Cover Image: She Regrets Nothing

She Regrets Nothing

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

I was unable to finish this book. The characters (with the exception of Liberty) felt extremely shallow. Given that it was compared to Gossip Girl, I expected the high-brow New York society with scandal and intrigue, but it just wasn't my cup of tea. There were also lots of points of view and given the third person style choice, it was hard to distinguish them.

Was this review helpful?

Pour a large glass of wine and prepare to lose yourself in the scheming, seductive world of the Lawrence family. I devoured this delightfully addicting novel in less than 24 hours and I absolutely loved it. I experienced every emotion under the sun while reading this -- I yelled, I cringed, I gasped, and felt ALL THE THINGS as Laila wreaked havoc in her attempt to climb the social ladder and establish herself within New York society and her newly discovered family.
Once I finished it, I sent a text to my friend (who had also just read it) and we ranted and raved to each other for over an hour about all the amazingness that is contained in this book. We loved it. We want more. Right now, please and thank you. ❤️ Whatever Andrea Dunlop is writing, I am buying. Many thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for providing me with an advanced copy.

Was this review helpful?

Laila Lawrence meets her very wealthy cousins that she didn't know existed at her mother's funeral. After connecting with them she moves to New York City to live them two years later. After seeing the way her cousins live, she'll do anything to receive her own fortune that she would have had had her father and grandfather not had a falling out.

It's hard for me to enjoy books when I really hate the main character. Laila is hungry for money and the lifestyle that comes with it, and she'll do anything to get it from chasing after old billionaires to blackmail. She's in it for herself and doesn't care who might get hurt along the way. And with each move she makes you hate her a little bit more for it.

The only thing that kept me reading were the parts about her cousins, who I did like. Despite their trust funds, they were much more relateable characters and significantly more likable.

Was this review helpful?

A lot of family drama complicated by money, boyfriends, and status.

When 23 year old Laila becomes acquainted with her 3 long lost cousins who attend her mother's funeral. She had known very little about her father's side of the family. He died years earlier and she was surprised and thrilled to discover her estranged father's family were living in New York and known for their extreme wealth.

Laila discovers a scandalous family secret that reveals why the families were at odds. Ultimately, she takes off for New York and the glamorous life. She struggles to fit in and makes some life changing and rather immature decisions.

I enjoyed the back drop of New York, but felt the story was a bit too long with a few too many scenarios that seemed too familiar (cheating, jealousy, and lies). Still an enjoyable light read for chick-lit fans!

Was this review helpful?

Forget "She Regrets Nothing"... I regret wasting time on this book.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a digital e-galley. Netgalley is absolutely awesome and I've read some fantastic, yet-to-be-published books, but this one just didn't do it for me.

"She Regrets Nothing" is the story of Laila Lawrence, a 25 year old Midwesterner who meets her long-long cousins at her mother's funeral. Liberty, Leo and Nora Lawrence leave their glittery New York lives to connect with a cousin they have never met for reasons they do not understand. 

The cousins bond in their brief meeting. Two years later, Laila leaves her unappealing life, including her husband, behind to make a new life in Manhattan.

The Lawrence family is fabulously wealthy. Twins Leo and Nora, also 25, live in adjoining penthouses. They have never had to work for a thing in their lives. They think nothing of spending vast amounts on money on whatever catches their fancy. 

Older sister, Liberty, is more grounded. She works as a literary agent and lives in a modest apartment, preferring to spend her time reading and giving back to the community. She is indulgent of her flighty younger siblings and deeply protective of her new found cousin. She is also guarded, after suffering a trauma in her younger, modeling days. 

Laila insinuates herself into their lives: allowing Nora to play Professor Henry Higgins to her Eliza Doolittle by dressing her in designer clothes and allowing her to move into her guestroom. Liberty hires her as an intern at the agency, where Laila soon meets Tom Porter, a well-regarded author who falls for her.

It seems that Laila will be happy with her new life among the Literati, but nothing is ever enough for Laila. She is desperate to meet her grandfather, Frederick, the family patriarch. After finding some old notes at her mother's apartment, she suspects that Frederick and her mother, Betsy, had had an affair, leading to the family estrangement. 

