This is a story of survival under the worst of circumstances. It’s about friendship, love, family and ultimately hope during WWII when being Jewish made you “less than, inferior and sub-human”. Lili and Esti met at University and became like sisters. They’re in Italy and life is a bit scary, but they believe being far from the horrors, they are okay. That is until they aren’t and Moussolini’s laws have made it unsafe for anyone of Jewish descent. They make a plan and go into hiding to try to escape. When the safe place they are in is attacked, Esti is wounded and begs Lili to take her son and run to protect him. It’s a dark, emotional, important read all the more so because it not only happened, but with the state of our world, is leading us down a scary road again. Though this is fiction, this is probably the story that happened time and time again. This is a very well written and important story.

A heartfelt story of friendship, family, and survival in war-torn 1940s Italy. Epic journey for two Jewish friends and child under Mussolini and the Racial Laws. Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for an advanced copy for an honest review.

This book tells the story of Lili, an Italian Jew, during WWII. It is full of suspense, friendship, love, sacrifice, and survival. It also gives light to what WWII was like for the Italians. Lili’s character was very relatable because she did what she had to do despite her fears. I loved Thomas’s character. He was very charming, got along great with Theo, and was the perfect match for Lili. I didn’t care for the swearing scattered throughout the story because it added a modern twist to the story. I also felt it needed more closure with Esti and Niko’s fates. I feel that there needs to be a follow up book to find out what happened with Esti and Niko and see how life is for Lili, Thomas, and Theo in Virginia. If you are a historical fiction fan, this is a great book to read!

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Viking for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I love when I enjoy a story & learn a lot at the same time. The cover made me think it was going to be a wartime love story, but that was not the case. This is a novel set in Italy during the span of WWIl. About Jewish people who lived in Italy during that time. Lili is a young woman forced to forge Aryan papers in order to try to escape to a safer city in Italy. Lili must escape all while bringing a 3 year old boy. His mother, Lili's best friend, was severely injured by Germans & was unable to escape. While the story was heavy with sadness, there were many bright spots in Lili's travels. Lili is on her own until about 75% of the way through when she helps an American soldier. The entire book is heart wrenching & an eye opener to the atrocities of war. Thank you Goodreads & Penguin Random House for this ARC.

Esti and Lili are best friends. When the Nazis invade Italy, both of these ladies are in terrible danger, along with Theo, Esti’s son. Esti ends up getting taken and she begs Lili to take Theo and escape. Lili takes Theo and does her best to keep him safe.

I loved Lili. She is strong and intelligent. And believe me, she needs both to travel the way she travels and survive.

There was one thing that didn’t sit right with me, and this is minor. But it is something I noticed. When Lili and Theo are on their LONG trek from Assisi to Rome, 118 miles, ON FOOT, Theo only has one melt down. There is no way a child of 3 did not cry and scream every day. Heck, as an adult, I would have been crying and screaming. And yes, Lili complained some about her feet and other difficulties but I just felt that this part of the story was missing the desperation of the characters. Like I said, minor but noticeable.

Believe me, there are quite a few desperate areas in this book which take the reader on all kinds of emotional journeys. I was terrified, sad, mad and happy all in the same chapter in this book. The author really created an emotional tale you will not soon forget.

Need a story about friendship and survival…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

4.25 stars

The lives of best friends Esti and Lili are turned upside down when Italy introduces its racial laws. Esti becomes involved in the underground and soon they are on the run with Esti’s son Theo to avoid allied bombing raids, Nazis and Italian fascists.

I loved Georgia’s debut novel We Were The Lucky Things and she and Penguin publishing kindly accepted my request for a copy of this book. I have read many many books set during WW2 but never one set in Italy, so this was fascinating to learn about. I loved the relationships between the characters and enjoyed meeting all of the brave characters who help Esti and Lili on their journey, many who are based on actual historical figures. Georgia has a wonderful ability to weave fiction and history into a very readable piece of work. This didn’t quite reach the heights of her first book for me (hard to live up to a book of that scope and personal impact) but I still very much enjoyed and recommend to lovers of historical fiction.

In this WWII historical drama two best friends find themselves living in Italy in the 1930s and 1940s. A story of love, friendship, and found family.

One Good Thing is Georgia Hunter’s follow-up to the powerful We Were the Lucky Ones. Though not based on a singular person’s real life experiences, Hunter notes that she weaves in as many true stories that she cans as she follows Lili’s experiences as the Second World War comes to Italy, starting with the racial laws that leave her, her family, and friends, stripped of their rights and abilities.

As the war continued and her life is in danger, Lili, Esti, and Esti’s young son Theo are forced to continue to find refuge in an unpredictable landscape.

Italy is not a country I often think of for World War II, and I appreciated Hunter’s novel taking a look at what it was like and her research into this. I loved Lili as an everyday heroine, not inherently bold and brave, but one who often struggled with what she was forced to do. Hopeful yet heartbreaking, this is for any historical fiction reader.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pamela Dorman Books.

