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From New York Times Bestselling author, Sadie Kincaid comes a contemporary friends to lovers romance.
Maddox James is the entire package. Soulful, deep, hotter than the fiery pits of hell. He’s also my best friend, and did I mention, he’s celibate?
Two years ago, we were strangers sharing sunsets, secrets, and a connection neither of us could ignore. For one perfect night, I thought something extraordinary was beginning—until he rejected me without explanation, leaving me feeling humiliated.
Now, fate has thrown us together again in the worst possible way: he’s my boss’s younger brother. Still maddeningly handsome, endlessly compassionate, and impossible to ignore. The worst part? He’s impossible to dislike too. Beneath the sexy confident smiles and effortless charm is someone quieter than I remember, someone carrying shadows I don’t understand. And when he finally tells me the truth, that rejecting me had nothing to do with him not wanting me—it changes everything.
Somewhere between late-night conversations, daily laughter and sharing our dreams, he becomes my best friend. Which would be fine if I wasn’t falling for him all over again.
Because friendship starts to feel dangerously small when every touch lingers too long, every look feels like a confession, and the man who once swore off intimacy begins breaking every rule he made for himself.
But love doesn’t erase the past. And when the darkest parts of our lives come back to claim us, we’ll have to decide if what we have is strong enough to survive the things that almost destroyed us both.
MADE is a slow-burn, emotional romance about healing, forgiveness, and discovering that love is worth risking everything for.
Contemporary romance
Friends to Lovers
Second Chance
Curvy FMC
Golden retriever energy, with a dark dirty side
He falls first (and hard)
Standalone with HEA
Maddox James is the entire package. Soulful, deep, hotter than the fiery pits of hell. He’s also my best friend, and did I mention, he’s celibate?
Two years ago, we were strangers sharing sunsets, secrets, and a connection neither of us could ignore. For one perfect night, I thought something extraordinary was beginning—until he rejected me without explanation, leaving me feeling humiliated.
Now, fate has thrown us together again in the worst possible way: he’s my boss’s younger brother. Still maddeningly handsome, endlessly compassionate, and impossible to ignore. The worst part? He’s impossible to dislike too. Beneath the sexy confident smiles and effortless charm is someone quieter than I remember, someone carrying shadows I don’t understand. And when he finally tells me the truth, that rejecting me had nothing to do with him not wanting me—it changes everything.
Somewhere between late-night conversations, daily laughter and sharing our dreams, he becomes my best friend. Which would be fine if I wasn’t falling for him all over again.
Because friendship starts to feel dangerously small when every touch lingers too long, every look feels like a confession, and the man who once swore off intimacy begins breaking every rule he made for himself.
But love doesn’t erase the past. And when the darkest parts of our lives come back to claim us, we’ll have to decide if what we have is strong enough to survive the things that almost destroyed us both.
MADE is a slow-burn, emotional romance about healing, forgiveness, and discovering that love is worth risking everything for.
Contemporary romance
Friends to Lovers
Second Chance
Curvy FMC
Golden retriever energy, with a dark dirty side
He falls first (and hard)
Standalone with HEA
430 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 28, 2026
About the author
Sadie Kincaid
59 books17.7k followersI'm a bestselling author of dark mafia, billionaire, and paranormal romance. I love to read and write about hot, filthy talking alphas that would burn the world down for the women they love.
I love chatting to readers about my books, or books in general, so please get in touch! You can follow me on Facebook and instagram as well as on here as Sadie Kincaid Author.
Amazon: author.to/SadieKincaid
Facebook Reader group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/16et...
I love chatting to readers about my books, or books in general, so please get in touch! You can follow me on Facebook and instagram as well as on here as Sadie Kincaid Author.
Amazon: author.to/SadieKincaid
Facebook Reader group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/16et...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 547 reviews
May 29, 2026
2.5 ⭐️
The constant self deprecation from the female lead was exhausting. Like more than halfway through the book. It got old really quickly. She is plus size but is constantly insecure and talking about her body. Don’t get me wrong.. most women at some point in life have moments of poor self esteem. But this was a lot.
This book felt like one giant therapy session with small amounts of plot. I think it could have been edited down a lot. But that’s just my opinion.
The positive was the main characters had good communication, and the subjects of addiction, and SA were handled well.
The constant self deprecation from the female lead was exhausting. Like more than halfway through the book. It got old really quickly. She is plus size but is constantly insecure and talking about her body. Don’t get me wrong.. most women at some point in life have moments of poor self esteem. But this was a lot.
This book felt like one giant therapy session with small amounts of plot. I think it could have been edited down a lot. But that’s just my opinion.
