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emotional
funny
reflective
medium-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Car accident, Death of parent
Moderate: Pregnancy
Minor: Misogyny, Kidnapping
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Going into this book, I’d read and heard a lot of mixed reviews saying that this book deviates from Emily Henry’s typical style. I wasn’t too concerned about this because the style of this book actually aligns more with my typical reading preferences, so I feel I was lucky in this regard.
Alice and Hayden are both given a month to vie for the chance to write the life story of an aged former celebrity, Margaret Ives, now living in seclusion. The competition isn’t exactly bitter as Alice and Hayden connect. Unfortunately, thanks to NDAs, neither of them can discuss their interviews with Margaret. This becomes increasingly difficult for Alice in particular as the month goes on.
While certainly different than what I’m used to from Emily Henry, I did enjoy this. That said, this isn’t necessarily the kind of book I’m looking for when picking up her work. I think I would have preferred to listen to the audiobook. I also found it too similar to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. It’s less of a romcom and closer to general fiction. Which, again, is not an issue for me, but might be for people expecting another Beach Read.
I enjoyed the scenes with Alice and her mother the most. I liked how that situation played out, and I liked watching Alice’s growth through these situations. Honestly, I could have read an entire book about them and leave or take Hayden. I liked him, but I feel like we missed out not hearing his POV.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Sexual content, Car accident, Pregnancy
Minor: Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Dementia
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Body shaming, Cancer, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Sexual content, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Infertility, Car accident
Minor: Death of parent
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book, in my opinion, is Emily Henry’s greatest work yet. Despite some criticism I’ve seen where people say this isn’t a romance or isn’t good because of the MMC, I absolutely adored this book. It’s celebrates love in all its forms: family, friends, and blossoming romance. There are more characters in GBBL than in previous stories she’s written, but they’re all so complex and I couldn’t help but cheering for all of them. I was so invested in Margaret’s story as it unfolded with all its twists and half-truths, and I loved Alice and Hayden as they both explored their feelings and boundaries. The way that loss and grief are shown in this book really could not have come at a better time for me, and Alice’s loving but still strained relationship with her mother was also one I related to. I cried, I laughed, I yelled “what!!” at this book, and sighed so much my husband asked me what was wrong.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Death, Sexual content
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I loved it and I’m sobbing. (Maybe I’ll be more coherent with my thoughts later)
**Updated**
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
**Updated**
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📚 Great Big Beautiful Life, Emily Henry
✨ Emotional. Reflective. Inspiring.
💭 Emily Henry literally never misses! Once again her characters and their stories captured my heart and my imagination. This book felt like the mosaics described in the story. Colorful, mesmerizing, unique, and sharp enough to keep you invested while still allowing escape from the ordinary. A beautiful exploration of legacy, identity, success, and the way the past shapes our future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Grief, Car accident
Moderate: Body shaming, Mental illness, Sexual content, Medical content, Alcohol
Minor: Animal death, Death of parent, Pregnancy
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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:
Complicated
Emily Henry provides yet again… not surprised though! I loved Alice and Hayden and how their feelings evolved, but I loved the plot and theme of family even more. I thought a lot about the quote “everyone is living life for the first time” a lot while reading it! The ending surprised me so much that I cried (hard). Each character’s evolution was important and I enjoyed how the puzzle pieces fit together. Yes, it gave Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo… but it’s unique in its own way. Would totally recommend!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Death, Grief
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: Domestic abuse, Car accident, Death of parent
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Sadly, this is not the first Emily Henry book that I could not feel the connection between the two MC's. Alice and Hayden's relationship was very instalove-y, with a whole lot of on again, off again vibes that did not jive with this reader. The book was also set up to include two storylines, that of Alice's present day as well as the past of the woman she is interviewing, Margaret. Unfortunately, Margaret's stories and recollections were too confusing for me at times; I felt like I needed a family tree. In the end, 'The Story' chapters trumped Alice and Hayden's "romance." Execution = bad, and let's be real... it was the Temu version of a lovely, better novel from 2017. 🤭
Side note: I recently discovered that this book is Henry's take on a Taylor Swift song. It's no wonder I hated it so much. 🤮
Side note: I recently discovered that this book is Henry's take on a Taylor Swift song. It's no wonder I hated it so much. 🤮
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Abandonment