Random Acts of Kindness

Pine Lake Sisterhood #1

by Lisa Verge Higgins

A new novel of women's friendship from the author of The Proper Care and Maintenance of Friendship and Friendship Makes the Heart Grow Fonder.

With the remnants of her past rattling in the trunk of her Chevy, Jenna Elliott abandons her Seattle home determined to start life anew. Her journey compels her to the door of two friends: Claire, an ex-Buddhist nun and cancer survivor, eager to escape her overbearing family for what may be her last chance to fulfill a dream; and Nicole, a professional Life Coach who can’t even control her own teenage son. But what starts out as an impulsive road trip soon becomes an inexorable journey to their past, as the women grapple with who they were, who they are, and the strange twists that have now set them on the road to their hometown of Pine Lake. There, Jenna discovers that her random act of kindness has rippled out into the world like a stone dropped into a deep pond, coming back to rock her life—and those of her friends—in ways they never expected.

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Audiobook, Womens Fiction, Adult Fiction

368 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Before she started writing novels, Lisa Verge Higgins worked toward her PhD in organic chemistry at Stanford University. She ditched all that for her true passion: Writing life-affirming, critically acclaimed women’s fiction, and, as Lisa Ann Verge, penning emotionally-intense romances about hot men and dangerous women. Published worldwide in eighteen languages, Lisa has earned a Bean Pot and a RITA nomination, and is the winner of three Golden Leaf trophies and five RT Book awards. When not writing, she hunts wild mushrooms, studies Turkish, hikes mountains, and keeps tabs on the antics of her three wild-and-talented daughters.

Reviews

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won a copy from goodreads - thanks! Look forward to receiving it.

My copy arrived today!

Update - I finished this book and I have to say of all the books I have won from Goodreads, this one is my absolute favorite! I plan to read all of Lisa Verge Higgins' books now that I have read this one. It is well written, moving, inspiring and just plain wonderful! I'll write more soon but just wanted to say how much I liked this book. I highly recommend it!

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mixed feelings on this one - I'll give it a three, but that's a smidge of a stretch. I never really connected with any of the characters so I had a hard time getting into the book. There were portions that piqued my interest and kept me reading, but there were also a lot of low spots that I sort of plodded through. I also had a hard time with the whole quest to find all these old school friends, and the ultimate outcome of that. I just never got the impression that any of them were all that close in school, and certainly didn't keep in touch afterwards, so the whole "bonding" theme just fell flat for me. So overall it was okay, not a horrible book, but not one that I will keep with me for any length of time.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in a GoodReads first read. Even before opening the book, I loved the cover, both the title and the picture of the pink peonies. I really enjoyed the book. It offered so much from the different problems the characters faced, and how they faced them with the support of long lost friends. It reminded me of friendships that I had years ago and have resumed in recent years, without missing a beat. The book gave testament to the power of childhood friendships, and the idea that those shared memories from years ago create a bond that we can go back to, and find strength and camaraderie in, if we only make the effort.
Many of the characters faced difficulties in the book. The problems were in no way sugar coated and the problems were not resolved by the end of the book. However, I was left with a feeling of hopefulness for all of the characters, as they all formed a plan of action to face the problems head on. Lisa alluded that there would be a follow up book. I can't wait to see what happens to the characters.
As someone who believes in the power of mindfulness, I loved her description. "Mindfulness. It's the ability to be intensely present. It's a way of being aware of everything you sense and feel. It is a way to shut off the roll and tumble of your thoughts, You can finally identify what you are really thinking. You'll recognize how you feel. You'll acknowledge those feelings. Then you can respond to them better."
This is definitely a book to share with friends, both old and new.





Lisa Verge Higgins

[Bookread2day · Rating 5 out of 5]

Breast cancer is a devastating diagnosis every women fear.

In the fiction book Random Acts of Kindness, Claire Petrenko always knew it was coming. Breast cancer very sadly claimed the live of both her mother and her younger sister.

Six weeks ago Claire had just came out of having a mastectomy. Claire no longer boobs she hadn't bothered with reconstructive surgery, she didn't even bother wearing a padded bra.

After Claire's diagnosis her sisters set up a blog for her, now everyone knows where Claire lived.

Out of the blue there was a knock on Claire's front door, she knew it was not one of her sisters as they had just left visiting her. Once Claire had opened the door she recognized Jenna her old friend from high school. But Claire's mind raced seeking a reason why her old friend from high school would suddenly turn up at her house of a buddy with cancer. By surprise a few minutes later another friend Nicole turns up to visit Claire.

Jenna Hogan has been planning a road trip for three weeks to go to Pine Lake three miles away. Claire wants to escape from the label cancer victim and decides to go with Jenna and Nicole on the road trip. Each three women want to go on a road trip together for their own reasons in life. As the story unfolds we learn more about the three women.

I hope many readers enjoy reading Random Acts of Kindness as much as I did.

Review by ireadnovels.wordpress.com

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

While following Jenna, Claire and Nicole on a road trip, the reader is taken on quite an emotional ride. The three friends are dealing with managing major changes and challenges in their lives. Their friendship, their individual stories and their experiences capture your heart and mind. I loved this book for the journey into these women's lives.

[Jillymom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Makes me want to take a road trip with women friends... and maybe shave my head.

[Judy Collins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review to follow!

[Amy McNutt-Bourque · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! I felt like I had a friendship with these women and like I was actually in Pine Lake with them! The only reason I did not give this a 5 star rating - I was hoping for a different ending. Hoping it would talk more about Claire, but beautifully done, nevertheless.

