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emotional
funny
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
Ultimately, this felt more like a literary fiction/woman's fiction book than a romance as the parts that stuck with me were Margaret Ives's story and life. Her tales about her wealthy, scandalous family and how they influenced her life and choices were so interesting that I would have happily read more about them, even if they also made me cry. Some elements of the book, like the narrative device and the private life of a celebrity, reminded me of the Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.
The romance between Alice and Hayden took a backseat. While I liked them and their chemistry, so much of the book and page count revolves around Margaret instead of their internal lives. Their sexual tension is well done, and their compatibility is obvious, but it made it harder to develop their growth together from simple caring acts to love.
The romance between Alice and Hayden took a backseat. While I liked them and their chemistry, so much of the book and page count revolves around Margaret instead of their internal lives. Their sexual tension is well done, and their compatibility is obvious, but it made it harder to develop their growth together from simple caring acts to love.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Car accident, Death of parent
Minor: Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Blood, Car accident
Moderate: Addiction, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Infidelity, Sexual content, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Alcoholism, Death, Dementia
hopeful
inspiring
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:
Complicated
What makes a life? All the big moments, and all the little ones. All the beautiful things, and all the ugly things, too.
And that’s just what GBBL is, aptly named. Although not your typical EmHen romcom, I really loved this new foray into more of a solid contemporary fiction with romance elements. I don’t think it should really be considered a mystery, as some marketing suggested. Of course I would’ve been okay with more of said romance (I adored Alice and Hayden) but at the same time, I don’t think the story-within-the-story really took away from that, either. Margaret’s life story (and her family secrets) was really interesting to me and essentially, it did link everything in the book together. You couldn’t have Alice and Hayden’s romance without what brought them together on that little Georgia island. And come on—an EmHen book where one or both of the protagonists are writers? I’m sold before I’ve even finished reading the synopsis.
This book did remind me a lot of “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo”, which others have pointed out. I love both, independent of each other, though they do share some similarities. But at the end of the day, this still reads like an EmHen book, and, dare I say… that’s one of my favorite things to witness in this great big beautiful life.
And that’s just what GBBL is, aptly named. Although not your typical EmHen romcom, I really loved this new foray into more of a solid contemporary fiction with romance elements. I don’t think it should really be considered a mystery, as some marketing suggested. Of course I would’ve been okay with more of said romance (I adored Alice and Hayden) but at the same time, I don’t think the story-within-the-story really took away from that, either. Margaret’s life story (and her family secrets) was really interesting to me and essentially, it did link everything in the book together. You couldn’t have Alice and Hayden’s romance without what brought them together on that little Georgia island. And come on—an EmHen book where one or both of the protagonists are writers? I’m sold before I’ve even finished reading the synopsis.
This book did remind me a lot of “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo”, which others have pointed out. I love both, independent of each other, though they do share some similarities. But at the end of the day, this still reads like an EmHen book, and, dare I say… that’s one of my favorite things to witness in this great big beautiful life.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Medical content, Alcohol
Minor: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Stalking, Abortion, Gaslighting
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
This book isn’t a normal Emily Henry. It’s a pivot from her usual plots but it still has its Emily Henry flare. The banter and romance is still top tier. People are comparing it to Wvelyn Hugo and I just don’t think they’re comparable. Once you start reading GBBL and get into the thick of it, you’ll see what I mean.
The themes in this book have me still in awe a day later. I’ve been reflecting on finishing this book and words still can’t do justice the way it made me feel.
The theme of legacy, and what your families legacy means for you, and how generational trauma matters just as much as generational wealth and privilege.
I lost my dad young so I related to soooo many feelings in this book. It made me want to call my mom and just tell her how much I love her. She knows it and we have a great relationship… but it really makes you think about where you come from. What stories would be told about us? What did my great grandfather do that led to my grandfather being the way he is?
The ending has me sobbing. Knowing WHO the whole book was for??????
The themes in this book have me still in awe a day later. I’ve been reflecting on finishing this book and words still can’t do justice the way it made me feel.
The theme of legacy, and what your families legacy means for you, and how generational trauma matters just as much as generational wealth and privilege.
I lost my dad young so I related to soooo many feelings in this book. It made me want to call my mom and just tell her how much I love her. She knows it and we have a great relationship… but it really makes you think about where you come from. What stories would be told about us? What did my great grandfather do that led to my grandfather being the way he is?
The ending has me sobbing. Knowing WHO the whole book was for??????
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy
Minor: Sexism
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
While I enjoyed the parallel unfolding stories of Alice-Hayden and Margaret, this is not my favorite EmHen book. I think the parallel stories might’ve split some of the attention, leaving the main couple without as much depth. Captain Cecil forever though!
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcoholism, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent