I’ve been thinking about this book since I finished it a couple of days ago. It has me baffled! I don’t know quite what to think of it! Which makes me really like it and want to know if others feel the same way.

First off, the main character is El. And she is someone I don’t really like. I found that she seems a bit like me and the women I know but there is a laziness to her that is not relatable for a person pushing 30. I understand her in the way she wants to fit in with those that she grew up with (as a scholarship girl at an expensive NYC private school) but at some point in your adult life- you gotta move past that right?


Ok so then she meets Bryce. I am not of fan of any man with that name. It just is an entitled name. (I am sorry to anyone with this name that does not meet the description). El does not like Bryce from the start. As their relationship goes on, we see that she is building resentment towards him and finds him clingy. So what does she do? Keep the relationship going of course! Why? Well- he rich. Like mega rich. Women have done way more for way less, so for this, I give El a pass.

Throughout the book we get little stories dropped about dogs. Canine's. Not men acting like animals. The book is called Man’s best friend so it makes sense there is a dog component here. The book begins with a story from a dogs perspective and I was real worried I was about to read a book with the dog as the main character.

I don’t think the book needed the dog reference. It was a good story without the dog references BUT I do understand why it was there. It took a few days of thinking about the book to even wonder why it had dogs in it. It may have an even deeper meaning that I totally missed.

I enjoyed the ending thoroughly. I was wondering “shoot I have about 7% left of this book how IN THE WORLD will it end!?” Well I got to that ending quick and it was awesome!

Overall, I think this book will not appeal to everyone. It kind of gave me Carola Lovering vibes!

Man’s Best Friend by Alana Lytle is a very different type of book. It starts out a little slow and light but does pick up and get very dark as the story progresses. I do enjoy a dark book and this one checked that box. The characters are unlikable, toxic, and well developed. I did not like them but found myself wanting to find out more about them. There is a mystery thriller aspect to this story that won’t let you give up reading it. A satisfying book that should do well.

Thank you NetGalley, G.P. Putnam Sons/Penguin Group and Alana Lytle for the opportunity to read and review this book. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
#netgalley #putnamsons #penguingroup #alanalytle #mansbestfriend

What did I just read? I’m not entirely sure what the author was intending to accomplish here with themes and intended symbolism which I had a hard time finding it due to the lead character El being so vapid and unlikable. There were times where El could have easily broken free from that but she made easy, selfish, and dare I say, eventually diabolical choices. But there was nothing fun or juicy about this book. The villains just kinda sucked. And there was no real character to feel sympathy for, not even the deceased. One thing I did like was the description of NYC nights. The setting was definitely palpable. Otherwise I’m sorry to say this was very forgettable.

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for kindly providing this arc in exchange for my honest review.

bad title, bad plot, bad characters. was this a first draft? there was so many little details spelled out to death. the "thriller" is neither suspenseful nor captivating nor fast paced.

A book full of whiny people who complain about everything. That's it. That's the summary.

I think this is a book that isn't sure what it wants to be. A romance? A coming of age story? A mystery? I don't think it fits any of those options because it's not...enough of anything.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review.

This is the story of El, a young woman who wants to be like the other girls she’s been friends with since middle school. They have money and popularity and El struggles with both of those things. She meets Bryce at a party in the Hamptons and thinks her life could change due to his money and connections. He turns out to be not what she thought. I didn’t really connect with this book, especially the dog metaphors. The story was a little drawn out and there wasn’t any suspense or excitement in my opinion. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced reader’s copy.

I love the way this starts out. I was hooked on that first chapter and I was ready for the book to continue on like that but it doesn't and that confused me. It ultimately centers on money and I can't relate.
However, I bet someone else will love this!
4 stars for the perfect opening chapter.

Wasn’t a fan of this one. I found it both tedious and unpleasant. Perhaps it may have appeal for a reader younger than I. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

El is without passion or morals. A failure at acting and relationships. Few friends, no idea of what her future should be. Living a lie. First chapter gave me no clue as to what was following. Even dogs were leaving their madters. El falls into a relationship that she really doesn’t care about and opens a door that loses her friendships and almost puts her in danger. Ending is very open ended. OK read but not outstanding.

Thank you, NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons, for my free copy for review.

"Man's Best Friend" by Alan B. Lytle presents a captivating, slow-burning narrative centered around the main character, El, as she reflects on her past and grapples with the deep-seated desire to be chosen, accepted, and respected by her affluent friends. The roots of her feelings of inferiority trace back to her father's departure, adding a poignant layer of complexity to her character. Despite facing setbacks in her acting career and working at a bakery, a pivotal night at a party in the Hamptons, hosted by her wealthy friend Julia, becomes a catalyst for profound change in her life. Here, the author deftly navigates El's response to her circumstances, including her reluctant involvement with a man she barely likes, leading to the revelation of unsettling truths.

El's character, whom I found unlikable, is depicted with a compelling mix of disturbance and depth. Her pursuit of acceptance from her wealthy friends is juxtaposed with her oversight of the meaningful connections she has already formed. Her transformative actions towards the story's conclusion mark a significant turning point. Rather than succumbing to fear, she seizes control, confronts the truth about her fiance, and ultimately gains not just wealth, but more importantly, autonomy.

This thought-provoking narrative offers a profound exploration of personal agency portraying a character's journey from vulnerability to empowerment. It delves into the intricacies of human relationships and the profound impact of self-realization.