The positive was the main characters had good communication, and the subjects of addiction, and SA were handled well.
May 30, 2026
flip flopping on the FMC’s view of her weight
It felt like she was trying to write a plus size character but couldn’t commit to the actual size at times. Ellie is a size 12… but everything prior and continually through the book has you thinking she’s a size 16+ (even the fan art alluded to it and I was pumped). But there are too many moments of self depreciation that seem very shallow.
I don’t know I like the plot for the most part but there were too many things that annoyed me. When her and Maddox attend their first fundraiser as a couple for one & then the engagement scene felt forced and stupid (spoiler, he didn’t even get her a ring… man has a trust fund and is connected to a billionaire family). Just annoying AF. It was nice seeing other people from the Kincaid universe around, it was the highlight for sure. I usually love Sadie’s stories this one just had too many moments that rubbed me the wrong way.
It felt like she was trying to write a plus size character but couldn’t commit to the actual size at times. Ellie is a size 12… but everything prior and continually through the book has you thinking she’s a size 16+ (even the fan art alluded to it and I was pumped). But there are too many moments of self depreciation that seem very shallow.
I don’t know I like the plot for the most part but there were too many things that annoyed me. When her and Maddox attend their first fundraiser as a couple for one & then the engagement scene felt forced and stupid (spoiler, he didn’t even get her a ring… man has a trust fund and is connected to a billionaire family). Just annoying AF. It was nice seeing other people from the Kincaid universe around, it was the highlight for sure. I usually love Sadie’s stories this one just had too many moments that rubbed me the wrong way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Did Not Finish
June 7, 2026Rude
I made it a whole 12% into the book and it kind of turned me off. When I read the synopsis, it sounded like something I would really like. I’m not a prude, but I don’t like constant rude language. I am also a little old-fashioned I suppose. There is nothing really wrong with anything in the book. It just wasn’t for me.
I made it a whole 12% into the book and it kind of turned me off. When I read the synopsis, it sounded like something I would really like. I’m not a prude, but I don’t like constant rude language. I am also a little old-fashioned I suppose. There is nothing really wrong with anything in the book. It just wasn’t for me.
Did Not Finish
May 30, 2026✅RomCom
✅reformed playboy vs no chance with men
✅dead ex lover
✅second chance
✅curvy heroine
I was sold on the whole “he breaks his celibacy for her" Imagine my surprise when the celibacy turned out to be less a sacred vow and more a brief intermission after he'd apparently worked his way through half the female population. Or, as he so charmingly describes it “everything with a pulse."
Swoon. 🙄
Then we get the obligatory “dead ex trope” Because apparently no romance hero is complete without a ghostly former love hovering over every meaningful moment.
At its core, this is yet another “reformed manwhore meets woman who's been repeatedly disappointed by men” story. Revolutionary stuff.
Our MMC starts out as Mad Dog and turns into yogi yoga Maddox but still spends a good portion of the book reminding us that, yes, he still notices women. He still wants women. He still appreciates women. Thank goodness the book mentions it every five minutes, I was worried I might forget he used to be a player.
And that's really my biggest issue. I understand the author was aiming for redemption. I get it. People can change. The problem is that every time I started buying into the romance, the book would hit me over the head with Yasmin, his extensive romantic résumé, or another reminder that women in general remain one of his favorite hobbies.
As a result, I never fully bought their chemistry. For me, it was just too cheesy. Too sweet. I just need more darkness.
This one felt like it was trying to feed me cupcakes while I was craving whiskey and bad decisions. I gave up.
✅reformed playboy vs no chance with men
✅dead ex lover
✅second chance
✅curvy heroine
I was sold on the whole “he breaks his celibacy for her" Imagine my surprise when the celibacy turned out to be less a sacred vow and more a brief intermission after he'd apparently worked his way through half the female population. Or, as he so charmingly describes it “everything with a pulse."
Swoon. 🙄
Then we get the obligatory “dead ex trope” Because apparently no romance hero is complete without a ghostly former love hovering over every meaningful moment.
At its core, this is yet another “reformed manwhore meets woman who's been repeatedly disappointed by men” story. Revolutionary stuff.
Our MMC starts out as Mad Dog and turns into yogi yoga Maddox but still spends a good portion of the book reminding us that, yes, he still notices women. He still wants women. He still appreciates women. Thank goodness the book mentions it every five minutes, I was worried I might forget he used to be a player.
And that's really my biggest issue. I understand the author was aiming for redemption. I get it. People can change. The problem is that every time I started buying into the romance, the book would hit me over the head with Yasmin, his extensive romantic résumé, or another reminder that women in general remain one of his favorite hobbies.
