REVIEW: One Thing Better by Jessica Sherry

One Thing Better by Jessica Sherry is a heartwarming and poignant tale of grief, healing, and the unexpected power of love. The story follows Lena, a woman grappling with the loss of her mother and the overwhelming task of cleaning out her childhood home, which is filled with years of clutter. When Ben, a kind and patient neighbor, offers to help, they embark on a journey of discovery and connection.

Sherry's writing is both sensitive and humorous, capturing the complexities of grief and the resilience of the human spirit. Lena and Ben are well-developed characters who feel authentic and relatable. Their relationship is a slow-burn romance that develops naturally and organically.

While the pacing is sometimes uneven, One Thing Better is a satisfying read that will stay long after you finish the last page. The book's exploration of themes like loss, forgiveness, and the importance of human connection is both thought-provoking and uplifting.

Thank you, Netgalley and Jessica Sherry, for the free advanced copy for my honest review!

This was a great book. I connected with the characters. I felt engrossed with the plot. I would read another book by this author.

One Thing Better was a touching novel that shows us that grief, while everlasting, doesn't have to be forever heavy. I enjoyed the overall messages that even in our darkest times, we can find light.

One Thing Better by Jessica Sherry tells us the story of Lena Buckley and how, after much adversity, she picks herself up and lives life to the fullest. Lena's mother always told her that when things got hard or overwhelming, she should remember to do "one thing better" - focus on making one thing better and that will help you make progress through the hard things. After her mother's traumatic death, Lena inherits her disaster of a house and is running out of money and can't seem to find a job. But with the help of her community, the reminder from her mother to do "one thing better", and the help of a handsome police officer, Lena thinks she's on the way up. Then the pandemic hits and her mental health declines.

This book is more than a love story. It is a heartwarming and honest look at how one woman deals with adversity and her mental struggles. It deals with a lot of heavy topics (including PTSD, covid-19, anxiety and mental health) which are dealt with in such a gentle way. I think that anyone who has struggled with these topics (or knows someone that has) will appreciate Lena's story.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This book fell a little flat for me. I liked the premise but the execution was somewhat lacking in that special touch pulling me into the plot alongside the characters.

If you want to read a book that heavily features romance but isn't really a romance novel, One Thing Better is the novel for you. It is the story of Lena, and how she deals with the grief of losing her mother after being her main caretaker. And yes, part of dealing with all this is meeting someone and starting a relationship, but it has to do with so much more. I guess that's why at first I thought this book would be hard to read, and that it would take me a long time to get through, but it wasn't. I was hooked from the very beginning, and despite feeling that some scenes and situations weren't very believable or were set up just to advance the plot, all in all, I liked the novel and I would recommend it to other readers.

Good book with a few slower parts. I enjoyed the book overall and would recommend it to people I think would like the pace of the storyline.

This is a good book. The two main characters are Lena and Ben. Lena has for the past three years been taking care of her mother. Her mother just recently passed. Ben is a cop. There is an attraction. Lena has big decisions to make about her family’s farm, her job and where she wants to live. They both have issues but together they work them out and fall in love.

This started off great, but it slowly started sliding downhill and while bits and pieces seemed to get better, there were just too many things that kept this from being a star.
Lena Buckley suffers from Generalized Anxiety Disorder and her anxiety has gotten worse since her mother, for whom she was the sole caretaker, has passed away and the house in which she lives is literally falling apart around her. After being pulled over for speeding and being given a warning, she decides to rebuild her life by making one thing better at a time. While her anxiety still takes over, especially at the start of the Covid pandemic and the lockdown, she still finds ways to make things better. With the help of some new found friends she’s able to turn her dilapidated house into her dream business and finds a way to calm her anxiety.
I really wanted to like this book, especially because I love books that bring anxiety and the disordered thinking it brings to the limelight. Unfortunately, the things that grated on my nerves canceled out any positive vibes I had in the beginning.
Ms. Sherry seems to have a huge love of the words “smirk” and “ogle”. She uses them on nearly every page and definitely in every chapter. It got to the point where I cringed every single time they popped up and definitely affected how I felt about this book overall. While I definitely appreciated the anxiety disorder, I was completely over Lena’s self-sabotaging, even after she was offered help by people who showed her how much they truly cared about her. I think the part that was the hardest for me, though, was reading about the start of the pandemic and lockdown. That was such an anxiety inducing time for me and reading about someone else’s struggles (especially when I saw a viable solution to her money problems that she [nor Ms. Sherry, since she didn’t write it] just didn’t see) wasn’t very appealing to me. I really wish the book synopsis included that this took place during the early days of the pandemic because I would have skipped this for sure.

.I love this book for us over 30 women who are going through life experiences and dealing with life changes. Some of need to read a book right when we feel like giving up about a main character that feels like doing just that, that we can absolutely relate to. We all, as readers, read to escape and you come across a book that hits you right in the feels because you really can relate and this was my book. This book was great. Beautiful characters, perfectly relatable. Loved it!!

