A fun and unique premise that mostly played out well.

Julia looks like a woman, can do pretty much anything a woman can do, including have a baby, but she is a Synth — a robot — and she was made to love a guy named Josh, who might not be as lovable as he first seemed.

Julia meets Josh mere hours after being turned on (literally) a Bachelor-type show called The Proposal. Fast forward to the present and Julia is alone at home with the couple's baby wondering what has happened to her husband. He's missing, the anti-Synth sheriff is ready to arrest her for murder, and she can't remember what happened the night Josh left.

The story volleys between then and now revealing all kinds of twists and turns, from the next door neighbor who watches Julia and her baby through his binoculars to Andy, the many who created Julia. No one and nothing is as it seems, because it's a mystery!

I really enjoyed this story. It's a pretty traditional mystery with the added complication of Julia's provenance, which adds an ever-so-slight sci-fi element. The ending was not quite as good as I'd hoped. It kind of went in new territory that felt, on one level, unresolved, but overall I really enjoyed this imaginative mystery.

Part reality TV, part murder mystery!

The premise immediately grabbed my attention. A Synthetic woman designed to compete on The Proposal to claim the heart of bachelor, Josh LaSala, becomes the suspect in his murder. Although the book revolves around a murder, it’s written in an engaging way using dual timelines and the backdrop of a reality TV show which brings a lighter element to the overall story. I’m really enjoying books with AI themes and female robot protagonists at the moment so this one hit the spot.

The main characters were all interesting and I loved learning how their stories intercepted, and motivations unfolded between the dual timelines. My thoughts toward each of them shifted a complete 180 from beginning to end, and the climax was very satisfying albeit dark. The scene with the dog food was shocking but made me smile (IYKYK). I definitely rooted for Julia and felt frustrated that she couldn’t defend herself due to the ‘no harm’ coding that was built into her. She put up with so much and it felt exhilarating when she finally began unraveling the mystery and sticking up for herself. Josh was detestable and deserved what he got!

The story gripped me and held my attention throughout, especially the twist behind Julia’s creation. The pace was steady and amped up toward the end. Julia faced so many issues as a Synth that all women face in society, so it was relatable but also fulfilling when she overcame most of it.

4/5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For readers who enjoy more of a popcorn mystery, a fun premise, and feminist revenge.

Made for You by Jenna Satterthwaite is an excellent book! It was smart, funny, interesting, and drew me in from the first chapter. I'm not always the person attracted to sci-fi/fantasy books, but the premise of this one - a future where we are just getting experience the introduction of synthetic humans (synths) into our everyday lives - was intriguing. Part sci-fi, part murder mystery, part relatable book where a new mom is dealing with everyday life.. this book does so much, and dare I say, does it well! As I read this book, I kept forgetting that Julia wasn't human - but she was limited as human is. This brings up so many thoughts and questions for me as I consider what it means to be human... and her baby (though this was not touched on in the book) - is that baby human? Or a synth? So many questions! It reminded me in a sense of Katie Williams' My Murder, where science was integrated so naturally into a thriller.

One of my favorite aspects of this book was that chapters alternate between now and then, so we learn things as they are happening but also are clued into Julia's story over the past year-ish of her existence. (Typing that is weird!) That, coupled with the ending (no spoilers here!), really makes me consider the outcome of this book. What does it mean to be human? What does it mean to have autonomy over yourself, your body, your reality? What if we could change ourselves? So intriguing! I especially loved the ending scene and the role Lars played.

I hope others I know read this book - would love to discuss with a group. I have to admit - part of the reason I read this book was that I "knew" Jenna back in her blogging days. We connected through the food blogging community, and I enjoyed her writing back in the day... and enjoy it in this format too. This book is fun and suspenseful - it would make a great summer read!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

Overall, it was pretty good. Would have loved to see more expansion on the science end. Story was well done, interesting characters, I just needed a little more.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars (GIVE US HALF STARS, PLEASE, LOL).

