Linda's Reviews > Amen Maxine

Amen and Hallelujah.....

Faith Gardner, you have created a stunner here with Amen Maxine. If you're looking for a complete out-of-the-ordinary head slammer of a read, look no further. This one comes with all the bells and whistles: Engaging, attention-getting, thought provoking, futuristic and womaned by a lead character like no other. Eeeeeek!

Rowena Synder lived within the hustle and bustle of New York City. Midnight bars, Uber at the ready, and friends who had her back. She loved her editor's job and was challenged at every moment.

But then she fell in love and fell pregnant. The order is debatable. Jacob was the least likely choice for her, but she went with it when motherhood was on the horizon. Not only was her mind and her body changing, but so was her address. Jacob talks her into moving back to his childhood home in California lock, stock, and barrel with a mother-in-law who thinks every day deserves a full-out party.

After Michelle is born, Rowena begins to doubt her decisions. She's miserable in Silicon Valley with Jacob working extremely long hours on projects. Add to that the fact that Rowena suffers from intense anxiety and fringes on depression. She's had concerning mental health issues in the past.

To the rescue, Jacob brings home a "digital assistant" from the beta testing stage. Rowena looks around at the tech swarming around her already lifestyle: auto vacuum system, programmed refrigerator, towel folding device, and a mattress that registers Michelle's heartbeat and body temp.
Maxine becomes her friend.....something she's in short supply of. With Jacob constantly gone, Maxine fills the void.....until a sinister message is blurted out by Maxine. Oh, Alexa on steroids.

Amen Maxine is a joy of a read. Faith Gardner injects humor and snappy dialogue in all the right places. She gets into the head and the inner workings of Rowena brilliantly. Rowena becomes human and vulnerable in our eyes while living in the age of robotics on the rise. The storyline moves at a rapid pace and you can't look away. You're compelled to keep a finger on the pulse of Rowena at all times. You can't let her slip away.

I found Amen Maxine on Amazon for Kindle. One of the most engaging reads of 2022. Ya gotta grab it. It's that good.