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medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Sexual content, Car accident, Death of parent
Minor: Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail
emotional
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
Everyone out here giving this book 1-2 stars is kwazyyyy! Even if this isn't your favorite of Emily's books, or it wasn't as romance-focused as her past books, or it wasn't what you were expecting - IT IS STILL OBJECTIVELY A WELL WRITTEN BOOK! I actually cannot with people giving it such low ratings just because she deviated a bit from what she's written in the past.
I personally was eating up the main plot of the story, the interviews etc - I was fascinated by Margaret's family and her life, and that's what kept me reading. At it's core it is still very much an Emily Henry book - and I personally would love for Emily to write more literary/general fiction books! Her ability to tell a deep and complex story is clearly showcased in GBBL!!
Is insta-love/attraction my personal favorite trope? no. Did I wish there was a bit more development of the romance? Yes. The present day romance (cause let's be honest Margaret has a romance story being told here too!) between Alice and Hayden could've been more developed, and honestly I would've even read a longer book to allow for this. But the core of this book is the mystery of Margaret's life being unraveled as it's told to Alice. I was near-tears at the ending with Alice's own family development. Lots of parallels to be drawn to Taylor Swift songs (which we all know Emily is a stan) here.
Margaret did make me mad at the ending when she wrote off Hayden saying 'he doesn't like her' but I mostly forgave her for righting it in the end.
I personally was eating up the main plot of the story, the interviews etc - I was fascinated by Margaret's family and her life, and that's what kept me reading. At it's core it is still very much an Emily Henry book - and I personally would love for Emily to write more literary/general fiction books! Her ability to tell a deep and complex story is clearly showcased in GBBL!!
Is insta-love/attraction my personal favorite trope? no. Did I wish there was a bit more development of the romance? Yes. The present day romance (cause let's be honest Margaret has a romance story being told here too!) between Alice and Hayden could've been more developed, and honestly I would've even read a longer book to allow for this. But the core of this book is the mystery of Margaret's life being unraveled as it's told to Alice. I was near-tears at the ending with Alice's own family development. Lots of parallels to be drawn to Taylor Swift songs (which we all know Emily is a stan) here.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual content, Dementia, Medical trauma, Car accident, Alcohol, Classism
Minor: Eating disorder, Terminal illness, Pregnancy
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Gorgeous book and writing. Emily Henry, I love everything you make.
This book is a bit of a different vibe than her previous books but is no less lovely and enjoyable. I loved the dynamics between the main characters, and it was so interesting to have the two storylines going simultaneously and to see how they weave together at the end.
This book is a bit of a different vibe than her previous books but is no less lovely and enjoyable. I loved the dynamics between the main characters, and it was so interesting to have the two storylines going simultaneously and to see how they weave together at the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Car accident, Pregnancy
Minor: Sexual content, Terminal illness, Dementia
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Dementia, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Abandonment
Moderate: Cursing, Mental illness, Medical content, Pregnancy, Alcohol
Minor: Miscarriage
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexual content, Car accident, Abandonment
Minor: Animal death, Body shaming, Cancer, Dementia, Pregnancy
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Spice Rating: 🌶️.5 / 5
My Summary: Margaret Ives is getting older, and she's finally ready to tell everyone about her adventurous, romantic, and sordid past. But before she tells all, she wants to court two writers to see who is best equipped to tell her and her family's story. She wants the writers to stay on the small island in Georgia that she calls home for one month before she decides who to sign on for the job.
Alice is an optimistic journalist who has been waiting for her big break moment. Hayden is a well-known name in the industry, having already written a best-selling biography; he is known for his aloofness and overall grumpy demeanor. As the two compete to write Margaret's biography, they find themselves constantly running into each other on the too-small island. But soon, their run-ins become less of an inconvenience and seem more like fate.
My Thoughts: Though Great Big Beautiful Life is quite different from Emily Henry's normal style of story, it is still full of her signature prose, witty banter, romantic chemistry, and meaningful moments.
This novel is told in two parts. One is the story of celebrity, Margaret Ives, and her family, which is told as Alice interviews her to, potentially, write Margaret's biography. The other is the story of Alice and Hayden as they interact outside of their time with Margaret and find that they might have more chemistry than animosity.
Alice is an optimist who loves people, and that even includes the ever-grumpy, introverted Hayden. When she makes it her goal to win him over, Alice finds that Hayden's grumpiness might just be a facade you have to break through in order to get to the real Hayden underneath. Alice and Hayden spend more and more time together; they learn how beautiful this world and life are--and how much better they are when they're together.
I felt like Emily Henry did a great job splitting the book equally between both stories. I loved hearing about Margaret's family as well as her past because you could see echoes of it in the present. Alice and Hayden both have so much depth as individuals, and their love story is a beautiful one that shows how much they've learned from each other, their pasts, and their time with Margaret.
Fans of Emily Henry won't want to miss out on Great Big Beautiful Life.
