Book Series Guide

Author guide

Ann Napolitano Books in Order

Ann Napolitano is an American novelist and the author of four standalone novels: Within Arm's Reach, A Good Hard Look, Dear Edward, and Hello Beautiful. She received an MFA from New York University and was an associate editor of the literary magazine One Story from 2014 to 2020. She has taught fiction writing at Brooklyn College, New York University, and Gotham Writers Workshop.

literary fictionhistorical fictionfamily drama

Catalog record updated .

Ann Napolitano's Newest Book

Cover of Hello Beautiful

Hello Beautiful

novel · First published 2023

From the New York Times bestselling author of Dear Edward comes a poignant and engrossing family story that asks: Can love make a broken person whole? “Hello Beautiful is exactly that: beautiful, perceptive, wistful. It’s a story of family and friendship, of how the people we are bound to can also set us free. I loved it.”—Miranda Cowley Heller, author of The Paper Palace 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.

Not sure where to begin?

Start with one of these

Cover of Hello Beautiful

Hello Beautiful

A recent, acclaimed standalone novel and accessible entry point to Napolitano's family-centered fiction.

Cover of Within Arm's Reach

Within Arm's Reach

Napolitano's debut novel and earliest published book.

Outside the series

Bibliography by category

Novels (4)
  1. Within Arm's Reach

    novel · 2004

    NATIONAL BESTSELLER • The tender and perceptive debut novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Hello Beautiful, about three generations of a large Catholic family jarred into crisis by an unexpected pregnancy “This stunning . .…

  2. A Good Hard Look

    novel · 2011

    Years after poor health forces her to return to her family home, author Flannery O'Connor reluctantly attends the wedding of her cousin and inadvertently draws the attention of the groom, a wealthy Manhattan resident who fears life is…

  3. Dear Edward

    novel · 2020

    NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • READ WITH JENNA BOOK CLUB PICK AS FEATURED ON TODAY • “Make sure you have tissues handy when you read [this] sure-footed tearjerker” (NPR) about a young boy who must learn to go on after surviving tragedy, from…

  4. Hello Beautiful

    novel · 2023

    From the New York Times bestselling author of Dear Edward comes a poignant and engrossing family story that asks: Can love make a broken person whole? “Hello Beautiful is exactly that: beautiful, perceptive, wistful. It’s a story of…

Frequently asked questions about Ann Napolitano

Who is Ann Napolitano?

Ann Napolitano is a novelist whose fiction explores family, grief, resilience, and human connection.

Sources: penguinrandomhouse.com (opens in a new tab)capradio.org (opens in a new tab)

Where did Ann Napolitano grow up and study?

She grew up in northern New Jersey, attended Connecticut College, and earned an MFA in fiction writing from New York University.

Source: annnapolitano.com (opens in a new tab)

What has Ann Napolitano done besides writing novels?

She was associate editor of One Story literary magazine for seven years and has taught fiction writing at Brooklyn College, New York University, and Gotham Writers Workshop.

Source: penguinrandomhouse.com (opens in a new tab)

Who influenced Ann Napolitano’s writing?

Flannery O’Connor was a major influence, especially during Napolitano’s own prolonged illness; O’Connor’s example helped persuade her to become a writer.

Source: penguinrandomhouse.com (opens in a new tab)

What major recognition has Ann Napolitano received?

Hello Beautiful was Oprah Winfrey’s 100th Book Club pick and was longlisted for the 2024 Dublin Literary Award. Napolitano was also longlisted for the Simpson/Joyce Carol Oates Literary Prize in 2019.

Sources: annnapolitano.com (opens in a new tab)dublinliteraryaward.ie (opens in a new tab)