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Recovery #2
Slip
Book Two
Love is a fragile thing, and it can slip through your fingers if you don’t hold on tight….
When Zack Jung’s AA sponsor and friend commits suicide, he’s desperate to hold it together, and there’s only one place he can turn. He calls Josh and Kris, and they take him back to their ranch outside Santa Fe.
A cowboy to the bone, Cimarron Duran cherishes his orderly life and routine. He likes his neighbors, Kris and Josh, but he has less than no interest in the hipster personal trainer who comes to stay with them—or at least, he plans to fight his interest in favor of his solitary life and his art.
But some things are as inevitable as the weather, and when Zack and Cimarron finally come together, they find they don’t want to let go. It won’t be easy, though, for two men with pasts like theirs to forge a happy future together.
Love is a fragile thing, and it can slip through your fingers if you don’t hold on tight….
When Zack Jung’s AA sponsor and friend commits suicide, he’s desperate to hold it together, and there’s only one place he can turn. He calls Josh and Kris, and they take him back to their ranch outside Santa Fe.
A cowboy to the bone, Cimarron Duran cherishes his orderly life and routine. He likes his neighbors, Kris and Josh, but he has less than no interest in the hipster personal trainer who comes to stay with them—or at least, he plans to fight his interest in favor of his solitary life and his art.
But some things are as inevitable as the weather, and when Zack and Cimarron finally come together, they find they don’t want to let go. It won’t be easy, though, for two men with pasts like theirs to forge a happy future together.
246 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 22, 2017
17 people are currently reading
73 people want to read
About the author
B.A. Tortuga
382 books632 followersTexan to the bone and an unrepentant Daddy's Girl, BA Tortuga spends her days with her hounds and her beloved wife, texting her grandbabies, and eating Mexican food. When she's not doing that, she's writing. She spends her days off watching rodeo, knitting, and surfing Pinterest in the name of research. Following their own personal joys, BA and Julia heard the call of the high desert and they now live in the New Mexico mountains. BA's personal saviors include her wife, her best friends, and coffee. Lots of coffee. Really good coffee.
Having written everything from fist-fighting rednecks to cowboy daddies to werewolves, BA does her damnedest to tell the stories of her heart, which is committed to giving everyone their happily ever after. With books ranging from hard-hitting BDSM, to fiery passions, to the most traditional of love stories, BA refuses to be pigeon-holed by anyone but the voices in her head.
Having written everything from fist-fighting rednecks to cowboy daddies to werewolves, BA does her damnedest to tell the stories of her heart, which is committed to giving everyone their happily ever after. With books ranging from hard-hitting BDSM, to fiery passions, to the most traditional of love stories, BA refuses to be pigeon-holed by anyone but the voices in her head.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
October 6, 2020
I was very happy with this cowboy story, because it was quite different and tackles serious topics well, alcoholism recovery and the aftermath of a friend's shocking suicide.
In Austin, Zack, is part Asian, about 30,
a nutritionist and personal trainer, and he needed help, so, he called best friend Josh.
Next thing he knew he was in Santa Fe with his friends to lean on, while he takes time to get over the shock and tragedy, along with his personal demons. The support system and animals are helping, too.
He takes a long walk and comes up on the neighbor's home, where there is a pounding musical beat and a naked man dancing, with fiery powerful movements. Zack is stunned and slips away,
but later goes back on a thunderous stormy night,
which ended up an all-nighter of magnificent magnitude,
a searing sexual experience neither man had felt before.
Hot stuff !
The man is Cimarron, 27, a scarred,
artistic cowboy rancher, former dancer, with his own issues.
They begin to spend more sexy times, cooking, and being together, all of which grow into intense emotions. Each man has things to think about, as Zack has AA to lean on, plus friends, and Cimarron dives into his painting passionately.
I liked each man and how they became what the other needed. On a trip to Austin to get Zack's belongings, he meets Cimarron's family, and they load up his stuff to move to Santa Fe.
Cimarron meets Zack's family, but while they are there, Cimarron's health takes a turn. Here they discover that they don't know as much about each other as they should.
Marvelous descriptions, an intense tale, and a wonderful epilogue.
I loved the double meaning of the word "slip."
Entertaining, humorous, profound and deeply heart felt.
ENJOY !
=======
In Austin, Zack, is part Asian, about 30,
a nutritionist and personal trainer, and he needed help, so, he called best friend Josh.
Next thing he knew he was in Santa Fe with his friends to lean on, while he takes time to get over the shock and tragedy, along with his personal demons. The support system and animals are helping, too.
