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Her One Regret
From the author of the book club favorite The Nine Lives of Rose Napolitano comes a riveting feminist thriller that tackles an unspeakable regretting motherhood.
When successful Rhode Island real estate agent Lucy Mendoza vanishes, leaving her baby behind in a grocery store parking lot, the news quickly makes national headlines. Lucy’s best friend, Michelle, is devastated, and terrified that Lucy’s life is at stake. But she knows something that could complicate the police investigation. Lucy had confessed something She regretted becoming a mother, so much that she’d fantasized about faking her own kidnapping. If the police and media were to find out, Lucy would become a monster in public opinion. Michelle is sure Lucy would never abandon her daughter. But could she be wrong? Could Lucy have been so desperate she chose to escape her life?
Donna Freitas has drawn from groundbreaking research to bring readers this unforgettable novel. Her One Regret is at once a pulse-pounding feminist thriller, a moving depiction of the realities of motherhood, and a rich exploration of a subject our culture and society have rendered nearly the possibility that for some women, motherhood is an unfixable mistake.
When successful Rhode Island real estate agent Lucy Mendoza vanishes, leaving her baby behind in a grocery store parking lot, the news quickly makes national headlines. Lucy’s best friend, Michelle, is devastated, and terrified that Lucy’s life is at stake. But she knows something that could complicate the police investigation. Lucy had confessed something She regretted becoming a mother, so much that she’d fantasized about faking her own kidnapping. If the police and media were to find out, Lucy would become a monster in public opinion. Michelle is sure Lucy would never abandon her daughter. But could she be wrong? Could Lucy have been so desperate she chose to escape her life?
Donna Freitas has drawn from groundbreaking research to bring readers this unforgettable novel. Her One Regret is at once a pulse-pounding feminist thriller, a moving depiction of the realities of motherhood, and a rich exploration of a subject our culture and society have rendered nearly the possibility that for some women, motherhood is an unfixable mistake.
359 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 4, 2025
680 people are currently reading
32425 people want to read
About the author
Donna Freitas
34 books640 followersDonna Freitas is the author of The Nine Lives of Rose Napolitano, Consent: A Memoir of Unwanted Attention, and many other novels and nonfiction books for adults, children, and young adults. Her latest YA novel is a rom-com that takes place in her favorite city, Barcelona: Stefi and the Spanish Prince. She has been featured on NPR and The Today Show, and her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The LA Times, among many other places. Donna currently serves on the faculty at Fairleigh Dickinson University’s MFA program. She also lives half the year in Barcelona where she loves partaking of its many bakeries and delicious restaurants galore. Learn more about Donna at www.donnafreitas.com and on Substack: https://donnafreitas.substack.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,257 reviews
June 19, 2025
I can’t help but wonder where Donna Freitas has been. I needed this. So many women need to read this. It addressed so many societal pressures, norms that shouldn’t be norms, the way women are and aren’t supposed to feel and what it says about us when we do. God forbid a woman not want to be a mother. Heaven forbid a woman realize she’s not built for motherhood because that switch that’s “supposed” to go off when she sees her baby for the first time never flips on.
Women love to vilify women but more than that MOTHER’S love to vilify other mothers. It makes them feel good. It makes them feel superior. It makes them feel better about themselves. As if that’s not horrifying enough. what’s left is women who need help and don’t get it, who want a way out and can’t find one, and who in some cases truly just aren’t built for it. We might have a lot more children alive if mothers were allowed to say “Look, this isn’t for me,” instead of making them out to be monsters.
In the authors note Donna says that she didn’t think this book would ever come to fruition because no one wants to read about HER. The woman who doesn’t want to be a mother. A man can not want kids but a woman? It’s supposed to be our one true goal in life.
Disclaimer: Because people suck I feel I need to say that I am a mother and it’s the biggest thing I ever wanted. But while I have never regretted being a mother, I can tell you that it is hard. Every day is hard. To me there are no easy days. Sometimes there’s a few months that are just HARD and you just have to keep pushing even when you have nothing left. You are constantly putting someone before yourself or in my case three someone’s. People always say there is help out there but in my opinion there isn’t enough help. I can’t tell you how many times I asked for help and no one listened.
For that reason I will never judge a woman who says it isn’t for her. That she doesn’t have it in her.
January 4, 2026
“No one regrets their child,” a woman tries.
“But don’t they?” Naomi says. “Are you so sure?”
The problem with this book is that it combines two genres— one a contemporary character drama about motherhood and maternal regret, the other a missing person thriller —and only delivers on one of them.
I think Freitas did a great job of portraying the struggles of new mothers and clearly differentiating between merely having a tough time and genuinely regretting being a mother. Michelle’s commentary spells it out clearly for us— she assumed other women had beautiful magical experiences as mothers because she did. Even though it’s not easy and her relationship has also suffered, she loves being a mother. The author wants to be clear: there’s a difference between struggling and genuinely disliking being a mother.
Lots of mothers are failed by their spouses, healthcare providers and society, which makes their lives very difficult, but they don't regret having their children. But some women were coerced into motherhood, gaslighted into believing they would change their mind, told “you’ll feel differently when you hold your baby in your arms.”
Freitas wrote the book because she herself grew sick of being told she needs to have kids before her time runs out. Even in a time when more and more women are opening up about the physical and mental load of motherhood, maternal regret remains a taboo. No mother can say she regrets having her child without society considering her an awful person, but fathers run off all the time with nothing more than an eye roll and a tut-tut.
The discussions about how difficult it is to be a mother are powerful. Her One Regret uses several characters to depict a variety of themes— the breakdown of equality between two formerly equal partners, women grieving who they were and the life they had, dispelling the myth that deep down every woman wants to nurture a child. This part of the book worked well for me, like Holly Bourne's So Thrilled For You.
Then we get to the utterly bizarre mystery/thriller. The story opens with Lucy going missing from a grocery store parking lot (no cameras?) while her baby is left behind alone. What happened to her? Could she have been kidnapped? Or... is it possible she chose to run away from being a mother?
The thriller aspect is very weak and McFadden-level ludicrous. All of it. From the entire explanation behind it to who's responsible to how it resolves. I would have much preferred just a regular character-driven contemporary, and I think the decision to shape it into a mystery was a strange one that made the overall message less effective.
November 10, 2025
3 Stars
I thought the commentary on motherhood and regret was well done and it was the main reason I picked this book as my Book of the Month. So I was satisfied on that end. And I do think the author is a talented writer in many ways; however, I thought the ending sucked and that her male characters were very flat. And if you picked this up for the “thriller” aspect, expect zero thrills. In fact, I think it was misplaced to put this in the thriller aisle.
I thought the commentary on motherhood and regret was well done and it was the main reason I picked this book as my Book of the Month. So I was satisfied on that end. And I do think the author is a talented writer in many ways; however, I thought the ending sucked and that her male characters were very flat. And if you picked this up for the “thriller” aspect, expect zero thrills. In fact, I think it was misplaced to put this in the thriller aisle.
