What does it mean to love? A large Irish family held together by the matriarch, Catherine, is on the brink of big change. When Gracie, a granddaughter finds herself pregnant out of wedlock, the whole family must make sense of it. What will become of a family that struggles to express emotion and love. All the members of this family have something to lose or gain with this new baby. Change could make them stronger.

I love Ann's work. She writes beautiful stories about family dynamics that show struggle. No family is perfect and this is a perfect example. The book is told through several alternating perspectives so the reader gets to see more into the inner workings of the family. Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book.

"Within Arm's Reach" is the perfect example of how Ann Napolitano has grown as a writer. Her most recent novels, Dear Edward and Hello Beautiful, slug you right in the solar plexus with their power, tenderness, and heart. This novel, which is being republished based on the success of her two latest, has those elements in development but it is not there yet.

Is it still enjoyable? Yes, as long as you don't expect the same impact as the later books. There are a number of disappointed reviews on GoodReads but if you take "Within Arm's Reach" for a trajectory, you'll enjoy it a lot more. And, come on, who doesn't like a novel about a very large, unruly Irish family?

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a digital review copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you for this ARC! I have read and loved Ann Napolitano's books in the past. I am a fan. Unfortunately, this one fell flat for me. I did not finish it. At about half way through I did not care about any of the characters and I did not think anything was happening in terms of the plot. I will continue to check out Ann Napolitano's books in the future.

I was delighted for a chance to review Ann Napolitano’s debut novel, “Within Arm’s Reach,” which will be re-released this April.

I adored “Hello, Beautiful” and “Dear Edward,” so my expectations were high, even if this book was Napolitano’s first effort. While the novel was not quite as polished as Napolitano’s later novels, I found the story of McLaughlin family living in New Jersey to be quite engaging and entertaining.

The matriarch of this family is Catharine who lost three children but raised six others. She has a vision of her husband with the children she lost and fears the end is near. Oldest (by default) daughter Kelly is wrestling with her dimming marriage to Louis who suffers guilt because a young man died on his watch. Their grown daughters, Lila and Grace, face their own struggles—Lila realized she does not want to be a doctor, while Grace is pregnant and in a staunch Catholic family, this is not a good thing. How this family deals with the ups and downs of their relationships and angst make “Within Arm’s Reach” an utterly charming story.

I grew up in an Italian family with an assortment of aunts and uncles, so found this novel easily relatable. Don’t expect a lot of plot but plenty of memorable characters. I had a difficult time letting go of this colorful family.

Four and a half out of five stars.

My thanks to the publisher, Ann Napolitano and Net Galley for this memorable book.

This is a story about a large Irish American family, the McLaughlins. Spanning three generations, the plot revolves around the very strong women in this dysfunctional family. As is true of all of this author’s books that I’ve read, the character development is exceptional. Even if you didn’t agree with all their choices or decisions, you could have empathy for every single character. Family dynamics, family history, mother-daughter relationships, sibling competition, and forgiveness & acceptance are some of the themes that are poignantly portrayed throughout this entire book. Can’t wait for her next one!

Many thanks to NetGalley for an advanced electronic copy exchange for an honest with you

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC: I'm an Ann Napolitiano fan and was glad to have the chance to read her first published novel which was out of print. Her afterward about her initial struggles to get published is fascinating. The novel is about a large but emotionally disconnected Irish American family. It's told from the points of view of two granddaughters, one daughter and the matriarch. Napolitiano captures beautifully the struggle to connect and despite care and concern, this family just can't. The central issue is a pregnancy of one of the granddaughters. The characters are complex and fully realized. Although this novel predated her more popular works by decades, she was a skilled writer--even though she had 2 previously unpublished novels. A poignant story and well worth reading.

With the (well deserved) craze over Ann Napolitano's writing of Dear Edward (2020) and Hello Beautiful (2023), the publisher decided to reprint Within Arm's Reach (originally released in 2004).

In my opinion both Dear Edward and Hello Beautiful were 5 star books, and I noticed (and enjoyed noticing) how much her writing has improved over the years. I did enjoy Within Arm's Reach, but I do think that her later books are of a higher caliber. Giving Within Arm's Reach 4 stars.

I did like that the Author's Note stated that Ann Napolitano wove family lore into this story; I wish I had read that at the beginning of the book instead of the end of the book.

If you enjoyed Hello Beautiful (as most of us did given Goodreads 4.2 star rating), the writing and family dynamics has similar tones.

I think its kind of odd that my favorite character had a "bit part"; I really loved Weber. "I understand that you have control issues. I can help you with that. Loosening people up is one of my specialties." Weber was just perfect.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Ann Napolitano and publisher Penguin Random house for the opportunity to read Within Arm's Reach in exchange for an honest review. Rerelease date is May 28, 2024.

Within Arm's's Reach By anne napolitano Is a depressing but enlightning book about a familiy's lives through the ages from the time of immigration to the present day daughter who is pregnant with no husband. All families have secrets and disallusions that remain hidden in thoughts and desires but when everyone in the family seems fated for unhappiness it is quite unsettling to read about it. However, maybe all will survive in the end.
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Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. This book captured my attention from the start. Three generations surviving and thriving the only way they know how. A must read.

