diff --git a/client/components/recommendations/RecommendButton.vue b/client/components/recommendations/RecommendButton.vue
index 17520fea1..4e5400c67 100644
--- a/client/components/recommendations/RecommendButton.vue
+++ b/client/components/recommendations/RecommendButton.vue
@@ -27,11 +27,17 @@
             <option value="recipient-only">recipient-only</option>
           </select>
 
+          <div v-if="form.visibility === 'recipient-only'">
+            <label class="block text-sm mb-1">Recipient (username)</label>
+            <input v-model.trim="form.recipient" class="w-full mb-3 rounded border px-2 py-1 bg-[#111827] text-gray-100 border-gray-600" placeholder="Type the recipient’s username" autocomplete="off" />
+            <p class="text-xs text-gray-400 -mt-2 mb-2">Enter the user’s <strong>username</strong>. We’ll resolve it on the server.</p>
+          </div>
+
           <label class="block text-sm mb-1">Note <span class="opacity-60">(optional)</span></label>
           <textarea v-model="form.note" rows="3" maxlength="1000" class="w-full rounded border border-gray-600 bg-transparent px-2 py-1" placeholder="Why should someone read/listen to this?"></textarea>
 
           <div class="mt-4 flex items-center gap-2">
-            <button :disabled="submitting || !form.tagId" class="rounded px-3 py-1 text-sm bg-primary text-white border border-primary hover:bg-primary/90 disabled:opacity-50 focus:outline-none focus:ring-2 focus:ring-primary/40" @click="submit">
+            <button :disabled="submitting || !form.tagId || (form.visibility === 'recipient-only' && !form.recipient)" class="rounded px-3 py-1 text-sm bg-primary text-white border border-primary hover:bg-primary/90 disabled:opacity-50 focus:outline-none focus:ring-2 focus:ring-primary/40" @click="submit">
               {{ submitting ? 'Posting…' : 'Post recommendation' }}
             </button>
             <span v-if="error" class="text-sm text-error">{{ error }}</span>
@@ -56,7 +62,7 @@ export default {
     submitting: false,
     ok: false,
     error: '',
-    form: { tagId: '', visibility: 'public', note: '' }
+    form: { tagId: '', visibility: 'public', recipient: '', note: '' }
   }),
   mounted() {
     const flag = this.$store.getters['getServerSetting']?.('recommendationsEnabled')
@@ -104,6 +110,10 @@ export default {
     },
     async submit() {
       if (!this.form.tagId) return
+      if (this.form.visibility === 'recipient-only' && !this.form.recipient) {
+        this.error = 'Recipient is required'
+        return
+      }
       this.submitting = true
       this.error = ''
       this.ok = false
@@ -112,7 +122,8 @@ export default {
           bookId: this.bookId,
           tagId: this.form.tagId,
           note: this.form.note || '',
-          visibility: this.form.visibility
+          visibility: this.form.visibility,
+          recipientUsername: this.form.visibility === 'recipient-only' ? this.form.recipient : null
         }
         const created = await this.$axios.$post('/api/recommendations', payload)
         this.$emit('recommended', created)
diff --git a/server/Database.js b/server/Database.js
index 00bdc97e5..9b1540bf2 100644
--- a/server/Database.js
+++ b/server/Database.js
@@ -162,7 +162,6 @@ class Database {
     return this.models.device
   }
 
-<<<<<<< HEAD
   get recommendationTagModel() {
     return this.models.recommendationTag
   }
@@ -170,8 +169,6 @@ class Database {
     return this.models.bookRecommendation
   }
 
-=======
->>>>>>> parent of ae4bd94b (add database changes for recommandation sent and inbox)
   /**
    * Check if db file exists
    * @returns {boolean}
@@ -355,7 +352,7 @@ class Database {
     require('./models/Setting').init(this.sequelize)
     require('./models/CustomMetadataProvider').init(this.sequelize)
     require('./models/MediaItemShare').init(this.sequelize)
-<<<<<<< HEAD
+
     require('./models/RecommendationTag').init(this.sequelize)
     require('./models/BookRecommendation').init(this.sequelize)
     // One association pass BEFORE sync
@@ -363,8 +360,6 @@ class Database {
     Object.values(models).forEach((m) => {
       if (typeof m?.associate === 'function') m.associate(models)
     })
-=======
->>>>>>> parent of ae4bd94b (add database changes for recommandation sent and inbox)
 
     return this.sequelize.sync({ force, alter: false })
   }
diff --git a/server/Server.js b/server/Server.js
index 359843283..ce3e4ce22 100644
--- a/server/Server.js
+++ b/server/Server.js
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@ const ApiCacheManager = require('./managers/ApiCacheManager')
 const BinaryManager = require('./managers/BinaryManager')
 const ShareManager = require('./managers/ShareManager')
 const LibraryScanner = require('./scanner/LibraryScanner')
-const buildRecommendationsRouter = require('./routers/recommendations')
 const RecommendationManager = require('./managers/RecommendationManager')
 
 //Import the main Passport and Express-Session library
@@ -325,15 +324,6 @@ class Server {
     // Static folder
     router.use(express.static(Path.join(global.appRoot, 'static')))
 
-    router.use(
-      '/api/recommendations',
-      this.auth.ifAuthNeeded(this.authMiddleware.bind(this)),
-      buildRecommendationsRouter({
-        manager: RecommendationManager,
-        featureFlag: () => String(process.env.RECOMMENDATIONS_ENABLED) === 'true'
-      })
-    )
-
     // RSS Feed temp route
     router.get('/feed/:slug', (req, res) => {
       Logger.info(`[Server] Requesting rss feed ${req.params.slug}`)
diff --git a/server/controllers/recommendationsController.js b/server/controllers/recommendationsController.js
index 31e153826..456f41808 100644
--- a/server/controllers/recommendationsController.js
+++ b/server/controllers/recommendationsController.js
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ module.exports = (injectedManager) => {
       const userId = req.user?.id
       if (!userId) return res.status(401).send('Unauthorized')
 
-      const { bookId, tagId, tagSlug, recipientUserId, note, visibility } = req.body || {}
+      const { bookId, tagId, tagSlug, recipientUserId, recipientUsername, note, visibility } = req.body || {}
       if (!bookId) return res.status(400).json({ message: 'bookId is required' })
       if (!tagId && !tagSlug) return res.status(400).json({ message: 'tagId or tagSlug is required' })
 
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ module.exports = (injectedManager) => {
         tagId,
         tagSlug,
         recipientUserId,
+        recipientUsername,
         note,
         visibility
       })
diff --git a/server/managers/RecommendationManager.js b/server/managers/RecommendationManager.js
index 0be609c91..9ef501eae 100644
--- a/server/managers/RecommendationManager.js
+++ b/server/managers/RecommendationManager.js
@@ -86,19 +86,30 @@ const RecommendationManager = {
     return null
   },
 
-  async resolveRecipient(recipientUserId) {
-    if (!recipientUserId) return null
-    const user = await Database.userModel.findByPk(recipientUserId)
-    return user || null
+  async resolveRecipient({ recipientUserId, recipientUsername }) {
+    const User = Database.userModel
+    if (recipientUserId) {
+      const u = await User.findByPk(recipientUserId)
+      return u || null
+    }
+    if (recipientUsername) {
+      const u = await User.findOne({ where: { username: String(recipientUsername) } })
+      return u || null
+    }
+    return null
   },
 
-  async createRecommendation({ userId, bookId, tagId, tagSlug, recipientUserId, note, visibility }) {
+  async createRecommendation({ userId, bookId, tagId, tagSlug, recipientUserId, recipientUsername, note, visibility }) {
     const tag = await this.resolveTag({ tagId, tagSlug })
     if (!tag) return { error: { status: 400, message: 'Invalid tag' } }
 
