Reviews - Great Big Beautiful Life

28.9k reviews for:

Great Big Beautiful Life

Emily Henry

4.08 AVERAGE

anamarquez's review against another edition

4.0

emotional funny inspiring fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

jen_kehlenbeck's review against another edition

3.0

Hmmmmmmm.

So I absolutely devoured this book. But lbh this was defo Emily Henry's attempt at doing a Taylor Jenkins Reid book. Did it work? In terms of the relationship and plot? Yes. In terms of the twists? No.

I'm still slightly annoyed about the ending. It just felt a cheesy and hollow.

I think it's made me realise that a compulsive book isn't always the best. Like I could read a thriller in a day cause it's unputdownable but my enjoyment depends on the ending and it turns out in a novel like this with a mystery at the core, is the same.

I think it felt cheesy and strange that Hayden (I think was his name idk anymore) was Margaret's grandson. It was slightly too personal. The revelation works in Evelyn Hugo because it's detached enough to work.

I think as well we don't get enough sense of Margaret's personality and relationships. Her story felt a tad bit rushed. I realised at a certain point, that we were basically told her relationship with Cosmo (again might not be his name) was dramatic and passionate. But after they initially got together, we didn't get a sense of their epic love story.

I also felt a bit disappointed in the ending of the main couple. Alice and Hayden (?) fell in love far too quickly. I get that they had a connection and liked each other etc, but it was what 4 weeks? Madness. And a pregnancy at the ending was rather cliche.