Julia Warden is our MC. She is one of three synthetic women to exist in the world. She is very much like a real woman. She has her own thoughts, feelings, and emotions and feels pain, hunger, tiredness, etc. just as a real person would. She was designed to be on a show called The Proposal (basically The Bachelor) and was very specifically made for our bachelor, Josh LaSala. There are dual timelines for then (on The Proposal) and now (Julia and Josh married). Julia ends up winning (this is no secret; it's revealed pretty much right away), and they end up starting their life together. Julia and Josh welcomed a baby girl, and they are ready to start their happy ever after. However, Josh goes missing, and everything starts falling apart. Were things really as picture-perfect as we thought?

This book had such an interesting concept that I couldn't help but like it. There was nothing riveting, and I wouldn't call it my favorite book of all time, but I really did enjoy the ride it took me on. I really wish it would have taken more time to reveal the fact that Julia won The Proposal, though. I feel like that would've added more suspense to the story. I would have never guessed the ending.

This book was fast-paced, unique, and an interesting read. It was refreshing compared to all the usual thrillers with the same concepts that I read.

Thank you Jenna Satterthwaite, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I think this book went right over my head. The premise was so amazing and captivating and yet, I felt lackluster and unsure about anything that happened within the story. Maybe I'll give it a retry when it's published.

Thank you for allowing me to read this book. I enjoyed the characters and their arcs, and found the plot interesting. I look forward to reading more from this author.

“What was I made for, really? Love, or heartbreak? Josh, or entertainment?”

I thought this was a really interesting and unique story - a thriller/murder mystery meets The Bachelor all with a dash of Sci Fi! I was definitely getting West World vibes! There are some great twists and turns and this story kept me guessing - there is one twist in particular that left my jaw on the floor!

Made For You is told in both present tense and in the past. I really liked how the author slowly gave us these little nuggets of information about who these characters truly are and what they were doing.

It was so easy to forget that Julia wasn’t a human! I really felt for her and what she was going through. This book was more emotional than I expected. It touches on several ethical questions about rights and AI. What is it that truly makes people…well people?

No spoilers but there is a scene that involves Lars that gave me chills! It really left me thinking about the line between human and machine and intentions.

A world where synthetic humans or synths are becoming part of society. The entire story is told by the main character a synth named Julia. Julia was created with the current bachelor in mind so she can compete with real women for his affection. It begins as a love story and quickly takes a dark turn into a mystery. So many twists and turns. A science fiction, thriller, mystery, romance, this book truly has something for everyone.

I loved the premise of this! I could have read a whole story just about Julia being made for and competing on the Bachelor in the “then” timeline. Both timelines in the story were incredible though with the suspense really taking place in the “now” timeline.

Meet Julia, a brand new synth. The third synth ever created. Julia was created for a special purpose, to compete on the new season of The Bachelor. The bachelor is Josh LaSala. A charming and handsome man in his 30’s. Everyone wants Josh.

As Julia wins, they move to the country and play house. She even has a baby. At first I thought how in the heck is a robot going to create a baby. It worked for me after they explained how the process was done.

Then, Josh disappears, leaving Julia as the number one suspect. Where is Josh? Is a synth capable of murder? If not Julia, then who?

Here’s the deal. Julia explains how she loves Josh. She mentions sensations of pain sensors. She can smell. She actually has human feelings. At first, this was really bothering me. Driving me nuts, honestly. Then, as more of the story unfolds, everything is explained in a way I could understand. In fact, I really enjoyed how everything came together.

This book is about something much more deeper than a synth. Why was Julia made specifically for Josh? Your job is to find out!

I couldn’t put this down once it got going. Suspenseful and a great new spin on the whole AI/ Synth trope!
Thank you HTP, NetGalley and Jenna Satterthwaite for this amazing opportunity! All opinions are my own!

4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I wasn't a fan of this book. I didn't like how forced it felt, if that makes sense. Maybe it just wasn't the book for me?