Within Arm’s Reach is a multigenerational story of a large, strict, Irish Catholic family, the McLaughlins. I was also brought up in this type of family so I immediately felt a connection to the family and to their story. I was also excited because I loved the author’s prior novels, Hello Beautiful and Dear Edward.
Ann Napolitano’s writing draws you in immediately. Each chapter is narrated by a different family member. I really loved reading each member’s perception of themselves and then reading how other family members really felt about them. The story was a lovely nostalgic journey for me. The story of the McLaughlin family is genuine and it portrays the good and the bad that we all experience in families and hopefully love wins out in the end. Within Arm’s Reach was actually written before the author’s prior novels. I am very happy that it is receiving the recognition it deserves. For me this it a five star book and I look forward to more novels by this author.

Dear Edward remains one of my all time favorite books. Within Arms Reach was sadly not even close to the beauty of Dear Edward, but then I see that Within Arms Reach was first published 20 years ago!!

Within Arms Reach is about lots of dysfunctional people and their family trauma. Really not my cuppa tea.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC of this re-release by Ann Napolitano in exchange for an honest review.

This story traces thru generations with each of their comments about the lives and the dead. Catharine McLaughlin Matriarch and grandmother trying to solve all problems she sees and hears about each member of the family as they each tell their story about how thy live and try to please Catherine. She finally decides that she was doing it wrong when the family gets together for one of the problems!

This book has a very large cast of characters that make it a bit confusing when you first start reading. Luckily the author includes a family tree at the very beginning of the book to help keep everyone straight. Once you have that figured out, the story unfolds into a tale of three generations of an Irish family in America and their interactions. Messy and complicated just like everyone's family except this one is told by a master storyteller who knows how to make the mundane everyday life of a family interesting to read.

Ann Napolitano is one of my favorites, but I struggled with this one. I’m not sure exactly what the plot was except to explore the effects of an unplanned pregnancy on different family members.

Each member of the extended family is dysfunctional in their own way, but somehow this one event seems to be the main trigger for causing strife.

At times funny, at times sad, and at times emotional, but this just didn’t work for me. I give it 3 stars. Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC.

A multi-generational family story of the McLaughlins. While there are lots of cousins, who filter in and out, the main emphasis is on the grandmother, her oldest child, and her two granddaughters.

There’s lots of self-reflection from each of the main characters. Grandma’s worried that her stoicism may have stunted the family’s emotional growth. Daughter is in a loveless marriage. Granddaughter is a brilliant med student, but hates people. Second granddaughter writes an advice column, yet her own life is a messy series of one night stands. All in all, not much plot. Lots of Irish Catholic guilt.

This book was first published in 2004, and in view of the author’s recent successes, it’s being re-released. I think I agree with reviewers from the first time around whose average ratings were less than 3.5 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this offering.

Within Arm's Reach is the story of an Irish American extended family trying to make the best of life, love, and suffering. In this book we learn about how the matriarch lost 3 children as babies, and how her other children grew up to lead lives that seem to be somewhat devoid of emotion. There is not a plot, exactly, but the telling of what's going on from each family member's perspective, as one of the unwed granddaughters prepares to give birth to her first baby.

I was so excited to begin Within Arm's Reach, after reading both Dear Edward and Hello Beautiful. I dove in to the book and was surprised to not experience the incredible story that I anticipated. After a little research, I discovered that this was an early publication by the author, written prior to Dear Edward. I would suggest that if the reader is interested in Ann Napolitano's writings, that they instead read what is one of my most favorite stories, Dear Edward.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Within Arm's Reach.

Within Arm’s Reach is a family saga of a multigenerational Irish Catholic Family and their relationships. There are varied opinions and viewpoints regarding Protagonist, Gracie’s, unplanned pregnancy. The older family members are strongly influenced by family history, while some see it only from their own situation. My favorite character is the Matriarch, Octogenarian, Catherine. She is greatly revered in the family, and Gracie shares a special closeness with her. I am grateful for the opportunity of an advanced read. #WithinArm’sReach. #NetGalley

Whew! This book has so much depth and emotion, almost too much for me at times. It is a very honest, real and not always likable, dive into people’s inner thoughts. Each chapter is a different family member’s view of life’s ups and downs.. There’s a quality to the story that no matter how much I loved (or didn’t love the characters) I wanted to know more and never once needed to figure out where I was with each character.

While I don’t think you need to know an Irish catholic family to love this story, Anne Napolitano does a great job of bringing you into the world of growing up with a giant Irish catholic family. It made me miss my grandparents, my wild Irish Catholic family and our giant gatherings.

Ann Napolitano is an amazing writer and it’s hard to believe this was written twenty years ago! I’d love to know what the McLaughlins are up to now!

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy for my honest review! The new cover is amazing.

have read and loved both Dear Edward and Hello Beautiful, so when I was asked to read an advanced copy of Ann Napolitano’s first book which is being republished this June my answer was an immediate yes.

Within Arms Reach lets us meet the McLaughlin’s, an Irish American family from New Jersey. This story is filled with lovely tender moments and moments that will break your heart as you read about the three generations of this family and how they are navigating through their lives.

Her character development is brilliant. I felt connected to all of them as the story progressed which kept me turning the pages.

I highly recommend this book along with the other titles mentioned above. Napolitano story telling is down to earth and beautiful!

Within Arms Reach follows three generations of the Irish-American McLaughlin family with grandmother, Catherine, at the helm. The family is disjointed and Catherine wants to remedy that issue. When her husband was alive, she felt that he kept them all together. When one of the grandchildren gets pregnant out of wedlock, Catherine feels that this baby is the one that will pull everything back together.

Multiple view points. The little family tree at the beginning of the book was very helpful, especially early on.
Family drama. Very character driven.
Trigger Warnings: Infidelity, Abortion, mental illness