Unraveling

De: Rick R. Reed

Narrado por: David Allen Vargo

Randy Kay has the perfect life with his beautiful wife and adorable son. But Randy's living a lie, untrue to himself and everyone who knows him. He's gay.

Marriage and fatherhood, which he thought could change him, have failed. He doubts if anyone can love him for who he really is--especially himself.

With his wife's blessing, he sets out to explore the gay world he's hidden from all his life.

John Walsh, a paramedic with the Chicago Fire Department, is comfortable in his own skin as a gay man, yet he can never find someone who shares his desire to create a real relationship, a true family.

When Randy and John first spy each other in Chicago's Boystown, all kinds of alarms go off--some of joy, others of deep-seated fear.

Randy and John must surmount multiple hurdles on the journey to a lasting, meaningful love. Will they succeed or will their chance at love go up in flames, destroyed by missed connections and a lack of self-acceptance?

©2020 Rick R. Reed (P)2022 Rick R. Reed

WOW! What a Story!

What a very powerful story. This story will is actually 2 stories in one that sort of circle around each other and then slowly meld into one. There isn't any way to really talk about it without giving something important away. I will say it's not hearts and flowers, it is a harsh reality, but worth the read or the listen. The narration of this book was simply amazing.

a great hard story

I didn't care for Violet from the start. She knew Randy was gay for several years and didn't address it. She chose to be an ostrich with her head in the sand. For too long, Violet let her parents lead her around by the nose like she was a small child . I had no respect for her. Sneaking away like a thief in the night, then coming back to "steal " more mutual items. That's sick and childish. Violet finally woke up, but it was so late in the story, that I still didn't respect her. I respected Randy and empathized with all he had to deal with. I applauded his courage to live his authentic life. Violet's parents were vile empty vessels of prejudice and biases. Henry was the biggest and most pleasurable shock at the end of the story. Kudos. Life shouldn't be this hard and it breaks my heart what people had to go through just to live their lives. I voluntarily listened to a free copy of this and am giving an honest review. The narrator did a great job bringing the characters and story to life.

Poignant and Moving

A poignant story of a man struggling to accept who he is and maintain the relationships he values more than life. Marriage is not easy, neither is being a father or a husband. Add in a life change and discovery that acceptance must not only come from those we love but more importantly from ourselves. Randy struggles but with the help and love of John and Randy’s ex-wife, but until Randy can accept himself and his new life, his struggles will become harder and more difficult.

Rick Reed, the author, provides realistic characters struggling through revelations and acceptance, fear, doubt, confusion, and more. The dialogue is authentic and keeps the story moving forward. This is a moving book that will have the listener in tears and connect with John, Randy, and Violet in ways that are surprising. Reed’s writing style leaves the listener wondering how it is possible for hate to survive so strongly in some and not exist in others. The struggles Randy faces is barely discussed but are very real. Reed’s writing is clear and moving, bringing to light the effects of such hatred and confusion. Reed’s writing is clear and with vivid details.

The narrator, David Allen Vargo is perfect for this story. His ability to speak clearly, and project the fear, doubt, confusion and other emotions faced by each character is very well done. While the author’s writing is moving, it is clearly Vargo’s performance that pushes the listener into hearing and experiencing the fear, self-doubt, hatred of one’s self and others, confusion and longing. Each character is given a unique voice to reflect their personality and pain. Vargo projects emotions vividly and accurately.

This is a well-done romance and self-discovery book of love between same-sex partners and their struggles. This is a book that addresses suicide, LGBTQ relationships, and hatred and proves how hard life can be when we get in our own way. The story is told from a variety of views – each chapter identifies whose perspective it is from.

There were no issues with the quality or production of this audiobook.

Emotional Story

After reading the blurb, I assumed this was going to be an emotional read. There is quite a journey before the HEA. I thought the story and the characters were realistic, and the narrator did a good job giving each character a distinct voice.

a story of self acceptance and exploration

Unraveling is an emotional, powerful, true to life story about self acceptance and discovery in the '80s. Randy hid his true self when he got married to a woman and had a son. He can't live this lie anymore and starts to explore his true self. When Randy meets John in Chicago's Boystown the journey to their happily ever after is filled with bumps and hurdles along the way. I love that Randy wants to be the best father he can be for his son. He wants to be a good example and be honest with himself. I enjoyed the different points of view and was glad to see Violet stand up for Randy and their son. This is such a touching story and I highly recommend it.
Narrator David Allen Vargo does a fabulous job. The background sounds got to be a bit much though I don't mind some.