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Great Big Beautiful Life
Two writers compete for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of a woman with more than a couple of plot twists up her sleeve in this dazzling and sweeping new novel from Emily Henry.
Alice Scott is an eternal optimist still dreaming of her big writing break. Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer-prize winning human thundercloud. And they’re both on balmy Little Crescent Island for the same reason: To write the biography of a woman no one has seen in years--or at least to meet with the octogenarian who claims to be the Margaret Ives. Tragic heiress, former tabloid princess, and daughter of one of the most storied (and scandalous) families of the 20th Century.
When Margaret invites them both for a one-month trial period, after which she’ll choose the person who’ll tell her story, there are three things keeping Alice’s head in the game.
One: Alice genuinely likes people, which means people usually like Alice—and she has a whole month to win the legendary woman over.
Two: She’s ready for this job and the chance to impress her perennially unimpressed family with a Serious Publication
Three: Hayden Anderson, who should have no reason to be concerned about losing this book, is glowering at her in a shaken-to-the core way that suggests he sees her as competition.
But the problem is, Margaret is only giving each of them pieces of her story. Pieces they can’t swap to put together because of an ironclad NDA and an inconvenient yearning pulsing between them every time they’re in the same room.
And it’s becoming abundantly clear that their story—just like the tale Margaret’s spinning—could be a mystery, tragedy, or love ballad…depending on who’s telling it.
Alice Scott is an eternal optimist still dreaming of her big writing break. Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer-prize winning human thundercloud. And they’re both on balmy Little Crescent Island for the same reason: To write the biography of a woman no one has seen in years--or at least to meet with the octogenarian who claims to be the Margaret Ives. Tragic heiress, former tabloid princess, and daughter of one of the most storied (and scandalous) families of the 20th Century.
When Margaret invites them both for a one-month trial period, after which she’ll choose the person who’ll tell her story, there are three things keeping Alice’s head in the game.
One: Alice genuinely likes people, which means people usually like Alice—and she has a whole month to win the legendary woman over.
Two: She’s ready for this job and the chance to impress her perennially unimpressed family with a Serious Publication
Three: Hayden Anderson, who should have no reason to be concerned about losing this book, is glowering at her in a shaken-to-the core way that suggests he sees her as competition.
But the problem is, Margaret is only giving each of them pieces of her story. Pieces they can’t swap to put together because of an ironclad NDA and an inconvenient yearning pulsing between them every time they’re in the same room.
And it’s becoming abundantly clear that their story—just like the tale Margaret’s spinning—could be a mystery, tragedy, or love ballad…depending on who’s telling it.
432 pages, Hardcover
First published April 22, 2025
52130 people are currently reading
606384 people want to read
About the author
Emily Henry
23 books183k followersEmily Henry is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Book Lovers, People We Meet on Vacation, and Beach Read, as well as the forthcoming Happy Place. She lives and writes in Cincinnati and the part of Kentucky just beneath it.
Find her on Instagram @EmilyHenryWrites.
Find her on Instagram @EmilyHenryWrites.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78,558 reviews
May 18, 2025
4.25!
“It’s yours,” he offers. I laugh. “Oh? I can have the world?” “Mine,” he says, “yeah. You can have mine.”
I love reading Emily Henry's books and I love reviewing her books even more. I loveeee how much I love them and I absolutely love ranting and yapping about them. This book was very different from her usual romcoms and I loved the new direction she took because honestly, I do love authors trying new things and this, not so surprisingly, worked out for Emily. I did not feel like this was misgenred because I went in knowing this was leaning more towards women's fiction than a rom-com, so I did not face that problem either and uff the comfort that Emily's writing brings me is the best feeling ever because I don’t feel like this with many authors. This was also the first Emily book for which I had to wait a whole year and I hated that because previously I had other books of hers to read and they really filled the gap of a year, but the wait was agonizing and the wait was so worth it because it fulfilled the craving that I had for this book. It's scary how well Emily Henry knows me because??? Why was everything so relatable again?!? This is voodoo shit and needs to be checked. It was certainly very new and very different, but it was also proof that trying something new can be worth it.
“Love isn’t something you can cup in your hands, and I have to believe that means it’s something that can’t ever be lost.”
Her prose is just spectacular, so addicting, and honestly I make myself slow down when I read her books because I need to digest everything and like I can only read it once for the first time, so I always savor them but the way they're so delicious—I can’t stop. It makes me feel seen, I just feel better after reading her books. If I'm having a bad day, I'll just pick up her book and it would turn my world around and this book was no different, it was a euphoric form of escapism because I would come back from uni and I would just lie down to read this and would be so lost in it. The way she wrote it was also very impressive, like how she managed Alice and Hayden's story with Margaret's book?! Truly impressive. It definitely had aspects of mystery which felt so refreshing and honestly at first, I was just reading it for Alice and Hayden's story but as the book progressed, I got more invested in Margaret's. I would say that this is not my favorite book by her because it didn't grip me from the start like her other books, I had to work my way through chapters to be invested and it is understandable to see disappointed reactions but hah, glad I'm not among them.
“When I let myself dream,” he murmurs against my ear, “or it all comes crashing down—it’s Alice, Alice on my mind. Alice all the time.”
The characters took me by surprise:
Alice, was such a refreshing character, like as usual she was very relatable but I loved her determination, how much good she saw in other things, I absolutely loved her optimism and one thing I love is when characters have flawed or complex family dynamics which shape their character arc and the same happened here with Alice, with her mom neglecting her work and putting her down (which I hated so muchhhh) and her trying to prove herself—it was soo sad. The way she just wanted her profession to be valued. I loved reading her perspective and the way she viewed the world. I also really enjoyed her interactions with Margaret and how she dealt with that process was also very intriguing to see. Hayden on the other hand was a bit harder to understand and I think this was the inability of this book to obtain a second perspective—his perspective. I have only one complaint when it comes to some of Emily's books: that they don’t have the male character's perspective and I feel like having that would've elevated this book more. But as for Hayden, he was charming, the perfect amount of broody, and I loved his subtle gestures. I liked his development as the book progressed—it was truly such a wonderful experience to see him open up and deal with everything, his character also felt very realistic. That's the thing that I love in her books, she manages to capture every character of hers in this unique sense which differentiates them from her other characters but still makes them so relatable that you have to fall in love with them. I love that about her books!
“I think you live in a world that’s more interesting than the one most people live in,” he says, and just as my heart starts to sink with disappointment, with a kind of loneliness, he adds, “and I wish I could live in it too.” I feel myself beaming. “I’ll take you sometime.” “I’d like that,” he says.”
Margaret, her story was not doing it for me at the beginning but as we moved forward I got so invested in it!! Like it was so interesting and the plot twists were very well written!! I liked how it started with 'their story' and then it would say 'her story' but I loved how dysfunctional these family dynamics were and at times the family tree got a little bit too confusing but it was still very interesting to say the least. Emily knows how to write a sibling relationship like we saw it in Book Lovers and while Margaret's relationship with her sister was so well written, it was also very complex and it was written in such depth that it's very hard not to love. It was so deep, raw, and emotional. Then we got introduced to Cosmo and omg how much I loved her with Cosmo, they were everything and I fear I will never get over them!! I won’t say anything more because I want everyone to experience it themselves, it was truly brilliant writing.
“There’s an old saying about stories, and how there are always three versions of them: yours, mine, and the truth.”
The romance—besides Margaret and Cosmo—there were our main characters in this book Alice and Hayden and I loveeeed the chemistry between them, it was so intense and raw, like it was so well developed and all of it felt so natural, like the romance was not the main focus but still everything just fit right in. I was scared when I saw the early reviews talking about the romance but for me, it totally hit!! The tension between them was sizzling, how they went from rivals to lovers was so good and I liked how their interactions changed each time and how they opened up to each other. The spice was also well written and lmao I loved how horny it was and can we talk about how intense that hug was like GOD DAMN! That hug was the horniest, most intense, sexiest hug I have ever seen. I loved the romance a lot and although I wish it focused on it more, I still think it was appropriate and sufficient.
“I feel like you’re mine. Like you’re mine in a way no one else ever has been.”
The plot was very interesting, specifically because of the way it was told. Two writers fighting for one position and it was also focusing on the story that they were meant to tell and how it was overlapping with Hayden and Alice's characters. I loved how it progressed and how it concluded, I feel like it was the strength of this book and what I really liked were the plot twists—like the first one I kind of predicted but the second one shocked the fuck out of me, like I was kinda mad I didn’t figure it out before because it was right under my nose but yeah, I really loved it!
Overall, I would recommend!
My ratings for her books;
Beach read: 5 stars!
Happy place: 5 stars!
Funny story: 4.75!
People we meet on vacation: 4.50!
Great big beautiful life: 4.25!
Book lovers: 4.00!
I find myself thinking that maybe every bit of heartbreak in life can be rearranged and used for something beautiful, that it doesn't really matter whether I chose this path or I was born onto it, so long as I stop and appreciate the path itself.”
______
SERVED, ATE AND DEVOURED
_____
Finally free from my exams so it's time to start this banger of a book 🤭
____
Secured the arc 🙂↕️ I still can't believe it 😭
___
That time of the year where I check my house to see where Emily Henry has installed cameras because SHE CANT KEEP GETTING AWAY WITH WRITING RELATABLE CHARACTERS-
GREAT BIG BEAUTIFUL LIFE 🙂↕️ I think im getting used to the title
It's gonna be linked to the last great American dynasty 😔 (Buket I won't forgive you for this one)
“It’s yours,” he offers. I laugh. “Oh? I can have the world?” “Mine,” he says, “yeah. You can have mine.”
I love reading Emily Henry's books and I love reviewing her books even more. I loveeee how much I love them and I absolutely love ranting and yapping about them. This book was very different from her usual romcoms and I loved the new direction she took because honestly, I do love authors trying new things and this, not so surprisingly, worked out for Emily. I did not feel like this was misgenred because I went in knowing this was leaning more towards women's fiction than a rom-com, so I did not face that problem either and uff the comfort that Emily's writing brings me is the best feeling ever because I don’t feel like this with many authors. This was also the first Emily book for which I had to wait a whole year and I hated that because previously I had other books of hers to read and they really filled the gap of a year, but the wait was agonizing and the wait was so worth it because it fulfilled the craving that I had for this book. It's scary how well Emily Henry knows me because??? Why was everything so relatable again?!? This is voodoo shit and needs to be checked. It was certainly very new and very different, but it was also proof that trying something new can be worth it.
“Love isn’t something you can cup in your hands, and I have to believe that means it’s something that can’t ever be lost.”
Her prose is just spectacular, so addicting, and honestly I make myself slow down when I read her books because I need to digest everything and like I can only read it once for the first time, so I always savor them but the way they're so delicious—I can’t stop. It makes me feel seen, I just feel better after reading her books. If I'm having a bad day, I'll just pick up her book and it would turn my world around and this book was no different, it was a euphoric form of escapism because I would come back from uni and I would just lie down to read this and would be so lost in it. The way she wrote it was also very impressive, like how she managed Alice and Hayden's story with Margaret's book?! Truly impressive. It definitely had aspects of mystery which felt so refreshing and honestly at first, I was just reading it for Alice and Hayden's story but as the book progressed, I got more invested in Margaret's. I would say that this is not my favorite book by her because it didn't grip me from the start like her other books, I had to work my way through chapters to be invested and it is understandable to see disappointed reactions but hah, glad I'm not among them.
“When I let myself dream,” he murmurs against my ear, “or it all comes crashing down—it’s Alice, Alice on my mind. Alice all the time.”
The characters took me by surprise:
Alice, was such a refreshing character, like as usual she was very relatable but I loved her determination, how much good she saw in other things, I absolutely loved her optimism and one thing I love is when characters have flawed or complex family dynamics which shape their character arc and the same happened here with Alice, with her mom neglecting her work and putting her down (which I hated so muchhhh) and her trying to prove herself—it was soo sad. The way she just wanted her profession to be valued. I loved reading her perspective and the way she viewed the world. I also really enjoyed her interactions with Margaret and how she dealt with that process was also very intriguing to see. Hayden on the other hand was a bit harder to understand and I think this was the inability of this book to obtain a second perspective—his perspective. I have only one complaint when it comes to some of Emily's books: that they don’t have the male character's perspective and I feel like having that would've elevated this book more. But as for Hayden, he was charming, the perfect amount of broody, and I loved his subtle gestures. I liked his development as the book progressed—it was truly such a wonderful experience to see him open up and deal with everything, his character also felt very realistic. That's the thing that I love in her books, she manages to capture every character of hers in this unique sense which differentiates them from her other characters but still makes them so relatable that you have to fall in love with them. I love that about her books!
“I think you live in a world that’s more interesting than the one most people live in,” he says, and just as my heart starts to sink with disappointment, with a kind of loneliness, he adds, “and I wish I could live in it too.” I feel myself beaming. “I’ll take you sometime.” “I’d like that,” he says.”
Margaret, her story was not doing it for me at the beginning but as we moved forward I got so invested in it!! Like it was so interesting and the plot twists were very well written!! I liked how it started with 'their story' and then it would say 'her story' but I loved how dysfunctional these family dynamics were and at times the family tree got a little bit too confusing but it was still very interesting to say the least. Emily knows how to write a sibling relationship like we saw it in Book Lovers and while Margaret's relationship with her sister was so well written, it was also very complex and it was written in such depth that it's very hard not to love. It was so deep, raw, and emotional. Then we got introduced to Cosmo and omg how much I loved her with Cosmo, they were everything and I fear I will never get over them!! I won’t say anything more because I want everyone to experience it themselves, it was truly brilliant writing.
