This a beautifully told piece of historical fiction and a testament to the power of survival and resilience. It was an emotional read that will stay with me.

One Good Thing by Georgia Hunter is a wonderful and stunning WWII era novel. Just wow.

I loved the author’s first book, so I couldn’t wait to read this gem…and gem it is.
Here we are immersed into WWII and the horrific experiences of those that lived in Italy faced, namely the Jewish citizens and population. The main characters were beautifully written and portrayed. The emotions, trials, fears, and experiences were heart wrenchingly described and I felt as if I was there during many parts within the novel.

It is such an amazing book, and I feel lives up to the author’s freshman novel, We Were the Lucky Ones, and that is certainly saying something.

I highly recommend.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and PENGUIN GROUP Viking Penguin | Pamela Dorman Books for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 3/4/25.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Penguin Group for an advanced copy of One Good Thing. Ms. Hunter has once again written a thoroughly researched, heart wrenching, and wonderful historical fiction. I was very surprised to learn of the Holocaust that took place in Italy during WWII most novels are centered in Germany or Poland.
I am so looking forward to Ms. Hunter next novel.

I couldn’t wait to dive into this book and ended up reading it well before the release date—it was impossible to put down! Georgia Hunter has firmly secured a spot on my list of favorite authors. “One Good Thing” is a story I’ll be recommending to everyone I know, and following it up with this latest work has only solidified my admiration for their writing.

Don’t miss a single book by this author—they’re unforgettable!

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

Georgia’s depiction of the tragedy and torture of what people endured during WWII is so engrossing and I was so excited to read her second book after enjoying her first one. This story of friendship, sacrifice, motherhood, and the power of survival was engaging and informative. I highly recommend it!

I honestly tried to hold off reading this book until closer to the release date, but I simply couldn’t. Georgia Hunter has pretty much catapulted to the top of my favorite authors list. We were the Lucky Ones is a book I can never ever recommend enough. And to have that one followed by this book forever cemented her writing in my heart.
Absolutely do not miss any book this author writes!!

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley

I devoured this book. I love Georgia's style of writing and have been waiting for another. One Good Thing did it for me! It is the genre that interests me and the story line was beautifully crafted. 5 stars!

Another fascinating novel from Georgia Hunter; this one set in Italy in WWII. For me not quite as engrossing as 'We were the lucky ones' but that was a hard act to follow! I did think it could have been shortened quite a bit to its advantage; the last chapters especially seemed to be dragging out the inevitable and summarizing all the past events unnecessarily. It was short of an edit or two; especially some rapid tense changes from present to past and back but I am sure those sections have been ironed out now. It is always good to read a novel that educates without it appearing like an information drop, and I certainly learned a great deal about the horrors Jewish people faced in WWII Italy. Lili and Theo were heart-warming characters, as were the secondary characters. The US influence was interesting and I imagine reflects the author's own sensibilities and love for her country. Perhaps we will see a sequel one day as Lili and Theo settle in America (hopefully with some trips back to Italy and Switzerland!

I received a complimentary copy of this book "One Good Thing" and all opinions expressed are my own. Historical fiction and a good one! I loved this book. It was so interesting and I looked forward to reading it each day. The ending felt rushed or unfinished. I want more....

This book highlighted the impact of WW2 in Italy. Most WW2 books don’t cover the trials that Jewish people in Italy faced. While it was eye opening, the plot was not overly engaging. Many of the plot lines were predictable.

This was an emotional book set during World war ll. It is about the friendship between Lili and Esti and their lives. The writing was wonderful and I could feel myself just pulled into the story and did not want to leave. I highly recommend.

5 stars.

This was such a heartbreaking yet inspiring story. Lili and Theo’s journey through Italy during World War 2 as Jewish individuals showed their bravery, and this book did a good job of describing the horrors of the war and Holocaust. I learned about what Jewish people experienced in Italy and Greece and the dark cruelty of humanity. I’m glad Lili and Theo got their happy ending after the tragedy they faced throughout the book.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an e-ARC of this book!

I absolutely jumped at the chance to read Georgia Hunter's second novel. Thank you so much NetGalley and Pamela Dorman Books. As the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, I am also "One of the Lucky Ones," and I find Hunter's stories to be emotional, heartbreaking, and thought provoking.

This time around, Hunter places her story in Italy during WWII. Lili and Esti are best friends and when the war sweeps through their country, tearing their family apart, they must stick together in order to survive. The thing that struck me the most while I read this story was how incredible it was that some people survived; what people suffered during this time period is unimaginable. And the bravery of those men and women who did what they could to help others is astounding.

I flew through this story in just a few days and I will not soon forget the strength, perseverance, and resilience of these characters. You absolutely must put this one on your list of books to read in 2025.