As a result, I never fully bought their chemistry. For me, it was just too cheesy. Too sweet. I just need more darkness.
This one felt like it was trying to feed me cupcakes while I was craving whiskey and bad decisions. I gave up.
May 29, 2026
Really enjoyed the other four books and rated them highly. They pulled you into the story and made you feel for the characters.
This was disappointing however, to the point that I DNF at 56%. The internal monologues were endless for both FMC & MMC. There was little dialogue between the main characters and we didn’t really see them build a relationship. It was more like insta lust (again) and then suddenly it’s 6 months later and they’re besties ready to go to the next level.
The story just fell so flat. A sad ending for an otherwise great series.
This was disappointing however, to the point that I DNF at 56%. The internal monologues were endless for both FMC & MMC. There was little dialogue between the main characters and we didn’t really see them build a relationship. It was more like insta lust (again) and then suddenly it’s 6 months later and they’re besties ready to go to the next level.
The story just fell so flat. A sad ending for an otherwise great series.
June 1, 2026
1.5 Stars.
Sadly, this was the worst in this series. I am shocked by all the 5 stars.
It could have been edited way down This book had so many mini stories that made it to one big random story.
Half the book was Ellie being insecure even though Maddox assured her and would always apologizse to her. The dude never did anything for him to apologize for.
Usually I am a huge Sadie fan but this book was just bad.
Sadly, this was the worst in this series. I am shocked by all the 5 stars.
It could have been edited way down This book had so many mini stories that made it to one big random story.
Half the book was Ellie being insecure even though Maddox assured her and would always apologizse to her. The dude never did anything for him to apologize for.
Usually I am a huge Sadie fan but this book was just bad.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I love Maddox James!! I loved the little snippets we got of him in Played and was so excited he was getting his own book, because I love him even more!!
Made was an amazing read. Getting to know more about Maddox and everything he experienced and overcame. Seeing him be the obsessive, possessive, protective MMC.....oooo boy!!
Ellie was such a great character. I loved how strong and independent she was. Like Maddox she had experienced a lot of trauma and survived to be an even better version of herself.
Sadie does such a fantastic job writing her books. There's depth, emotion, and lots of spice. Made is definitely a must read.
Made was an amazing read. Getting to know more about Maddox and everything he experienced and overcame. Seeing him be the obsessive, possessive, protective MMC.....oooo boy!!
Ellie was such a great character. I loved how strong and independent she was. Like Maddox she had experienced a lot of trauma and survived to be an even better version of herself.
Sadie does such a fantastic job writing her books. There's depth, emotion, and lots of spice. Made is definitely a must read.
May 29, 2026
missed her old writing
June 27, 2026
I usually love Sadie Kincaid’s books, so this one was a disappointment for me.
As a plus-size girl myself, I was really excited for Ellie. I loved the concept, but her characterization just didn’t land. It felt like she couldn’t decide if she was confident in herself or constantly tearing herself down. I completely understand that confidence isn’t linear, but the back-and-forth felt so extreme that it became frustrating rather than relatable. Some of her reactions also felt over the top (the eating kink… really?), and by the end it felt like being “fat”, when she’s described as a size 12, had become her entire personality instead of just one part of who she was.
Then there’s Maddox. I wanted to love him, but if I highlighted every time he called Ellie “baby,” I’d probably have the most highlighted nickname in any book I’ve ever read. It got to the point where I found myself counting how many times it appeared on a single page instead of actually enjoying the story.
Overall, I really wanted to love this one because Sadie Kincaid is usually an auto-read author for me, but unfortunately this one just missed the mark. It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t one I’ll be thinking about long after I finished it either.
As a plus-size girl myself, I was really excited for Ellie. I loved the concept, but her characterization just didn’t land. It felt like she couldn’t decide if she was confident in herself or constantly tearing herself down. I completely understand that confidence isn’t linear, but the back-and-forth felt so extreme that it became frustrating rather than relatable. Some of her reactions also felt over the top (the eating kink… really?), and by the end it felt like being “fat”, when she’s described as a size 12, had become her entire personality instead of just one part of who she was.
Then there’s Maddox. I wanted to love him, but if I highlighted every time he called Ellie “baby,” I’d probably have the most highlighted nickname in any book I’ve ever read. It got to the point where I found myself counting how many times it appeared on a single page instead of actually enjoying the story.
Overall, I really wanted to love this one because Sadie Kincaid is usually an auto-read author for me, but unfortunately this one just missed the mark. It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t one I’ll be thinking about long after I finished it either.