This fell flat for me and just wasn’t for me. I ended up DNFing at 25% I couldn’t get into the story or relate to the characters

Thank you, NetGalley. I wasn't fan of the similar book, NIGHTBITCH, so shouldn't have been surprised that this book wasn't up my alley. Just not for me.

Man's Best Friend 😈🤭🐶💅🏻💰
by Alana B. Lytle
3.5/5 ✨

Thank you to the author Alana B. Lytle, the publisher PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons, and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this e-ARC!

I was hooked on this at the beginning, but as the story went on, I felt like the plot was just sputtering. I'm someone who can easily DNF, but I felt compelled to finish this one, and I'm not mad that I did. This didn't end up feeling like a thriller, more like a reflection on the inequities between the rich and poor, which I can get with. I honestly couldn't even blame El for making the choice she did; being alive every day is exhausting. The murder sprinkled into the plot was strange? but added some *spice*, which was nice. Overall, this was a meh for me, but I'm glad I finished it. 

Thank you again to everyone for the opportunity to read and review this title!

i think this one was my bad. with comps like Nightbitch and Talented Mr. Ripley, it's not a surprise to me that i was drawn in, but this turned out to be a story that centered money and those stories often frustrate me, especially with no commentary about how poisonous the few having excessive wealth can be to both their own emotional states and obviously the huge toll it takes on society.

el is resourceless, always coming in late for her bakery job, and simply a sad mess. i found this relatable, though i also think something about the way this story was written made me feel like i was meant to feel sorry FOR her instead of putting me in a place of solidarity WITH her.

anyway - el has a chance to reconnect with old, super-wealthy "friends". the quotations being operative because there's nothing authentic about these old friendships. el is miserable, constantly comparing herself, and just generally obsessed with all the things that she doesn't have, namely fame and money via an acting career that never was.

el loses her ID at the party where she met up with her old friends, casually cutting lines of cocaine in a bathroom. it falls in the hands of a guy named bryce who coerces her into a date so that she can collect it. bryce from the start you know is gross and a manipulator and i think intuitively el would have to had she stopped focusing on status-climbing for ten seconds.

so, i don't know. ultimately less of a thriller, just a book about insufferable rich people doing drugs and drinking and partying and a girl who is very broken down by the inequity of having to work like most of the rest of us refusing to make a singular good decision when options are presented to her.

honestly, cover alone, i thought this was going to be unhinged girl lit where we get a hot woman covered in blood. absolutely my bad.

i suspect this will be a banger for those that love the work of emma cline, though it certainly wasn't for me.

Middle school girls are hell on earth.

Thank you to Netgalley ! !

El is lost and Bryce is … there
I guess .

This one unfortunately did not do it for me, between an incredibly frustrating main character & a mildly convoluted plot that took itself waaaay too seriously I cannot in good faith recommend this.

If you’re an avid thriller reader - you can skip this one. If you’re just tipping your toe into the genre give it a try! But know that you can also skip it and not feel left out.

I really did not enjoy this one. I did not like the main character at all and I was not rooting for her. I found myself bored and did not like the writing.

"Man's Best Friend" by Alana B. Lytle

TW: murder, unprotected sex, drug use

Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for permission to read this work before publication.

El is a middle-class kid, attending a wealthy high school when she meets Julia and Anna. El feels inadequate because of her family's lack of resources and considers herself to be a "less hot" version of Anna, who is also petite with short, dark hair. Her feelings of inadequacy lead El to destructive practices, then eventually to Bryce. Bryce is a passive, unremarkable man with failed relationships who wants El's approval and seems to get it because he's wealthy and she wants to feel a sense of belonging with her friends. When their unhealthy relationship (equipped with love-bombing and a rapid marriage proposal) takes off, El starts to notice that something is off with her new benefactor/lover...

I DID NOT enjoy this thriller. I think the plot should have been more refined. 75% of the book is about El's obsession with wealth and Bryce's simpering, then quickly switches to Bryce's potential as a stalker and killer. I could have rationalized this switch-up if the plot was refined and detailed enough to explain Bryce's duplicitous nature.

"A failed actress must decide how much she will give up - and what lies she will overlook - in order to live a life of luxury, in this irresistibly suspenseful and slightly surreal debut that is The Talented Mr. Ripley meets Nightbitch.

Ever since her year as a scholarship student among the ultra-wealthy at a Manhattan private school, El knows what it is like to feel rich - to feel chosen. And being not chosen is her current living nightmare: at age thirty, she has given up her dream of becoming a famous actress, she has no passions, no great love, nothing to look forward to.

Then El meets a mysterious trust-fund Cambridge grad who holds the keys to the world she has long dreamed of. Bryce may not be particularly good-looking, charming, or interesting, but he has chosen her. El allows herself to be lulled by the ease and safety that his wealth provides, becoming Bryce's little pet, and giving up her job, friends, and apartment in short order. But when a series of disturbing and slightly surreal events reveal that Bryce is not quite what he seems, but something entirely more sinister, El must face the consequences when his darkness - and her own - are unleashed."

Always question those who you give up everything for...

This was okay. I never felt too invested in any of the characters, though. I love an unlikeable character but they have to be fun or have some depth. None of these did.

I’m genuinely upset that we got no explanation (or I completely missed one) about the significance of the dog theme. I get there were dogs present during significant scenes but like…..explain, please 😂

I love a good revenge story so the ending made me happy. Kind of. Idk, El was pretty off-putting. I’m so conflicted, clearly.