“There’s an old saying about stories, and how there are always three versions of them: yours, mine, and the truth.”
The romance—besides Margaret and Cosmo—there were our main characters in this book Alice and Hayden and I loveeeed the chemistry between them, it was so intense and raw, like it was so well developed and all of it felt so natural, like the romance was not the main focus but still everything just fit right in. I was scared when I saw the early reviews talking about the romance but for me, it totally hit!! The tension between them was sizzling, how they went from rivals to lovers was so good and I liked how their interactions changed each time and how they opened up to each other. The spice was also well written and lmao I loved how horny it was and can we talk about how intense that hug was like GOD DAMN! That hug was the horniest, most intense, sexiest hug I have ever seen. I loved the romance a lot and although I wish it focused on it more, I still think it was appropriate and sufficient.
“I feel like you’re mine. Like you’re mine in a way no one else ever has been.”
The plot was very interesting, specifically because of the way it was told. Two writers fighting for one position and it was also focusing on the story that they were meant to tell and how it was overlapping with Hayden and Alice's characters. I loved how it progressed and how it concluded, I feel like it was the strength of this book and what I really liked were the plot twists—like the first one I kind of predicted but the second one shocked the fuck out of me, like I was kinda mad I didn’t figure it out before because it was right under my nose but yeah, I really loved it!
Overall, I would recommend!
My ratings for her books;
Beach read: 5 stars!
Happy place: 5 stars!
Funny story: 4.75!
People we meet on vacation: 4.50!
Great big beautiful life: 4.25!
Book lovers: 4.00!
I find myself thinking that maybe every bit of heartbreak in life can be rearranged and used for something beautiful, that it doesn't really matter whether I chose this path or I was born onto it, so long as I stop and appreciate the path itself.”
______
SERVED, ATE AND DEVOURED
_____
Finally free from my exams so it's time to start this banger of a book 🤭
____
Secured the arc 🙂↕️ I still can't believe it 😭
___
That time of the year where I check my house to see where Emily Henry has installed cameras because SHE CANT KEEP GETTING AWAY WITH WRITING RELATABLE CHARACTERS-
GREAT BIG BEAUTIFUL LIFE 🙂↕️ I think im getting used to the title
It's gonna be linked to the last great American dynasty 😔 (Buket I won't forgive you for this one)
August 2, 2025
Oh Emily… what are we doing here?? Got my hands on a pre-release (!!!), was fully prepped to be obsessed, and instead I was sitting there like—hello?? romance? anyone home??
First of all: STOP. MISGENRING. BOOKS.
I don’t care how beautiful the prose is (and yes, the writing was gorgeous)—this book is being sold as a romance. It is not a romance. This was women’s fiction with mystery sprinkles and a dry slow-burn subplot that didn’t even simmer. And I say this as someone who eats up slow burns like it’s my full-time job.
THE PREMISE?
10/10. Two writers competing to write a juicy biography about a missing heiress with an NDA and some forced proximity? HELLO, SIGN ME UP.
THE EXECUTION?
3/10. It got so bogged down in Margaret Ives and her family’s drama that the entire romance thread between Alice and Hayden became background noise. Beige. Blurry. Basically invisible.
Alice was the classic “sunshine with big dreams” type, but with all the sparkle of a soggy saltine. Hayden, the grumpy Pulitzer-winning grump, had the emotional depth of a half-written poem. Did I want to love them? YES. Did I ever really see them fall in love? NOPE. Not even a little.
One minute it’s “Who even is this man?” and the next it’s “I love him.”
Girl, where? WHEN? Did I blink and miss the entire emotional arc???
Margaret’s story… whew.
Boring. Predictable. At one point I swear the book forgot who the main characters were supposed to be. We spent 80% of the book digging through Margaret’s lineage like it was an ancestry.com deep dive and somehow forgot to make her interesting?? I needed glamour, secrets, drama. All I got was a slow drip of exposition and one ridiculous twist that made me want to fling the book across the beach.
The romance.
Forced proximity with zero actual chemistry? Check.
Sexual tension that felt like two magnets trying to repel each other? Check.
Cringe spice scenes I literally skipped because I couldn’t handle secondhand embarrassment? Unfortunately, check.
Hayden went from stone cold silence to trauma dumping in monologues that felt like rejected Oscar speeches. And Alice just stood there being quirky and mildly confused. Girl SAME.
And the ending? OH THE ENDING.
It tried to become a full-on mystery novel with plot twists flying in from left field like it was auditioning for a new genre entirely. I was so confused I had to reread pages just to make sure I hadn’t missed anything. Spoiler: I hadn’t. It was just That. Random.
BUT LISTEN.
I didn’t hate it. I flew through the book. Emily’s writing is undeniably magnetic. Some lines had me gasping, others had me giggling, and there were a few moments of pure ✨magic✨. The small-town beach setting? A vibe. Hayden’s grumpiness? Initially attractive. The potential? THROUGH THE ROOF.
But ultimately?
This wasn’t a romance.
This wasn’t emotionally satisfying.
This wasn’t the Emily Henry book I waited all year for.
If this had been marketed as a women’s fiction novel with literary ambitions and a dash of romance, I’d be like “cool cool, let’s unpack.” But calling this a romance is misleading, and for me, that disconnect colored the entire experience.
I wanted swoony Emily Henry banter and high-stakes tension. I got family trees and trauma.
Give me Hayden and Alice as enemies-to-lovers, cooped up in a cottage, battling for biographer glory with banter and kisses and “oh no there’s only one bed”—THAT’S the book I thought I was reading.
Instead, I got chapters on generational guilt, a dead romance, and a biographer battle that had no real stakes.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
3 stars.
A gorgeous mess with a broken heart and a beautiful typewriter.
Loved the vibe. Hated the bait and switch. Still a fan. Just… sad.
EmHen, you’re still my girl. I just miss the kissing, yearning, and banter that made me scream into my pillow—in the best way.
First of all: STOP. MISGENRING. BOOKS.
I don’t care how beautiful the prose is (and yes, the writing was gorgeous)—this book is being sold as a romance. It is not a romance. This was women’s fiction with mystery sprinkles and a dry slow-burn subplot that didn’t even simmer. And I say this as someone who eats up slow burns like it’s my full-time job.
THE PREMISE?
10/10. Two writers competing to write a juicy biography about a missing heiress with an NDA and some forced proximity? HELLO, SIGN ME UP.
THE EXECUTION?
3/10. It got so bogged down in Margaret Ives and her family’s drama that the entire romance thread between Alice and Hayden became background noise. Beige. Blurry. Basically invisible.
Alice was the classic “sunshine with big dreams” type, but with all the sparkle of a soggy saltine. Hayden, the grumpy Pulitzer-winning grump, had the emotional depth of a half-written poem. Did I want to love them? YES. Did I ever really see them fall in love? NOPE. Not even a little.
One minute it’s “Who even is this man?” and the next it’s “I love him.”
Girl, where? WHEN? Did I blink and miss the entire emotional arc???
Margaret’s story… whew.
Boring. Predictable. At one point I swear the book forgot who the main characters were supposed to be. We spent 80% of the book digging through Margaret’s lineage like it was an ancestry.com deep dive and somehow forgot to make her interesting?? I needed glamour, secrets, drama. All I got was a slow drip of exposition and one ridiculous twist that made me want to fling the book across the beach.
The romance.
Forced proximity with zero actual chemistry? Check.
Sexual tension that felt like two magnets trying to repel each other? Check.
Cringe spice scenes I literally skipped because I couldn’t handle secondhand embarrassment? Unfortunately, check.
Hayden went from stone cold silence to trauma dumping in monologues that felt like rejected Oscar speeches. And Alice just stood there being quirky and mildly confused. Girl SAME.
And the ending? OH THE ENDING.
It tried to become a full-on mystery novel with plot twists flying in from left field like it was auditioning for a new genre entirely. I was so confused I had to reread pages just to make sure I hadn’t missed anything. Spoiler: I hadn’t. It was just That. Random.
BUT LISTEN.
I didn’t hate it. I flew through the book. Emily’s writing is undeniably magnetic. Some lines had me gasping, others had me giggling, and there were a few moments of pure ✨magic✨. The small-town beach setting? A vibe. Hayden’s grumpiness? Initially attractive. The potential? THROUGH THE ROOF.
But ultimately?
This wasn’t a romance.
This wasn’t emotionally satisfying.
This wasn’t the Emily Henry book I waited all year for.
If this had been marketed as a women’s fiction novel with literary ambitions and a dash of romance, I’d be like “cool cool, let’s unpack.” But calling this a romance is misleading, and for me, that disconnect colored the entire experience.
I wanted swoony Emily Henry banter and high-stakes tension. I got family trees and trauma.
Give me Hayden and Alice as enemies-to-lovers, cooped up in a cottage, battling for biographer glory with banter and kisses and “oh no there’s only one bed”—THAT’S the book I thought I was reading.
Instead, I got chapters on generational guilt, a dead romance, and a biographer battle that had no real stakes.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
3 stars.
A gorgeous mess with a broken heart and a beautiful typewriter.
Loved the vibe. Hated the bait and switch. Still a fan. Just… sad.
EmHen, you’re still my girl. I just miss the kissing, yearning, and banter that made me scream into my pillow—in the best way.
May 12, 2025
I say this as an Emily Henry enthusiast: Emily.... slow down!!!! We don't need a book every single year if that means sacrificing the quality!!!!! This feels like a first draft that needed another look, because the structure honestly doesn't work. Premise? Fantastic. Execution? A great big mess!
Great BBL blends three genres: literary fiction, romance, and a little bit of mystery. Howeverrrr, I'm not sure it will fully satisfy fans of any of those genres, because it doesn't succeed particularly well in any of them.
The mystery aspect is flimsy at best. It's not well-paced and, frankly, a bit gimmicky. It's tacked on at the end and doesn't really add much texture
The romance doesn't really make sense, because the FMC falls in love almost overnight and yet -- aside from being tall? -- the MMC doesn't really have any defining character traits. It's classic grumpy x sunshine but all of a sudden he stops "glowering" and she's in love with him. I'm not really sure what their attraction is based on, aside from being the only young people within a 10-mile radius.
The literary fiction comes in the form of Margaret: a socialite who disappeared from the public eye but wants to tell her story. If that sounds like Evelyn Hugo............ that's because it kind of is. EmHen tried to re-heat Taylor Jenkins Reid's nachos and they were... a little stale. It's been done! And it's been done better. The first half of Margaret's interviews are really really boring, and seem to just interrupt the original story in pointless ways. We should've skipped most of Margaret's lineage and backstory, and I feel like a good editor would've got rid of that immediately. Why the fuck were we learning about her grandparents!!!! Entire chapters could've easily been reduced to a few sentences.
To me, this reads like a screenplay. It would probably work on screen, but as a novel it's just a bit underwhelming.
I can't help but feel that Great BBL was rushed, and that the mammoth edits required would've set back the release so much that she just pushed through. I fear her publishers are so committed to rinsing Emily Henry dry that they're sacrificing the quality writing we have come to love (and expect) from her. In this press run for this book, she's ALREADY teasing a new (snowy) novel that she's writing. I'm not saying she shouldn't be writing something new yet, but I think her team should be advising her to let people focus on one book at a time. I'd rather wait longer for something consistently good.
The premise of Great BBL was brilliant, but this is clumsy handling of a delicate thing. A bit more time to work on it, and it could've been salvaged. I'm frustrated because I know this author can do so much better. This iteration is disappointing.
2.75 rounded up ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Great BBL blends three genres: literary fiction, romance, and a little bit of mystery. Howeverrrr, I'm not sure it will fully satisfy fans of any of those genres, because it doesn't succeed particularly well in any of them.
The mystery aspect is flimsy at best. It's not well-paced and, frankly, a bit gimmicky. It's tacked on at the end and doesn't really add much texture
The romance doesn't really make sense, because the FMC falls in love almost overnight and yet -- aside from being tall? -- the MMC doesn't really have any defining character traits. It's classic grumpy x sunshine but all of a sudden he stops "glowering" and she's in love with him. I'm not really sure what their attraction is based on, aside from being the only young people within a 10-mile radius.
The literary fiction comes in the form of Margaret: a socialite who disappeared from the public eye but wants to tell her story. If that sounds like Evelyn Hugo............ that's because it kind of is. EmHen tried to re-heat Taylor Jenkins Reid's nachos and they were... a little stale. It's been done! And it's been done better. The first half of Margaret's interviews are really really boring, and seem to just interrupt the original story in pointless ways. We should've skipped most of Margaret's lineage and backstory, and I feel like a good editor would've got rid of that immediately. Why the fuck were we learning about her grandparents!!!! Entire chapters could've easily been reduced to a few sentences.
To me, this reads like a screenplay. It would probably work on screen, but as a novel it's just a bit underwhelming.
I can't help but feel that Great BBL was rushed, and that the mammoth edits required would've set back the release so much that she just pushed through. I fear her publishers are so committed to rinsing Emily Henry dry that they're sacrificing the quality writing we have come to love (and expect) from her. In this press run for this book, she's ALREADY teasing a new (snowy) novel that she's writing. I'm not saying she shouldn't be writing something new yet, but I think her team should be advising her to let people focus on one book at a time. I'd rather wait longer for something consistently good.
The premise of Great BBL was brilliant, but this is clumsy handling of a delicate thing. A bit more time to work on it, and it could've been salvaged. I'm frustrated because I know this author can do so much better. This iteration is disappointing.