He takes a long walk and comes up on the neighbor's home, where there is a pounding musical beat and a naked man dancing, with fiery powerful movements. Zack is stunned and slips away,
but later goes back on a thunderous stormy night,
which ended up an all-nighter of magnificent magnitude,
a searing sexual experience neither man had felt before.
Hot stuff !
The man is Cimarron, 27, a scarred,
artistic cowboy rancher, former dancer, with his own issues.
They begin to spend more sexy times, cooking, and being together, all of which grow into intense emotions. Each man has things to think about, as Zack has AA to lean on, plus friends, and Cimarron dives into his painting passionately.
I liked each man and how they became what the other needed. On a trip to Austin to get Zack's belongings, he meets Cimarron's family, and they load up his stuff to move to Santa Fe.
Cimarron meets Zack's family, but while they are there, Cimarron's health takes a turn. Here they discover that they don't know as much about each other as they should.
Marvelous descriptions, an intense tale, and a wonderful epilogue.
I loved the double meaning of the word "slip."
Entertaining, humorous, profound and deeply heart felt.
ENJOY !
=======
August 14, 2020
The theme of this second book in the ‘Recovery’ series is again centered around fixing something that is broken – on a personal level for Zack and Cimarron and with an analogy in pottery. Slip, according to Wikipedia, is “a liquid mixture or slurry of clay … suspended in water with many uses in the production of pottery…” Where Josh and Kris in volume one were longtime lovers who broke apart due to Josh’s alcoholism and came together again through the “refiring” of their passion, Zack and Cimarron are total strangers. Each man has been through loss, Zack having turned to alcohol and Cimarron becoming even more of a recluse, and both are determined to survive. It takes them meeting and slowly feeling their way for them to realize “toughing it out” is not going to work. They need to accept help, and that means accepting each other – not an easy thing to do when trusting a lover and life partner is the last thing either of them think they can ever feel again.
Please find my full review of the second edition on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Please find my full review of the second edition on Rainbow Book Reviews.
December 22, 2017
Slip by BA Tortuga
Reviewed by Shee Reader for Boy Meets Boy Reviews
Find us on the web at www.boymeetsboyreviews.com
Rating: 5 emotional hearts
Recovery: Book Two
Love is a fragile thing, and it can slip through your fingers if you don’t hold on tight….
When Zack Jung’s AA sponsor and friend commits suicide, he’s desperate to hold it together, and there’s only one place he can turn. He calls Josh and Kris, and they take him back to their ranch outside Santa Fe.
A cowboy to the bone, Cimarron Duran cherishes his orderly life and routine. He likes his neighbors, Kris and Josh, but he has less than no interest in the hipster personal trainer who comes to stay with them—or at least, he plans to fight his interest in favour of his solitary life and his art.
But some things are as inevitable as the weather, and when Zack and Cimarron finally come together, they find they don’t want to let go. It won’t be easy, though, for two men with pasts like theirs to forge a happy future together.
This book is the second in a series, but I had not read the first one. It works perfectly as a stand alone and since I fell in love with the characters, I’ve already bought book one to read as soon as I can!
Zack is falling apart and calls for his best friend, his chosen family, Josh. Josh and Josh’s partner Kris come straight to his rescue and introduce him to the next phase of his life.
Cimarron is a painter and a cowboy, his ranch has been his salvation, that and his studio. Cimarron is a complex character that has many hidden facets, and he is drawn inextricably to Zack from their first awkward meeting. Their chemistry is super hot and consuming, so there isn’t too much talking about the past, although both men have huge and significant skeletons in their closets.
Their relationship takes a dramatic turn when Zack decides to stay a while in New Mexico, closing up his life in Austin, Texas. The trip to get his things includes a double meet-the-parents experience and sees their relationship crystallise into something tangible, right before tragedy strikes.
There are huge emotional dips and crests in this story that was so well told it often unfolded like a movie in my head as I read. The characters are complex and well developed and they find a glorious balance in the end.
One of my favourite elements in the story was the enviable support network Cimarron and Zack had. From family to the friends they chose as their family, it was heartwarming to say the least. There was so much to like about this book, I’ll be reading it again very soon!
Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Shee Reader for Boy Meets Boy Reviews
Find us on the web at www.boymeetsboyreviews.com
Rating: 5 emotional hearts
Recovery: Book Two
Love is a fragile thing, and it can slip through your fingers if you don’t hold on tight….
When Zack Jung’s AA sponsor and friend commits suicide, he’s desperate to hold it together, and there’s only one place he can turn. He calls Josh and Kris, and they take him back to their ranch outside Santa Fe.