November 7, 2025
My review while keeping it as civil as possible haha
At its core, Her One Regret tries to explore the rarely discussed topic of women who regret motherhood, which is undeniably a bold and important theme. Unfortunately, the execution didn’t live up to its premise. The story was marketed as a thriller or suspense novel, but almost nothing actually happened until the last fifty pages. The pacing dragged, and by the time the plot finally moved, I was already disconnected from the characters.
Every woman in this book seemed miserable, resentful, or emotionally detached, with no redeeming characters to bring any sense of balance or empathy. The portrayal of men felt equally flat, relying on tired clichés of absent, work-obsessed, or unsupportive husbands. Instead of offering complexity, the story leaned into negativity from all sides, which made it difficult to feel invested.
The ending, where one woman divorces her husband and becomes an almost absentee mother herself, left me more frustrated than reflective. While Freitas raises thought-provoking questions about societal expectations—how motherhood is often tied to self-sacrifice while fathers can disengage without consequence—the narrative never allowed space for nuance.
Ultimately, while the concept could have opened up meaningful conversation about identity, regret, and the pressures of motherhood, the story felt emotionally cold and thematically repetitive. For a book billed as a “feminist thriller,” it lacked both the suspense and the heart to make its message resonate.
*Initial review/feelings: I hope you know that it is an honor in a twisted way to get a rare One Star review from me.
RTC- give me a minute for the smoke to stop coming out of my ears.
At its core, Her One Regret tries to explore the rarely discussed topic of women who regret motherhood, which is undeniably a bold and important theme. Unfortunately, the execution didn’t live up to its premise. The story was marketed as a thriller or suspense novel, but almost nothing actually happened until the last fifty pages. The pacing dragged, and by the time the plot finally moved, I was already disconnected from the characters.
Every woman in this book seemed miserable, resentful, or emotionally detached, with no redeeming characters to bring any sense of balance or empathy. The portrayal of men felt equally flat, relying on tired clichés of absent, work-obsessed, or unsupportive husbands. Instead of offering complexity, the story leaned into negativity from all sides, which made it difficult to feel invested.
The ending, where one woman divorces her husband and becomes an almost absentee mother herself, left me more frustrated than reflective. While Freitas raises thought-provoking questions about societal expectations—how motherhood is often tied to self-sacrifice while fathers can disengage without consequence—the narrative never allowed space for nuance.
Ultimately, while the concept could have opened up meaningful conversation about identity, regret, and the pressures of motherhood, the story felt emotionally cold and thematically repetitive. For a book billed as a “feminist thriller,” it lacked both the suspense and the heart to make its message resonate.
*Initial review/feelings: I hope you know that it is an honor in a twisted way to get a rare One Star review from me.
RTC- give me a minute for the smoke to stop coming out of my ears.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 7, 2025
EXCERPT: Michelle
'I know that baby! That's Emma!'
Michelle Carvalho races across the parking lot yelling, tailing cartons of yoghurt. They spill out of her bag and splat open on the steaming asphalt, white ooze on black tar. A protective crowd has formed around the little crying darling, all of them women. Sirens wail in the distance; someone must have dialed 911.
Which is, of course, what one does when a baby is found in a parking lot.
ABOUT 'HER ONE REGRET': When successful Rhode Island real estate agent Lucy Mendoza vanishes, leaving her baby behind in a grocery store parking lot, the news quickly makes national headlines. Lucy’s best friend, Michelle, is devastated, and terrified that Lucy’s life is at stake. But she knows something that could complicate the police investigation. Lucy had confessed something unspeakable: She regretted becoming a mother so much that she’d fantasized about faking her own kidnapping. If the police and media were to find out, Lucy would become a monster in public opinion. Michelle is sure Lucy would never abandon her daughter. But could she be wrong? Could Lucy have been so desperate she chose to escape her life?
Bestselling author Donna Freitas has drawn from ground-breaking research to bring readers this unforgettable novel. Her One Regret is at once a pulse-pounding feminist thriller, a moving depiction of the realities of motherhood, and a rich exploration of a subject our culture and society have rendered nearly verboten—the possibility that for some women, motherhood is an unfixable mistake.
MY THOUGHTS: Riveting! Anyone who is a mother is going to relate to this book.
Freitas writes in a refreshingly honest way about women's lack of preparedness, emotionally and physically, for becoming a mother; the strain put on mothers to live up to everyone's expectations of them; the unrelenting 24/7 nature of the job of being a mother; the aloneness; the lack of understanding from others, even other mothers; the sleep deprivation; the desperation . . .
I have been there. I was a reluctant mother with an older husband who wanted children before he became too old . . . I was too young. I wish I had traveled and done other things before having my children. Don't get me wrong. I love my two sons with my whole being. I would do anything for them. I just wish I'd had time to get to know me as a person in my own right before I had to adjust to being me as a mother.
Which is the whole point, or one of them anyway, of Her One Regret. I read, often with tears in my eyes as well as in my heart, remembering the feelings Freitas has described with so much poignancy and empathy. Motherhood is a tough job, and Freitas makes no bones about that. Sometimes it seems mothers just can't catch a break, and it must be so much worse now with social media and all the conflicting opinions on what mothers should and should not be doing. I only had the opinions and advice of my mother, mother-in-law, neighbors, friends and plunket nurse to contend with. And that was more than enough!
Her One Regret is everything it promises in the blurb and more. In the final few chapters my heart was racing and I was glued to the pages (and earbuds) as the thriller thread came to a head. But most of all, I felt heard. I wish Her One Regret had been around when I was a young mum. I may have gone into motherhood with more realistic expectations. Thank you, Donna Freitas, for taking a powerfully honest look at motherhood.
A highly recommended read.
I combined reading with listening to Her One Regret written by Donna Freitas and narrated by Victoria Villarreal. I loved both formats.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
#HerOneRegret #NetGalley
MEET THE AUTHOR: DONNA FREITAS - I am a Brooklyn-based author of fiction and nonfiction, as well as memoir and novels for young adults and middle grade readers.
I didn’t start writing (for real) until I was 29. I never imagined I’d end up writing books—not really! I knew I’d write my dissertation and some scholarly articles, but my first book happened by accident, because of a talk I gave at a conference, where an editor happened to be in the room.
But I especially never dreamed I’d write novels one day. My first novel, The Possibilities of Sainthood (FSG, 2008), I started writing a few months after my mother died. I was so sad, and she was such a funny person—always full of wild stories and always making us laugh. I started imagining her as a young girl and could hear her voice so vividly that I started writing this story mainly to cheer myself up and make myself laugh a bit. Fast forward a year or so, and it was in the hands of my agent, and she was selling it to my dream editor, the late Frances Foster at FSG, with whom I had the wonderful fortune of writing and publishing my first three novels. Frances was the person who taught me that I was a novelist at heart. That first novel is dedicated to both my mother and my grandmother, who are so alive in that story.