[Karyn Niedert · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Random Acts of Kindness" is the first book I've read by author Lisa Verge Higgns, and I'm glad Goodreads gave me the opportunity to read it as a winner in their Goodreads Giveaway of this book.

"Random" is a multi-layered novel, with Jenna, Claire, and Nicole as the main characters taking a trip to their hometown with many pit stops to see old friends along the way. Jenna is running away from home to gather her thoughts after a major fault line appears in her marriage. Claire is along for the ride, battling cancer and her own inner demons. Nicole is the optimistic life coach, trying to understand her son's recent emotional turmoil. Each friend is keeping secrets, not wanting the others to know how far off kilter their lives have become.

"Random Acts" was a thought-provoking, enjoyable read that kept me interested in all of the characters until the very last page. Higgins did a FANTASTIC job of slowly peeling the layers of each character's story. I will absolutely seek out more books by this author, and sincerely hope for a follow up to this story, as some of the minor characters sounded like they deserved a book of their own.

[Linda Lombri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the title and cover design of this book and the content did not disappoint. Random Acts of Kindness is a compelling story of enduring friendships and the life challenges each woman faces. The cross country journey that Jenna, Claire and Nicole take is an inspiring inner journey. I laughed, cried, cheered, and empathized with each one along the way. By the end of the book, you know that each woman has the courage and ability to confront their problems and fears with strength and compassion, no matter the outcome. I look forward to reading more about them in subsequent books.

Lisa Verge Higgins writes beautifully, with strength, insight, humor and compassion. This book is a great read!

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jenna is at loose ends and jumps in her car for a road trip to see Clair, a high school best friend who is fighting cancer. The pair of them decide to drive cross country to their hometown so Clair can fullfill a wish to raft down a river. They pick up several more high school friends and they all find there are things they need to do. Nichole needs to accept her son's weakness, Clair needs to move forward after her husband strays and Clair needs to decide what's best for her treatment, not what her sisters decide is best. A great story of friendship and being selfless. A perfect beach read.

[Elizabeth Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! I was honestly disappointed when I came to the end. Lisa Verge Higgins has a unique ability to breathe life into her characters, making them seem less like characters in a novel, and more like friends. And I would love to get to know these friends better. This book is a definite must read., not just for the characters, but the message. Stay close to the people you love, no matter how much it hurts.

[Lynsie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three old friends who haven't seen each other in years but have one thing in common--their lives are disasters. They set out on a roadtrip to try to reclaim themselves and relive their past. Great book of female friendship.

[Pat Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful story of friendship. Feel good book.

[Marj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good book, great character development, and much to love in the friendship of these women, each with life problems to resolve. I especially liked the road trip, done I love road trips.

[Nancy Dignan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice beach read, old High School friends, cross country road trip, 3 problems to resolve. Enjoy!

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I couldn't wait to read this because of the title. I have not kept in touch with anyone from my High School, we have moved too many times. I often thought how great that would be. I think this book should have been called something else, Girl Friend Road Trip, Reconnecting, Going Home, Unfinished Business or Looking Back. These titles describe what the book was about, not Random Acts of Kindness. I had a hard time getting through this book because I could not relate to the characters.

[Nichole Taggart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was just amazing. The author really made you feel as though you were traveling across country with these friends. Add to that the real problems each of the main characters faced and you are emotionally connected. It is a powerful story of friendship, life, and getting back to your roots to find who you are.

[NC · Rating 3 out of 5]

Glad this isn’t a very long book although it felt like it would never end. The friends didn’t seem like they connected as much as they’re supposed to be. There’s just some sort of disconnect. Of course that could be just me. This isn’t really my type of book but I chose it because others liked it. Ok was an ok story.

[Jen Juenke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a good girls fictional tale about besties helping each other.
This book had it all, cancer, infidelity, road trip, secrets, and so much more.
I loved the storytelling, the character development and I thought the author did a great job just moving the book forward with the road trip.

I will look for more books by this author in the future.

[Pam Coll · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chic lit which is not my favourite genre, but I somehow found myself hooked towards the end. I wanted to know how it ended, so maybe it got to me after all. The locations and descriptions of landscape were good. The characters were well studied and it was not hard to identify with them. Pace was slow, but outcomes were satisfying overall. Somewhat predictable.

[Shari Sinclair · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this heart warming book about female friendship and personal growth. The road trip was so much fun and such an interesting journey. Each character had their own part to play, and I was invested in each story. The story ended on a hopeful note with an outlook towards the future.

[Jackie Gilmartin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book to be quite boring and depressing. It started out great but at about the halfway point, I completely lost interest and quit reading it. This became a DNF for me because it was too sad for my liking.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has me really thinking about my relationships with my family and friends. How much effort do I put into keeping healthy bonds with the people around me? Loved the book. Thought provoking. Easy read. Great mirror into your own psyche

[Maureen Neylon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a sucker for a story of female friendships over time. Add the element of a road trip and reconnections of people who haven’t seen each other for years, throw in multiple family dramas and personal obstacles. Wanted to keep coming back for more. Easy read, likable characters.

[Amanda Ritter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute read. I love a book that is transparent in the storylines that allows the reader to relate and know that everyone has their own pile of STUFF that they are dealing with even when we don’t know all the details and that we can come out on the other side ok if we just focus on the positive.

[Barbara · Rating 2 out of 5]

very predictable but I like the narrator. An okay book to listen to as I walk.

[Shannon · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was soooo boring!!! I kept waiting for something to happen .... can’t believe I finished it.

[Karen Witter · Rating 3 out of 5]

chick lit for sure
but clean uplifting chick lit

[Caroline Abbott · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this, but I couldn't get through it.