REVIEW: Level Up by Max Walker (Franklin U 2 #4)

LEVEL UP

Franklin U 2 - Book Four

by Max Walker

Release Date: June 28, 2024

Review

I enjoyed this a lot. Jay reminds me of me when I was his age. Being so blinded by one's principles and causes that you struggle to see nuance and grey areas. So ‘committed’ to the cause that he can’t see the difference between a father and his son. And being worried about his street cred in the movement. It really is a world of its own, and Max captured it perfectly.

I love him paired with Ryan. The rich kid who, like most of us, has a complicated relationship with his father. He loves him and wants to make him proud, but he also doesn’t want to be him.

I love what they bring to each other's lives, and how they each help the other to work through the things that are holding them back.

Despite some heavy topics, it is still a fun, cheeky, college story. Its resolution may feel a bit easy, but it's not meant to be an angsty story. Max gives us love and sex and swoon and ending to bring a smile to your face and some mush to your heart.

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Synopsis

Joey 'Jay' Cruz

Moving to San Luco wasn’t my choice. I was expelled from my old school because of a protest I organized that went south. Now, I was attending Franklin University with only a semester left until graduation and not knowing a single soul.

Until I meet Ryan Redpine at a frat party. He’s handsome, muscular, has a great smile, and I quickly find out he’s the son of a CEO hell-bent on destroying the environment.

I push Ryan out of my mind, deciding to keep my sanity and morals in tact.

But fate had other plans. When Ryan ended up as my surprise dorm mate, avoiding him became impossible. And so was avoiding the feelings that started to develop... Maybe getting expelled wasn't the worst thing that’s ever happened to me. Maybe it was actually the best?

Ryan Redpine

Jay entered my life like a lightning bolt.

I’d never met someone I was so attracted to, and someone who clearly didn’t want me. The moment he learned about my dad, he shut me out. Then I get reassigned to his dorm. Cue complications, especially when his bed breaks and we're forced to share.

Things quickly heat up, but Jay's adamant about keeping us under wraps. He's planning this big protest at the beach for an oil drilling project and doesn't want my family name tied to it.

So how do I tell Jay my dad is one of the backers? And how do I make sure I don’t lose him in the process?

About Max Walker

Max Walker writes stories from the heart and for the heart. He’s been writing ever since he could remember, and is still blown away that readers all around the world are now reading his words. He’s published over 15 novels and launched over four series, all of them featuring gay leads. Each of his books have hit number one in their respective genre charts on Amazon and he has over 13,000 reviews on Goodreads.

Currently, Max lives in Atlanta, GA with his partner and their three furbabies, Minnie the swamp-monster/cockapoo hybrid, Misu the calico kitty queen, and Charlie the goldendoodle.

Where to find them: