A sweet, but sad story of a woman who fights to keep her best friend’s son safe from the Nazis in WWII Italy. Theo reminded me of my own nephew at that age.

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This book was very hard to put down! I'm not usually a huge fan of historical novels, but was interested in this one, to see the effect of WW2 on the normal Italian population, and in particular how the Jews were treated as the country changed hands (so frequently!).
And I certainly was not disappointed! I found the book very compelling, and very difficult to put down. The love story was great, but what came mostly before it - the way that a young woman had to travel with her friend's child so far across Italy, was cleverly written and riveting. In amongst the historical setting, there was a very good story.
I certainly appreciated the huge amount of research that must have gone into the writing of this book, and the accuracy that was produced. I enjoyed the small smattering of Italian - either translated straight after, or very easy to understand. Grazie!
I do like novels that are geographically accurate, and was very pleased by this one.
Apart from those pet hates of mine - none which came to pass - I am very happy to say that a lot of readers will be hugely satisfied reading this story.

Thank you to @netgalley and @Allison&Busby for this ARC. Georgia Hunter returns after her novel We Were the Lucky Ones.

This time, her book set in Italy tells the story of Esti and Lili during WW2 and Mussolini's reign. Both Jewish and with Esti's toddler son, their lives are in danger. With Esti's talent to create fake ID's, they travel to a convent to create id's for all the now orphaned children to cross the border. The convent is raided by bandit blackshirts and Esti is injured. She pushes Lily to take her son to a safer Rome and hopefully stay alive until the end of the war. I love Hunter's writing and plot lines that opens your eyes to what also happened in Italy during WW2. This book was released in the US in March, and will be released to the UK in May. #OneGoodThing #GeorgiaHunter #PamelaDormanBooks #Allison&Busby #USMar2025 #UKMay2025

Overall a good read although I felt others of hers were better but still a good addition to the genre .
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review the book

I cannot thank NetGalley and Allison & Busby enough for offering me the chance to read One Good Thing. (I literally screamed when I got the email!). I read We Were the Lucky Ones in 2019 and immediately it was an instant favorite that has stayed with me for almost six years now. When I heard Georgia Hunter was releasing her second novel, I gasped and could not wait to get my hands on it. I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to read this book.

One Good Thing begins in 1940 in Italy, where Jewish best friends Lili and Esti are closely watching the war unfold outside of Italy’s borders. Esti and her husband Niko have just birthed their son Theo. As Mussolini joins forces with Hitler, the war finds itself in Italy, and these four find themselves with a target on their backs. Soon after Niko goes missing, Lili, Esti, and Theo seek refuge in a convent, where they are safe until tragedy strikes, and Esti is severly injured. Insisting that Lili and Theo move along without her, Esti makes the hardest decision a parent can make, sending her child into a world full of danger with the only person in the world she trusts to keep him safe. Lili and Theo’s exhausting journey takes them through harrowing situations, as they navigate a world where they need to pretend to be anything but who they really are.

This story kept me on the edge of my seat, and like We Were the Lucky Ones, I simply could not put it down. I’m a big fan of looking for the helpers when things are hard, and this book, while full of the inevitable Holocaust storyline of sadness, dispair, and the worst of humanity; is also full of hope and vignettes of the best of humanity as well.

I finished the book with tears streaming down my face, finally releasing the breath I did not even know I had been holding for over 400 pages.

Thank you, Georgia Hunter for your incredible gift of storytelling, and for keeping history alive. While Lili’s story is one of fiction, the events of the Holocaust are very much fact, and we must never forget its horrors so that we can never let it happen again.

A remarkable story of love, courage and friendship. Set in Italy during WW2 it follows a young woman and her struggle to keep herself and her best friends son safe. Highly recommended.

A very moving novel of course given the subject matter but the real emotion was found , I thought, in the ways Lili grew up and became more determined and her own person. What a time to be alive and to see your fellow man suffer like that. It's unbelievable and this is a good book for seeing things from a different angle. Great writing and a powerful look at what ordinary people went through.

