Jaded: A Novel

by Anne Meredith

A titillating, “impossible to look away from” (Chelsea Bieker) campus drama about two married professors, whose annual tradition of seducing a student crumbles when a mysterious young woman enters their lives.

It’s the summer of 1986 on the Kelsey College campus. Sam and Vera Ward got married decades ago and haven’t slept together since. With little desire to satiate Sam’s sexual appetite, Vera agrees to a certain tradition at the start of every school year. Sam is allowed to sleep with one woman of his choosing, with two ground she must be a student at the college, and the affair cannot last beyond a year. This year, their target is a mysterious young woman named Jade, who, unbeknownst to the Wards, is a hand grenade poised to destroy everything they’ve carefully built.

Alluring and sharp as a tack, Jade breaks all their rules. With a plan of her own, she holds Sam in the palm of her hand and grips Vera in a dance of obsession and desire. What unfolds is not a romance but a reckoning, where every touch conceals a move, and every secret becomes a weapon, spiraling into an explosive ending that will leave Vera, Jade, and Sam completely undone.

Jaded is a “daring debut novel” (Ada Calhoun, New York Times bestselling author) about power, the abuse of and submission to it, where each character is forced to confront the messy web of complicity, lies, and lust in which they have unwittingly entangled themselves.

Genres: Fiction, Literary Fiction, Queer, Lesbian, Contemporary, LGBT, Adult Fiction

Kindle Edition

Expected publication January 12, 2027

Reviews

[Dianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Currently recovering from the absolute chaos that was Jaded.

I think you need to go into this book with an open mind. Not to accept or agree with what the characters do… but to try to understand their motives before passing judgement (which you can absolutely do later lol). Their choices had me questioning what on earth was going through their heads, but I think that’s part of what makes this book so interesting.

This book really makes you question relationships, especially marriage, and what’s considered acceptable when there’s an arrangement between two people. Like… just because two people have agreed to something, does that automatically make it okay? and at what point does something that might seem like intimacy start feeling more like control? Especially when lies and obsession get mixed into everything.

I was so intrigued and weirded out by the dynamics between Sam, Vera and Jade… particularly how the power shifts between them. Everyone is so unhinged, and just when you think you understand what’s going on… something makes you question it all over again. It was fascinating watching things get increasingly messy, especially when the characters are willingly putting themselves in these situations.

The characters in this book are definitely not likeable, and I think you’re not supposed to like them at all? But I still found myself wanting to understand what drove them to make the choices they did. Also…. the poor olive oil. I was NOT prepared for that. I laughed and i covered my eye which i don’t know why i did when im not physically there 🫠

This book was definitely outside my comfort zone… but I enjoyed how much it made me think. I finished it with SO many questions and I’m still not sure what to make of some of the things that happened… Jaded was definitely a wild read and I can’t wait for it to be released so my friends can pick it up because I NEED people to yap about it with.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for providing me with an ARC via email through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

[*TUDOR^QUEEN* · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

This is a story about decades married teachers at a local college- Sam and Vera Ward. At Vera's insistence, they have been living a platonic marriage. As a concession, Vera allows Sam to have an intimate affair with one female student per year. It has become something of a playful game scouting out the new candidate. However, one fateful day Jade wanders into their lives igniting an intense attraction, obsession, and promise of new sensual adventures. Jade is beautiful, spontaneous, and confident.

The story reaches back suddenly, sporadically, into the early lives of these three characters to inform the reader of past family trauma, history, and upbringing. I didn't enjoy these unexpected rewinds quite as much as the riveting vignettes of the present day. However, the writing was good and the ending was twisty. The three main characters were well-defined and interesting. If you like books that are sensual, emotional, with unexpected twists and turns..this one is for you.

Thank you to the publisher Simon & Schuster / Summit Books for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.

[julianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jaded is a literary fiction novel set in 1986. Vera and Sam Ward are married college professors with a unique relationship. Because Sam enjoys sex and Vera doesn’t, Vera allows him to have an affair with one different college girl every year. Their arrangement has always worked, until now.