May 31, 2026
had promise but the insecure female lead whines nonstop
The story had real promise. The female lead is completely unlikeable. In almost every scene, she’s whining or having irrational insecure thoughts about her weight. It’s super annoying. Either be happy with your weight and embrace it or do something about it. No one would want to be around this paranoid, irrational, emotional woman. He brings her lunch, and she accuses him of having a fat kink. WTH? The male lead had an amazing story, and the constant insecurity ruined it.
The story had real promise. The female lead is completely unlikeable. In almost every scene, she’s whining or having irrational insecure thoughts about her weight. It’s super annoying. Either be happy with your weight and embrace it or do something about it. No one would want to be around this paranoid, irrational, emotional woman. He brings her lunch, and she accuses him of having a fat kink. WTH? The male lead had an amazing story, and the constant insecurity ruined it.
June 21, 2026
"Pensaba que la amaba antes. Ahora sé lo que realmente significa adorar a alguien, en cuerpo, mente, corazón y alma. Ella es mi diosa, y siempre lo será"
Me enamore de Maddox 😭, el es muy tierno y es raro encontrar un personaje masculino que tenga un corazón enorme y no oculte sus sentimientos por "debilidades" y el es ese hombre.
La historia de Ellie y Maddox me encanto porque se le dió importancia al pasado de los dos por igual y la comunicación que tenían hacía todo mucho mas fácil para entender sus sentimientos y para llevarse bien como amigos, pareja y amantes. La verdad es que al principio hubo un gran malentendido y ambos resultaron heridos después de la noche en la que se conocieron pero cuando se reencontraron hablaron de los que paso y solucionaron todo lo que los llevo a tener una relación hermosa (como amigos) que rápidamente pasó al romance cosa que no fue fácil porque nuestra amada Ellie tenía muchas inseguridades sobre su cuerpo y autoestima, por momentos era una mujer muy orgullosa de si misma y esos momentos eran admirables y era triste que por comentarios hirientes de gente ignorante se viniera todo abajo pero no la culpo, el amor propio y aceptar nuestros cuerpos no es fácil y lo mas complicado de eso es que la gente es ignorante y siempre va a existir alguien que te va a querer hacer sentir mal por como te ves porque el cuerpo perfecto no existe.
Maddox fue un amor con respecto a eso y nunca la hizo sentir mal cuando ella se sentía poca cosa al lado suyo solo le demostraba que era la mujer mas perfecta del mundo, que el la eligió, que así se veía hermosa y perfecta y que la opinión de los demás no importaba cuando ella se amaba como era y el también la amaba así. ♥️😭. No todo es color de rosa porque ambos tuvieron momentos difíciles años atrás en especial Ellie 🥺 pero ellos supieron consolarse mutuamente y lo mejor es que nunca se vieron como víctimas ni con lastima si no que estaban orgullosos se las personas que se convitieron a pesar del dolor 🤍
Me enamore de Maddox 😭, el es muy tierno y es raro encontrar un personaje masculino que tenga un corazón enorme y no oculte sus sentimientos por "debilidades" y el es ese hombre.
La historia de Ellie y Maddox me encanto porque se le dió importancia al pasado de los dos por igual y la comunicación que tenían hacía todo mucho mas fácil para entender sus sentimientos y para llevarse bien como amigos, pareja y amantes. La verdad es que al principio hubo un gran malentendido y ambos resultaron heridos después de la noche en la que se conocieron pero cuando se reencontraron hablaron de los que paso y solucionaron todo lo que los llevo a tener una relación hermosa (como amigos) que rápidamente pasó al romance cosa que no fue fácil porque nuestra amada Ellie tenía muchas inseguridades sobre su cuerpo y autoestima, por momentos era una mujer muy orgullosa de si misma y esos momentos eran admirables y era triste que por comentarios hirientes de gente ignorante se viniera todo abajo pero no la culpo, el amor propio y aceptar nuestros cuerpos no es fácil y lo mas complicado de eso es que la gente es ignorante y siempre va a existir alguien que te va a querer hacer sentir mal por como te ves porque el cuerpo perfecto no existe.
