Loved the story and the audio performance.

This story made my heart ache at times. I have no personal experience with addiction and no close friends who have but this story still resonated with me. I like second chance stories and this was a really good one. Jimmy needs a second chance but Mark isn’t sure he has it in him to give him one. Rick R. Reed has written a very poignant and thought-provoking story and I’m so glad I listened to it.

This is only the second book I’ve listened to performed by David Allen Vargo. He has a wonderful voice and I loved listening to this so much. My only minor issue was that at times I had trouble remembering which main character was speaking. The chapters alternate between MCs and the voices for Mark and Jimmy were only slightly different. I admit to doing other things while I was listening so that might have been part of the problem. All of the other voices were perfect and easy to distinguish. I love the way scenes where Jimmy was thinking to himself had a different sound quality so that you knew that’s what was happening.

This is an audiobook that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend and I will be looking for more of Mr. Vargo’s work as well as more stories by Mr. Reed.

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

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second chances

The author has written a great and emotional story here. It is about addiction with all its facets, which is the main focus here. Jimmy is a drug addict who is considered recovered. He has been through a lot, but he has also accomplished a lot. Now he works in a diner and meets Mark there. But he already knew him.
Rick Reed has written a story that you as a reader can relate to. It was heartbreaking to witness what the characters went through. That pain and sadness was palpable, with Jimmy's story captivating me more than Mark's. Still, this one was a good fit as well.
A great story about second chances.

David Allen Vargo is a new narrator for me and he does a good job. He reads with a lot of feeling, so you get the impression that you can feel every emotion. Be it sadness, a smile, anger or just love.

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1 person found this helpful

Heart Touching

The Perils of Intimacy is a standalone novel that hit me right in my feelings. Jimmy is a vulnerable character who’s honest about his struggles to stay sober. I felt so much for Jimmy, and was instantly drawn into his story. The author does a wonderful job with Jimmy’s characterization and continued growth throughout the book. Mark, the other main character, was the perfect foil to Jimmy - not because Mark himself was perfect but because he had to acknowledge and overcome his own personal demons. The writing was lovely and I was truly enthralled by this story.

The audiobook was narrated by David Allen Vargo who does a wonderful job. The narrator went the extra mile with his performance- telephone calls really felt like telephone calls. The audiobook production was well done and engaging which made for an entertaining listen.

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Mystery, Romance, Great Performance by D.A. Vargo

Rick R. Reed always finds such unique and interesting ways to explore the human experience, and so it is with Perils of Intimacy. Romance, a thrilling mystery, and two intense emotional journeys flow together in this beautifully written tale.

The characters in the story are dealing with issues such as aging, addiction, and loneliness. Past regrets and missed opportunities keep these two men moving forward, and it’s easy to relate to them as each ponders which step to take next.

The audio version of Perils of Intimacy is beautifully produced. David Allen Vargo delivers a gorgeous performance. I loved the various sound effects, and the range of voices Mr. Vargo comes up with is impressive. What a fantastic audiobook!

an audiobook copy of Perils of Intimacy was provided for the purpose of my honest review, all opinions are my own

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A Heartfelt Journey! Excellent Story & Narration🎧

The realism and emotions of this story pour off the pages and straight into your heart. Rick R. Reed does an awesome job of presenting and handling topics that some authors dare to touch and when they do it only surface deep, not Reed though he goes in deep and he takes you with him every step of his way. This story not only captivates your attention the entire book, but it tugs on your heartstrings too. The characters are realistic, easy to relate to and connect with, they are easy to care about too. Jimmy, a former meth head, may have cleaned up his act but his addiction still hangs over his head, he attends NA meetings and continues his road to recovery. He is not proud of things he did while high, but he needs to get past it and remind himself he is not that person anymore. He is in a good place, being healthy, having a job and a place to live. One day, a person from his past, Marc, comes to eat at the dinner he is working at, but Marc does not remember him. Jimmy felt an attraction to him, so after some harmless flirting, he passes him his phone number before he leaves. Marc is older than Jimmy, but he is also at that point in life where he wants to find his special someone to spend time with and he feels Jimmy may be the one and he will give him a go. It was great watching these two get to know each other, they worked despite their age differences, Jimmy was mature beyond his years, his crap childhood forced to him to grow up quickly and then all that followed into his teens. But when Jimmy’s past comes back to haunt him, Marc runs for the hills. I was rooting for these two, both were struggling with inner demons, Marc needed to get over himself and go with his heart, Jimmy, who has been on the right path, needed to grab on to his inner strength. This is unique and beautifully story hits you hard, there are some heart-rending and gut wrenching moments and heartfelt ones. Some of the secondary/support characters were great too, Marc’s coworker Don, Jimmy’s roommate Kevin and his sponsor, Miriam, well done on that clever twist. Rick R. Reed, thank you for another fantastic and emotionally heartfelt story, another that will stay with me for a very long time.

