With or Without You

By: Caroline Leavitt

Narrated by: Julia Whelan

Length: 9 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's Summary

After almost 20 years together, Stella and Simon are starting to run into problems. An up-and-coming rock musician when they first met, Simon has been clinging to dreams of fame even as the possibility of it has grown dimmer, and now that his band might finally be on the brink again, he wants to go on the road, leaving Stella behind. But when she falls into a coma on the eve of his departure, he has to make a choice between stardom and his wife - and when she awakes a different person, with an incredible artistic talent of her own, the two of them must examine what it is that they really want.

Unapologetically honest and intimately written, With or Without You is a contemporary story of what happens to relationships as the people in them change, whether slowly or in one cataclysmic swoop.

©2020 Caroline Leavitt (P)2020 Dreamscape Media, LLC

not my cup of tea

I didn't care for this book. I decided to listen to the book after watching a Facebook live stream featuring the author. While I enjoyed the Facebook live, this book was a bit boring in my opinion. The storyline was predictable. It was interesting to follow the main characters journeys but the male main character came off as needy and really lacking personality.

my second listen

a novel that pulls you out of yourself and into the lives of these beautifully drawn characters. unforgettable.

Fascinating audictive story that captured me!

I was on a losing streak of audiobook choices. When that happens, I go to my most welcome narrator Julia Whelan. Wow! Precise Whelan narrative! How does she do it every time? Author Caroline Leavitt weaves an intensely rich story of a couple whose lives turn upside-down when Stella lapses into a coma after an evening that went too far. Simon puts his long-anticipated musical comeback dream on hold to be there for her. We get a glimpse into Stella’s mind while she “sleeps,” a uniquely addictive twist. After reawakening, Stella and her loved ones around her are curiously surprised with her newly creative talent that changes the couple’s life forever. Kudos to narrator Julia Whelan as she brings this magically imaginative story to vivid life - I felt like I was in the the story. Emotions: true love, grief, dedication, fame, jealousy, suspicion, guilt, all play into these characters’ lives. Definitely recommended and a phenomenal character study that will stay with me for a long time. I do so wish Whelan and Leavitt would continue the creation of a Book 2. So worth my treasured credit. I want to scream it from the rooftops, “Epic, I scream, EPIC! EPIC! EPIC! Thank you all involved in bringing this marvelous book to Audible.

✍🏻👏🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟👏✍🏻

Interesting story

Well written, new material and very well narrated. It’s not true that people never change.

Interesting... Yet...?

This story had a lot of good twists and turns. For me, I didn't like how it ended. It left me with a lot of, 'what the what?!' The only thing that remained outstanding was the narration by Julia Whelan! Excellent narration!

Worst ending ever.

This book was decent throughout, a lot of unpredictability which I’m a fan of. It’s like the author just gave up three force through the book and just wanted to end it and didn’t really care if the ending tied in with the rest of the story. The book was decent but the ending again was not thought-provoking and lazy by the author.

An abomination to RN’s!

I usually love her books but this one? I only kept pushing through because I love the narrator. I was simmering with irritation the whole time at the terrible medical research, or lack there of….from the role of physicians/nurses/how hospitals function. I felt personally insulted as an RN, COUNTLESS times listening to this book. Gas turned me off this author for life. If you know anything about medical care or how hospitals function, do not read! If you’re an RN, you’ll feel insulted.