I would like to thank NetGalley and Dial Press for providing me with an advance e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review. Look for it in your local and online bookstores and libraries on April 30, 2024.

I am so happy to have come across Ann Napolitano’s first book, Within Arm’s Reach. As a fan of her later work (Dear Edward and Hello Beautiful) I fully expected to be mesmerized by Within Arm’s Reach. I was not disappointed.
I loved the McLaughlin family, especially Gram/Catharine, the aging matriarch. I laughed out loud a few times at Gram’s matter-of-fact and brutally honest way of communicating!
A wonderful multi-generational family saga, full of the messiness of life and love and family. Loved every word of it!
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

So, this is where it began. This was Ann Napolitano’s first step toward literary success. Initially, Within Arm's Reach did not create much hype; perhaps now, with its re-release, that will change. I was not oohing and aahing in the early going. I found the flipping among six different perspectives to be confusing, and I had trouble keeping the relationships straight, even though I took notes.

Eventually, however, the story takes shape. It centers around the McLaughlin family matriarch, Catharine and granddaughters, Gracie and Lila. Catharine – Gram, to the third generation, is concerned about keeping the family together, as she was when she raised her family. The reader gets a picture of her as an oft-pregnant wife who lost children, a handicapped son, a husband who drank too much, and now in her later years has a dysfunctional family from top to bottom. When Gracie needs someone, it is Gram who is there for her.

Gracie struggles. Lila, who is in medical school but is a misanthrope, struggles as well. As for their parents – yes, their marriage is in trouble. I think their father Louis may be the one character I liked the best. His heart wanted to care for everyone, except maybe for doing what he needed to do for himself and his marriage and daughters.

Ms. Napolitano bites off a lot in this book, and she does some things that we’ve come to see in subsequent novels. If you’ve read Dear Edward and/or Hello Beautiful, you may know what I mean. Glimpses of the past that come back in the present, as with Noreen Ballen. She also dives into family dynamics and dysfunction. Three generations of going along with traditions that no longer work just to keep up appearances and get along. There are other themes too. Religion, sexuality, mental health, aging, privacy. It’s a commendable first novel.

The conclusion is chaotic, abrupt in a way, and while the outcome can perhaps be assumed, it felt incomplete in a way. It seems to want for more.

I received a digital copy of Within Arm's Reach as an ARC in exchange for my honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing, and Ann Napolitano.

3.5 stars rounded up

I want to thank PenguinRandomHouse for allowing me to read and review the re-release of Within Arm’s Reach by author Ann Napolitano.. She is best known for her book, Dear Edward.
In her notes Ms. Napolitano writes “Each character in the novel is wrestling with their own heartbreak and deep desires”.
The novel is about a large dysfunctional Irish family in New Jersey (FYI where I grew up) held together by Catherine, the matriarch. Chapters are headed by the characters. Most are very unhappy for various reasons. One hates school, another has many affairs and can’t seem to be able to love. Another feels guilty over a fatal accident he wasn’t responsible for.
I like the family and hope they will somehow come together. Hence the title, Within Arm’s Reach.
This book will especially appeal to women. It republishes 05/28/2024, many years after it was first written.

This novel tells the story of three generations of an Irish-American family as they struggle through life and learn how to deal with love and loss. Each family member sets the tone of each chapter, and the love between the family is felt clearly throughout the novel.

I enjoyed this one, but not as much as Napolitano’s other stories. Even though I felt something was missing throughout, I could never put my finger on it. But whatever was lacking in the plot, it was made up for in the characters. As usual, each character had so much warmth and depth, and being able to witness the blossoming of each individual as the novel progressed is nothing short of poetry.

I recommend this to someone looking for an intimate peek into a family’s life while trying to avoid their own for a while. This book sucks you in to the point where you don’t know what time of day it is.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

For Fans of Hello Beautiful and Dear Edward, comes the first book by Ann Napolitano. Within Arm's Reach is a multi-generational tale of one Irish American family featuring the surviving Matriarch, her daughter, and the granddaughters. And soon, another generation is to arrive which sets in motion how this family will go forward into the future.
Ms Napolitano's gift is to explore the choices and emotions within the context of family and the fall out of those choices. Within Arm's Reach showcases how each generation's childrearing was different and the impact of those parenting choices on the children as they grew older. Those deeply engrained ways of being a part of this family are put to the test when a surprise baby and a failing matriarch shake the family out of its stupor and possibly find a way to connect going forward.

A perfect read for those that enjoy family dynamics that are less than perfect.

Thank you to Dial Press for an early e-copy via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Hello Beautiful was one of my favorite reads of 2023 so I was really excited for the opportunity to read Within Arm's Reach in advance of its publication date. I'm sad to say that I didn't love this one as much as I'd hoped. It's not a bad book by any means, it just didn't leave me with the same lasting impression that Hello Beautiful did - perhaps my expectations were too high.

I’m a huge fan of complicated family dramas, of quiet books that sing with beautiful language, and Ann Napolitano’s novels. That’s why I’m so surprised to not be head over heels in love with her debut novel, Within Arm’s Reach, which is being re-released after her success with Hello Beautiful. This book had all the main ingredients but lacked the extra spice needed to make it an outstanding dish…err…read.

It’s the story of an Irish Catholic family told from six points of view. And that may be where the rub was for me. I didn’t emotionally connect with any of the characters as fully as I would have liked. I wanted to love the family’s ailing matriarch, Catharine, but didn’t. Her two granddaughters, Lila and Gracie, caused me frustration with their attitudes and poor choices. The other three POV characters weren’t as fully developed and their perspectives didn’t hook me as forcefully.

That said, I’m glad I read it. The most fascinating aspect of it was that it was, indeed, Napolitano’s first published novel. All the wonderful books she had yet to write were promised with this debut. She’s one of my favorite authors and I enjoyed seeing her beginnings. Perhaps if I hadn’t already read Hello, Beautiful and others, I wouldn’t have had such high expectations. I’d encourage you to read it and let me know what you think. This might be one of those “It’s not you, it’s me” situations, and often after a good discussion about a book, I can be persuaded to see it differently.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance review copy.

Another beautiful family story told by this author. She has a way of making words weave into your heart and full of emotion. I was interested to see that this was a book the author wrote many years ago when she didn’t feel she had what it took for writing. This one is fabulous with three generations, a matriarch grandmother, her children and grandchildren. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC

Another absolutely stunning book by Ann Napolitano full of love, life, and grief. I have no notes. It is perfection. I am beyond thankful to have received this for reviewing Hello Beautiful (which has become an absolute favorite of mine. Thank you!

Ann Napolitano's prose is absolutely stunning. She depicts the banality of life in a way that makes it seem poetic and spectacular. She truly finds the extraordinary in the ordinary, which is something I think all writers aspire to-- I certainly do! The story is gripping and the characters are so real I feel like I could reach out and touch them. The way she depicts family ties and the love between human beings is so tender and heartbreaking at the same time.

For fans of dysfunctional family stories, Within Arm's Reach nails the elements of the genre. Following an Irish-American multigenerational family, we meet the grandkids, parents and grandparents of the McLaughlin family as they navigate how to relate to one another and attempt to grow closer after years of distance.

While I did like most parts of this novel, the ending felt too abrupt, which left many of the storylines feeling pointless and not finished. I don't need or want tidy endings, but I was not a fan of this one. Apart from that element I did really enjoy the family relationships here, particularly Lila and Gracie, two sisters in their 20s at the heart of the story.

This novel is definitely not comparable to Hello Beautiful, but worth reading on its own for sure.

Wow this book was so good it took me no time to read it. I'm a huge fan of this author and I recommend going into this book knowing as little as possible. I can't wait to read what she comes with next.

The story is based on three generations of women in an Irish American family.
I love stories about large families and all the relationships, secrets, hopes, heartbreak, and desires within.
I only regretted that the end was left open ended… I so wanted to know what happened with all these characters!
Nevertheless, I enjoyed it!
This is the author’s first novel.

Thank you to Netgalley and Madison Dettlinger at Random House Publishing for the ARC!

I wish more had been tied up at the end. I enjoyed the characters, but I couldn't cheer for any of them- but isn't that how we all are. Each with flaws? I'm glad I was given the opportunity to go back in the catalog to read Ann Napolitano's first novel.

As a fan of Hello Beautiful and Dear Edward, I was anxious to get the chance to read Within Arm's Reach by Ann Napolitano. This is Napolitano's first novel, to be released in April 2024 based on the success of her two earlier books. This novel focuses on three generations of the Irish-American McLaughlin family growing up in New Jersey. Each chapter focuses on a certain character, one of the author's writing style in her novels of engaging the reader from various points of view. Tragedies and life experiences have shaped each character as unique and is the strength of this novel. "You think each time that you're going to get it right and have the perfect family. You think you can make up for every mistake you made and everyone you lost by getting it right this time around" says the mother of the matriarch of the family, Catherine who appears as a ghost to her as she is failing physically and trying to hold the family together. An unexpected event throws the family in various degrees of chaos, and once again Napolitano demonstrates how family can survive and thrive through intriguing characters who have unique issues underlying their love for each other.

Thank you to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for an advance reading copy of this novel.

Loved reading this "back" work from Ann Napolitano!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy. (this book is planned for re-release 4/30/2024.
What a beautiful character driven glimpse into the life of a family.
3 generations of an Irish American family- multiple viewpoint chapters from 6 family members. It's just great!
The things that happen in this book become so real and the reader is really drawn in to each character presented. This could be anyone's family and it is such a special book.
Although everything seems resolved by the end of the book (always most satisfying) I would love to read more of these characters and get back into their world.
I really admire the writing style of the author and will so look forward to future offerings from her!
Brilliant little story I will love to share with others.

What does it mean to love? A large Irish family held together by the matriarch, Catherine, is on the brink of big change. When Gracie, a granddaughter finds herself pregnant out of wedlock, the whole family must make sense of it. What will become of a family that struggles to express emotion and love. All the members of this family have something to lose or gain with this new baby. Change could make them stronger.

I love Ann's work. She writes beautiful stories about family dynamics that show struggle. No family is perfect and this is a perfect example. The book is told through several alternating perspectives so the reader gets to see more into the inner workings of the family. Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book.

"Within Arm's Reach" is the perfect example of how Ann Napolitano has grown as a writer. Her most recent novels, Dear Edward and Hello Beautiful, slug you right in the solar plexus with their power, tenderness, and heart. This novel, which is being republished based on the success of her two latest, has those elements in development but it is not there yet.

Is it still enjoyable? Yes, as long as you don't expect the same impact as the later books. There are a number of disappointed reviews on GoodReads but if you take "Within Arm's Reach" for a trajectory, you'll enjoy it a lot more. And, come on, who doesn't like a novel about a very large, unruly Irish family?

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a digital review copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you for this ARC! I have read and loved Ann Napolitano's books in the past. I am a fan. Unfortunately, this one fell flat for me. I did not finish it. At about half way through I did not care about any of the characters and I did not think anything was happening in terms of the plot. I will continue to check out Ann Napolitano's books in the future.

I was delighted for a chance to review Ann Napolitano’s debut novel, “Within Arm’s Reach,” which will be re-released this April.

I adored “Hello, Beautiful” and “Dear Edward,” so my expectations were high, even if this book was Napolitano’s first effort. While the novel was not quite as polished as Napolitano’s later novels, I found the story of McLaughlin family living in New Jersey to be quite engaging and entertaining.

The matriarch of this family is Catharine who lost three children but raised six others. She has a vision of her husband with the children she lost and fears the end is near. Oldest (by default) daughter Kelly is wrestling with her dimming marriage to Louis who suffers guilt because a young man died on his watch. Their grown daughters, Lila and Grace, face their own struggles—Lila realized she does not want to be a doctor, while Grace is pregnant and in a staunch Catholic family, this is not a good thing. How this family deals with the ups and downs of their relationships and angst make “Within Arm’s Reach” an utterly charming story.

I grew up in an Italian family with an assortment of aunts and uncles, so found this novel easily relatable. Don’t expect a lot of plot but plenty of memorable characters. I had a difficult time letting go of this colorful family.

Four and a half out of five stars.

My thanks to the publisher, Ann Napolitano and Net Galley for this memorable book.