From the New York Times bestselling author of Dear Edward comes an emotionally layered and engrossing story of a family that asks: Can love make a broken person whole?
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 it’s a relief when his skill on the basketball court earns him a scholarship to college, far away from his childhood home. He soon meets Julia Padavano, a spirited and ambitious young woman who surprises William with her appreciation of his quiet steadiness. With Julia comes her family; she is inseparable from her three younger sisters: Sylvie, the dreamer, is happiest with her nose in a book and imagines a future different from the expected path of wife and mother; Cecelia, the family’s artist; and Emeline, who patiently takes care of all of them. Happily, the Padavanos fold Julia’s new boyfriend into their loving, chaotic household.
But then darkness from William’s past surfaces, jeopardizing not only Julia’s carefully orchestrated plans for their future, but the sisters’ unshakeable loyalty 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?
Vibrating with tenderness, Hello Beautiful is a gorgeous, profoundly moving portrait of what’s possible when we choose to love someone not in spite of who they are, but because of it.
HELLO BEAUTIFUL
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.
You can get your hands on the book prior to publication through Book of the Month. It is available as an add-on to your BOTM choice.
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HELLO BEAUTIFUL…⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Random House, The Dial Press for the advanced copy!
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