Jade is an eccentric, outspoken girl who initiates her relationship with Sam. She doesn’t like him, but she likes having power over him. However, once Vera begins to be attracted to Jade, their entire lives are changed.

This was definitely a very unique novel. I felt a bit unsettled reading it, which I do think the author intended to do, it just wasn’t exactly for me. But I do think this book is very well plotted, with multi-sided characters. The ending felt somewhat abrupt and a little confusing, but it was a strong book as a whole.

Overall, I did enjoy this book. It is such a fresh exploration of power and obsession, and while it definitely will not be for everyone, I would personally recommend it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the e-ARC.

Publishing date: 12 January 2027

[Madeline Church · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

When a book reels you in with the cover but makes you stay for the chaos... I am obsessed with Jaded. Days after finishing, I am still thinking about this book and the characters. It was marketed as The Secret History mixed with Tell Me Lies, and from that statement alone, I knew I was going to love this. The way that Anne Meredith wrote this story had it playing in my mind like a movie. This was the ultimate bingeable read; I devoured it in a night. Honestly, I was going back and forth with the characters. You don't really know what the characters are going to do or what you should feel towards them. Addictive. Complex. Unhinged.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Jaded will be released on January 12, 2027!

[Elena Enns · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Simon and Schuster for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am… I don’t have words. This novel is incredibly well written, and very messy for those who love a toxic kind-of romance. But I will say it gets very graphic in some places, and i don’t think is necessary for the story telling and is more for shock value. The concept was super interesting though, and the ending was satisfying.

[Bruno Darío]

traducido!

[Eric Lustbader · Rating 1 out of 5]

OK, there's a nice chapter early on about Jade's early life that's interesting, except that it comes way too early in the novel, telegraphing everything that is to come. In short, this book is a lot of pretentious claptrap that makes no sense. A professorial couple at a university couple who haven't had sex in over a decade because the woman is uninterested in sex with him or anyone else, we're told? Her husband, because his needs are greater than hers, is allowed to have brief affairs with only upper class females at the university, as if this is a trait that makes us like this couple more. It doesn't. The author gives us no reason whatsoever for why this woman loves this creep. But then again they love trees and animals. Still doesn't help . And they're doing this without a thought to any of the husband's affairs turning sour, one of the string of students ratting him out when he drops them? Really? They're not even perpetrating this scheme in a clever way. So he's a serial predator, this wife is an enabler. And then into this barely believable stew comes the angrogynous Jade, sinewy, wily, vaguely S&M, smarter than both professors put together. The wife falls head over heels for her while her husband just thinks she's hot. So they spend page after page getting in each other's way to be near the uber-magnetic Jade. Do you care what happens to these cardboard cutouts? I didn't. In any event, in this programmatic novel you know from the moment Jade knocks on their door who she is and what she represents.

[Lydia · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

"Sam and Vera weren't afraid to hurt one another. It hadn't started out this way, far from it, but this was what they had become. The toxic brew they had unwittingly created—repressed rage, sanctioned infidelity, too much booze—would someday explode. Every day they walked through this minefield of this own making."

The cover caught my attention, the hook of a messy marriage dynamic pulled me in, and the chaos that ensued on every page had me devouring it. I think to fully enjoy this you have to be okay with reading about characters who are not great people, make extremely selfish and wild decisions, and have never had to take accountability for their actions—luckily for me, those are my favourite kind of characters to read about!! Despite their overwhelming faults, the author does a great job of presenting their motives in a way that will have you second guessing your allegiances/opinions on the characters.

Amidst the chaos, Jaded explores the shifting dynamics of power in relationships, the difference between sex and intimacy, loving someone versus being in love, and the fine line between selfishness and self-preservation.

This is the authors debut, but their background is in screenwriting, and that experience worked so well for this book. As I was reading I easily pictured it as a movie as we moved from scene to scene and I loved how the author worked the multiple perspective shifts into it.

As with most books I think the less you know going into it the better, even the blurb reveals a bit more than I would want. I think if the overall premise is interesting to you, I would simply pick it up and buckle in! Definitely comes recommend from me.

