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challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Another strong Emily Henry performance, this time weaving past and present, glamour and the ordinary, and a whole bunch more small things that make up life.
I made the mistake during my reading to check the reviews of this book. I was equally confused by the readers' obsession with this being a "poor man's Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo" and the claims that this isn't a romance.
I suppose I'm lucky in so far that my contrarian nature keeps me away from things that are generally popular, so I've not the faintest clue whether there is any resemblance to this other book. I will say that having read the blurb, it just sounds like a recurring motif, and I'm not entirely sure one can copyright a motif. But I haven't read the book, so I have no clue. Maybe don't read them in the same year if you're committed to reading both.
With respect to the claim that this isn't a romance, my only guess is that the other readers were looking for something more smutty and less complex. What I like about Emily Henry's books are the many layers to people, the individual lives they live outside of their romantic pursuits, their baggage and their dramas. When I read her Funny Story, I was stolen away by the way it dealt with grief for a life that the heroine had been hoping for.
Here, we've got Alice who's trying to live her best life, but then she stumbles upon something she shared with her father and because he's no longer there, it's a dream to pursue answers they had bought sought in the past. But her dream come true isn't within easy reach because there's another author in the running and although he's a rival, Alice can't help being herself. Bubbly and sweet and unfailingly polite, and Hayden's her completely opposite, but they work anyway.
I can't see how there would be no romance, when Alice and Hayden experience a slow simmering attraction that slowly turns into a wild love despite the boundaries that they try to keep between them. How?!
We get real friendships strewn in, the kind of family dynamics that are memorable and realistic, and a happily ever after that's just perfect. It's not a rom com, but why would it need to be? Emily Henry writes something just a little bit deeper, and that's A-OK, it's still a fantastic story.
I made the mistake during my reading to check the reviews of this book. I was equally confused by the readers' obsession with this being a "poor man's Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo" and the claims that this isn't a romance.
I suppose I'm lucky in so far that my contrarian nature keeps me away from things that are generally popular, so I've not the faintest clue whether there is any resemblance to this other book. I will say that having read the blurb, it just sounds like a recurring motif, and I'm not entirely sure one can copyright a motif. But I haven't read the book, so I have no clue. Maybe don't read them in the same year if you're committed to reading both.
With respect to the claim that this isn't a romance, my only guess is that the other readers were looking for something more smutty and less complex. What I like about Emily Henry's books are the many layers to people, the individual lives they live outside of their romantic pursuits, their baggage and their dramas. When I read her Funny Story, I was stolen away by the way it dealt with grief for a life that the heroine had been hoping for.
Here, we've got Alice who's trying to live her best life, but then she stumbles upon something she shared with her father and because he's no longer there, it's a dream to pursue answers they had bought sought in the past. But her dream come true isn't within easy reach because there's another author in the running and although he's a rival, Alice can't help being herself. Bubbly and sweet and unfailingly polite, and Hayden's her completely opposite, but they work anyway.
I can't see how there would be no romance, when Alice and Hayden experience a slow simmering attraction that slowly turns into a wild love despite the boundaries that they try to keep between them. How?!
We get real friendships strewn in, the kind of family dynamics that are memorable and realistic, and a happily ever after that's just perfect. It's not a rom com, but why would it need to be? Emily Henry writes something just a little bit deeper, and that's A-OK, it's still a fantastic story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Infidelity, Dementia, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Car accident
Moderate: Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Death of parent
emotional
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:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Death of parent
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief
Moderate: Car accident, Death of parent
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
I don't know why people keep saying this is not a Romance. It is textbook Romance and totally recognizable as an Emily Henry book. There are two narratives happening, however: one the main romance and one the life and family story of the main character's interview subject, which happens independently of the romantic interests. So you might be bored if you don't care about the interview subject's story. I loved it. I cried. I loved the main couple and how they were developed throughout the story. It's some of Emily Henry's best work, in my opinion.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Car accident, Death of parent
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Overall loved this one! Wish I could read the memoir to know more about Margaret and not just her history
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Car accident
funny
mysterious
reflective
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:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Car accident
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death, Car accident
Minor: Confinement, Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
Emily Henry you mad genius. I love you so much. Great Big Beautiful Life has got to be one of Emily's best books. It was different than anything else she's written but it is fantastic. I was so sucked into this world that I would question where I was when I looked up from the book. What a wonderful writer Emily is. What a magnificent book.
Okay, first, the cast of characters are perfect. From Margaret and all her family to Alice and Hayden. Every character added something to the book. Alice Scott is such a loveable character. Her sunshine demeanor and optimism won me over. She's hilarious and kind and it was so easy to root for her. I loved her from page one. Hayden Anderson, what a man. I gotta be honest, he was a jerk at the beginning. But, as usual, Emily made us absolutely adore him by the end of the book. He was so kind and honest. He's selfless and funny. And he absolutely worships the ground Alice walks on. Hayden is down BAD! As all men should be for the woman they love. I loved watching Alice and Hayden grow together and fall in love. Their love felt so pure and honest. They way it developed felt so natural and real. It was perfectly written.
Onto the Margaret Ives storyline. Oh my gosh, was I absolutely hooked. I loved connecting all the dots and learning all about Margaret's family. So much joy and grief is found in Margaret's story. It made my heart ache to read about, but then it made my heart rejoice when Margaret gets her happy ending. Everything about this story was so real and put together perfectly. I love these characters, I love the story, I love this book. I honestly don't think Emily Henry is capable of writing a bad book. Everything she writes turns to gold. I love love love you Emily Henry.
Okay, first, the cast of characters are perfect. From Margaret and all her family to Alice and Hayden. Every character added something to the book. Alice Scott is such a loveable character. Her sunshine demeanor and optimism won me over. She's hilarious and kind and it was so easy to root for her. I loved her from page one. Hayden Anderson, what a man. I gotta be honest, he was a jerk at the beginning. But, as usual, Emily made us absolutely adore him by the end of the book. He was so kind and honest. He's selfless and funny. And he absolutely worships the ground Alice walks on. Hayden is down BAD! As all men should be for the woman they love. I loved watching Alice and Hayden grow together and fall in love. Their love felt so pure and honest. They way it developed felt so natural and real. It was perfectly written.
Onto the Margaret Ives storyline. Oh my gosh, was I absolutely hooked. I loved connecting all the dots and learning all about Margaret's family. So much joy and grief is found in Margaret's story. It made my heart ache to read about, but then it made my heart rejoice when Margaret gets her happy ending. Everything about this story was so real and put together perfectly. I love these characters, I love the story, I love this book. I honestly don't think Emily Henry is capable of writing a bad book. Everything she writes turns to gold. I love love love you Emily Henry.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Car accident, Gaslighting
Minor: Infidelity, Racial slurs, Dementia, Suicide attempt