I enjoyed this book. The author is a strong writer and the POVs from different characters was well executed. The author is great at nuances and being attuned to her characters which truly shows through in her storytelling. This was a solid family drama.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of Within Arm's Reach by Ann Napolitano in exchange for my honest review and opinion. I've really enjoyed the prior books by this author and was very excited to read this. I found this to be a great story but warning there are A LOT of characters in this book and at times I had to flip back to remember who they all were. Good book but not my favorite read of hers.

This was a beautiful family story. So many different aspects to consider. Amazing how years later some stories merged. So cool to learn this was her first book ever written that ended up getting republished. Can’t wait to go read Hello Beautiful now!

I DNF this, for personal reasons. I started reading this while I was newly pregnant and within the first chapter realized this was not a good topic for me to dwell on at this time in my life. I love Ann's writing so I would probably revisit it another time, but the subject matter is a little heavy right now.

Thank you to netgalley.com for the ARC.

I have enjoyed Ann Napolitano's books for many years and find that she is a great writer. This book was good, but definitely not one of my favorites. A lot of the characters irked me at times and I just couldnt understand their motivation for the things that they did. Other times, it was a touching story of a family and the ties that hold people together.

In Within Arm's Reach, families find their lives surprisingly intertwined, proving that sometimes, the people who can change you most are closer than you think. Napolitano weaves a beautiful tale that reminds us that connection is often just an arm's length away.

Already a huge fan of Napolitano, so it’s not a surprise I loved this book as much as her others. It’s always fun to go back to an authors debut after reading their more recent work, it’s like seeing a layer that hadn’t been exposed. Authors note is a must read! I loved this family’s story!

I've read Ann Napolitano's Dear Edward and Hello Beautiful so I was aware of the author's preference for family drama, and this first novel shows where it all started. Suggested for fans of Elizabeth Stout and books where nothing but life really happens.
From the Author's Note: "this is the best book I was able to write when I wrote it".

I’m so pleased this, Ann Napolitano’s first book, was republished last year. I enjoyed Dear Edward and Hello Beautiful, and this book also shows how intricately the author weaves a family drama and writes her characters with such depth. I got to the last page and fully expected the story to continue when I turned the page. It’s not that the ending left questions unanswered, but rather I wasn’t quite ready to say goodbye to these characters.

A little slow to start but then it picks up. Great story of family dynamics, as always by Napolitano, but didn't care for them as I did for the story of Hello Beautiful. So a 3 out of 5 for me. Thanks to #netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

No one writes family better -characters who become like members of your family as you read. Powerfully character driven work. She's the best!

🎧 I listened to the audio narration and loved it. Marin Ireland and Brittany Pressley are two of my favs!

🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 There are quite a few characters, most of whom are extended relatives and while not overly important, they were sometimes hard to keep track of.

👵🏼👶🏻 I loved the dynamic between the older and younger generations. It felt realistic, authentic and often tense.

If you’re a fan of family dramas or enjoyed Hello Beautiful, definitely check this one out.

It took me a little while to get into it but once I did, I loved the characters. I felt like there could have been a bit more closure with a few of them but I will use my imagination. I was invested in all of their lives and loved them at moments and was outraged at moments. The best kind of book.

Ann Napolitano writes beautiful tragic books. I loved Dear Edward and Hello Beautiful. So had to get in on this one too!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a eARC copy in exchange for an honest review!

I absolutely loved this story of a multigenerational Irish catholic family. The writing swept me away and I found myself unable to put this down. For being one of Napolitano’s first novels, what a triumph this was! I especially enjoyed her note at the end which explained her relationship with this novel and her patience with both its conception and its integrity over the years of her growth as a writer. This was a gem of a novel and I highly recommend.

Needless to say, I am so glad Ann Napolitano continued to write!!

3.5 rounded down. My experience reading Within Arm's Reach was very similar to the way I felt with Napolitano's universally beloved Dear Edward - I can tell that both books are well-written and crafted to elicit Very Big emotional responses, but for some reason, neither one really moved me. Neither book is boring, and I was engaged with the various characters and their relationships. I've seen a lot of reviews mention feeling confused by the sheer number of characters in this family, but I thought each of their voices/POVs were so distinctive that I didn't really have this issue. I think this is a Good Book and Napolitano is a Good Writer, I just find that I'm only able to admire her work from a bit of an emotional distance.

A big cast of characters exploring family dynamics. I did not enjoy this novel as much as Dear Edward and Hello Beautiful, but nonetheless enjoyed my time with the characters. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to read an advanced copy.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Like many of you, I was first introduced to Ann Napolitano through her novel Dear Edward in 2020, and I really became a “fan” when I read Hello, Beautiful last year. Within Arm’s Reach is actually Napolitano‘s first (published) novel – originally released in 2004 and re-released this past spring... I knew from the description - a story of three generations in a big, Catholic family when the youngest finds out she is unexpectedly pregnant (and unmarried) - that I would love it, and I was not disappointed! Told in six different voices, the story beautifully weaves together the past, present, and future of all the complicated, individual parts that make up a family. While I do think Napolitano’s writing and storytelling has improved since this book was completed, the expert characterization and the HEART I’ve come to know and expect from her stories, is definitely here!

I enjoyed this book… You can do no wrong with Napolitano. She wrote this book on females and friendship, sisterhood, and life. If you like reading Jodi picoult or liane moriarty, you will enjoy this family saga of the pavadano family. It was a little slow for me and I had to pick it up a few times, but I’m glad I stuck with it. It has a lot of heart, and the relationships are so real. Thank you, NetGalley for the advanced digital copy.

As an huge fan of Hello Beautiful I was excited to read this book! Ann Napolitano’s Within Arm’s Reach is a poignant and beautifully crafted novel that explores the deep, often unspoken connections within a family. Through the perspectives of three generations of an Irish American family, Napolitano masterfully examines how love, grief, and unexpressed emotions shape their lives. While the story’s pacing can feel slow at times, the character development and reflections on family make it a worthwhile read.