“I ask if you think you’re well-loved because it’s easy to conflate being well-liked with being well-loved. There’s often a misconception that to be well-loved, the love has to come from multiple sources, when truthfully, one or two people can love you with the strength of ten. Do you have people in your life who love you with the strength of many?”

I was thrilled to get an eARC of Maame from the publishers and Netgalley, and truly enjoyed reading this coming of age story. Maddie, a 25 year old British-Ghanaian, deals with family issues, grief, jobs, creativity, friendships, dating, and mental health, and not all well (mostly not). The story begins with Maddie caring for her father who is ailing with Parkinson’s, and we soon learn why the nickname Maame, Twi for “woman,” carries so much weight.

What really leapt out to me here was the strong characterization. By the end of the first chapter, you KNOW clearly who Maddie is. Her voice and those of the other characters, especially her mother, are vibrant. It definitely deals with heavy topics in an intimate and careful way, and her moments of bravery felt really earned. That this is author Jessica George’s debut is exciting because she’s got a bright future in storytelling.

I recommend Maame to anyone who likes coming of age stories, novels about immigrant families, or first person emotional journeys.

Did Not Finish @12%

Nope. Nope. Nope.
Here are just some of the problems I had in the 12% I was able to finish:
1. The writing is very, very, juvenile. It feels more like a [poorly written] YA book than an adult novel.
2. The MC is completely unbelievable. There is no 25 year old [unless they have been kept in a commune or a cult for their whole lives] that doesn't know all the stuff that Maddie doesn't know. I completely understand sheltered, as I was [along with the religious aspect] very much sheltered, but she grew up in LONDON. Went to school AND Uni. The amount of googling is insane.
Example: A guy asks for her number and says that they should go out sometime and she immediately wants to google what that might actually mean [SERIOUSLY??] Mind you, in the previous chapter, she is all about moving out so she can have a man over? Contradiction much?
3. Her friends are gross. Her boss is extremely gross. WHO wants to go to lunch to listen to a friend berate them over the fact that they are not having sex and then listen to them go on and on about their OWN sex life? Much less hear them say "You are wasting your 20's, where its all about getting as much as d*ck as possible"? EW. No thank you.
4. She lies. All the time.
5. It was all about the shock value and it was gratuitous and crude. What I hoped was going to a really great read, was not. I am very disappointed.

I was asked to read/review this by St. Martin's Press and I thank them for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I almost gave up on this one at 10%, and again at 55% but I kept listening and I’m glad I did. While it takes a while to warm up to Maddie, she definitely grows on you. She’s smart but naïve and inexperienced in a lot of things due to having to take care of her father but the true joy is going along the journey with her to becoming the person she’s meant to be. I really enjoyed my time with her and found her to be caring and warm, trying to please everyone all the time and eventually learning that it’s not possible. Her google searches had me laughing the whole time. Recommended for those who are willing to put in the work to get the treasure.

This is a coming of age story, which sounds funny since Maddie is about 25, but that was her experience. Since her mother was in Ghana, full responsibility of caring for her father who suffered from Parkinson’s disease, fell on her shoulders. When her mother returned, Maddie was able to explore what being on her own meant. Then tragedy strikes.

The book explores race and diversity but also grief. Maddie had the ability to be extremely awkward which just made me laugh. We can all relate to that! She googled everything and any question she had. She spent more time on Google than with people. For example, she Googled what to expect on dates, how to deal with grief and more. While that started as a hilarious side note, it quickly made me feel sad. This woman had no one in her life to ask these things.

While interesting at times, this was a little slow for my taste. Maddie carries a heavy load of Ghanaian expectations, her mother’s expectations, a nickname (Maame) that made her grow up too fast and so much more. I felt the weight of her afflictions. While I cheered her on with accomplishments, I overall felt the heaviness of her burden and did not enjoy feeling the weight. It’s a story about family, love, relationships and life. But also finding who you are. The writing was really done well and I believe many will love it!

AUDIO REVIEW: It was done well! Heather Agyepong portrayed emotions beautifully. She helped me get into Maddie’s head to fully understand the story.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the digital copy and to Libro.FM for the audio!

