Thank you so much to Jessica George, St Martin's & NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions!

I had been nervous to read this as I wasn't sure if it was something that I would enjoy as I mostly stick with romance. I am so glad I was wrong. This book was the most perfect book to start off 2023.

"You can't be sad for no reason; it's not a human's natural state. In life, you're meant to be happy or content, only experiencing moments of sadness, so if sadness is your natural state, what does that say about you?"

Maddie is 25 year old who is stuck in a job she hates (luckily she won't have to worry about that much longer), no love life and spends all her free time taking care of her father. Her brother travels for work and doesn't help out and her mother flies to Ghana every other year to work at her grandfather's hostel. As her mother is due to return, Maddie starts a new role at a publishing company and moves out of her parent's home. Maddie navigates her new normal as life constantly throws curveballs.

"You're twenty-five. You're meant to be getting as much dick as possible."

When you hear coming of age, your mind often goes to tweens and teengers but in this case it is for someone in their mid-20s. You truly do see the growth of Maddie from start to finish. She truly was one that took care of everyone except for herself and you felt that. Even her mother tells her, "When you're older, you'll wish you did more." The dynamic between Maddie and her mother felt so real. I could feel Maddie's frustration with her mother and how she would just agree with everything her mother says because it was easier that way. The journey that they go on was beautiful to read and not perfect.

"One of my problems is that I'm expecting perfection from ordinary people."

I could definitely relate to some of Jessica's story with being a caretaker for her father. I see what my mother goes through taking care of my grandmother who also has Parkinson's and it definitely has taken a toll on her. I had to check in on my grandmother while she was in respite care while my parents were on vacation and it was a lot and all I had to do was visit. I was my mom's eyes and ears and had to make sure she ate, medicine was taken care of and wash was done. It made me appreciate all that she does for her. I wanted to share this book with her but then things got a little spicy and wasn't sure if that would make it awkward.

There is such a voice that comes off the pages and felt like at times I was reading pages from a diary.

What a stunning debut Jessica!

4.75

Thank you to NetGalley and the SMP Influencers Program for sending me a copy of this novel ahead of publication in exchange for an honest and fair review.

I felt really emotionally entwined with Maame by the end of the novel, the trajectory of the main character was so damn relatable and personable. I have not experienced a family dynamic quite like Maddie's, but it still felt so real to me.

That being said, all of the characters really jumped off the page and came to life. I was impressed by their believability and how rooted they felt in the story. No one seemed out of place or like an afterthought, each character had clear purpose and added something for the reader.

One *small* negative about this book for me was that it doesn't have a plot that really drives hard or keeps you flipping the page. It's easy to set this book down and read it at a slower pace. I'm typically someone who likes to finish novels quickly, but I found myself only reading this one in small sections at a time.

To bring it back to the positive, while the plot is a bit slower, it develops well and was completely believable. There wasn't a moment where I didn't understand what was happening or feel lost by the author's writing. The way the forms of dialogue and internet searches are written require some getting used to at first, but they add a nice lightness and change of pace to the story.

Overall, I'm very impressed that this is Jessica George's first novel. The depth, emotion, and relatability of the story is something I think will appeal to a lot of female readers, no matter their age. I look forward to reading more by George in the future.

The story of Maame is an introspective look at how one’s cultural expectations, family obligations, and personal desires are often at odds.

Maddie or Maame, as she is referred to by her family, is a young woman, who has grown up in London. While she calls London home, her roots will always be planted in Ghana. There is no better example of her culture being apart of her everyday life, than her name, Maame.

The name Maame, that Maddie was given at birth, is a Ghanaian term of endearment. It is assigned to the eldest female child in a family. While it is literally translated to mean woman, for Maddie, it is her charge to take on adult responsibilities that keep her family afloat.

From the very first page, the reader witnesses Maddie struggle to juggle work, maintain a household, and care for her ailing father. The only way Maddie is able to make ends meet, is to put her life on hold. She is twenty-five and never had a relationship, moved out of her parent’s house, or truly been happy.

Sadly, it is only through her father’s death that Maddie is able to truly start living. She moves out, signs up on dating websites, and goes for the job of her dreams. After decades of putting others first, it is beautiful to watch Maddie learn what it means to create healthy boundaries, speak up for herself, and finally put her needs before others.

Jessica George’s Maame is a story that will live with me for the rest of my life. Simply stated, it is a poignant and powerful read.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Advanced Book Review! Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for sending me this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
I think this book is best summed up through a conversation between the main character, Maddie, and her flatmate Jo, when Jo asks, “Still finding out who you are?” and Maddie responds, “I Think I’m just starting to learn, actually.”
Maame is a book about family dynamics, friendship, relationships, and race. Maddie is figuring out how to balance her Ghanaian family values with her identity as a Londoner – where she has lived all of her life. I think this is essentially a coming-of-age story, except it’s about a 25-year-old. Throughout the story we see Maddie make choices, grow and develop, and reflect on her relationships with the people in her life, as well as herself and the nickname of Maame (meaning woman) that her mother has used Maddie’s whole life.
It also touches on mental health and depression – which isn’t overly surprising given that Maddie’s life certainly seems fairly depressing at the beginning of the book. What stuck with me, however, was the way that Maddie’s employer helped her through it, including not only allowing time for her to go to therapy, but finding a therapist for her from the same background in the hopes that Maddie would be more comfortable.
Overall, I really enjoyed this debut novel from Jessica George.

The book cover and description of Maame caught my attention but I struggled to plow through it. It one wasn’t for me.
Thank you to St Martin’s Press and Netgallery for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Raised in London, Maddie's parents are Ghanian. As her mother spends every other year in Ghana, Maddie is the main caretaker of her father. Parallel to these responsibilities, she has a job at which she is very efficient but highly underutilized. Her mother and brother barely contribute to the responsibilities of taking care of her father. As a result, her life is not what one would expect of a young 20ish person. Her family calls her Maaame, which really captures her role in the family, but not who Maddie really is or wants to be. Watching her deal with life is an interesting plot line and will make it hard to put this book down. Well done Ms. George!

An absolutely stunning novel! Already on my best of 2022 lists and one I will recommend to all my reader friends.
Funny, smart and touching...family duty, racism, becoming a woman, love, the trials of working and making your way through life. A fabulous read that you'll keep thinking about and want to talk about. I loved every page.

Maame is the story of Maddie (nicknamed Maame by her family in the Ghanaian tradition), a first-generation Londoner of Ghanaian descent., and her journey of self-discovery as she makes her way through her mid-twenties.

Maddie is the caregiver for her father, whose Alzheimer's means she feels like a stranger in her own home. Her mom is away in Ghana for years at a time, and her brother is useless, as older brothers sometimes are. Maddie has had to grow up before she's ready, but when she finally moves out and tries to stretch her wings, she encounters one obstacle after another.

I loved this honest, raw, and thoughtful portrait of grief, what it means to be an "adult," and life as a Black woman living in present-day London. I don't know that I've ever read such a perfect portrait of what it feels like to have a panic attack. George's depiction of depression and anxiety is spot-on, and she has created such a wonderful character in Maddie. Maame hits shelves on January 31. I highly recommend the excellent narration by Heather Agyepong on audio as well!

Thanks to Netgalley and MacMillan Audio for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’d fit this book somewhere in between YA fiction and women’s fiction. It’s more of a coming of age story of a Ghanaian woman in her mid-twenties who’s trying to navigate the unforeseen circumstances of life. The tone felt a little too YA for my tastes but I appreciated the author handling the inclusion of Parkinson’s with care. I was hoping for more from this one but it was still a good read.

4.5 stars rounded up

Twenty five year old Maddie is the primary caretaker for her father with Parkinsons while her mother spends most of her time in Ghana, and her brother is unreliable at best.

In this role, Maddie's life was mostly put on hold. So when her mother comes back to London, Maddie finally gets the opportunity to branch out and do things 25 year olds do. She attends University, has a social life, and experiences many firsts.

I loved Maddie. She was a bit naive, but it fit given her upbringing. The writing was incredible, for a book that had heavy themes, it didn't FEEL heavy with the humor sprinkled throughout. I was on this journey with Maddie, and was rooting for her the whole way.

Maame is a dive into a young 20 something’s struggle with identity, loss, depression, sense of purpose and self confidence. It is richly layered and not your average coming of age story. It is balanced as to not be too heavy and has moments of laugh out loud humor. I will be hand selling this one!

First off, the cover of this book is stunning and fun! That, combined with the book synopsis, and I knew I wanted a chance to read and review it.

Maame is a character driven, coming of age story about Maddie—a twenty something Ghanaian woman living in London. Her mother owns and runs a hostel in Ghana while Maddie is the sole caretaker of her father, who is battling advanced stage Parkinson’s. When Maddie’s mother suddenly announces she’s moving back to London, Maddie decides it’s time for her to move out and experience being your “typical” twenty-something.

This story is heartfelt, emotional, witty, and clever! It made me both laugh and cry! I am very different from Maddie, but still found ways in which I could connect with her.

I’m so glad I ended 2022 with this book and I’m excited to see all of the praise it receives throughout 2023 ❤️

Maddie Wright is a first generation born and bred Londoner. She was born to Ghanaian immigrant parents and at 25 is, like a lot of us, just trying to figure out who she is and where she fits in. Maame is a beautiful story of family and finding yourself.

Maddie is a people pleaser to the nth degree, so much so her mental health is suffering. She’s the responsible one in her family. I felt so bad for Maddie, and all I wanted was for her to standup to her absentee, selfish, judgmental, hypocritical mother, a brother who’s never around, a crappy job with an even crappier boss and she doesn’t have that great taste in men either. She’s also has no life (self-imposed, she is the responsible one after all) outside of being the primary caregiver for her beloved father, who is suffering from advanced-stage Parkinson’s disease. She holds all of her feelings in, to the point as you are reading you’re also yelling at her to tell everyone to GTH and eff off! However, you know what’s coming. Yup, she finally blows her lid.

Maddie has to come to terms with her resentment and guilt about her family and her behavior. And it’s not easy, because she has always been “maame” or woman. A term of endearment she used to love, but now hates. Will she come to love it again or will it forever be erased?

Maame is really well written, in parts it almost reads like a self help book for depressed people-pleasers. It’s almost painful to read at times, because Maddie is so naive and has no backbone. It’s the book version of “Meet the Parents” for me. I have a really hard time watching good people with even better intentions be knocked down over and over again. That’s not to say the book isn’t good. It is. There are even funny moments.

Maame focuses a lot on happiness. What does it take to make you happy, truly happy? Or in this case, what does it take to make Maddie happy, but I found myself pondering the question as well. Like really thinking about happiness.

Maame is an excellent debut novel and I’m looking forward to see what next for Jessica George. I recommend Maame if you like character driven books that highlight the growth of the main character. Bonus, I learned a little bit about Ghanaian culture.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Maame is available on January 31st. My review will be posted to www.instagram.com/racy.reads

I’ve got a soft spot for the all single ladies (*cue Beyonce*) just trying to find their place in the world. I spent the bulk of my twenties as a single gal hashing out my beliefs, my career, and investing in friendships. Life was messy, formative, and uninhibited. At times my heart was heavy, but mostly I laughed until my face hurt.

MAAME is a unique coming-of-age debut by #ownvoices author Jessica George. The story follows Maddie in her 20s as she navigates a family tragedy, romantic relationships, and what she truly wants out of life. Living in London as the primary caretaker for her father, she must navigate her Ghanaian roots and carve out her own identity.

Maddie is every young woman fighting for a seat at the table. I rooted for her as found her footing, faced racism, and learned hard truths about love. This was a completely charming read and I’m excited to see what lies ahead for Jessica George.

RATING: 4/5
PUB DATE: January 31, 2022

Many thanks to Netgalley and Saint Martin's Press for an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review. Review will be posted to www.insagram.com/kellyhook.readsbooks in advance of publication date

Young-adult life is hard for Maddie; she is confused about life, settling for google to give her answers because of the lack of care she received from her parents, especially her mother. Her mother calls her Maame as a term of endearment, but she resents the title by her mother. Maame means woman. She takes on full-time responsibility for her ailing father and makes ends meet for the family when he passes away. Many of her choices are embarrassing, and she's stumbling through life. Ultimately, Maame needed to figure out how to overcome grief and regret. Jessica George put forth a reasonable effort but the delivery and connection of the story lack depth. The constant google references were excessive, which made it difficult to get through.

First five-star read of the year! This book was heartbreaking and heartwarming, full of hope and a true story of growth. The story follows 20-something Maddie in London as she grapples with the guilt of moving out of her family home, where she is the primary caregiver to her father, and the excitement of striking out on her own for the first time.

The family dynamics really made this book for me. Maddie's mother and brother seem to bequeath their familial responsibilities to Maddie, and are quick to cast doubt and blame on her. Maddie's transformation as a character really shows as she navigates the gaslighting and guilt bestowed upon her.

We also get a glimpse into Maddie's life as she gets new roommates, starts dating, and navigates grief and love. This was such a well-written story with a unique style. Should definitely be on must-read lists for 2023.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

From page one, I liked Maddie. She had a strong voice even being an adult character who’s feeling lost, which are the ones I usually identify with. Plus it has family drama, some humor, mixed cultures, etc. I knew I’d like it.
Of course it isn’t perfect, but entertaining enough and exactly what I was looking for. Easy to follow along and I didn’t even realized how fast I was reading it. It helped that I cared about Maddie and was so worried especially as she went from one “man mistake” to the other. I was a bit surprised at how fast she just brushed it all that off though.
Her mother and brother were infuriating, but I did like that they didn’t change completely because people are complicated, especially family. Also I thought very realistic that therapy didn’t fix Maddie completely, but she kept going.
The end was satisfactory to me and I would definitely try another book by this author.

