Her One Regret

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 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? 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 verboten: the possibility that for some women, motherhood is an unfixable mistake. Praise for Her One Regret A New York Times Best Mystery Novel of the Year A Book of the Month November Selection A Library Journal Editors’ Pick of the Year and Mystery Pick of the Month A CrimeReads Best Psychological Thriller of the Year “Freitas addresses a topic little discussed in fiction—that of regretting motherhood—with compassion, demonstrating the consequences of her characters’ choices while also delivering a fingernails-bitten-to-the-quick mystery.” —Sarah Weinman, The New York Times “This book manages to be simultaneously a page-turning crime thriller and a deep exploration of one of the ultimate mothering taboos—regret. Absolutely extraordinary.” —Emily Oster, bestselling author of Expecting Better “ Her One Regret is a virtuosic exploration of one of the most forbidden confessions a woman can make: regretting motherhood. One afternoon, a new mother disappears, leaving her baby crying alone in a parking lot. Has she been taken, or has she faked her own kidnapping? Freitas deftly uses the narratives of three other women, including the detective on the case, to examine the reverberations of this shocking event, while also questioning the underlying expectations that all women face. This gripping, character-driven thriller kept me reading late into the night.” —Julia Bartz, New York Times bestselling author of The Writing Retreat “Engaging. And thought-provoking. I could not put it down. This book is brilliant, subversive, enjoyable, and deeply revelatory about the inner lives of women and mothers.” — Lyz Lenz , author of This American Ex-Wife “A lively and fast-moving novel about women and the complexity of their interior lives. There is not enough literature about motherhood regret and Donna Freitas has done something unique and brave—opening up the topic in a courageous, unique, passionate way through this suspenseful story of Lucy, Michelle, Julia and Diana and countless other women.” —Emma Gannon, author of Olive and Table for One “As she did in The Nine Lives of Rose Napolitano , Donna Freitas proves she can ‘say the unsayable’ and weave thorny, important questions about women’s lives into a compelling, entertaining, and provocative suspense novel. Her One Regret is bound to spark conversations about motherhood and marriage while keeping readers guessing about the disappearance at the heart of this subversive mystery.” —Andromeda Romano-Lax, author of The Deepest Lake “Smart, addictive, utterly compelling and shockingly honest—a page turner with a deep, emotional core. So many brilliant observations about women’s lives—this book made me feel so seen, while it kept me guessing.” —Daisy Buchanan, author of Insatiable and Careering “ Her One Regret is both a gripping work of fictional suspense and a brilliant, unflinching confrontation of one of humanity’s greatest taboos: regretting the choice to become a mother. Freitas writes with exquisite precision about the emotional nuances of motherhood and the enormous strain it places on women, their sense of self, and their relationships. Readers who have ever harbored fantasies of escaping the constraints of motherhood – that is, nearly all mothers – will find themselves lovingly reflected in this wise and beautiful book.” —Molly Millwood, PhD, author of To Have and to Hold: Motherhood, Marriage, and the Modern Dilemma “In Her One Regret , Freitas explores the taboo desire to not have children via the fallout of Lucy Mendoza's disappearance, a young successful real estate broker. Choosing to be childfree, and choosing to push for zero shame in expressing regret of motherhood, this thrilling mystery echoes a worldwide issue broached by other brilliant writers like Ferra