One Good Thing - by Alexandra Potter (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

A heartwarming and hilarious novel about unexpected friendships and new beginnings from the bestselling British author of Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k Up.

Liv Brooks is in shock. Newly divorced and facing an uncertain future, she impulsively trades her fast-paced London life for the tranquil hills of the Yorkshire Dales, determined to make a fresh start. But fresh starts are harder than they seem. Feeling lost and lonely, she adopts Harry, a grumpy old dog from the local shelter, to keep her company while she renovates the dilapidated cottage she has optimistically taken on.

However, Liv soon discovers she isn't the only one in need of a new beginning. During her and Harry's daily walks around the village, they meet Valentine, an old man perpetually gazing out his window, suffering from loneliness; Stanley, an introverted little boy hiding behind his garden gate; and Maya, a teenager at odds with the world. Gradually, as these unexpected relationships develop, they each begin to rediscover themselves, all with the help of the lovable Harry.

Utterly relatable, witty, and tender, this novel explores the beauty of friendship and the joys of living an unexpected life. When everything falls apart, sometimes all you need is one good thing to turn your life around and make it worth living again.

Review Quotes

"The queen of comfort. A delight."
--Mike Gayle, author of All the Lonely People

"A big dopamine hit of a book. Warm, wise, and lovely in every way."
--Jane Costello, author of It's Getting Hot in Here

"Pacy, absorbing, witty and tender, it made me laugh out loud."
--Karen Swan, author of The Last Summer

Praise for Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k Up

"A funny, feisty tale about the highs and the oh-so-lows of having to start over in your forties with a smart, sassy character at its heart who you'll be cheering on from start to finish"
--Mike Gayle, author of All The Lonely People

"Nell's journey to mid-life happiness is hilarious, moving, and filled with clear-eyed wisdom about what it means to be a woman of any age, proving that the best 'happy ever afters' come when you fall in love with life."
--Lucy Dillon, author of After the Rain and A Hundred Pieces of Me

"I loved this book so much. It's very funny and painfully true. Confessions of a Forty-Something F*ck Up is perfect comfort reading for anyone who thinks life isn't working out as they want it to, whether they're forty, fourteen, or eighty-four."
--Chrissie Manby, author of Three Days in Florence and A Proper Family Holiday

"The new Bridget Jones."
--Celia Walden, Telegraph

"Say hello to a book that will have you laughing with every page, whether you're twenty, forty, or eighty."
--Heat

"Brilliant! Laughing out loud."'
--Emma Gannon, host of the Ctrl Alt Delete podcast and author of Olive

"Funny but layered, light-hearted but surprisingly deep."
--Red

About the Author

Alexandra Potter is the bestselling author of numerous novels in the UK, including Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k Up, which is now the basis of a major TV series, Not Dead Yet. Her titles have sold in twenty-five territories and achieved worldwide sales of more than one million copies, making the bestseller charts across the globe.

Yorkshire born and raised, Alexandra lived for several years in LA before settling back in the UK. She currently lives in London with her Californian husband and their Bosnian rescue dog. When she's not writing or traveling, she's getting out into nature, trying not to look at her phone and navigating this thing called mid-life.