Cozy seasons call for an equally heartwarming book, and Hello Beautiful delivers with a family drama from best-selling author Ann Napolitano. This tender novel follows the reserved William Waters as he’s embraced by the magnetic Padavano sisters. Try it for a front-row seat to the intimate relationships among the sisters – and what happens when a dark past threatens their bond.
Meet the characters
William Waters has never known the warmth of an affectionate family, relying instead on his basketball skills to form lifelong connections with his teammates. When his talent lands him a scholarship at Northwestern University, he’s equally fascinated and intimidated by the vibrant, confident Julia Padavano, who recognizes William’s quiet manner as solidity and strength.
But Julia is a package deal with her three younger sisters: bookish and independent Sylvia, creative Cecelia, and maternal Emeline. Together, the sisters embrace William as the brother they never had, and he gently relaxes into the family’s tender turmoil.
When William starts to break under the pressures of his new life with Julia, the sisters’ relationships buckle under the strain, too. And the new relationships formed will change the entire family forever.
Why you’ll love this book
You’ll relish the chance to fall into the tightly woven tapestry of the Padavano family and William. Hello Beautiful – like Ann Napolitano’s previous best seller Dear Edward – illustrates the tenderness of human connection and the possibility of fresh starts born from grief.
If you appreciate family narratives that span decades, Hello Beautiful is the perfect read for you. Napolitano knows how to develop characters that feel genuine and fully relatable. You’ll find yourself identifying with a different Padavano sister in each chapter.
Finally, Hello Beautiful was selected as Oprah’s 100th Book Club pick and a Best Book of the Year by The New York Times Book Review, NPR, The Washington Post, Time, Vogue, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, New York Post, She Reads, and Bookreporter.
About the author
Ann Napolitano is also the author of Dear Edward (an instant New York Times Best Seller, a Read With Jenna selection, and an Apple TV+ series), A Good Hard Look, and Within Arm’s Reach, which will be re-released by The Dial Press in May. Napolitano was the associate editor of the literary magazine One Story for seven years. She received her MFA from New York University and has taught fiction writing at Brooklyn College’s MFA program, New York University’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies, and Gotham Writers Workshop.
Hello Beautiful and its unforgettable characters will stay with you. It’s the perfect book to curl up with this winter.
Click here to purchase your copy of Hello Beautiful.
