides to take her European trip solo. Her itinerary includes London, Paris, and Greece. Before she even leaves Los Angeles, she becomes overwhelmed with her emotions and her seating assignment. She locates her seat, the one towards the back of the plane, cramped between an obese man and a woman with a screaming baby. This sends tears flying and Kia tries to abandon her vacation, however a helpful flight attendant directs her to first class, comforts her, and later in the story challenges her to totally enjoy her trip abroad, doing at least one thing in each new place that she wouldn't normally do. Kia takes her up on the offer, getting involved with an experimenting couple, going on a date with an irresistible Frenchman, and then on the last leg of her trip, she decides to bare it all on the beach. With each stop on her trip, she learns more about herself, life, her coworkers, and about her relationships with her booty-call-stand-in. She becomes in tune with her body and the realization that she wants love and to be loved. As love stares her in the face, she has to balance preconceived notions against her feelings, and decide once and for all what she wants.

Please don't be fooled by the book's title, as I was when I selected it to read. The book is so much more than what the term diary implicates. PASSPORT DIARIES is an in-depth look towards discovering self. Gregory's writing is witty, fast-paced, and emotional. From character to character, and scene to scene, I loved the comebacks, the remembrances, the romance, the adventures and practically everything about PASSPORT DIARIES. It left me feeling full and satiated. For those who love a bit of romance, like to travel, or have an addiction to shoes, you should check this book out. For those on a path towards understanding yourself, you must.

Reviewed by Tee C. Royal
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

I'm a guy. . .I'm white. . .and I teach Gender Communication at a university. I'm always on the lookout for writings--fiction and non--that will afford my students insight into the wonderful and wackadoo world of relationships. A gal pal recommended PASSPORT DIARIES to me. I picked it up expecting a quick read filled with beach-read cliches. . .ah, what's that saying about never judging a book by its cover? Yes, this is a "beach read", but what a delightful read! The writer has a smart, sassy, insightful style that does make this a hard-to-put-down read. But more than that, the story is insightful and poignant. There are sentences that I reread for their simple power and sensibility. Kia is a woman who goes on a jounrey of self-discovery that I wish for all my students--female and male. I'm making PASSPORT DIARIES requried reading this semester. . .but you don't have to take a college class to enjoy this wonderful debut novel. . .

"Wanna get away?" That's what comes to mind after reading Passport Diaries by writer and movie producer, Tamara T. Gregory. This debut is truly a literary vacation- a quick getaway nestled between 256 pages. So get your passport ready and join Kia Carson as she travels internationally and takes bold steps toward self-discovery. She's destined to find herself and much more.

Kia is an excellent prosecuting attorney who works for the DA's office. She's turning thirty-five in just a few short days and her love life is nothing more than a sex-only relationship with a photographer named Flash. After refusing to go for the jugular in court, her boss promptly suspends her. Needless to say, she's in desperate need of a vacation.

Lucky for her, she and her sister will soon be on their way to Europe. That is, until her sister calls with the bad news that she can't go. Against Kia's better judgment and with the coaxing of her friend and coworker, Drew, she decides to go through with her vacation plans and take the trip solo. Drew's travel agent arranges a great package with three exciting destinations- Paris, London and Greece.

Her trip starts off with a few bumps because she almost misses her plane and once she finally boards, she's an emotional train wreck when she realizes her seat is the one next to a mother with a crying baby and an extremely overweight man. A flight attendant takes pity on her and locates a much more comfortable seat and this begins an undoubtedly, unforgettable trip.

With certain fears and trepidation left behind in Los Angeles, Kia embarks on experiences she normally would not consider. Without giving too much away, let's just say there's a kiss but not with a man, there's a topless beach and as they say, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. Oh, and Kia's not the only one with a passport, so she's in for a birthday surprise.

Passport Diaries is a one-of-a-kind read. The witty humor and the first-person conversational style are definite crowd pleasers. The descriptions throughout are so vivid that you feel like you're not just reading about Kia and her adventures but you're right alongside her, visiting amazing museums, shopping at exquisite boutiques and eating veal and truffles. In addition, the author tosses in historical facts without over burdening the story and touches on various race relations issues and stereotypes; again, done in such away that it enhanced the storyline without hitting readers over the head. Lastly, this reviewer is not big on romances, but the romance element in the story was done very well. It was sensual without being sappy.

Passport Diaries is everything you want a getaway to be. It's fun, relaxing, exciting and memorable. So what are you waiting for? Don't you wanna get away?

Jazzypen rating: 4.5

I wasn't sure what this story was about nor who the author was so I had absolutely no expectations, and I think that was an advantage because I got the chance to experience all of Kia's (protagonist) adventures afresh. It's the perfect book to inhale over the course of a lazy, quiet weekend. The story built up over the course of the book and got really juicy as it progressed naturally. There weren't the typical overly-sexed characters as is the usual course in interracial (B/W, W/M) novels. I totally identified with the main characters and it made me think, perhaps I need to step outside my own box of dating options and who knows what could happen. LOVED IT!!!!!

I couldn't put the book down! Gregory truly does a marvelous job with Passport Diaries. I've read tons of books over the past few years, and hers is, by far, at the top of my list of favorites!

I love that Gregory not only talks about the issues so many of us black women face (career, dating, marriage, familial and societal pressures, future, success, etc.), but she also touches (in a profound guise, if I might add) on themes of race, culture, stereotypes, hapiness, sacrifice, religion, and the universality of love, family, and longing for acceptance and completion.

This book is loaded with wit and passion--what a deadly combination! Gregory is a dexterous writer! My goal is to get as many women as possible to purchase and read Passport Diaries. It is the tale of so many of our lives--a must read because it provides the direction and insight that so many of us seek.

This book was excellent. It is one of the best that I have read. Very well written, exciting, page turner with NO grammatical errors!!! I loved this book and highly recommend it.

I WAS EXPECTING A LIGHT-WEIGHT BEACH BOOK - NOT SOMETHING SO IN DEPTH AS THIS. I TOO HAVE TRAVELED ABROAD AND COULD RELATE TO SOME OF THE CULTURE SHOCK KIA EXPERIENCED. THIS IS SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST A CASUAL READ. IT IS TRULY A BOOK ABOUT FINDING ONE'S SELF - WHILE ALONE. I CAN'T WAIT TO READ TAMARA GREGORY'S NEXT BOOK!!!!!

Ever read a book jacket and really believed the quotes? Not me, not until reading PASSPORT DIARIES that is! I read it in one captivating sitting because I too was thoroughly engaged and really could not put it down. The story of Kia, her trials, tribulations, and search for and in love truly resonated with me. Her journey abroad felt real and so relatable that I am inspired to embark upon my own solo adventure abroad. This is an extremely impressive debut for Tamara Gregory and one can only hope that it is the first of many future tales woven by this fresh new voice. BUY IT! READ IT! YOU TOO WILL LOVE IT!