My Summary: Margaret Ives is getting older, and she's finally ready to tell everyone about her adventurous, romantic, and sordid past. But before she tells all, she wants to court two writers to see who is best equipped to tell her and her family's story. She wants the writers to stay on the small island in Georgia that she calls home for one month before she decides who to sign on for the job.
Alice is an optimistic journalist who has been waiting for her big break moment. Hayden is a well-known name in the industry, having already written a best-selling biography; he is known for his aloofness and overall grumpy demeanor. As the two compete to write Margaret's biography, they find themselves constantly running into each other on the too-small island. But soon, their run-ins become less of an inconvenience and seem more like fate.
My Thoughts: Though Great Big Beautiful Life is quite different from Emily Henry's normal style of story, it is still full of her signature prose, witty banter, romantic chemistry, and meaningful moments.
This novel is told in two parts. One is the story of celebrity, Margaret Ives, and her family, which is told as Alice interviews her to, potentially, write Margaret's biography. The other is the story of Alice and Hayden as they interact outside of their time with Margaret and find that they might have more chemistry than animosity.
Alice is an optimist who loves people, and that even includes the ever-grumpy, introverted Hayden. When she makes it her goal to win him over, Alice finds that Hayden's grumpiness might just be a facade you have to break through in order to get to the real Hayden underneath. Alice and Hayden spend more and more time together; they learn how beautiful this world and life are--and how much better they are when they're together.
I felt like Emily Henry did a great job splitting the book equally between both stories. I loved hearing about Margaret's family as well as her past because you could see echoes of it in the present. Alice and Hayden both have so much depth as individuals, and their love story is a beautiful one that shows how much they've learned from each other, their pasts, and their time with Margaret.
Fans of Emily Henry won't want to miss out on Great Big Beautiful Life.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Sexual content, Car accident, Pregnancy
Minor: Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Dementia
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
Optimistic aspiring writer Alice Scott & Pulitzer-winning cynic Hayden Anderson are competing to tell the life story of reclusive heiress Margaret Ives—each given only fragments of her past, bound by NDAs, and distracted by a growing tension neither expected. What begins as a high-stakes assignment soon blurs into something deeper, as the story—and their connection—threatens to become a mystery, a tragedy, or a love story… depending on who gets to tell it.
Did a combo of physical & audio (Julia Whelan did a beautiful job narrating, as she always does). I don't even know if I have the words to describe the way I feel about this book. I can't even rank it up against her other novels because it's so different - in a good way. I feel like EmHen always tackles some tough topics or subject matter in her books, something that gives her characters more substance. But the story here was so much more, her characters almost seemed like deeper, more emotional individuals? I'm probably butchering this, so let me just make it simple - I loved it. I laughed multiple times, and I really got into the Ives story. Is there a lot going on? Yes. Can it get confusing? At times, yes - but Alice even points out that the Ives family history is convoluted, so you're not left feeling like it's just a you problem. At this point, Emily Henry is an auto buy author for me, and I don't know if that will ever change. Another beautiful novel added to the list other wonderful books.
Did a combo of physical & audio (Julia Whelan did a beautiful job narrating, as she always does). I don't even know if I have the words to describe the way I feel about this book. I can't even rank it up against her other novels because it's so different - in a good way. I feel like EmHen always tackles some tough topics or subject matter in her books, something that gives her characters more substance. But the story here was so much more, her characters almost seemed like deeper, more emotional individuals? I'm probably butchering this, so let me just make it simple - I loved it. I laughed multiple times, and I really got into the Ives story. Is there a lot going on? Yes. Can it get confusing? At times, yes - but Alice even points out that the Ives family history is convoluted, so you're not left feeling like it's just a you problem. At this point, Emily Henry is an auto buy author for me, and I don't know if that will ever change. Another beautiful novel added to the list other wonderful books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Infertility, Infidelity, Sexual content, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy
Moderate: Car accident
Minor: Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Dementia
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
tense
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
Okay, listen I didn’t hate it. I did enjoy the book but! I guessed Hayden being related to Margaret pretty early o ok but I still enjoyed it. I wish we got a little more development in Hayden and Alice’s relationship, especially emotionally from Hayden’s side, and that we got a more fleshed out happy ending for them. It all felt a bit rushed in the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Alcohol
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
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:
No
This was a little bit different from normal Emily Henry fare, but I loved it all the same. The INCREDIBLE characters that she creates are what keep me coming back time and again, and Alice, Hayden, and Margaret did NOT disappoint. I kind of liked that we weren’t sure if Margaret was a reliable narrator or not. And the banter between Alice and Hayden was perfection! I absolutely live for Emily Henry’s dialogue. I was also unexpectedly emotional at the end. Well, I *DID* expect to be emotional, but not for the reasons that I ended up being emotional about, if that makes any sense. This one’s going to stick with me for a hot minute I think.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death, Infidelity, Sexual content, Car accident, Death of parent, Abandonment
Minor: Terminal illness, Violence, Injury/Injury detail