Manhasset Public Library Book Discussion: Hello Beautiful

Awarded a college basketball scholarship away from his childhood home, a young man befriends a spirited young woman who welcomes him into her loving, loud, chaotic household, in the new novel by the author of Dear Edward. William Waters grew up in a house silenced by tragedy, where his parents could bearly look at him, much less love him. William goes off to college and 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; Cecelia, the family's artist; and Emeline, who patiently takes care of them all. 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' loyalty to one another. The result is a catastrophic family rift that changes their lives. Will the ties that once bound them be strong enough to draw them back together when it matters most?