Thank you NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Book to be released January 31, 2023

St. Martin’s Press.

Format: ARC read with permission from Netgalley.

Genre: Women’s Contemporary Fiction

Starred review: 5/5 stars

Summary (from Amazon): Maame (ma-meh) has many meanings in Twi but in my case, it means woman.

It’s fair to say that Maddie’s life in London is far from rewarding. With a mother who spends most of her time in Ghana (yet still somehow manages to be overbearing), Maddie is the primary caretaker for her father, who suffers from advanced stage Parkinson’s. At work, her boss is a nightmare and Maddie is tired of always being the only Black person in every meeting.

When her mum returns from her latest trip to Ghana, Maddie leaps at the chance to get out of the family home and finally start living. A self-acknowledged late bloomer, she’s ready to experience some important “firsts”: She finds a flat share, says yes to after-work drinks, pushes for more recognition in her career, and throws herself into the bewildering world of internet dating. But it’s not long before tragedy strikes, forcing Maddie to face the true nature of her unconventional family, and the perils––and rewards––of putting her heart on the line.

Smart, funny, and deeply affecting, Jessica George’s Maame deals with the themes of our time with humor and poignancy: from familial duty and racism to female pleasure, the complexity of love, and the life-saving power of friendship. Most important, it explores what it feels like to be torn between two homes and cultures—and it celebrates finally being able to find where you belong.

Review: Madeleine Wright still lives at home because she cares for her father who suffers from Parkinson’s Disease. She keeps her personal life private as her Ghanaian mother prefers, and does not share her struggles with others, but we are privy to her inner thoughts as she navigates being a caretaker for her father, working as an executive assistant, trying to make friends and fall in love for the first time. Maddie (Maame) is one of the most engaging main characters I have met in a long time as a reader. I love her voice – she expresses the fears and anxieties of all young women who are experiencing first careers, first loves and first losses. I feel as though I felt Maddie’s pain and celebrated her victories as one of her closest confidantes. This book is charming, funny, poignant and heartwarming. Please pick it up on January 31st. You will not be disappointed.

𝐌𝐚𝐚𝐦𝐞
𝐁𝐲 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐆𝐞𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞
𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫: 𝐒𝐭. 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧’𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝟏.𝟑𝟏.𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑 𝒞𝑜𝓂𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒮𝑜𝑜𝓃!


Maame is a good-humored character-driven story about a young woman finding her own way - but with the help of Google.

At twenty-five, Maddie is living at home with her father who is sick with Parkinson’s while her mother is working in Ghana. Maddie works at a publishing house in London, but she is frustrated with being the only Black person in meetings.

Then a string of events occurs that change the trajectory of her life. After Maddie’s mother returns from Ghana, Maddie loses her job and Maddie decides to move out on her own. Soon she experiences a devastating loss. All of this forces Maddie to be propelled into adulthood.

Although there are heavy topics - terminal illness, loss, grief, family duty, and racism, the author is gentle and uses humor, and Maddie’s love of asking google’s opinion lightens the mood.
It was a fresh take on a coming-of-age. The audiobook is done very well, and I highly recommend it.

Thank you @stmartinspress for this gifted copy and @macmillan.audio for the complimentary audiobook.

Can I just reach through this book and give Maddie a real life hug?? Bless her heart.

Putting trigger warning that is spoiler-y at the very end of the review.

First thing's first - that cover is actual eye candy and I gravitated to it straight away.

Maddie has been her family's main caretaker for as long as she can remember. Her mother is away in Ghana most of the time, her father is battling Parkinson's, and her brother skirts responsibility as he spends all his money trying to become famous. Maddie is in her twenties, but has sacrificed her own life to only look after her family. After her mom comes back from Ghana, Maddie finds herself with a golden opportunity to move out and get her first apartment, go on her first date, and make LOADS of first mistakes.

I won't lie, the first half of this book is sometimes be hard to read. I just wanted to holler at Maddie and tell her to stop being a doormat while simultaneously kicking all of her other family members in gear so they can start being more helpful. It's pretty heavy handed on the sadness. The second half is where this book really shines. I rooted for Maddie so hard.

Our author Jessica George really does capture so many different important topics in this book - racism in the workplace, straddling two different cultures, grief, learning to stand up for yourself, picking yourself up after failure, and so much more. This is a solid debut novel.

*Trigger - Parent death