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oproy 's review for:
Great Big Beautiful Life
by Emily Henry
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
So I feel like I might be in the minority here, but I like really hated it. I get that it’s a romance book, but the tropes were just so overused!
We get it, Hayden is freakishly tall and successful and extremely hot and also brooding. And April is tall (but not too tall!) and leggy and funny and optimistic. And he falls in love with her immediately. I just…felt like I really had to suspend belief that both of these characters were single because they are literally both perfect.
As for the Margaret portion of the story, the twist was interesting but I honestly didn’t really care. She wasn’t particularly loveable and we’re supposed to have this awe-inducing reaction to her but it obviously just doesn’t hit the same because she’s not real. Like I get it, she’s supposed to basically be like Marilyn Monroe but it was hard for me to like her.
AND, the whole thing with them not having sex so they don’t resent each other?? So stupid! Like they basically were there already and he said he LOVED HER. Like if I did all that with a guy I feel like it would almost be worse than just sleeping with them once.
Anyways, overall a quick read but kind of boring. Both the romance and the mystery portions felt too trope-y (is that a word?), and the finale with Hayden and April(in the future somehow having a baby already!) made me feel like I was in a fever dream. Sadly, my first and probably last Emily Henry book. Would not recommend.
We get it, Hayden is freakishly tall and successful and extremely hot and also brooding. And April is tall (but not too tall!) and leggy and funny and optimistic. And he falls in love with her immediately. I just…felt like I really had to suspend belief that both of these characters were single because they are literally both perfect.
As for the Margaret portion of the story, the twist was interesting but I honestly didn’t really care. She wasn’t particularly loveable and we’re supposed to have this awe-inducing reaction to her but it obviously just doesn’t hit the same because she’s not real. Like I get it, she’s supposed to basically be like Marilyn Monroe but it was hard for me to like her.
Anyways, overall a quick read but kind of boring. Both the romance and the mystery portions felt too trope-y (is that a word?), and the finale with Hayden and April
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent