Just One Thing

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was very different from the typical romance novel. I enjoyed switching from the present time to the past and back to the present again. This was true of both main characters and it made for a very interesting read.

Read this book and you will find something that will help you at some point in your life. Past or future. Just sit back and enjoy the simple pieces that come together to make a whole. Don't forget that part.

This story guides you through all of life's paths of sadness. It teaches us we will heal, but it's a slow process,weaved with others strength to help us bear the burdens as we climb out to restart another phase of life. Moving story!

The basic premise of this book is great. Two damaged souls who are unwilling to trust slowly build a relationship over a beer once a week. Both are mature adults, the hero suffered physical and psychological trauma due to war; the heroine suffered the dissolution of her family through a series of tragedies. He asks her to tell her "just one thing" every week and eventually she asks the same of him. The pacing is slow, you see mutual trust grow between the hero and heroine, and the result is a believable sweet romance.

Why only three stars? Some aspects of the heroine don't seem credible. She lives alone in a cottage and it's unclear how she supports herself. She feels betrayed by her father's sudden death from a stroke because he had promised he'd always be there for her. Seriously, would an adult be so unrealistic? Her mother pretended she didn't like dogs to conceal from her daughter that her beloved father was allergic to them. Would this fact really have irreparably shattered their father/daughter bond? Subsequent tragedies are handled somewhat better and it is believable that they would push her into the social isolation that provides the context for the story. The unfolding of the dynamics of her previous marriage is probably the least predictable part of the story

Secondly, this novel has Christian overtones and while this wasn't heavy handed, the strength of the relationship is measured, in part, by the couple finding their way back to church through their growing relationship. This isn't my thing, but if it's yours, this could be a four-star read.

I downloaded this book for my Kindle not having read this author before and I found it to be one of the best books I've ever read. Holly Jacobs is an extremely talented writer and I would recommend this book to anyone.

Slowly, slowly, these two people heal and learn to trust again. Nice feel-good book, a pleasant change from the problems and ups and downs that run through our lives, reminding us that there is possible happiness after so much sorrow.

Short was perfect! The characters were well developed, but it was still a very quick read. It kept me engaged and wanting to read more and fit into my busy schedule (without taking 6 months to finish).

A delightfully surprising read! Early on, i didn't think it was going to be too great. This was a mistake, however, since this novel is full of unique turns, and covers a surprising amount of emotional territory "just one thing at a time!"

Just one thing about this book, "read it"! It'll make you laugh, cry, and believe in love again.
The story pulls you in and keeps you reading, and feeling for the characters. A truly enjoyable read.

I really enjoyed how their relationship started and progressed. The story was believable, and the way it was told made me think of my own experiences. I liked the characters who came to life in the telling.

Learning what to do with your pain. Finding peace in the broken bits and learning to move beyond merely existing to truly living! This book is food for thought, water for weary eyes and lessons for a lifetime!

I love reading romance books. This was not one of them. This was so much more than a romance. The romance was an underlying thing. This book was about love and all it entails. The writing is engaging from the beginning and it is a book that stays with you and makes you consider your one things! This was time well spent.

I was expecting a light read but instead received a story that gave me much to ponder and think about...I love that is a good book. I am going to recommend this to my book club and look forward to the discussions it will prompt.

Holly Jacobs understands how relationships unfold. In Just One Thing, she starts with a thought, a little pebble, polishes it, and creates a sparkling gem. "Sometimes healing begins with one step, with one friend … with just one thing.” The story of Lexie and Sam is a gift to the reader.

When Lexie, goes down to a small-town bar every Monday for a bottle of beer, she does not socialize. After a good long time (six months), Sam, the bar owner, looks at Lexie and says, “One thing.” And she responds. She starts with her name. Each week, she shares “one thing” – about Angus the dog, about her cottage, about going to Ireland, about getting married at age twenty. After starting to tell her story, Lexie returns to her loom to work a little again. She is clearly very sad, but her emotions are locked away. Sam is intense, and you just know from the beginning that his story is quite deep as well.

The lyrical, clear, warm way in which Jacobs weaves a tapestry of their lives is sure to keep you reading. This is a great, wondrous story of how healing progresses – if it does – a little at a time. I have read Jacobs’ earlier books and loved them, but this one is staying right here, in my heart.

Just One Thing was a pleasantly surprising story about how even the smallest events in life can mean the most. Every person and every thing you experience contributes to who you are and who you will become.

Loved this book! Following Lexi on her Monday night visits to Sam, the local bartender, we learn so much about her, her past, and what's really important. Just One Thing is am amazing and well written read!

This was a very well written and interesting book. The story progression held my attention and I didn't want to stop reading (which was not good for getting my chores done.) It was also the first online book I've read in a while that didn't have misspellings and grammatical errors which was refreshing. This was my first book by this author but it won't be my last.

This was a great summer read, better than most books considered a "summer read". The main female protagonist was an interesting ans complicated, but very human character. I highly recommend this book.

Great read about letting go of the past. Life events can really take us down emotionally. Finding that person that will be patient enough to wait us out of our past and just listen without judging. I really enjoyed this story.

I really enjoyed this book. It was easy to follow and flowed nicely. It's nice to be reminded sometimes that we are more than one thing and even though we may encounter pain and loss, we can heal and still find joy.

Every hurdle in life can take us further away from where we want to be. But just one thing at a time can bring us to a new place that we never thought possible. Holly Jacobs does an excellent job doing that!

I really enjoyed reading this book. I could picture her details from walking back from the bar to her home. Book was just enjoyable to read
and loved how she brought the characters together in the bar by just asking the question "One Thing". I so looked forward to finding out more
of what happened in each of their lives.