One Good Thing is exceptional! I absolutely loved Georgia Hunter's first novel and I was excited to read her story based on WWII in Italy to learn more about this important section of history. The story weaves through a blend of two best friends, love, motherhood, and trust when you cannot trust anyone. It is beautiful to read the altruism of so many wonderful people who did all they could to help those who were oppressed and forgotten in the atrocities of WWII.

The story is set in Italy in many different places, and chronicles mostly the journey of Lili and Theo, her best friend Esti's son. The characters shed light on the various emotions and feelings one would have felt in the adversities they faced during this turbulent time.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone that wants to read about strong women and the beauty of trust and friendship. Thank you for the ARC copy from Random House books and Pamela Dorman books, as well as NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

One Good Thing by Georgia Hunter ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

PENGUIN GROUP Viking
Pub Date: 3-4-25

Thank you @netgalley, @vikingbooks, and @georgiahunter for this eARC.

A story of war, friendship, trust, hope, and love . . . I realized more than once while reading that I was holding my breath!

Set in 1940s Italy, Esti asks her best friend, Lili, to escape from their compromised hiding place with Esti's young son, Theo.

Esti and Theo find themselves on a perilous journey across the Italian countryside - from occupied villages and cities - as they attempt to avoid German soldiers and fellow Italians who will turn in Jews for the reward. Who can they trust as they knock on doors for help? Will they be reunited with Esti? What will Theo's earliest memories be when all he's known is war?

"Lili’s shoulders begin to shake. She closes her eyes, lets her chin hang heavy toward her sternum as, in her mind, she spells out the countless reasons she should stay. She imagines herself reeling these arguments off to Esti, but the words don’t come, just a thought, lodged deep in the folds of her heart, an inescapable truth: Esti would do it for her. A tear slides down her cheek."

#onegoodthing #georgiahunter #vikingbooks #netgalley

4.25. A very compelling and engaging read. I really liked Ms. Hunters earlier debut novel, We Were The Lucky Ones and this one did not disappoint. As in her earlier novel, this book focused on World War II, but this one was centered in Italy with the protagonist’s struggle with hardship and survival along with family and friendship. Although many WWII novels focus on Eastern Europe, France and Germany, far fewer deal with similar atrocities in Italy. The challenges and hardships were similar but not as well chronicled. We followed the friendship of Lili and Esti, the former from Bologna, while the latter was from Greece in pre war II, to the imposition of Mussolini’s Racial Laws in 1939 that restricted the Jewish population in Italy. Lilli and Esti start a journey to safety through various places in Italy, finding the fellowship and assistance of some in the Catholic Church (though not all), the kindness and hostility of neighbors and strangers, the partisans fighting against the Axis, and others. Lilly’s journey takes on many challenges and unspeakable horrors but shows the perseverance for the ideals of safety and peace, along with the love for friends and family.. extremely well researched with good character development. Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an advance copy in exchange for an honest and candid review.

This is a really beautiful book. Hunter knows how to take v this horrible topic and tell the story gracefully.
I hurt and hoped with these characters. And continued to hold onto hope.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC

“One Good Thing” by Georgia Hunter is set against the backdrop of World War II Italy. I was captivated by the story of best friends Lili and Esti, showcasing the power of their unwavering friendship during war. The horrors of WWII that the people of Europe endured are truly unimaginable. It’s humbling to reflect on how much we take for granted in our modern lives.  Highly recommend.

This story takes place in Italy during World War II and it is heart-wrenching and beautiful. It’s about two Jewish best friends, Lili and Esti, who are just trying to get through the war alive. Esti has a baby son named Theo and he is the one good thing during this terrible time they’re going through.

This was such an emotional read that was so heartbreaking. It made me feel thankful for the time I live in and for being Canadian. I am truly one of the lucky ones (that’s a nod to Hunter’s first book) What these innocents went through simply because they were Jewish was horrific, to say the least. Imagine your own countrymen being after you as if it wasn’t bad enough to be invaded by the Germans. Lili’s strength and love for Theo and his mother is what got them through this ordeal and helped her to carry on. I loved all the side characters they met along the way and Hunter’s descriptions of the roads that they travelled and the places they stopped were perfection, they really put me into the story and gave me chills.

The ending of this one wasn’t as satisfying as the rest of the book or as I would have liked it was a little too picture-perfect for me but I’m hoping that there’s another book in this series about these characters in the future, I would like to know what happens to them now that the war is over.

I absolutely loved this book. I didn't want to put it down to go to sleep. I actually didn't want it to end and would love a sequel to this heart wrenching book. I can't imagine living through the things that the people in Europe lived through during WWII. We take so much for granted. I would give it 6 stars if I could!