Random Acts of Kindness

by Susan Roberts

In 2014, Dete Meserve wrote a fiction novel called Good Sam about a good Samaritan secretly helping people in need.  Writing this book caused her to become more interested in the goodness in the world and the people who were doing good deeds for other people, often without recognition.  She and Rachel Greco worked together to publish Random Acts of Kindness which is full of stories about real people who help others.  At the same time, she started one of my favorite Facebook sites 'Random Acts of Kindness' where people post about the wonderful things that people do for others.  I must tell you that it's one of my favorite Facebook sites and even though it frequently brings tears to my eyes, it's wonderful to read good news instead of what we hear on the newscasts every day.  Here are my reviews of Good Sam and Random Acts of Kindness.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. These books were purchased.

Good Sam by Dete Meserve

June 2017; Lake Union Publishing
978-1477809013; audio, ebook, print (236 pages)
cozy mystery

“Over the years, I’d convinced myself that good rarely exists in this world, and if it does, it comes with ulterior motives and hidden agendas. But the truth is that good is everywhere. It’s harder to see, but often it’s right in front of you.” (p 200)

Kate Bradley is a TV reporter who always handles the tough stories - the wildfires and car accident stories that often show up on the evening news. She is shocked and upset when she's assigned to cover a story about someone who found $10,000 in cash on their front porch. Within a few days, 9 more people also find $10,000 left on their porches and the story is picked up by the national TV stations. Kate, always a bit cynical, works to find the real good Samaritan behind the anonymous gifts to find out if it is truly a gift or if the person giving the money away has a secret agenda behind their gifts.

As expected, several people come forward to claim that they are the good Samaritan - there are lots of people in the world looking for their 15 minutes of fame - but when Kate talks to them, she realizes that they are imposters. When someone she knows says that they are the person responsible for the gifts, Kate is surprised but believes them to be telling the truth. Or are they? And do they have a hidden agenda? Kate works to get to the bottom of the mystery and surprises even herself with the results.

This is a fun interesting book about trying the find the 'good guy' instead of the 'bad guy' which was a nice change. I enjoyed the character of Kate and her quest to find the answers to the mystery. Along with the mystery, there is just enough romance to keep it all really interesting.

Buy Good Sam at Amazon
Amazon Prime members can read the ebook for free!

Random Acts of Kindness by Dete Meserve and Rachel Greco

March 2019; Melrose Hill Entertainment
978-0991449972; ebook, print (210 pages)
inspirational

I think that everyone needs to have a copy of this book close at hand. That way when you feel all beat up over news stories about the cruelty of people to other people and animals, you can pick this book up and read a few of the wonderful stories about people doing random acts of kindness for strangers. Reading about these acts of kindness will help remind you that there really are fantastic people in this world.

A disabled veteran in Oregon opens his front door to find that an anonymous Good Samaritan has left him a brand-new riding mower.

In Oklahoma City, a woman who has just lost her job is amazed when a stranger swoops in and pays for her groceries.

In snowy Boston, warm blankets mysteriously appear on park benches throughout the city with a note: “These blankets are not lost! If you are cold, without shelter, and looking for comfort, then they are for you. Enjoy, and know that you are loved.”

In each section, there are stories of people doing good deeds that may be very simple but are absolutely amazing. I'd like to tell you about my favorite story but it's impossible because I loved it all. Many of the stories made me cry happy tears over how much of a difference a small act of kindness can make to someone in need.

Read this book - I promise you'll feel better about the state of the world after you do. And maybe, just maybe, you'll think of ways that you can help other people with random acts of kindness.

Buy Random Acts of Kindness at Amazon

Susan Roberts lives in North Carolina when she isn't traveling. She and her husband enjoy traveling, gardening and spending time with their family and friends. She reads almost anything (and the piles of books in her house prove that) but her favorite genres are Southern fiction, women's fiction, and thrillers. Susan is a top 1% Goodreads Reviewer. You can connect with Susan on Facebook, Goodreads, or Twitter. 

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