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carliekw's review against another edition
5.0
Loved this book; solid strong female lead - clearly flawed - in Cleo, and was a big fan of the postscript shoutout to women who've stepped up and run for office over the recent years.
theamandashuman's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
yarn_chicken's review against another edition
4.0
I'd really probably give this one 3.5 stars. I enjoyed listening to this though. And Julia Whelan is great as always!
bargainsleuth's review against another edition
4.0
To read more of my reviews, check out www.bargain-sleuth.com or check out my Facebook page or FB Group Bargain Sleuth Book Reviews.
Cleo McDougal Regrets Nothing is not the sort of book that I normally read. I read history books and biographies and children's books and the occasional historical fiction book. So reading a contemporary fiction book is a little bit out of my wheelhouse. I had to give myself a day or two to really think about how I felt about the book before writing about it.
Cleo isn't all that likeable at the beginning (well, if I'm being honest, throughout most of the book) "The truth was that even outside of high school, even well beyond the MaryAnne Newman situation and the “dumping her perfectly nice boyfriend” situation, Cleo McDougal really hadn’t ever been such a good person.". She's a three-time Congressperson and two-time Senator (and only 37), a single mother and aiming for the White House.
She loses both parents before her senior year and pushes everyone away in pursuit of her goals. "When you lose your parents young, there is simply a blight on your psyche that becomes part of your being. Really, it had become background noise to Cleo: she knew the loss was there, but if she paid too much attention to it, it would override everything."
Her dad had suggested to her to write down a list of her regrets, and that has what she has faithfully done for the past 20+ years. There are 233 of them. Because her childhood best friend publishes an op-ed that says she is a horrible person and it goes viral, Cleo does some soul-searching and decides that she needs to rectify some of the regrets on her list.
Cleo is an uber-feminist. Every waking thought and action offers a feminist manifesto. I like strong women and consider myself a feminist, but sometimes think Cleo is way too rigid in her thinking about men. There's even a part in the book when something she does goes viral, and soon there are protestors holding signs outside her office that say "Not All Men." I have to agree.
But I also liked Cleo because she was a feminist, breaking that damn glass ceiling and taking men's patriarchy to task. She's constantly reminding the reader that yes, women are equal to men, and we shouldn't have to prove it repeatedly to get the same respect. So props to the author for holding the line throughout the whole book.
Cleo McDougal Regrets Nothing is not the sort of book that I normally read. I read history books and biographies and children's books and the occasional historical fiction book. So reading a contemporary fiction book is a little bit out of my wheelhouse. I had to give myself a day or two to really think about how I felt about the book before writing about it.
Cleo isn't all that likeable at the beginning (well, if I'm being honest, throughout most of the book) "The truth was that even outside of high school, even well beyond the MaryAnne Newman situation and the “dumping her perfectly nice boyfriend” situation, Cleo McDougal really hadn’t ever been such a good person.". She's a three-time Congressperson and two-time Senator (and only 37), a single mother and aiming for the White House.
She loses both parents before her senior year and pushes everyone away in pursuit of her goals. "When you lose your parents young, there is simply a blight on your psyche that becomes part of your being. Really, it had become background noise to Cleo: she knew the loss was there, but if she paid too much attention to it, it would override everything."
Her dad had suggested to her to write down a list of her regrets, and that has what she has faithfully done for the past 20+ years. There are 233 of them. Because her childhood best friend publishes an op-ed that says she is a horrible person and it goes viral, Cleo does some soul-searching and decides that she needs to rectify some of the regrets on her list.
Cleo is an uber-feminist. Every waking thought and action offers a feminist manifesto. I like strong women and consider myself a feminist, but sometimes think Cleo is way too rigid in her thinking about men. There's even a part in the book when something she does goes viral, and soon there are protestors holding signs outside her office that say "Not All Men." I have to agree.
But I also liked Cleo because she was a feminist, breaking that damn glass ceiling and taking men's patriarchy to task. She's constantly reminding the reader that yes, women are equal to men, and we shouldn't have to prove it repeatedly to get the same respect. So props to the author for holding the line throughout the whole book.
mbkarapcik's review against another edition
2.0
Senator and single mother Cleo McDougal faces a scandal while building up her campaign to run for President. This prompts her to question whether it's time to revisit her regrets, which she keeps in a drawer in a desk. While delving into her past, she starts to make subtle changes.
Unfortunately, I did not like this character or many of the others. Despite touting that she's a senator every chance she gets, she does not appear together at all or sure in her thoughts or the way she conducts herself. Many components of this character seem contradictory to the way she behaves and thinks. You could say she's a complex character, but, to me, she just seems confused and not prepared to go "Only Forward" (her campaign slogan) toward the Presidency.
Another issue I had was her extremely feminist and politically correct views that seriously draw the line at being fair to anyone different from her. She will posit an opinion on the way a person is conducting their own life and then backpedal that she doesn't judge but continues to do so. I found it frustrating. Even her son points out her hypocrisy every so often, especially regarding relationships.
***Spoiler Alert***
One situation I felt was handled well was the chapter where her son meets his biological father for the first time. It sounded very believable and was touching without being maudlin while also addressing that Cleo made a mistake in not giving him this information for so long or letting the father know. Honestly, this could have come up way sooner and would have been a great storyline to bring up in the beginning.
