One Good Thing - by Georgia Hunter (Hardcover)

About the Book

"From the New York Times-bestselling author of We Were the Lucky Ones, an unforgettable story of hardship and hope, courage and resilience, that follows one young woman's journey through war-torn Italy 1941, Emilia Romagna. Lili and Esti have been best friends since meeting at the University of Ferrara; when Esti's son Theo is born, they become as close as sisters. There is a war being fought across borders, and in Italy, Mussolini's Racial Laws have deemed Lili and Esti descendants of an 'inferior' Jewish race, but life somehow goes on-until Germany invades northern Italy, and the friends find themselves in occupied territory. Esti, older and fiercely self-assured, convinces Lili to flee first to a villa in the countryside to help hide a group of young war orphans, then to a convent in Florence, where they pose as nuns and forge false identification papers for the Underground. When disaster strikes at the convent, a critically wounded Esti asks Lili to take a much bigger step: To go on the run with Theo. Protect him while Esti can't. Terrified to travel on her own, Lili sets out on an epic journey south toward Allied territory, through Nazi-occupied villages and bombed-out cities, doing everything she can to keep Theo safe. A remarkable tale of friendship, motherhood, and survival, One Good Thing is a tender reminder that love for another person, even amidst darkness and uncertainty, can be reason to keep going"--

Book Synopsis

From the New York Times-bestselling author of We Were the Lucky Ones, an unforgettable story of hardship and hope, courage and resilience, that follows one young woman's journey through war-torn Italy

1940, Emilia Romagna. Lili and Esti have been best friends since meeting at the University of Ferrara; when Esti's son Theo is born, they become as close as sisters. There is a war being fought across borders, and in Italy, Mussolini's Racial Laws have deemed Lili and Esti descendants of an 'inferior' Jewish race, but life somehow goes on--until Germany invades northern Italy, and the friends find themselves in occupied territory.

Esti, older and fiercely self-assured, convinces Lili to flee first to a villa in the countryside to help hide a group of young war orphans, then to a convent in Florence, where they pose as nuns and forge false identification papers for the Underground. When disaster strikes at the convent, a critically wounded Esti asks Lili to take a much bigger step: To go on the run with Theo. Protect him while Esti can't.

Terrified to travel on her own, Lili sets out on an epic journey south toward Allied territory, through Nazi-occupied villages and bombed-out cities, doing everything she can to keep Theo safe.

A remarkable tale of friendship, motherhood, and survival, One Good Thing is a tender reminder that love for another person, even amidst darkness and uncertainty, can be reason to keep going.

Review Quotes

Praise for One Good Thing

"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, New York Times bestselling author of 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

"Georgia Hunter proves herself to be a remarkable storyteller who brings to vivid life a group of ordinary people living through extraordinary times.... Thrilling, romantic, and deeply meaningful, it is a tribute to hope and love and all the things that matter most."
--Ariel Lawhon, New York Times bestselling author of The Frozen River

"A stirring novel of bravery and sacrifice in WWII Italy. . . Fans of Hunter's previous book and the miniseries based on it will be pleased."
--Publishers Weekly

"An unforgettable story of friendship and resilience....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."
--SheReads

About the Author

When Georgia Hunter was fifteen years old, she discovered that she came from a family of Holocaust survivors. Years later, she embarked on a journey of intensive research, determined to unearth and record her family's remarkable story. The result is the New York Times best seller, We Were the Lucky Ones, which has been published in over 20 languages and adapted for television by Hulu as a highly acclaimed limited series. One Good Thing is Georgia's second novel. She lives in Connecticut with her husband and their two sons.