Sad and poignant but leaves the reader with questions about the tragedy of her son's death. The author does say she cannot talk about the specifics of the case due to litigation, but there is a void left by the missing information which would have been very impactful if filled. However, there is so much truth to the fact that little acts of kindness can have a ripple effect, and each of us has the power and duty to take this to heart.

Original concept - a simple, but rarely executed goal to practice small kindnesses in emotion, word, or gift that have a bigger ripple effect than one would think.

Action oriented - important because many self-help books are theoretical.

Manageable goals - the author explores (and lives by example of) small interactions that anyone can do without overwhelming time or effort

Well written, likeable author who will influence and inspire.

Earth Angels are “individuals who radiate positivity and warmth, offering solace and support to those in need without requiring recognition or reward.”

It’s not as easy or common as it seems as there are nuances. It’s more than being a supportive friend or work colleague. It’s more than helping a short person who wants something on the top shelf or a hand putting up their carry-on luggage. I’d say there are already societal expectations around those deeds.

Who makes a good recipient for an Earth Angel deed then? It’s hard to explain, and I would suggest finding answers in the book. One example was when a teacher set an assignment to do a good deed for someone and to write about it. One student bought some flowers and watched lots of people in a car park to see who the right person was. After 10 or 20 minutes they gave the flowers to an old lady. She was touched by the gesture as she was going shopping for the first time after her husband died and it was hard to shop for herself. Did the student know that? Of course not. But sometimes doing a good deed at the right time can make a huge difference to someone’s day/life. Instead of being sad about shopping for one, this recipient feels happy at the kindness of strangers and feels supported. Yes, half or more of the story is luck. But you never know. Sometimes the impact could be an awkward, ‘gee thanks’ followed by thoughts of them being a weirdo. Other times, it can be touching.

The story is not written by a psychologist or someone who has expertise in this philosophy (wrong word?). But, she knows her stuff as she did lots of research following a tragedy (no spoilers). Suffice to say, the tragedy is a huge one and the philosophy is somewhat of a legacy. Imagine a stick symbolic of a tragedy. Then think of honey wound around the stick, representing the sweetening of a tragedy. And finally picture some uses. What could you do with the honey stick? That’s what the author does with this story. She has suffered and could have remained in a dark place. Sure she has moments of addressing that sadness and darkness. But she has a way out, and it honours the loved one and her own healing process. And as a result can change the lives of others around them.

I highlighted copious amounts of notes. Some about the Earth Angel tidbits. But also the life lessons. They were spot on. I particularly liked the way the author processed people’s comments or behaviour following the tragedy and her unsent letter.

A memorable anecdote was how the family were in the process of taking a photo and the author was taking lots of photos in search of the perfect shot. And the kids were pointing out the contradiction between perfectionism and her telling them they should be happy just being themselves. I laughed hard at that part. I must admit, I’m not a one-take subject.

A glowing review, so why not 5 stars? It was close. I think the definition of Earth Angel could have been more specific than a gut-feel description. And tied in with some background information about who first coined the term and how it became popular or if it is an original concept. Apologies to the author if this was included and went unnoticed.

Thanks to Netgalley and Advantage Media Group for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Had a hard time getting into this but it was clear that the writing was well done. Although I did not love this book (I think I am more of a fiction gal), there is a lot to say about about kindness and the importance of spreading it like a wildfire.