While a big fan of Ann Nepolitano's two latest releases, I was not aware that this was a re-release of a previously published work.

It was just ok for me. Her latest books are objectively better. It was on the depressing side without any levity.

Thank you Random House and Netgalley for the copy of this book.

I love Ann Napolitano's writing style, and was curious about her first novel that had fallen out of print and was difficult to find. When I learned that it was being republished, I jumped at the chance to read Within Arm's Reach.

Ms. Napolitano's writing in her debut is characteristic of her more recent novels. Within Arm's Reach features a family with difficult and strained relationships, and it shows them moving through life, dealing with those relationships in ways that both hurt and heal. This book has a number of typical triggers (child death, miscarriage, stillbirth, abortion, infidelity) so sensitive readers should be aware.

I especially liked the relationship between Gracie and her sister Lila, like normal sisters they had a love-hate dynamic, yet were each other's biggest support when needed. I love a family saga told from differing characters' points of view, so with six different narrators, this book was just the right style for my taste.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for the digital ARC of Within ARm's Reach by Ann Napolitano. The opinions in this review are my own.

Ann Napolitano reaches back into her own family for inspiration in her recent re-release of her debut novel. She takes a look at what holds a family together and what can pull a family apart. It’s a very good novel which I enjoyed more than some of her newer books.

This is the kind of book Ann Napolitano writes best. It’s study of family relationships. That makes it sound boring, but it’s not. Napolitano’s characters are rich and original. They definitely have their own voices. You might even find you like one or two better than the others (I love the grandmother Catherine) but you know you have to read them all because the story is all about how the pieces fit together. It’s one of those times when you have to use that hackneyed cliché, “the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.”

Unfortunately, this one did not draw me in like Hello Beautiful. I didn't realize it was a re-release of her debut novel. It might be something I revisit and enjoy more later, but it did not hit the spot in this attempt.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House Dial Press for gifting me a digital ARC of this book by Ann Napolitano. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

The story of three generations of a large Irish Catholic family in New Jersey, the story revolves around the matriarch, Catharine, her children, and grandchildren, focusing more on her eldest living daughter, Kelly, her husband, Louis, and their two daughters, Gracie and Lila. Catharine has suffered many losses and as she nears the end of her life, she sees how loss, grief, and lack of communication have caused trickle-down effects throughout her family.

After the well-deserved success of Dear Edward and Hello Beautiful, this is a re-release of her first book, drawing on her own family stories. This story is told in alternating POV from the main family characters and we see how they struggle in various ways. Louis is grieving the loss of an employee for whom he feels responsible, and pulls away from Kelly and their marriage. Their two grown daughters have yet to find their way and now Gracie is pregnant and alone, while Lila is second-guessing her medical residency path. I was pulled into this family's stories, and liked how there was a spiritual element of past generations running throughout. It's definitely a nod to how important communication is for relationships, but also imperative for second chances. Great read!

I read this after loving Dear Edward and Hello Beautiful. I didn't like this as much, but it was a good story about an Irish family at odds with each other. The grandmother is trying to force family connection despite her illnesses. I didn't love the ending, but I did like the book. Told from six viewpoints.

⭐️⭐️/5. Within Arm’s Reach by Ann Napolitano. I was thrilled when I was offered the chance to get an advanced reader copy of Ann Napolitano’s new book. I loved Dear Edward and Hello Beautiful. Once I started reading it and was quickly disappointed, I realized this is actually her first book that they are re-releasing. Made a lot more sense, but it didn’t make me like it more. We meet three generations of a large Irish Catholic family. Grandmother Catharine is the best of the bunch. Pragmatic and tough, she’s struggling with health issues. Her daughters and sons all have their own issues as do the grandchildren. Dysfunction abounds in this family. There’s lots of bad behavior and tension. An unexpected pregnancy then has the ability to either tear them all apart or maybe finally they will pull together. I didn’t really care and found all the characters unlikable. Do not recommend. The author’s later novels were much better. #books #reading #bookstagram #whatiread #bookgram #bookworm #annnapolitano #netgalley #goodreads #libbyapp #thumbsdown

Was so thrilled to receive a copy of this book before its relaunch. It is great family drama following three generations of the family. The matriarch is a widow who holds the regard and instills some fear in the family. She generally knows what is going on and relays her feelings on the matter with a hard edge. Gracie and Lila are sisters whose relationship has fallen out and they’ve lost the support of each other. Gracie seems to be flailing, has a job writing an advice column and in her spare time bed hopping with little satisfaction in her life. Lila is pursuing her medical credentials, but running up against obstacles of her own making. Their mother, Kelly, and father, Louis, are having a hard time. Louis’ business has suffered a tragic loss and it’s haunting Louis. Kelly is unsatisfied in marriage and making mistakes that keep her from having the marriage she thinks she wants. This is a mini-saga of family dysfunction, broken promises, unachieved dreams and love. Although I didn’t enjoy it as much as Hello Beautiful, it is a great story that I really enjoyed.

