Max. The Balcony Boys, #2

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.