Disclaimer: I received an early NetGalley copy from Simon & Schuster Canada.
---
god I love reading about terrible people and their fucked up lives!!!

more to come but damn I really enjoyed this.

[Jami · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHAT. THE FUCK. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Okay that was an absolutely bat shit crazy deranged ending, but like I’m buzzed that was SUCH A FUN (?) READ. This book better blow up when it comes out. Wow like 5 stars EASY.

I love books like this where all the characters are a little unhinged, but this book gives each character INSANE amounts of depth, making the explosion at the end just that more satisfying (satisfying? Idk if I’d call it a satisfying ending but it was THRILLING.) This book was also surprisingly tender for how fucked up the whole premise is…I just cannot comprehend how the author pulled that off. THIS IS HER DEBUT?????

This book kept picking me up and throwing me against walls and into bookshelves and smashing plates over my head, and for the first half I was SO into it having a blast…and then…it wasn’t….so fun anymore. The second half of this book was just emotional blow after blow, and the more you learn about these characters, the sadder this story gets. Humans are horrifying, strange, and wild creatures, and this book captures that perfectly. Cannot wait to reread this when it comes out next year!

[Angela Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
ARC provided by NetGalley

I will NEVER look at olive oil the same way again. 😂

Jaded by Anne Meredith was completely different from my usual reads, and honestly? I LOVED IT. Sometimes you pick up a book expecting one thing and it completely catches you off guard in the best possible way.

This was such a fun departure from my normal reading lineup, and I found myself completely invested. The story had me hooked, entertained, and questioning my relationship with a perfectly innocent bottle of olive oil. 😂

I went into this one not really knowing what to expect, and I am SO glad I took the chance. Anne Meredith gave me something fresh, unexpected, and ridiculously fun to read.

5 stars from me! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you’re looking for something outside your usual reading comfort zone, add this one to your TBR… just maybe don’t look at your olive oil the same way afterward. 😉

[Aubrie Graegin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a really original concept. It was unique and so compelling.

I was really intrigued by Vera's character. The prose talks about how captivating Jade is, but I was so much more drawn to Vera. Her feelings were so complex and dynamic. It was so cool to watch her grow more comfortable with her older self.

I had more complicated feelings regarding Sam and Jade. I ended up liking Jade a lot, and there were moments I sympathized with Sam. He, however, did not have many redeeming qualities.

The narrative writing was really interesting. It was so descriptive. I wasn't sure if the descriptions were always necessary, but they were always very beautifully written.

The ending had a lot of twists, but I felt like I wanted a little more from the ending. I liked it a lot though and had a hard time putting it down.

It had a similar feeling to Tell Me Lies, but it takes a completely original spin on the student/professor dynamic.

[Kas Marek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the eARC.

Fucking incredible. I think I need a full week to process but I have to say, the exploration of trauma and grief and what it turns us into when we turn a blind eye to it was perfection.

Omg, I care about these characters like they’re my closest friends. Except Sam, forever fuck that dude.

Vera: I want to cry thinking about her and why she did what she did. I think she deserved the world in the end, despite it all.

Jade: we know trauma forces people to grow up and develop a shell, I’ve never seen it portrayed so well in a fictional story. I love her. I’m scared of her.

[Sally Horna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Baby what a wild ass ride!!!!!!!!! Thank you Simon and Schuster and netgalley for the ARC. I LOVED THIS. these characters, the plot, the backstory!!! You either have a crush on Jade Or you’re afraid of her in the best way. It’s a little less dialogue centered which usually is not my preference but it was necessary for this story. I was hooked from start to finish. I love a chaotic story with questionable characters and this delivered!!!!!

[Hailey Melamut · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

Review of Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley

A raw, disturbing, compelling psychosexual lit fic. The premise of a professor choosing a girl to be with him each year - with his wife’s consent - is dark at best. But this was about so much more: identity, love, choice. I’m glad I hung in there because I loved the ending. Women rock.

