The Perils of Intimacy

By: Rick R. Reed

Narrated by: David Allen Vargo

Mark believes he’s meeting Jimmy for the first time in the diner where he works, but he’s wrong. Mark has no recollection of their original encounter because the wholesome Jimmy of today couldn’t be more different than he was two years ago. Back then, Jimmy sported multiple piercings and facial hair. He was painfully skinny—and a meth addict. The drug transformed him into a lying, conniving thief. Mark doesn’t associate the memory of a hookup gone wrong with this fresh-faced 20-something…but Jimmy knows. Can Mark see Jimmy for the man he is now and not the addict he was? The answers depend on whether true love holds enough light to shine through the darkness of past mistakes.

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

Profound story!💜

This was more than your average contemporary romance. It had depth & substance that speaks right to your heart. This story will open your mind and allow you to see what’s already all around us but we often choose not to look. There were heartbreaking and tearful moments, but also romantic and beautiful moments too.
There was talk about sex but no actual sex scenes which was actually quite refreshing and in this storyline not necessary.
The narration was amazing! David Allen Vargo is a “new to me” narrator but not for long. His performance and emotions will have you fully submerged with these characters and within this story. Well done!
This book has an HEA and can be read as a standalone.
I highly recommend this book!

Sisters Spotlight 💜

This is a quite jarring book.

It certainly revolves around romance, because the relationship between Mark and Billy is front and centre, but it’s so much more than that! It’s about addiction, how it affects a person and how it keeps its hooks in that person, through the choices it leads you to make and their aftermath.
Billy and Mark’s budding relationship is heavily affected by addiction, and the book has a sombre and foreboding tone in many aspects, you can’t help but wait for the other shoe to drop.
I loved David Allen Vargo’s performance. It was my first time listening to this narrator, and I think he did a really great job portraying the range of emotions the characters shift through.

Excellent

Thoroughly enjoyed this one from Rick Reed, the master of mystery! It was very well written and edgy and really enjoyed the narrator!

Amazing, A Beautiful MUST Listen Love Story!

Mark meets Jimmy, a server at the local diner, and is instantly attracted! But as they spend time together something starts to feel oddly familiar about Jimmy, something Mark can’t quite put his finger on. For his part, Jimmy knows he wants Mark in his life, but HE remembers all to well the night they first met. What happens when Mark remembers? It’s just a matter of time before the past and present collide! The Perils of Intimacy shook me to my core! My husband looked at me like I was nuts as I sat there sobbing! This story is a must listen! It’s powerful, timely, beautifully written, magnificently narrated and impossible for me to give further plot details without playing spoiler! I can tell you that the characters are divine! Every single character is likable, beautifully developed and so realistic! I would love to have them all in my life, I would love to call them friend! The plot is perfectly written, easily understandable, smooth flowing, and interesting, heck, interesting doesn’t go far enough, it held me positively enthralled! The narration, THIS narration, truly BREATHED life into this magnificent story, these magnificent characters. I loved the voicing choices! The inflections and emotional rendering were perfect! I listened to the entire audiobook at 1.0 speed because I didn’t want to miss a single nuance! I will absolutely be listening to this one again. Five stunningly amazing stars across the board! This one was perfect and I loved it!

Recovery

This is a great story of second chances. It was a heartwarming story of how addiction doesn't ever go away and can show in all forms. For me this is a typical story to expect from Rick Reed. He knows how to create a story you can get in engrossed in and so close to reality versus fantasy world. I thoroughly enjoyed it. David Allen Vargo is new to me as a narrator. I thought he did a great job, and his New York accent was fantastic. I did have to get used to the way he portrayed internal thoughts, but all in all he did a great job!

Beautiful ending to a sad beginning

This book was great. Listening to the sadness and pain these characters have gone through in live was heart breaking. Watching where they are now and the mountains they climbed and demons still fighting was heart warming. This M/M was so intense and beautiful at the same time. Watching Jimmy talk to his “first” sponsor then hearing where she actually was had my jaw hitting the floor. I was so glad his “second” sponsor was there to catch him from falling. Seeing Mark finally start remembering his past broke my heart so much but had me cheering him on to work through it for a great happy ending. David read with so much emotion that you felt every smile, every tear, anger and love throughout the entire book. Rick has an extremely well written deeply emotional book here that I will be looking up more of his work. This is a must get M/M romance!

A captivating binge listen!

This was a binge listen for me. Once I started listening, I couldn't stop. Of course that's due to great writing and amazing narration. Excuse me, 'performance.' Because Mr. Vargo really is a performance artist. An actor par excellence. Even the women are outstanding. But this story by the amazing Rick R. Reed - WOW! So much more than a formulaic romance novel. This story tackles a deeply serious subject with insight, sensitivity, empathy, humor, and pathos. There is never a dull moment. The cast of characters are clearly drawn by Mr. Reed - each with their own unique psyche. And Mr, Vargo honors that writing by giving each character their own distinct voice. There aren't very many stories out there for people in recovery ABOUT people in recovery. That is one of the major captivating attractions of this particular story. I say give us more of this!

Wow - Another Wonderful Rick R Reed Story

I am such a fan of Rick R Reed's stories and this is another great one. Both Jimmy and Mark have had deep issues in the past even before their paths crossed the first time and their second chance is almost ruined before they can make a new start. This story is so deep and worth listening to. It shows how things of the past don't always have to define the future. Great narration by David Allen Vargo just made the experience even better.

I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion

Will Jimmy Get a Second Chance with Mark?

‘The Perils of Intimacy’ is an emotional tale of redemption, forgiveness, and a second chance at love for Mark and Jimmy. The book is well-written with a coherent plotline, adults who behave and communicate like adults, and multiple lovely scenes of Jimmy and Mark getting reacquainted. One of Reed’s storytelling attributes that I’m less fond of occurs in this book–a lot of internal angst-ing by the main characters. Rather than allowing each man’s harmful and circular beliefs go on-and-on, Reed, thankfully, resolves the self-destructive perceptions quickly. On the whole, it left me feeling upbeat about Mark and Jimmy’s future happiness.

The narration performance by David Allen Vargo is good. He delivers a measure of emotional depth and distinct voices that make it easy to lose oneself in the story.

I have written this review following request and receipt of an ARC provided by Gay Romance Reviews.

Recommended.

Hit me in the feels

This story was sweet, hopeful, heartbreaking, and ultimately full of love-for partners, friends here and gone, family, and for new friends that need a hand up. Recommended!