-    const recip = await this.resolveRecipient(recipientUserId)
-    if (recipientUserId && !recip) return { error: { status: 400, message: 'Recipient not found' } }
-
+    if (visibility === 'recipient-only' && !recipientUserId && !recipientUsername) {
+      return { error: { status: 400, message: 'Recipient is required for recipient-only visibility' } }
+    }
+    const recip = await this.resolveRecipient({ recipientUserId, recipientUsername })
+    if (visibility === 'recipient-only' && !recip) {
+      return { error: { status: 400, message: 'Recipient not found' } }
+    }
     const created = await Database.bookRecommendationModel.create({
       bookId: String(bookId),
       tagId: tag.id,
diff --git a/server/routers/ApiRouter.js b/server/routers/ApiRouter.js
index 6446ecc80..085b4f6e7 100644
--- a/server/routers/ApiRouter.js
+++ b/server/routers/ApiRouter.js
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ const MiscController = require('../controllers/MiscController')
 const ShareController = require('../controllers/ShareController')
 const StatsController = require('../controllers/StatsController')
 const ApiKeyController = require('../controllers/ApiKeyController')
+const RecommendationManager = require('../managers/RecommendationManager')
+const buildRecommendationsController = require('../controllers/recommendationsController')
 
 class ApiRouter {
   constructor(Server) {
@@ -96,6 +98,31 @@ class ApiRouter {
     this.router.get('/libraries/:id/podcast-titles', LibraryController.middleware.bind(this), LibraryController.getPodcastTitles.bind(this))
     this.router.get('/libraries/:id/download', LibraryController.middleware.bind(this), LibraryController.downloadMultiple.bind(this))
 
+    //
+    // Recommendations Routes (feature-flagged)
+    //
+    const RecommendationsController = buildRecommendationsController(RecommendationManager)
+    const recommendationsEnabled = () => String(process.env.RECOMMENDATIONS_ENABLED) === 'true'
+    const recommendationsGate = (req, res, next) => {
+      if (!recommendationsEnabled()) return res.status(501).json({ message: 'Recommendations disabled' })
+      next()
+    }
+    const requireAuth = (req, res, next) => {
+      if (req.user && req.user.id) return next()
+      return res.status(401).send('Unauthorized')
+    }
+
+    // Apply the feature gate to all /recommendations paths
+    this.router.use('/recommendations', recommendationsGate)
+
+    // Endpoints
+    this.router.get('/recommendations/tags', RecommendationsController.listTags)
+    this.router.post('/recommendations', requireAuth, RecommendationsController.create)
+    this.router.get('/recommendations/book/:bookId', RecommendationsController.byBook)
+    this.router.get('/recommendations/inbox', requireAuth, RecommendationsController.inbox)
+    this.router.get('/recommendations/sent', requireAuth, RecommendationsController.sent)
+    this.router.put('/recommendations/:id', requireAuth, RecommendationsController.update)
+    this.router.delete('/recommendations/:id', requireAuth, RecommendationsController.destroy)
     //
     // Item Routes
     //
diff --git a/server/routers/recommendations.js b/server/routers/recommendations.js
deleted file mode 100644
index b192fc30a..000000000
--- a/server/routers/recommendations.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,31 +0,0 @@
-'use strict'
-
-const express = require('express')
-
-const requireAuth = (req, res, next) => {
-  if (req.user && req.user.id) return next()
-  return res.status(401).send('Unauthorized')
-}
-
-module.exports = ({ manager, featureFlag } = {}) => {
-  const router = express.Router()
-
-  const isEnabled = typeof featureFlag === 'function' ? featureFlag : () => String(process.env.RECOMMENDATIONS_ENABLED) === 'true'
-
-  router.use((req, res, next) => {
-    if (!isEnabled()) return res.status(501).json({ message: 'Recommendations disabled' })
-    next()
-  })
-
-  const Controller = require('../controllers/recommendationsController')(manager)
-
-  router.get('/tags', Controller.listTags)
-  router.post('/', requireAuth, Controller.create)
-  router.get('/book/:bookId', Controller.byBook)
-  router.get('/inbox', requireAuth, Controller.inbox)
-  router.get('/sent', requireAuth, Controller.sent)
-  router.put('/:id', requireAuth, Controller.update)
-  router.delete('/:id', requireAuth, Controller.destroy)
-
-  return router
-}