Hello Beautiful

A Novel

By: Ann Napolitano

Narrated by: Maura Tierney

Length: 15 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • OPRAH’S BOOK CLUB PICK • MORE THAN ONE MILLION COPIES SOLD! 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

ONE OF THE CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY’S TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR

A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, NPR, The Washington Post, Time, Vogue, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, New York Post, She Reads, Bookreporter

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.

©2023 Ann Napolitano (P)2023 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Radiant and brilliantly crafted . . . Napolitano’s [work] resists the easy satisfactions of the sentimental and never settles for simple answers to emotional predicaments faced by her characters.”—The New York Times Book Review (Editors’ Choice)

“This sumptuous family saga is one of those rare novels whose singular characters are so beautifully rendered, it’s as if they’re your best friends, and you’re grateful to be in their orbit.”—Oprah Quarterly

“Hello Beautiful will make you weep buckets because you come to care so deeply about the characters and their fates. . . . [Napolitano] compels us to contemplate the complex tapestry of family love that can, despite grief and loss, still knit us together. She helps us see ourselves—and each other—whole.”—The Washington Post

Disappointing

Napolitano’s writing was beautiful as usual but the story was incredibly depressing. The redemption was not a true redemption and left characters with bright ending without consequences to such horrible choices. I listened to the end to hopefully find some reformation but sadly did not feel it gave such.

I’ll still read her other works because she is amazing but was disappointed in this ones consequences for characters.

A Must Read

This wonderful story that follows sisters and those who come in contact with them over a 40 to 50 year. Period is incredible. It makes you reflect and think about your own life while also having a window into what others lives look like strongly recommend.

Perfect Match🥰

I love this achingly beautiful novel—set in my hometown— & Maura Tierney’s narration is riveting, hypnotic, pitch-perfect. I SO hope she performs more audiobooks!! I happened to be re-watching ER when I found this book. These 2 artists—novelist & actor—together make magic. 💛💖

What a Wonderful Look Into a Family

This was my first Napolitano novel, and was an honest view into a middle class family in Chicago. It is a family of sisters with growing pains, intricacies, complications, and love, from the 70s through 2000. I loved every character, with each one written with such care and reality, As I listened, I knew I was not going to want this book to end. And I was right,

The narrator, Maura Tierny, was perfect. After one chapter, I forgot the narrator. I hope that she will do more narrations, because she a wonderfully modulated voice.

I am positive this will not be my last Napolitano novel.

Thank you, Ms. Napolitano

I loved every single second of this book! I’m eager to listen again. I loved Maura Tierney’s narration. I thought it reflected the nature and style of the book. I wish I had the vocabulary to explain how much I felt listening to this book. I’m an only child and never wanted siblings…until now.

Great book

Thanks to Oprah. It was great. At the end I was able to open my mind & extend empathy to all the family including William.

Filled the Space Well

I had no idea of what to choose next, and gave this a try. Maura Tierney’s full and deliberate voice is perfect for each character. The story is a deep dive into a family that can’t possibly fall apart but does. Not my usual genre but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

A bit hard to follow

I got lost with all the sisters. Kinda slow. A bit all over the place. It didn’t always hold my attention but ok

Satisfying Read!

Always a simple joy to read a book that reads more like "literature" than "pop-culture" writing style.

Interesting story, terrible narrator

The reader was so bad that I almost gave up listening. If I had better vision, I would have switched to the page almost immediately.