Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
Hello Beautiful
by Ann Napolitano
Contemporary | Literary Fiction
416 Pages
Released March 2023
Rating: ★★★★
Goodreads
Content Warnings
Ok, so, with full transparency, this is not a book that I would normally pick up on my own (I read it for a book club). Generally speaking, I’m not a big fan of family dynamic, contemporary-esque stories. So I was pretty surprised when I ended up quite enjoying this story.
This book follows a family of four sisters, as well as a man that changes all of their lives. Julia, the oldest of the — sisters, is meticulous and driven to a T. When she meets William, a tall, quiet man, she feels everything in her life has fallen into place. Her family are quick to welcome William, whose own family is practically non-existent after a family tragedy that happened during his childhood. But when William does something that shatters his relationship with Julia, the whole family is torn in different directions.
This book is written in such a lovely way that it really draws you in. Within the first couple pages I was instantly invested in Julia and William’s relationship. And similar to the way that William is drawn into Julia’s family, so was I.
The characters are charming, frustrating, heartbreaking and wonderful each in their own ways. I loved the family dynamics and watching the way various tragedies ripples through each of the characters and their relationships with each other. I believe the author mentions it’s her slightly more modern take on Little Women and I definitely felt that.
The pacing of this story was also fantastic, at no part did I feel bored. The passage of time felt natural made the book quite a quick read despite its 400+ pages. That said, it’s strangely also I story I have little to say about. It was a pleasure to read, but didn’t necessarily stick with me after I finished the book.
If you enjoy complex family dynamics or Little Women reimagining, I think you’ll like this book as well!