100th OPRAH WINFREY BOOK CLUB PICK
'Radiant and brilliantly crafted' New York Times

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‘With so much to ponder it’s the type of book that’s good for the soul and leaves you feeling full, albeit a little tender’ Reader review

A “beautiful, perceptive” (Miranda Cowley Heller) family story that asks: Can love make a broken person whole?

Best friends and sisters, the four Padavano girls are seen as inseparable by everyone in their close-knit Italian-American neighbourhood. William Waters grew up in a house silenced by tragedy, where his parents could hardly bear to look at him, much less love him—so when he meets the spirited and ambitious Julia Padavano in his freshman year of college, it’s as if the world has lit up around him. With Julia comes her family: Sylvie, the family’s dreamer, is happiest with her nose in a book; Cecelia is a free-spirited artist; and Emeline patiently takes care of them all. With the Padavanos, William experiences a newfound contentment; every moment in their house is filled with loving chaos.

But then darkness from William’s past surfaces, jeopardizing not only Julia’s carefully orchestrated plans for their future, but the sisters’ unshakeable devotion to one another. The result is a catastrophic family rift that changes their lives for generations. Will the loyalty that once rooted them be strong enough to draw them back together when it matters most?

 An exquisite homage to Louisa May Alcott’s timeless classic, Little Women, Hello Beautiful is a profoundly moving portrait of what is possible when we choose to love someone not in spite of who they are, but because of it. A thought-provoking book club pick for summer 2023.

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'Beautiful, perceptive, wistful. I loved it'
Miranda Cowley Heller, author of The Paper Palace

'Ann Napolitano's writing is astonishing'
Marian Keyes, author of Grown Ups

'Another tender tearjerker... She helps us see ourselves - and each other - whole'
Washington Post

'Napolitano's homage to Little Women, set in late-20th century Chicago, will prompt you to slow down as you read, never wanting the book to end'
Oprah Quarterly