Frederick keeps himself away from Manhattan, though, and Laila can barely find any time with her uncle, Ben. She wants a cut of the family fortune, but can't figure out an in, so she sets her sights on a billionaire, Simon, who whisks her away to Mustique for a trip that goes wrong almost immediately.

Despite what befalls her, it's impossible to have any sympathy for Laila. She is constantly frustrated by her attempts to ingratiate herself with the Lawrences and truly become a part of the family, wealth and all. She feels that she is always on the outside looking in.

Meanwhile, Liberty is falling in love with her best friend Reece's older brother, Cameron, who is also drawn to Laila, but hates himself for every sordid encounter they have. And yet, their sexual encounters set the stage for several awful things that happen towards the end of the book. 

This all sounded like a bit of a fun Cinderella meets "Gossip Girl" type book, but really, it was awful.

There was no redeemable character, except Liberty. There were multiple plotlines that seemed important (Liberty's teenage trauma and subsequent rejection of Cameron and Laila's questionable paternity for example) that were completely dropped in favor of other, more scandalous storylines.

There's a big moment in the last third of the book that came out of nowhere. A character did something that seemed so out of left field. Sure, this person showed some signs of not being the nicest, but their actions came out of nowhere. 

It seemed as if author Andrea Dunlop wanted to create this sexy look at the lives of Manhattan's fabulously wealthy. She did a lot of name dropping of brands and New York hot spots, but that can't make up for a disjointed plot and completely irredeemable and unlikable characters. The pace also really dragged. At one point, I realized I was barely halfway through and had no idea where the plot was going... and not in a good way.

I say skip this one. It's due out February 6.

Was this review helpful?

When I was first contacted to read She Regrets Nothing, all I saw in the subject line was “Blair Waldorf would certainly approve”. That was it for me—I didn’t even need to read the rest of the blurb. Gossip Girl is my guilty pleasure—I started watching the show in high school and to this day, I still watch it. Sue me. If someone says Blair freaking Waldorf approves of something, you bet your ass I’m reading it! Drama? Yes! Scandalous? Hell yes! Betrayal, secrets, and lies, oh my! I loved this book from start to finish.

The book starts off with Laila putting her mother to rest—and meeting cousins she never knew existed. Liberty, Nora, and Leo are three fabulously wealthy socialites from New York. They live the life that Laila deems rightfully hers. Her father, Gregory, became estranged to the Lawrence family when they had a falling out of some kind. Resulting in all the cousins not knowing the other existed. That is, until Liberty heard her parents talking about Laila. That’s when they decided to go and meet her.

Once Laila makes it to New York, we start seeing her true colors, so to speak. I’ll admit, Laila’s character made me very uncomfortable. While she is well-written, her manipulations and greediness made me want to shake her. I don’t like how fake she is. If you want to be a bitch, own it; don’t hide behind a shy and naive demeanor. Other than that, every time her name came up, I was unable to stop reading or look away. There’s something about Laila that just pulls you towards her. Even if her character is a shady bitch.

What is it about the young, wealthy, and beautiful that makes them so intriguing? The drama is deliciously juicy and at times sexy. So many times I got lost in the glamorous parties and nights at ritzy nightclubs. The writing makes it so easy to believe that you’re right there along with the characters. There were times when I was giddy and other times where I actually got angry and almost threw my kindle across the room. I don’t know about you, but that’s always a good sign to me.

I have really high hopes for New York when I go to visit one day. It’s obviously a city with character—so many movies and books are based there. Overall, loved the book, it kept me reading well into the night. But that ending... You’ll just have to see for yourself.

*Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for an honest and unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

I just finished this book and find myself debating how to rate it. It seems I have developed very conflicting feelings about it. On the one hand I couldn't seem to put it down, however I really struggled finding any redeemable qualities within the main characters and felt exasperated by the continued poor choices they made.

Laila was the character that most frustrated me. While her backstory was sad, as the story progressed she came across as a manipulative, greedy, and selfish person to me. Everything was about how she could better her own position while not thinking about or caring of the repercussions of her choices. She was willing to take advantage of every opportunity presented by her new family, yet she seemed to thoroughly screw them over all the time! I really, really did not and could not connect with her or her actions or choices. And since her journey was the bulk of the story - I struggled with the book.

