I absolutely LOVED this book! Every single page, every single moment! It made me laugh and it made me cry real, literal tears. It is different to "Confessions of a 40 - Something...", but it's also great. It seems that whatever Alexandra Potter writes about will turn out brilliant.

The characters were brilliant, all of them, not only the main ones but also the supporting ones as well. The author was able to brilliantly capture all of their feelings and emotions, bringing them to life and easily making us care for them and keeping everything crossed for them. What was also absolutely great was the fact that Harry the dog was a character of his own, so important, being this "one good thing" that brough all of them together, saving them, and he was so well captured and described, I loved it.
The chapters are short and snappy, which I liked very much, and alternate between Liv and other characters. I've never felt confused by them and their stories, even if there were plenty of them - because those stories were so interesting and truly tugging at the heart - strings.

So it's 10 out of 5 stars actually. It was gorgeous, uplifting and life - affirming, close to life and I was drawn in right from the very beginning until the very end.

This is a really lovely story.

Liv is a middleaged divorcee still getting over the end of her marriage, suffering low self confidence after her ex husband leaves her for a much younger woman.

Feeling somewhat low, battered and emotionally bruised, she decides to make a fresh start and leaves London. She buys a run down house in the Yorkshire Dales, in a town where she had fond memories of holidaying with her grandparents.

As she settles into the area, and renovates her new home, she makes new friends and adopts an old dog. She rebuilds her life, and finds love again.

This gentle heartwarming story was a pleasure to read.

I was provided a copy of this book via tge publisher and Netgalley and this is my unpaid, unbiased review.

This book well and truly had my heart
Liv is newly divorced and moved from busy London to the Yorkshire dales, for a fresh new start
When she arrives at the dales, Liv adopts an old dog, Harry from a dog shelter
Harry truly is the star of the book.
On her walks with Harry, Liv starts to meet and become friends with different people in the community, all with their own problems and story to tell
Friendships develop and Liv begins to finally feel at home
All the characters were amazing in this book. I was particularly fond of Valentine. The author really pulled at my heart strings in his chapters!
Each character is on their own journey to finding happiness and Harry, in his own little ways, helps them do just that.
This book is a great contemporary romance, full of fun and laughter, but also tears.
I read this book one lazy Sunday afternoon and it was the perfect book.
I highly recommend

I was so happy receiving this book I read a few books by her and loved this one to. A emotional read I loved. The characters were amazing the writing style style was beautiful written. Took me a week to read I enjoyed and loved every page. Full of drama and family love. Deals with divorce and family break up and being on you own. Even though those topics were in the book I enjoyed the story loved it

I absolutely adored this book! It is beautifully written with many life lessons.
I laughed, I cried and in the end, it left me with a warm fuzzy feeling.

It is a story of loss but not only loss, also of hope. It's a story of living through the seven stages of grief and coming out stronger at the end. Lessons that we all need at certain times of our lives. We've all experienced loss in our lives. The loss of a loved one, the breaking up of a marriage or relationship, and even the loss of a pet. We all deal differently with loss.
In this story we meet Olivia, recently divorced, and struggling to come to terms with the lemons life threw her way. She leaves her teaching job in London and moves to a small town where her grandparents used to live. Here she meets a mixed bag of wonderful characters. There is the adorable Valentine who is trying to cope with his wife's Alzheimers, Maya who is struggling to find herself, Stanley who is on the spectrum and scared of his own shadow and then there is Ben. She knew him when they were young and he was not her favourite person! Is he still as arrogant as he was or is he also dealing with life's lemons? And then finally there is Harry. Liv never knew that a dog can teach her so many lessons.

"life happens at the edge of your comfort zone"

"Just the one good thing can change the course of everything"
"it has the power to heal your heart inspire courage and joy and create true friendships that can bring a whole community together it can even save someone's life"

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for this special treat in exchange for my honest opinion.

Perfect escapism - devour in one sitting, with tea, cake and maybe a box of tissues! Loved everyone, especially Stanley and Harry, whilst Valentine reminded me so much of my Dad. The way his love for his wife is portrayed, and the devastating sense of loss that Alzheimer’s brings to everyone it touches, was so perfectly handled (hence the need for tissues), without any sense of mawkishness. So many beautiful love stories, of all kinds, in one perfectly lovely read.

What a great read! A story about a divorcee who moves away from London to the Yorkshire Dales and starts fresh, it was an uplifting tale with ups and downs and a surprising twist at the end, but I absolutely every minute of it all and it’s one of those stories I wish I could wipe my memory of just so I can read it all over again! I’ve read all of Alexandra Potters novels and this one did not disappoint!

One Good Thing is a must read, it’s funny, sad and shares a lesson to everyone.

Liv lives in London, but after fighting out her husband has had an affair, they part ways. She’s wants to leave the old behind and finds a cottage where she was brought up in as a child. She decides to get a dog, Harry is an old pup but with loads of character. This leads her to meet the other characters on the book, Valentine who is the grandad that every wants and needs, Stanley the little boy she meets at his gate and his father Ben. Harry helps bring these people together and Liv starts to enjoy her new house in the country. The story is beautifully written and I didn’t want it to end. Highly recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

I don’t read much in the way of ‘light’ literature, but when I do, it’s because I need a break from my usual fare of fiction that’s either nerve jangling or brain sapping. And this wholesome, life-affirming tale from Alexandra Potter was just the ticket. It’s an ‘all the feels’ kind of story, about kindness, connections and community, and about how just ‘one good thing’ is often all it takes to turn a life around.

The story revolves around Liv, a middle-aged divorcée, who abandons her home and teaching career in London, and heads off to the Yorkshire Dales to reinvent herself. Liv is bruised, lonely and adrift, and struggling to adjust to her new circumstances, when she adopts aging rescue dog, Harry. And it’s Harry that turns out to be her ‘one good thing’.

Liv’s other big distraction is the renovation of her cottage, a task that serves as the perfect metaphor for her own step-by-step transformation as she rebuilds her life.

There’s so much to enjoy in this simple tale, not least the delightful cast of diverse characters. As well as Liv, we get septuagenarian Valentine, whose wife is in a care home with Alzheimer’s, rebellious teenager Maya, and seven year-old Stanley, who’s trying to get used to the idea of his mum being a star in heaven. Yes, they are all clichés, but it is exactly this that makes them so wonderfully human and relatable.

All four are at different, but equally difficult, crossroads in their lives. They make an unlikely bunch, but brought together by Harry, the four of them forge a beautiful alliance that sees them finding a shared path forward. And the icing on the cake? A delicious and unexpected romance for Liv.

Did I say this was just the ticket? Well, I’ll say it again for good measure. Buy the ticket, go on the journey! The scenery is stunning and the company first class.

I have read and enjoyed Alexandra Potter's previous books. This book is a different style of writing to her previous books which were often lighthearted and humorous. This book is more emotional and meaningful and has stronger themes.
Liv moves to the Yorkshire countryside where she used to spend time with her Grandparents as a child. She is newly divorced and wants to make a fresh start. She is determined to find One Good Thing to be happy about.
Harry, an elderly rescue dog is Liv's One Good Thing but also manages to win the hearts of others in the Village.
This book has themes of grief, loneliness, missing people, dementia and Mental Illness. Despite this I found it to be a touching and heartwarming read. I really enjoyed reading it.
I loved the characters, there was a wide range of characters of all ages. The setting was lovely and Liv's cottage sounded snug and cosy. It is well written and a good read.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC.

Liv (Olivia) was born and brought up in the Yorkshire Dales but moved to London where she worked at thought she was happily married. When she finds out her husband was having an affair and was leaving her to live with his new girlfriend she decides to pack up and move back to the Dales to start again
A lovely heartwarming story of friendship and helping each other

I loved this book. Great to have a female protagonist in her 40s, who hasn't had biological children. Brilliant group of characters. There's some romance, but it's not the main focus. In this book we accompany Liv on her journey to, well, finding herself and what makes her happy. A dog called Harry and a Yorkshire village being two such things. Harry plays a big part in this book. I love that idea, of Harry rescuing Liv, just as much (if not more) as Liv rescued Harry. I loved the descriptions of the Yorkshire countryside. A great read and one I was reluctant to reach the end of. With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Alexandra Potter consistently delivers a heart warming, honest read and with ‘one good thing’ she’s done it again.