Maddox fue un amor con respecto a eso y nunca la hizo sentir mal cuando ella se sentía poca cosa al lado suyo solo le demostraba que era la mujer mas perfecta del mundo, que el la eligió, que así se veía hermosa y perfecta y que la opinión de los demás no importaba cuando ella se amaba como era y el también la amaba así. ♥️😭. No todo es color de rosa porque ambos tuvieron momentos difíciles años atrás en especial Ellie 🥺 pero ellos supieron consolarse mutuamente y lo mejor es que nunca se vieron como víctimas ni con lastima si no que estaban orgullosos se las personas que se convitieron a pesar del dolor 🤍
Want to Read
May 30, 2026Coming out May 28
June 9, 2026
I hate dragging an author if I didn’t like a story but this deserves to be dragged to hell!! I only liked the first two books in this series. Is it that impossible for an author to not write about a plus sized character that hates themselves isn’t insecure as fuck and make self deprecating jokes about themselves the entire time? We get it she’s fat. The curly hair, plus size body trope equates to being unlovable is truly sickening. This book did not have enough yearning, Ellie was desperate. There was too much internal dialogue and the characters were childish AF. I believe we have lost the plot entirely. Sadie I don’t know what you’re doing but this writing is not it! Your editor did you dirty for allowing this to go to print.
June 4, 2026
Oh my god!! Maddox and Ellie’s story is hands down my favorite. They originally met in Morocco but after spending an evening talking and having the best time, Maddox turns Ellie down. She was devastated but never forgot him. They run into each other again while she was at work. They become close again. They both had their demons that they were dealing with but there was a lot of swoon, laughter, banter and love. We also got a bit of suspense and a TON of spice. I could not get enough of this book. I hate that the series is over but what a way to end the series.
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
May 30, 2026
She was really annoying me
May 30, 2026
They just kept going on and on about how she was “so big” and then say she’s a size 12 — I can’t
June 13, 2026
It is simply a no from me. DNFing literally would have saved me from the worst second half of a book in my entire life
Review of advance copy
This was the best conclusion to the Manhattan series. Maddox and Ellie's story was perfect and everything their characters deserved.
I fell in love with Maddox earlier in the series but just fell so much more for him here in Made. That man is the greenest flag. The way he fights for himself and then the obsessive/possessive side of him with Ellie. I was overheating and swooning the whole damn book.
We also get some fantastic banter, some laugh out loud moments and spice that will take you out (in the best way).
I fell in love with Maddox earlier in the series but just fell so much more for him here in Made. That man is the greenest flag. The way he fights for himself and then the obsessive/possessive side of him with Ellie. I was overheating and swooning the whole damn book.
We also get some fantastic banter, some laugh out loud moments and spice that will take you out (in the best way).
June 4, 2026
The female lead character got on my nerves. She constantly second guessed herself and why the male character liked her. I was disappointed in this book- love the series, but sadly, not this book.
June 11, 2026
Size 12 is not fat.
Just because a character says she is a smart woman does not in fact mean she is smart.
The lack of communication to get to the last part of the plot was ridiculous. No vice president of a business is that dumb.
Worst ending to a pretty good series. Felt like the author phoned it in.
Just because a character says she is a smart woman does not in fact mean she is smart.
The lack of communication to get to the last part of the plot was ridiculous. No vice president of a business is that dumb.
Worst ending to a pretty good series. Felt like the author phoned it in.
June 1, 2026
I really loved the first few books of this series and was looking forward to this one- hoping Maddox would be a freak. The FMC has too many body image issues and I really don’t want to read about that. Not part of the fantasy I’m going for. Their flirting is boring and the FMC was hurt for years when rejected by a stranger- feels a little too young/naive for me. Stopped at 45%.
June 1, 2026
Another book where being plus sized is the FMC’s entire personality. And also, I’m not sure a size 12 is actually plus sized? But ok, the FMC was beyond insufferable and needy. Maddox deserved a better woman.
June 1, 2026
I just couldn’t get into this one. It seemed like there was no plot, no interesting points. Not memorable.
June 1, 2026
Unbelievable dialog, zero plot, nothing but virtue signaling and seeing how many woke talking points can be touched on in one book.
May 30, 2026
Honestly not my favorite
May 30, 2026
I feel like I’ve been on a journey with Sadie’s books forever. And, Manhattan Ruthless is my fave series by the author. Of course, this is the final book in this series so it’s bittersweet regardless.
Sadie is a brilliant and talented writer. There’s so much to LOVE in this MR storyline for all the books combined.
Sadly it’s last book in the James’ series and the one I probably liked the least; despite it being the one I wanted the most.
Maddox James has long stood out as a character in his brothers’ novels and worked into a special place for me. I love that Ellie is his counterpart. They have the potential to be an absolute wonderful couple. The basic ends and outs of their story is good.
I know the author pushed back the release date originally and did some changes. I have no idea what those entailed but the final product is a little off from what I expected.
This really should have blown me TF away. SHOULD HAVE.