[Micah · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

This is lowkey Chloe (2009) if it slayed…genuinely such an insane story. Once you got situated in this world it was easy to stay engaged throughout the story. It took me a bit to spot the plot twist and I can’t often say that for books like these so that made me happy! Though, I feel like the ending was a bit rushed since you could tell there was a desperate rush to tie everything back together but overall, i would say this is probably one of my favorite ARCs I have read this year.

[grier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this, could not put it down, but thought it ended abruptly. Really enjoyed the nonlinear narrative

[Catherine Kalogeros · Rating 4 out of 5]

More like 3.5-4⭐️

more to come!

[Laura Shipman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will never look at dish gloves and olive oil the same. Thank you S&S and Edelweiss for the ARC!

[Marta Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This felt more like an interesting draft of a novel, but not exactly the finished product. The story has a lot of potential and it kept me engrossed all throughout the book. It's easily bingeable and I was curious to see how everything would unravel at the end. However, there are a lot of issues that bothered me. Firstly, the narration. While every chapter focuses on a single POV - Jade's, Vera's or Sam's - the narration keeps randomly including the thoughts of some secondary characters. These inconsistencies in the narration kept bothering me until the very end. Moreover, the novel includes several plot twists that are announced by the characters, and that feel incredibly anticlimactic. As a result, they seem pretty forced. In addition, the narrator keeps explaining everything in a way that makes you feel like they don't trust your understanding of the events. Every time something happens, it's rephrased as if to be sure that the reader gets the meaning behind it. Another thing is the fact that we learn the backstory of each of our characters very late in the novel, and I found myself questioning constantly their motives in the first half of the book, and couldn't understand how Sam and Vera ended up together in the first place.
When it comes to the actual plot, it's certainly intriguing. I love reading about complicated relationship dynamics, and was very curious about Vera's and Sam's "arrangement". However, I was pretty appalled to discover the way they used young girls in order to make sure that the man in the relationship is satisfied enough. If this problem is partially acknowledged in the late chapters of the book, there is another one that never seems to question the author. The age gap between Jade and both Vera and Sam is never treated as a topic worth discussing, and it disturbed me quite a bit. Also, it was pretty outlandish to assume that everyone knew that a university professor was sleeping with students, and the faculty never reacted.
Furthermore, all of the characters felt very one-dimensional - Sam is a typical self-assured white man, Vera is a cold-hearted woman lost in her 40s, and Jade is a fiesty, complicated young girl. There is very little nuance, and even this amount comes very late in the book. The ending left me unsatisfied as well, it happened out of nowhere and ended very abruptly.
Overall, I think this book can make some noise after its release date. It's an enjoyable read that comes with a lot of potential. Unfortunately, the premise is a lot stronger than the novel itself. A solid three star read for me.

PS : I keep getting angry at books that include some French words and phrases, and they are never correct. Please, can authors or publishers ask someone who actually speaks the language to proofread them before publishing the book in question ?

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an eARC of the novel.

[Mina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Simon & Schuster, Anne Meredith and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Jaded had me captivated from beginning to end. It was MESSSYY. Although the timeline, flashbacks and shifting perspectives could get confusing, I don’t feel it took away from the overall story. I actually think it kept me invested because I needed to know what was going to happen next.

The setting was perfectly descriptive and well written, I could easily visualize each character that was introduced. I also enjoyed the satire and absurdity in parts of this story. The amount of eyerolling and eyebrow raises I had while reading was crazy. I appreciated the humor alongside the darker and more uncomfortable parts of the story.