When revisiting her regrets, I found them lackluster and patently unfair. The second incident spurs on a national movement that felt accusatory without investigation. Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty? I get it and feel that women should stand up when sexual harassment comes into play, but there was an underlying message that men are the enemy. But then Cleo becomes sort of involved with a sworn womanizer who is actually reputable?
It's too bad because I have read other books by this author that I enjoyed, but this one was a novel that I didn't necessarily regret reading but could have bypassed. And I wish that this would have covered her actual run for Presidency instead of her seeking out a nomination. You almost feel like this book could have been about a female executive or head of a company and not a political figure.
If you're looking for a book about a female politician, whether you like her or not, Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld is excellent and a little more of what I was hoping to find in this novel.
Unfortunately, I did not like this character or many of the others. Despite touting that she's a senator every chance she gets, she does not appear together at all or sure in her thoughts or the way she conducts herself. Many components of this character seem contradictory to the way she behaves and thinks. You could say she's a complex character, but, to me, she just seems confused and not prepared to go "Only Forward" (her campaign slogan) toward the Presidency.
Another issue I had was her extremely feminist and politically correct views that seriously draw the line at being fair to anyone different from her. She will posit an opinion on the way a person is conducting their own life and then backpedal that she doesn't judge but continues to do so. I found it frustrating. Even her son points out her hypocrisy every so often, especially regarding relationships.
***Spoiler Alert***
One situation I felt was handled well was the chapter where her son meets his biological father for the first time. It sounded very believable and was touching without being maudlin while also addressing that Cleo made a mistake in not giving him this information for so long or letting the father know. Honestly, this could have come up way sooner and would have been a great storyline to bring up in the beginning.
When revisiting her regrets, I found them lackluster and patently unfair. The second incident spurs on a national movement that felt accusatory without investigation. Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty? I get it and feel that women should stand up when sexual harassment comes into play, but there was an underlying message that men are the enemy. But then Cleo becomes sort of involved with a sworn womanizer who is actually reputable?
It's too bad because I have read other books by this author that I enjoyed, but this one was a novel that I didn't necessarily regret reading but could have bypassed. And I wish that this would have covered her actual run for Presidency instead of her seeking out a nomination. You almost feel like this book could have been about a female executive or head of a company and not a political figure.
If you're looking for a book about a female politician, whether you like her or not, Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld is excellent and a little more of what I was hoping to find in this novel.
machster9's review against another edition
3.0
I got this through Kindle Unlimited because I needed something light, witty and fun after doing a lot of reading about the BLM movement, racism and slavery. I had hopes for it based on reviews and readers' comments, but I saw little wit and found the story to just plod along until the point where Cleo, the protagonist, confronts someone from her past who's actions helped propel her life in an unexpected direction. Up till that point, I found it slow, mostly uninteresting, and not terribly well written.
I wanted to stick with it, and luckily, the story line picked up and became more interesting, but overall it fell flat for me. I don't think books have to be "serious" or "important" to enjoy them, but the entertainment factor was lacking for me.
I wanted to stick with it, and luckily, the story line picked up and became more interesting, but overall it fell flat for me. I don't think books have to be "serious" or "important" to enjoy them, but the entertainment factor was lacking for me.
steffcook's review against another edition
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
tracy713's review against another edition
3.0
The book was generally engaging. Cleo is a highly flawed person (though by no means a villain or antihero), and I appreciated that there is character growth by the end of the novel. This isn’t a book I’m likely to reread, but I enjoyed it.
eilish_13's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
mcearl12's review against another edition
5.0
I honestly loved this book which I was able to read thanks to the generosity of the publisher and NetGalley!!
The title and cover are reminiscent of other books I have read ("Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine," for example, and which I also enjoyed), but that's really where the similarity ends. The author's voice, the writing style, and the story are all pitch perfect. I love the blending of Me Too, Regrets, Politics, and Personal...it is exactly what I needed to read in these dark (honestly, so dark) days. MY only regret s after finishing this book are 1) that I can't pick up the phone and invite Cleo McDougal (or Allison Winn Scotch, for that matter) out for a drink (not bourbon!) or coffee (hold the cashew milk, please), and 2) that Cleo McDougal's name will not be on the presidential ballot in November.
I hope this book gets big press, but just in case it doesn't...trust me, you won't be sorry that you read this thoughtful, unpretentious, book. And by book's end, I dare say that you'll have absolutely fallen in love with Cleo!
#CleoMcDougalRegretsNothing #NetGalley
The title and cover are reminiscent of other books I have read ("Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine," for example, and which I also enjoyed), but that's really where the similarity ends. The author's voice, the writing style, and the story are all pitch perfect. I love the blending of Me Too, Regrets, Politics, and Personal...it is exactly what I needed to read in these dark (honestly, so dark) days. MY only regret s after finishing this book are 1) that I can't pick up the phone and invite Cleo McDougal (or Allison Winn Scotch, for that matter) out for a drink (not bourbon!) or coffee (hold the cashew milk, please), and 2) that Cleo McDougal's name will not be on the presidential ballot in November.
I hope this book gets big press, but just in case it doesn't...trust me, you won't be sorry that you read this thoughtful, unpretentious, book. And by book's end, I dare say that you'll have absolutely fallen in love with Cleo!
#CleoMcDougalRegretsNothing #NetGalley