There were a few omissions that stood out in this last book- but that would be a spoiler no matter how I tried to mention it. So I’ll leave it as is. There are so many characters that pop up in this one but I think a few were overlooked. (And or underused) Nathan and King stood out though.
• Nice addition: There’s an incredibly great nod at the end that was perfect.
• The odd:
Maddox who is on the right trajectory with every thing, spouter of wisdom- world traveler, progressive human and in touch with multi cultures —-
would never say :
"Plus," he goes on, "you are not 'a fat girl!
You are curvaceous and real and luscious, and I adore every inch of you….”
Not fat?! She can be fat & be adored/loved! Fat and desirable.
Mads would absolutely be fat positive. Not this. It’s such a let down. Immensely so. It’s the old bs that “curvy is good/ acceptable & fat= bad/not acceptable”. This goes against the fundamentals of his character. And honestly is just a mess when the FMC is ‘curvy’.
“Not a fat girl”…. Right because fat is the worst thing ever… JFC.
Not a fat friendly book on many levels. Lots of stuff in this one along those lines.
The author doesn’t have to be FAT POSITIVE but I feel like the character 💯 would be progressive on this front as he is in every aspect of his life consistently throughout these novels. He is that voice. Always.
I get it- not every author or even women are fat positive. But I do think it shows how much there is a dichotomy with CURVY characters. (Ellie is stated to be American size 12 in the book)
Still—- the book was good/okay. It had some interesting moments. But it also left me very disappointed in a couple of areas.
It got very repetitive and sometimes the vibes were simply off for lack of a better description.
Sadie is a brilliant and talented writer. There’s so much to LOVE in this MR storyline for all the books combined.
Sadly it’s last book in the James’ series and the one I probably liked the least; despite it being the one I wanted the most.
Maddox James has long stood out as a character in his brothers’ novels and worked into a special place for me. I love that Ellie is his counterpart. They have the potential to be an absolute wonderful couple. The basic ends and outs of their story is good.
I know the author pushed back the release date originally and did some changes. I have no idea what those entailed but the final product is a little off from what I expected.
This really should have blown me TF away. SHOULD HAVE.
There were a few omissions that stood out in this last book- but that would be a spoiler no matter how I tried to mention it. So I’ll leave it as is. There are so many characters that pop up in this one but I think a few were overlooked. (And or underused) Nathan and King stood out though.
• Nice addition: There’s an incredibly great nod at the end that was perfect.
• The odd:
Maddox who is on the right trajectory with every thing, spouter of wisdom- world traveler, progressive human and in touch with multi cultures —-
would never say :
"Plus," he goes on, "you are not 'a fat girl!
You are curvaceous and real and luscious, and I adore every inch of you….”
Not fat?! She can be fat & be adored/loved! Fat and desirable.
Mads would absolutely be fat positive. Not this. It’s such a let down. Immensely so. It’s the old bs that “curvy is good/ acceptable & fat= bad/not acceptable”. This goes against the fundamentals of his character. And honestly is just a mess when the FMC is ‘curvy’.
“Not a fat girl”…. Right because fat is the worst thing ever… JFC.
Not a fat friendly book on many levels. Lots of stuff in this one along those lines.
The author doesn’t have to be FAT POSITIVE but I feel like the character 💯 would be progressive on this front as he is in every aspect of his life consistently throughout these novels. He is that voice. Always.
I get it- not every author or even women are fat positive. But I do think it shows how much there is a dichotomy with CURVY characters. (Ellie is stated to be American size 12 in the book)
Still—- the book was good/okay. It had some interesting moments. But it also left me very disappointed in a couple of areas.
It got very repetitive and sometimes the vibes were simply off for lack of a better description.
June 2, 2026
This ones going to hurt my heart to write omg....I finished this book this morning and I've been going over this review in my mind all day. I'm a little sad and disappointed about Maddox's story. And it's very rare I feel that way about Sadie's books...
1. It felt so rushed. I've read probably 80-90% of Sadie's books and I don't think I've ever walked away feeling this disappointed in one. I'm having a hard time putting it into words, but I do know Mads did not get the story he deserved. I feel her biggest issue was that she has too many projects going at once and she felt like she HAD to get this book out to keep us happy. I would have happily waited longer if it meant a better book.
2. Plus size where? We get through 50% of the book thinking Ellie is this baddie with a fattie only to find out she's only a size 12? Since when is that considered Plus size?! I'm sorry but no. That is NORMAL size.
