Author: BA Tortuga
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Pages/Word Count: 220 Pages
At a Glance: I just love BA Tortuga’s stories, and Refired is up there with the best of them.
Reviewed By: Maryann
Blurb: When Kris Cerny walks back into Two Spirits, the art gallery he owns with Josh McPhee, all he wants is a clean break. Austin’s booming real estate market means the building he bought years ago is worth a fortune, and with the sale, he and Josh can finally go their separate ways. They won’t be reconciling, right? Josh may be sober now, but an addict is always going to be an addict, and Kris can’t take that chance again.
Josh isn’t willing to sell. Not yet. He’s discovered a new artist in Santa Fe he knows will put Two Spirits in the black, and if he can just make a success of the gallery, maybe he can earn Kris’s respect, if not recapture his love. He needs Kris to give him time for one more buying trip, one more gallery show. Josh wants nothing more than a final chance to make things right. Kris agrees to let Josh have this last ditch effort on one condition– he wants to go along for the ride. On the way Josh hopes they’ll find the next big thing in the art world as well as peace, forgiveness, and a love he thought was lost forever.
Review: Josh McPhee is a recovering alcoholic, five years and counting, and still working hard to stay sober. He’s part owner of Two Spirits art gallery, with his ex Kris, and wants to prove to Kris he is a new man and can make the gallery work. But, Kris wants to sell the gallery. When Josh discovers some interesting work by an artist called Cypress, who lives in New Mexico, he decides to travel there to see the man personally. Kris tells Josh he wants to make the trip to New Mexico with him, but Josh thinks he’ll back out since art is not his interest. I just loved Josh. He works so hard to stay sober, and he’s doing it all for Kris. Josh also gave up his love of painting just to prove to Kris he could handle the gallery. He stays true to Kris, and really believes Kris and he can be together again.
Kris Cerny—cowboy, ranch owner, big businessman—has no faith in Josh whatsoever, but he restarts their relationship. Kris has issues of his own as well, and harbors dark secrets that his family has swept under the rug. He constantly compares Josh to his mother, who was also an alcoholic, and believes Josh will fall back into his addiction again. I wasn’t crazy about Kris. He’s judgmental and somewhat controlling and quick to accuse Josh of wrongdoing. He led Josh on and never really forgave him with all his heart. But many of Kris’s failings come from his own upbringing. When he actually starts to make friends, he starts to learn the true meaning of forgiveness and love.
Cypress is an artist extraordinaire and an amazing and fun character, and he gives Josh the support and encouragement to paint again. He also has an ex by the name of Lonan, and there’s still a spark there, so I would love a more detailed story about them.
I just love BA Tortuga’s stories, and Refired is up there with the best of them. Staying true to form, Ms. Tortuga delivers a story packed with great characters, love, heartache and humor. Refired is also a tale of learning how to let go and truly forgive.
You can buy Refired here:
The Novel Approach Reviews 
Leave a Reply