Unquiet

Resilient Love

De: Melanie Hansen

Narrado por: Michael Stellman

A Resilient Love story

Loren Smith has been in love with Eliot Devlin almost his entire life. During their turbulent childhood and teen years, Loren didn't always understand Eliot, and sometimes he could be a challenge, but Eliot was the only one to ever truly ease Loren's deep loneliness and accept him. When Eliot's increasingly erratic and self-destructive behavior culminates in a suicide attempt at 17, Loren is devastated.

Upon meeting again by chance nine years later, Loren is enjoying a successful career as a police officer while Eliot's life has been a constant struggle for stability. In and out of mental hospitals, with a rap sheet a mile long, he continues to be buffeted by the twin storms of mania and depression. Loren's love and protectiveness for Eliot are deeply ingrained in him, however, and their feelings for each other are quickly rekindled.

Loren has issues of his own that he's dealing with, and trying to understand and cope with Eliot's bipolar disorder isn't easy. They believe they're meant to be, and Eliot brings a fulfillment to Loren's life that no one else will ever match. But, as they both come to realize, love by itself can't cure all.

©2016 Melanie Hansen (P)2017 Dreamspinner Press

This story gutted me...

I’m not going to lie – this story gutted me and I almost gave up listening several times. I had to walk away a couple of times and listen or read something else just to take a break. But it kept drawing me back because I couldn’t stop thinking about the characters.

This is one of the best stories I’ve read where mental health is not demonized, or belittled, but rather almost tenderly explained. Eliot has rapid-cycling bipolar 1 disorder with hypersexuality compulsion.

Trigger Warning: Cheating, Suicide attempts

Eliot and Loren constantly struggle to find balance with each other and Eliot’s disorder. Through the dual POV we are witness to Eliot’s manic episodes, his highs and lows, his hypersexual moments, but also his hope and love for Loren. We get to witness Loren’s own love and hope, but also his fear, his indecision with his job, especially seeing the stress and anxiety being a police officer triggers in Eliot.

Nothing about this story is easy. Even the best parts are tinged with a kind of sadness or a waiting-for-the-other-shoe-to-drop feeling. You don’t even get respite in the epilogue. While happy and showing the couple years down the line, there is recounting of more struggle and the ever present need for vigilance.

We get to see a realistic representation of a relationship with ups and downs that requires work by both sides.

The narration works perfectly for the story.

Michael Stellman doesn’t do a lot of character voices, and his performance is quieter, more emotional. He delivers the author’s words to you in a way that draws you in to the story completely, surrounding and blanketing you in the world, he’s not about the flash, he’s all about the feeling. Stellman does a really wonderful job conveying all the emotion of the story.

The story is beautifully written with friends to lovers, first heartbreak, second chance romance, and hurt/comfort themes throughout. There is what I consider a high level of angst throughout the book.

It put me through the wringer, and I’m exhausted after finishing it, but I am very glad I picked it up and listened and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it.

NOTE: Unquiet is the third installment in the Resilient Love series (with Everything Changes #1 and Signs of Life #2). Unquiet stands alone from the series, with the characters from the other books making appearances, but explained in a way that doesn’t leave new-to-the-series readers out.

Stunning and emotional

This book delivered on so many different levels the narration was exquisite taking us through the trials, the agony the love, of two beautiful characters. Do yourself a favor and listen. Just be aware of serious mental health triggers and suicide attempt.

Unquiet will leave a mark

I delayed starting this audiobook for a bit. My hesitation wasn’t due to disinterest, but because I knew it would likely be an emotionally taxing story. I’m a big fan of this author and she’s one of those who can regularly deliver highly emotional stories that shred me. So I wasn’t all that surprised when, after just the first couple chapters, I saw the impending signs that Unquiet would make my heart clench. Unquiet is the third book in the Resilient Love series and features Loren, the best friend of Kai- one of the heroes from the second book of the series. Although there is a small amount of overlap with storylines and characters, it’s minimal and Unquiet easily works as a standalone.

The reader first meets Eliot and Loren as young boys and the first few chapters follow their friendship through high school, including when they realize there’s more to those deep feelings than an unwavering friendship. The pacing in the first part was brisk, but still included all the details to really flush out the boys’ personalities, their bond, and what ultimately ended up driving them apart. The book then jumps to the present nine years later when Eliot and Loren reunite. Unquiet was so much more than a second chance romance between two friends who had once been inseparable. It’s also an honest examination of mental illness, including the viewpoint from Eliot, who is living with bipolar disorder, as well as from Loren, the person who loves Eliot the most. The author pulls the reader into Eliot and Loren’s story and I became increasingly wrapped up in the characters. The emotions are all so palpable, particularly that building sense of uncertainty and almost dread as the reader waits for the tipping point. I could feel my insides churning leaning up to the main climax and it was draining, but also incredibly gripping. The good part of Miss Hansen’s stories is that despite the emotional upheaval, I know a resolution will come. There’s not unnecessary drama or heartache for the sake of an angst label. That said, this author is always honest in her portrayals, so if happy-for-now endings aren’t your thing, consider yourself warned. The love between Eliot and Loren is not a magic balm that will heal Eliot’s bipolar disorder. Instead, Unquiet shows that true love and devotion is always worth fighting for and showcases the very definition of unconditional love.

This was my first experience with the narrator and I found his performance fitting for the characters and book’s tone. There was a good amount of emotion in his narrative, his diction was clean, and he kept a rhythmic pace. I certainly won’t hesitate to listen to another book Mr. Stellman narrates. Unquiet isn't a fluffy love story, and his voice worked well for the raw quality of the romance. If you’re a fan of stories that leave a mark and examine both the beautiful and difficult sides of love and life, this audiobook is a must listen in my opinion.

*Reviewed for Alpha Book Club*

Gripping story with great narration

Wow. I’ve been really on a streak with my book choices lately. Talk about heart-wringers – this one will literally jerk it from your chest and pound it into the floor.

There’s something to be said about being on the inside of something like mental illness. If the author is good – it’s an uncomfortable ride – but worth it.

This – like the others I’ve read recently – had that same effect. From the blurb you get that Loren (who we met in book 2 as Kai’s love interest) and Eliot have been in each other’s hearts for years – since they were six in fact. The love story here is less about them “falling in love” and more about them working through that love.

Lord. Eliot has a tough road, and as a result so does Loren. It’s not something that will ever be “fixed” but it can be “managed”. His disease is so severe that there really is no cure. Loren – who has to be about the most saintly person out there – only knows that he loves Eliot like an extension of himself and he can do nothing more than be there for him – come hell or high water.

Melanie Hansen’s writing is beautiful and her story telling is heart breakingly touching.

I won’t say that this book is easy to read, because it’s really, really not. But – if you’ve got it in you to brave the Kleenex box – again!- you’ll find yourself in a truly remarkable story full of big, big hearts and people with faults and perfections.

The epilogue about did me in – be prepared – but it is a decidedly HEA – in as much as these guys get one.



Audio

Michael Stellman is probably the perfect narrator for this. His voice seemed to really suit the subject matter and all the deep emotions.
While I would have enjoyed some more accent variation, I think the overall tone really felt appropriate and this is an excellent way to enjoy this fascinating story.

4.5 of 5 stars

Typical with lots of boring erotic romance!

Typical with lots of boring erotic romance! I like the writing style but the story is weak.