3. We get more inner dialog than we do conversations between the characters and it takes away from everything. And the CONSTANT doubting we get from both of them during those inner monologues drove me insane. Ellie, girl, I get it. You've been through the ringer. But that inner turmoil we get when he doesn't spend the night was a bit much. And then it happens again. And again. And again. But then she talks about how she's grown and is secure. That sure doesn't seem like secure to me ma'am. And the fat fetish thing? If I was Katy, I would have slapped her....smdh
4. Baby. I love a good pet name. One of my favorites is baby because it's so simple and it genuinely gives me butterflies when an MMC calls his FMC baby. It is literally second to Solnishka. However. We do not it every. Other. Page. I swear it got to that point. Again, I feel like this ties into the rushed part.
5. Mads. Ok, in all honesty he wasn't that bad. (Ellie wasn’t that bad as a character either.) He also has a ton of the inner turmoil which drove me mad. He also is a little softie compared to the other James brothers. I don't know how I feel about that. On the one hand, I get it? He's the baby and all that. But also like, I wanted (craved really) for him to be just a bit more dominant. The bits and pieces of him we get from the other books...I wanted (no craved) him to be so much more dominant than he was. That parts on me though. I built him up in my mind a different way before I got the whole picture. I'll put myself in time out for that one. But even with all his background and stuff...he feels a bit of a pushover. Idk.
It absolutely kills me to write this review. Sadie is and always will be one of my insta-read authors. I have one or two backlogs to finish before I move onto the other new stuff and we have so many coming out this year. I only hope those don't have the same rushed feel as this one. Sadie, bestie, please delay Lucian if you need to because I NEED him to be perfect.
Happy Reading 🌻
1. It felt so rushed. I've read probably 80-90% of Sadie's books and I don't think I've ever walked away feeling this disappointed in one. I'm having a hard time putting it into words, but I do know Mads did not get the story he deserved. I feel her biggest issue was that she has too many projects going at once and she felt like she HAD to get this book out to keep us happy. I would have happily waited longer if it meant a better book.
2. Plus size where? We get through 50% of the book thinking Ellie is this baddie with a fattie only to find out she's only a size 12? Since when is that considered Plus size?! I'm sorry but no. That is NORMAL size.
3. We get more inner dialog than we do conversations between the characters and it takes away from everything. And the CONSTANT doubting we get from both of them during those inner monologues drove me insane. Ellie, girl, I get it. You've been through the ringer. But that inner turmoil we get when he doesn't spend the night was a bit much. And then it happens again. And again. And again. But then she talks about how she's grown and is secure. That sure doesn't seem like secure to me ma'am. And the fat fetish thing? If I was Katy, I would have slapped her....smdh
4. Baby. I love a good pet name. One of my favorites is baby because it's so simple and it genuinely gives me butterflies when an MMC calls his FMC baby. It is literally second to Solnishka. However. We do not it every. Other. Page. I swear it got to that point. Again, I feel like this ties into the rushed part.
5. Mads. Ok, in all honesty he wasn't that bad. (Ellie wasn’t that bad as a character either.) He also has a ton of the inner turmoil which drove me mad. He also is a little softie compared to the other James brothers. I don't know how I feel about that. On the one hand, I get it? He's the baby and all that. But also like, I wanted (craved really) for him to be just a bit more dominant. The bits and pieces of him we get from the other books...I wanted (no craved) him to be so much more dominant than he was. That parts on me though. I built him up in my mind a different way before I got the whole picture. I'll put myself in time out for that one. But even with all his background and stuff...he feels a bit of a pushover. Idk.
It absolutely kills me to write this review. Sadie is and always will be one of my insta-read authors. I have one or two backlogs to finish before I move onto the other new stuff and we have so many coming out this year. I only hope those don't have the same rushed feel as this one. Sadie, bestie, please delay Lucian if you need to because I NEED him to be perfect.
Happy Reading 🌻
May 20, 2026
If I could give this ♾️ stars I would. These James boys have been taking us THROUGH IT for a very long time and I’m so glad Maddox was the one to end the series.
What a man. I mean seriously. What a story! What a freaking FMC! I won’t say her name because it’ll spoil things and you’ll find out things you may not want to find out. She is my favorite woman of this series outside of Amber.
I loved their friendship. It was so pure ( and decidedly NOT pure 😏). I think we’ve all experienced a friendship we wish was more. The way they’ve worked on themselves and their demons but how they still bring healing and comfort to each other is just chefs kiss good. Maddox is able to anticipate her needs and voice them so well that WE ALL felt seen in that moment. He is absolutely the most communicative of the brothers. Golden retriever to his core.
We already know this family’s story. The loss of a wife. A mom. It shaped each of them I different and heartbreaking ways but Maddox’ story was especially deep and painful. HER story was especially deep and painful. They were perfect for each other in their struggles and demons.