The dynamic between the three main characters was something entirely new to me, and I was fascinated by what was going on in each of their twisted heads. Sam was an embarrassing, cringey manchild to me. Like I literally was always laughing AT him, never with him. (Dish glove scene, come on). However some of his flashbacks did manage to make me feel some sort of sympathy toward him at times. Vera was a particularly interesting character to me because I couldn’t help but wonder if she was misunderstood, struggling with internalized homophobia or just hadn’t realized that she never really wanted a man. I found myself in her shoes, confused and wanting to understand her. But her involvement and pushing in the arrangement with Sam made her all the more disappointing. She truly pushed young women off to her husband so she didn’t have to deal with him and basically enabled the predatory older man/younger, unsuspecting woman dynamic. I struggled to determine if she was genuinely remorseful for her role in everything, and whether her own complicated relationship with her sexuality (or lack thereof) contributed to the cruelty she pushed upon the many younger girls. I could empathize with her without excusing her actions, and that tension made both Sam and Vera compelling characters. Both of them had me feeling gaslit and confused by the end of it 😂 Despite everything, I found Vera and Jade to be a refreshing duo and found myself rooting for them? I put a question mark because I am not entirely sure if I still did at the end.

There was something about their connection, though I’m not sure how much of it was genuine and how much was manipulation. The ending left me with SO many questions, and while I am still trying to process how things unfolded, I wasn’t completely satisfied. The ending felt rushed and I wanted more clarity and more time to sit with everything. I can understand Jade’s plan, but I am struggling to make sense of the last two chapters. Maybe that is the whole point of it though… I just personally wanted more of the messiness, and less of the “leading up to it”.

[Alexis Lamb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm between a 3.75/5 and a 4/5 rating for this. I liked the first half of the novel significantly more than the latter half, as the second half relies too much on flashbacks for my liking. If they were spaced out throughout, I would have felt better about them. I also wish Vera and Sam's early years together were brought into the narrative sooner than they were. Having these chapters so close to the end did a disservice to the characters in my opinion. I love morally grey characters though, so while Vera can technically be looked at as the villain in this story, she's much more complex than this. Sam, of course, is just as bad, if not worse. What I really loved about this book is how the author writes obsession and lust. It's unflinching and uncomfortable to read at many points, but that's what the author intends. No one is correct in this situation, especially Jade. And there's certainly a concern with her character involving consent and SA that rubs me the wrong way if I think about it too much.

Vera and Jade's relationship is surprisingly tender, and I found myself rooting for them more than I probably should have (given the large age gap and power imbalance, plus Jade's very obvious mommy issues she is using Vera to satisfy... that Jane Fonda dreamscape was really something). The ending felt a bit abrupt to me, but I did love the small twist at the end (I don't know how I didn't even suspect it). I'm still somewhat lost on what exactly happened to Sam, but his psychotic break felt true to character to me, so I didn't question it much. He certainly got his karma. And maybe Vera deserves hers too, but oh well.

The writing is just completely and utterly addictive. I would give the book 5/5 stars alone for that if I could. I can tell the author used to be a screenwriter, which I adore (plus all the film terms; I did a Film minor in college, so it was fun to recognize language from that time in my life). All in all, this novel was freaky, dark, messed up, and twisted and I highly enjoyed it, with just *some* technical problems that kept it from being a higher rating. It's definitely not for everyone, so I'd suggest checking the trigger warnings for sure.

[VelvetNocturne_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story that just makes you question everyone involved; everyone is absolutely unhinged.

Jade, our enigmatic character, shows up at Vera and Sam's cottage on the university campus looking for a job posting, but soon realizes she’s at the wrong address. From there, the story quickly becomes this slow-burn mix of obsession, longing, and a slew of interesting choices that make for a juicy, gossip-worthy read.

Both Vera and Sam are instantly taken with all things Jade—her attitude, her confidence, and how she carries herself. What begins as fascination quickly turns into infatuation and regret, especially as Vera and Sam's questionable open marriage is pushed to its limits. Oddly, Vera usually doesn’t care about Sam’s trysts. But this time, she does. Why now? That question lingers throughout the book, and there’s never an easy answer. That’s what makes it so compelling.

Both Vera and Sam spend the story orbiting Jade—Sam peacocking, Vera quietly aching. It's fascinating to watch two people romanticize someone while that same person sees them as "unhinged, drunken college professors." The contrast is sharp, funny, and a little brutal. These two are absolutely self-absorbed, and honestly? They need a major life change (Jade-shaped), and Vera has some personal revelations to face.

