Let me start by saying I LOVE Napolitano's previous two novels, Hello Beautiful and Dear Edward. Now you can understand why I am very sad to have to give the review that I would not recommend this one. I can definitely tell this is a first novel. Boy, has she improved! To be honest, I would not have re-published this. I sincerely hope it doesn't set her back. Her writing in this debut novel is overly descriptive, i.e., it doesn't show, it tells. I hate reading this type of writing. It makes me feel like the author doesn't trust me as a reader to take away what is meant to be conveyed. This style might be better for the young adult genre, though the subject-matter is not meant for a younger audience. I can see what she was trying to do. It's an inside look at at family set in their ways and how they deal with an aging matriarch. In some ways it even resembled Hello Beautiful, in showing the "outsider" who married into the family struggles to relate to the rest of the family. But even if there are similarities, I would never ever recommend this book when she has written two exceptional novels since.

So glad to see that this author's first book, "Within Arm's Reach" is getting a re-pub and some additional fanfare!

If you grew up in a large Irish Catholic family, you will immediately recognize the patterns and behaviors of the McLaughlin family. The struggles and the conflicts are not unique, nor are they incredibly complex. But each of the five POVs included in this novel includes a rich honesty and realness that will draw you in.

I will admit it was hard to keep track of all the family members at first, but Napolitano did a great job sketching enough of their personalities to make each one stand out. This one dragged just a bit for me towards the end, and I do wish we had gotten an epilogue or a more settled conclusion, but there is no denying that Ann Napolitano is a wonderful writer and I was impressed by this being her first novel!

I did a combination of audiobook and e-book for this one and I’m glad I did. The different narrators for the six POV kept my interest in what I found to be a slow packed family drama

In general, I found the female characters to be quite unlikable and their decisions questionable.

This is definitely a book about generational trauma and the complexities of a large family.

The ending fell flat for me and it was unsatisfying.

Well written novel from the author of Dear Edward. Poignant and easy going read of family connections and love.

Ann Napolitano does it again! If you are a fan of her books, you will not be disappointed in this new one. The book sucks you in from the get-go and you will find yourself thinking about the characters long after you finish it. Do yourself a favor and get this book!!

Ann Napolitano is a very gifted writer who makes me feel all the feels with her books. So imagine my surprise when I realize how much I dislike this large Irish American family! They are dysfunctional, mean to each other, and also completely irrational in most of their thoughts and actions. I wanted so bad to hate this book and this family, but I ended up really liking them. They are realistically flawed, although I would like to think that my family doesn't think as many hateful things about me as these family members think about each other! This story is told in 6 POVs, all set in the present time. It is an easy read, however it left me feeling very sad about the family and wishing they would be nice to each other and communicate well instead of stuffing down all of their feelings. And this is where I realize that Ann did not let me down with this book. She has still made me feel all the feels, even if I do not like the feelings.

This book was originally published in 2004 and has been re-issued in 2024. The copy I read had a book club guide in the back with thought-provoking questions. Given the nature of this book I do feel like this would be a excellent book for a book discussion.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for my copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Within Arm’s Reach is a captivating tale of the expansive McLaughlin family residing in New Jersey. Narrated through the perspectives of five family members and an unrelated woman, the initial challenge of keeping track of everyone in this large family was mitigated by a helpful family tree provided at the beginning of the book. The narrative weaves through various threads, subplots, and issues, drawing the reader into its intricate web. Themes explored include the loss of connection, diverse perspectives on sexuality, the complexities of love, unplanned pregnancy, feelings of guilt and shame, sibling rivalries, lingering grudges, adherence to tradition, mental health struggles, the art of compromise, and the monumental task of maintaining family unity, which emerges as the ultimate priority.

This novel explores elements of love, betrayal, and the enduring bonds of blood. It is cleverly crafted, balancing seriousness with moments of humor and wit. I loved it.
Many thanks to Random House and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Multiple generations of a large Irish-American family filled with strife, lies, and heartache, are brought together by a surprise pregnancy. Throughout the nearly 9 months until the baby is born, they confront everything from grief and infidelity, to cherishing the loved ones you have and finding new beginnings. This is told from multiple POV from three generations of the family and everything that happens in-between.
I enjoyed the idea of the story and the way everyone’s stories came together.
Thank you to Random House for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Ann Napolitano is an auto read author for me. She always does a great job of giving perspective to the story and depth to characters- even when they are not very likable. I have enjoyed all her books so far and was glad to see her first book republished to a wider audience.