This was a bit of a slow burn and you’ll be yearning right along with them but when they started the burn??? 🔥 🔥🔥🔥 3.5🌶️
Elijah and Maddox are definitely my favs of these brothers but they all hold a special place. This SERIES holds a special place in my heart.
What a man. I mean seriously. What a story! What a freaking FMC! I won’t say her name because it’ll spoil things and you’ll find out things you may not want to find out. She is my favorite woman of this series outside of Amber.
I loved their friendship. It was so pure ( and decidedly NOT pure 😏). I think we’ve all experienced a friendship we wish was more. The way they’ve worked on themselves and their demons but how they still bring healing and comfort to each other is just chefs kiss good. Maddox is able to anticipate her needs and voice them so well that WE ALL felt seen in that moment. He is absolutely the most communicative of the brothers. Golden retriever to his core.
We already know this family’s story. The loss of a wife. A mom. It shaped each of them I different and heartbreaking ways but Maddox’ story was especially deep and painful. HER story was especially deep and painful. They were perfect for each other in their struggles and demons.
This was a bit of a slow burn and you’ll be yearning right along with them but when they started the burn??? 🔥 🔥🔥🔥 3.5🌶️
Elijah and Maddox are definitely my favs of these brothers but they all hold a special place. This SERIES holds a special place in my heart.
June 7, 2026
I am sorry, Maddox, I really wanted to like your book—I really did—but I just could not.
First of all, whatever else you can call this book, you cannot call it a romance because it is not a love story. Instead of a romance, we get two people who are constantly questioning themselves about their actions or their looks. We have a Female Main Character (FMC) with poor self-esteem, and a Male Main Character (MMC) who is still healing from past traumas and mistakes.
There wasn't even a plot. I don't know what their story was supposed to be, or why they think they love each other, because I never saw the moment it actually happened. There were also too many time jumps during their so-called friendship period. They never had a single meaningful conversation; the only thing I read about was lust and how much they physically wanted each other. The FMC’s constant nagging about her body didn't make things any easier to read.
Interestingly enough, in the first chapter, the FMC fires back at her boyfriend after he comments on her body—it felt like he was bullying her, but instead of staying quiet and taking it, she kicks him out. I really liked that part when I read it (I actually said, "Go girl!"). However, even though she speaks up when people make sneaky comments about her body, she still questions herself every single time afterward. It became annoying after a point. Likewise, the MMC cannot let go of his past traumas and actions, constantly overthinking them.
The only thing they actually do well is communicate—but only after far too much inner monologue. (And yes, they do a lot of that; 70% of the book is spent living inside the characters' heads.) At least we didn't have to deal with miscommunication tropes. Because of this, I completely agree with the reviewer below who called it a "giant therapy session."
Another issue is that all the brothers' books start with the same prologue: the one where, after losing their mother, their father advises them never to fall in love. I didn't find that this trope matched this specific story. Maddox never actually struggles with the idea of avoiding love; on the contrary, he jumps right into a relationship with Ellie.
First of all, whatever else you can call this book, you cannot call it a romance because it is not a love story. Instead of a romance, we get two people who are constantly questioning themselves about their actions or their looks. We have a Female Main Character (FMC) with poor self-esteem, and a Male Main Character (MMC) who is still healing from past traumas and mistakes.
There wasn't even a plot. I don't know what their story was supposed to be, or why they think they love each other, because I never saw the moment it actually happened. There were also too many time jumps during their so-called friendship period. They never had a single meaningful conversation; the only thing I read about was lust and how much they physically wanted each other. The FMC’s constant nagging about her body didn't make things any easier to read.
Interestingly enough, in the first chapter, the FMC fires back at her boyfriend after he comments on her body—it felt like he was bullying her, but instead of staying quiet and taking it, she kicks him out. I really liked that part when I read it (I actually said, "Go girl!"). However, even though she speaks up when people make sneaky comments about her body, she still questions herself every single time afterward. It became annoying after a point. Likewise, the MMC cannot let go of his past traumas and actions, constantly overthinking them.
The only thing they actually do well is communicate—but only after far too much inner monologue. (And yes, they do a lot of that; 70% of the book is spent living inside the characters' heads.) At least we didn't have to deal with miscommunication tropes. Because of this, I completely agree with the reviewer below who called it a "giant therapy session."
Another issue is that all the brothers' books start with the same prologue: the one where, after losing their mother, their father advises them never to fall in love. I didn't find that this trope matched this specific story. Maddox never actually struggles with the idea of avoiding love; on the contrary, he jumps right into a relationship with Ellie.
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