I listened to Something Good by Vanessa Miller in February 2024 and appreciated Tyra Kennedy’s narration. The illustrated cover caught my eye; I didn’t read the plot summary and was surprised to discover the ways three women are connected when the dangers of distracted driving impacts their lives. A secondary theme is mental health and consequences when necessary care is not received.

This is contemporary Christian fiction so faith and forgiveness are components of the plot in a very organic, never preachy, way. There’s some ‘real’ conflict among characters which felt honest, but the ‘happily ever after’ ending tied everything up too neatly and was unrealistic.

This was my first Vanessa Miller novel but won't be my last. Thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for the review copy of this novel.

Three women from varying backgrounds find their lives forever intertwined after a car accident, a surprise pregnancy, and a need for purpose and change. Marquita Lewis is struggling as a young single mom with a baby. She's out of diapers, out of formula, out of another job, and now out of a place to live. Desperate for help and a better future for her son, Marquita goes to the only place she can think of for help. Trish Robinson is struggling with the new normal of her life-financially and mentally. She is now the caregiver to her all-star, football-playing son who is now bed ridden after a car accident that took his dreams away. Alexis Marshall is trying her best to keep up appearance for her husband's sake as he navigates major financial deals for his tech company. The only problem is, Alexis caused a car accident that forever changed a young man's life. Something Good is a powerful story of women helping each other and breaking generational struggles.

I love the representation, the cover, and the depth of Something Good by Vanessa Miller. I love how faith is weaved throughout and the character growth in the book. I would recommend for Christians looking for a heartwarming, character-driven story.

DNF - This wasn't my style of book, not one I very much enjoy. I recognize the minority set of my views & I'm glad that so many other people have found so much to love and appreciate in this book.

Jon-Jon’s family is suffering financial because of his injuries in an accident that wasn’t his fault. Their insurance won’t pay for the operation he needs, and they’re not getting any help from Alexis Marshall, the woman who caused the accident.

Alexis wants to help, but her husband won’t let her because he thinks it will affect his big business deal. He’s too busy trying to present a perfect persona, which impacts on Alexis’s relationship with her mother.

Marquita Lewis has had a tough upbringing, with a mother who has serious mental health issues and who hasn’t been taught a lot of what we might think are the basics of life. When she shows up on the Marshall’s doorstep, it challenges them all.

The overriding theme of Something Good is implied by the title: God can bring something good out of even the worst of circumstances if we let him. It’s a great theme, and the novel does a great job of showing this at the big-picture level.

My problems with Something Good started with the underlying premise . This book has a plot that shouldn’t happen. I will admit to Kiwi privilege here: I live in a country with “socialist” national healthcare as well as separate state-funded medical insurance for those injured in accidents. As such, it grates that Jon-Jon’s medical expenses cause his family such financial stress. It’s a sad indictment on “the land of the free” that this plot is possible and all-too believable.

Second, there were a lot of editing issues e.g. misspelled words (e.g. Epson salt), awkward tense changes (maybe they’re in italic in the paper version, but they weren’t in my ebook review copy), repetition (arms and hands flailing in consecutive paragraphs, as though the sentence was moved but the original sentence not deleted), and weird dialogue tags (objected, joked).

But the main problem the dialogue—it felt wooden, unnatural, and inconsistent with the characters. The quality of the editing was an unpleasant surprise, because Thomas Nelson novels are usually edited to a much higher standard. The editing drew me out of the story many times which is a shame, because Something Good is a powerful story that deserves to be read.

In particular, I found Alexis an inspiring character. Why? Because of her determination to hold onto God despite her circumstances, and her habit of praying her way through the bad times. I found that encouraging, and it’s great to see Thomas Nelson returning to their heritage of novels displaying strong Christian values. More, please!

Meanwhile, I look forward to exploring some of Vanessa Miller’s extensive list of previous novels.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

Vanessa Miller has a hit on her hands. She seamlessly weaves three different lives together and shows the reader that we all have a past, trials and tribulations we're going through, and that sometimes we have to look outside of ourselves to the blessings. Not only that but we can make the most unlikely friendships that only strengthen us and bolster us during difficult times. Definitely a must read.

I loved this book so much! It had all the things I love in a Christian fiction book: overcoming obstacles, clinging to faith in God and high quality storytelling.

I could not put this down, I was so captivated at the story and the twists and turns. A family finds themselves caring for their adult son after he is hit and left paralyzed by a distracted driver. Their faith to trust God to get through this trial was so encouraging! Some real issues are dealt with in this book: classism, mental illness, death, teen pregnancy and racism.


This book takes place in Charlotte, North Carolina which as an NC girl really connected with me as I was familiar with a lot of the references.

Overall, I thought that this book was good. But there were some parts that felt rushed to me. Like for example, when the accident happened it was hard to keep up with what was going on. And then right after it happens it jumps to the injured persons family being mad about what happened. That was the only confusing part to me. I did like the themes of forgiveness and how two families worked through there issues to stay together. Over all this was a powerful book.

Vanessa Miller has a hit on her hands. She seamlessly weaves three different lives together and shows the reader that we all have a past, trials and tribulations we're going through, and that sometimes we have to look outside of ourselves to the blessings. Not only that but we can make the most unlikely friendships that only strengthen us and bolster us during difficult times. Definitely a must read.

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley. My review was not required nor influenced.

