Hello Beautiful: A Novel (Large Print edition) [B0330]

2023 PB. From the author of Dear Edward comes a "powerfully affecting" (People) family story that asks: Can love make a broken person whole? "Another tender tearjerker . . . Napolitano chronicles life's highs and lows with aching precision."-The Washington Post.

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? 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.

From recent Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "Truly a heartwarming and heart-wrenching story of a family with loads of girl-power. The 4 sisters go through things, and this lovely, moving story includes their parents, partners, children, and more. You will love and despise characters at different points, but in the end, you'll be satisfied with the outcome(s). I recommend this read!"; "Loved the sisters at the heart of the story, the connection to Northwestern and the city of Chicago, and the celebration of reading and the arts. At times the story arc seemed to lag, but I was always riveted. Definitely recommend."