An immensely moving story of friendship, family and love. The detail, the emotion and the high stakes are so well entwined together. Lilli is so brave, her love and protectiveness for Theo is beautiful. I really enjoyed the development of her relationship with Thomas and the promise of hope for the future. One Good Thing is more than five stars for me.

Thank you so much to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this.

A touching story of WWII, between friends. It reaches out to all women showing what true friendship means. A great story!

This is a good book but I must say it is not one of my favourite wartime historical fictions. An interesting story about two people and their journeys through war torn countries to find safety and freedom.

A bit of character development was missing but the story was good non the less. I enjoyed following along on the journey. This is not one of those well researched, intense reads but it is an easy read for someone who likes a bit of a wartime tale.

Thank you NetGalley and Allison & Busby for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Georgia Hunter's "One Good Thing" takes readers on an emotional and captivating journey set in World War II Italy.

The story follows Lili Passigli, a young Jewish woman, as she traverses the dangerous landscape of Nazi-occupied Italy. When her friend Esti is injured, Lili assumes the role of guardian for Esti's young son, Theo. Together, they undertake a perilous journey south toward the Allies. Along the way, they meet individuals who risk their own lives to help them, including resistance fighters and members of the Catholic Church.

Lili's journey sees her transform from a student to a tenacious and dedicated protector. Her character growth is closely tied to supporting characters like Theo, who embodies hope and innocence amidst the chaos. Thomas, an American soldier, adds an element of warmth and potential love, emphasizing the significance of human connection during wartime.

The novel explores themes of courage, sacrifice, and resilience, resonating with contemporary societal issues of prejudice and the need to stand up against hatred.

Hunter's writing style is vivid and engaging, though some readers may find the narrative more conventional compared to her debut novel, "We Were the Lucky Ones." The atmosphere is tense and emotionally charged, transporting readers into the heart of war-torn Italy.

For me, the book was both heartbreaking and uplifting, evoking strong emotions while showcasing the human spirit's potential for survival and love. While some chapters felt a bit drawn out, the overall impact of the story remains powerful. This novel stands out because it sheds light on a lesser-known aspect of WWII history—Italy's role—and reminds us of the importance of empathy and shared responsibility.

In the context of historical fiction, "One Good Thing" holds its own, though it might lack the historical authenticity that made "We Were the Lucky Ones" so remarkable.

Nonetheless, it is a gripping read for those interested in WWII stories, offering a fresh perspective on Italy's experience during the war.

The book encourages readers to reflect on their own experiences with resilience and the profound impact small acts of kindness can have on people's lives.


3.5/5

I loved Georgia Hunter's first book. Living in Poland it really gave me some interesting insights into the fate of Polish Jews. This second book is very different yet it has some of the same traits. The characters are real and it is easy to get attached to them, the writing is good and the story is believable. What it lacks is the multiple viewpoints that made her first novel such a success. I would have liked to see some of the other characters like Esti and Nico have a voice, but we only get to know them through Lili. It is still very worthwhile to read it. You find out about Italy and its people during WW 2 and the way in which they treated the Jewish population. Overall, a good second novel. Georgia Hunter knows how do historical novels, let's see what she comes up with next.

Powerful book about Lili and Theo fleeing the Nazi's in Italy. Having to move from place to place, the tension was almost palpable at times. I'm not sure how realistic parts of the journey were, but interesting to read nonetheless.

This was very good indeed! The plot was thrilling: Lilli's fear was so palpable that I could feel it as well! I also learned quite a lot about Italy during the Second World War which I found interesting and in some parts surprising as I had not much idea about it. The characters' psychological development was good while thought provoking. I enjoyed the realistic conclusion. My second novel by the author and I hope the author will write more historical fiction. This story will definitely stay with me!
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.

I love historical fiction books and really liked the description of One Good Thing. However I found it hard to connect with the book and struggled to finish it.