Hmmm….this one is a little tough to rate. I think, ultimately, I will give it 3.5, rounded up to 4.

The premise is fantastic. A Synth competes on a reality show like unto “The Bachelor”, and she has been expressly created for the bachelor himself. We get scenes from the show, when Julia first wakes up, interspersed with scenes from 15 months later, when Josh is declared missing after an impromptu hiking trip.

There are some creepy characters in here. Bob, the peeping tom neighbor. An unknown female who *really* dislikes Bots. Josh & Julia’s home has been vandalized a number of times. A looming, small-minded small-town sheriff. The author does a good job of creating suspense and a general sense of unease.

However, I just could not get into this until the last three-quarters. It’s a very slow burn, and I kept putting it down and reading other books. I wanted to love it, but the pacing is a large part of why I can’t give it a full four stars. The other reason is because on the reality show, Julia was reduced to a puddle of goo every time she thought of/was around Josh. Like, insta-love to the extreme, fawning and gushing, and it extremely annoyed me. I guess that’s why I don’t watch “The Bachelor”. 😄

With all that said, I was really into the last part of the book, and I’d definitely try another of Satterthwaite’s books.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary eARC—thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and MIRA!

I am shocked at how good this was!! I was expecting nothing more than an entertaining read; akin to watching reality TV (which is completely fine).

BUT I was wrong; this book was paced perfectly and also well written. As soon as I started it, I found it near impossible to put down. I literally gasped at some moments out of surprise but also had some of the "aha I knew it" moments too.

Julia's inner monologue made her seem very real and relatable. She didn't feel flat which made it easy to root for her. The fact that she was a Synth and her personhood was generally questioned reminded me of other science fiction and fantasy novels I had read. There are some parallels that can be made from this novel as to how otherness is viewed in society at times.

There weren't any plot holes I could sus out and the ending felt satisfying. I was ready to ignore any shortfalls due to how much I liked the main character but I didn't need to since the plot and dialogue blew my expectations out of the water.

1000% would recommend this book to anyone. I might have to do a reread with my book club once it is officially out! Honestly, this should be made into a Movie or a TV show.

I am giving this a 4.5/5 which I'm rounding up to a 5.

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC!!

I really enjoyed this book!

It's romance reality show, sci-fi, mystery and thriller all wrapped in to one.

While on the surface it seems like a book about AI/Bots and how that would play out if they could be created to function in society, it really feels like it's a lot deeper.

Misconception, prejudice, society, Creator/creation, abuse...there's a lot...but it didn't FEEL like a lot.

Everything was laid out well as far as timeline and flashbacks. Sometimes when book go back and forth between past and present it can get tiresome or confusing. I think Jenna did this wonderfully. We learned things exactly when we needed to learn them. I was actually surprised by the twist and that's rare these days. Thrillers are becoming more and more predictable and I didn't' find this one to be at all.

I think the premise and plot were great and I'd definitly recommend it.

Hi! Author here to drop what's basically a pretty personal Author's Note. First, I hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I enjoyed writing it. I like to joke that on the surface, this book is pure suspense candy. But underneath, this book is a piece of my heart.

I wrote it during one of the worst times in my life. My youngest sister Heidi, only 34 years old and mom to four little kids, was dying from MDS, a blood cancer. After 4 years of treatments that nearly destroyed her, the ride was finally over.

MADE FOR YOU was the last of my books that she read.

My main character Julia’s journey through the experience of pain mirrors my journey, and some of Heidi’s as well. In the beginning, Julia’s pain has positive results: it exposes her vulnerability and makes her seem more ‘human,’ which opens up the potential for deeper connections with others. But as the story progresses, pain pushes her to her very limit, severing her connections, isolating her, and driving her to make choices that would be otherwise inconceivable.

Going into the cancer journey, Heidi and I both believed ourselves to be strong people, strong enough to ‘survive’ cancer mentally if not physically, but cancer broke both of us in ways we never could have imagined. As Julia starts to break down, with enemies on every side, people seeking to objectify and control her, and no true help to be found, I poured my cancer trauma onto the page.

