Max

by Ian O. Lewis

No one has ever told Max that happiness is an option.

Everyone that knows Max thinks he is a great guy. He takes care of his family, goes to church most Sundays, and puts the needs of everyone else above his own. Max has a group of friends who rely on him, and he’s always willing to pitch in when someone asks him for help. In fact, he structures his life to avoid thinking about himself at all.
His family and friends are constantly badgering him to settle down. They point out that his siblings are all married, and some even have kids. But, whenever Max goes looking for love, his social awkwardness kicks in, so he reluctantly accepts the fact that he’s a confirmed bachelor.
All that changes when he meets Jude, a shy biology teacher he finds crying on a rooftop, after he is dumped by his date at a party. They spend the rest of the evening together, and for the first time Max can recall, he feels optimistic about his future.
Unfortunately, what he desires and what his family and friends want are two different things. On the surface, they pick on him for not finding a mate. But, when he finally does meet the man of his dreams, will they be willing to let Max experience true happiness for the first time in his life?

At the corner of Robinson Street and Monument Avenue in Richmond, Virginia is an old apartment building filled with broken hearts and wistful dreams. Max is the second novel in the Balcony Boys series that features an eccentric landlady and a cast of wonderful characters. It can be read as a standalone novel. Oh, and you might see a character or three from the Boys of Oregon Hill series.

Genres: LGBT

Kindle Edition

Published October 1, 2021

About the author

Ian writes LGBTQ fiction, mainly romance. Growing up, he could never find many books portraying guys like him, so now he's helping to fill the shelves with gay-friendly tales. He tends to write more romance, because he loves nothing more than a happily ever after.

Reviews

[Andrea Dalling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Max has spent his adult life taking care of family. Now that his younger siblings are settled, it should be his time to shine. Instead, it seems his youth has passed him by. At thirty-eight, he feels unloved and unlovable.

Jude has just gone through a major life change. Now, at thirty-four, he's dating for the first time. It's terrifying and painful trying to fit into a world that's alien to him. A friendly gesture from Max holds the promise of something more than friendship. Can these two misfits find a sense of belonging with each other?

My heart went out to these two. They're both kind, caring people, but those around them are mostly self-centered without much thought to how their actions affect others. It's very satisfying to watch these two guys find a home in each other.

Thanks, Booksprout, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Shannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5☆
Jude had doubts about his previous profession so he left and became a teacher, he is definitely shy and a bit awkward, but has a sweet personality and is really likeable. For the majority of this story Max was a pushover, being used and not at all appreciated by his family and friends and he only stood up for himself once he found a bit of happiness that they tried to prevent, and I found him less likeable.
About half the story was a few drawn out interactions between Jude and Max. The other half was getting to know Jude and Max as they interacted with family, coworkers, and friends. A huge part of this story focused on negative behavior, rudeness, users, and nastiness with some small pockets of levity. The religion aspect was necessary for the story but took up too much space that should have been devoted to developing the relationship between Jude and Max.
The writing needs work, streamlining some areas and expanding others for clarification but overall, I did not enjoy this book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Max and Jude's Story . . .

Max is a sweet, caring person who goes out of his way to help others. His family has accepted his support of them since he was 17. And they selfishly see no problem with telling him how to live his life and what their expectations are of him. Max is socially awkward, so has accepted that he probably won’t meet someone to spend his life with. So when he found biology teacher Jude Cramer upset on the roof after he saw Grant pay someone to take him off his hands so he could be with someone else, Max’s own caring nature kicked in. He had followed after hm, knowing he would be upset, and gently asked if the man would like to dance with him. The stranger turned and threw himself into Max’s arms to cry out his embarrassment.

This is a sweet story of two people who have endured more than they should ever have. But they fortunately haven’t given up completely. Will they finally find their deserved happiness in each other?