Made For You by Jenna Satterwhite is a very original storyline, unlike any other I have read. I will say this one has a little bit of everything - thrills, romance, murder, suspense, mystery. I felt a roller coaster of emotions reading this - in a very good kind of way. The twists throughout this book are very unpredictable and satisfying as well. If you want something different, this is it. You will not be disappointed!

Thank you NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, & MIRA for the ARC copy of this book.

I've always believed that the best books are ones that both deliver on the "promise of the premise" (h/t to the late Blake Snyder) but also move beyond that promise in exciting or daring ways. In MADE FOR YOU, Jenna Satterthwaite delivers on the promise of a thrilling sci-fi murder mystery / The Bachelor mashup. . . but this book is so much more than that. This is a book about bodily autonomy, equality, and the unifying forces that make humans . . . well . . . human. It is also a compelling mystery told at a whip-crack pace--and the narrative leads to a satisfying, unexpected conclusion. This is such an accomplished debut, and Satterthwaite is no doubt an author to watch. Pick this one up and let the author deftly guide you through the twists and turns. It's a wild ride, and you won't want to get off.

I thought this was a good whodunit and mixed with the topic of ai robots it kept me interested. The dating reality show flashbacks was a good element butt didn't quite connect to the present day plot. Some chapters left to absolutely nothing towards the end but i felt the novel ended on a good note.

This book wasn't what I expected. I was waiting for a jaw-dropping twist to come at the end but was disappointed. This is just one reader's opinion, others may think it's great. I would read future books the author puts out. Hopefully they'll be better.

Thank you Netgalley for the free arc! My honest opinion was that the novel had a clever storyline. 3/4’s of the story was entertaining and intriguing, the lady 1/4 was lackluster and left me skimming to finish. The bot rights reminded me of lgbtq rights, so it seemed reasonable and realistic. I didn’t like the way she treated her dog like he was an afterthought; she wasn’t a very good dog owner.

Thanks to NetGalley & Harlequin Trade Publishing for this eARC. 4.5 stars. Thoroughly enjoyed this. Certainly poses a lot of questions about what makes us human. Looking forward to reading more from this author!
If you could alter your ability to feel things, would you want to? Throughout this book, despite being reminded of Julia being a synth, it is still easy to accept her as a human. The author paid attention to details of what separates humans and technology, including physical & emotional responses to regularly occurring events. The mystery remained intriguing throughout most of the book and the twist caught me by surprise. Containing elements of romance and all the drama that we love in a reality TV show, this novel also manages to keep the reader turning the pages, desperate to discover the mystery behind the murder and Julia's true purpose. Highly recommend!

The Bachelor meets Black Mirror in this story about a Synth woman who is literally made for the man starring in a Bachelor-style reality tv show.

The story is told in 'then' and 'now' segments which I really enjoyed and felt that it allowed the story to play out in a suspenseful way. Honestly this was a great sci-fi twist on a domestic thriller! I loved the character of Julia and found her emotions really relatable, yet still believable as a synthetic woman.

#ad I received a gifted advance copy of this book - many thanks to the author and publisher.

Fiercely feminine and genius in every sense. This book has it all: thrills, reality TV, love, murder, mystery, suspense, AI synths, and nonstop action.

Although the main female character isn’t human, exactly, every woman can relate to her. Going off her instincts alone, she falls in love on reality TV and has a baby shortly after. She doesn’t think about really doing anything else - much like us, this is what she was programmed to do.

Since the moment I saw this book I knew I had to read it and it did not disappoint. This book keeps you engaged the entire time, while also throwing in a few plot twists. THE DOG FOOD … I knew it, but didn’t know the involvement of which characters.

You won’t be able to put this book down. As we flip between then and now, we follow Julia from her inception to her experience on a reality dating show to her life after the show has ended. Both timelines are timely, interesting, and pull you deeper into the story.

Ms Jenna Satterthwaite, you are so very talented and a genius when it comes to storytelling. I cannot wait for you to write your next book and I can’t wait to be able to read it.

This book comes out July 2, 2024 - and TRUST me if you love thrillers that involve some AI - you will love this book. This needs to be either a movie or a limited series. For real. I’d watch that.