It was fascinating to see a view of the ultra wealthy New York elite - but man it is not as beautiful as it appears. Greed, deception, and power seem to rule at all cost. And family doesn't always mean anything.

While I found that this book and I were not the best fit, I do believe if you are looking for a tale of lust, greed, and family in modern day New York City this may a good one for you to pick up.

I received a ARC from NetGalley. And while I appreciate receiving the ARC all thoughts and opinions are mine.

Was this review helpful?

This book was not what I expected. It was full of plot twists. Laila, the poor orphaned girl from the Midwest learns of her wealthy family in New York and yearns to be a part of them. Liberty the slightly older cousin that has learned of Laila existence and her recent status as orphan wants to bring Laila back into the estranged family. Liberty is just a wonderful, sweet, loving, and all-around good person. She sees the best in people and although extremely wealthy is very down-to-earth. Laila is hoping to finally get what she deserves...a nice trust funds and thanks to her mother's secret she is sure to get it one way or another.

I loved Liberty from the start. Her twins siblings Nora and Leo are spoiled and annoying but add a nice touch to the story. Laila was exactly what I expected her to be.

This book shows just what money and greed can do to a person. It was a fast paced book and I would recommend it to my friends.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Atria Books.

Was this review helpful?

I could definitely see this story turned into a movie -- there's a lovey cinematic feel to it. SHE REGRETS NOTHING is a smart, juicy novel populated with multi-dimensional characters and propelled by an intriguing plot that kept me turning pages. Laila is a character people will definitely relate to. A dazzling and fun story destined to be a big success. (Based on ARC received from publisher)

Was this review helpful?

I thought this book gave great descriptions of how people in the same family can have extremely different dynamics based mainly on economical reasoning. I figured there would be a lot of shopping and partying, but I was completely blind-sided by the actual depth of the book. It turned out to be completely different than I thought, and that made me pleasantly surprised.

I felt at times I was reading 3 different stories based on how Liberty, Nora and Laila saw and interpreted situations. My favorite character, by far, was Liberty. I felt I connected to her the most, she was so down to earth. I really related to her having panic attacks, since I myself deal with them. I loved how humble and sweet she was. Personally I thought Nora and Leo were complete spoiled brats who cared about nothing but themselves and their feelings. Laila was just a roller coaster, she played so many characters thought the book I almost couldn’t keep up with her.

Overall I really enjoyed the whole book, even when I was getting completely annoyed by some of the characters. I loved that you got a bit of high society and also an in depth look at their lives. If you are a fan of books that pleasantly surprise you, I think this would be a great one for you.

Was this review helpful?

❝I didn’t realize that matchmakers still existed,❞
❝Welcome to New York,❞ ❝How do you think all of those gross old men find their hot young wives?❞

When I read the blurb for 'She Regrets Nothing', I was intrigued, and since Andrea Dunlop is a new-to-me-author, I was excited to start reading about a story that was said to be, "Sly and sexy, She Regrets Nothing is a sharply observed and utterly seductive tale about family, fortune, and fate—and the dark side of wealth."

Did it deliver?

Yes and no

I do like this author's voice, it's smart and quick. This story was filled with sex, deceit, betrayal, and scandal. It was addictive and reminded me of a soap opera or a movie.

And that was where this book didn't succeed for me.

It reads like a screenplay; where changes of character and time jumps are okay because there’s fade to black or scene changes to make the flow work and the plot make sense. But when reading, and not seeing, as in a movie, I struggled to keep up with the disjointed writing, character changes and time hops where there were no helpful warnings or headings. It was distracting and I had to stop and recalibrate my thoughts to keep up and figure out what was going on. All of that was disappointing because I did like the story.

