The Lamar St. Jon Experience (The Follow, #3) by Eliza David

The Lamar St. Jon Experience (The Follow, #3) by Eliza David

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This third installment of The Follow series chronicles the journey of one of its’ most enigmatic characters, celebrity heartthrob Lamar St. Jon. 

And he is saying goodbye to stardom for good…at least, he hopes. 

Boasting a successful career in modeling, television, & film, Lamar leaves the glitz of celebrity behind to find his own way – without the paparazzi and online buzz surrounding his elusive persona. Then he meets Giovanni ‘Gi’ Hughes: a self-proclaimed ‘Renaissance Negro’ by day and a strip club bartender by night. The unconventional Gi shows quiet Lamar a side of New York the reluctant star never experienced as a national heartthrob. Lamar finds himself immersed in Gi’s bohemian scene, enamored with his carefree spirit and defiant nature. Soon, the two handsome creatives find themselves tangled in a passionate affair. 
The moment Lamar starts forgetting about his turbulent superstar past, his estranged parents come barreling back into his life after coming into financial ruin. When they beg him to step back into the spotlight for a quick buck, Lamar has to choose between stepping back into his old role for his family and forging a new life for himself with Gi. 

*A special thanks to the author for this review copy. This freely supplied copy does not affect my opinion.*

I'm still learning to walk away from books when I'm not enjoying them for whatever reason. I always give books until the very last page to win me over. Sometimes that works. But to be honest, mostly, it doesn't. This is one of those books that I should have walked away from. 

But let's discuss what it's about first. Lamar St. Jon is a world-renowned actor. He has been since he was a child, but now he's tired of the "life." He's tired of acting and pretending to be something he isn't. Mostly, he's tired of pretending to be a heterosexual man. In steps Giovanni, who is this outspoken poet—who's not afraid to walk in his shoes proudly. 

I appreciated the juxtaposition between the two because it gave the story a sense of realism it needed. However, the romance didn't quite do it for me. Mostly because I felt like the pair fell into the relationship rather quickly without fully understanding what it would mean for one to date the other. Before really getting to know each other. It kind of just happened, but it didn't feel like kismet. They fell into each other when they most needed it, but it still didn't pull me in. 

I think the author does a fairly good job telling this story; telling this "coming out" story, but because the romance lacked, I trudged through the rest. 

Overall, I appreciated the internal family struggle, the found family, and the artistry. I just don't think this is the story for me, but I'm sure there are readers better suited for the story, it just isn't me.

If you like your romance less spicy and more structured with a dash of seriousness, this is perfect for you.