Reviewed by Taylin
TITLE: Jamison
SERIES: A Men Of Maxim Novel
AUTHOR: A N Waugh
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 173 Pages
RELEASE DATE: June 7, 2022
BLURB:
Vance
Jamison Black. Lead singer for the band Maxim, and my first love. He broke my heart to follow his dream. Now, six years after the heartbreak, he is my job. I’ve worked hard for this internship and to get close to him again, but it doesn’t take long to realize we can’t be anything more than friends. Not when Maxim is so close to the success they’ve been chasing all this time.
Jamison
I never knew how much I missed Vance Martin until I saw him in the last place I expected. He is my heart. Always has been, always will be. I’m his client, and he’s determined to keep me in the friend zone. A place I refuse to stay. I might have left my heart behind six years ago, but I won’t let him go again.
Jamison is the first book in the Maxim series. A MM Rockstar, best friends to lovers, second chance romance with two stubborn main characters, a too observant, witty and flamboyant interfering coworker, entertaining bandmates and friends, and a fake girlfriend who has forgotten her love isn’t real.
REVIEW:
Years ago, Vance and Jamison parted ways via a Dear John letter. Reunited, memories of old passions reignite. But Jamison has a public face, a fake girlfriend to adhere to, and Vance won’t be a dirty little secret. Love isn’t the issue; it’s the ruined lives it could cause.
Jamison is the first story in the Men Of Maxim (Maxim being the band’s name) series. Each novel revolves around a different couple and their hopeful HEA. Former high school sweethearts Jamison and Vance are the first installment. This is a sweet story for anyone who has a penchant for friends-to-lovers stories, and I’m sure that many will enjoy it.
The story is told in the first person via Vance and Jamison, with chapters named with their respective viewpoint. I’m sure editors will find some technicalities awry, but for the most part, it is decent. Worldbuilding is limited as there is only so much one can do to describe a tour bus or hotel. And although Jamison is the lead singer in a band, his journey with Vance is the focus, not the concerts – which, to be honest, I was a touch disappointed with the lack of musical inclusion. If one features a band on tour, why not have at least one full-blown, heart-thumping, adrenaline-fueled experience to see why this man’s career has meant so much. There are smidgens of music, but not much
Jamison and Vance are adorable, and their self-control around one another is sketchy at best. The wider cast varies in personality from the quiet voice of reason, the hot-head, and the fake girlfriend put in place by a manipulative record company. Shout out here to Klaus, the lead PR person – a scene-stealer whose presence I hope will appear again.
The tale flows well, is very readable, and, in many ways, probably deserves higher markings than above average, from me – especially as my heart missed a few beats. But, other than one delightful twist that started then stopped and I hope continues as a lesser arc in future books, it is a variation on a well-trodden theme. I can’t give marks for paths not yet trodden, only for what I already have. It’s almost a book of two halves. Imagine fickle weather – during the first half, you’ve seen the forecast, but outside it’s nice, if not a little breezy. Then, you see the clouds in the distance, and before you know it, it’s thunder and lightning.
Jamison will appeal to many fans of this trope. One message that comes out is – live your life for yourself, not for someone else – as ultimately you will be dissatisfied and miserable, which is a lovely message worth noting.
RATING: 
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