2.75 rounded up ⭐️⭐️⭐️
July 11, 2025
life is just the great big beautiful wait between emily henry releases.
and this one is like if emily henry wrote the seven husbands of evelyn hugo! it's half grumpy/sunshine romance, half fictional celebrity-riddled made-up story of a famous american family.
both halves, i'm pleased to tell you, are very fun.
it's rare that a book can have two such different stories and both are good. i never dreaded moving from one to the other. and i have struggled with both emily henry's and taylor jenkins reid's recent releases, so this was a complete treat.
it wasn't a perfect book: it's VERY grumpy/sunshine, first of all, to the point that sometimes our two love interests feel like emojis in their depth. i don't love the romance, maybe because while i love our cheery protagonist i got irritated on occasion by her grimacing hero. i am not convinced emily henry has a very deep understanding of NDAs.
but i loved the way the non-romance story went, and i thought the ending was unbearably sweet, and i'm pleased to tell everyone...
bottom line: this book was worth the always-interminable-feeling wait.
(3.5 / thank you to libro.fm for the alc!!!)
and this one is like if emily henry wrote the seven husbands of evelyn hugo! it's half grumpy/sunshine romance, half fictional celebrity-riddled made-up story of a famous american family.
both halves, i'm pleased to tell you, are very fun.
it's rare that a book can have two such different stories and both are good. i never dreaded moving from one to the other. and i have struggled with both emily henry's and taylor jenkins reid's recent releases, so this was a complete treat.
it wasn't a perfect book: it's VERY grumpy/sunshine, first of all, to the point that sometimes our two love interests feel like emojis in their depth. i don't love the romance, maybe because while i love our cheery protagonist i got irritated on occasion by her grimacing hero. i am not convinced emily henry has a very deep understanding of NDAs.
but i loved the way the non-romance story went, and i thought the ending was unbearably sweet, and i'm pleased to tell everyone...
bottom line: this book was worth the always-interminable-feeling wait.
(3.5 / thank you to libro.fm for the alc!!!)
May 14, 2025
The concept of a story within a story & having an em hen book that’s not solely focused on our two main characters, but rather having a 3rd pretty prevalent one seemed so new and fun and refreshing to me!
Seeing how Hayden & Alice met/started hanging out/their dynamic at first I was really into! On the other hand, Margaret’s story actually bored me to bed. & then the romance pacing went from 0-100 I was so confused!!! Where’s the yearning???? The emily Henry banter???? The witty MMC???? (The two stories just didn’t feel cohesive to me)
Anyway, I put my trust into her to deliver an interesting story with Margaret’s life, but I feel like we just got a family tree with no DRAMA or SCANDAL. I was waiting and waiting …. and it was not as dramatic as I’d hoped
This isn’t my favorite emily Henry (could actually be my least favorite) & that’s okay. I still enjoyed my reading experience, there were some beautiful quotes & moments, the setting was really cute, but overall it just felt a bit meh most of the time
Seeing how Hayden & Alice met/started hanging out/their dynamic at first I was really into! On the other hand, Margaret’s story actually bored me to bed. & then the romance pacing went from 0-100 I was so confused!!! Where’s the yearning???? The emily Henry banter???? The witty MMC???? (The two stories just didn’t feel cohesive to me)
Anyway, I put my trust into her to deliver an interesting story with Margaret’s life, but I feel like we just got a family tree with no DRAMA or SCANDAL. I was waiting and waiting …. and it was not as dramatic as I’d hoped
This isn’t my favorite emily Henry (could actually be my least favorite) & that’s okay. I still enjoyed my reading experience, there were some beautiful quotes & moments, the setting was really cute, but overall it just felt a bit meh most of the time
April 13, 2025
If anyone saw a girl crying in her car as she passed exit 428 on the 5 freeway today, that was me listening to Julia Whelan read the last sentence of this book. Thank god for Emily Henry’s great big beautiful words.
I will be back at some point to talk about the way EmHen absolutely bodied the craft of weaving together, like, six different character arcs into that spectacular conclusion but for now I’m going to lay on the floor and stare at the ceiling and think about my life.
(And yes this is now my favorite Emily Henry book, Hayden + Alice I love you so much)
I will be back at some point to talk about the way EmHen absolutely bodied the craft of weaving together, like, six different character arcs into that spectacular conclusion but for now I’m going to lay on the floor and stare at the ceiling and think about my life.
(And yes this is now my favorite Emily Henry book, Hayden + Alice I love you so much)
May 24, 2025
I’d heard SUCH mixed reviews on this book before starting it so I’m SO pleasantly surprised that I LOVEDDDDD IT!! I always love Emily Henry’s romances but I especially loved Margaret’s story (which I know a lot of people found to move slow). This book truly felt like an Emily Henry rom com 🤝 meets The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.
AND THE ENDING! Never ever saw it coming. I teared up twice 😭 soooo good.
And of course I loved the romance 💗🤭 a new top 3 Emily Henry book
AND THE ENDING! Never ever saw it coming. I teared up twice 😭 soooo good.
And of course I loved the romance 💗🤭 a new top 3 Emily Henry book
February 10, 2025
There was a point when I was reading this where I had to put the book down and physically pace but I was on an airplane, so I walked up and down the aisle like a caged animal. HAYDEN!!!! ALICE!!!!! I love them.
March 22, 2025
(official rtc)but I am spiralling after reading this. The setting and descriptions are sooo classic EmHen but this was so different to her other books (80% plot, 20% romance) and I low key ate it up. Personally loved it. Potentially one of my favourites???
April 8, 2025
jesus this was not my cup of tea. not romantic AT ALL and the story within a story was so so boring. it had TJR vibes but again, the interview bits were dull 🥲
also if this wins the choice award this year, i will never forgive yall
also if this wins the choice award this year, i will never forgive yall
April 25, 2025
reheating evelyn hugo's nachos
June 18, 2025
i thought this was so sweet 💜 i would love to have a glass of wine with margaret
June 12, 2025
first and foremost, i respect Emily Henry for doing something new (for her). this was less rom-com than one would typically expect from her, which will be great for some and a big disappointment for others.
to be honest, i went into this with relatively low expectations. as someone who didn’t love either of EH’s last two releases (funny story + happy place) and rated them more generously than i actually felt, i didn’t expect much. overall, this was fine.
let’s break it down, shall we?
╔════what to expect════╗
➺ grumpy x sunshine
➺ two competing writers
➺ 70/30 split of fiction to romance
➺ very plot-driven, less fluff (once again… not as rom-com as one may expect)
➺ lots of focus on a third character, Margaret — someone the FMC & MMC are both writing about/for
➺ Georgia setting
➺ familial problems, generational drama, celebrity POV – very reminiscent of Evelyn Hugo in some ways
➺ meshing of multiple genres… romance, fiction, mystery?
➺ decent banter, per usual
╔════what i loved════╗
➺ i love Em Hen’s writing even if i don’t always love her stories
➺ the name Hayden is top tier
➺ Margaret’s plot line (until about the last 10%)
➺ a tall FMC (i’m a 5’9 girlie myself, though i’ve never had trouble sitting across from anyone)
➺ i always love occupational or academic rivalries… makes for good banter and a healthy amount of competition
➺ little acts of service like leaving croissants or coffee/tea for each other
➺ the sunshine’s personality wasn’t over the top annoying like it can easily be in so many romnces (i’m grumpy, ok?)
╔════a side note about feeling oddly neutral════╗
➺ um… somehow i felt neutral towards this book THE ENTIRE TIME? i read 400-ish pages of this and never formed a solid opinion about anything (the romance, the plot, the characters, Margaret, the twists + reveals) until writing this review. if anyone saw my reading updates for this, you'd understand.
╔════what didn’t work for me════╗
➺ SO MANY EYEBROW MOVEMENTS – arching, raising, pinching, curving, flinching, furrowing, leaping, tilting, creasing, and flicking (at least they don’t have Botox, i guess)
➺ the ‘chortles’ are back, albeit not as many as previous books (i mentioned this in my review for funny story)
➺ an abundant and obsessive use of italics on nearly every page in seemingly unnecessary spots
➺ no FMC description besides having bangs that always stick to her forehead and short-ish hair. i personally need a visual while reading and i wasn’t able to picture our FMC.
➺ i wasn’t shocked by or very invested in any of the reveals. the last 10% of this book was a bit anticlimactic & disappointing for me ☹️
➺ didn’t feel a lot of chemistry between the two main characters. Hayden has a great name, but isn’t really book boyfriend worthy
as always, 3 stars is not a bad rating, but merely an okay one.
◤──•~❉᯽❉~•──◥
book club read!
read with us here ♡
◣──•~❉᯽❉~•──◢
to be honest, i went into this with relatively low expectations. as someone who didn’t love either of EH’s last two releases (funny story + happy place) and rated them more generously than i actually felt, i didn’t expect much. overall, this was fine.
let’s break it down, shall we?
╔════what to expect════╗
➺ grumpy x sunshine
➺ two competing writers
➺ 70/30 split of fiction to romance
➺ very plot-driven, less fluff (once again… not as rom-com as one may expect)
➺ lots of focus on a third character, Margaret — someone the FMC & MMC are both writing about/for
➺ Georgia setting
➺ familial problems, generational drama, celebrity POV – very reminiscent of Evelyn Hugo in some ways
➺ meshing of multiple genres… romance, fiction, mystery?
➺ decent banter, per usual
╔════what i loved════╗
➺ i love Em Hen’s writing even if i don’t always love her stories
➺ the name Hayden is top tier
➺ Margaret’s plot line (until about the last 10%)
➺ a tall FMC (i’m a 5’9 girlie myself, though i’ve never had trouble sitting across from anyone)
➺ i always love occupational or academic rivalries… makes for good banter and a healthy amount of competition
➺ little acts of service like leaving croissants or coffee/tea for each other
➺ the sunshine’s personality wasn’t over the top annoying like it can easily be in so many romnces (i’m grumpy, ok?)
╔════a side note about feeling oddly neutral════╗
➺ um… somehow i felt neutral towards this book THE ENTIRE TIME? i read 400-ish pages of this and never formed a solid opinion about anything (the romance, the plot, the characters, Margaret, the twists + reveals) until writing this review. if anyone saw my reading updates for this, you'd understand.
╔════what didn’t work for me════╗
➺ SO MANY EYEBROW MOVEMENTS – arching, raising, pinching, curving, flinching, furrowing, leaping, tilting, creasing, and flicking (at least they don’t have Botox, i guess)
➺ the ‘chortles’ are back, albeit not as many as previous books (i mentioned this in my review for funny story)
➺ an abundant and obsessive use of italics on nearly every page in seemingly unnecessary spots
➺ no FMC description besides having bangs that always stick to her forehead and short-ish hair. i personally need a visual while reading and i wasn’t able to picture our FMC.
➺ i wasn’t shocked by or very invested in any of the reveals. the last 10% of this book was a bit anticlimactic & disappointing for me ☹️
➺ didn’t feel a lot of chemistry between the two main characters. Hayden has a great name, but isn’t really book boyfriend worthy
as always, 3 stars is not a bad rating, but merely an okay one.
◤──•~❉᯽❉~•──◥
book club read!
read with us here ♡
◣──•~❉᯽❉~•──◢
August 29, 2025
— 2.5/5 stars ☆
nothing and I mean nothing could have prepared me for how much of a disappointment this book turned out to be.
in my head i have emily henry on a pedestal and I thought she can do no wrong. in the first 50%, when I was posting updates about how I was actually enjoying the book, I thought, maybe she’s going to prove me wrong. Maybe she’ll balance out the doubts I had from the very beginning. she never did. not even on the last page.
back in early 2024, I read my first Emily Henry book, Beach Read. I gave it 3.5 stars not because I didn’t like it, but because of a very specific issue: (mis-genrizing) I had heard nothing but praise about how her books were these beautifully written, deeply emotional romances with stunning prose. now when I read Beach Read, that was what exactly I got. but Instead of pure perfect romance, it felt more like women’s fiction with a romance subplot and i don’t mean that in a bad sense by the way!!
I still enjoyed it this. I loved the characters, the writing, and everything about the book on its own. but mislabeling the genre threw me off. mishandling tropes is fine, that happens. but mislabeling the entire genre that’s meant to draw readers in makes the whole book feel shaky even if it’s actually good.
so going into this one, I was prepared. I told myself, If it leans toward women’s fiction again, don’t be put off. Just accept it for what it is. what I wasn’t prepared for was the romance making up, at best, 10% of the book while the rest was just straight-up autobiography. it had a very interesting premise but it didn’t hit like I thought it would. the setup was too good to be true, but the execution was uneven, and the elements that were supposed to shine became too dull.
— alice, is a classic “quirky but determined” journalist, but she doesn’t have much personality beyond her job and her endless inner monologue. she’s meant to be funny and relatable, but she mostly comes off as awkward in a way that feels forced. the mmc, hayden, is the brooding, silent type and at the start I was so into that but then his character development is almost nonexistent. they both felt more like ideas of people rather than real, fleshed-out individuals.
her writing and quotes are always majestic!!
I was actually excited at the start. the main characters, alice and hayden, had great interactions and their dynamic had so much potential. two rival journalists competing to write the biography of the famously reclusive heiress margaret Ives—I was completely sold on what we were promised.
I was interested in Margaret’s life. I was curious about how alice and hayden would navigate writing about such an enigmatic woman with such family and media scrutiny. but did I want that storyline to completely take over the book? absolutely not. this is marketed as romance.
that’s what mainly I signed up for.
and yet, that’s exactly what happened. the entire book revolved around Margaret: her past, her parents’ past, her great grandparents’ past—literally her entire lineage. meanwhile, the romance got completely buried.
they were supposed to have some sort of rivalry turned romance dynamic, but there was absolutely none of that. their interactions were stiff, repetitive, and not engaging enough to make me root for them. there was no spark, no tension. just a lot of dry conversations and LOTS LOTS of dry humping.
and when we did get small glimpses of romance, they were done so poorly. In the beginning, alice and hayden had some really nice moments. but because the book was so hyper focused on margaret, their relationship had zero natural progression. then, out of nowhere, at 50%, alice suddenly claims she’s fallen in love with hayden. and I was just sitting there like, ”When? did I miss something?” because as far as I could tell, they had barely even interacted.