Meredith Anne's television and film background is unmistakable. The prose is immersive and cinematic, every scene playing out vividly in the reader's mind. Even small details about how these characters treat those around them reveal exactly who they are. The side characters bring much-needed comedic relief, balancing the heavier tension, while Sam takes the "pathetic yearner" trope to levels that made me gag with unadulterated revulsion (in a well-executed way).

What kept me hooked was the suspense: is Jade genuine, or is there an ulterior motive? Either way, the journey was worth every page turn.

This book is sharp, atmospheric, and deeply uncomfortable in the best way. It’s an easy 5 stars from me.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this e-ARC.

[Jamie Madsen]

Morally Questionable and Completely Addictive.

Jaded grabbed me from the jump. Set on a college campus in 1986, Anne Meredith takes what initially looks like one very questionable marital arrangement and steadily turns it into something much stranger, darker, queerer, and more interesting. I loved how the shifting power dynamics—and, importantly, nobody gets to walk away morally unscathed.

That includes Vera, whose eventual reckoning with her own complicity is necessary—if not a bit astonishing. She spends much of the book seeing herself as adjacent to Sam’s behavior rather than an active participant. When that reality finally lands, part of me was thinking, “Vera, babe…you were literally in the room, this was YOUR design.”

And Sam? Just another garden variety of entitled, mediocre whitebread man-child who had my face permanently cringed into a raisin 😪

That moral messiness is what makes Jaded so compelling. Meredith doesn’t give us an uncomplicated villain surrounded by innocent victims; she lets culpability, agency, desire, exploitation, and power overlap in genuinely uncomfortable ways. Everyone has something to answer for, even when they’ve become experts at explaining it away to themselves.

It’s funny, unsettling, provocative, surprisingly tender, and compulsively readable. I also appreciated that Meredith lets these characters be authentically messy without constantly telling us how to feel about them. Vera and Jade fascinated me; Sam made me want to periodically close the book and stare judgmentally into the middle distance 😂

Knocking off just a bit because after all that delicious escalation, I wanted the ending to go even more spectacularly off the rails. But honestly? I had an absolute blast!

This book practically BEGS for a movie adaptation, I NEED this immediately.

[ct lydon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Big thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an ARC of Jaded by Anne Meredith.

I have not done an ARC review in months and holy shit, I started back up STRONG. It was GAY. I loved it. It was a chaotic, messy and a well written novel.

“Jaded” is about two college professors who quite obviously, cannot stand each other. Vera, artsy fartsy, does not want to touch her husband with a ten-foot pole and absolutely resents him for sleeping with a female student of his choosing each semester…because she does not want any intimacy with him, I think she would rather eat a jean jacket.

Sam, well. Sam is annoying, so I understand Vera. Sam believes that his shit does not stink. We hear a lot about how large his penis is quite often, and he seems to believe that is the reason that no woman should ever turn him down. Even though that penis seems to not really get the job done but I digress.

This is a story that I would describe as a sensual revenge plot against men. I am never going to say no to that. Sam becomes fixated on Jade, a new woman that his caught his eye for the semester. He is pathetic. Sam is so pathetic it hurts. He is begging, pleading, essentially stalking and falling over himself to get to Jade. Fun fact: Jade ain’t having it. He continues to fawn after her and make himself look like a fool, and Jade is great at keeping up this charade. Female rage is strong with Miss Jade and I liked that about her character.

Fast, addictive read that continually had me going through a full spectrum of emotions. Made me teary multiple times, laugh out loud moments and much more queerness than anticipated, which was the cherry on top.

Highly recommend this book. Is it weird? Yeah, duh. That is really all I read. It was deeper than just a “weird girl novel.” I enjoyed every second.

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for my advance eGalley. While my opinion may not be super positive - it is well intended.

This is certainly a choice, in this climate, to champion a novel with the husband sleeping with students and writing, "They had one rule when choosing this girl: she had to be at least twenty years old." Whew, because I really thought a female author would actually care more, but so glad a poker game got this book into the right hands....Even the title is a cliché, which really hits home when you're searching Goodreads under the title Jaded and you see everything else that comes up....

