Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Within Arm’s Reach | 2004 | Ann Napolitano | Buy |
| 2 | A Good Hard Look | 2011 | Ann Napolitano | Buy |
| 3 | Dear Edward | 2020 | Ann Napolitano | Buy |
| 4 | Hello Beautiful | 2023 | Ann Napolitano | Buy |
Ann Napolitano’s four novels are all standalone works, each exploring different family situations through a literary fiction lens. Within Arm’s Reach (2004) and A Good Hard Look (2011) established her as a careful, character-driven writer, but it was Dear Edward (2020) that brought her wide recognition. That novel’s premise, a boy surviving a plane crash that kills everyone else aboard, attracted readers far beyond the literary fiction audience.
Hello Beautiful (2023) continued her run with a multigenerational story about four sisters in Chicago. The book earned major book club attention and cemented Napolitano’s reputation for writing about families with emotional precision. Each of her novels stands completely independent of the others, so readers can start anywhere. What connects them is Napolitano’s interest in how people rebuild after loss and how family relationships shape the choices people make.