No matter my audience or genre (and I write for many), I need something from each story I tell. To give a protagonist the things I wish I had during a season of my life. To start conversations people desperately need to have in order to change things. And as a professor, scholar, and speaker, my goal is to help others do the same, using writing as a force of urgency, need, and change in their lives and communities.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Soho Press via NetGalley for providing an e-ARC and RB Media for the audiobook of Her One Regret written by Donna Freitas and narrated by Victoria Villarreal for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
'I know that baby! That's Emma!'
Michelle Carvalho races across the parking lot yelling, tailing cartons of yoghurt. They spill out of her bag and splat open on the steaming asphalt, white ooze on black tar. A protective crowd has formed around the little crying darling, all of them women. Sirens wail in the distance; someone must have dialed 911.
Which is, of course, what one does when a baby is found in a parking lot.
ABOUT 'HER ONE REGRET': When successful Rhode Island real estate agent Lucy Mendoza vanishes, leaving her baby behind in a grocery store parking lot, the news quickly makes national headlines. Lucy’s best friend, Michelle, is devastated, and terrified that Lucy’s life is at stake. But she knows something that could complicate the police investigation. Lucy had confessed something unspeakable: She regretted becoming a mother so much that she’d fantasized about faking her own kidnapping. If the police and media were to find out, Lucy would become a monster in public opinion. Michelle is sure Lucy would never abandon her daughter. But could she be wrong? Could Lucy have been so desperate she chose to escape her life?
Bestselling author Donna Freitas has drawn from ground-breaking research to bring readers this unforgettable novel. Her One Regret is at once a pulse-pounding feminist thriller, a moving depiction of the realities of motherhood, and a rich exploration of a subject our culture and society have rendered nearly verboten—the possibility that for some women, motherhood is an unfixable mistake.
MY THOUGHTS: Riveting! Anyone who is a mother is going to relate to this book.
Freitas writes in a refreshingly honest way about women's lack of preparedness, emotionally and physically, for becoming a mother; the strain put on mothers to live up to everyone's expectations of them; the unrelenting 24/7 nature of the job of being a mother; the aloneness; the lack of understanding from others, even other mothers; the sleep deprivation; the desperation . . .
I have been there. I was a reluctant mother with an older husband who wanted children before he became too old . . . I was too young. I wish I had traveled and done other things before having my children. Don't get me wrong. I love my two sons with my whole being. I would do anything for them. I just wish I'd had time to get to know me as a person in my own right before I had to adjust to being me as a mother.
Which is the whole point, or one of them anyway, of Her One Regret. I read, often with tears in my eyes as well as in my heart, remembering the feelings Freitas has described with so much poignancy and empathy. Motherhood is a tough job, and Freitas makes no bones about that. Sometimes it seems mothers just can't catch a break, and it must be so much worse now with social media and all the conflicting opinions on what mothers should and should not be doing. I only had the opinions and advice of my mother, mother-in-law, neighbors, friends and plunket nurse to contend with. And that was more than enough!
Her One Regret is everything it promises in the blurb and more. In the final few chapters my heart was racing and I was glued to the pages (and earbuds) as the thriller thread came to a head. But most of all, I felt heard. I wish Her One Regret had been around when I was a young mum. I may have gone into motherhood with more realistic expectations. Thank you, Donna Freitas, for taking a powerfully honest look at motherhood.
A highly recommended read.
I combined reading with listening to Her One Regret written by Donna Freitas and narrated by Victoria Villarreal. I loved both formats.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
#HerOneRegret #NetGalley
MEET THE AUTHOR: DONNA FREITAS - I am a Brooklyn-based author of fiction and nonfiction, as well as memoir and novels for young adults and middle grade readers.
I didn’t start writing (for real) until I was 29. I never imagined I’d end up writing books—not really! I knew I’d write my dissertation and some scholarly articles, but my first book happened by accident, because of a talk I gave at a conference, where an editor happened to be in the room.
But I especially never dreamed I’d write novels one day. My first novel, The Possibilities of Sainthood (FSG, 2008), I started writing a few months after my mother died. I was so sad, and she was such a funny person—always full of wild stories and always making us laugh. I started imagining her as a young girl and could hear her voice so vividly that I started writing this story mainly to cheer myself up and make myself laugh a bit. Fast forward a year or so, and it was in the hands of my agent, and she was selling it to my dream editor, the late Frances Foster at FSG, with whom I had the wonderful fortune of writing and publishing my first three novels. Frances was the person who taught me that I was a novelist at heart. That first novel is dedicated to both my mother and my grandmother, who are so alive in that story.
No matter my audience or genre (and I write for many), I need something from each story I tell. To give a protagonist the things I wish I had during a season of my life. To start conversations people desperately need to have in order to change things. And as a professor, scholar, and speaker, my goal is to help others do the same, using writing as a force of urgency, need, and change in their lives and communities.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Soho Press via NetGalley for providing an e-ARC and RB Media for the audiobook of Her One Regret written by Donna Freitas and narrated by Victoria Villarreal for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
May 12, 2025
This book is powerful. Sharp and emotionally layered. It is more than a thriller, it’s a mirror held up to the impossible standards placed on mothers.
The tension is steady, the characters feel real and raw, and the story taps into something many women carry but rarely voice.
Also, do not skip the author’s note. It’s one of the most honest, validating pieces of writing I’ve read in a long time.
The tension is steady, the characters feel real and raw, and the story taps into something many women carry but rarely voice.
Also, do not skip the author’s note. It’s one of the most honest, validating pieces of writing I’ve read in a long time.
October 31, 2025
So many regrets, so little time.
I selected this book because I was intrigued by the book's powerful and provocative premise: A successful real estate agent vanishes, leaving her baby behind in a grocery store parking lot.
What happened to the young mother?
Unfortunately, I have regrets about my choice.
WHY?
I was not the right reader for this book.
I had ZERO interest in hearing a 30-minute rant about how one mother's breasts were painful from breastfeeding and how she no longer wanted to breastfeed. (Huh?)
I also had a problem with the excessive dialogue that bashed mothers and parenting.
I was seeking a thriller and not a book that focused on maternal regrets.
I listened to the audiobook, expertly narrated by Victoria Villarreal.
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 5, 2025
I decided to grab this one as my Book of the Month pick but was also granted the audiobook via NetGalley afterward—and I’m so glad I did both! It made for such an immersive experience, especially since this story is packed with emotion and nuance.
While I don’t think I’m the primary demographic for this book (not being a parent myself), I still found it moving and insightful. I imagine newer mothers would connect even more deeply with the themes and the raw honesty about the struggles and regrets that can come with motherhood.
