Praise for One Good Thing

  “Get ready to be swept away to different times and places by our list of the best new historical fiction.” Thank you, BookBub, for featuring “One Good Thing” in your round-up of Best Historical Fiction of 2025!

I’m honored that Arielle Ford, acclaimed author, relationship expert and TedX speaker, was inspired by my book, and I look forward to our conversation at Warwick’s bookstore in La Jolla, CA.  Much appreciation for her kind words: “One Good Thing is a profoundly moving story that beautifully captures the essence of moral beauty…a poignant reminder that even in the smallest moments, we can choose to do the next right thing—and sometimes, that can change everything.” ~ Arielle Ford

Publishers Weekly gave “One Good Thing” a thumbs up, calling it “a stirring novel of bravery and sacrifice in WWII Italy.” The PW Picks review concludes that “fans of Hunter’s previous book and the miniseries based on it will be pleased.” Full review here.

 

An independent bookstore staff reader noted:  “In One Good Thing, Georgia Hunter takes the reader through WWII Italy as she tells the story of Lili and Esti, two young Jewish women trying to survive AND help others do the same. Hunter uses modern language to tell this story of eight decades in the past, which makes it feel immediate and relevant to today. I feel that I learn a great deal about history through historical fiction, and there is a lot to learn through the real-life heroes of the resistance that are woven into the story in One Good Thing.”

–Lynne Phillips, WordsWorth Books (Little Rock, Arkansas)

A “Most Anticipated Historical Fiction of 2025,” according to shereads: “If you read We Were the Lucky Ones or watched the Hulu adaptation, get ready to be swept away by Georgia Hunter’s latest novel, One Good Thing. An unforgettable story of friendship and resilience, set against the backdrop of WWII Italy. Best friends, Lili and Esti are inseparable and not even war can come in between them or so they thought. One Good Thing is a testament to courage, sacrifice, and unbreakable bonds. Readers will be reminded of the extraordinary power of love even in the darkest of times.”

“One Good Thing is the rare second novel that surpasses all expectations. Once again Georgia Hunter proves herself to be a remarkable storyteller who brings to vivid life a group of ordinary people living through extraordinary times. It is the story of Lili, a young woman on an impossible journey through war-ravaged Italy, with a child not her own. Thrilling, romantic, and deeply meaningful, it is a tribute to hope and love and to all the things that matter most.”

–Ariel Lawhon, New York Times bestselling author of I Was Anastasia and The Frozen River

“Epic, intimate, thrilling and beautiful. One Good Thing is a story of unbreakable friendship, of remarkable resilience, of how love and hope can shine through even the darkest, most unimaginable horrors. Stunning.”

–Chris Whitaker, bestselling author of We Begin at the End and All the Colors of the Dark

In One Good Thing, Georgia Hunter builds a whole world from the complicated sweep of history and the heartbeat of one young woman’s struggle to survive. The novel is a fascinating glimpse into a piece of WWII history I knew very little about, and a truly moving portrait of what it means to be brave. Lili’s journey is thrilling and intimate: I made myself read slowly in order to savor it. It entered my dreams. I did not want this beautiful book to end.

–Lauren Fox, New York Times bestselling author of Send For Me

 

“An incredibly compelling novel. Hunter once again makes the past feel urgent and contemporary in her latest, One Good Thing. We live through every moment with Lili and Theo, every agonizing choice Lili has to make. And even though the backdrop is horrific, it’s a book that makes you want to drop everything and go to Italy immediately. A beautiful love story at its core—restrained but thrilling and so, so moving.”