Her One Regret by Donna Freitas

 

My thoughts

This book left me speechless. It was truly one of the best I've read. 

I read some of the reviews and was flabbergasted at the a couple of very low stars and saying hardly anything other than "it's not a thriller." Or that it was flat. I so disagree. Yes most of the way it was more mystery. But it did have some parts that kept me on the edge. Parts that shook me to my core. This is a subject that needs to be talked about more. Women go through a lot after giving birth. Yes some have big regrets. I believe most of us do to an extent. That doesn't mean we don't love our babies more than life itself. It's just something that happens. Being a mother is hard. The hardest job we will ever face. And yes there are times when a woman can feel regret at becoming a mother. Just like she might regret becoming a wife...

This book is about three women. Three mothers. Three wives. Each has a story. Each has a child or children. One goes missing and you won't know what happened to her until almost the end. There are actually two mysteries going on. One is the next door neighbor. What might he be hiding. The other is, what could have happened to Lucy. Was Lucy really taken or did she run. 

This is a very touchy subject. One I really never gave much thought to. I think in many ways we all have some postpartum going on after giving birth. I mean your body goes through so much and what happens to your brain is just unbelievable. Hormones going nuts. And a crying baby that is totally dependent on you. But it seems you can't really talk about it or you get crushed. The judgement is awful. If you are lucky enough to be able to afford therapy it might help. 

Having a best friend to talk to is the best. Even when what you have to say is not what she wants to hear. Such is the case with Lucy and Michelle. They have been friends since college. The best of friends. They know everything about each other. Almost... 

This book is about Lucy, Michelle, and Julia. What each women is dealing with. What secrets they have. How they feel about being new mothers. About being a wife too. The book gives you a fairly deep look at how some women feel about being a mom. How other women judge them if they feel it was a mistake. 

Julia was, in my opinion, the one going through the most. She didn't have anyone to confide in. No one to talk to about how she was feeling. No one to give her any relief or time to just be herself. Her son was with her all the time no matter what. And boy did he cry. That didn't mean she didn't love him. Julia really needed someone...

No woman should be shamed for what she deals with being a mother. You have no idea what she's going through or gone through. Every woman is different. What may appear to be the perfect life could be one you would never imagine...

Thank you RBmedia and BOTM for this book/audio. So worth reading.

4.85 stars 

About

From the author of the book club favorite The Nine Lives of Rose Napolitano comes a riveting feminist thriller that tackles an unspeakable taboo: 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 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.