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emotional
funny
mysterious
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
"It's a love story, like everything I write. That's what it comes down to. That's what always matters most to me[...]For whom would you unmake the world?"
This is a romance. This is definitely a Emily Henry story. It just happens that there is a much bigger secondary story taking up space this time. I definitely enjoyed it. I love her writing.
I was a little worried that this was a introduction to a departure from writing romance. But the pieces were all there and she kept telling us through her characters that telling love stories was what she loves to do. So while it is not my favorite Henry. It is still a very good book.
This is a romance. This is definitely a Emily Henry story. It just happens that there is a much bigger secondary story taking up space this time. I definitely enjoyed it. I love her writing.
I was a little worried that this was a introduction to a departure from writing romance. But the pieces were all there and she kept telling us through her characters that telling love stories was what she loves to do. So while it is not my favorite Henry. It is still a very good book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent
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
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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
I think this is my favorite Emily Henry book to date! The story is so sweet and I love the dual timelines. It’s equal parts romance and historical fiction/mystery. It didn’t feel predictable or boring at all and I probably could’ve finished it in a sitting haha. Definitely want to reread this one again in the future!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Sexual content, Car accident, Pregnancy
Minor: Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Blood, Dementia, Injury/Injury detail
Normally I don’t like the pregnancy trope at the end of the book but I think it works here given the overall theme of the book.
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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
🧡 Grumpy/Sunshine
🧡 Rivals to Lovers
🧡 Workplace (ish)
4/5 🌟
3/5 🌶
Not the typical romance, but it is a love story, through snd through; love for a child, a sibling, a parent, or a kindred spirit. It's about all kinds of love and that not everyone gets that love right.
The romance seemed unfounded to start, but was just as powerful in the end.
🧡 Rivals to Lovers
🧡 Workplace (ish)
4/5 🌟
3/5 🌶
Not the typical romance, but it is a love story, through snd through; love for a child, a sibling, a parent, or a kindred spirit. It's about all kinds of love and that not everyone gets that love right.
The romance seemed unfounded to start, but was just as powerful in the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident
Moderate: Death, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting
emotional
mysterious
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:
Yes
My favorite Emily Henry by far. Loved the Tybee setting and the compelling dual timeline. It’s different from her other romances and all the stronger for it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse
Moderate: Death of parent
emotional
funny
hopeful
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 of parent
Moderate: Infidelity, Mental illness, Grief, Car accident
Minor: Animal death, Bullying, Terminal illness, Dementia, Pregnancy
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
no one talk to me for 3-5 work days I'm processing (also recovering from crying) (a lot)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Dementia, Car accident, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol
Minor: Confinement, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Forced institutionalization
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
What does it take to love someone enough to walk away?
I’ve seen some folks disputing whether this book is a capital R Romance because it doesn’t focus that much on the relationship between the main couple. I would argue that this it is, and more than that it’s a love story.
Love and loving relationships come in many forms. The love between a parent and child, between siblings, and friends. These relationships shape us as much if not more than romantic ones.
Great Big Beautiful Life explores those many kinds of love through the story of a tragic family history and two people trying to navigate their careers, grief, and love in a world heavily impacted by the choices of the people in their past.
Time and again we see people making mistakes, hurting each other, but also showing hidden depths of love and devotion. We are shown how grief is an aspect of love not its antithesis.
But most of all, it’s about learning from the mistakes and lost chances of the past. From the tragedies of our families’ stories. Doing the hard work and to repair what can was broken, and build something better. That sometimes loving someone means fighting to stay with them.
I would recommend this book to fans of stories about famous people’s tragic lives, anyone who’s ready to think about the lost of a loved one to age and/or mental degradation, and love. Yeah, fans of love.
I’ve seen some folks disputing whether this book is a capital R Romance because it doesn’t focus that much on the relationship between the main couple. I would argue that this it is, and more than that it’s a love story.
Love and loving relationships come in many forms. The love between a parent and child, between siblings, and friends. These relationships shape us as much if not more than romantic ones.
Great Big Beautiful Life explores those many kinds of love through the story of a tragic family history and two people trying to navigate their careers, grief, and love in a world heavily impacted by the choices of the people in their past.
Time and again we see people making mistakes, hurting each other, but also showing hidden depths of love and devotion. We are shown how grief is an aspect of love not its antithesis.
But most of all, it’s about learning from the mistakes and lost chances of the past. From the tragedies of our families’ stories. Doing the hard work and to repair what can was broken, and build something better. That sometimes loving someone means fighting to stay with them.
I would recommend this book to fans of stories about famous people’s tragic lives, anyone who’s ready to think about the lost of a loved one to age and/or mental degradation, and love. Yeah, fans of love.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Abandonment
Minor: Drug use, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Dementia, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Great Big Beautiful Life is only the second Emily Henry book I’ve read—my first was Funny Story—and this one definitely feels like a departure from her usual style. It leans more into women’s fiction, and I absolutely enjoyed the shift.
Margaret’s story was both beautiful and heartbreaking, and I was completely drawn in. That twist at the end genuinely caught me off guard, even though some parts were a bit predictable. I liked not always knowing where the story would lead.
There is a romance plot which is between Alice and Hayden, who are competing to write Margaret’s story, but I felt like their chemistry could’ve been explored a bit more deeply. Still, the emotional weight of the book more than made up for it.
Overall, this was a emotionally rich read, and I’d recommend it to anyone interested in seeing a different, refreshing side of Emily Henry’s storytelling.
Margaret’s story was both beautiful and heartbreaking, and I was completely drawn in. That twist at the end genuinely caught me off guard, even though some parts were a bit predictable. I liked not always knowing where the story would lead.
There is a romance plot which is between Alice and Hayden, who are competing to write Margaret’s story, but I felt like their chemistry could’ve been explored a bit more deeply. Still, the emotional weight of the book more than made up for it.
Overall, this was a emotionally rich read, and I’d recommend it to anyone interested in seeing a different, refreshing side of Emily Henry’s storytelling.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Dementia, Car accident, Pregnancy
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Gaslighting
emotional
lighthearted
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
The Evelyn Hugo meets Beach read plot did not disappoint! I love getting blindsided by the storyline, this is now my favourite Emily Henry book! And the audiobook narration by Julia Whelan was the cherry on top!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent