BOOK REVIEW: SHE REGRETS NOTHING BY ANDREA DUNLOP

She Regrets Nothing by Andrea Dunlop

Published February 6, 2018

Paperback, 400 pages

MY GOODREADS RATING 4/5 STARS

(Thanks to Netgalley & Washington Square Press, I received an eARC)

GOODREADS SYNOPSIS:

In the tradition of The Emperor’s Children and The House of Mirth, the forgotten granddaughter of one of New York’s wealthiest men is reunited with her family just as she comes of age—and once she’s had a glimpse of their glittering world, she refuses to let it go without a fight.

When Laila Lawrence becomes an orphan at twenty-three, the sudden loss unexpectedly introduces her to three glamorous cousins from New York who show up unannounced at her mother’s funeral. The three siblings are scions of the wealthy family from which Laila’s father had been estranged long before his own untimely demise ten years before.

Two years later, Laila has left behind her quiet life in Grosse Point, Michigan to move to New York City, landing her smack in the middle of her cousins’ decadent world. As the truth about why Laila’s parents became estranged from the family patriarch becomes clear, Laila grows ever more resolved to claim what’s rightfully hers. Caught between longing for the love of her family and her relentless pursuit of the lifestyle she feels she was unfairly denied, Laila finds herself reawakening a long dead family scandal—not to mention setting off several new ones—as she becomes further enmeshed in the lives and love affairs of her cousins. But will Laila ever, truly, belong in their world? 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.

MY THOUGHTS:

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.