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Hello Beautiful (Oprah's Book Club): A Novel Hardcover – March 14, 2023

by Ann Napolitano (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 90,578 ratings
Editors' pick Best Literature & Fiction
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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.
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  1. Print length
    400 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    The Dial Press
  4. Publication date
    March 14, 2023
  5. Dimensions
    6.44 x 1.27 x 9.54 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0593243730
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0593243732
  8. See all details
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  1. “When an old person dies,” Kent said, “even if that person is wonderful, he or she is still somewhat ready, and so are the people who loved them. They’re like old trees, whose roots have loosened in the ground. They fall gently. But when someone like your aunt Sylvie dies—before her time—her roots get pulled out and the ground is ripped up. Everyone nearby is in danger of being knocked over.”
    Highlighted by 9,136 Kindle readers
  2. When your love for a person is so profound that it’s part of who you are, then the absence of the person becomes part of your DNA, your bones, and your skin.
    Highlighted by 8,477 Kindle readers
  3. He was his acts of kindness, and his love for his daughters, and the twenty minutes he’d spent with Sylvie behind the grocer’s that evening.
    Highlighted by 6,171 Kindle readers
  4. It occurred to him, for the first time, that just because you never thought about someone didn’t mean they weren’t inside you.
    Highlighted by 5,239 Kindle readers
  5. The dream was now in the air, at risk of the elements, beyond her grasp.
    Highlighted by 3,847 Kindle readers
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From the Publisher

Oprah’s Book Club 2023
“Beautiful, perceptive, wistful . . . I loved it,” says Miranda Cowley Heller
“A rich, complex family saga,” says Mary Beth Keane
“Profoundly moving and propulsive,” says Angie Kim
“A richly woven story about family [and] a unique take on Little Women,” says Allegra Goodman

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

An Amazon Best Book of March 2023:Ann Napolitano took the literary world by storm with her devastating, beautiful, tear-jerker of a novel Dear Edward, which was one of our Best Books of 2020 and is now a TV series. And, she’s done it again with Hello Beautiful. A story of family—the ones we’re born to, the ones we marry into, and the ones we make—and how despite pain and fractured relationships, hope can be found. If you have siblings—you’ll revel in the four Padavano sisters who are thick as thieves—until they aren’t. Napolitano writes with gusto and compassion about the transition from idyllic youth to the complexities of adulthood: love and loss, cutting words and secrets, which both hold people together and tear them apart. Hello Beautiful offers big emotion and that’s exactly what makes it so powerful, and so page-turning. —Al Woodworth, Amazon Editor

Review

“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
 
 “A sprawling, hugely affecting novel [filled with] empathetic characters and rich writing . . . [Hello Beautiful] has rightfully earned comparisons to Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, with its four close, vibrant sisters and the lonely outsider who infiltrates their circle.”—Shondaland

“This is a warm blanket of a book, one that reminds you of the enveloping power of literature and leaves you very grateful to have encountered it.”—Vogue
 
“Little Women fans will be endeared by Hello Beautiful's homage to the March siblings, in the form of the four Padavano sisters. Any lover of a sweeping family saga will be moved by the Padavanos’ unraveling.”—Harper’s Bazaar

“Napolitano’s novel will make you think deeply about sisterhood and what we choose to share with those we love.”—Town & Country
 
“Can love make a broken person whole? That is the simple but compelling question at the center of . . . this engrossing and emotional family drama.”—E! Online
 
“Absorbing.”—AARP
 
“Napolitano is a master of examining what binds us to family, what makes family, and how to love in difficult times.”—Literary Hub

“A family drama with echoes of classics and characters who are distinctly written. As a reader, you’ll laugh and grieve with William and the Padavanos as they go through life—soaring as much as they stumble.”—Book Riot
 
“Ann Napolitano’s new novel, Hello Beautiful, is exactly that: beautiful, perceptive, wistful. It’s a story of family and friendship, of how the people we are bound to can also set us free. I loved it.”—Miranda Cowley Heller, New York Times bestselling author of The Paper Palace

“A rich, complex family saga, Hello Beautiful is a portrait oflove 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

“Hello Beautiful is a profoundly moving and propulsive novel about the deepest connections of family and love, trauma and healing. In intricately elegant prose, Ann Napolitano explores both the cost and power of loyalty and honesty. This is a book to treasure and share with friends and loved ones.”—Angie Kim, bestselling author of Miracle Creek

“Hello Beautiful is the work of a great author at the height of her powers. Equally immersive, emotional, and brilliantly crafted, this is an early contender for best novel of the year.”—J. Ryan Stradal, New York Times bestselling author of Kitchens of the Great Midwest