As a 20 something, Laila Lawrence is left broke and orphaned. While at her mothers funeral, she meets her cousins, Liberty, Leo, and Nora, whom she had no idea existed. They were glamorous and giving and fun and very wealthy. Laila had stars or more accurately money signs in her eyes when she thought of them and their life in New York. Two years later after divorcing her husband, she leaves her Midwest town and heads to New York to live with her cousins. They take her in with open arms and introduce her to the wealthy, New York life. Leo and Nora are twins and are spoiled, and lack real direction, while Liberty is an independent, working woman. Liberty helps Laila get a job. While Laila helps herself to everything the cousins have AND I DO MEAN EVERYTHING!

An addictive read, 'She Regrets Nothing' is a scandalous tale of betrayal, deceit, and greed.

Was this review helpful?

She Regrets Nothing is Andrea Dunlop's strongest work to date. We have long been simultaneously fascinated and disgusted by the lives of the young, beautiful and ultra-wealthy. Dunlop's characters are of the love-to-hate variety and so fully fleshed out that you know right away where you fall. She Regrets Nothing is a gloriously glitzy look into life filled with Bergdorf's shopping sprees, partying at nightclubs every night of the week and penthouse living. Laila wants nothing more than to be part of that world (no, she is OWED a place in that world by birthright). What we learn is that life is a shark tank where nice guys finish last, and entitlement isn't limited to 1 percenters. The only question is, what is Laila willing to do to get what she's owed?

Was this review helpful?

This book is written in 3rd person and reads like a daytime soap - it's not something I would normally read and don't think I can be objective with being too negative. Thank you for the opportunity but I"m going to pass on this one.

Was this review helpful?

She Regrets Nothing by Andrea Dunlop is a fun and frivolous book about the upper crust of New York society. Laila Lawrence grew up in Michigan, unaware that her father's family is one of the wealthiest and most famous families in New York City. When Laila learns the truth, she takes the opportunity to begin her life again and live the life she believes she was meant to live all along. Unfortunately for the people she will meet in NYC, their lives will never be the same.

I enjoyed She Regrets Nothing. I had fun recognizing many of the restaurants and landmarks the characters visit. I really liked the fleshing out of certain characters, particularly Liberty and Reece. The writing was not basic or simple, but it didn't stick out like a sore thumb. But I ultimately felt something was missing. I wanted the book to either delve deeper into the psyche of the characters or push harder in the salacious category. I kept thinking that Dunlop was pulling her punches when all I wanted her to do was knock me right out.

Recommended for readers who want fantasy in their reality and reality in their fantasy.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to Atria Books for including me in the Blog Tour and for sending me an E-ARC in exchange of an honest review and participation in the Blog Tour.

I rate this book a 4.5 out of 5 Stars.

I loved this book. Every single page. And I hated absolutely EVERYTHING about Laila. She is the worst female character that I have ever read about. Selfish, money hungry, back stabbing, B- Word. That's what she is. I wanted the worst possible things to happen to her.

My favorite character in this entire book was Liberty. She was down to earth, likable, and an overall sweetheart, someone who I would want to be friends with in real life. She was the light in this book.

There were a few other characters that I absolutely hated, that were so vile, but I cannot discuss them in this review, as I do not want to spoil anything for you guys. While reading this, I spent a lot of time saying "What a bitch" and I spent a lot of time pissed off, and I spent an equal amount of time with a broken heart. There are a few instances in this book that are devastating and really made me feel like I had been punched in the gut, just blindsided me, for those who have read the book, you are going to know the exact two parts I am speaking of, for those who haven't read this book, do yourself a favor and read it. I promise you, you won't regret it.

I loved Andrea Dunlap's writing style, I loved the switching back and forth between characters, I loved that each and every one of them had depth to them. There were quite a few chapters left with some major cliff hangers, and in doing so, the author made this a "One More Chapter" book, I did not want to put it down! And I will say, the ending.... it pissed me off. But in a good way.

Was this review helpful?

I LOVED the heck out of She Regrets Nothing by Andrea Dunlop!!!! I ran through this story within a day as it was VERY addicting! She Regrets Nothing is scandalous, juicy, and just plain fun! My typical genre is mystery or thriller but this story was just what I needed at the time! And the cover?! It’s gorgeous! I just love everything about it!