The book releases January 31, 2023.

a wonderful debut novel with believable dialogue, loveable and relatable MC Maddie, and tender moments regarding grief, depression, shame, love, friendship, guilt, and dating. seriously, you need this on your bookshelf NOW. Maddie was a phenomenal main character that I saw parts of myself in, and saw traits that I envy in her. when I think of what made this book great, it really comes down to Maddie. I’ve never loved a book character more, tbh. she was unique, down-to-earth and super funny and googled things that I also would probably google LOL.

I became so invested in her story, and was captivated from the very beginning. Maddie’s Ghanaian culture was beautifully woven into this, and it was interesting to see her whole family dynamic, and also how it changed throughout the book. I was tearing up through a whole chapter, but also giggling to myself and saving so many quotes for later, in other parts of the book.

heartbreaking, engaging, and insightful, this book is magnificent!! I definitely recommend to any and everyone, I know this will be a favorite of the year for me :)

Maddie is not happy or fulfilled with her life. She is the main caretaker for her father, who is in advanced Parkinson's. She makes an effort to change her life by stepping out of her comfort zone. Can she find love and fulfillment in her life by making changes she hopes will lead her into fulfillment?

I really enjoyed the second half of this book, but the first half was slow going. 3⭐

Maddie is a Ghanian-British young woman trying to navigate caring for her ill father, her unenjoyable job, and the increasing pressure she feels to move out and find her own way. She has complicated relationships with her mother, brother, coworkers, and friends, which sometimes makes it difficult for her to complete her "coming of age bucket list."

This was more of a coming-of-age, new adult story than I expected, with some romance built in at times. Maddie's best friends are amazing and were really the stars of the show at times. A lot of things come together for her at the end and I didn't predict all of them. I gave an extra 1/2 star for the ending, which I really enjoyed.

I will say that this book felt more focused on character development than plot development, which was a struggle for me at times. The first half was very slow and it didn't speed up until maybe the last 20-30% of the book.

⚠️ illness, death, sex scenes that don't seem completely consensual

HAPPY PUBLICATION WEEK TO MAAME BY JESSICA GEORGE!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and the author for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for my honest feedback.

Where to start? This book is a must-read. Full stop. I will continue talking about it of course but I really could just end it there. The debut novel by Jessica George is a breath of fresh air in the contemporary fiction genre.

Maddie is not exactly where she thought she’d be in life at age 25. While most of her friends are out chasing their dreams, making new connections, and figuring out who they are, she still lives at home so that she can be the caretaker for her father with advanced Parkinson’s disease. Her mother spends most of her time working at her family’s hostel in Ghana, and her older brother is local but refuses to contribute any help towards the care of their father. She feels isolated, overwhelmed, and burned out.

Ever since she can remember, her mother has called her “Maame” meaning woman in Twi. When she was little she loved the nickname, but looking back on her life, she has realized the burden that came with it. Her family expects her to be the responsible one, the one who makes sacrifices for her family, the one who bears the weight of all their family stress and struggles.

Her mother finally moves back home for good and takes over the care of her husband, so Maddie takes the opportunity to move out and figure out what she wants and who she is. All at once she is trying to navigate her career aspirations, dating, sex, and relationships, being on her own, meeting new friends, taking risks, and so much more. Maddie is such a lovable and relatable protagonist and you can’t help but root for her to succeed. The author beautifully develops her character as she steps out into the adult world as a strong Black woman for the first time and fights for the life that she wants and deserves.

When tragedy strikes, Maddie hits rock bottom and must confront her all-consuming grief and guilt. It’s only at this point that she learns to open up, be vulnerable with friends and family, and finally ask for help.

I loved this moment between Maddie and her therapist:
“How do you feel about the name Maame now?”

“Before, I said I hated it, but I don’t think I do. I like the name. It can feel heavy and it won’t be what I call my children if I choose to have any, but it’s really a term of endearment. Well, it’s meant to be, so maybe what I didn’t like was how my family turned it into an excuse. The name Maame put a lot of pressure on me, but it also made my dad feel safe when he must have felt trapped and uncertain. It made my mum’s life a little easier and, ultimately, it taught my brother a lesson. It made me someone I needed to be so I could find out who I want to be. I suppose I owe Maame a great deal.”

This book is absolutely captivating and at times both triumphant and heartbreaking. I was laughing out loud on one page and crying my eyes out on the next. It forces the reader to evaluate their own life and the names they have given themself or given by others. Are these names our entire identity? Do we have a chance to change the way we view ourselves and the direction of our future?