A cowboy to the bone, Cimarron Duran cherishes his orderly life and routine. He likes his neighbors, Kris and Josh, but he has less than no interest in the hipster personal trainer who comes to stay with them—or at least, he plans to fight his interest in favour of his solitary life and his art.
But some things are as inevitable as the weather, and when Zack and Cimarron finally come together, they find they don’t want to let go. It won’t be easy, though, for two men with pasts like theirs to forge a happy future together.
This book is the second in a series, but I had not read the first one. It works perfectly as a stand alone and since I fell in love with the characters, I’ve already bought book one to read as soon as I can!
Zack is falling apart and calls for his best friend, his chosen family, Josh. Josh and Josh’s partner Kris come straight to his rescue and introduce him to the next phase of his life.
Cimarron is a painter and a cowboy, his ranch has been his salvation, that and his studio. Cimarron is a complex character that has many hidden facets, and he is drawn inextricably to Zack from their first awkward meeting. Their chemistry is super hot and consuming, so there isn’t too much talking about the past, although both men have huge and significant skeletons in their closets.
Their relationship takes a dramatic turn when Zack decides to stay a while in New Mexico, closing up his life in Austin, Texas. The trip to get his things includes a double meet-the-parents experience and sees their relationship crystallise into something tangible, right before tragedy strikes.
There are huge emotional dips and crests in this story that was so well told it often unfolded like a movie in my head as I read. The characters are complex and well developed and they find a glorious balance in the end.
One of my favourite elements in the story was the enviable support network Cimarron and Zack had. From family to the friends they chose as their family, it was heartwarming to say the least. There was so much to like about this book, I’ll be reading it again very soon!
Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
August 14, 2020
The theme of this second book in the ‘Recovery’ series is again centered around fixing something that is broken – on a personal level for Zack and Cimarron and with an analogy in pottery. Slip, according to Wikipedia, is “a liquid mixture or slurry of clay … suspended in water with many uses in the production of pottery…” Where Josh and Kris in volume one were longtime lovers who broke apart due to Josh’s alcoholism and came together again through the “refiring” of their passion, Zack and Cimarron are total strangers. Each man has been through loss, Zack having turned to alcohol and Cimarron becoming even more of a recluse, and both are determined to survive. It takes them meeting and slowly feeling their way for them to realize “toughing it out” is not going to work. They need to accept help, and that means accepting each other – not an easy thing to do when trusting a lover and life partner is the last thing either of them think they can ever feel again.
Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
December 23, 2017
Slip is book 2 in the recovery series and do recommend you read the first book as those characters are mentioned a lot in this book. Without knowledge of knowing them, you may find yourself a little lost at times.
Zack is in AA and Josh's sponsor. When Zack finds his best friend and sponsor killed himself he breaks down and calls Josh for help.
Cimmeron is Josh and Kris' neighbor in New Mexico where they take Zack to so he can get back on his feet. He is a loner, OCD, very set in his ways and likes it like that. He does like Kris and they have set nights to visit and share a beer. But when Zack shows up everything changes.
I read the first book and loved it so I was anxious for this one and not let down. The characters are all amazing, the storyline good and the romance steamy. It is also a very emotional story in so many ways so I recommend a tissue at hand.
I had one tiny issue and that was how Cimmeron (I loved this name) took a sudden 180 from being OCD refusing veggies, not wanting the company to having Zack cook for him and even staying with him... Now having said that...I also thought the scene where this turnabout happens was scorching hot.
I adore cowboys and fell immediately in love with Cimmeron. I could relate to him in so many ways.
If you love cowboys, artists, personal trainers, addiction, recovery, and very steamy man-sex you will love this!
Zack is in AA and Josh's sponsor. When Zack finds his best friend and sponsor killed himself he breaks down and calls Josh for help.
Cimmeron is Josh and Kris' neighbor in New Mexico where they take Zack to so he can get back on his feet. He is a loner, OCD, very set in his ways and likes it like that. He does like Kris and they have set nights to visit and share a beer. But when Zack shows up everything changes.
I read the first book and loved it so I was anxious for this one and not let down. The characters are all amazing, the storyline good and the romance steamy. It is also a very emotional story in so many ways so I recommend a tissue at hand.
I had one tiny issue and that was how Cimmeron (I loved this name) took a sudden 180 from being OCD refusing veggies, not wanting the company to having Zack cook for him and even staying with him... Now having said that...I also thought the scene where this turnabout happens was scorching hot.
I adore cowboys and fell immediately in love with Cimmeron. I could relate to him in so many ways.