“This is a story about family and sisters and storytelling, but it’s also an examination of identity and the consequences of doing love badly and how love can be redeemed. Read this book! You’ll be glad you did.”—Therese Anne Fowler, New York Times bestselling author of It All Comes Down to This

“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

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ The Dial Press (March 14, 2023)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593243730
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593243732
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.44 x 1.27 x 9.54 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 90,578 ratings

About the author

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Ann Napolitano

Ann Napolitano

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Ann Napolitano's new novel, Hello Beautiful, will be published on March 14th, 2023 by Dial Press in the US and on July 13th by Viking Penguin in the UK. Her novel, Dear Edward, was an instant New York Times bestseller, a Read with Jenna selection, and is now an Apple TV+ series starring Connie Britton. She is the author of the novels A Good Hard Look and Within Arm’s Reach. She was the Associate Editor of One Story literary magazine for seven years, and received an MFA from New York University. She has taught fiction writing for Brooklyn College's MFA program, New York University's School of Continuing and Professional Studies and for Gotham Writers' Workshop.

Dear Edward was published by Dial Press in the United States, and by Viking Penguin in the United Kingdom. It was chosen as one of the best novels of 2020 by The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Amazon, Real Simple, Fast Company, Parade, Woman's World and more. The novel currently has twenty-six international publishers. For more information about Ann or her books, please visit www.annnapolitano.com.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
90,578 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book great, interesting, and worth their time. They describe the story as wonderful, beautiful, and a page-turner. Readers praise the writing quality as well-written and superb. They find the characters captivating and intrigued by the depth of personality. Customers also mention the content is heartfelt and touching. However, some find the content depressing, disappointing, and tedious.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more
ReadabilityStory qualityWriting qualityCharacter developmentHeartfelt contentPaceDepressing contentPacing
542 customers mention "Readability"523 positive19 negative

Customers find the book interesting, beautiful, and worth their time. They say it does a good job of armchair psychology. Readers also mention the story is touching, sweet, and thoughtful.

"...Napolitano’s writing is thoughtful and beautiful...." Read more

"...I can say that the beauty of Ann Napolitano carefully crafted words, the images she brought to my mind's eye and the powerful feelings of love that..." Read more

"Overall it was ok, easy to read. Not all the characters were likable, and the complexity of each character could have been developed more...." Read more

"...Prepare yourselves because this is a beautiful book, just not one I think I can handle reading again...." Read more

388 customers mention "Story quality"291 positive97 negative

Customers find the story wonderful, beautiful, and moving. They say it's a tribute to family and redemption. Readers also appreciate the complexity of love, family, and friendships.

"...This book is a love story. It is about acceptance, heartbreak, forgiveness, and understanding. Napolitano’s writing is thoughtful and beautiful...." Read more

"...words, the images she brought to my mind's eye and the powerful feelings of love that seemed to leap from the pages of Hello Beautiful, eventually..." Read more

"...Ann captures the complexity of love, family and friendships. I didn’t want it to end" Read more

"I could not really get into the mood for this book as the beginning seemed to descriptive and I needed more action..." Read more

288 customers mention "Writing quality"238 positive50 negative

Customers find the writing quality of the book particularly well-written, superb, and superb. They also describe the story as readable, light, and a page-turner. Readers mention the experiences are familiar and the situations are real.

"...Napolitano’s writing is thoughtful and beautiful...." Read more

"...This was NOT an easy book to read. I took several breaks but always came back...." Read more

"...There is a pattern to the structure that creates a rhythm that increases reading enjoyment. Essentially it is very easy to read...." Read more

"Overall it was ok, easy to read. Not all the characters were likable, and the complexity of each character could have been developed more...." Read more

224 customers mention "Character development"161 positive63 negative

Customers find the characters captivating, intriguing, and colorful. They say they feel every emotion the characters experience.

"...Readers are drawn right into this story and feel every emotion the characters experience...." Read more

"...I was intrigued by the depth of personality of each of the sisters Ann Napolitano created...." Read more

"Overall it was ok, easy to read. Not all the characters were likable, and the complexity of each character could have been developed more...." Read more

"...The characters are flawed but likeable. I was frustrated by many of their choices but was rooting for them anyway." Read more

203 customers mention "Heartfelt content"186 positive17 negative

Customers find the content heartfelt, touching, and emotional. They say the book has wonderful emotional moments throughout, and the words exude warmth and empathy. Readers also mention the book has a good discussion of depression and the impact of family dynamics early in a child's life.