Marquise, Alexis and Trish are three women from three very different backgrounds and lifestyles. An unfortunate circumstance brings them into each other lives.

The author did a great job with several sensitive subjects. I especially enjoyed the growth of Marquita. At first I did not like her character, but she truly grew on me. I enjoyed the book from beginning to end

* I was provided with a NetGalley review copy of this book for free in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for this opportunity.

Something Good is a novel by best-selling author, Vanessa Miller, that follows the lives of 3 different women following a car accident caused by distracted driving.

Alexis is the well off mother of two kids, who crashed into the car of a young man whilst trying to pick up her mobile phone that she has dropped whilst driving. Her life on the surface seemed perfect, but she is struggling to come to terms with the accident and also her mother's history of mental illness.

Trish is the mother of the young man who was hit by Alexis. He is in a wheelchair and her family are struggling to make ends meet whilst paying for his healthcare. She is at her whits end and doesn't know what to do to keep her family from falling about.

Marquita is a teen mom trying to survive with her baby boy, but struggling to keep a job and pay her bills.

All three women's stories end up intertwinning in a really beautiful way and I think this book does a great job at writing realistic and flawed characters. I really enjoyed this book and was hooked after the first few chapters. I thought it was really well written. Despite not being religious myself, I enjoyed how well the author showed each charachter's relationship with Christianity and how it helped them through hard times.

This is an easy and uplifting read that I would definitely recommend.

I spotlighted Something Good as book of the day and included it in my weekly and monthly roundups of new releases on my Black Fiction Addiction platforms. I also interviewed the author.

When I first started reading this book, I must admit I wasn't sure I would finish it... all because I found one of the characters to be a bit annoying. Oh yes, in the beginning Marquita was not a character I enjoyed. She was rude and disrespectful, and I just didn't relate to the character at all. The other women drew me in though, so I kept pushing on... and I'm glad I did because by the end, Marquita might have just been my favorite. As I got to see more of her story, I understood her actions a bit better and we got to see a tremendous growth in her in the end. And she wasn't the only one, the other women (and men) in the story came a long way too. Taking on mental illness, forgiveness, financial burdens, etc this story was definitely a bit heavy at points, but I really enjoyed seeing how these three very different women had their lives come together in such life changing and unexpected ways.

**I received a complimentary copy for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

This book was excellent. The three women pulled at my heartstrings and I experienced a myriad of emotions while reading their story. The inspiration is something I want to keep.
Many thanks to Thomas Nelson Fiction and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Something Good by Vanessa Miller is a book that honors and pays tribute to God, family, friends, and the love that binds them all together.

Something good is a fairly good book. I couldn’t seem to connect with the characters. The plot was promising had it been written better. I received an advance ebook from the publisher and Netgalley. This is my unbiased review.

Thank you to the author, Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Forgiveness and redemption are strong themes in this book, and the author can definitely write. The story flows and the different threads are woven together well, although the ending is OTT neatly tied up in a bow. Overall, I found it too saccharine for my taste and would not recommend it unless a heavy emphasis on evangelical Christianity is something you're happy with.

I unfortunately could not get into this read. I didn't find the characters particularly compelling, and the writing style wasn't for me--it emphasized telling over showing.

I may pick it up again later on if I need something to read, but for now, it's on my DNF list.

Reminiscent of Jodi Picoult's Small Great Things; fans of her/that book may enjoy, especially as it comes from a Christian perspective and the content is clean. I would also recommend Katie Ganshert's book No One Ever Asked as an alternative or additional read--that's one of my favorite books!

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Something Good
by: Vanessa Miller
Thomas Nelson-FICTION, Thomas Nelson

Something Good is a powerfully inspiring story of how, through faith, tragedy can lead to connections, relationships, and understanding. As we are reminded as the book begins, one moment, one move, and one decision can change lives forever. Miller's suspenseful yet compelling plot brings together three unique women as a result of unexpected happenings. Her engaging narrative that kept me intrigued throughout the book.

Alexis had a car accident that led to Trish's son Jon-Jon being paralyzed. Then, Marquita appeared at Trish's door one day with news to possibly change her family's lives. Miller's superior talent at rich character development is evident as the details of each woman's character, background, and personalities shine through in the story. We follow their day to day lives and are immersed in their relationships with husbands, mothers, and children. I was moved with the inclusion of character flaws and struggles, and the diversity of the women's backgrounds.

This was my first novel read by Vanessa Miller, and it is in my favorite genre of women's fiction. I love books that are about realistic women, their family and friend relationships, life choices, and career paths. Miller gave me all of that, along with an extraordinary and sensitive plot. She allows us as readers to feel empathy, compassion, and humility through her words. I look forward to reading more of her work.
Thank you to Net Galley and Thomas Nelson-FICTION, Thomas Nelson for the advance reader's copy and opportunity to provide my unbiased review.
#SomethingGood #NetGalley

Vanessa Miller was a new-to-me author, and I'm glad I decided to read her newest book, Something Good! She has written a heartwarming story about the power of forgiveness and friendships. Alexis, Trish, and Marquita are relatable characters with unique perspectives that are woven together in ways they never expected. Their unlikely friendship is a powerful reminder that God really can make something good come of even the worst tragedies. If you are looking for a redemptive story with layered characters and rich, authentic faith themes, look no further than Something Good!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.