If you love cowboys, artists, personal trainers, addiction, recovery, and very steamy man-sex you will love this!
January 19, 2018
Josh McPhee and Kris Cerny have started a new life in New Mexico after leaving Austin. As they’re learning about and adjusting to each other, they also discover that Josh’s best friend and mentor, Zack Jung, needs rescued. Zack has always been the leader and the rock in supporting Josh and others who face alcohol addiction, but Zack finds himself slipping and calls on Josh to help him after facing a terrible event in his life.
Cimarron Duran, a true cowboy, is somewhat of a loner. He likes his solitude, order, and is an extraordinary artist who doesn’t like the limelight. He’s a neighbor to Josh and Kris, and has been somewhat of a haven for Kris when Josh is deep into his art projects. He also gives Kris a chance to sit on the porch, talk, watch the dogs, and have a few beers.
When Zack and Cimarron first meet, Zack is still out of his element and thinks he’s offended Cimarron. He attempts a visit to Cimarron’s ranch, with a peace offering in the way of healthy food. Zack is into nutrition and fitness and maybe, one day, physical therapy. But Cimarron figures he’s paid a big price to live life his way, and he finds himself drawn to Zack. On a sleepless evening, Zack wanders onto Cimarron’s ranch. What he sees gets him caught up in Cimarron’s mystical and spiritual world.
I saw Slip as a grand undertaking, and I found it interesting how the author plays on the word slip; it has several different meanings in this erotic love story. Be prepared for some teary-eyed moments, and the sweet and funny moments with all the critters. The plot takes us through the beginnings of a relationship with Zack and Cimarron, them getting to know each other, from their pasts to a look into the future. There are different levels of emotions and strengths, with families and friends, that show Zack and Cimarron have the support to continue on. But, most of all, it’s about not being a burden, to have a lover and a partner no matter what life deals you.
I recommend reading Refired, book one in the Recovery series, to learn about Josh and Kris’s relationship. It also introduces Zack, along with the strange relationship between Cypress and Lonan. I’m ever hopeful that BA Tortuga will give us their full story at some point. I’m looking forward to the next installment in the Recovery series, and whatever this wonderful author delivers next.
Reviewed by Maryann for The Novel Approach
Cimarron Duran, a true cowboy, is somewhat of a loner. He likes his solitude, order, and is an extraordinary artist who doesn’t like the limelight. He’s a neighbor to Josh and Kris, and has been somewhat of a haven for Kris when Josh is deep into his art projects. He also gives Kris a chance to sit on the porch, talk, watch the dogs, and have a few beers.
When Zack and Cimarron first meet, Zack is still out of his element and thinks he’s offended Cimarron. He attempts a visit to Cimarron’s ranch, with a peace offering in the way of healthy food. Zack is into nutrition and fitness and maybe, one day, physical therapy. But Cimarron figures he’s paid a big price to live life his way, and he finds himself drawn to Zack. On a sleepless evening, Zack wanders onto Cimarron’s ranch. What he sees gets him caught up in Cimarron’s mystical and spiritual world.
I saw Slip as a grand undertaking, and I found it interesting how the author plays on the word slip; it has several different meanings in this erotic love story. Be prepared for some teary-eyed moments, and the sweet and funny moments with all the critters. The plot takes us through the beginnings of a relationship with Zack and Cimarron, them getting to know each other, from their pasts to a look into the future. There are different levels of emotions and strengths, with families and friends, that show Zack and Cimarron have the support to continue on. But, most of all, it’s about not being a burden, to have a lover and a partner no matter what life deals you.
I recommend reading Refired, book one in the Recovery series, to learn about Josh and Kris’s relationship. It also introduces Zack, along with the strange relationship between Cypress and Lonan. I’m ever hopeful that BA Tortuga will give us their full story at some point. I’m looking forward to the next installment in the Recovery series, and whatever this wonderful author delivers next.
Reviewed by Maryann for The Novel Approach
March 18, 2021
No Slipping
In recovery terms, you don't want to "slip" back into addiction. In this book, however, Korean-American physical therapist and AA leader Zack Jung's recovery from alcoholism slips him into an addiction to Mexican-American cowboy-artist Cimarron Duran's web like a fruit fly stumbling into a spider's web.
Wow! This one starts out by reintroducing us to Josh and Kris from the first book in the series who drive from Santa Fe, New Mexico to Austin, Texas, to rescue Zack from meltdown after one of his AA buddies hangs himself. How's that for a trigger to send you slipping?
