Hello Beautiful

The poignant and uplifting New York Times bestselling family saga

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?

***Praise for Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano***

'Wonderful . . . a beautifully written coming-of-age story' Nina Stibbe

'Powerful' New York Times

'Ann Napolitano's writing is astonishing. I'm in awe' Marian Keyes

'Moving and emotional' Anne Tyler

'That rare book that breaks your heart and stitches it back together' Jodi Picoult

'Stunning, life-affirming' Vogue

'Made me think, nod in recognition, care about its characters, and cry, and you can't ask more of a novel than that' Emma Donoghue

©2023 Ann Napolitano (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

This is a story about family, and sisters... and how love can be redeemed (Therese Anne Fowler, author of It All Comes Down to This)

As addictive as last year's The Paper Palace

I read this while traveling from London to Manchester and very nearly missed my stop on the train. It was that good (Abi Daré)

A novel of rare yet classic beauty…

Napolitano’s luminously beautiful novel explores the space between truth and self-delusion to incredibly moving effect

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.

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..

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.

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.