When Liv’s husband leaves her for another woman, she makes the snap decision to move to the Yorkshire Dales, where her grandparents lived years ago. She decides to adopt a dog called Harry, renovate her ancient cottage and pick up the pieces of her broken life.

Liv meets a whole host of characters and meets issues along the way which makes the story relatable. With laughs a plenty I really enjoyed it. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

After reading Confessions of a 40 something I had big expectations. There is more than “one good thing” to say about this book.

Liv is just coming to terms with her divorce and relocates back to the countryside. She meets some old and new faces as she finds her feet again.

The chapter are short and snappy telling the story through the eyes of different characters which had me powering through the pages. I enjoyed all the back stories that weaved into the wider tale.

Recommend this book. Think I will be working my way through Alexandra Potter’s back catalogue sometime soon.

A heartwarming and uplifting book , set in idyllic Yorkshire, this was like a big hug of a book! I loved all the characters in this story. Liv was a very likeable protagonist and I was rooting for her throughout. Harry the dog was an incredible part of the tale who brought everyone together. I love the positive affirmation of finding 'One Good Thing' when you feel that life has not gone to plan! I love Alexandra's writing, her stories may be fiction but I take these heartfelt messages on board myself!

A very enjoyable read , plenty of laugh out loud moments alongside sensitively covered real life issues such as divorce, alzheimers and autism.

A well written book , recommended if you enjoyed Confessions of a forty something f**k up and All the lonely people.

One Good Thing ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘But there’s no point in looking back. You’re not going that way’

After her husband leaves her for a yoga instructor (such a cliché!) Olivia up sticks and moves to Yorkshire for a fresh start. Once settled in her fixer upper house she decides, after a chance encounter to get herself a rescue dog. Harry soon becomes her ‘One Good Thing’ and through him she gets to meet some delightful characters (including the lovely Ben 🥰) who help her to move on with her new life.

This is such a lovely, heartwarming read. Olivia is a very likeable, and for me relatable protagonist who you’ll be rooting for throughout. The book has some great laugh out loud moments while dealing with the heavier topic of loss in its many forms, and the description of life in the Yorkshire Dales is very idyllic.

Would highly recommend to anyone wanting a nice pick me up, ideal for those who enjoyed Alexandra’s last book Confessions of a Forty Something F**k Up, Dog Days or All The Lonely People

When Liv discovers that her husband is having an affair with someone young enough to be their daughter, she divorces him and buys a house in Yorkshire.

The house is 300-year-old cottage that is falling apart and in need of renovation, much like her heart. Here in the Yorkshire dales she will discover firm friendships and loyalty.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I am such a fan of Alexandra Potter. I highly recommend this novel.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

We meet Liv in this book. She lives in London and has just divorced her husband David, as he was cheating on her with his yoga teacher. Liv is devastated and makes the snap decision to move to the Yorkshire Dales. The cottage she has purchased is in a state of disrepair, and needs a lot of work done, but she’s happy to do that in order to restart her life and find herself again. And here starts a chain of events that make the story so wonderful.

I loved this book, the writing was brilliant, and everything felt like it came full circle. The characters were all relatable, and real issues were dealt with within the story, such as divorce, drug and alcohol abuse, autism, Alzheimer’s, and being a widow. The descriptions used to describe the settings were brilliant, and as someone who has lived in a city my whole life in the south, even I’m tempted to up sticks and buy a house in Yorkshire, it sounded so lovely. A wonderful read, and hugely recommended.

I'm back again with that old cliché quote of 'a hug in a book' but honestly, this is just that and so much more.

One good thing is both life affirming and heart-warming, and if you don't enjoy this book then I'm sorry but we can't be friends.

One Good Thing
I’ve always enjoyed Alexandra Potters book, but the blurb on this one sounded a little different. The story is predominantly told by Olivia, when her marriage ends after her husband’s infidelity she throws caution to the wind and leaves her house in London and her teaching job to move to the Yorkshire Dales. There she soon gets to know the villagers around her. From Harry the hairy mongrel to Valentine the retired painter, decorator and bird feeder enthusiast. From Maya the stroppy teenager to Stanley the little boy with some very special little ways. I loved this book so much. It’s so uplifting, it made me laugh, it made me cry and is just a perfect story of community, village life, finding yourself and realising that it’s never too late to build a life you love. Wonderful!