Unexpectedly emotional but SO good. I loved this read so much. It was beautiful and raw and real. Was a tad long but I still really liked it.

Whew. SO emotional.
I really loved reading a story based on a 30+ year old. It really hit home many times. Overthinking, trauma, PTSD, anxiety, etc....I feel that there is something that everyone can relate to, or knows someone who has been touched by these things.

"You are not your circumstances"

Some points can feel very pressing and heavy, but it is a beautiful story of hope. I don't dislike stories that depict the pandemic. I have read a few, and it honestly is interesting to read these stories and see how everyone experienced it differently. Slow burn romance, not a lot of hot spice, but it was just right for this story and the weight of what the MCs were experiencing. And who doesn't love a hot cop ;)

Very cute romance with lovable characters, and best of all, an amazing message. I love Lena's mindset of just focusing on making one thing better instead of stressing out about everything thats wrong. F*ck those anxiety b*tches. Very wholesome read! Absolutely recommend.

Thank you to netgalley and the author for sending me the book in exchange for an honest review

This was a very long story, kind of sad and, personally, I didn’t get attached to the main character! It was well written and a good story, but, for me, it dragged on too long.

After flying through the pages in less than a day, I’m so happy to say that Sherry’s story not only met my expectations, but they went above and beyond, crafting a plotline that kept me continuously on my toes and yearning for more.

One Thing Better is about hope, belief, and let’s be honest, anxiety. A relatable love story not just romantics but of learning to love and believe in one’s self. Jessica has done well with providing a parallel universe we all go through in the midst of hard times. I’d you’re looking for a cute feel good story, this is for you!

DNF, I really wanted to like it, but it was a little too depressing for me, and didn't like the covid factor because it reminded me too much of a time where I wasn't happy at all.
It was a good idea, and I like the thought behind the theme and character development, but ultimately wasn't for me.

Lena Buckley has more than too much on her plate. After losing her bakery and going through a divorce, she’s now dealing with the death of her mother. Filled with anxiety and grief, Lena is faced with several major life decisions. As you shake your head at Lena’s self depreciation, you’ll also want to pull her aside and give her a pep talk. Jessica Sherry, through the use of inner dialogue, shows the reader exactly what Lena is experiencing and how she’s processing those experiences. As you get to know Lena, you become better able to understand her actions and reactions. I’m impressed with the author’s skill in accomplishing this.
Sherry has created a fabulous group of characters; some you’ll love and a few you’ll want to have words with. One character at the top of the list is Ben. Ben, complex and enigmatic, enters Lena’s life during a chance encounter, and gives Lena a much needed message of hope. Over time, Lena becomes well acquainted with Ben, which leads to even more complicated decisions for her to make.
This story covers heavy topics; most of it takes place during the pandemic. That being said, just like Ben’s message, One Thing Better is filled with hope. From gifts left by Lena’s mom to suggestions from new friends, this book delivers positivity and solid advice. It gives its readers a lot to think about. I’d love to talk about the ending, but I won’t, because I don’t want to be responsible for any spoilers. I will say that One Thing Better is definitely worth reading. Thank you Jessica Sherry! You’ve written a wonderful book, and you’ve left me wanting more of Lena’s story!

A wonderful story, though it did take 2 times to get into it. Probably my mood at the time, but am so glad I went back to it. I truly adored this book. Lena’s life isn’t even
close to what she thought it would be. With her mother now gone, all she is left with is a broken down house, broken down spirits and feeling so very lost. Everyone has ideas for her, for her home all while she is adrift, so very sad and trying to being in her anxiety levels. Her dreams were put aside to do what she needed to do, but when she is at her lowest she meets Ben. They are exactly what the other needs. It’s a great storyline with wonderful characters that leads to a truly fantastic and very well deserved happily ever after. This was my first by this author, but will not be my last.

Gah this one was so relatable; I felt myself getting really frustrated at the main character sometimes and her hard headedness with her anxiety but I was getting mad because I knew that was the exact reaction I would probably have too with mine. It was heartbreaking watching a good person so down on their luck, but we all love rooting for the underdog and watching as their life turns around and things get better little by little.
Lena was battling a lot— she was mourning the loss of her mother, which I can’t even and don’t want to imagine that level of grief, as well as feeling a little guilt on if there was anything more she could have done for her. With her home crumbling around her and her finances too, Lena really does feel like she is at rock bottom. Not to mention she is now divorced. Though from everything said, that was obviously a bad relationship.
Then Ben comes along and you know that saying that the healthy relationship after the toxic one is always the hardest? Well it’s true. Not that the relationship itself is, but that something this honest and true is really happening and accepting that. Lena struggles with how there for her Ben is, and has to fight that independence streak in her. Ben is patient, calm, and perfect for her.
This is what I would call a sad romance, but also uplifting with its “better-ever-after”.

Thank you to the author, Jessica Sherry, for providing me with an early copy of this one!!