This was my first Ann Napolitano read, and I'm definitely curious to read her other work now! I will say - I needed that family tree becaue early on I had a lot of trouble figuring out who was who. Overall, I thought this story gracefully lead us through many complicated and realistic subplots. However, the ending felt... incomplete? I don't think everything had enough time to be fully resolved.

Well written story, but the end left me wanting more. I have enjoyed her other books too. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

Within Arm’s Reach by @annnapolitano is a touching story about family and love. It’s all about how we sometimes struggle to express our feelings. Set in an Irish American family, it’s beautifully written and really makes you think. If you liked Napolitano’s Dear Edward and Hello Beautiful, you’ll love this one too!
Thank you @thedialpress @randomhouse @netgalley for the gifted arc. Publication date - 04.30.2024

Within arms reach is Anne Napalitono debut novel written 20 years ago and rereleased after much success with her other more recent novels.
I had no idea this was the case but as I listened to the Multigenerational story of the McLaughlin family- I could tell the writing just was not nearly as polished and protected as Anne’s current novels(I’m looking at you Hello Beautiful)
The story is about Catherine McLaughlin, Queen Irish reigning grandmother and her grown children and grandchildren and all their inadequacies and quirks they carry in their lives.
We have an unplanned pregnancy that rocks the family, an affair, and a very sad and depressive husband who feels guilty over a coworkers death but they just skim the surface of these areas. There is very little expansion. Other than that, this story is fairly mundane and boring.
I feel bad saying this but I would definitely read Anne’s newer novels and skip this one. The ending comes fast and furious and leaves the reader with questions. I would definitely tell you that I didn’t feel connected or like I knew any of these characters after 10 + hours of listening. Onto the next.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

One of my reading goals for the next year is to become an expert on an author or two, getting familiar with their entire body of work. I want to see where writers started and how they developed. For this reason, I was excited to read WITHIN ARM’S REACH by Ann Napolitano, author of one of my favorite books of last year. At the end of the novel, Napolitano explains its origins as her first book published a

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review. I did start and stop this one a few times due to life... and being in a reading slump. Wasn't my typical style of book to read but in the end I did enjoy it.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this novel. I adore Ann Napolitano's recent work, and I recognize this is an early novel of hers, but I could not get past the early pages. I did not connect with the story and I also thought the beginning was too graphic for me.

Ann Napolitano's book Hello Beautiful was one of my favorite books last year so I was excited for a chance to read her newest. Within Arm's Reach did not disappoint at all. I love messy family dramas and this story has tons of it. The McLaughlin family is big, dramatic and wonderful. I loved that the history was told through the eyes of several female characters. There are so many characters it was a bit hard to keep everyone straight but I quickly started to track who was who. This book addresses so many heavy topics but in a way that feels warm instead of harsh. The ending is not a neat, tidy bow but instead a bit of an open end. I personally liked how real that felt. I was very sad to reach the end and say goodbye to these characters. I cannot wait to read the author's next work! Thanks to Ann Napolitano, Random House Publishing Group - Random House | Dial Press Trade Paperback, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Within Arm's Reach is a family drama focusing on a large Irish Catholic family living in New Jersey whose world is turned upside down with an unexpected pregnancy.

I love family dramas and although this one didn't flow as well or as quickly as I would have liked, there were certainly elements and character traits that resonated with me. The matriarch of the family, Catherine, at times, reminded me of my own grandmother--stern, reserved, and a little scary. I appreciated the relationship between the sisters, Lila and Gracie and found their stories the most interesting. I would have liked a little more depth to their characters.

The writing felt choppy and unfortunately, at times, too slow. Certain storylines felt like they ended abruptly and I would have loved to have seen some relationships play out a bit more. But overall I was compelled to continue reading and enjoyed the story.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for the digital copy of this book.

My rating: 3.5 Stars

I typically love this author, this book was just ok. Seemed like I had to try and keep
Up with whose story I was on. Thanks NetGalley for the advanced copy. I did enjoy it just not as much as I hoped I would have.