Stephanie Sullivan: Review - Hello Beautiful

TITLE: Hello Beautiful

RATING: ★★★★★

RELEASE DATE: March 14th, 2023

Summary (from Goodreads): An emotionally layered and engrossing story of a family that asks: Can love make a broken person whole?

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 it’s a relief when his skill on the basketball court earns him a scholarship to college, far away from his childhood home. He soon meets Julia Padavano, a spirited and ambitious young woman who surprises William with her appreciation of his quiet steadiness. With Julia comes her family; she is inseparable from her three younger sisters: Sylvie, the dreamer, is happiest with her nose in a book and imagines a future different from the expected path of wife and mother; Cecelia, the family’s artist; and Emeline, who patiently takes care of all of them. Happily, the Padavanos fold Julia’s new boyfriend into their loving, chaotic household.

But then darkness from William’s past surfaces, jeopardizing not only Julia’s carefully orchestrated plans for their future, but the sisters’ unshakeable loyalty 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?

Vibrating with tenderness, Hello Beautiful is a gorgeous, profoundly moving portrait of what’s possible when we choose to love someone not in spite of who they are, but because of it.

REVIEW: WOW … just WOW! Such an amazing story! This book has so many layers, and Ann Napolitano did such a wonderful job unraveling them all. I grew up with four brothers and no sisters so the whole sister bond dynamic has always been a mystery to me, but I immediately fell into the closeness and complexity of the Padavano girls relationship. I marveled at their uniqueness as a group but also individually. They each have their own quirks and admirable qualities that distinguish them from each other. I loved them all - even Julia, who tried my patience many, many times. But, ultimately, my heart belonged to William and Sylvie. Their relationship was so extraordinary and beautiful. I found myself admiring them more and more with every mountain they climbed and every valley they walked through together. I’m honestly a little sad now that I’ve finished reading Hello Beautiful. Once you’ve delved into this family’s story and witnessed their joys and heartaches they become a part of you in a way, and it’s hard to let go. I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to everyone, and I can’t wait to purchase it for my library.

(DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this title from NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.)