First, I would like to start off by thanking Net Galley and Putnam Books for the opportunity to read an ARC of Man’s Best Friend by Alana B. Lytle in exchange for my honest review. It has a publishing date of May 14, 2024 and I am excited for everyone to get the chance to read it.

The story centers around El - a 29 year old woman who has given up on her dream of becoming an actress and is still coming to terms with her dad’s abandonment . Growing up in a home where her mom was often struggling to have enough money just to get them by - El is enchanted by the finer things, always wanting them for herself . Unfortunately they have always seemed just out of reach.

Enter Bryce - a man El meets by chance encounter. She doesn’t really love him, isn’t even sure she likes him ; but he does have the ability to provide her with the life she’s always wanted . As she dives head first into a new life with him she becomes acquainted with his more sinister side - and is forced to ask herself , is it worth it ?

This book is both light and dark. I found myself rooting for El to self actualize and come into who she really is - whether it is who the reader wants her to be or not is pretty irrelevant. The book much like Nightbitch uses the metaphor of dogs to illustrate the ways we can be domesticated into complacency; and the freedom of giving in to our more primal instincts.

It’s a quick, easy read but don’t let that fool you - this story will make you think about the complexities of who you are as an individual. You may even find yourself, like El, reevaluating which ends justify which means.

I don't know if I can do this story justice right now as I've been up all night with it, unable to tear my eyes away until the brutal, beautiful ending. El ( Heloise ) was abandoned by her father at a young age. He had another life, another partner, another daughter, and when he chose them El was forever marked. Never feeling good enough. Her father's rejection taints all her future relationships. With both men and women. This is a tale of desire and jealousy. Obsession, murder, mythology, morals, and the rage of women striving to be themselves , only themselves, no matter who that self may ultimately be. I hated El's callous attitude toward her friendships. I applauded Navya. Bryce just made me want to shower constantly. His character evoked an actual creepiness across my skin. This is a book that will be impossible to define or forget.

Man’s Best Friend is a lot of things- at times light hearted and at other times, very dark, but I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. El is a 29 year old wannabe actor turned bakery employee, directionless and seeking validation through men. She struggles with feelings of worthlessness and an inability to let go of her high school insecurities and toxic friendships. The characters in this book are familiar- the unlikeable and lost protagonist, the wealthy and vapid friends, the mysterious love interest- but the writing is really good and the social commentary provides a fresh take on a tired archetype.

After a questionable meet-cute with a wealthy Englishman, El steps directly and willingly into the void of an all consuming relationship. She muses over the axiom “do you want to be right or happy,” isolating herself from healthy relationships and blazing a path of self-destruction. There are so many moments of clever writing and biting social criticism. One of my favorite gems is when El confront the righteous rage of a very wealthy ally to the working poor.

El is deeply unlikeable and that is what makes her such a fascinating read. She lives in the dangerous territory of almost good enough. She fails to create or nurture real relationships, in part, because she is afraid of rejection. I wasn’t necessarily rooting for her, but I was invested in her story, nonetheless.

I least enjoyed the dog related harbingers placed throughout the story. I get what the author is trying to say, but I didn’t enjoy the metaphors- they were too obvious and forced, taking away from a more interesting discussion on the absurdity of practicing ethical consumption under capitalism and the tenuous line between romance and abuse. The prologue reads like a completely different story so if you do not enjoy it, keep reading- it gets better.