Ann Napolitano’s novels Dead Edward and Hello Beautiful were easy 5 star reads for me. They have resonated with me, amongst the hundreds of other books I’ve read in that time, and I would easily pick them up and reread them again in the future.

I was so excited to read Within Arm’s Reach, her first published novel that is being rereleased. Her author’s note is well worth reading as well. It’s fascinating to go back two decades and read her first work. The aspects that I love about her other novels are here - rich, deep characters, families that feel real, emotions that are undeniably relatable and beautifully depicted intentionally.

I loved diving into this Irish family, getting to know these characters, seeing a family pushed to its limits and faced with what they will now do. If you’ve loved her other works, this is well worth the read as well. It isn’t nearly as strong as the two mentioned above, it does seem to lack the same strong direction and satisfaction, and it is clear she has grown tremendously as well, but I did enjoy this book.

Thank you to Dial Press and NetGalley.

This multi-generational family drama is filled with imperfect characters and complex inter-personal dynamics that were so beautifully written I was completely captivated from beginning to end. I really appreciate how authentic the relationships and dialogue felt. As someone who comes from an Irish Catholic family, I found it to be very cathartic to experience the growing pains of this family, the ways they confront (or don’t) their generational family trauma. I do wish the book had one more chapter, it would have been nice to see a few of the loose ends resolved.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Another knock out of the park by Ann Napolitano!! She is officially an auto-buy author for me now- she writes family dynamics in such a real, raw way that you feel every emotion as you are reading.

Another great multi-generational drama from the author Ann Napolitano. Told from multiple points of view, I enjoyed getting to know this Irish American family.

I received this ARC from NetGalley.
Note: This is a re-release.

A well written, multi -layered and complex story that will engage you from word one and keep you engaged until the end.

Within Arms Reach is a re-release of Ann Napolitano’s 2004 debut novel. The story, inspired by her own family history, centers around three generations of women in a large Irish-American Catholic family. Told through six different perspectives, we witness them navigate the gambit of life’s challenges - relationships, commitment issues, floundering marriages, pregnancy, child rearing, career choices, middle-life crises, and aging. The McLaughlin family seems to have forgotten what it is to be a family and it will take a “family crisis” (or two, or three) to help them remember.

In reading Within Arms Reach, I’ve come to appreciate the author’s artistic development over time. In this debut novel, one can see the kernels of what we’ve come to expect from Napolitano’s novels - the redemptive arc of real, imperfect characters, family drama, the omnipresent pull of the past, and rich storytelling. In her writing, Napolitano demonstrates that the path to happiness is never easy and requires risks and an open heart, if one dares.

I recommend Within Arms Reach to Napolitano fans and completists, as well as readers who enjoy a messy family story with just a touch of magical realism.

TW: infertility, miscarriage, infant and child mortality, abortion, infidelity

Many thanks to the author @AnnNapolitano, @RandomHouse and @NetGalley for the pleasure of reading this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this advanced readers copy. I loved Ann Naplitano's previous books so when I saw this book, I had to read it. This is actually one of the first books Ann wrote and now it has been re-released with a new cover. It reads with the signature style of family drama that she has become known for. I loved reading about this NJ Irish family drama told over the different points of view and over the time periods. Ann Napolitano is a must read for me and I know her stories will pull at the heartstrings.

When I saw the ARC for Ann Napolitanos Within Arms Reach, I figured I'd toss the dice and hope to snag a copy from Netgalley. To my surprise, the request was granted, and I jumped right in. This ARC is actually a re-release of her first novel following the success of both Hello Beautiful and Dear Edward. At first glance, I will say I do love the new cover design and how it fits nicely with the cover style of her more recent novels.
Hello Beautiful was my first introduction to Ann Napolitano as a writer, and I'm glad I got that experience first. This book showed me just how much she has grown in her craft and had me appreciate her more recent work a little more.
This story follows the McLaughlins, a rather large Irish American family spanning 4 generations and told from 6 different first-person povs.
While I did enjoy this book, with so many characters in play, I found it hard to follow along at first. Thankfully, there is a family tree in the front that I found myself referencing quite often that helped me keep track of who's who as I muddled through it. In the end, this book and the characters reminded me of the early 90s, Days of our lives, soap opera style drama. Was it entertaining? Sure. Can you skip over portions and not really miss much? Yes. Do the situations they put themselves in feel realistic or relatable? Not really, but that's doesn't mean you can't enjoy the journey for what it is.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. It is so odd to think of a rerelease as an ARC, but that is what this is. It is a rerelease of this authors’ first novel. I love Ann Napolitano. Dear Edward and Hello Beautiful were both favorites of mine in the year they were written. This book is not as good as those. This is more in line with Marrying the Ketchups and We are the Brennans than a prior Napolitano novels. It is a multi family saga, a character driven, rather than plot driven novel. It is not bad, but not as good as her later novels.

Thank you Random House Publishing/The Dial Press for my #gifted advanced copy and thank you PRH Audio for my #gifted listening copy of Within Arm’s Reach! #PRHAInfluencer #PRHAudioPartner

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐫𝐦’𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐀𝐧𝐧 𝐍𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐨
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬: 𝐑𝐚𝐲 𝐏𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧 𝐈𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝, 𝐆𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢 𝐌𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐫, 𝐊𝐢𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐫, 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐚 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐥, 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐲
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟑𝟎, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

★★★★★

Within Arm’s Reach is Ann Napolitano’s first novel, which is being reissued again to make it more available. I will be honest and say I was I only familiar with Napolitano’s two books that have been published by The Dial Press, but I am so happy that Within Arm’s Reach will now fall under the same publisher and is getting some attention because I absolutely loved it. I think fans of Hello Beautiful are going to fall in love with this story. I found it to have a similar feel as Hello Beautiful, so I think if you enjoyed that book, this one is definitely one to check out!

Within Arm’s Reach is a multigenerational story that follows the McLaughlin family, and is told from the perspectives of Gracie (granddaughter) , Catharine (grandmother), Louis (son-in-law), Lila (granddaughter), Kelly (daughter), and one non-family member, Noreen Ballen. The storyline is complex yet easy to follow, and perfectly paints a picture of life for each person in this Irish Catholic family. While the main storyline is focused on Gracie and her unexpected pregnancy, this book is about so much more. I love how each viewpoint seems to be dealing with some sort of crisis of their own, and how they are all just trying to figure out their life the best way they know how.

I will say, I really enjoyed the end. While it may not have perfectly answered every question, I really enjoyed it, which is unusual for me because I usually like everything to be wrapped up with a bow! I will say that I think the ending worked perfectly for this book.

🎧I alternated between the physical book, the the audiobook, and let me just say,I don’t think I could have asked for a better group of narrators for this one. As soon as I saw this list, I knew I would be listening to this audiobook as much as possible. I was not disappointed. I LOVED my time listening, and I am so happy that the decision was made to include multiple narrators for this audiobook. I just loved the emotions and how each narrator was so perfect for their character. It was helpful to have a physical copy of the book in the beginning because there are a lot of family members and there is a diagram in the beginning of the book. Regardless, I cannot recommend the audiobook enough!

Posted on Goodreads on April 25, 2024: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around April 30, 2024: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on April 30, 2024
**-will post on designated date

I absolutely loved Dear Edward and Hello Beautiful and am so grateful to NetGalley and RandomHouse Publishing for the ARC of Ann's debut Within Arms Reach. This book was originally published in 2004 and is being republished on April 30th!!

Having read her later works first I can fully appreciate her debut and the amount of progress she's made in her writing. While I really enjoyed this one, I could tell that she was just in the beginning stages of developing her style.

Within Arm's Reach is a family drama that follows three generations of Irish-American women who are plagued with generational trauma that is never really dealt with. Life is thrown into a tailspin when the oldest granddaughter announces she's pregnant and wants to keep the baby.

Ann has the ability to craft the most complex and complicated human characters and I really enjoyed learning about them all, however, my main complaint with this one is that we never really got to see what happened with any of them at the end. I didn't feel much closure at all.