S. F. Prescott

Part reality TV, part murder mystery!

Born in the Midwest, Jenna Satterthwaite grew up in Spain, lived briefly in France, and is now happily settled in Chicago with her husband and three kids. Jenna studied classical guitar at the Conservatorio Profesional de Música de Zaragoza and earned her BAs in English Lit and French at Indiana University. Now she works a 9-5 style office job where she types many emails while drinking many cups of excellent coffee. Once upon a time, Jenna moonlighted as a singer-songwriter in folk band Thornfield. She loves sushi, reading in her natural habitat (aka her bed), and women taking back their power. Made For You is her debut novel.

Published July 2nd, 2024.

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.

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

Synopsis:

Hi. My name is Julia. I’m a Synth. And I’m here to find love…

Synthetic woman Julia Walden was designed for one reason: to compete on The Proposal and claim the heart of bachelor Josh LaSala. Her casting is controversial, but Julia seems to get her fairy-tale ending when Josh gets down on one knee.

Fast-forward fifteen months, and Julia and Josh are married and raising their baby in small-town Indiana. But with haters around every corner, Julia’s life is a far cry from the domestic bliss she imagined. Then her splintering world shatters: Josh goes missing, and she becomes the prime suspect in his murder.

With no one left she can trust, Julia takes the investigation into her own hands. But the explosive truths she uncovers will drive her to her breaking point—and isn’t that where a person’s true nature is revealed? That is…if Julia truly is a person.