This book was a cry of anger against the Maker who had always felt like the loving center of my faith, but now felt like a traitor. Why do we exist? Are we made for love or for pain? Why aren't we strong enough to deal with the awful things that happen? Do we even matter, or are we nothing but dispensable parts?

The book may not answer any of these questions, but despite the fantastical set-up, I hope you feel the honesty shining through. These were my actual questions about my existence and humanity’s relationship with the divine. These were my very real fears about whether my creator was cruel or kind. About whether there is meaning in pain, or just senseless chaos. About whether love truly wins the day, or pain and death are stronger. In a way, Julia is my "if only"–my cry for a strength I could not find within myself.

I hope that in reading MADE FOR YOU, you find what you need. Delicious reality-TV-flavored escapism with that fun speculative dash … or a cry of anger against the suffering in this world.

Thank you, dear reader, for picking up this part of me that is so personal, and for touching my journey through the nightmare of cancer without perhaps even realizing it.

You hold a piece of my heart in your hands, and I am so honored. I like to think Heidi is honored too.

Thank you, NetGalley for a chance to read this book. I was surprised at how much I LOVED this book. Honestly, I hope this author writes more books because of how much I enjoyed reading this one.

There were twists that I didn’t see coming and I really liked the plot of this book.

I absolutely loved Julia! She was my favorite character in this book ❤️

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and MIRA Books for providing this book, with my honest review below.

Made for You was a fascinating book that played with the idea of modern pop culture, in the form of a show reminiscent of the Bachelor, and synthetic humans and bots. Julia and Josh meet on a dating show just as Julia has gone ‘live’, as she is a synthetic human designed to be Josh’s perfect match. Post competition the couple faces some rough times with the locals in their small town (in a reflection of society as a whole) not being accepting of a synthetic human, and challenges as Julia becomes better acquainted with Josh.

This book was both a reflection of our society today, with prejudices at play while also closely aligning itself with modern pop culture. In doing so the sci fi elements didn’t feel like a massive stretch. The mystery was so interesting, because it played with the idea of AI and non-human agency - in addition to a classic ‘who dunnit’. I was supremely creeped out by the end in the most delicious way, as Jenna Satterthwaite presented issues in glorious grey that resonated. I highly recommend this for readers who want to be similarly fascinated and left thinking after reading, with a sci fi interest (I will say, again, due to how this is written it’s not deep sci fi and should appeal to any adult fiction reader). My only complaint is that I wanted to explore the world the author created and its implications for even longer!

Thank you Netgalley for the arc of this upcoming release!

I am seeing a trend for some 2014 releases. Cyborg, bots, AI, all sprinkled into mystery and romances. This takes all that we love from reality TV, blends it with the dual timelines and sci-fi elements of AI. This was so eerie because this felt too real.

Fun little thriller with fun little characters! I totally loved the main char she was so great to read from and I don’t think I’ve ever read a thriller that mixes standard thriller stuff with fake humans/AI AND dating games at once. Thanks for the arc

I really enjoyed this book! Great story, nice pacing, and amazing characters! I sense that this one will be quite popular.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

AI meets the Bachelor in this murder mystery thriller in which a synth (synthetic human) is accused of murdering her reality TV husband. This is a genre I didn't know I needed until I read this one! This concept is so intriguing and engaging. Do the other contestants know she is a synth? Does she tell them? Does she tell Josh?

Fast forward 15 months and Josh and Julia are married with a baby. Josh goes missing and she is the prime suspect. With all the haters, including the police force, what is she left to do but investigate Josh's disappearance on her own. During her investigation, many truths come to life and mysteries are unraveled.

This story is told via dual timelines and will keep you guessing right up until the end. It is engaging and thought provoking and downright fun.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA and Jenna Satterthwaite for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.