
Hello Beautiful: A Novel
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NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER OPRAH’S BOOK CLUB PICK From the author of Dear Edward comes a “powerfully affecting” (People) family story that asks: Can love make a broken person whole?
“Another tender tearjerker . . . Napolitano chronicles life’s highs and lows with aching precision.”—The Washington Post
William Waters grew up in a house silenced by tragedy, where his parents could hardly bear to look at him, much less love him—so when he meets the spirited and ambitious Julia Padavano in his freshman year of college, it’s as if the world has lit up around him. With Julia comes her family, as she and her three sisters are inseparable: Sylvie, the family’s dreamer, is happiest with her nose in a book; Cecelia is a free-spirited artist; and Emeline patiently takes care of them all. With the Padavanos, William experiences a newfound contentment; every moment in their house is filled with loving chaos.
But then darkness from William’s past surfaces, jeopardizing not only Julia’s carefully orchestrated plans for their future, but the sisters’ unshakeable devotion to one another. The result is a catastrophic family rift that changes their lives for generations. Will the loyalty that once rooted them be strong enough to draw them back together when it matters most?
An exquisite homage to Louisa May Alcott’s timeless classic, Little Women, Hello Beautiful is a profoundly moving portrait of what is possible when we choose to love someone not in spite of who they are, but because of it.
- Listening Length15 hours and 6 minutes
- Audible release dateMarch 14 2023
- LanguageEnglish
- ASINB0B7VMW2ZX
- VersionUnabridged
- Program TypeAudiobook
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Product details
Listening Length | 15 hours and 6 minutes |
---|---|
Author | Ann Napolitano |
Narrator | Maura Tierney |
Audible.ca Release Date | March 14 2023 |
Publisher | Random House Audio |
Program Type | Audiobook |
Version | Unabridged |
Language | English |
ASIN | B0B7VMW2ZX |
Best Sellers Rank | #126 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) #9 in Literary Fiction (Audible Books & Originals) #11 in Women's Fiction (Audible Books & Originals) #33 in Literary Fiction (Books) |
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The writing was exquisite , but at times I felt like it was too unreal. The main character was not someone I easily related to or liked. Rose, the mother makes a hasty decision to move a distance away after a death. Really, just like that? Common sense seemed to be lacking in decisions made and it just seemed as if there was a need for each family member to match a role needed in our " political rightness " - a lesbian, a child born to a teen, stubbornness beyond belief and bizarre reactions by a wife to her husband's possible death and mental illness.
Interestingly however I did enjoy the book, I was grateful for the ending although I thought it out of character they would shun their church, all of them? ( except Rose , and why wouldn't she have raised more fuss? ) Ussually people facing death find more need for their faith. At times I loved it more, other times less. Perhaps you'll not understand my points but I'd love this for a book club. My conclusion; provocative.

Ann Napolitano
When I turned my eBook to page one, I said aloud “HELLO, BEAUTIFUL!”
I knew from page one that I was in for a good time what I did not know was how much I’d enjoy this book and the process of reading it and I certainly didn’t know I had found a new favorite author.
In Hello Beautiful we start with William. William was born to a family suffering a great loss. And even in the first few pages with William, we come to know him in all that he isn’t instead of what he is. It’s an interesting way to construct a character.
In the next chapter, we meet Julia and all that she is and all that she has. She is a lot, has a lot. Specifically, things that William does not. She has a close, loving family, and she has a plan and the will to carry it out.
William and Julia meet in college and begin a wonderful life together. We follow over the years as eventually, William's past comes to light and the very thing that drew them together threatens to tear them apart.
I read this one towards the end of 2022 and had to hold onto this review for over six months. It was torture. It was one of the best books I read last year, and I can’t wait for you to read it. It would make a great book club selection as there would be a lot to discuss. I imagine readers on opposing sides of imaginary lines, arguing their point. And they would both be right. That is the beauty of this book.
Let’s talk about what I especially liked about it.
The first thing I loved and noticed was the sentence structure. There is a pattern to the structure that creates a rhythm that increases reading enjoyment. Essentially it is very easy to read.
The second thing I loved is what I noted previously. I loved how William was constructed as a character. His pages felt vacuous. As if I were leaving a part of myself there with him on every page. There is a scene early on when William is describing a moment with a professor. That passage is so telling of William and his lens for seeing his world and interacting with it.
The third thing I loved was the number of emotions that were stirred within me. I don’t remember the last time I was angry with a fictional character. It’s been six months and I still disagree with some of the characters' choices.
Although this was a five-star read for me I do want to note how critical the writing is. These characters are beautifully imperfect, and the narrative, no matter the character, was severe in correction. This can lead to a lack of empathy toward the characters and their situation. It didn’t affect me much, but I think readers should be aware of that going in.
HELLO BEAUTIFUL comes out on March 14, 2023, and I highly recommend it.
Now an Oprah Book Club pick for March 2023
HELLO BEAUTIFUL…⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Random House, The Dial Press for the advanced copy!

I can't give this book 5 stars, though, because at points the repetitive description feels as bland as the food it's consistently mentioning--chickpeas, eggs, chickpeas again. If I have to read the phrase St. Clare of Assissi again...