I’ll give credit where it’s due. the prose was beautiful. engaging. addictive. I tore through all 400 pages in one sitting because I simply could not put the book down. that’s how compelling Henry’s writing is. I loved it and I think I’ll always will. I could read her books for the writing just.
but then came the ending… after spending the entire book acting like women’s fiction and completely sidelining the romance, the story suddenly decided it wanted to be a full blown mystery novel. out of nowhere, alice starts investigating inconsistencies in Margaret’s story, uncovering hidden secrets, and making these ridiculous, over the top connections. nothing about this sudden mystery twist added anything to the story. it made it feel even more absurd. that particular familia connection that happened at the end made me wanna bang my head on a wall from how ridiculous it was.
competing to be Margaret’s biographer had potential, so much potential it hurts but it was bogged down by unnecessary details and odd pacing. the book kept hinting at some big, dramatic revelation about margaret’s past, but when the reveal finally came, it was underwhelming. the story dragged, built up to a weak climax, and wasn’t engaging enough to make me care. the competition between them felt empty. there were no real stakes of rivalry at all.
and that’s the frustrating part. the characters had so much potential. they were funny, layered, and genuinely interesting. but all of that was front loaded in the beginning, but the book just threw them to the side to focus entirely on Margaret.
the romance was 100% nonexistent. I don’t care what anyone says it was not there. I didn’t feel it, I didn’t connect to it, and because the book was so consumed by Margaret’s story, the author had to rush the romance in a way that felt completely unrealistic. you cannot convince me that two people who barely interacted for most of the book are suddenly in love. It doesn’t work like that.
It leaned excessively Into women’s fiction when that Is not the Genre the book Is marketed as. its marketed as a mix of contemporary romance/humorous fiction/domestic fiction, but it leaned way too far into women’s fiction territory. It spent a lot of time on Margaret’s whole life and also alice’s personal thoughts, her anxieties, and her career struggles, but not in a way that added depth just in a way that made the story feel slow and unfocused. It should have either committed to being a true women’s fiction novel with mystery or stuck to the romance/drama it was marketed as. and hayden got blended into the wall from how the author never cared for his character. If this was meant to have romance, it was barely there. the book would have been exactly the same without it.
no matter how harsh this may sound, it felt like a script for a movie and not an actual book with depth 🤷🏻♀️
now I’m gonna go and actually sob because this had the potential to be best romance book in the history of forever with the setting that it had but it ended up being this!!
so much tropes… without executing even one of them right.
you can clearly see how many times i threw the word “potential” that should tell you everything you need to know.
— ARC Provided by the Publisher Penguin General UK.
“Love isn't something you can cup in your hands, and I have to believe that means it's something that can't ever be lost.”
nothing and I mean nothing could have prepared me for how much of a disappointment this book turned out to be.
in my head i have emily henry on a pedestal and I thought she can do no wrong. in the first 50%, when I was posting updates about how I was actually enjoying the book, I thought, maybe she’s going to prove me wrong. Maybe she’ll balance out the doubts I had from the very beginning. she never did. not even on the last page.
back in early 2024, I read my first Emily Henry book, Beach Read. I gave it 3.5 stars not because I didn’t like it, but because of a very specific issue: (mis-genrizing) I had heard nothing but praise about how her books were these beautifully written, deeply emotional romances with stunning prose. now when I read Beach Read, that was what exactly I got. but Instead of pure perfect romance, it felt more like women’s fiction with a romance subplot and i don’t mean that in a bad sense by the way!!
"I think you live in a world that's more interesting than the one most people live in, and I wish I could live in it too."
I still enjoyed it this. I loved the characters, the writing, and everything about the book on its own. but mislabeling the genre threw me off. mishandling tropes is fine, that happens. but mislabeling the entire genre that’s meant to draw readers in makes the whole book feel shaky even if it’s actually good.
so going into this one, I was prepared. I told myself, If it leans toward women’s fiction again, don’t be put off. Just accept it for what it is. what I wasn’t prepared for was the romance making up, at best, 10% of the book while the rest was just straight-up autobiography. it had a very interesting premise but it didn’t hit like I thought it would. the setup was too good to be true, but the execution was uneven, and the elements that were supposed to shine became too dull.
— alice, is a classic “quirky but determined” journalist, but she doesn’t have much personality beyond her job and her endless inner monologue. she’s meant to be funny and relatable, but she mostly comes off as awkward in a way that feels forced. the mmc, hayden, is the brooding, silent type and at the start I was so into that but then his character development is almost nonexistent. they both felt more like ideas of people rather than real, fleshed-out individuals.
"When I let myself dream," he murmurs against my ear, "or it all comes crashing down-it's Alice, Alice on my mind. Alice all the time."
her writing and quotes are always majestic!!
I was actually excited at the start. the main characters, alice and hayden, had great interactions and their dynamic had so much potential. two rival journalists competing to write the biography of the famously reclusive heiress margaret Ives—I was completely sold on what we were promised.
I was interested in Margaret’s life. I was curious about how alice and hayden would navigate writing about such an enigmatic woman with such family and media scrutiny. but did I want that storyline to completely take over the book? absolutely not. this is marketed as romance.
that’s what mainly I signed up for.
and yet, that’s exactly what happened. the entire book revolved around Margaret: her past, her parents’ past, her great grandparents’ past—literally her entire lineage. meanwhile, the romance got completely buried.
they were supposed to have some sort of rivalry turned romance dynamic, but there was absolutely none of that. their interactions were stiff, repetitive, and not engaging enough to make me root for them. there was no spark, no tension. just a lot of dry conversations and LOTS LOTS of dry humping.
and when we did get small glimpses of romance, they were done so poorly. In the beginning, alice and hayden had some really nice moments. but because the book was so hyper focused on margaret, their relationship had zero natural progression. then, out of nowhere, at 50%, alice suddenly claims she’s fallen in love with hayden. and I was just sitting there like, ”When? did I miss something?” because as far as I could tell, they had barely even interacted.
I’ll give credit where it’s due. the prose was beautiful. engaging. addictive. I tore through all 400 pages in one sitting because I simply could not put the book down. that’s how compelling Henry’s writing is. I loved it and I think I’ll always will. I could read her books for the writing just.
but then came the ending… after spending the entire book acting like women’s fiction and completely sidelining the romance, the story suddenly decided it wanted to be a full blown mystery novel. out of nowhere, alice starts investigating inconsistencies in Margaret’s story, uncovering hidden secrets, and making these ridiculous, over the top connections. nothing about this sudden mystery twist added anything to the story. it made it feel even more absurd. that particular familia connection that happened at the end made me wanna bang my head on a wall from how ridiculous it was.
competing to be Margaret’s biographer had potential, so much potential it hurts but it was bogged down by unnecessary details and odd pacing. the book kept hinting at some big, dramatic revelation about margaret’s past, but when the reveal finally came, it was underwhelming. the story dragged, built up to a weak climax, and wasn’t engaging enough to make me care. the competition between them felt empty. there were no real stakes of rivalry at all.
and that’s the frustrating part. the characters had so much potential. they were funny, layered, and genuinely interesting. but all of that was front loaded in the beginning, but the book just threw them to the side to focus entirely on Margaret.
the romance was 100% nonexistent. I don’t care what anyone says it was not there. I didn’t feel it, I didn’t connect to it, and because the book was so consumed by Margaret’s story, the author had to rush the romance in a way that felt completely unrealistic. you cannot convince me that two people who barely interacted for most of the book are suddenly in love. It doesn’t work like that.
It leaned excessively Into women’s fiction when that Is not the Genre the book Is marketed as. its marketed as a mix of contemporary romance/humorous fiction/domestic fiction, but it leaned way too far into women’s fiction territory. It spent a lot of time on Margaret’s whole life and also alice’s personal thoughts, her anxieties, and her career struggles, but not in a way that added depth just in a way that made the story feel slow and unfocused. It should have either committed to being a true women’s fiction novel with mystery or stuck to the romance/drama it was marketed as. and hayden got blended into the wall from how the author never cared for his character. If this was meant to have romance, it was barely there. the book would have been exactly the same without it.
no matter how harsh this may sound, it felt like a script for a movie and not an actual book with depth 🤷🏻♀️
now I’m gonna go and actually sob because this had the potential to be best romance book in the history of forever with the setting that it had but it ended up being this!!
so much tropes… without executing even one of them right.
you can clearly see how many times i threw the word “potential” that should tell you everything you need to know.
— ARC Provided by the Publisher Penguin General UK.
May 31, 2025
DNF @55%
I have such a hard time believing reviews that say this book is monumental and riveting when in the same breath i hear it’s a knockoff EVELYN HUGO.
Time to find out! Hope I’m surprised! 🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️
Alright, I'll read it - but I'm forcing Bruna my bestie to read it with me 😅 This should be fun.
I have such a hard time believing reviews that say this book is monumental and riveting when in the same breath i hear it’s a knockoff EVELYN HUGO.
Time to find out! Hope I’m surprised! 🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️
Alright, I'll read it - but I'm forcing Bruna my bestie to read it with me 😅 This should be fun.
August 19, 2025
Oh nooo… not this day!
I truly never thought this moment would come — the bloody day I’d give an Emily Henry book less than five stars. Not even four... but a gut-wrenching, soul-sinking 2.5 stars! 😩
Now, before you throw your bookmarks at me, let me clarify — I’m not heartless enough to slap a cold two-star rating on anything written by my favorite romance queen. (Seriously, I’d proudly strut around in a T-shirt plastered with her book covers!) So, out of sheer loyalty, I’m begrudgingly rounding up to three stars, because... well, it’s Emily Henry.
I know I’m not alone here — many readers have voiced their concerns, and even though we try not to let our biases creep in, especially as loyal fans of both Emily and Taylor Jenkins Reid, the plot parallels with The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo are hard to ignore. And let’s be honest: Margaret Ives just didn’t cut it as a compelling, layered character. I never fully connected with her, and her backstory simply didn’t grab me. Every time the narrative veered into Margaret’s storyline, I swear I started yawning, snoozing like a nine-month-old after a bottle — complete with puffing baby sounds. 🙄
I found myself constantly taking “breaks” — to rewatch You (which, let’s be real, wasn’t even that exciting), to have long brunches that turned into existential lunch crises, followed by therapeutic five o’clock teas. Was the book stressing me out? Possibly. I even wondered if I was swelling from the narrative drag. But somehow, I kept crawling back just to savor the slightly better parts between Alice and Hayden. If not for their subplot, I would’ve confidently dropped this to a flat two stars — no regrets.
I so desperately wish their story had been told through a more classic trope — maybe rivals-to-lovers or forced proximity — something with heat and tension! But alas, Margaret was part of the package deal, and she couldn’t just be erased like Pedro Pascal’s name in The Last of Us Episode 3 credits (don’t get me started on that emotional damage…).
Maybe I’m just in a weird reading slump. Maybe I’m not emotionally available for a book like this right now. Maybe it’s the strawberry matcha almond milk latte I regret ordering instead of my usual cold brew. Whatever the reason, this story just wasn’t for me — at least not today.
So, I’m going to take a deep breath, go for a walk, maybe binge something uplifting on Apple TV (Studio or Pitt on Max, anyone?), and give this one another shot in a few weeks with a fresh mindset. Emily Henry is still my favorite, and she deserves a second chance… but for now?
Three reluctant stars. And a hug to my reader heart. 💔📚
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I truly never thought this moment would come — the bloody day I’d give an Emily Henry book less than five stars. Not even four... but a gut-wrenching, soul-sinking 2.5 stars! 😩
Now, before you throw your bookmarks at me, let me clarify — I’m not heartless enough to slap a cold two-star rating on anything written by my favorite romance queen. (Seriously, I’d proudly strut around in a T-shirt plastered with her book covers!) So, out of sheer loyalty, I’m begrudgingly rounding up to three stars, because... well, it’s Emily Henry.
I know I’m not alone here — many readers have voiced their concerns, and even though we try not to let our biases creep in, especially as loyal fans of both Emily and Taylor Jenkins Reid, the plot parallels with The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo are hard to ignore. And let’s be honest: Margaret Ives just didn’t cut it as a compelling, layered character. I never fully connected with her, and her backstory simply didn’t grab me. Every time the narrative veered into Margaret’s storyline, I swear I started yawning, snoozing like a nine-month-old after a bottle — complete with puffing baby sounds. 🙄
I found myself constantly taking “breaks” — to rewatch You (which, let’s be real, wasn’t even that exciting), to have long brunches that turned into existential lunch crises, followed by therapeutic five o’clock teas. Was the book stressing me out? Possibly. I even wondered if I was swelling from the narrative drag. But somehow, I kept crawling back just to savor the slightly better parts between Alice and Hayden. If not for their subplot, I would’ve confidently dropped this to a flat two stars — no regrets.
I so desperately wish their story had been told through a more classic trope — maybe rivals-to-lovers or forced proximity — something with heat and tension! But alas, Margaret was part of the package deal, and she couldn’t just be erased like Pedro Pascal’s name in The Last of Us Episode 3 credits (don’t get me started on that emotional damage…).