Thank you Viking for the review copy. One Good Thing is reminiscent, in good ways, of themes explored in We Were the Lucky Ones and is a powerful read that keeps historical themes from WWII visible and relevant in necessary, and unfortunately timely, ways. Georgia Hunter is deft at crafting stories with rich historical detail with emotionally resonant stories that stick with a reader for a long time.

One Good Thing by Georgia Hunter is a World War II story of hardship, hope, courage and resilience. Lili has been friends with Esti since meeting at university. When Esti’s son, Theo, is born, they become as close as sisters. As the war rages in Germany and France, Lili and Esti must deal with Mussolini’s Racial Laws, and while difficult, life seemingly goes on as usual. Until Germany invades northern Italy and life becomes much more dangerous. At first, they flee to a countryside villa to help hide Jewish orphans. Then fleeing to Florence, finding in a convent as nuns and becoming a part of the Underground network of forgers and couriers. When Esti can no longer protect Theo, she asks Lili to take her son and protect him. Now Lili finds herself on a journey through Allied territory, Nazi-occupied villages and finding ways to survive, not only for herself, but for a promise she made to her best friend.
World War II still fuels amazing stories eighty years after it ended. While most stories take place in France or Germany, I find it very refreshing that authors are finding stories to tell from other areas of the world. One Good Thing is an engaging story from start to finish. I loved the character of Lili. Lili is the worrier at the beginning and while she is filled with doubt at every turn, but her determination to fulfil her promise to Esti, she finds the courage and strength to keep moving forward. I also loved the character development of Esti from a skeptic to a fully committed to the underground resistance. I loved the sister-friendship between Lili and Esti. One Good Thing is a great story of how the love for another person is a reason to keep going despite the darkness and hopelessness. If you love stories of friendship, motherhood and survival, I highly recommend One Good Thing.

One Good Thing will be available March 4, 2025 in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

Thank you to NetGalley, author Georgia Hunter and Penguin Group Publishing for gifting me an ARC of One Good Thing. In exchange I offer my honest review.

Having read and loved We Were The Lucky Ones, I was thrilled to receive an early copy of Georgia Hunter’s newest novel. Once again the author has written a memorable and moving story set during WWII.

This book of historical fiction was compelling, emotional and extremely poignant. I admit it was very difficult to read this novel at a time when there is so much open antisemitism occurring in the world and so few are speaking out. I was amazed to discover how many non Jews risked their lives during the Holocaust and I am grateful to Georgia Hunter for highlighting these unsung heroes.

This time in One Good Thing, we meet best friends Esti & Lili, living a carefree existence in Italy until slowly the horrors of Hitler and his Nuremberg Laws makes it’s away across Europe, forcing those of Jewish lineage to go into hiding. Despite trying their best to survive under brutal conditions, things take a turn for the worse when Lili and Esti are separated.

I truly believe this book needs to be read, shared and discussed by everyone; from those who have remained silent and for those who have chosen the path of courage and resilience. A captivating and gripping story.

This is a beautifully written, historical fiction set in WWII Italy. It is the story of two women who have been best friends since college and are "doing life" together until suddenly Mussolini's laws and Hitler's regime make their way into their lives forcing them to make incredibly tough decisions. "One Good Thing" portrays the life-altering impact of being an "other" in Europe during WWII. The novel uses narrative to connect to the reader in such a powerful way. 4.5/5 star read for me. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to have been given an advance reader copy. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this incredibly read!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
4.5 stars!
I was so excited to get this ARC and it did not disappoint. The writing is beautiful and this story is heartbreaking. This explores the evil of man, the beauty of friendship, and finding love in the midst of loss and pain. I can’t wait to see what the author writes next.

One Good Thing by Georgia Hunter chronicles Lili's journey of survival during German occupied Italy. I feel WWII Historical Fiction is an important and timely genre because of the current political landscape and for that reason these perspectives and glimpses into the past are important.

I liked but did not love this particular story. I did love the strong female friendships and characters as well as the courage of side characters and the humanity that was shown throughout.

What I thought this book lacked was that while it is a character based book, the reader only got to know Lili on the surface. The writing focused on Lili's journey but didn't dive much deeper into her as a person. Even the love story was very surface level. Lili's lack of depth left me skimming at times to get to the next part of her journey.

While lovers of WWII Historical Fiction will likely enjoy this book, I ultimately did not think it added much to the genre as a whole.

I rated this book 3 starts on Goodreads and 3.25 stars on Storygraph.

