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emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What a great, big, beautiful ride Great Big Beautiful Life is. I have shed tears and laughed out loud, kicked my feet in ecstasy and ground my teeth in anticipation. I am floored by Emily Henry again.
I have so many notes to go through, but, for now I will say: this is some of Emily’s most beautiful writing. It is heartfelt and poignant. It is reflective and brutal and honest. It is tragedy and love, humour and regret.
I related to so many of these characters in different ways, from Alice’s insecurity around her mother’s feelings towards her to Hayden’s perfectionism and fear of being himself. Very real fears of me were reflected in this book, the anxiety around bringing children into this world which is cruel and dangerous and difficult.
There are things I’d love to know more about, particularly surrounding the outcome of thetrial for Dr David , and Jodi and her father, including how he came to be the kooky character he is and how much he knows of Hayden and Alice . I suppose much of that I may only know from the book, if only it were real!
I’m already raring for a reread, and I obviously need to listen to the audiobook but, for now, I leave you with some of my favourite quotes presented with absolutely no context:
“If that’s what I meant, then that’s what I would’ve said.”
I have so many notes to go through, but, for now I will say: this is some of Emily’s most beautiful writing. It is heartfelt and poignant. It is reflective and brutal and honest. It is tragedy and love, humour and regret.
I related to so many of these characters in different ways, from Alice’s insecurity around her mother’s feelings towards her to Hayden’s perfectionism and fear of being himself. Very real fears of me were reflected in this book, the anxiety around bringing children into this world which is cruel and dangerous and difficult.
There are things I’d love to know more about, particularly surrounding the outcome of the
I’m already raring for a reread, and I obviously need to listen to the audiobook but, for now, I leave you with some of my favourite quotes presented with absolutely no context:
“If that’s what I meant, then that’s what I would’ve said.”
“Stone-cold sober and he looks almost as drunk as I feel.”
“What if they have to care for me, for years, after I’ve stopped calling them by their nicknames or telling them I love them?”
“I don’t do this.”
“I do.”
“Fine. I do too.”
“This doesn’t have to be the greatest tragedy to ever befall anyone. It doesn’t even have to be the worst thing that’s ever happened to you.”
“Like I swallowed the sun. Like it’s breaking up every bit of darkness inside me.”
“Maybe every bit of heartbreak in life can be rearranged and used for something beautiful.”
Also, huge shout out to the Pole of Inaccessibility, which is where my heart resides most of the time.
Content Warnings
Minor: Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment
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
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Stalking, Death of parent
Minor: Medical content, Car accident, 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
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
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: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Car accident
Minor: Pregnancy
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
Once again, a great book by Emily Henry. I really loved the story telling. Just a warning, as much as love is a central theme of the book, the love story between Alice and Hayden is not a main focus so if that’s what you’re looking for, maybe this isn’t for you.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Cancer, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, Classism
emotional
funny
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
Another 5 star from Emily Henry, which I'm not surprised about in the slightest. One of her most multi-faceted and layered plots, but it all came weaved together in the end. I also just love a mmc who is completely at the mercy of the fmc, we LOVE a yearning man!!
Cried at the end. Unapologetic about it. The only thing I'm most upset about is that I'll have to wait another year for her next one.
Cried at the end. Unapologetic about it. The only thing I'm most upset about is that I'll have to wait another year for her next one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Sexual content, Pregnancy
Minor: Terminal illness
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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:
Complicated
Emily Henry is the queen of romcoms for a reason and she has absolutely done it again. This book was not like anything she's ever written before, but I personally loved the departure from her usual format. Despite it not being a "typical" romcom, it still had all the elements that make an Emily Henry book special - the complex relationships, raw human emotion, and the big beautiful feelings that she draws from her readers.
This story really sunk itself into my heart and didn't let go. I generally find her books fast, compelling, easy reads that I can binge quickly, but I truly would have finished this in one setting if I didn't need to also see to basic human functions like eating and sleeping. As soon as I put it down, I wanted to pick it back up again - I was absolutely gripped in a way that I typically am not with just a straight up romcom.
I honestly was so impressed with how Henry wove together the stories of our two characters in present day, Alice and Hayden, who are journalists competing to write the life story of Margaret, the now elderly heiress to a media fortune who is ready to tell her side of things - the fame, the fortune, and tragedy alike. This book really reminded me of Daisy Jones and the Six (which I mean as a compliment) - this is most clearly felt in the way that there are interview segments with flashbacks and then moments in the present day coming together to form a coherent, sprawling tale of a full life.
I honestly think there are plenty of thriller writers who could take a lesson from Emily Henry in this book - the way she dropped clues and built suspense to the finale was really impressive and was part of what made it so compelling for me. There generally aren't any big reveals in a romcom, but this blending of genres worked well. Not everyone has the talent to pull this off, but Henry certainly does.
We do have plenty of those classic Sleepless in Seattle-like moments, though, so if you're a lover of the OG romcoms, there are still these themes and elements throughout. I love a competitors-turned-lovers, and I think no matter what part of the story you show up for, you'll be satisfied. In this novel, Henry gives her readers exactly the sort of tension needed to craft a complex story while keeping that secret sauce that makes a romance feel magical.
Bravo to the queen, long may she reign!
This story really sunk itself into my heart and didn't let go. I generally find her books fast, compelling, easy reads that I can binge quickly, but I truly would have finished this in one setting if I didn't need to also see to basic human functions like eating and sleeping. As soon as I put it down, I wanted to pick it back up again - I was absolutely gripped in a way that I typically am not with just a straight up romcom.
I honestly was so impressed with how Henry wove together the stories of our two characters in present day, Alice and Hayden, who are journalists competing to write the life story of Margaret, the now elderly heiress to a media fortune who is ready to tell her side of things - the fame, the fortune, and tragedy alike. This book really reminded me of Daisy Jones and the Six (which I mean as a compliment) - this is most clearly felt in the way that there are interview segments with flashbacks and then moments in the present day coming together to form a coherent, sprawling tale of a full life.
I honestly think there are plenty of thriller writers who could take a lesson from Emily Henry in this book - the way she dropped clues and built suspense to the finale was really impressive and was part of what made it so compelling for me. There generally aren't any big reveals in a romcom, but this blending of genres worked well. Not everyone has the talent to pull this off, but Henry certainly does.
We do have plenty of those classic Sleepless in Seattle-like moments, though, so if you're a lover of the OG romcoms, there are still these themes and elements throughout. I love a competitors-turned-lovers, and I think no matter what part of the story you show up for, you'll be satisfied. In this novel, Henry gives her readers exactly the sort of tension needed to craft a complex story while keeping that secret sauce that makes a romance feel magical.
Bravo to the queen, long may she reign!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Dementia, Kidnapping, Abandonment, Alcohol
Minor: Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Trafficking
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
- the pacing all together felt off, their relationship was weird instalust/lonely and desperately needing a lay, quickly followed by instalove with very little actual character, relationship, or time development.
- the build up of "margaret's lying to us" was also paced poorly - too much time building it up for a rushed reveal that could have been done so much better.
also feel like everyone's brushing past hayden giving up the job too quickly - that was super insulting. i get that he wanted to avoid the situation with his ex but why did he think she'd be receptive to that when she literally spent the whole book explicitly telling him otherwise??
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent
Minor: Miscarriage, Car accident