Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
Synopsis
Best friends and sisters, the four Padvano girls are thought of as inseparable by everyone in their close-knit Chicago neighbourhood. Julia, the eldest, is a planner. Sylvie, the dreamer, is happiest with her nose in a book and imagines alife for herself other than the expected path of wife and mother. Cecelia and Emmeline, the twins, are the artist and the caregiver. From childhood, the four sisters complete each other. But when Julia falls in love with William Walters, their lives change. As William falls into darkness, it is Sylvie, not Julie, who steps in to help.
Spanning decades and generations, HELLO BEAUTIFUL captures what it means to be a family -- the joy and tragedy, the deep trust and devastating betrayals. Split apart by stubbornness and heartbreak, the Padavano family scatters across the country. Will the love and loyalty that once rooted them be strong enough to draw them back together?
Reviews
'Radiant and brilliantly crafted' New York Times
'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
About the Author
Ann Napolitano is the author of the novels A Good Hard Look and Within Arm's Reach. She is also the Assistant Editor of One Story literary magazine. She received an MFA from New York University; she has taught fiction writing for Brooklyn College's MFA program, New York University's School of Continuing and Professional Studies and for Gotham Writers' Workshop. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two children.