Cruel to be Kind Review

Cruel to be Kind (The Madisons #1) by Olivia M. Jacques

Cruel to Be Kind (2.75) nearly ended up on my DNF list more times than I care to admit, but I’m ultimately glad I pushed through to the end—even if getting there was a bit of a struggle. I picked this one up as a closed-door romance from Stuff Your Kindle Day last year, hoping for something emotionally engaging without the spice.

The story centers on Claire, whose marriage to her high school sweetheart begins to unravel after she discovers a mysterious letter hidden in his sock drawer. From there, the book zooms in tightly on the emotional fallout of that discovery, spending the first two-thirds of the story unfolding over the span of about two days.

That pacing was my biggest issue. While I understand why the author chose to structure the story this way, I’ve learned that slow burns—especially ones that linger heavily in internal monologue—just aren’t my favorite. The story often felt like it wasn’t moving forward, even though we learned everything about Claire. The writing itself was solid, and the premise was interesting, but the overall reading experience felt heavy and drawn out.

Claire as a character also tested my patience. Her immediate assumption that her marriage was over before the story even truly began felt like an overreaction, and many of her choices afterward came across as overly dramatic and, at times, downright cringey. I found myself wishing she would meet her husband halfway and actually communicate instead of spiraling. The lack of emotional maturity made it hard to fully root for her, and I would have loved to see more genuine character growth rather than prolonged dramatics.

One quote that stood out for its humor and relatability was:

“Same goes for whiskey and scotch, by the way. Those people are something else. Like, if I wanted my throat to burn with evil fire, I’d… not want that? Who wants that?”

Despite my frustrations, the story as a whole wasn’t bad. I think it could have benefited from fewer details and a tighter focus on progression and growth. And while much of the book was difficult for me to get through, the ending absolutely wrecked me—in the best possible way. That emotional payoff is ultimately what makes me glad I stuck it out.

I gave Cruel to Be Kind 2.75 stars. It’s a realistic, emotionally heavy story with strong writing, but one that didn’t fully work for me due to pacing and character choices. Still, if you enjoy slow, introspective romances with a powerful ending, this one might resonate more with you than it did with me.