A gripping feminist thriller that exposes the silent struggles of motherhood and societal pressure.
Donna Freitas delivers a beautifully written, emotionally charged thriller in Her One Regret. A novel that blends page-turning suspense with a sharp commentary on the unrealistic expectations of perfection placed on mothers.
The story kicks off with the disappearance of Lucy Mendoza, a mother who vanishes after leaving her baby in a shopping cart. Her phone is later found beneath a truck near the scene, raising alarm and suspicion. As her best friend Michelle searches for answers, we’re drawn into a wider narrative about the complexities of motherhood and womanhood.
One of the most striking elements of this novel is its multi-POV structure. Though the narration remains in third person, we move between characters’ perspectives, most notably Julia, a new mother grappling with postpartum exhaustion and emotional isolation. Julia never felt ready to have children, but her husband Marcus insisted. Now, while he returns to work, she is left alone with a baby she didn’t feel prepared for, sinking under the weight of societal expectations.
Through Julia’s arc, Freitas subtly mirrors Lucy’s possible emotional state before her disappearance. It’s a bold, insightful exploration of the inner turmoil many women face, topics often labeled as “taboo,” like regret over motherhood, postpartum depression, and the pressure to be the “perfect” mother.
What makes Her One Regret especially powerful is how it uses the structure of a mystery novel to unpack these themes. Freitas makes a smart narrative choice. Instead of presenting this as nonfiction or social commentary, she folds the message into an engrossing plot, making it accessible to readers who might otherwise avoid such conversations.
Ultimately, Her One Regret is more than just a mystery covered in fiction, it’s a mirror held up to society, reflecting unspoken truths about friendship, gender roles, and the high cost of silence. Donna Freitas has written a novel that’s not just thrilling, but necessary.
Stephanie is a writer, avid reader and movie lover with great love and passion for thrilling, suspenseful and mystery stories. When she’s not writing a traumatic character or reading through a gripping thriller she’s definitely watching a dark psychological thriller movie.