Maame is a 5-star, all-consuming, late coming-of-age story that will stay with you long after you finish reading it. Thanks again NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author for this incredible read!

This beautiful story about love, loss and family is a must read. Maame, or Maddie is a woman of immigrant parents trying to navigate taking care of her father and his declining health while balancing a career, social life and trying to work on herself. As someone that lost their father recently this was such a moving and beautiful story about a father daughter relationship that I was able to relate to on many levels (and yes through many tears) but made me feel so connected to Maddie and her pain and grief.
I highly recommend this as a read and can't wait to share with family and friends who are looking for a great new book this year!

I will give all the stars to Maame. I absolutely loved it. It is the story of Maddie, a single woman living in London, trying to find her place in this world - at work, in love, with friendships and with her family. Maddie is such real, honest character filled with self doubt, fear, guilt and grief but also so much resilience, compassion, forgiveness, love and pure humor. I guffawed so many times while reading this book. The humor is dry and sharp. I held my breath as Maddie dealt with racism, misogyny and guilt from her own mother. And I wanted to reach into the pages and hug her as I watched her grow into a strong, self-sufficient and confident woman. I alternated between the audio and the physical book because the British accent of the narrator was amazing but there are texts and google searches and chats mixed in that I also wanted to see. You can’t go wrong with either format.

This was such a beautiful coming of age story! I loved watching Maddie grow through all of her pains, even if she is in her mid twenties. It is a lot of responsibility to take care of a dying father while her mom and brother are away. I loved her Google searches, even though they were heartbreaking, because so many of those searches could/should be questions that we ask true friends. I am glad that she was able to move out of her family's home and start living her life. I would definitely recommend this book to friends.

I don't usually gravitate towards character driven story, but something about Maddie drew me in. She is so clueless in the word, but it's not her fault. I solely blame her mom if you can even call her that! I found myself laughing out loud at some of the topics Maddie googled.

This was a cute coming of age story that touched on everything from love, grief and friendship. I was happy with the ending, but I thought the story was a little lengthy.

MAAME by Jessica George has a beautiful cover, but a troubled protagonist. Twenty-five year-old Maddie Wright is isolated and has to care for her father who has Parkinson's because her older brother is only tangentially involved and their Mother spends a year at a time in Ghana. Maddie also is taken advantage of in her work situations (unjustly fired from one) and personal relationships. Nevertheless, it is hard to build empathy for her immature, stunted character and, for me, the story dragged. It may be more relatable as a new adult coming-of-age story for current twenty-somethings especially since both Kirkus ("Funny, awkward, and sometimes painful") and Publishers Weekly ("pitch-perfect debut") gave it a starred review.

Jessica George’s debut book kept this reader engaged in an emotional story of twenty-five-year-old immigrant, Maame from Ghana, who is trying to cope with life in London. The author uses stream of consciousness for the first part of the story and moves to first person for the second part. Maame has a lot on her plate. She has a full-time job and takes care of her father who is bedridden with Parkinson’s disease. He does have a part-time care giver. Her mother spends more than half of her time in Ghana and her older brother is of no help except an occasional call. I found myself trying to have a conversation with Maame so many times. You will cry, get angry, and laugh as you read Maame’s journey to find herself.

At times, I did think the author did not go deeply enough into the characters and plot that she introduced. Overall, it was a satisfying read. I could definitely see a second book set five years later to see what happens to Maame. My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book. The opinions in this review are my own.

Growing up, my grandfather had Parkinson's and, like Maddie, I assisted with his care part-time (during my senior year). I can't even imagine the complexities of doing that daily for years, especially for the person who is supposed to be taking care of you. Often called Maame by her mother, meaning "woman" in Twi, Maddie has been made to grow up far quicker than others her age. As an introvert, she spends most of her time at home with her dad, as her mother leaves for long periods of time supposedly for their family business. Her mother often critiques her for being single at her age (I'm sure a lot of minority children are quite familiar with this tactic) but doesn't really give her the means to go out and change that by coming home. She finally comes back though, allowing Maddie the chance to start her life the "right" way! She moves out, starts investing in friendships again, and begins talking to boys. She finally gets into a field of work that could interest her and starts writing again. I love how she begins to see that it's her own time to figure out who she wants to be after years of sitting on the sidelines taking care of everyone else. Without getting too much into it, despite life knocking her down a good bit along the way, Maddie finally begins to hold her own and take what she deserves! This book was so moving and emotional in the best way. While it was a bit difficult for me personally at times to read at times, the experience was so well-described and thoughtful to what caregivers can go through, especially in the familial way. It was a coming-of-age story without her age really having anything to do with it, but with all the same inspiring changes and growth! Absolutely amazing read and would recommend to anyone.

