Book Review : One Small Act of Kindness by Lucy Dillon

Title : One Small Act of Kindness

Author : Lucy Dillon

Publication Date : 23 April 2015

Publisher : Hodder & Stoughton

Source : Sent by publisher (Merci!)

Overall : 5/5

What can you do to make the world a better place?

Libby helped a stranger, and transformed her life in the process.

Libby and her husband Jason have moved back to his hometown to turn the family B&B into a boutique hotel. They have left London behind and all the memories - good and bad - that went with it.

The injured woman Libby finds lying in the remote country road has lost her memory. She doesn't know why she came to be there, and no one seems to be looking for her.

When Libby offers to take her in, this one small act of kindness sets in motion a chain of events that will change many people's lives . . .

I became a huge fan of Lucy Dillon after reading A Hundred Pieces of Me, I would highly recommend you to read it if you have not. Since reading 100PoM, I waited and waited till the release of her new book, which I am reviewing in this post. Just like the cover of A Hundred Pieces of Me, the cover of One Small Act of Kindness is a lovely, delicate combination of colours – bluish grey with a bit of green and yellow. The cover, a mixture of cold and happy colours just like the story itself which is a great read of love, family, friendship and fresh starts.

One Small Act of Kindness follows the story of Libby, who has to return to her husband, Jason’s hometown to take over the family’s hotel business. Their lives in London have been going badly lately and going back to run the hotel might be just the distraction they need. Libby’s relationship with her mother in law, Margaret goes sour when both of them try to do their best for the hotel. Then, there is Pippa, the lady who has been involved in an accident and saved by Libby. The story grows more intense after the accident and the plot is greatly developed with such a small act of kindness. Who knows such a small act could bring huge difference to other people?

Both female characters are similar yet different in so many ways. I felt so much for them and hoped that fairies would sprinkle dust on them and make them happier. Libby is constantly trying hard to make the hotel a success and she puts her vision into reality. Her mother not just criticizes her work but really seems unhappy about the changes Libby is trying to make. It sucks to be trying to make things happen and being disappointed by people who do not appreciate your efforts. I felt horrible for Libby and hoped Margaret would realize that Libby is a wonderful daughter in law.

Pippa on the other hand, suffers from retrograde amnesia and she forgets everything before the accident. It pained me to see her struggling with her identity and to find herself. She decides to go with the name Pippa as she feels like a Pippa. Her journey to figure out her own identity is what I enjoyed most out of this book. Libby goes to great lengths to help her and a wonderful bond is formed between these two great characters. It brought a smile to my heart and that feeling was great.

I enjoyed this story a lot and the love I have for the two leading ladies are equal. It is  impossible not to be charmed by them. Libby is so full of kindness that made me want to be her friend, if not her sister. Pippa is lovely and sweet and that would be a friend I would love to have and invite for tea. She is surrounded with such mysterious air that made the story a page-turner. I liked how Lucy sneaked in the mysteries and blended them perfectly into this book. I am not a huge fan of mystery but this totally impressed me. Other than the female characters, the furry characters are really cute. Lord Bob’s such a star and his presence in this story made it a lot more fun to read. Do look out for some familiar characters from A Hundred Pieces of Me. I was so glad to be reunited with them as A Hundred Pieces of Me is one of my favourite books.

I loved the concept of this book. It’s like a ripple, caused by a slight movement. One small drop could cause waves to be formed and it spreads throughout the surface of the water. Similar to this story, Libby’s act of kindness brings changes to lives of people she loves and it’s all for the better.  It All in all, One Small Act of Kindness is a fabulously uplifting read. It shows that a tiny act of kindness from the heart can impact lives of other people. I cannot wait for Lucy’s next book! Massive thanks to Hodder for sending me a copy of this lovely, lovely read.