Living With B

Ten years after the kidnapping of her daughter destroyed her career and reputation, former actress Lila Devlin resurfaces in LA to launch a new skincare brand inspired by her loss. But when a confrontation with a sleazy blogger turns deadly, Lila’s quest for reinvention takes a dark turn. Alongside her loyal publicist, she begins using her victims as the secret ingredient for her brand’s success all while uncovering the truth behind her daughter’s disappearance.

Cruelty Free blends revenge, satire, and grief into a sharp, twisted commentary on fame, beauty, and the price of survival.

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My Thoughts

Where to even begin, amiright? I’m a sucker for thrillers and suspense, and this one definitely didn’t let me down. Sometimes with ARCs, the marketing is all smoke and mirrors — killer cover, juicy description, and then the story just falls flat. But Cruelty Free? Nah, this one actually delivered.

Lila is our main character, and oh my God, this woman has been through it. Like, lifetime of trauma levels of “through it.” She gets scouted for a short film, and boom! Overnight fame. Suddenly she’s known for her red hair, her beauty, her talent. She meets Aidan, they fall in love, get married, and have a baby girl, Josie. It should’ve been the dream life… but nope.

After Josie’s birth, Lila falls into a deep postpartum depression. She eventually crawls her way out of it with the help of their nanny, Lydia. But just when things start to look okay, she goes out one night to party with some so-called “friends,” and when she comes home… Josie’s gone. Kidnapped. Like, actually every parent’s worst nightmare.

And here’s where it gets dark — really dark. Ten years go by, and Lila still hasn’t moved on. Which, to be fair, I totally understand. Losing a child like that? I can’t even begin to imagine the pain. But at the same time… it’s been a decade. She has resources, money, and access to therapy that could’ve helped her cope, but instead, she channels that grief into something way, way worse.

Because our girl Lila starts killing people. And not like “she slayed” — I mean full-on murder. She goes after anyone who wronged her or fed into the media circus around her daughter’s disappearance. First, a drama blogger. Then the lead investigator (who, honestly, handled it like a champ). Then the alleged kidnapper. And finally, Peter, my sweet, innocent Peter. I’ll never forgive her for that one.

In the beginning, Lila’s easy to sympathize with. You feel for her. She’s grieving, misunderstood, and trying to pick up the pieces of a life that shattered in front of everyone. But as she starts justifying murder as some kind of twisted therapy, it gets uncomfortable. Like, girl, no amount of trauma excuses slicing someone’s throat and then saying, “I’m not a murderer.” Be so for real right now.

Aidan Reynolds, her ex, is actually pretty likeable. He’s managed to move forward (not necessarily move on) from the tragedy. He’s remarried, started a new family, and found some kind of peace. You can tell he still loves Lila in a complicated, unhealed way and that makes his side of the story both sad and sweet.

Maya, on the other hand, is your typical twenty-something who’s lost post-grad and just trying to figure out what the hell she wants to do with her life. Lila, of course, zeroes in on her and convinces herself that part of Josie’s soul is inside Maya. Because sure, that’s normal. Maya’s likeable, if occasionally annoying, but she’s young, trying, and honestly didn’t deserve to be dragged into this mess.

And then there’s Peter. Maya’s sweet, golden retriever boyfriend. He’s just this soft, awkward guy, and honestly, he deserved better. Protect Peter at all costs… or at least I wish someone had.

Some things were a bit predictable. Like Lila and Aidan’s lingering tension, or who her next target might be. But the ending? I didn’t see that coming at all. The last few chapters play out like a fever dream, chaotic, emotional, and surreal, and for a minute, I thought maybe it was all in her head. But nope. That’s just Lila’s life now. A total nightmare of her own making, all because she believes it’s what Josie would’ve wanted.

Do I Recommend ‘Cruelty Free‘?

Absolutely. The concept is unique, the writing is strong, and the pacing kept me glued to the pages. It’s dark, twisted, and a little disturbing but in the best way possible. By the end, I was left wanting more, and honestly, that says a lot.

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