Maybe I’m just in a weird reading slump. Maybe I’m not emotionally available for a book like this right now. Maybe it’s the strawberry matcha almond milk latte I regret ordering instead of my usual cold brew. Whatever the reason, this story just wasn’t for me — at least not today.
So, I’m going to take a deep breath, go for a walk, maybe binge something uplifting on Apple TV (Studio or Pitt on Max, anyone?), and give this one another shot in a few weeks with a fresh mindset. Emily Henry is still my favorite, and she deserves a second chance… but for now?
Three reluctant stars. And a hug to my reader heart. 💔📚
medium blog
September 1, 2025
★ 4.25 stars
i went into this book with absolute zero expectations as Emily Henry is usually a hit or miss author for me. well... more hit than miss, actually; i’ve read her ‘big five’ — Beach Read, People We Meet on Vacation, Book Lovers, Happy Place & Funny Story — and honestly? out of all those, i can only say i liked Beach Read. i mean, i also enjoyed Happy Place back when i read it (2023) but to be fair it’s not really a book that aged well in my mind since my taste has changed, so nowadays i don’t think of it fondly. anyways, my not-so-great experience with this author made me give her an ultimatum: if this was another miss, i would not read her books anymore. i already felt like i wasn’t her target audience, and this was going to be my last effort to try to see if i was wrong.
as much as i tried, though, my past experiences couldn’t let myself feel hopeful, so i already started this book with the belief that it would really be the last book i ever read by Emily Henry. i fully thought it would be a boring or mediocre read at the best. and you know what? the first few chapters (the first 20%-30% i’d say) were exactly a mix of both of those things, so in some way i wasn’t wrong. but then, against against all odds... it improved in ways i didn’t imagine it would.
Great Big Beautiful Life is a blend of romance, literary fiction, historical fiction, and even mystery at some point. it was very different from other works i’ve read by this author, mainly because the romance itself felt like a sub-plot and she decided to focus more on the other elements of the book.
the romance wasn’t my favorite here. it’s not a surprise since i don’t really vibe with the way Emily writes romance (unpopular opinion, i know). i always find reasons to get annoyed and there’s always something missing for me, so i usually don’t care much or at all. this one was no different — from the get go, i was already not interested in it and i had a feeling that it would annoy me. and it did. for the majority of the first half, i genuinely did not care about it in the slightest and i was rolling my eyes every time that i had to read Alice and Hayden’s romantic interactions. in my opinion, their relationship just... didn’t seem believable and that’s what bothered me. it felt incredibly forced and it happened way too quickly, i blinked and then boom! they were kissing and falling for each other. on top of that, i struggled to see any chemistry there and because of that i couldn’t truly understand why the hell they were so drawn to each other. it made zero sense to me, sorry.
i saw some reviews here and there and i’ve seen that people got upset over the fact that Alice and Hayden’s love story was not the main plot here, and i do understand their reasons; but i can’t relate to that at all. i absolutely loved that the romance felt like a sub-plot (it’s not so hard to guess why after all). i think that i would’ve not liked this book as much as i did if it had primarily revolved around the romance.
that said, though, i will admit that the romance does get better at some point. it becomes slightly better around the second half, thankfully. i can even say that i stopped feeling the urge to skip the romantic interactions between Alice and Hayden and that i even found some of them cute-ish. but even so, that didn’t change my initial thoughts completely; as a whole, i still thought the romance was flawed. Alice and Hayden were nice characters individually and i ended up liking them both, but their relationship itself sadly wasn’t very well-developed. at the end, it wasn’t something that stood out to me.
the good [and shocking!] news, however, is that the rest of the book did stand out to me. the romance might not have been the best thing, but the other things certainly were, i’ll tell you that much.
Margaret Ives’ storyline is the reason why i adored this book so much in the first place. i mean, i’ll admit that the beginning was a little slow and uninteresting because it went all the way back; we had to learn the details about the lives of her past relatives — starting with her great-grandfather — before actually diving into the details of Margaret’s actual story and that was not *very* gripping because i didn’t really want to learn all about Margaret’s lineage nor did i understand why we had to do that, i just wanted to read about the events of her life and her life only because that seemed more compelling. but i started to get invested in the Iveses’ story as the story progressed, and by the end, it made sense why we had to get all that context. albeit i still think it didn’t have to be so detailed and long, some things were necessary, while others weren’t in the grand scheme of things. not everything felt essential in the bigger picture if we’re being honest.
nonetheless, i was invested in this whole family thing like i said. but when we finally get to Margaret’s personal story... that’s when i got a lot more invested. it was hard no to when you have the story of a former old Hollywood socialite who at some point mysteriously disappeared from the public eye after having a life surrounded by wealth, drama, glamour, and tragedy. it gave me major The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo vibes — which is a book that i adored, so of course it’s not a shock i thoroughly enjoyed reading Margaret’s story.
it was so... compelling, absorbing, mysterious, touching and beautifully layered. i can tell you without a doubt that i enjoyed knowing every single detail about the story of her life. i was so drawn to it that i stayed up until four in the morning to find out all the things that happened in Margaret’s journey because i literally couldn’t sleep without doing that, my curiosity and my interest were off the charts. and you know what? ruining my sleep was totally worth it because wow... it was not only interesting but also jaw-dropping. it ended in a way that i literally could never see coming. i haven’t read something so good that made me feel so many emotions in awhile, so it was just a nice and refreshing feeling. i loved it.
there are also other stuff that i loved here such as: the vulnerability and the complexity of not only the characters but the general story, the way the author explored the familial relationships (mostly Margaret & her sister and Alice & her mother) and how she showed us how life can be ugly but also can be beautiful.
never in a million years i thought i would be saying this, but Emily Henry deserves a standing ovation for writing something so crafted, intricate and profound in its on way.
some things could’ve been better here (which is why i’m not giving it a five-star rating) and i wish the ending wasn’t so abrupt and that we had gotten more of certain things — but all in all, Great Big Beautiful Life still turned to be an amazing read and i’m grateful i gave it a go. i truly hope the author can write more books like this one in the future. if she does, i will be reading, that’s for sure. i don’t think i can give up on her just yet.
𝅄 𓂃 𖥻 “I find myself thinking that maybe every bit of heartbreak in life can be rearranged and used for something beautiful, that it doesn't really matter whether I chose this path or I was born onto it, so long as I stop and appreciate the path itself.” 𑇛 ˚
i went into this book with absolute zero expectations as Emily Henry is usually a hit or miss author for me. well... more hit than miss, actually; i’ve read her ‘big five’ — Beach Read, People We Meet on Vacation, Book Lovers, Happy Place & Funny Story — and honestly? out of all those, i can only say i liked Beach Read. i mean, i also enjoyed Happy Place back when i read it (2023) but to be fair it’s not really a book that aged well in my mind since my taste has changed, so nowadays i don’t think of it fondly. anyways, my not-so-great experience with this author made me give her an ultimatum: if this was another miss, i would not read her books anymore. i already felt like i wasn’t her target audience, and this was going to be my last effort to try to see if i was wrong.
as much as i tried, though, my past experiences couldn’t let myself feel hopeful, so i already started this book with the belief that it would really be the last book i ever read by Emily Henry. i fully thought it would be a boring or mediocre read at the best. and you know what? the first few chapters (the first 20%-30% i’d say) were exactly a mix of both of those things, so in some way i wasn’t wrong. but then, against against all odds... it improved in ways i didn’t imagine it would.
Great Big Beautiful Life is a blend of romance, literary fiction, historical fiction, and even mystery at some point. it was very different from other works i’ve read by this author, mainly because the romance itself felt like a sub-plot and she decided to focus more on the other elements of the book.
the romance wasn’t my favorite here. it’s not a surprise since i don’t really vibe with the way Emily writes romance (unpopular opinion, i know). i always find reasons to get annoyed and there’s always something missing for me, so i usually don’t care much or at all. this one was no different — from the get go, i was already not interested in it and i had a feeling that it would annoy me. and it did. for the majority of the first half, i genuinely did not care about it in the slightest and i was rolling my eyes every time that i had to read Alice and Hayden’s romantic interactions. in my opinion, their relationship just... didn’t seem believable and that’s what bothered me. it felt incredibly forced and it happened way too quickly, i blinked and then boom! they were kissing and falling for each other. on top of that, i struggled to see any chemistry there and because of that i couldn’t truly understand why the hell they were so drawn to each other. it made zero sense to me, sorry.
i saw some reviews here and there and i’ve seen that people got upset over the fact that Alice and Hayden’s love story was not the main plot here, and i do understand their reasons; but i can’t relate to that at all. i absolutely loved that the romance felt like a sub-plot (it’s not so hard to guess why after all). i think that i would’ve not liked this book as much as i did if it had primarily revolved around the romance.
that said, though, i will admit that the romance does get better at some point. it becomes slightly better around the second half, thankfully. i can even say that i stopped feeling the urge to skip the romantic interactions between Alice and Hayden and that i even found some of them cute-ish. but even so, that didn’t change my initial thoughts completely; as a whole, i still thought the romance was flawed. Alice and Hayden were nice characters individually and i ended up liking them both, but their relationship itself sadly wasn’t very well-developed. at the end, it wasn’t something that stood out to me.
the good [and shocking!] news, however, is that the rest of the book did stand out to me. the romance might not have been the best thing, but the other things certainly were, i’ll tell you that much.
Margaret Ives’ storyline is the reason why i adored this book so much in the first place. i mean, i’ll admit that the beginning was a little slow and uninteresting because it went all the way back; we had to learn the details about the lives of her past relatives — starting with her great-grandfather — before actually diving into the details of Margaret’s actual story and that was not *very* gripping because i didn’t really want to learn all about Margaret’s lineage nor did i understand why we had to do that, i just wanted to read about the events of her life and her life only because that seemed more compelling. but i started to get invested in the Iveses’ story as the story progressed, and by the end, it made sense why we had to get all that context. albeit i still think it didn’t have to be so detailed and long, some things were necessary, while others weren’t in the grand scheme of things. not everything felt essential in the bigger picture if we’re being honest.
nonetheless, i was invested in this whole family thing like i said. but when we finally get to Margaret’s personal story... that’s when i got a lot more invested. it was hard no to when you have the story of a former old Hollywood socialite who at some point mysteriously disappeared from the public eye after having a life surrounded by wealth, drama, glamour, and tragedy. it gave me major The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo vibes — which is a book that i adored, so of course it’s not a shock i thoroughly enjoyed reading Margaret’s story.
it was so... compelling, absorbing, mysterious, touching and beautifully layered. i can tell you without a doubt that i enjoyed knowing every single detail about the story of her life. i was so drawn to it that i stayed up until four in the morning to find out all the things that happened in Margaret’s journey because i literally couldn’t sleep without doing that, my curiosity and my interest were off the charts. and you know what? ruining my sleep was totally worth it because wow... it was not only interesting but also jaw-dropping. it ended in a way that i literally could never see coming. i haven’t read something so good that made me feel so many emotions in awhile, so it was just a nice and refreshing feeling. i loved it.
there are also other stuff that i loved here such as: the vulnerability and the complexity of not only the characters but the general story, the way the author explored the familial relationships (mostly Margaret & her sister and Alice & her mother) and how she showed us how life can be ugly but also can be beautiful.
never in a million years i thought i would be saying this, but Emily Henry deserves a standing ovation for writing something so crafted, intricate and profound in its on way.
some things could’ve been better here (which is why i’m not giving it a five-star rating) and i wish the ending wasn’t so abrupt and that we had gotten more of certain things — but all in all, Great Big Beautiful Life still turned to be an amazing read and i’m grateful i gave it a go. i truly hope the author can write more books like this one in the future. if she does, i will be reading, that’s for sure. i don’t think i can give up on her just yet.
May 2, 2025
★★★★★
“𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗮 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻’𝘀 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹, 𝘂𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝘀𝗹𝗶𝗽 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗮 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁’𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗽𝘀, 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗯𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝘆 𝗯𝗶𝘁.”
I just finished reading this masterpiece, and I am not the same girl at all. I have such mixed feelings, a weird emotion I've never felt before when writing a book review. Emily Henry somehow pulled me inside the story, making it feel like a puzzle. Sometimes it was blurry, other times crystal clear, but when you finish, you take a long inhale because the puzzle you followed is a masterpiece. It’s not just one story, but two. The first is a huge, sprawling narrative about Margaret Ives' family and her love life. It was a heavy story, and I felt everything—boredom, excitement, shock, and a sadness that shattered my heart into pieces. The second is a beautiful love story between the protagonists, Hayden Anderson and Alice Scott, a story that made my heart flutter with butterflies. These two stories aren’t separate; they’re like the sky and the sea, mirroring each other perfectly.
“𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝘀𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺: 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀, 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵.”
This adage perfectly encapsulates the interwoven narratives of Hayden and Alice, two journalists tasked with writing a book about the legendary Margaret Ives, a project that is also a critical job opportunity. Her life, a sweeping saga from her influential father to her marriage to the enigmatic Cosmos Sinclair, is a story within a story, laced with a mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat. The author skillfully builds suspense, leading to two shocking revelations at the end, while simultaneously crafting a palpable chemistry between Hayden and Alice.
Hayden, a skeptical journalist and freelancer, initially views the Margaret Ives project as a means to secure his next job. However, his protective streak and keen observational skills soon draw him into the story, and into Alice’s orbit. He's a refreshing departure from typical romantic heroes, and I particularly loved the dynamic between him and Alice; both tall, intelligent, and completely complementing each other, a welcome change from the "tiny woman, big man" trope so prevalent in romance. The electric tension between them was undeniable, especially in moments like their table encounter.
