Full review at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books 
 Madame X isn't going to be for everyone. There are quite a number of things it has that I know will be automatic turn-offs for people. It's written in first person. It does end on a cliffhanger. It deals with abuse (trigger warning) - physically, financially, and psychologically. There's no HEA in this book as it's an ongoing series following the same heroine. And there are also themes of infidelity. 
 But, if you're still with me, it's also one of the most unique books I've read in a while. It sucked me in and broke my heart. The next book cannot come soon enough. 
 It's truly heartbreaking once you begin to realize that X's glamorous lifestyle - the clothes, the apartment, the powerful people she deals with - all come at a hefty price. 
 It's a hard book to read because there's very little romance. I struggle to even call this first book a romance in the first place. But something about it really resonated with me. It reminded me a lot of my previous abusive relationship, warring with staying because it was familiar or leaving because it was better, yet scary. This is one of those stories that will leave you thinking about it for days afterward, regardless of whether you enjoyed it as much as I did. I also need book two to get here like now. 
 - Amanda