The mystery element is definitely there, but it’s only part of the story—this one leans just as much into women’s fiction territory, exploring identity, guilt, and the complexity of becoming a mother and other relationships surrounding that. I especially enjoyed the tension and suspense that built in the second half when many secrets and motives came to light as the ongoing questions were answered. The main characters felt relatable and layered, each grappling with their own challenges in believable ways.
The audiobook narrator (Victoria Villarreal) deserves special mention—her performance was packed with emotion and vulnerability, adding even more insight and pressure to an already poignant story. Overall, this was a really enjoyable and thought-provoking read!
** I received the audiobook ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to the author and publisher! **
While I don’t think I’m the primary demographic for this book (not being a parent myself), I still found it moving and insightful. I imagine newer mothers would connect even more deeply with the themes and the raw honesty about the struggles and regrets that can come with motherhood.
The mystery element is definitely there, but it’s only part of the story—this one leans just as much into women’s fiction territory, exploring identity, guilt, and the complexity of becoming a mother and other relationships surrounding that. I especially enjoyed the tension and suspense that built in the second half when many secrets and motives came to light as the ongoing questions were answered. The main characters felt relatable and layered, each grappling with their own challenges in believable ways.
The audiobook narrator (Victoria Villarreal) deserves special mention—her performance was packed with emotion and vulnerability, adding even more insight and pressure to an already poignant story. Overall, this was a really enjoyable and thought-provoking read!
** I received the audiobook ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to the author and publisher! **
November 7, 2025
* thanks to SoHo Press and Recorded Books for the NetGalley audiobook and ebook review copies (pub date: November 4, 2025)
(( audiobook )) Five stars for the realistic depictions of how hard and isolating and impossible early motherhood can be. I wish there had been more books like this when I was struggling and felt like there was something very wrong with me because I was not cherishing every moment and was absolutely fucking miserable and seriously questioning how I was going to survive.***
HOWEVER - negative stars for how much this dragged on and repeated itself. The Julia plotline with the neighbor was bonkers. And I really, REALLY hated the explanation of what happened with Lucy. It got dangerously close to Freida McFadden territory. And the narration - even on 1.5 speed - had. too many. weird. extended. pauses.
*** spoiler: I did. And that kid is about to turn 17 and is an excellent human. And SSRIs and formula rule. And newborns do not.
(( audiobook )) Five stars for the realistic depictions of how hard and isolating and impossible early motherhood can be. I wish there had been more books like this when I was struggling and felt like there was something very wrong with me because I was not cherishing every moment and was absolutely fucking miserable and seriously questioning how I was going to survive.***
HOWEVER - negative stars for how much this dragged on and repeated itself. The Julia plotline with the neighbor was bonkers. And I really, REALLY hated the explanation of what happened with Lucy. It got dangerously close to Freida McFadden territory. And the narration - even on 1.5 speed - had. too many. weird. extended. pauses.
*** spoiler: I did. And that kid is about to turn 17 and is an excellent human. And SSRIs and formula rule. And newborns do not.
December 3, 2025
Title/Author: Her One Regret by Donna Freitas
Format Read: Audiobook-Thanks Libro FM
Pub date: November 4th, 2025
Publisher: SoHo Crime
Page Count: 384 page/10 hours. 43 minutes
Affiliate Link: https://bookshop.org/a/7576/978164129...
Recommended for readers who enjoy:
- Latine cast of characters
- Crime thriller, domestic drama
- Motherhood, parenting, postpartum depression, marriage
- Missing person
- Female friendships
- Crime investigation
__
Minor complaints:
- I feel like all the men in this book were portrayed as extremely negative stereotypes in contrast to the women characters--they didn't feel authentic. Maybe if one of the men (husbands/partners) were like that but not all of them
Final recommendation: Thank you Libro FM for the gifted audiobook. Like with so many thrillers and the formula domestic dramas like this take advantage of, I immediately invested in this story. A woman named Lucy disappears from a grocery store parking lot leaving behind her baby still in the stroller.
Another POV is from Michelle, Lucy's best friend who is married with two young boys. In an attempt to change the negative narrative surrounding Lucy's disappearance by online critics, Michelle becomes dedicated to finding her friend and advocating for Lucy's truth.
A third POV follows, Julia. A woman in the same town who is a new mother and really struggling with her role as a mother. She hears of the missing woman and starts to wonder if Lucy really was kidnapped or if something more sinister happened to her.
There's even a POV of a retired detective who has a vested interest in the case.
I enjoyed the different narratives and the mixed media format with the message boards, support groups, blogs, etc--the short chapters kept me glued to the story to see what would happen. While I did think some of the characters were a little cliched and predictable, I was still invested enough to feel that need for closure and find out what happened. I was not disappointed!
Comps: The Return by Rachel Harrison, Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder, The Push by Ashley Audrain, Dirty Laundry by Disha Bose
Format Read: Audiobook-Thanks Libro FM
Pub date: November 4th, 2025
Publisher: SoHo Crime
Page Count: 384 page/10 hours. 43 minutes
Affiliate Link: https://bookshop.org/a/7576/978164129...
Recommended for readers who enjoy:
- Latine cast of characters
- Crime thriller, domestic drama
- Motherhood, parenting, postpartum depression, marriage
- Missing person
- Female friendships
- Crime investigation
__
Minor complaints:
- I feel like all the men in this book were portrayed as extremely negative stereotypes in contrast to the women characters--they didn't feel authentic. Maybe if one of the men (husbands/partners) were like that but not all of them
Final recommendation: Thank you Libro FM for the gifted audiobook. Like with so many thrillers and the formula domestic dramas like this take advantage of, I immediately invested in this story. A woman named Lucy disappears from a grocery store parking lot leaving behind her baby still in the stroller.
Another POV is from Michelle, Lucy's best friend who is married with two young boys. In an attempt to change the negative narrative surrounding Lucy's disappearance by online critics, Michelle becomes dedicated to finding her friend and advocating for Lucy's truth.
A third POV follows, Julia. A woman in the same town who is a new mother and really struggling with her role as a mother. She hears of the missing woman and starts to wonder if Lucy really was kidnapped or if something more sinister happened to her.
There's even a POV of a retired detective who has a vested interest in the case.
I enjoyed the different narratives and the mixed media format with the message boards, support groups, blogs, etc--the short chapters kept me glued to the story to see what would happen. While I did think some of the characters were a little cliched and predictable, I was still invested enough to feel that need for closure and find out what happened. I was not disappointed!
Comps: The Return by Rachel Harrison, Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder, The Push by Ashley Audrain, Dirty Laundry by Disha Bose
November 3, 2025
(4.75/5, rounded up)
well, shit...now my wrap up on IG is inaccurate...
anywhoooo, RTC 🔥
(EDIT TO ADD REVIEW...)
*𝙗𝙤𝙬𝙨 𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝘿𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙖*
𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐬, 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐞, 𝐚 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐰𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 & 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞—the parts that pre-motherhood would've perplexed & horrified me, but post- bring the most comfort.
𝘐𝘧 𝘐'𝘮 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘮𝘬... but I think the reason we love our motherhood novels so much is bc they say so many of the things we feel we can't.
𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳? Sweet, now you can identify w feeling like your child is your opposition w/o the accompanying feelings of guilt.
𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘭𝘺 & 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘺? Sweet, now the anger that may rear its head toward your own doesn't feel so intense—bc clearly, it could be worse.
𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙖 𝙢𝙤𝙢 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙤 𝙞𝙩, & 𝙜𝙤 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙩𝙤 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛?
𝘚𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵, 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘴𝘰 𝘣𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢.
𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐫.
𝙃𝙚𝙧 𝙊𝙣𝙚 𝙍𝙚𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙩 creates space for the prevalent & distressing feelings society would rather punish as a result of its own shortcomings, an inability to fathom a mother both loving their family & craving the life they had when it was solely their own.
Plot-wise, thx to the sheer quantity of twists, a few of them 𝘥𝘪𝘥 manage to catch me by surprise. The combo of Donna's pacing & the way she organized the diff POVs kept things cohesive & gripping, I never felt like she'd left me behind.
I went w audio & print in tandem—I'd highly suggest this if you're able & you like to annotate. I destroyed my pages lol.Victoria Villarreal does a fantastic job tho, even giving some of the characters their own accents or intonations. I'd JUST listened to her narration in Monstrilio , yet she sounded brand new to me. This always impresses me, bc I can sometimes end up super caught up on that.
Somehow managing to skip over 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙉𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙇𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙍𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙉𝙖𝙥𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙤 ended up working in my favor—𝙃𝙚𝙧 𝙊𝙣𝙚 𝙍𝙚𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙩 left me beggin' for more where this came from.
𝕋𝕐𝕊𝕄 𝕥𝕠 @soho_press 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕖 #gifted 𝔸ℝℂ ❣️
tysm to SOHO Crime for the gorgeous ARC & Netgalley & Recorded Books for the ALC 🥰
well, shit...now my wrap up on IG is inaccurate...
anywhoooo, RTC 🔥
(EDIT TO ADD REVIEW...)
*𝙗𝙤𝙬𝙨 𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝘿𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙖*
𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐬, 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐞, 𝐚 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐰𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 & 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞—the parts that pre-motherhood would've perplexed & horrified me, but post- bring the most comfort.
𝘐𝘧 𝘐'𝘮 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘮𝘬... but I think the reason we love our motherhood novels so much is bc they say so many of the things we feel we can't.
𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳? Sweet, now you can identify w feeling like your child is your opposition w/o the accompanying feelings of guilt.
𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘭𝘺 & 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘺? Sweet, now the anger that may rear its head toward your own doesn't feel so intense—bc clearly, it could be worse.
𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙖 𝙢𝙤𝙢 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙤 𝙞𝙩, & 𝙜𝙤 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙩𝙤 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛?
𝘚𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵, 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘴𝘰 𝘣𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢.
𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐫.
𝙃𝙚𝙧 𝙊𝙣𝙚 𝙍𝙚𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙩 creates space for the prevalent & distressing feelings society would rather punish as a result of its own shortcomings, an inability to fathom a mother both loving their family & craving the life they had when it was solely their own.
Plot-wise, thx to the sheer quantity of twists, a few of them 𝘥𝘪𝘥 manage to catch me by surprise. The combo of Donna's pacing & the way she organized the diff POVs kept things cohesive & gripping, I never felt like she'd left me behind.
I went w audio & print in tandem—I'd highly suggest this if you're able & you like to annotate. I destroyed my pages lol.Victoria Villarreal does a fantastic job tho, even giving some of the characters their own accents or intonations. I'd JUST listened to her narration in Monstrilio , yet she sounded brand new to me. This always impresses me, bc I can sometimes end up super caught up on that.
Somehow managing to skip over 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙉𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙇𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙍𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙉𝙖𝙥𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙤 ended up working in my favor—𝙃𝙚𝙧 𝙊𝙣𝙚 𝙍𝙚𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙩 left me beggin' for more where this came from.
𝕋𝕐𝕊𝕄 𝕥𝕠 @soho_press 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕖 #gifted 𝔸ℝℂ ❣️
tysm to SOHO Crime for the gorgeous ARC & Netgalley & Recorded Books for the ALC 🥰
November 5, 2025
I have some thoughts on this book…
First off, it’s not a thriller. After reading 80% of the book, something a little suspenseful happens and there finally begins to be a story. Until that point, the book centers around a few characters, one in particular, who laments her life before getting married and having children.
Marketed as a “feminist thriller,” the author seems to simply hate men. Villainizing all men does not a feminist make. There is a serious lack of accountability with the female characters, blaming their husbands and men in general for their lot in life.
I thought the ending may turn things around for me, but it didn’t. I can’t elaborate because of spoilers, but I obviously was not the audience for this. I think it would have been lovely if the author would have leaned more on postpartum depression and possible paths forward instead of glorifying women regretting their children and hating their lives.
Obviously I’m triggered 😆 so I’ll stop there. BUT I believe this would be a great book club book to discuss.
First off, it’s not a thriller. After reading 80% of the book, something a little suspenseful happens and there finally begins to be a story. Until that point, the book centers around a few characters, one in particular, who laments her life before getting married and having children.
Marketed as a “feminist thriller,” the author seems to simply hate men. Villainizing all men does not a feminist make. There is a serious lack of accountability with the female characters, blaming their husbands and men in general for their lot in life.
I thought the ending may turn things around for me, but it didn’t. I can’t elaborate because of spoilers, but I obviously was not the audience for this. I think it would have been lovely if the author would have leaned more on postpartum depression and possible paths forward instead of glorifying women regretting their children and hating their lives.
Obviously I’m triggered 😆 so I’ll stop there. BUT I believe this would be a great book club book to discuss.
January 30, 2025
Donna Freitas — you had me spinning my head and analyzing the whole read! This was just a great piece of literature, filled with a twist that I honestly did not see coming. It’s been a while since I’ve read a thriller yet captivating novel. This gave me big Gone Girl vibes, but deeper. Thank you for writing about a taboo topic that doesn’t always get enough attention: the overall fact that women have these societal expectations of being perfect mother’s and that the only regret a women can have is not bearing children — because let’s be honest, it’s okay to not want to have them as well. Definitely a top read for 2025.
November 30, 2025
This was OK, but I didn’t love it. It was lacking in the momentum that makes for a good mystery/thriller, I think because the story was bogged down by a bit too much messaging. I appreciate the message Freitas was trying to convey, but I wanted a few less thoughts and a bit more action.
November 9, 2025
Oof. I had so many issues with this book, and none of them had to do with the subject matter. I totally appreciate the author for tackling such a heavy and taboo topic as maternal regret. But the mystery/thriller plot in this is a MESS: (SPOILERS)
- The neighbor villain is written with zero creativity or realism. Why does he approach Julia at the end about the body that was found? How did that scene resolve? And the earring thing was so heavy handed.
- What was the “secret” that Michelle’s husband supposedly knew about Lucy?
- Was Lucy actually taken by Naomi or did she just walk away with her? I can’t believe we never really learned how that all played out???
-Becca/Naomi story came out of nowhere. We’re supposed to buy 75% of the way through the book that Diana just suddenly started thinking about the best friend of a suicidal mother from decades prior? Who was never mentioned prior?
- The freaky guy who was stalking Julia used as a decoy and nothing else.
- The neighbor villain is written with zero creativity or realism. Why does he approach Julia at the end about the body that was found? How did that scene resolve? And the earring thing was so heavy handed.
- What was the “secret” that Michelle’s husband supposedly knew about Lucy?
- Was Lucy actually taken by Naomi or did she just walk away with her? I can’t believe we never really learned how that all played out???
-Becca/Naomi story came out of nowhere. We’re supposed to buy 75% of the way through the book that Diana just suddenly started thinking about the best friend of a suicidal mother from decades prior? Who was never mentioned prior?
- The freaky guy who was stalking Julia used as a decoy and nothing else.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 13, 2025
I just didn't like this book. So much whining and complaining 🙄
November 2, 2025
This book does not work for me. I think the author is trying to make a statement via this novel. That’s her prerogative but best to have an entertaining read as well since this is a fictional work. However, it fails because the characters are unlikeable and the plot is thin. The women are depressed. They fuss and complain for pages. The narrative is replete with internal dialogue about their misery without reflection or growth until the epilogue. (That’s some 350 pages in…)The men are completely non supportive and bordering on bullies. The kidnapping plot is just a sliver of an idea and it is easily figured out. The neighbor subplot is from some other book. Sorry, just didn’t hold up in my opinion.
November 22, 2025
This story ended up being different from what I expected and I think anyone picking it up will enjoy it if they go in with clear expectations. It’s really focused on motherhood, the struggles, the regrets some moms feel and the lack of support they sometimes face. At first, I really liked the commentary, but as the story went it on, it started to feel a bit overdone and the mystery got lost. I was hoping for more suspense, but it leaned more into fiction and character exploration. The mystery itself was predictable and I didn’t connect with all the characters we followed which made the mystery part less engaging. Overall, I liked it, but I would have enjoyed it more if I’d known what to expect going in.
December 19, 2025
I loved the message at the heart of this novel - that not all women want or need to be mothers; not all mothers enjoy and or handle motherhood; not all women survive motherhood.
Real estate agent Lucy Mendoza finds she has lost her identity and happiness since becoming a mother. She attempts to regain her mental health by joining a postpartum support group, but with no results. Because this is such an unspoken but collective experience amongst parents, when Lucy goes missing in a grocery store parking lot, most parents project their own regrets and exhaustion onto her case and assume she just ran away. Will these collective feelings around the difficulties surrounding motherhood prevent the truth behind her missing persons case from being solved?
What I didn't like: 2/3 of the book is focused on the conversations in Lucy's support group, with her husband and friends, and then with a journalist and podcast host. The mystery is solved in the last quarter of the book and it felt rushed and just thrown in with no build up or suspense. I wish there was less focus on the discourse around the regrets of mothers and more on the plot and suspense, especially when it's placed in the thriller genre.
Real estate agent Lucy Mendoza finds she has lost her identity and happiness since becoming a mother. She attempts to regain her mental health by joining a postpartum support group, but with no results. Because this is such an unspoken but collective experience amongst parents, when Lucy goes missing in a grocery store parking lot, most parents project their own regrets and exhaustion onto her case and assume she just ran away. Will these collective feelings around the difficulties surrounding motherhood prevent the truth behind her missing persons case from being solved?
What I didn't like: 2/3 of the book is focused on the conversations in Lucy's support group, with her husband and friends, and then with a journalist and podcast host. The mystery is solved in the last quarter of the book and it felt rushed and just thrown in with no build up or suspense. I wish there was less focus on the discourse around the regrets of mothers and more on the plot and suspense, especially when it's placed in the thriller genre.
December 30, 2025
This is a hard book to rate, because sure, it's a thriller, but there are a lot of important conversations happening. For a thriller, this book wasn't great - too many characters and flip flopping to follow. But, if you enjoyed The Push, and want to talk about the taboo subjects of postpartum depression, whether all women should have kids, do mothers regret their children, are their moments of wishing your old life back....then this book might be a good read for you.
November 6, 2025
Oh boy. This book kinda pissed me off 😂. And I feel bad saying that because I genuinely feel so much compassion for individuals who struggle this much with motherhood. I’m not a mom, and neither is the author, so I feel like we both are in a position where we can’t totally understand what motherhood actually feels like. I can also empathize with the author in her complicated feelings about motherhood and whether or not she’s cut out to be a mom. I’ve felt that way before. And I think that’s okay. There are a lot of expectations on women in that regard. And so the premise of the book being about a mother who disappears after confiding in a friend about how she struggles with regrets around being a mom sounded compelling. I think that’s an important thing to talk about! I’ve met moms before who had regrets around motherhood and whether or not it was the right path for them. It’s a taboo thing to talk about but it does happen! And I feel so bad for the individuals who struggle with it.
Here’s where the book lost me. And be warned spoilers ahead…
The premise that a mom who regrets motherhood should be able to essentially leave that child behind is not okay with me 🤷🏻♀️. I have a real issue with deadbeat dads. They make me angry! So why would I find it cool or empowering to be a mom who does the exact same thing? And is just a mom when the fancy finds her. I felt bad for the character who made this decision but also, it takes two people to have a child. Regardless of her feelings about it, she made a consensual choice that led to a pregnancy and then a baby. It’s really baffling to me that it would somehow be acceptable for her to leave her child behind. I feel bad for her and I feel that her feelings of regret are valid and real but also, parenthood is a commitment. It isn’t something you get to opt out of. There was no real discussion of the affects on her child, and more emphasis on her ability to enjoy her life again. We all make choices that we may regret, but we have to live with those choices. It’s just the truth of the matter.
Anyway, I did appreciate the fact this book opened the conversation onto motherhood regret, I just hated the ending. I think some people probably aren’t cut out for parenthood, and that’s such a personal choice you make for yourself. I don’t think there is any value in forcing someone who genuinely doesn’t feel cut out for it or like they have that love to give into it. And I don’t think it works to say “but once you have the baby you’ll love it.” But! Once you do make a choice to have a child, and give birth to that child and are mid raising that child, there really aren’t a lot of acceptable reasons to leave. Whether you are a dad or a mom.
Here’s where the book lost me. And be warned spoilers ahead…
The premise that a mom who regrets motherhood should be able to essentially leave that child behind is not okay with me 🤷🏻♀️. I have a real issue with deadbeat dads. They make me angry! So why would I find it cool or empowering to be a mom who does the exact same thing? And is just a mom when the fancy finds her. I felt bad for the character who made this decision but also, it takes two people to have a child. Regardless of her feelings about it, she made a consensual choice that led to a pregnancy and then a baby. It’s really baffling to me that it would somehow be acceptable for her to leave her child behind. I feel bad for her and I feel that her feelings of regret are valid and real but also, parenthood is a commitment. It isn’t something you get to opt out of. There was no real discussion of the affects on her child, and more emphasis on her ability to enjoy her life again. We all make choices that we may regret, but we have to live with those choices. It’s just the truth of the matter.
Anyway, I did appreciate the fact this book opened the conversation onto motherhood regret, I just hated the ending. I think some people probably aren’t cut out for parenthood, and that’s such a personal choice you make for yourself. I don’t think there is any value in forcing someone who genuinely doesn’t feel cut out for it or like they have that love to give into it. And I don’t think it works to say “but once you have the baby you’ll love it.” But! Once you do make a choice to have a child, and give birth to that child and are mid raising that child, there really aren’t a lot of acceptable reasons to leave. Whether you are a dad or a mom.
November 5, 2025
To me, this book was not very interesting nor could I relate since I do not want to have kids ever so the whole part of regretting it in my back of my mind was you don’t have to do something if you don’t want to do it.
November 6, 2025
Lucy vanishes, leaving her baby behind in a grocery store parking lot. Did she get kidnapped? Or did she fake her own kidnapping to escape her life as a mother?
This is not a thriller. It's a long, long exploration of the idea of regretting becoming a mother. I made it my Book of the Month pick because the description gave me The Push vibes, but it fell super flat for me. I felt hit over the head with the difficulties of motherhood and that men are the worst. It eventually became too much. And nothing "thrilling" happened until at least 80% in. I think maybe it was just marketed wrong.
The audiobook narrator was fantastic. The differences in voices were subtle and really well done.
This is not a thriller. It's a long, long exploration of the idea of regretting becoming a mother. I made it my Book of the Month pick because the description gave me The Push vibes, but it fell super flat for me. I felt hit over the head with the difficulties of motherhood and that men are the worst. It eventually became too much. And nothing "thrilling" happened until at least 80% in. I think maybe it was just marketed wrong.
The audiobook narrator was fantastic. The differences in voices were subtle and really well done.
November 4, 2025
This one wasn’t for me. I’ve so rarely said, “Not much happens,” but here we are. It feels like something is going to, but it just doesn’t. All the women so terribly unhappy about their choices to be mom’s is more than a little depressing and the ALL men are bad theme made it tough to plow through.
The reviews on Goodreads are quite good and the novel was chosen by BOTM as a November selection. It could just be a me thing.
The reviews on Goodreads are quite good and the novel was chosen by BOTM as a November selection. It could just be a me thing.
December 30, 2025
A mystery thriller that explores the taboo topic of women regretting motherhood. As someone who wasn't sure about becoming a mom and now a new mom myself, I find this topic interesting and so important.
I really, really wanted to like this book and chose to read it because I do think the realities of motherhood — including regret — do need to be talked about more and less stigmatized in order to better help people make the decision to become parents and learn what it is about parenthood that is so difficult.
While I do like the premise of the story, I found that the author’s voice was too loud. My friend Chinelo (@interestedinblackbooks) recently told me that a pet peeve of hers when it comes to books is when the author is too present— when you can tell it's their voice, their opinions in the pages. I wasn't sure what she meant until now.
Maybe it's because I am now a mom and biased, but the characters feel like caricatures of what a childfree person thinks life as a mom is like without much nuance or layers. Honestly, what goes through the characters’ minds are thoughts I’ve had myself before becoming a mom, but now I see are too black and white. The characters don't act in ways that feel real or normal and feel like pawns for the writer to express her own personal feelings about motherhood and even marriage. And because of that, the writing was just kind of… bad? The story felt repetitive, the dialogue unrealistic, the characters flat and one-dimensional, and the ending all over the place.
I know I sound like a trad wife or something trying to defend motherhood (lol) but I just feel like this story had so much potential and the topic so necessary! I found that the writer hyper focused on the difficult *feelings* of motherhood, especially as it relates to unsupportive husbands and fathers, and not enough about what causes that — partners who don’t do enough is so important to discuss, but what about a lack of community from family and friends, the mental and physical toll pregnancy and postpartum takes, the lack of paid parental leave and childcare in this country, the capitalistic pressures to work ourselves to the bone all while expecting to be the perfect parent, societal expectations on what a good mom is, etc? The things that create such a barrier to actually enjoy motherhood.
To tackle such a topic, I think the story needed more layers and nuance and less of the author's personal feelings. As I was reading this book, I thought to myself that the author may have done well writing her thoughts in a series of essays instead. And that the reader may benefit more from a book called Regretting Motherhood by Orna Donath that I had read and appreciated — one that I later learned the author referenced while writing her book, which makes sense.
I wouldn’t recommend this book, but think if anyone does want to read explore the topic of regretting motherhood more, that book by Donath is a good start, as well as Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982, by Cho Nam-Joo and the book The Second Shift, a book about how women often take a much heavier mental and physical load of marriage and parenthood compared to their male partners.
If anyone has book recs based on this topic, I’d love to know them!
I really, really wanted to like this book and chose to read it because I do think the realities of motherhood — including regret — do need to be talked about more and less stigmatized in order to better help people make the decision to become parents and learn what it is about parenthood that is so difficult.
While I do like the premise of the story, I found that the author’s voice was too loud. My friend Chinelo (@interestedinblackbooks) recently told me that a pet peeve of hers when it comes to books is when the author is too present— when you can tell it's their voice, their opinions in the pages. I wasn't sure what she meant until now.
Maybe it's because I am now a mom and biased, but the characters feel like caricatures of what a childfree person thinks life as a mom is like without much nuance or layers. Honestly, what goes through the characters’ minds are thoughts I’ve had myself before becoming a mom, but now I see are too black and white. The characters don't act in ways that feel real or normal and feel like pawns for the writer to express her own personal feelings about motherhood and even marriage. And because of that, the writing was just kind of… bad? The story felt repetitive, the dialogue unrealistic, the characters flat and one-dimensional, and the ending all over the place.
I know I sound like a trad wife or something trying to defend motherhood (lol) but I just feel like this story had so much potential and the topic so necessary! I found that the writer hyper focused on the difficult *feelings* of motherhood, especially as it relates to unsupportive husbands and fathers, and not enough about what causes that — partners who don’t do enough is so important to discuss, but what about a lack of community from family and friends, the mental and physical toll pregnancy and postpartum takes, the lack of paid parental leave and childcare in this country, the capitalistic pressures to work ourselves to the bone all while expecting to be the perfect parent, societal expectations on what a good mom is, etc? The things that create such a barrier to actually enjoy motherhood.
To tackle such a topic, I think the story needed more layers and nuance and less of the author's personal feelings. As I was reading this book, I thought to myself that the author may have done well writing her thoughts in a series of essays instead. And that the reader may benefit more from a book called Regretting Motherhood by Orna Donath that I had read and appreciated — one that I later learned the author referenced while writing her book, which makes sense.
I wouldn’t recommend this book, but think if anyone does want to read explore the topic of regretting motherhood more, that book by Donath is a good start, as well as Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982, by Cho Nam-Joo and the book The Second Shift, a book about how women often take a much heavier mental and physical load of marriage and parenthood compared to their male partners.
If anyone has book recs based on this topic, I’d love to know them!
November 27, 2025
Regret. Can a woman, a mother, experience this feeling at the same time she feels love for her child, excitement and/or anxiety about the future, and grief for her past, more independent self before motherhood became a part of her? That is the main discussion in this book, and I think it’s one that is not had nearly enough. People always say that motherhood is the most demanding and rewarding job out there, but no one really inquires about the woman, not just the mother, whose life has totally imploded. And not to mention the unattainable and ever-changing societal expectations for women- to have a baby is to be forever scrutinized, to not have a baby is unforgivably selfish. No wonder Julia, Lucy and all the other women in this book are struggling. I really appreciated the central conversation in this book, though some of the details felt a bit off to me- I think it’s hard to wrap up such an intricate story with so many moving parts/people. I think this book is an important read; I recommend it.
October 30, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
A missing woman. A buried confession. A story that asks how far we’ll go to hide our truth.
Her One Regret by Donna Freitas follows Lucy Mendoza, who vanishes after leaving her baby behind. As her best friend reveals Lucy once regretted motherhood, the mystery deepens—blending suspense with an emotional look at guilt, identity, and the pressure to be a “perfect” mom.
A few years back, I tried reading Freitas’s The Nine Lives of Rose Napolitano but couldn’t get through it—the multiple perspectives just didn’t work for me. Still, I’m glad I gave Her One Regret a chance because it completely changed how I view her writing.
What I liked most was how Freitas took a suspenseful plot—a disappearance and a hidden confession—and layered it with deep emotional depth. She wasn’t afraid to tackle the taboo topic of motherhood regret, and the multiple points of view made the story feel rich and nuanced. I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed the narration—the narrator captured the internal monologue and pacing perfectly.
One downside for me was that some sections felt a bit slow, especially in the middle when the shifting perspectives repeated similar thoughts. A few of the characters also blended together at times, making it harder to stay fully invested in each storyline. While I appreciated the emotional depth, I wished for a tighter pace and slightly more distinction between the voices.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
A missing woman. A buried confession. A story that asks how far we’ll go to hide our truth.
Her One Regret by Donna Freitas follows Lucy Mendoza, who vanishes after leaving her baby behind. As her best friend reveals Lucy once regretted motherhood, the mystery deepens—blending suspense with an emotional look at guilt, identity, and the pressure to be a “perfect” mom.
A few years back, I tried reading Freitas’s The Nine Lives of Rose Napolitano but couldn’t get through it—the multiple perspectives just didn’t work for me. Still, I’m glad I gave Her One Regret a chance because it completely changed how I view her writing.
What I liked most was how Freitas took a suspenseful plot—a disappearance and a hidden confession—and layered it with deep emotional depth. She wasn’t afraid to tackle the taboo topic of motherhood regret, and the multiple points of view made the story feel rich and nuanced. I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed the narration—the narrator captured the internal monologue and pacing perfectly.
One downside for me was that some sections felt a bit slow, especially in the middle when the shifting perspectives repeated similar thoughts. A few of the characters also blended together at times, making it harder to stay fully invested in each storyline. While I appreciated the emotional depth, I wished for a tighter pace and slightly more distinction between the voices.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
November 3, 2025
Her Only Regret is a powerful and thought-provoking novel that offers an excellent exposition on motherhood, the stigma surrounding postpartum depression, and the rarely discussed reality of women who regret becoming mothers. Donna Freitas handles these themes with sensitivity and depth, creating a story that feels both raw and honest.
The mystery was interesting, with layers of tension and emotional complexity that elevated the story beyond a simple domestic drama.
Victoria Villarreal’s narration was a standout—her performance brought real emotion and nuance to the characters, especially in the more vulnerable moments. She captured the shifting tones of the story beautifully, making it even more compelling to listen to.
Overall, this is a deeply moving and engaging listen that balances emotional weight with a gripping mystery.
Thank you to RBMedia and NetGalley for the advance listening copy in exchange for an honest review.
The mystery was interesting, with layers of tension and emotional complexity that elevated the story beyond a simple domestic drama.
Victoria Villarreal’s narration was a standout—her performance brought real emotion and nuance to the characters, especially in the more vulnerable moments. She captured the shifting tones of the story beautifully, making it even more compelling to listen to.
Overall, this is a deeply moving and engaging listen that balances emotional weight with a gripping mystery.
Thank you to RBMedia and NetGalley for the advance listening copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 12, 2025
After a woman disappears from a parking lot and her child is found in a cart next to her car, her family, friends, and local police try to uncover what may have happened. Told through multiple POVs, it’s a story of sadness, suspicion, hope, and LISTENING TO MOTHERS AND WOMEN IN GENERAL!!!!
I simply could not put this one down. It is marketed as a feminist thriller, and I think it definitely fits within that category. It’s more feminist narrative than thriller, but there were some tense moments for sure that had me on the edge of my seat.
At the heart of the story is the belief that we do not listen to mothers and their experiences with motherhood. We have a specific way we believe women should act and behave when they become mothers and we shun them when they don’t act in that way. As a woman who struggled hard with postpartum, this book really hit hard for me. I think it’s a must read.
I simply could not put this one down. It is marketed as a feminist thriller, and I think it definitely fits within that category. It’s more feminist narrative than thriller, but there were some tense moments for sure that had me on the edge of my seat.
At the heart of the story is the belief that we do not listen to mothers and their experiences with motherhood. We have a specific way we believe women should act and behave when they become mothers and we shun them when they don’t act in that way. As a woman who struggled hard with postpartum, this book really hit hard for me. I think it’s a must read.
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November 10, 2025I've decided not to rate this one.... While I admire the topics the author bravely discussed - womanhood, motherhood, the regret of motherhood, gender roles, etc, I didn't enjoy the way she executed them. The book felt clunky; there were too many characters and too much going on. It could have hit harder if she refined it more. It just didn't hit the mark she intended (in my humble opinion), and I'm pretty bummed about it. So while I'm glad I picked it up, I can't say I'd recommend it.
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