Hello Beautiful (Oprah's Book Club): A Novel

HELLO BEAUTIFUL Ann Napolitano When I turned my eBook to page one, I said aloud “HELLO, BEAUTIFUL!” I knew from page one that I was in for a good time what I did not know was how much I’d enjoy this book and the process of reading it and I certainly didn’t know I had found a new favorite author. In Hello Beautiful we start with William. William was born to a family suffering a great loss. And even in the first few pages with William, we come to know him in all that he isn’t instead of what he is. It’s an interesting way to construct a character. In the next chapter, we meet Julia and all that she is and all that she has. She is a lot, has a lot. Specifically, things that William does not. She has a close, loving family, and she has a plan and the will to carry it out. William and Julia meet in college and begin a wonderful life together. We follow over the years as eventually, William's past comes to light and the very thing that drew them together threatens to tear them apart. I read this one towards the end of 2022 and had to hold onto this review for over six months. It was torture. It was one of the best books I read last year, and I can’t wait for you to read it. It would make a great book club selection as there would be a lot to discuss. I imagine readers on opposing sides of imaginary lines, arguing their point. And they would both be right. That is the beauty of this book. Let’s talk about what I especially liked about it. The first thing I loved and noticed was the sentence structure. There is a pattern to the structure that creates a rhythm that increases reading enjoyment. Essentially it is very easy to read. The second thing I loved is what I noted previously. I loved how William was constructed as a character. His pages felt vacuous. As if I were leaving a part of myself there with him on every page. There is a scene early on when William is describing a moment with a professor. That passage is so telling of William and his lens for seeing his world and interacting with it. The third thing I loved was the number of emotions that were stirred within me. I don’t remember the last time I was angry with a fictional character. It’s been six months and I still disagree with some of the characters' choices. Although this was a five-star read for me I do want to note how critical the writing is. These characters are beautifully imperfect, and the narrative, no matter the character, was severe in correction. This can lead to a lack of empathy toward the characters and their situation. It didn’t affect me much, but I think readers should be aware of that going in. HELLO BEAUTIFUL comes out on March 14, 2023, and I highly recommend it. Now an Oprah Book Club pick for March 2023 HELLO BEAUTIFUL…⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Random House, The Dial Press for the advanced copy!

Well written, great characters, good read. I wish they had spoken more at the end, but I read it in a day it was that good.

From pretty much the first page, the reader is welcomed into the lives of this family of characters as their story unfolds over time and distance. Although the characters and their relationships with each other are the central theme of the book, their collective stories keep the reader engaged. Its an emotional ride I enjoyed. I love when a book stays with you after the last page is read. Hello Beautiful is one of those books.

Although each of the Padavano sisters is unique, they have a strong bond that unites them as one. Together they weather many losses and much beauty. William, a lonely basketball player, enters their life, and situations inevitably change. Is the sisters’ bond strong enough to withstand these changes? What an amazing story! The characters are each so realistic, unique, endearing and unforgettable, that this book is impossible to put down. It is a story of family, of tradition, of love, and of strength and weakness.This is an all-encompassing story of the human condition. I found this tale to be inspiring, entertaining, and, most of all, unforgettable! I highly recommend this book!

I bought hardcover & Kindle editions on day of release after seeing Oprah rave about it on CBS. What I appreciate most with Oprah's fiction picks is the selections tend to be a cut above (i.e. more literature) than morning show or other celeb book clubs. (I esp enjoyed Oprah's early picks back in late 90s.) I'm sad to report this was a big miss for me. Having been raised with 4 sisters in blue-collar Chicago, I thought it'd be a slam dunk, but I went from being underwhelmed to disappointed to annoyed. Pains me to write a mediocre review as author likely poured her heart and soul into it, but imo this book needed another year editing and revising, as this just wasn't there yet. A few specifics: * I applaud author for attempting to give characters depth & complexity but she violated basic rule of show, don't tell. Too much of the characters' personalities were explained with excess exposition but not SHOWN to readers through actions or dialogue. * While I don't adhere that authors should write only what they know, it was obvious to me early on the author didn't grow up with sisters, nor grow up or spend years in Pilsen or blue-collar Chicago. Neither felt authentic. Felt more as if author was on outside observing or imagining versus having lived it. I can overlook some tells, but the more those slips/omissions/errors add up, the more a reader loses faith in the entire story. *William's upbringing also didn't ring true. I can understand grief-stricken parents emotionally absent in a child's life, but not to the degree explained (not shown) in the book. More development and examples were needed, as parents cannot simply ignore a child--they still need to nurse, feed, cloth and shelter, etc. It's easy to tell but author needed to again SHOW us how cold parents can be there, but not present. * On plus side, the story & writing comes most alive to me with passages on basketball--the relationships, the tempo, the love of the game, the history. Here's where the author did her homework and really did a nice job translating it, esp to female readership (not to sound sexist, as I'm a woman who played basketball in her youth but still learned a few things or two and appreciated the insights she brought.) I'll leave it there as I don't mean to tear down a book that's not horrible, just not great. Possibly my disappointment is greater than most because I came up with high expectations and this just wasn't credible for me. As other reviewers noted, it's not a bad beach read, but not literature and not Oprah-caliber. (Sorry for any typos--please don't review my review lol.)

Hello Beautiful is a tender, beautifully layered story about love, family, and forgiveness. Ann Napolitano writes with such empathy that every character feels real — flawed yet deeply human. The emotional pull kept me listening to the audio during my chores, in the traffic and late into the night, completely immersed in their world. It stays with you long after you’ve finished.

Really enjoyed this book. It is a lovely tribute to the power of families and the way that love shapes individuals in the family.

a great read. Im reading for the second time