🎧📚🎧 And for the amazing narration, David Allen Vargo is a mega talented narrator and a versatile voice artist. He has a complete understanding of the roles he is portraying, gives each character a voice that fits that character’s persona to a tee, sounding believable and just as I picture the characters to sound. Vargo sets the perfect tone for the story, captures all the character’s emotions and projects them into his performance and has you feeling every single one. He is an entertaining storyteller and a pleasure to listen to, his performance adds a lot to the layers of this story and enhances it to another level of greatness. Thank you for another exceptional listen.

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Amazing book!

Wow! First of all I want to praise the narrator!!! I loved the sound effects and the way he brought the story and the characters to life. Absolutely fantastic job, well done! One of the best narrations I've ever heard. I'm impressed. The story was beautiful and heartbreaking. I really loved the characters and connected with them. I cared and I wanted them to be happy. I loved reading about their journey. Fantastic book and I highly highly recommend the audiobook!

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loved

Loved the narration of David Allen Vargo, brilliant for this book, brings out the emotions .

Jimmy is a waiter in a Seattle diner. He's 23. who two years ago was a meth addict. One of customers is Marc, who is nearly 40, handsome, and a very shy guy who has used apps for hook ups. While both men are attracted to each other, and Marc overcomes his shyness to make the first move for a date, Two years ago Jimmy hooked up with Marc, robbed, then disappeared.
LOVED

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Hits Hard

What if the cute stranger you are flirting with isn't a stranger? Or, in some sense I guess you could say he is, because he certainly isn't the man you hooked up with that one time before. That time that started changing both of you. Don't read any detailed reviews of this book, because it will spoil the amazing plot the author has carefully constructed, so full of surprises that will break your heart and make you cry happy tears. Reading this story is amazing, but hearing these characters brought to life by David Allen Vargo is a whole different and amazing experience. This is a story of second chances in a relationship, yes but most importantly it's a story of second chances in individual lives. Chances to grow, learn to accept yourself and change to become a person you can be proud of. It's also a story of the importance of friends. I won't be forgetting this one.

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sound effects galore

the way this book was created was amazing. I loved the different sounds used to enhance the story. the story itself was good and definitely worth the listen if in the mood for something not so light and fluffy.

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Another great read by a fantastic author

I think most of us can look back at our pasts and say ‘yeah, I wish I hadn’t done that’. (Or been that or worn that or said that…) I know I have more than a few regrets. Things I wish I’d done differently. Decisions I later regretted. People I hurt – whether inadvertently or on purpose.

Jimmy’s life is full of regrets. In his previous incarnation – JD – he was a meth addict who stole to pay for the drugs. He hurt a lot of people along the way, but the addiction kept him from seeing the depth of his depravity. Eventually, though, he turned his life around. He went to NA. He got a great sponsor.

Slowly step-by-step, he focused on building a life he could be proud of. That means living with a friend and working at a diner. Not fantastic, but it’s an honest living. And when he meets a great guy, he’s happy. Except he knows he hurt this guy. Or JD did. And now Jimmy doesn’t want his past to come and bite him in the butt.

Mark’s attracted to the guy at the diner. There’s a spark, and he’s more engaged than he’s been in a long time. So things are going along great until they’re not.

Discovery was inevitable – although I admit I was surprised how it came about. Mark’s angry, Jimmy’s contrite – and it looks like that might just be the end of them.

Except this is a Rick R. Reed romance. Lots of rocky times, but eventually happiness. I was pleased with the ending, for sure. And I just want to say how much I liked the secondary characters – including Mark’s older co-worker and Jimmy’s roommate - as well as another lost soul he meets along the way.

On to narration. David Allen Vargo narrated the piece and he was just perfect for it. I especially liked his Harvey Fierstein impersonation. Just so well done. Glad I listened.

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