Hello Beautiful

By: Ann Napolitano

Narrated by: Maura Tierney

Brought to you by Penguin.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Dear Edward comes a beautifully tender, heartbreaking, and moving story of four sisters over three decades.

Meet the Padvano girls. Best friends and sisters, they are thought of as inseparable by everyone in their close-knit Chicago neighbourhood. Julia, the eldest, is the "rocket" of the family - she always has a destination in mind and clear plans for how to get there. Sylvie, the dreamer, is happiest with her nose in a book and imagines a life for herself other than the expected path of wife and mother. Cecelia and Emmeline, the twins, are the artist and the caregiver. From childhood, the four sisters complete each other, expecting that their family will always be intact.

When Julia falls in love with William Walters, a history student and college sports star, she's delighted by the way her plans for adulthood are coming together. A husband, a house, a family. But when darkness from William's past begins to block the light of his future, it is Sylvie, not Julia, who steps in to help. Suddenly, things shift. Dynamics and relationships, priorities and secrets - everything that was once a given no longer is.

Rich and vivid, heartbreaking and heart-mending, Hello Beautiful captures the joy, tragedy, trust, and betrayal to ask: what does it mean to be a family? And once shattered, can it be pieced back together?

©2023 Ann Napolitano (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"A rich, complex family saga, Hello Beautiful is a portrait of love and grief in equal measure. Napolitano's prose is so lovely, so keenly perceptive, that it held me captive until I finished. A lot of people are going to love this story." (Mary Beth Keane, New York Times bestselling author of Ask Again, Yes)

"Like great jazz, Hello Beautiful takes a melody and transforms it. This is a richly-woven story about family, but it's also a unique take on Little Women. There are no heroes or villains here, only people--flawed and loving and striving like the rest of us. Generosity is the word that comes to mind when I reflect on this gorgeous novel." (Allegra Goodman, New York Times bestselling author of The Cookbook Collector and Sam)

"Ann Napolitano's writing is astonishing." (Marian Keyes, Sunday Times bestselling author of Again, Rachel)

Great story about family and sibling relationships

Well written and paced novel. The characters are well developed and their flaws are what makes the story. It’s not an exciting and edgy read, but a surprisingly compelling and not put down able story about family.

Fantastically narrated by Maura Tierney too.

Great holiday book.

This is beautifully constructed, so well-written and the narration is excellent. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute and would highly recommend it.

Related

I had a connection with each character that I was able to relate to my own life’s journeys.

Emotional rollercoaster

I would not expect anything less from the writer of Dear Edward. It held my attention through out. I felt I got to know each character so intimately. I wish it could go on and on. I cried and laughed it was a lovely read, exactly what I needed..

Beautiful!!!

Goosebumps from the first page till the end. So beautifully written, beautiful atmosphere and beautiful story. Warmth love and tears. One of the best and most touching and moving books I have ever read.

Just incredible

LOVED THIS SO MUCH!! What a wholesome book!!! Excellent writing and narration of a story about family, love, loss and reunion. It will break your heart and sow it back up again. Love the character development throughout the story. So much depth in the main characters and even the supporting characters, you feel like you are one with them. Great book for the holidays. 5/5 rating for sure. I didn’t want it to end. ❤️❤️❤️

Incredible book!

Such a beautiful book - real, raw, flawed characters bound together and healed by love. Moving and inspiring.

Boring narration

I’m sure the story had promise but the narrator sounded like she’d just rolled out of bed. Listened for about an hour her tone did not change. Terrible