"...This book is a love story. It is about acceptance, heartbreak, forgiveness, and understanding. Napolitano’s writing is thoughtful and beautiful...." Read more

"WOW… what an emotional story!!! I don’t think there aren’t enough words to describe how heartbreaking this books is...." Read more

"This book was so touching…I found tears spilling down my cheeks at multiple points in the story, and it both broke and healed my heart in the..." Read more

"...heartwarming moments of tenderness and happiness, and devastating moments of sadness and loss that will have you alternating between laughing and..." Read more

67 customers mention "Pace"21 positive46 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pace of the book. Some mention it flows nicely, while others say the first half is slow.

"This book was a little slow to start for me, but then I just kept wanting to read. The characters are flawed but likeable...." Read more

"...The first 100 pages were very slow. I understand it was setting the mood however I wish it could have been done in 50 pages instead...." Read more

"...It moved at a great pace, really drew me in and I loved it. Wish the first parts of the book had been better edited." Read more

"There were parts of this book that felt too slow, too plodding. And yet the overall tone and beauty of the writing carried me through...." Read more

109 customers mention "Depressing content"25 positive84 negative

Customers find the content depressing, boring, and unrealistic. They say it's not the great book they expected and feel it's saccharine.

"...you that this book does contain self harm. This was not the best I ever read but it is no where near the worst. Definitely worth the read." Read more

"...As other reviewers noted, it's not a bad beach read, but not literature and not Oprah-caliber...." Read more

"Although it was depressing most of the read. It was well written and bittersweet in the end. I enjoyed it regardless...." Read more

"...I could hardly put it down, a wonderful experience!" Read more

53 customers mention "Pacing"14 positive39 negative

Customers find the pacing of the book slow and tedious. They say it feels repetitive, takes some time to get into, and drags out. Readers mention the setup drags out a bit.

"...I’d recommend but this is not a quick/easy read." Read more

"...The set up dragged out a bit for me and I was wondering if I would ever finish this book!..." Read more

"...a way of seeing what it might be like to be raised in an exuberant, complicated, loving family... and how it evolves over time, as each girl becomes..." Read more

"...The novel drags a bit, but if you stick with it you’ll discover new and interesting events that hold you to it...." Read more

Beautiful and heartaching
4 out of 5 stars
Beautiful and heartaching
The Padavona sisters all have vastly different personalities; high achieving Julia, bookish romantic Sylvie, artsy and stubborn Cecilia and selfless nurturing Emeline; but their bond is seemingly unbreakable. William Waters, lost and introverted, grew up in a wildly different household, where overwhelming grief over the loss of his sister took hold of his parents’ lives, leaving him to fend for himself.When Julia meets William she is determined to become his wife and create the husband she’s always dreamed of, making him a project of sorts. He isn’t exactly sure where he fits into her plan or her family, and when tragedy strikes, the family’s bond is stretched to its limits.While it is a contemporary take on the classic Little Women, it’s absolutely its own magnificent story. It’s a beautiful but heavy and emotional read as each character’s story unfolds, and your heart aches as you find a place for each of them there.
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Top reviews from the United States

KWyly
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully written…
Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2024
Verified Purchase
I love this story about the four Padavano sisters and their parents. Rose is the strong willed matriarch of the family. She strongly believes her husband, Charlie, just doesn’t quite measure up to what he could have been. Together, they have four daughters. Readers are drawn right into this story and feel every emotion the characters experience. Julie, the eldest of the four sisters, is a planner, a fixer, a girl who knows what she wants and knows how to get it. She has a plan for her life and it doesn’t include living in a tiny house like where she was raised. Second daughter is quiet Sylvie, a reader who has worked in the public library since she was thirteen and sneaks kisses from the boys behind the shelves knowing she doesn’t want a boyfriend. She doesn’t take the boys seriously because she is just practicing for her one true love. The twins who are energetic, fun loving girls, round out the Padavano sisters. Then there is William a loner, ignored and never loved at home, socially awkward, always wondering where he fits in, how should he behave, and why he wasn’t enough for his parents. He only feels at home on the basketball court. Julie has decided William is just what she needs to get her life plan started. In alternating chapters, the four main characters tell their story with each chapter bearing the character’s name. Quoting Walt Whitman’s poetry and making comparisons of the four sisters to the sisters in Little Women by Alcott, this book is more than a family saga. This book is a love story. It is about acceptance, heartbreak, forgiveness, and understanding. Napolitano’s writing is thoughtful and beautiful. The story is deeply moving as each character grows and discover his or her truth and learns how powerful it is to live an authentic life. A five star read and on my list of favorite books in 2024!
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diana jaycox (my friends call me DJ)
4.0 out of 5 stars It improves as you read further...
Reviewed in the United States on September 9, 2023
Verified Purchase
Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano, an Oprah's Book Club selection was read by this reviewer as part of a challenge. It would not have been my choice otherwise. As a rule I read to escape and find that many of contemporary bestsellers require me to be too much in the now and too much in my head. So it was no surprise that I struggled to get into this novel. It was too achingly real! The characters, their lives, their dreams and their struggles collided with my own and made me want to withdraw into my own darkness. I so wanted to send this book to the trash bin. Though, as a writer I challenged myself to read other writers ,especially those that are bestsellers. I needed to discover what makes other authors so appealing. How do other writers set-up their stories, build their settings, develop their characters. After a break, I came back to Hello Beautiful and read this as a writer as well as a reader. By applying a critiquing approach, I was able to achieve a degree of separation from the story. It was just enough to allow me to focus on the cadence of Ann Napolitano's words, to savor the style of her storytelling and to not get caught in my own angst and issues.