That doesn't happen mainly because Kris and Josh's neighbor, Cimarron, gathers Zack's attention--and lustful longings--by accident, and from there it's just a joy ride of finding, and accepting, love.
Except for what happens late in the book that is totally unexpected by everyone, including the reader, that brings what seemed like a bit of a fantasy into reality, a reality that is necessary for bonds to be tied and cemented and lives to go on.
One of B.A. Tortuga's best books. Can be a stand-alone.
In recovery terms, you don't want to "slip" back into addiction. In this book, however, Korean-American physical therapist and AA leader Zack Jung's recovery from alcoholism slips him into an addiction to Mexican-American cowboy-artist Cimarron Duran's web like a fruit fly stumbling into a spider's web.
Wow! This one starts out by reintroducing us to Josh and Kris from the first book in the series who drive from Santa Fe, New Mexico to Austin, Texas, to rescue Zack from meltdown after one of his AA buddies hangs himself. How's that for a trigger to send you slipping?
That doesn't happen mainly because Kris and Josh's neighbor, Cimarron, gathers Zack's attention--and lustful longings--by accident, and from there it's just a joy ride of finding, and accepting, love.
Except for what happens late in the book that is totally unexpected by everyone, including the reader, that brings what seemed like a bit of a fantasy into reality, a reality that is necessary for bonds to be tied and cemented and lives to go on.
One of B.A. Tortuga's best books. Can be a stand-alone.
December 22, 2017
A Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Review
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
For the full review visit https://wp.me/p220KL-cuT on 12/22
From that Review: "When it comes to writing men fighting their demons, B.A. Tortuga is immediately that author whose characters come off as people leveled by life, wounded, and so believable that I expect to hear them cough and laugh and sometimes curse soundly right off the page or in my case my Kindle. Her stories... their stories are gritty, full of passion and fire, and yes, pain."
For all our reviews, author interviews and more, visit us at http://scatteredthoughtsandroguewords...
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
For the full review visit https://wp.me/p220KL-cuT on 12/22
From that Review: "When it comes to writing men fighting their demons, B.A. Tortuga is immediately that author whose characters come off as people leveled by life, wounded, and so believable that I expect to hear them cough and laugh and sometimes curse soundly right off the page or in my case my Kindle. Her stories... their stories are gritty, full of passion and fire, and yes, pain."
For all our reviews, author interviews and more, visit us at http://scatteredthoughtsandroguewords...
November 15, 2023
Love the local flavor and passion!
The author - BA Tortuga - knows where she writes. I love reading about the Texas and New Mexico towns and places where her stories are set. I’m from there too. But her stories are steeped in the heart and passion of the characters. You can feel the struggles and the love these people have for each other and the land. I know you will feel it too.
The author - BA Tortuga - knows where she writes. I love reading about the Texas and New Mexico towns and places where her stories are set. I’m from there too. But her stories are steeped in the heart and passion of the characters. You can feel the struggles and the love these people have for each other and the land. I know you will feel it too.
October 17, 2018
If you like Tortuga, you'll like this one. This one also deals with addiction issues, and it does begin after the suicide of a side character, so while it's a little less heavy than the first, it's not entirely fluffy.
July 8, 2022
In a panic, Zack calls Josh after discovering a friend's suicide. Josh and Kris drive down and bring Zack home with them. Zack stumbles on a private moment of Cimarrons (the neighbor) making him very interested.
November 7, 2018
3.5 stars
August 7, 2022
It was good, but not as good as the first. And I really just want to read about Cypress and Lonan.
March 19, 2018
Rating: 4 stars
I really enjoyed this story. Zack and Cimarron were wonderful as the MCs of this story. Zack is going through a crisis when his friend/sponsor commits suicide and leaves Zack to deal with the aftermath. Cimarron has closed himself off after suffering a tragedy of his own. This is a story of how the two find each other and help each other through the healing process.
The story wasn’t perfect. It was a bit predictable in places. I think it was a bit longer than it really needed to be. That being said, it didn’t feel slow to me and I really enjoyed taking the journey of recovery with Zack and Cimarron.
I really enjoyed this story. Zack and Cimarron were wonderful as the MCs of this story. Zack is going through a crisis when his friend/sponsor commits suicide and leaves Zack to deal with the aftermath. Cimarron has closed himself off after suffering a tragedy of his own. This is a story of how the two find each other and help each other through the healing process.
The story wasn’t perfect. It was a bit predictable in places. I think it was a bit longer than it really needed to be. That being said, it didn’t feel slow to me and I really enjoyed taking the journey of recovery with Zack and Cimarron.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews