Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano is a powerful story about the enduring bonds of family and the choices that shape, and sometimes break, us. It explores how our upbringing and roots influence our sense of identity and how we carry that with us throughout our lives. William and the Padavano sisters are all complex and distinct characters, they are imperfect and complicated in a way that made them feel very real. That, to me, is a testament to the author’s genius in bringing them and their story to life.
In this book, you’ll read about how even the strongest relationships, like sisterhood, can be tested by painful decisions and difficult choices. Sometimes, we hurt the people we care about most, even when we try so hard not to. And no matter how much we want to avoid it, it can feel like we’re only delaying the inevitable. But even when our actions seem unforgivable, time can dull the pain. We can only hope for forgiveness, not just from the ones we’ve hurt, but from ourselves. Love is a quiet and powerful force that continues moving, even when we don’t see it. It can endure estrangement, silence, and resentment.
More than just reading page after page, I felt like I was witnessing the story unfold as if I were a part of it. Every character evokes a different emotion. You’ll laugh with them, sympathize with them, question their choices, and sometimes feel conflicted about what they do. But most of all, they’ll work their way into your heart before you even knew it.
I cried many times while reading this, not just because of what happened in the story but because I felt like I had been with them from the very beginning. I knew their pain, their joy, their struggles. Their lives felt so real that their journey became mine too. And when a book makes you feel that deeply, you know it’s something truly special and unforgettable.
Rating: ★★★★★
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, as she and her three sisters are inseparable: 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?