This book is going to be everywhere - rumored to be a Book of the Month pick, a celebrity book club pick, and already so many readers are predicting this to be a favorite of the year - and deservedly so.

Not to be cliche but I laughed, I cried, I had all the feelings while reading this book. I was rooting for Maddie to find her place in the world.

Debut author, excellent writing and character development - this book is just so good. This is a unique coming of age story because Maddie is already 25 when we meet her. While her mom calls her Maame - meaning mother or woman, Maddie is still very young and inexperienced for her age. The book tackles so many big issues (grief, sex, mental health) with humor and grace. Maddie’s google searches are the best. I highly recommend!

This was definitely an absorbing story and so many frustrations of family, friends and work relationships. Maddie seemed to be used by everyone and she just did what she was expected to do. But there is a limit and her grief once her father passed was it. Honestly there should be an industry of funeral planners like wedding planners because trying to plan a memorial and all the arrangements when you are in a fog of grief and shock is just bizarre.
I loved her friends but the other people that were around her didn't deserve her. That dude she was dating, at the company event gave me a flashback cause I was her to a guy once and it is the worst feeling, iykyk.
Also, the amount of Google searches that she does and the range of answers sounds so accurate.
This was so cathartic at times. The grief, the therapy, finding yourself with positive messages being through it. It's hard to find the light sometimes but there's always a new day.

Wish there were more pages!

Thank you stmartinspress and netgalley for the e-ARC for the honest and voluntary review

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Jessica Goodman for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As an older adult, I just wanted to jump in the book and tell Maddie that everything would be fine, but solving life’s trials is just part of growing up. Living in London should have been exciting for Maddie as a young adult; but, having a mother who spends most of her time back in their hometown of Ghana, a brother who has his own selfish agenda, and a father with Parkinson’s, whom she loves very much. Maddie works an unfulfilling job while home health cares for her father during the day, and then she takes over for the night-not the best life for a girl in her 20s.
Maddie’s mother decides to move back to London for a year or so and Maddie sees her chance to have her own life. Now, the adventures begin: losing a job, finding a job, losing a boyfriend, finding a boyfriend, learning how to live with others, and, most of all, coming to terms with her feelings for her father and discovering what a worthwhile person she can be. Maddie is a strong female character who will inspire other young women who read her story.

This book is INCREDIBLE. The story of Maddie, a young woman living in London on her own for the first time after her mother moves back home to take care of her father (which she has been doing for years), this is somehow both starkly written and emotionally involving. We see that Maddie is flawed, but it only makes us care for her more and want a better life for her. I am truly thrilled to have gotten to read this book before it was released so I can shout it out from the rooftops when it is published. Which I just did!

The weight of the world is on the young shoulders of Maddie Wright, a twenty five year old native Londoner of Ghanaian heritage. Her mother and dad are estranged. Her mom left her family in London and returned to Ghana to run a business. James, Maddie’s brother, is too self centered to contribute his time or money to help out. Maddie needs to earn a living, look after her father who is Ill with Parkinson’s disease and try to make time for friendships and possibly romance. Maddie is known to her family and friends as Maame , a Twi word, meaning “woman” which in and of itself reveals the dilemma at the crux of this story. Is it possible for her to enjoy her youth or is she stuck being a woman with overwhelming responsibilities? Is it obligation or love that drives her actions?
In this perfectly lovely debut novel, the author brings some questions to the reader. Is a child responsible for other family members? Can love be real if it’s unspoken? What defines a real friend? Does google contain the answers to life’s questions?
The narrative has a flow of language that kept me reading into the wee hours. Jessica George ( who is a real life Londoner of Ghanaian descent) is a talented author. I look forward to reading her future books.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book in return for an honest review.