Her One Regret

By: Donna Freitas

Narrated by: Victoria Villarreal

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 listeners 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.

©2025 Donna Freitas (P)2025 Recorded Books

Important book but...

I have mixed feelings about this book. I feel It's an important one, because it expresses a point of view that is rarely, if ever, given a voice. Mothers who regret having children. For me, it was a bit tough to get through because I found the characters quite unlikable for the most part, and had trouble relating to their point of view (even though I absolutely feel it is valid and should be better understood). I could relate to parts of some of the characters' feelings. The other problem I had with this audiobook is that for me, I found the narrators voice very annoying. She was trying to do different voices and give them different characteristics, But for some of the characters it sounded like she was holding her nose and in the beginning it was almost comical to me, but by the end of the book it was grating and I was really tired of it. So overall it was not a pleasant listening experience for me, although I will say that the book was fairly well written, with an interesting storyline, and as I mentioned, it carries an important message.

Could have been interesting. Yet again.

Postpartum stories are so important to tell. Making them a murder mystery seems unnecessary. Yet again

My One Regret was listening

This isn't a thriller. Don't choose this book if you're looking for a mystery, or a satisfying story. The writing is tiresome, the relationships on display are all remarkably unhealthy, and the main characters are all grating.

What passes for a plot takes a backseat to a strange meditation on regretful motherhood from an author who decided not to have kids. There's absolutely nothing wrong with not wanting to have children, and I respect the decision completely. It also makes the author one of the last people I would expect to have any real insight into what it's like to experience postpartum depression, however.