An emotional and dramatic novel of WWII in Italy. Lili and Esti met an university and became the best of friends, a relationship which endures through the Esti's marriage, the disappearance of her husband, the birth of Theo, their assistance to others Italian Jews, and their flight from Bologna. And then the worst happens Esti is dragged from the convent where they've been hiding and Lili and Theo, now three, must run to find safety. This is their journey through war torn Northern Italy, their struggle to survive. It's a story of resilience and determination, of the good people and the bad ones they encounter. It's amazing that Lili is able to make it to Rome and even more so that a chance encounter with Thomas, an American who has escaped a prison camp, changes so much for them. Lili doesn't let go of Theo through all their troubles, nor does she let go of hope that she will see Esti again. If I have a quibble it's that Theo conveys as much older than 3. This doesn't have clear margins and while you might expect the ending it might not be entirely what you hope for. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. An excellent read.

Set during ww2 in Italy this is a story of two best friends Esti and Lili, who are both Jews, and how they helped each other through the difficult times. Hunter’s style of writing flows from one page to another. I loved seeing both of these characters grow and develop in maturity, confidence, motherhood. I really loved the strong friendship between Lili and Esti. This is a fascinating and heartbreaking read of sacrifices, close encounters with danger and much more.
However, I found the pace of this book to be quite slow especially during their journey through the countryside, and at times not much happened. I also found the ending a bit flat, I would like to have seen an epilogue maybe 6 months or a year later to end the story.
Overall I enjoyed this book.
Thank you to Netgalley & Georgia Hunter for advanced copy of this book, all opinions expressed are my own.

Two things really drew me into this book. First, it's another account of Jewish characters during Hitler's regime, but instead of being set in the typical Germany or Poland, its set in Italy, and tells about the struggles of Italian Jews during this time, something that I haven't read about, nor appreciated, before. Second, it focuses on the incredibly close friendship of two women, and what each of them will do for each other under horrific circumstances. This is a story of deep friendship, bonds that can't be broken, and the sacrifices they make for each other. What helps this is incredible characters in Esti and Lili. They were simply two amazing women. This book also had great supporting characters – some with bigger roles than others, but all equally important.

Thank you PENGUIN GROUP Viking Penguin

I read “We Were the Lucky Ones” years ago. When I saw that Hunter would have a new book out, I requested it and was thrilled to be given the chance to read it early. Yes, it’s about Jews in Italy during World War II and many of the characters will face danger over the course of the story. But what I like about it and “Lucky Ones” is that they end with hope.

The main elements of the book are friendship, courage, and self discovery against the backdrop of the war. Esti has always been the more vibrant and daring of the two friends but now Lili has to forge ahead on her own, making split second, life or death decisions in an effort to protect Theo and herself. I kind of liked seeing a character who isn’t outwardly brave, who has to mentally pump herself up and then face risks.

Danger is there. In Italy there are German allies, Italian fascists, and several other groups and gangs – none of whom are friends to Jews. Then after Italy surrenders to the Allies, those Germans become enemies. Rationing was a way of life and to get ration cards, one must have an Aryan ID, meaning one that does not state that the person is Jewish. The work that Esti and others, then later Lili, do saves lives.

Another thing that is positive is the number of strangers who willingly shelter first the women and Theo and then Lili and Theo. Some appear to be part of a network while others are strangers who answer Lili’s request for help with food, a bed for the night, or a ride after she and Theo have warily trudged on foot from Assisi towards Rome and closer to the battling Allied army.

Reading the afterward information and seeing how many historical figures are included in the book was nearly as interesting. I had heard about racing cyclist Gino Bartali and immediately recognized his name when he appears in the story. Learning about what Father Rufino Niccacci and Cardinal Dalla Costa (both named Righteous Among the Nations) tirelessly did to hide and protect Jews in Italy was heartening. But I also like that Lili questions the Cardinal about why the Church isn’t officially doing more and that it’s realistic that later Lili runs into a priest who isn’t as helpful.

I wasn’t expecting what occurred in Rome but given what Lili admits, that so many had helped her, a stranger, I wasn’t surprised at her decision. What resulted is delightful. Also kudos that Theo isn’t a plot moppet but a full fledged and sometimes cranky, though usually not, three year old.

There is pain and grief here, and afterwards new-normals to be lived with. Lili knows that she and her life are changed and hates that Theo’s first few years have been filled with loss and upheaval. The scene where she allows herself to grieve for what is lost is moving. But even though the likelihood is that the fate of some of the characters will never be known, as I mentioned above the book ends on a hopeful note. B+

Reading One Good Thing made me realize that I knew next to nothing about Italy's role in WWII. This book fully immerses you in the timeline and helps you see that even when there is unspeakable horror happening around you, that there are still good people willing to risk their lives to help save yours. Lili, the main character, showed incredible strength and fortitude. She was the kind of friend that most of us can only hope to be. I also enjoyed how Hunter brought real life people into the story. It made Lili and Theo more real and helped highlight that stories about WWII and the Holocaust aren't just stories that sell novels but rather stories that need to be told so that we can learn from history, so that some day we might actually stop letting history repeat itself.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for the advance copy.

A heartbreaking story well told about WWII. The obstacles people went through to get to freedom! Along the way many people helped but it certainly didn’t make it easier. I didn’t realize all the things that went on in Italy!