Alice, an optimistic and empathetic soul, is equally invested in the project, seeing it as a chance to prove herself. Her genuine curiosity about Hayden and her quiet victories whenever he spoke her name, or revealed his emotions, were beautifully rendered. Their connection is punctuated by poignant moments, like when Hayden reveals his feelings with a simple, “Tell me something no one knows about you,” followed by, “I’m in love with you.” Or, the vulnerable moment when he admits, “I think I don’t like people looking at me,” only to clarify, with his eyes fixed on her, “Not you.” These moments are raw and real, highlighting the depth of their connection, and are made more impactful by the stakes of their job opportunity.
“𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗮 𝗴𝗶𝗳𝘁. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗼𝗿 𝗯𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿.”
This sentiment echoes throughout "Great Big Beautiful Life," a novel where love, sacrifice, and the search for truth intertwine. Emily Henry masterfully develops the tension between Hayden and Alice, a slow burn that captivated my heart, even if it required a touch of patience at the beginning. This deliberate pacing, while initially testing my attention, ultimately proved rewarding, allowing the characters' connection to deepen organically.
The narrative unfolds as a dual story, each with its own distinct emotional weight. Margaret Ives emerges as a hero in her own right, her life a testament to sacrifice and resilience. The saga of her wealthy family, steeped in intrigue, and her legendary love story with the famous singer, Cosmos Sinclair, is a tale worthy of being passed down through generations. This narrative, rich in historical depth and emotional complexity, serves as a compelling backdrop for Hayden and Alice's present-day investigation.
Emily's skillful navigation between these two timelines is a testament to her storytelling prowess. The mystery surrounding Margaret Ives' life, slowly unraveled by Hayden and Alice, creates a constant sense of suspense, driving the plot forward. The revelations at the end, while shocking, are meticulously foreshadowed, making them feel both surprising and inevitable. The slow, deliberate development of Hayden and Alice's relationship, contrasted with the sweeping drama of Margaret's life, creates a dynamic tension that keeps the reader engaged. The initial moments of boredom were replaced with a deep investment in both narratives.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗱, 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗺𝘆𝘁𝗵, 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗹, 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝘁?
The power of truth, the enduring nature of love, and the fragile beauty of trust are the cornerstones of "Great Big Beautiful Life." Emily Henry weaves these themes into the very fabric of her narrative, exploring their complexities through the lives of her characters. For Hayden and Alice, the search for the truth about Margaret Ives becomes a journey of self-discovery, where trust is both hard-won and essential.
The theme of loss, particularly the loss of a father, is handled with delicate sensitivity. As someone who lost their own father at a young age, I felt a deep connection to Alice's relationship with her late father. The quiet understanding and unspoken bond they shared, as you described, echoed my own experience, bringing tears to my eyes. This portrayal of grief is not melodramatic, but rather a poignant exploration of the enduring impact of loss and the quiet strength it can foster.
𝗣.𝗦. The writing style in is undeniably engaging, drawing the reader into the story with a seamless blend of wit, emotional depth, and vivid description. The fresh, vibrant atmosphere of the small island setting provided the perfect backdrop for a love story intertwined with a compelling detective narrative. Emily's ability to create a palpable sense of place allowed me to fully immerse myself in the story, feeling the island's gentle breezes and experiencing the characters' emotional journeys as if they were my own.
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Pre_read:
*I'm taking a leap of faith with this one,my hopes are hanging by a thread.(And I'm not a fan of these kind of covers! Where have the cover designers been lately?)
“𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗮 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻’𝘀 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹, 𝘂𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝘀𝗹𝗶𝗽 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗮 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁’𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗽𝘀, 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗯𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝘆 𝗯𝗶𝘁.”
I just finished reading this masterpiece, and I am not the same girl at all. I have such mixed feelings, a weird emotion I've never felt before when writing a book review. Emily Henry somehow pulled me inside the story, making it feel like a puzzle. Sometimes it was blurry, other times crystal clear, but when you finish, you take a long inhale because the puzzle you followed is a masterpiece. It’s not just one story, but two. The first is a huge, sprawling narrative about Margaret Ives' family and her love life. It was a heavy story, and I felt everything—boredom, excitement, shock, and a sadness that shattered my heart into pieces. The second is a beautiful love story between the protagonists, Hayden Anderson and Alice Scott, a story that made my heart flutter with butterflies. These two stories aren’t separate; they’re like the sky and the sea, mirroring each other perfectly.
“𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝘀𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺: 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀, 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵.”
This adage perfectly encapsulates the interwoven narratives of Hayden and Alice, two journalists tasked with writing a book about the legendary Margaret Ives, a project that is also a critical job opportunity. Her life, a sweeping saga from her influential father to her marriage to the enigmatic Cosmos Sinclair, is a story within a story, laced with a mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat. The author skillfully builds suspense, leading to two shocking revelations at the end, while simultaneously crafting a palpable chemistry between Hayden and Alice.
Hayden, a skeptical journalist and freelancer, initially views the Margaret Ives project as a means to secure his next job. However, his protective streak and keen observational skills soon draw him into the story, and into Alice’s orbit. He's a refreshing departure from typical romantic heroes, and I particularly loved the dynamic between him and Alice; both tall, intelligent, and completely complementing each other, a welcome change from the "tiny woman, big man" trope so prevalent in romance. The electric tension between them was undeniable, especially in moments like their table encounter.
Alice, an optimistic and empathetic soul, is equally invested in the project, seeing it as a chance to prove herself. Her genuine curiosity about Hayden and her quiet victories whenever he spoke her name, or revealed his emotions, were beautifully rendered. Their connection is punctuated by poignant moments, like when Hayden reveals his feelings with a simple, “Tell me something no one knows about you,” followed by, “I’m in love with you.” Or, the vulnerable moment when he admits, “I think I don’t like people looking at me,” only to clarify, with his eyes fixed on her, “Not you.” These moments are raw and real, highlighting the depth of their connection, and are made more impactful by the stakes of their job opportunity.
“𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗮 𝗴𝗶𝗳𝘁. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗼𝗿 𝗯𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿.”
This sentiment echoes throughout "Great Big Beautiful Life," a novel where love, sacrifice, and the search for truth intertwine. Emily Henry masterfully develops the tension between Hayden and Alice, a slow burn that captivated my heart, even if it required a touch of patience at the beginning. This deliberate pacing, while initially testing my attention, ultimately proved rewarding, allowing the characters' connection to deepen organically.
The narrative unfolds as a dual story, each with its own distinct emotional weight. Margaret Ives emerges as a hero in her own right, her life a testament to sacrifice and resilience. The saga of her wealthy family, steeped in intrigue, and her legendary love story with the famous singer, Cosmos Sinclair, is a tale worthy of being passed down through generations. This narrative, rich in historical depth and emotional complexity, serves as a compelling backdrop for Hayden and Alice's present-day investigation.
Emily's skillful navigation between these two timelines is a testament to her storytelling prowess. The mystery surrounding Margaret Ives' life, slowly unraveled by Hayden and Alice, creates a constant sense of suspense, driving the plot forward. The revelations at the end, while shocking, are meticulously foreshadowed, making them feel both surprising and inevitable. The slow, deliberate development of Hayden and Alice's relationship, contrasted with the sweeping drama of Margaret's life, creates a dynamic tension that keeps the reader engaged. The initial moments of boredom were replaced with a deep investment in both narratives.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗱, 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗺𝘆𝘁𝗵, 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗹, 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝘁?
The power of truth, the enduring nature of love, and the fragile beauty of trust are the cornerstones of "Great Big Beautiful Life." Emily Henry weaves these themes into the very fabric of her narrative, exploring their complexities through the lives of her characters. For Hayden and Alice, the search for the truth about Margaret Ives becomes a journey of self-discovery, where trust is both hard-won and essential.
The theme of loss, particularly the loss of a father, is handled with delicate sensitivity. As someone who lost their own father at a young age, I felt a deep connection to Alice's relationship with her late father. The quiet understanding and unspoken bond they shared, as you described, echoed my own experience, bringing tears to my eyes. This portrayal of grief is not melodramatic, but rather a poignant exploration of the enduring impact of loss and the quiet strength it can foster.
𝗣.𝗦. The writing style in is undeniably engaging, drawing the reader into the story with a seamless blend of wit, emotional depth, and vivid description. The fresh, vibrant atmosphere of the small island setting provided the perfect backdrop for a love story intertwined with a compelling detective narrative. Emily's ability to create a palpable sense of place allowed me to fully immerse myself in the story, feeling the island's gentle breezes and experiencing the characters' emotional journeys as if they were my own.
my new bookstagram
💌[email protected]
Pre_read:
*I'm taking a leap of faith with this one,my hopes are hanging by a thread.(And I'm not a fan of these kind of covers! Where have the cover designers been lately?)
May 1, 2025
I personally think…the haters are tripping! This was a beautiful mix of a sweeping, unexpected romance and a tale of generational trauma; how we rely too much on time to do the hard work for us.
It was brief and it was beautiful indeed! 4.25 stars!!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It was brief and it was beautiful indeed! 4.25 stars!!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 9, 2025
hey ya so … 6 stars. i will re read this easily 100 times, this is my death bed book.
July 25, 2025
4.25 ⭐️
April 27, 2025
No, just no
April 29, 2025
4.5 stars ⭐️
I knew she wouldn’t fail me 😍 I’m so glad I mostly avoided gr and got to enjoy this in peace 🙌🏼
the mystery, the romance — the yearning, the tension, the small moments & the writing!! AHH I’m convinced Emily knows me better than I know myself at this point…
RTC I’ve got so many thoughts & need to update my EH rankings🫡
——
6 is my lucky number so I guess this will change my life? It’s folklore coded too (my fave album) 🤝😭
I knew she wouldn’t fail me 😍 I’m so glad I mostly avoided gr and got to enjoy this in peace 🙌🏼
the mystery, the romance — the yearning, the tension, the small moments & the writing!! AHH I’m convinced Emily knows me better than I know myself at this point…
RTC I’ve got so many thoughts & need to update my EH rankings🫡
——
6 is my lucky number so I guess this will change my life? It’s folklore coded too (my fave album) 🤝😭
September 4, 2025
BOTCHED BBL.
April 25, 2025
2.5⭐️
oh no
oh no
August 24, 2025
4 stars
After a string of underwhelming releases this month, Great Big Beautiful Life was exactly what I needed because it was a reminder that EH can still take me on a journey that is deeply emotional. It’s definitely a departure from her previous works. I thought it is much more slower and more intricate, an additional side plot added to the romance, but it truly made the whole experience unforgettable for me!
I’d be lying if I said that going into this book didn’t scare me, because truthfully, it did. Before I read this, I had seen a number of negative reviews about how this book is mislabelled, and in some ways, I do agree. I think that EH can be regarded solely as a romance writer to some, and others think that she is more than a romance writer and leans into women’s fiction. Before reading this, I was worried the romance might take a backseat to the mystery or that the historical aspects might dilute the charm of Emily Henry’s earlier works, as the romance aspect has always been my favourite part in EH’s books. In some ways, I wasn’t wrong. A lot of the criticism around this book stems from how it was marketed as a romance, and it’s not really that in my opinion.
This isn’t just a romance, I think it’s so much more than that. I mean, it’s quite literally in the title, it’s about life — the beautiful, the flawed, the chaotic, and those moments that make us feel both lost and found. EH’s books have always been about more than love stories; they explore what shapes us, the layers of grief, hope, and everything in between. In Great Big Beautiful Life, those themes take centre stage, with a love story woven into the fabric of life's complexities.
Alice was a character I really connected with. She comes across as bright and bubbly, but underneath, you can see through her that there’s a sadness that lingers. Her struggle with grief and the strained relationship with her mother felt very real, and even when she was at her most vulnerable, Alice kept up this nonchalant façade, pretending that nothing hurt when you could see the weight of it in her. I loved watching her eventually drop that façade and allow herself to feel it was truly one of the most moving parts of the book. I took it as a reminder that life isn’t neat and tidy and that there are always things we can’t fix, but we still have the choice to live openly, not take any moment for granted, through her character.
Hayden starts off as this standoffish guy, but as his story unfolds, you see this quiet sweetness beneath the surface. His character dives into the fear of not being seen for who you truly are, and the loneliness that comes from trying to meet everyone else’s expectations. His realisation that pretending everything’s okay only works for so long marks a pivotal moment—not just for him, but for the larger theme of the book. It speaks to how easily we can overlook the pain of those around us, often missing the quiet struggles they carry. His character highlights the subtle beauty of creating simply for the sake of it, without the need for validation or recognition.
As for the romance between Alice and Hayden, while they aren’t my favourite EH romance couple, yes, their relationship moves quite fast. I surprisingly didn’t exactly mind it because, as I’ve stated, the main argument is that the heart of this book is about more than romance—it's about embracing life’s urgency. I know a lot of people have mixed feelings and feel the romance is lacking, but I personally found it quietly moving, filled with small, tender moments, like every time their knees brushed made me so giddy. For me, the pacing of their relationship, I think, reflected the overall message that sometimes you need to leap into life before you can overthink it.
Margaret’s life, from its glittering beginnings to its lonely end, is crucial to the book’s deeper meaning. She’s an heiress, but her story isn’t just about scandal or fame; it’s about the cost of being admired without ever being truly seen. I wasn’t immediately hooked by her story like I expected. The first half felt agonisingly slow, and I found myself more engaged with the romance between Alice and Hayden. But once the focus shifted to her family dynamics, her father, mother, and sister, Margaret’s story clicked into place. She’s a woman who, despite having everything, is still searching for something that can’t be named. Her secrets echo through the book, reminding us that the most painful parts of our stories are often the ones we hide. Margaret’s quest to rewrite her life and find meaning in a world that shaped her makes her so compelling. The way Margaret’s story was told reminded me so much of TJR’s The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo! The back-and-forth between Margaret’s own telling of her story and the versions that others have of her was captivating.