I can't figure out is if the book is making fun of Sam (male mc) the entire time. If the book is making fun of Sam then I would give it 3.5 stars; if the book is actually empathetic towards Sam, I'd give it 2.5 stars.

This lacks any consideration to the times of which we live. I would beg any writer who is obviously talented to please just stop writing about spoiled men who get away with or even supported in, pursuing delusions and taking advantage of power dynamics under the guise that they're just "a charismatic guy". I enjoyed reading about Jade; it reminded me of the late 90s and the stereotypes of bad girls circa Liv Tyler and Neve Campbell.

I feel genuinely embarrassed to have read this, but also I'm not going to be surprised if people can't stop talking about it when it hits shelves. I bet suburban book clubs will eat this up and feel edgy for discussing. Queer book clubs will read it because you've compared it to Tartt - which it's not, and it's a reach of excruciating measures. I'd even still read the author's next novel, and be persuaded to believe a redemption would be provided. Solace on the sunset.

[Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Married professors Vera and Sam Ward have an arrangement. They've fallen out of love and out of touch with one another, so each semester, Sam Ward is allowed to pick a student to sleep with. In the fall semester of 1986, Jade comes into their lives. Little do they know, this semester will be nothing like the others and nothing will ever be the same after.

This is not your typical narrative about straight people problems. These two people don't hate each other: they dislike each other. They know each other and have curated their disdain. Vera plays her part in Sam's messed up selection system as a sort of detached puppet master, helping him pick out the girls and then turning a blind eye to the relationship that follows. Everyone is horrible awful terrible in their own ways. We get to learn these characters histories, the people that made them who they are, and every dirty little thought they have--we're in their heads totally and completely at all times. Sam is every bit the self centered braggart academic, wholly infatuated with Jade. Turning the page to a new chapter only to read what Jade herself thought about his motivations and actions was an exercise in humiliation. Because the book is told from everyone's perspective, we have a bird's eye view of the mess, and god does that make for an immersive reading experience. I laughed at this man. I rolled my eyes at the academic blathering of undergrads. I outright gasped at some of the plot twists.

This book is told in a nonlinear perspective, with recollection often being used to inform a current situation. At times, it's a little confusing, like I was getting lost in a chapter within the chapter. However, this also enhances the smoky, hazy feel of the book. Everything is muddled for the Wards, and Meredith's writing style reflects just how tangled everything has become.

This book is like a cigarette. It fogs up a room you can't leave, and you hate the smell and every other sense you have is just as overwhelmed. But you can't leave. You have to be in this room. Unfortunately, the person smoking the cigarettes looks so intriguing while they do it, and you can't help but look at them through the haze, stress your eyes to squint and see what they're saying, how they're moving, who they're with. Eventually, you start to see the allure of a cigarette, the mystery and the surefire coolness that comes with holding it. Curiosity is getting the best of you. You know this is toxic, you know for certain this will not end well for you, but you're HERE--might as well approach.

Like I said, this is not your run of the mill bored straight couple antics. This book is queer, in every sense of the word. Identity and othered experiences are at the core of the book. If you like the smoky nostalgia and interspersed academia of The Secret History, this is the book for you. For fans of The Virgin Suicides, specifically the movie adaptation, I would also suggest they turn towards Jaded. If you're a big fan of seeing people deal with the consequences of their actions and can endure some second hand cringe while they bumble through it? Please, please pick this book up.

[A Mysterious Gabe Appears · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

Ah Jaded. It gives me the same disaster vibes as my favorites like Big Swiss or A Good Person. Its a drama about an older couple who have one-sided ethical (questionable) non-monogamy.

Little tidbit here: if you don't start off non-monogamous, you'll definitely END non-monogamous. Giving your partner a day pass, or in this case a school pass, never works. It won't fix a relationship that's already broken. Sex doesn't magically fix a broken home. This book demonstrates this fact rather dramatically.

These characters are messy. Sam is an obsessive freak. He treats his partners like animals. Vera is a woman who retreated into alcohol, cigarettes and depression and wore it like armor. Then there's Jade. Shes mysterious and brutal. The best way I can describe her is an enigma. What ensues is a clash so awkward and horrible that you cannot possibly look away.

