Goodreads Choice Awards Book Club discussion

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.

I listened to this one on audio last year and really enjoyed it. I was very sceptical when I started it because I DNF her previous novel but it hooked me pretty quickly. i loved the messy family dynamics and sister relationships! It will be interesting to see what you both think of it and I'll follow along with your discussion.

I've been nervous about this one! so glad you liked it!! We'll definitely be in here chatting as we read! I'm glad you'll join us!!

This is my best read of 2023 but I can also understand how it's not for everybody since it has very poetic (purple?) writing which could be a turnoff for some. But this book made me cry a lot.

Through Julia April 1983-July 1983 (30%)

I only stopped at this spot instead of at 25% because I was listening to it driving home from my daughter's house.

(view spoiler)[I don't quite know what to think about William. I feel like he's disconnected, possibly due to his knee injury? I hope he does get help that enables him to play, but it's not promising.

And I don't like how Julia just had to get pregnant when she did only because her sister was pregnant and she had wanted to be first. Not a good enough reason! (hide spoiler)]

Through Julia August 1983 - October 1983 (49%)

(view spoiler)[Wow! Poor William. I feel so bad that his parents didn't show him love and how bad he must've felt to think his parents would rather he died than his sister. Just so sad. I'm glad that Sylvie stayed by his side in the hospital giving him a chance to talk through some of his emotions. But I definitely think she has romantic feelings for him, so I'm not sure how that will work out if he goes back to Julia. He does care about Alice, based on what he told Dr. Dembia when he said, "I was afraid I was going to put her light out. That my darkness would swamp her light...I have to stay away from her" to keep her safe. He cares.

I can't believe that Julia was so heartless when she heard he'd tried to kill himself. I understand how hurt and angry she was after he left, but when she heard about his intended suicide, you'd think she would have had some different thoughts and realized the mental anguish he'd have gone through if he went to that extreme. Will she actually go to New York now? Her sisters all seem to have such a symbiotic relationship, so I'm not sure how that'll work. (hide spoiler)]

Through Alice September 1997 - February 2002 (75%)

(view spoiler)[I just knew that the worst thing Julia could do was lie to Alice about her father! Now, I'm wondering what will happen when she finds out the whole story. That's just so wrong to lie about something like that and tell your child her father died. Now that Alice is grown and in college and curious enough to do research, it doesn't look good for Julia.

I knew Sylvie and William would end up together, but I didn't think it would break up the sisters and I'm not real sure why Julia felt a betrayal about it. It's not like she and William were still married.

I wonder if Izzy and Alice will meet and maybe they'll fill in the details of the family. Secrets are never good because I believe they always come out. (hide spoiler)]

Finished

(view spoiler)[I thought this was really good and very different in many ways. I thought the way the suicide attempt was covered and dealt with was very good. I loved the four sisters and how they're all flawed. Their mother's "shock" at how they all ended up: a divorcee, a lesbian, a sister who fell for her sister's man, and a pregnant teen. She was mortified but it cracked me up the way she came off. (hide spoiler)]