I began to see how Hello Beautiful shared so many elements with one of my all time favorite books , Little Women. I was intrigued by the depth of personality of each of the sisters Ann Napolitano created. Ann was able to show how each sister was a part of the others yet completely individuals. How they became who they were was beautifully and intricately choreographed by Ann Napolitano throughout the novel. And, adding William a lost soul, an outsider to the mix, was a brilliant catalyst for the sisters growth and development!

This was NOT an easy book to read. I took several breaks but always came back. This poignant story about family love and relationships, did end up stirring my heart and soul in ways, I admit, prefer to avoid. At times, I felt like I was on an emotional roller coaster. By the time I reached the climax of the story I was fully invested in the characters and their lives, the many highs and lows they experienced and yet were able to weather because they had each other.

I don't know how many other of Ann Napolitano's my tortured soul will be able to tolerate. I can say that the beauty of Ann Napolitano carefully crafted words, the images she brought to my mind's eye and the powerful feelings of love that seemed to leap from the pages of Hello Beautiful, eventually brought me to place of peace. I read the last page with a sigh. Then I closed my eyes and reflected on all my best memories of life in a large, obnoxiously in your face , flawed, loving family! All the highs and lows, the good times, the bad and the big loving mess of it all!

SIGH.
179 people found this helpful
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JKid
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful and tragic and hopefull
Reviewed in the United States on October 7, 2024
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This book was a little slow to start for me, but then I just kept wanting to read. The characters are flawed but likeable. I was frustrated by many of their choices but was rooting for them anyway.
3 people found this helpful
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Desiree Dupuis
5.0 out of 5 stars Rich story-telling and character development
Reviewed in Canada on September 1, 2024
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I loved this book and could not get enough! It's like a newer version of Little Women, can't wait to read more titles from Ann Napolitano!
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Ximena V.
5.0 out of 5 stars Entretenido
Reviewed in Mexico on August 18, 2024
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Este libro es fácil de leer, aunque trata algunos temas complicados, la lectura es fácil y entretenida.
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Anya
5.0 out of 5 stars Adorei!
Reviewed in Brazil on May 27, 2024
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Gostei bastante do tema deste livro que fala da relação entre irmãos e entre pais mães e irmãos!
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eloise
5.0 out of 5 stars superb novel
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 19, 2024
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This is one of the best novels I’ve read in a while! So beautifully straddling contrasting narratives where every narrators perspective feels just as valid and true as one the complete opposite. Attention to detail is second to none, and the deftness Napolitano shows in distilling the mood and affect of each character, covering topics as heavy as suicide with exquisite skill and insight. Beautiful
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LovesToRead
5.0 out of 5 stars Be ready to jump into an ocean of emotions!
Reviewed in Germany on September 11, 2024
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"Hello Beautiful" by Ann Napolitano is a masterpiece that gets under your skin. On the surface, its narrative seems to be the modernised version of „Little Women“ by L. M. Alcott. On a deeper level, however, the four Padavano sisters deal with the complexity of love, grief, forgiveness in their family and intricacies over a quarter century.

The character development is to the readers‘ utmost satisfaction. The narrative is impeccable and prompts self-reflexion on many occasions. Every person will find a piece in this novel that appeals to her/his heart and mind.

It’s a hear-wrenching and hopeful story that reminds us that everything will fall into place and that resistance is in vain.
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