My criticisms for this book mainly lie in the way the author relies on flashbacks to tell the story. When something major happens, a memory plays to explain the reaction. This will be pages and pages of background with a lot of really unnecessary detail. It really derails the pacing and makes the book drag on. I don't think they need to be cut but I would definitely reduce these flashbacks and maybe reorganize where they begin.

Otherwise, this was fantastic and I had a great time. If you like olive-oil sex and drama, 3.75 bottles out of five. Thank you NetGalley for this book!

[Reli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall Rating: 5 stars

This is a fever dream, roller coaster of a story. This story follows a married couple, Same and Vera Ward, both professors at Kelsey college, with an unusual interest. Sam picks out a student every year, as a tradition, to seduce and have an affair with. Vera, his wife, watches somewhat disinterested as the game unfolds. This little tradition has worked out for the pair for a while. All is as it should be until one afternoon, Jade knocks on their front door looking for a different professor. Immediately, the couple are taken with Jade and their life as they know it will fall on its head. Sam is immediately captivated by Jade and is determined to make her his latest target. Vera is drawn to the woman, something long lost stirring at the sight of her. What will unfold over the following weeks is nothing any of them are prepared for.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story. All of the characters were so multilayered and complicated. This was absolutely a darker cat and mouse game on a psychological level. While I don't agree with everything that unfolded in the story, I can't say that certain characters didn't have it coming to them. I think if you enjoyed Tar (2022) you will absolutely love this. It has a similar kind of energy. The ending did leave me a little wanting but overall very very good! This would make for a great read over the summer or winter.

[Amber Thibert · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Married professors at an arts college have their lives turned completely upside down by the sudden appearance of Jade and from there, things spiral into something sexy, insane, twisted, and utterly impossible to put down.

I loved this. From the very beginning, there’s this underlying tension that keeps building and building, and I was constantly waiting for everything to finally explode. And when it did? Oh, it delivered. I was completely invested in the absolute chaos of it all.

I especially loved the college setting. Reading this at the beginning of fall was perfect because the atmosphere was chef’s kiss! The changing leaves, the campus setting, the chilly autumn feeling… it all created such a wonderfully moody backdrop for the story.

But underneath all the sex, secrets, and insanity, this tackles some surprisingly complex themes surrounding power, marriage and family dynamics, childhood trauma, sexuality, and the ways our past can shape our relationships. I also really enjoyed the comedic elements woven throughout. There were moments that genuinely made me laugh out loud, which was such a fun contrast to some of the darker and more uncomfortable aspects of the story.

This was the kind of book where I kept thinking, surely things can’t get any more unhinged… and then they absolutely did. I couldn’t put it down and was completely along for the ride.

My one real disappointment was the ending. After everything that came before it, I wanted a little more from the conclusion, and it didn’t quite land for me the way the rest of the book did.

Still, this was such a wild, atmospheric, twisted read, and I had so much fun with it.

ARC provided by Simon & Schuster

[Cheyenne · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

I devoured this in less than a day! It was absolutely gripping! The way Jade, Vera, and Sam were all such complex characters in their own ways! You do feel sympathy for them all, though with Sam I feel much less forgiving! He deserved everything coming to him and much more if I am being honest! I loved Vera the most! I really believe that she felt truly sorry for what she did with Sam and the girls! She trapped herself in that marriage and I wish she had listened to her dad! And seeing her come out of her shell and be her true self with Jade was so lovely! Compulsory heterosexual at its finest! Jade also was such a great character who grew up in a home that was not nurturing or loving! And you really see why she makes the choices she makes after slowly learning her history! Jade and Vera really were meant for each other! I did enjoy the fast changing point of views! My only real complaint is just how fast it ends! It was so sudden! I feel like we could have used just a few more pages or an epilogue! I kinda want to read this again already! I highly recommend picking this one up when it is released

Thankful to have received an eARC from Simon & Schuster and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own