I can see why some readers might not connect with it. EH took a risk here by stepping away from the themes she's usually known for. I do have to agree that the side plot could have been handled a lot better. I do truly appreciate authors for stepping out of their comfort zones and trying new things, but sometimes experimenting doesn't always work. I do like how, even though this was different from her other works, it wasn’t exactly terrible, like I've noticed a lot of my favourite authors experimenting with different genres and missing the mark entirely. I believe EH was able to avoid that pitfall. While her previous books had more of a focus on romance, this one doesn’t follow that same formula, and if you're expecting a traditional romance, this might not be the book for you.
I will say that I think I was able to enjoy this book more than I expected, as I've always regarded EH books as more women’s fiction, and that going into this book, my expectations were very low since, like I said before, I saw a lot of strong opinions about how disappointing this book was.
But in the end, Great Big Beautiful Life is exactly what its title promises: a celebration of life in all its messy, beautiful complexity. It left me reflecting on my own life and the ways in which we all cope with pain, love, and the beauty in all our vulnerabilities. It’s a book that reminds you that even in its imperfections, life is still worth living and that life is, in fact, great, big, and beautiful.
_____
If this disappoints I will cry
_______
The cover 😍
______
Another Emily Henry book in 2025 and the title is Folklore coded?? I'm so here for it!
“I think you live in a world that’s more interesting than the one most people live in,” he says, and just as my heart starts to sink with disappointment, with a kind of loneliness, he adds, “and I wish I could live in it too.”
After a string of underwhelming releases this month, Great Big Beautiful Life was exactly what I needed because it was a reminder that EH can still take me on a journey that is deeply emotional. It’s definitely a departure from her previous works. I thought it is much more slower and more intricate, an additional side plot added to the romance, but it truly made the whole experience unforgettable for me!
I’d be lying if I said that going into this book didn’t scare me, because truthfully, it did. Before I read this, I had seen a number of negative reviews about how this book is mislabelled, and in some ways, I do agree. I think that EH can be regarded solely as a romance writer to some, and others think that she is more than a romance writer and leans into women’s fiction. Before reading this, I was worried the romance might take a backseat to the mystery or that the historical aspects might dilute the charm of Emily Henry’s earlier works, as the romance aspect has always been my favourite part in EH’s books. In some ways, I wasn’t wrong. A lot of the criticism around this book stems from how it was marketed as a romance, and it’s not really that in my opinion.
This isn’t just a romance, I think it’s so much more than that. I mean, it’s quite literally in the title, it’s about life — the beautiful, the flawed, the chaotic, and those moments that make us feel both lost and found. EH’s books have always been about more than love stories; they explore what shapes us, the layers of grief, hope, and everything in between. In Great Big Beautiful Life, those themes take centre stage, with a love story woven into the fabric of life's complexities.
“Love isn’t something you can cup in your hands, and I have to believe that means it's something that can’t ever be lost.”
Alice was a character I really connected with. She comes across as bright and bubbly, but underneath, you can see through her that there’s a sadness that lingers. Her struggle with grief and the strained relationship with her mother felt very real, and even when she was at her most vulnerable, Alice kept up this nonchalant façade, pretending that nothing hurt when you could see the weight of it in her. I loved watching her eventually drop that façade and allow herself to feel it was truly one of the most moving parts of the book. I took it as a reminder that life isn’t neat and tidy and that there are always things we can’t fix, but we still have the choice to live openly, not take any moment for granted, through her character.
Hayden starts off as this standoffish guy, but as his story unfolds, you see this quiet sweetness beneath the surface. His character dives into the fear of not being seen for who you truly are, and the loneliness that comes from trying to meet everyone else’s expectations. His realisation that pretending everything’s okay only works for so long marks a pivotal moment—not just for him, but for the larger theme of the book. It speaks to how easily we can overlook the pain of those around us, often missing the quiet struggles they carry. His character highlights the subtle beauty of creating simply for the sake of it, without the need for validation or recognition.
“It’s yours,” he offers. “Oh? I can have the world?” “Mine,” he says. “Yeah. You can have mine.”
As for the romance between Alice and Hayden, while they aren’t my favourite EH romance couple, yes, their relationship moves quite fast. I surprisingly didn’t exactly mind it because, as I’ve stated, the main argument is that the heart of this book is about more than romance—it's about embracing life’s urgency. I know a lot of people have mixed feelings and feel the romance is lacking, but I personally found it quietly moving, filled with small, tender moments, like every time their knees brushed made me so giddy. For me, the pacing of their relationship, I think, reflected the overall message that sometimes you need to leap into life before you can overthink it.
“For the one you love? Anything. You unmake the world and build a new one. You do anything to give them what they need."
Margaret’s life, from its glittering beginnings to its lonely end, is crucial to the book’s deeper meaning. She’s an heiress, but her story isn’t just about scandal or fame; it’s about the cost of being admired without ever being truly seen. I wasn’t immediately hooked by her story like I expected. The first half felt agonisingly slow, and I found myself more engaged with the romance between Alice and Hayden. But once the focus shifted to her family dynamics, her father, mother, and sister, Margaret’s story clicked into place. She’s a woman who, despite having everything, is still searching for something that can’t be named. Her secrets echo through the book, reminding us that the most painful parts of our stories are often the ones we hide. Margaret’s quest to rewrite her life and find meaning in a world that shaped her makes her so compelling. The way Margaret’s story was told reminded me so much of TJR’s The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo! The back-and-forth between Margaret’s own telling of her story and the versions that others have of her was captivating.
I can see why some readers might not connect with it. EH took a risk here by stepping away from the themes she's usually known for. I do have to agree that the side plot could have been handled a lot better. I do truly appreciate authors for stepping out of their comfort zones and trying new things, but sometimes experimenting doesn't always work. I do like how, even though this was different from her other works, it wasn’t exactly terrible, like I've noticed a lot of my favourite authors experimenting with different genres and missing the mark entirely. I believe EH was able to avoid that pitfall. While her previous books had more of a focus on romance, this one doesn’t follow that same formula, and if you're expecting a traditional romance, this might not be the book for you.
I will say that I think I was able to enjoy this book more than I expected, as I've always regarded EH books as more women’s fiction, and that going into this book, my expectations were very low since, like I said before, I saw a lot of strong opinions about how disappointing this book was.
But in the end, Great Big Beautiful Life is exactly what its title promises: a celebration of life in all its messy, beautiful complexity. It left me reflecting on my own life and the ways in which we all cope with pain, love, and the beauty in all our vulnerabilities. It’s a book that reminds you that even in its imperfections, life is still worth living and that life is, in fact, great, big, and beautiful.
_____
If this disappoints I will cry
_______
The cover 😍
______
Another Emily Henry book in 2025 and the title is Folklore coded?? I'm so here for it!
February 12, 2025
I am an Emily Henry stan, I really am. Not a single one of her books has been less than a 4.5 star read for me (yes, even People We Meet on Vacation, which I have never understood the vitriol for). So, this being a 1.5 star read for me? Absolutely heartbreaking and reading slump inducing.
Temper your expectations with this one because this is barely even a romance book. EmHen's books always have a literary element to them, some important aspect of the story that isn't fully focused on the romance which is something I usually love. However, the romance took more than a backseat to the other plot line in this. The romance was practically shoved in the boot of the car, hands zip tied together and mouth duct taped shut.
Towards the end, the long laborious chapters about Evelyn Hugo 2.0's life were so increasingly dull I started to skip them. This tries to do a biography-esque style (the mc's are competing to write the biography of an old lady who disappeared from the media after being born in one of the worlds most famous families) that is not necessarily done badly but could never compete with Taylor Jenkins Reid who has recently popularised the format. I quite literally felt like I was reading a less interesting version of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.
Back to the romance - boring, shallow, underdeveloped, weirdly paced. The characters themselves were interesting enough but their relationship was unbelievable. I put this particular issue to the way in which the biography chapters take up so much space in the 400 page count. But as this is a romance book, I find that completely unacceptable.
In terms of prose, a real step down. The only truly interesting sentences are the ones on the covers. This tries really hard to say something deep but ultimately fails, coming off kiddy pool shallow.
There will be people who say that at least EmHen took a risk. Fair. Despite it being a swing and a miss, this will still be a best seller and EmHen has tried something new. But, I hated it. Plain and simple. A colossial disappointment.
Temper your expectations with this one because this is barely even a romance book. EmHen's books always have a literary element to them, some important aspect of the story that isn't fully focused on the romance which is something I usually love. However, the romance took more than a backseat to the other plot line in this. The romance was practically shoved in the boot of the car, hands zip tied together and mouth duct taped shut.
Towards the end, the long laborious chapters about Evelyn Hugo 2.0's life were so increasingly dull I started to skip them. This tries to do a biography-esque style (the mc's are competing to write the biography of an old lady who disappeared from the media after being born in one of the worlds most famous families) that is not necessarily done badly but could never compete with Taylor Jenkins Reid who has recently popularised the format. I quite literally felt like I was reading a less interesting version of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.
Back to the romance - boring, shallow, underdeveloped, weirdly paced. The characters themselves were interesting enough but their relationship was unbelievable. I put this particular issue to the way in which the biography chapters take up so much space in the 400 page count. But as this is a romance book, I find that completely unacceptable.
In terms of prose, a real step down. The only truly interesting sentences are the ones on the covers. This tries really hard to say something deep but ultimately fails, coming off kiddy pool shallow.
There will be people who say that at least EmHen took a risk. Fair. Despite it being a swing and a miss, this will still be a best seller and EmHen has tried something new. But, I hated it. Plain and simple. A colossial disappointment.
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July 30, 2025
‘There’s an old saying,’ Emily Henry writes, ‘about stories, and how there are always three versions of them: yours, mine, and the truth.’ Now while I still found enough of the Henry magic to charm my way quite quickly and satisfyingly through Great Big Beautiful Life, I found myself wondering where the other version was. The True one. And by that I mean the one that was better and felt like Emily Henry. A departure from her standard fare introspective romcom vibes that have made her a long-standing bestseller—which I found to be a rather welcomed fresh direction as her previous work, Funny Story, felt like it would have benefitted from jettisoning all the moments where it felt like Henry remembered it was going to be marketed as a romcom and shoehorned in more romantic entanglements than felt right for the actual story—Great Big Beautiful Life treads a journalistic mystery territory that felt in the vein of Taylor Jenkins Reid. Which, to be clear, is a pathway to reading pleasure I certainly celebrate but we already have Taylor Jenkins Reid and what I wanted was more Emily Henry. Not Emily Henry the romcom box-checker but Emily Henry the author that I know is in there and has frequently worked magic through her breezy yet heartfelt stories. And while that Emily Henry showed up, it was so steeped in The TJR vibes that it felt like we got neither author’s best qualities. Hear me out here because I don’t really feel like pointing critical fingers into the plot or prose is all that productive unless we look at the larger context of the publishing world that this book exists in more as capitalist content than an actual novel. Buckle up, rant incoming….
‘I find myself thinking that maybe every bit of heartbreak in life can be rearranged and used for something beautiful, that it doesn't really matter whether I chose this path or I was born onto it, so long as I stop and appreciate the path itself.’
While I look forward to my annual summer dose of E.Henry goodness, six full-length novels in six years is a LOT. Like, Emily, I’m proud of you, I’m in awe of you, I stan you girl but do you rest? This felt like there was not enough time to spend at the drawing board and this novel felt like a good idea to workshop or experiment around in but it also didn’t feel like she ever made it quite her own. Because when you have a strict deadline to capture the summer bestseller list there likely isn’t much room to decide “okay this isn’t quite working I’ll shelve it and try something else.” No, you gotta blast that shit out. Which is a shame because, as many have pointed out over the years, ‘creativity thrives in moments of quiet,’ and having the space to let a work come together for the sake of the work is not always compatible with strict deadlines and constant demand for attention and writing in order to satisfy the tiktok-accepted rubrics for “what makes a real romcom” whatnot, what-have-you. I recall an argument with someone who was utterly horrified I enjoyed Emily Henry and ranted about how “she’s not a romance writer she’s just women fiction” as if putting a label on something has any benefits beyond capitalist marketing tactics.
In fact, I’m always a bit baffled when I see low ratings for a book for not meeting the expectations the marketing set the reader up for. Review and rate however you want, that’s cool, but I suppose that personally I’m not interested much in giving any oxygen to whatever some ad team has to say about a book for the sake of sales because thats approaching a book as a commodity or “content” instead of art. R.F. Kuang has a lot to say about this in Yellowface and how the publishing industry tends to even dilute concepts like identity into a marketing tactic that makes people’s lived experience more of a profit metric than something living and breathingly human. But I’m getting carried away because really what I wanted to say is this book felt like a draft that could have stayed as a draft but the need to publish a full manuscript was a contractual obligation. And I wonder how that demand to produce leads to burnout (even reader burnout when the market gets flooded with read-alikes any time a book has a big fresh success) and sending books to print that aren’t ready. Do we want a product or do we want art?
‘Love isn’t something you can cup in your hands, and I have to believe that means it’s something that can’t ever be lost.’
