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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
I enjoyed this even if it felt a little different than other books I have read by Emily Henry.
Alice and Hayden were cute but they fell just a little too fast for me personally.I guess it kind of mirrored Cosmo and Margaret though. I liked their dynamic a lot though.
I did find myself being ripped between the romance and the storytelling and that was jarring at certain points. Honestly I cared more for the storytelling for most of the book and got frustrated when I had to read through the romance bits to get back to it. That said all of it tied together very nicely in the end. I think I would enjoy it more if I read it again.
I see the comparisons to other popular books and while I slightly agree I think this story is different enough to be its own thing.
Alice and Hayden were cute but they fell just a little too fast for me personally.
I did find myself being ripped between the romance and the storytelling and that was jarring at certain points. Honestly I cared more for the storytelling for most of the book and got frustrated when I had to read through the romance bits to get back to it. That said all of it tied together very nicely in the end. I think I would enjoy it more if I read it again.
I see the comparisons to other popular books and while I slightly agree I think this story is different enough to be its own thing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Sexual content, Death of parent
Moderate: Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Grief, Car accident
emotional
inspiring
reflective
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
my first emily henry book and i loved it!! the concept of two writers battling for the same opportunity to write a famous person’s never-told biography is sooooo delicious and it was so well done!!! i also feel that alice and hayden had such good chemistry and their relationship was well-written. the last 15% of the book was my favorite though; i couldn’t have predicted it if i tried and i feel like it was such a satisfying conclusion to the story!! i’ll def be reading more from emily henry!!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Sexual content, Dementia, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent
Minor: Infidelity, Misogyny, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pregnancy
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual content, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
My least favorite Emily Henry to date. It wasn't terrible, just boring.
The lead couple and their romance was pretty unconvincing and Margaret's story just wasn't interesting to me. The big reveal was predictable and not worth slogging through all this family history for.
The overall vibe was different enough from previous books that I forgot I was reading a Emily Henry novel.
The lead couple and their romance was pretty unconvincing and Margaret's story just wasn't interesting to me. The big reveal was predictable and not worth slogging through all this family history for.
The overall vibe was different enough from previous books that I forgot I was reading a Emily Henry novel.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Grief
Minor: Animal death, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Dementia, Car accident, Suicide attempt
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
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, Toxic relationship, Grief
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Terminal illness, Death of parent
Minor: Pregnancy
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
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
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Grief
Moderate: Car accident
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
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