[C.B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am getting to know you through the music. I loved this story. Max and Jude both carried a lifetime of baggage. Just before he graduated high school, Max's Dad suddenly died. Max put aside his dream of going to college and worked to support his Mom, his sibling and over the years his extended family. Jude, disillusioned by the hipocrisy of the Catholic Church, left the Priesthood and was making his way through the world, uncloaked. They each suffered deep insecurities and had to work through the sludge to find the clear skies. Will they put their luggage down? Will Max seek his own happiness? Will Max let his family or friends influence his relationshp? Will Jude talk about his background? Will Max care? There were a few interesting turns in the story. The ending was a bit abrupt. Nice story. I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a heartwarming story about Max, a man who has taken care of his family since he was 17, and Jude, who became a priest, then left the church. Max does the same thing night after night, hanging around the bars with his friends getting drunk and then looking for a hookup. But Max doesn't have much luck with men, and he's ready to give up. Then he meets Jude, and with neither of them looking for a quickie, they talk and get along well. Life is good, if not a bit scary for both, until everyone decides that Max really shouldn't have a boyfriend. They're both generous, caring and sweet. They storyline is intriguing, and you never would guess that what happens would ever happen. I really enjoyed the secondary characters too.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. This is my honest and voluntary opinion of it.

[Kkhmonrai · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very hard review to write. Although I loved the MCs Max and Jude, I found their circumstances very depressing, especially Max's family. I think he should have written them off from the beginning. Way too much time/life was wasted on them. Greedy people. Take, take, take. They don't care about Max's happiness, and then when he finds someone who makes him happy, they try to ruin it? Sheesh. I would have rather seen more focus on Max and Jude, and forget the family. If you like angst, this is your book, and the MC's DO find their way together in the end, but the road was just too dreary for me. No reflection on the author; I read and enjoyed his Boys of Oregon series. Just this one was not for me.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Syd Springer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is actually my first book by Ian O. Lewis and I will be back for more! I was blown away with this book. I loved Max and Jude together. I loved the connection and the chemistry between these two. Both Jude and Max are really sweet and truly care about people, unfortunately, the people closest to them take them for granted. However, Max and Jude are able to find each other and these two are truly happy with each other as well themselves. I can't wait to read more from Ian O. Lewis. I would recommend this book and Ian O. Lewis as a great author.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked Max by Ian O. Lewis. I liked Jude and Max. I felt terrible for Max that his family became homophobic once Max started putting his happiness above theirs. And Max's friends just wanted him to stay single and miserable with them. I liked how Jude made him feel and how happy he was with him.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Cynthia Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Max has always put family and friends first and then he meets Jude and everything changes. Max's family and friends aren't happy that Jude is in his life and Max can't figure out why. I really enjoyed this book.

[Jocelyn Whaley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this story. Older people are often forgotten when it comes to relationships. Although Max and Jude aren't exactly ancient, they are not at the beginning of their lives. I was glad they found each other and their happy ending.

[Marion · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by this author and it won't be the last. This is the story of Max and Jude. Max is the breadwinner for his family. Everything is all about family for him. He is nice guy who is starting to feel that life has passed him by. He has sacrificed his dreams to keep everyone else happy. When is it his time to be happy? Jude is a biology teacher who is starting over in life. Even though he is in his 30's, it is like he is a teenager when it comes to relationships and social interaction. These two meet under painful circumstances. There is something about each other that resonates with the other. This is their story. I really like that the main characters are in their 30's. More mature men. While they both have some personal growth to get through; it brings them closer together. This book is well written and easy to read. I really enjoyed their story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kkhmonrai · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very hard review to write. Although I loved the MCs Max and Jude, I found their circumstances very depressing, especially Max's family. I think he should have written them off from the beginning. Way too much time/life was wasted on them. Greedy people. Take, take, take. They don't care about Max's happiness, and then when he finds someone who makes him happy, they try to ruin it? Sheesh. I would have rather seen more focus on Max and Jude, and forget the family. If you like angst, this is your book, and the MC's DO find their way together in the end, but the road was just too dreary for me. No reflection on the author; I read and enjoyed his Boys of Oregon series. Just this one was not for me.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.