So what’s it about? The story opens up at Laila Lawerence’s mothers funeral. Unbeknownst to Laila, her three cousins from NYC, Liberty, Leo and Nora, are in the back of the funeral. Only after the funeral at the family gathering Laila notices the three and asks them who they are. She was under the impression she didn't have cousins or family from her father’s side. Her father passed away earlier in Laila’s life and after her mother’s passing, Laila was left an orphan. Liberty wanted to reach out to Laila because she felt sorry for her and to let her know she indeed has other family. Liberty left her number to Laila and told her to reach out.

Laila did some research on her extended family only to find out the Lawerence’s were extremely rich and practically famous. Their grandfather has made their family very wealthy. She decided to reach out to Liberty before her cousins went back to New York City and they planned to keep in touch. Over the next two years, Laila visited New York City a couple times and saw the way her extended family lives the glamours life. Money, multiple penthouses, drivers, named brand clothes, etc.

Laila then decides to make changes back home and move to New York City to be with her family. She is envious of the lives of her cousins. She feels as she has been left out from such a fabulous rich life. Laila is determined to be a part of the Lawerence’s and the NYC crowd. She is willing to do anything!

Sex, lies, betrayal, blackmail, money etc! It had allllll the dramas! I loved every character. Laila was such a greedy little thing! Her twin cousins, Leo and Nora, were spoiled rotten. Both living in connecting penthouses. Laila’s oldest cousin, Liberty, was the only one never interested in the family money and was a hard working publisher. I also loved how the book world of publishers were a part of the story, giving you a glimpse of all the hard work they do.

Anyways, all the 5 Stars! She Regrets Nothing could easily be turned into a television show and I would binge watch the hell out of it! Many thanks to Atria for sending me a galley!

Was this review helpful?

She Regrets Nothing is the story of Laila Lawrence, an orphan at 23, who discovers her estranged, glamorous, and rich New York family after her mother's death. Dissatisfied with her life in Michigan she moves to New York to climb the social ladder she's been denied her entire life. She will stop at nothing to get where she wants to be.

This book follows a similar writing style to books like Saving Grace by Jane Green, The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine or Behind Closed Doors by BA Paris. What Dunlop does differently is create a character that you can't help but root for even when she acts terribly. I want to hate Laila, because she is a horrible person, but the way Dunlop constructs her, the reader understands (even if she doesn't agree) why Laila acts as she does. The world she now immerses herself in is all about position and power and money and each of the other complicated characters follow a similar trajectory as Laila even if they don't realize it.

Like her book Losing the Light, Dunlop is masterful at creating setting. I felt like I was a part of the New York scene the Lawrences lived in. I could easily see myself being awed and wrapped up in the glitz of social power through money just like Laila. Isn't there a part of each of us who wishes we were an Orphan Annie type story?

The ending was a huge surprise and at first I thought it was out of the blue, but Dunlop brings it all back around. I wish she had delved a little deeper into the lives of the other Lawrence family members. Leo, Nora and Liberty didn't feel as deep as Cameron, Reece and Laila, but overall I loved the page-turning pace of the book and can't wait to read more from this author.

I would classify this book as an unreliable narrator story with a hint of psychological thriller. It is very different from the other books I have read about social climbers and it has made me search through my Goodreads list to see what else is out there that is a similar read, but so far I haven't found any!

If you are looking for a book to curl up with over a rainy weekend, delve into the flashy world of New York's elite and be grateful your life is much simpler.

Was this review helpful?

Well rendered unique read, Andrea Dunlop is a talented storyteller. While not a fast paced read my first thought was that I was reading a
modern poor relation/ cousin comes to New York drama. IN fact the plot is much more nuanced and the heroine certainly took flight in my
imagination, I had no idea where the narrative was going and that was what made it so enjoyable.. In a time in fiiction when. It seems like
all the stories have been told and retold I have settled for reading for the words, sentences and writing quality, This unique plot/twist
was fresh and reminded me of the joy of hearing a new story for the first time.

Was this review helpful?

I could not put this book down. It was extremely well written and a deep dive into the upper echelon of New York Society. However, it focused on the evolution of the characters rather than solely money which made it far more interesting. I would seek out additional books from this author.

Was this review helpful?