I’m not blaming Emily at all. She does amazing under these conditions. But we also didn’t get Emily here in the way I know she can write. It felt not enough her own voice, although I did really love Alice and she felt like such a quintessential Emily Henry protagonist. I love how lively and giggly she was, she’s the coolest. The grumpy/sunshine vibes of the central duo were rather amusing and endearing (although sometimes to the point of caricature) but I also found Hayden to be a bit lackluster. She’s done better before and Hayden felt more a character drug across the stage by the text than existing in the fictional world on his own terms. Which, again, as much as I really did love the Margaret mystery portion of the book, this probably only needed to be a novella. The US seems to have a need to make every book over 200pgs and that is so often unnecessary but it is also fairly obvious books are looked at more as content than art in our current economic reality where neither the endless one-off books a year or the economic dependence on endless growth are sustainable endeavours.
Emily, take 5 years to write that book you have in you if you need to. I want that book, I want Emily’s art, not Emily’s content. Not that this was bad, I actually really loved reading this and it filled my weary heart with joy. Sure the romance was a bit sudden and felt a bit forced (and…hear me out, sort of unnecessary in the grand scheme of things?) but it was also just a lovely little read. Thank you for all you do, Emily Henry.
3.5/5
'I think you live in a world that’s more interesting than the one most people live in.'
‘I find myself thinking that maybe every bit of heartbreak in life can be rearranged and used for something beautiful, that it doesn't really matter whether I chose this path or I was born onto it, so long as I stop and appreciate the path itself.’
While I look forward to my annual summer dose of E.Henry goodness, six full-length novels in six years is a LOT. Like, Emily, I’m proud of you, I’m in awe of you, I stan you girl but do you rest? This felt like there was not enough time to spend at the drawing board and this novel felt like a good idea to workshop or experiment around in but it also didn’t feel like she ever made it quite her own. Because when you have a strict deadline to capture the summer bestseller list there likely isn’t much room to decide “okay this isn’t quite working I’ll shelve it and try something else.” No, you gotta blast that shit out. Which is a shame because, as many have pointed out over the years, ‘creativity thrives in moments of quiet,’ and having the space to let a work come together for the sake of the work is not always compatible with strict deadlines and constant demand for attention and writing in order to satisfy the tiktok-accepted rubrics for “what makes a real romcom” whatnot, what-have-you. I recall an argument with someone who was utterly horrified I enjoyed Emily Henry and ranted about how “she’s not a romance writer she’s just women fiction” as if putting a label on something has any benefits beyond capitalist marketing tactics.
In fact, I’m always a bit baffled when I see low ratings for a book for not meeting the expectations the marketing set the reader up for. Review and rate however you want, that’s cool, but I suppose that personally I’m not interested much in giving any oxygen to whatever some ad team has to say about a book for the sake of sales because thats approaching a book as a commodity or “content” instead of art. R.F. Kuang has a lot to say about this in Yellowface and how the publishing industry tends to even dilute concepts like identity into a marketing tactic that makes people’s lived experience more of a profit metric than something living and breathingly human. But I’m getting carried away because really what I wanted to say is this book felt like a draft that could have stayed as a draft but the need to publish a full manuscript was a contractual obligation. And I wonder how that demand to produce leads to burnout (even reader burnout when the market gets flooded with read-alikes any time a book has a big fresh success) and sending books to print that aren’t ready. Do we want a product or do we want art?
‘Love isn’t something you can cup in your hands, and I have to believe that means it’s something that can’t ever be lost.’
I’m not blaming Emily at all. She does amazing under these conditions. But we also didn’t get Emily here in the way I know she can write. It felt not enough her own voice, although I did really love Alice and she felt like such a quintessential Emily Henry protagonist. I love how lively and giggly she was, she’s the coolest. The grumpy/sunshine vibes of the central duo were rather amusing and endearing (although sometimes to the point of caricature) but I also found Hayden to be a bit lackluster. She’s done better before and Hayden felt more a character drug across the stage by the text than existing in the fictional world on his own terms. Which, again, as much as I really did love the Margaret mystery portion of the book, this probably only needed to be a novella. The US seems to have a need to make every book over 200pgs and that is so often unnecessary but it is also fairly obvious books are looked at more as content than art in our current economic reality where neither the endless one-off books a year or the economic dependence on endless growth are sustainable endeavours.
Emily, take 5 years to write that book you have in you if you need to. I want that book, I want Emily’s art, not Emily’s content. Not that this was bad, I actually really loved reading this and it filled my weary heart with joy. Sure the romance was a bit sudden and felt a bit forced (and…hear me out, sort of unnecessary in the grand scheme of things?) but it was also just a lovely little read. Thank you for all you do, Emily Henry.
3.5/5
'I think you live in a world that’s more interesting than the one most people live in.'
June 17, 2025
4 Stars ★
"Love isn’t something you can cup in your hands, and I have to believe that means it’s something that can’t ever be lost."
When I first started this I was devouring it. Then I slowed down because I didn't feel myself being invested in the story as much as I would have liked. Taking my time to savor it helped me absorb it and get invested.
Great Big Beautiful Life leans more on women's literature than romance with a hint of mystery so it's different than her other works. The writing was beautiful weaving in the romantic aspects of rivals to friends to lovers while also including complexities of family dynamics that unfolded into two beautiful stories being told.
The story follows two writers Alice and Hayden who are competing for a chance to write the once-in-a-lifetime biography about Margaret Ives, a woman that no one has seen in years. The woman invites them both to the small Georgia island of Little Crescent and gives them one month to interview her. At the end, she will pick one of them to tell her story.
Alice Scott was such a delightful character. I could resonate with her on many levels. She is sunshine, outspoken, and tries to see the good in everything even when she knows or feels like it's shit. Her determination speaks volumes about her. She also had complex family dynamics. Her mom and she have a complex relationship that is strangled, and she bottles up as being nothing when it bothers her that it seems her mom doesn't support her career or her in the way that she wishes. It seems she and her mom misunderstand one another because they never communicated the riff that seems to be between them. I loved that Alice grew enough but also was frustrated because it took her being broken before she did and had the conversation they needed years ago.
"I thought that’s what everyone wanted from me. For me to just…be okay. Happy. And I was. I figured it out.”
Hayden Anderson rubbed me the wrong way at first, I honestly wasn't loving him. It may be a me problem. I started to feel that he was misunderstood. One of the issues that I had with him was his inability to reveal his feelings. As I got to know him better I realized that he is grumpy, very private, and comes off as detached and coldhearted. It took me a bit to warm up to him and see that he is so many good things. He is generous and thoughtful, protective in a way that he will protect those he cares about from something even if he is fearful of it. In the end, his character pulled through for me and I loved him. It just took more time to get him figured out.
“I think you live in a world that’s more interesting than the one most people live in,” he says, and just as my heart starts to sink with disappointment, with a kind of loneliness, he adds, “and I wish I could live in it too.” I feel myself beaming. “I’ll take you sometime.” “I’d like that,” he says.
Alice and Hayden went through the stages of rivals to friends to lovers. I loved watching them form a friendship through sweet and subtle gestures. During the early growth of their relationship, they exuded the perfect amount of tension. We watched the chemistry begin to grow between them along with the slow burn of a romance. Everything about their relationship felt so real and raw as it often does with Em Hens characters. I was here for it. I just wish that we would have gotten more of their relationship as I felt that their love story was on the back burner to the story of Margaret and her love story.
“When I let myself dream,” he murmurs against my ear, “or it all comes crashing down— it’s Alice, Alice on my mind. Alice all the time.”
Margaret Ives story is a story all on its own and at times felt like a separate plot. It is deep, complex, and gripping. At first, I wasn't invested in her story but the more of it that we got the more invested I became. There were times when I was lost in it literally and had to reread to understand who it was she was talking about and where in the family tree they fell. The dynamics were so real, raw, and emotional, especially with her sister. Where we got to see their relationship unfold into this beautiful thing and then take a turn in the opposite direction as they drift apart. We are introduced to the love of her life Cosmo. This is when I became fully invested in her story. I loved reading their love story and everything in between.
“For the one you love? Anything. You unmake the world and build a new one. You do anything to give them what they need.”
I truly enjoyed and even loved this book outside of my one issue with Alice and Hayden's love story not being delved into more. This took some turns and had me guessing at what was going to happen next giving off the mystery aspects. At 91% the twist was thrown in and I was shocked when I figured it out and at the same time all started to make sense. Then the second twist was thrown in that had me reeling that I hadn't figured that one out as well. Overall this was a great read that I recommend.
Favorite quotes and moments
"There’s an old saying about stories, and how there are always three versions of them: yours, mine, and the truth."
"The best stories are born when the words slip effortlessly from a subject’s lips, rather than being painfully cranked out of them bit by bit."
"But the problem is, once you love someone, you can’t have it all anymore. Love comes with sacrifice. That’s how it works."
“It’s yours,” he offers. I laugh. “Oh? I can have the world?” “Mine,” he says, “yeah. You can have mine.”
"I find myself thinking that maybe every bit of heartbreak in life can be rearranged and used for something beautiful. That it doesn’t really matter whether I chose this path or I was born onto it, so long as I stop and appreciate the path itself."
────୨ৎ────
˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ Pre-read
It's time to start one of my most anticipated reads of the year! Hoping it's a good vacation pick 🤞🧡
The cover is so gorgeous 😍
Two writers compete! April 2025 can't come fast enough 😩🧡
"Love isn’t something you can cup in your hands, and I have to believe that means it’s something that can’t ever be lost."
When I first started this I was devouring it. Then I slowed down because I didn't feel myself being invested in the story as much as I would have liked. Taking my time to savor it helped me absorb it and get invested.
Great Big Beautiful Life leans more on women's literature than romance with a hint of mystery so it's different than her other works. The writing was beautiful weaving in the romantic aspects of rivals to friends to lovers while also including complexities of family dynamics that unfolded into two beautiful stories being told.
The story follows two writers Alice and Hayden who are competing for a chance to write the once-in-a-lifetime biography about Margaret Ives, a woman that no one has seen in years. The woman invites them both to the small Georgia island of Little Crescent and gives them one month to interview her. At the end, she will pick one of them to tell her story.
Alice Scott was such a delightful character. I could resonate with her on many levels. She is sunshine, outspoken, and tries to see the good in everything even when she knows or feels like it's shit. Her determination speaks volumes about her. She also had complex family dynamics. Her mom and she have a complex relationship that is strangled, and she bottles up as being nothing when it bothers her that it seems her mom doesn't support her career or her in the way that she wishes. It seems she and her mom misunderstand one another because they never communicated the riff that seems to be between them. I loved that Alice grew enough but also was frustrated because it took her being broken before she did and had the conversation they needed years ago.
"I thought that’s what everyone wanted from me. For me to just…be okay. Happy. And I was. I figured it out.”
Hayden Anderson rubbed me the wrong way at first, I honestly wasn't loving him. It may be a me problem. I started to feel that he was misunderstood. One of the issues that I had with him was his inability to reveal his feelings. As I got to know him better I realized that he is grumpy, very private, and comes off as detached and coldhearted. It took me a bit to warm up to him and see that he is so many good things. He is generous and thoughtful, protective in a way that he will protect those he cares about from something even if he is fearful of it. In the end, his character pulled through for me and I loved him. It just took more time to get him figured out.
“I think you live in a world that’s more interesting than the one most people live in,” he says, and just as my heart starts to sink with disappointment, with a kind of loneliness, he adds, “and I wish I could live in it too.” I feel myself beaming. “I’ll take you sometime.” “I’d like that,” he says.
Alice and Hayden went through the stages of rivals to friends to lovers. I loved watching them form a friendship through sweet and subtle gestures. During the early growth of their relationship, they exuded the perfect amount of tension. We watched the chemistry begin to grow between them along with the slow burn of a romance. Everything about their relationship felt so real and raw as it often does with Em Hens characters. I was here for it. I just wish that we would have gotten more of their relationship as I felt that their love story was on the back burner to the story of Margaret and her love story.
“When I let myself dream,” he murmurs against my ear, “or it all comes crashing down— it’s Alice, Alice on my mind. Alice all the time.”
Margaret Ives story is a story all on its own and at times felt like a separate plot. It is deep, complex, and gripping. At first, I wasn't invested in her story but the more of it that we got the more invested I became. There were times when I was lost in it literally and had to reread to understand who it was she was talking about and where in the family tree they fell. The dynamics were so real, raw, and emotional, especially with her sister. Where we got to see their relationship unfold into this beautiful thing and then take a turn in the opposite direction as they drift apart. We are introduced to the love of her life Cosmo. This is when I became fully invested in her story. I loved reading their love story and everything in between.
“For the one you love? Anything. You unmake the world and build a new one. You do anything to give them what they need.”
I truly enjoyed and even loved this book outside of my one issue with Alice and Hayden's love story not being delved into more. This took some turns and had me guessing at what was going to happen next giving off the mystery aspects. At 91% the twist was thrown in and I was shocked when I figured it out and at the same time all started to make sense. Then the second twist was thrown in that had me reeling that I hadn't figured that one out as well. Overall this was a great read that I recommend.
Favorite quotes and moments
"There’s an old saying about stories, and how there are always three versions of them: yours, mine, and the truth."
"The best stories are born when the words slip effortlessly from a subject’s lips, rather than being painfully cranked out of them bit by bit."
"But the problem is, once you love someone, you can’t have it all anymore. Love comes with sacrifice. That’s how it works."
“It’s yours,” he offers. I laugh. “Oh? I can have the world?” “Mine,” he says, “yeah. You can have mine.”
"I find myself thinking that maybe every bit of heartbreak in life can be rearranged and used for something beautiful. That it doesn’t really matter whether I chose this path or I was born onto it, so long as I stop and appreciate the path itself."
────୨ৎ────
˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ Pre-read
It's time to start one of my most anticipated reads of the year! Hoping it's a good vacation pick 🤞🧡
The cover is so gorgeous 😍
Two writers compete! April 2025 can't come fast enough 😩🧡
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