I think I'm developing a thing for books featuring bots!

Meet Julia. She's a synthetic, and she's been made especially to win the heart of Josh in the reality show, The Proposal.

We have two timeliness here. In one timeline, we follow Julia as she makes her way through The Proposal reality show. The week by week dates, how she bonds with the other girls in the competition, and we watch the love blossom between her and Josh. I do love a trashy TV show, and this worked well on the page.

In the other timeline, we are fourteen months after the reality show has ended, and Josh is dead. This timeline is very much 'who dunit'.

I enjoyed reading this, I was equally invested in both timelines. While at points you have to suspend your disbelief, overall I thought it was well thought out.

I think if you enjoyed Annie Bot by Sierra Greer, I think you will also enjoy meeting Julia Walden.

Four stars.

ive gone into a few books, film, tv on this recently. ive been unsettled of how the world is coming along with this AI and synth stuff. i recently watched a movie of a nanny that was one and it went bad quickly. i think people exploring this topic is good. i think knowing the ethics or exploring how bots can never be humans is something we arent doing enough of frankly. so any book or feature that makes people think is a good thing.
this book had me all over the place. because i was asking questions over questions behind every chapter plot point and decision. because behind it all i couldnt get passed this person/synth not being human so it made me wondering and not liking, from the very beginning, of her being in the competition to win this bloke and have a future with him. it didnt sit well. and this is of course A ME PROBLEM.
but it was a great book. and i think if this was a book that didnt seem like it could become or was part of whats becoming real then i would really like it. it was a bit too close to home though in the world we are now entering. so I think that made me too uncomfortable.

A very interesting and thought provoking theme. I did however fail to really engage with the main character, and found it hard to read. Hope other readers enjoy it more.

Made for You by Jenna Satterthwaite is a gripping and wildly original mix of science fiction, reality TV drama and murder mystery. At its heart is Julia Walden, a synthetic woman designed to compete in The Proposal and win the love of bachelor Josh LaSala. Controversial from the start, Julia defies expectations and gets her fairy-tale ending—until it all unravels.

Fifteen months later, Julia and Josh are married with a baby, but public scrutiny and deep-seated prejudice threaten their happiness. When Josh vanishes and Julia becomes the prime suspect, she is forced to uncover the truth herself. What follows is a high-stakes investigation that challenges not only her understanding of love and trust but also her very identity. Is she truly a person, or something else entirely?

Told through dual timelines, this twist-filled debut is as thought-provoking as it is thrilling. Blending artificial intelligence with reality TV and a chilling murder mystery, Made for You is an unforgettable ride that keeps the reader guessing until the very end.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

I really enjoyed this book! This is the second story I've read by this author, and I really love the way she sets up the plot and how the mystery slowly unravels throughout. I loved the concept of the AI/synth incorporated into a reality dating show, and to add a mystery/thriller element on top really sold it to me! It was a real page turner, and I will absolutely be looking out for any and all books by this author. I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a good thriller with sci-fi elements.

Thank you so much to Verve Books for the ARC via NetGalley and for giving me the opportunity to share my honest thoughts on the book.

A science fiction crime thriller that will appeal to fans of dark speculative fiction and reality romance programmes. I was interested in the science and ethics behind the making of Julia but this was never fully explored. An interesting novel but not for me.

Julia Walden has entered a competition to find love .. the only thing is she is not 'a real person' she is a Synth. specially made for the show.

fast forward and Julia is married with a child.. then her husband is killed and she stands accused.

This is a modern read and one that in this fast technically developing world seems all so real.

It is twisty and filled with drama and is a book that makes you think ..could this really happen.

Brilliant.