This felt so real to me.

I requested a review copy of Unraveling because I’ve read other books by this author and enjoyed them and also because I’ve loved the few audiobooks I’ve listened to performed by David Allen Vargo. I was also intrigued because the author indicated that the story was inspired by his own life and that really made me want to listen to it.

This story was heartbreaking in places but the MCs get their hard-won HEA so I think it was worth the heartbreak that they had to endure first. The story takes us through the ups and downs that Randy goes through while he comes to terms with being gay and having his marriage dissolve. It also takes us through what John is feeling as he decides to have a relationship with Randy.

We also get Randy’s wife’s input into the story. I felt for her and what she had to deal with after she confronts Randy and then especially regarding her parents and how she eventually stood up to them.

The epilogue is really wonderful. It lets us know how all of the major characters are doing many years after the conclusion of the main story.

David Allen Vargo’s audio performance really enhanced my enjoyment of this story. He uses different audio effects to let the listener know when a character is thinking to themselves and when the story is taking place in different locations (e.g., a bar). I did enjoy these effects however, there were a few places where the background noise was a bit too loud so that it overshadowed the narrative.

Content warning: The story starts off with Randy having thoughts of suicide.

A complimentary copy of this audiobook was provided to me at my request; my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author and/or narrator.

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Unraveling

Absolutely compelling. This book has you feeling all of the emotions. It is filled with richness and layered complexity needed for the story being told. It shows a realistic picture of the 80s while giving readers the journey they need. The narrator was good, but the distractions were slightly offputting; it would be worse if the story were not so good.

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Wow

I totally didn’t tear up listening to this one you can’t prove anything. No in all seriousness this was an amazing journey of emotions. There was so much that happened n this book that had me feeling so much grief, happiness and shock that times have been like this. The narration added a great deal to the story and ensured that I just could not put it down.

If you are after a story with incredible characters, that is well thought out and is well told this is the one for you.

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A realistic and heartbreaking story

The story was set in the 80's when there were different views about coming out and HIV. I liked the author's writing style. Unraveling was told from the point of view of several characters and it was interesting to witness the view of the different people. The story is heartbreaking and somber, there weren't many happy moments and yet I love that it was told. And very importantly, there is a happy ending.
Randy knows he is gay, yet he does what society expects of him: he gets married and has a child. Randy is a good husband and also a good father. You can feel that he likes his family. But at some point he makes a decision that should change his life, because he knows he is different.
The story progresses slowly, which some will like better and others may like less. Rick R. Reed has written a book that feels very personal and that moved me. And I'm really glad the world is a bit more open today.

The audiobook was narrated by David Allen Vargo. He delivered a solid performance and portrayed the different characters individually. What I didn't like as much were the built-in sound effects, but that's a matter of taste.

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1 person found this helpful

Life’s journey

This book starts out with a wallop, so be forewarned. I don’t want to give it away – I didn’t know and was shocked – but you’re best heading into it knowing it’ll grab you by the throat immediately. I knew what the ultimate resolution of that situation would be, but it didn’t make it any easier to endure.

Okay, so on to the book. The narration is pretty evenly spread between Randy and John – but Violet, Randy’s wife, had a couple of chapters and that worked – because there are three people involved in this relationship. Whatever form this relationship takes.

Randy’s a loving father and husband. But he knows it’s all a façade that’ll crumble at any moment. He’s gay. And despite it being the mid-1980’s and Chicago (with AIDS looming), he’s desperate to know whether or not he can have a real relationship with a man. Up to that moment, he’s not willing to risk his son and wife. But when Violet gives him permission to explore, he seizes that chance.

Things don’t go smoothly, though. Stepping into a gay bar is terrifying. Meeting other men, and assuming they’ve all been at this a while, is daunting. Randy meets John on his first foray out, but the meeting doesn’t go well. John tries to get him to loosen up, while Randy basically bolts. Then, months later, there’s another encounter that doesn’t go well.

Third time’s the charm? They get set up and realize their attraction is mutual and maybe they can make things work. But Randy’s life gets super complicated and John’s not sure he’s ready for that level of drama.

As I’ve said before, this is a Rick R. Reed romance – so I got my well-deserved happy ending. The epilogue was especially poignant. And while I’m talking about how much I enjoyed the book, I have to mention the narration. David Allen Vargo does a great job with Rick’s books and I hope there’ll be more in the future. A wonderfully powerful book that had me pondering long after it ended.

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A look at life in the 80's

This is a heartbreaking story about a late in life coming out. It helps if you have a view of life in the 80’s. So much different than today and that plays a big part in the views this book uses. Randy has known he was gay but because of the lack of acceptance he did what was expected. He married, has a son and now is coming to terms he has not accepted who he really is. I appreciate the personalities the author gave these characters. I feel the only one that might be a stretch is Violet. For this story she ends as a sort of hero but in the 80’s it was hard to find many girls or women who lived around their parents and could remain so true to themselves. I especially liked how the author made Randy a real person. A regular, loving husband and father. A good husband and father. I could feel the warmth Randy had for Violet and Henry. I also appreciate how the author kept the character so true to life while resolving all the issues that faced him.
I want to thank the author for the epilogue. It tied up all my questions and brought the warmheartedness that the story needed.
I enjoyed the narration by David Allen Vargo. I feel he gave each character individuality. The only part I didn’t like and this is my own point of view is the background sounds that I’m sure were meant to enhance the story but for me they were more a distraction.

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Tragic but beautiful story and a pretty great perf

Story 5 stars.
Narration 4 stars

The narrator did a really good job. I found his voice pleasing to listen to and he expressed the emotions well. He did different voices for the side characters and Violet and the son and did them well.

I had to leave off a star for the performance for 2 reasons. One, the 2 Male MCs voices were too similar IMO. Two, while I thought the sound effects and music were a creative addition (not all narrators put in that much effort) it would have been better if they were played for a few seconds then have the spoken word after rather than them both at the same time. It was too distracting IMO. Again, great effort and I did really enjoy the performance overall. It brought the story to life.

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Interesting

A interesting story by Rick R Reed. Well written story and amazing character. David Allen Vargo did a super job with this narration.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.

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wow

This is a complete roller-coaster of emotions. Randy is married with a child when who is coming to terms with being a gay man. His wife Violet is very supportive and tells him to find his true self. He meets John. This book is set at the height of the Aids epidemic. Randy and John’s journey was not an easy one.

This story will pull at you.

Loved the narration of David Allen Vargo, he bought the emotions and story. Perfect

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A Wonderful Audiobook

Unraveling is a story about love, acceptance, and change. It’s a beautiful novel masterfully crafted and written to enhance the loveliness of the story. This is not the typical romance novel, but it also made touched me in a deeper manner than most books I’ve read lately. Randy has come to the end of his rope and he finally needs to make a choice – live and be honest or die and take his secret with him. He ultimately chooses life, and that’s where the story really gets going. I loved how complicated and dynamic all the characters were. Violet, the ex-wife, was really fascinating and written with such love and compassion. It was beautiful to see her find her own strength and path. This fit in so well with Randy and John’s journey. The ending was absolutely perfect and so symbolic. It wrapped everything up nicely and gave me such a warm feeling in my heart.

The audiobook was narrated by David Allen Vargo and it was an incredible experience. David has a versatile and smooth voice that was perfect for both the narration portions and the character dialogue. The audiobook production was superb. I absolutely loved the sound effects that were used to really enhance the performance without them being over-the-top or distracting. This was definitely a really enjoyable listening experience.

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