A review by kate_ever
Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

I know I can always pick up a book by this author and enjoy it, and this one was no exception. I loved it, and even though I feel like I say it every time, I feel like this is my favourite book yet. It was a little different to what I was expecting, but that made it even more entertaining because I couldn’t imagine the outcome in the same way. 

 

I think where this book differs from the usual Emily Henry story is that I was more intrigued about the enigmatic Margaret, an heiress turned recluse, than the relationship between Hayden and Alice, the two writers battling it out to write her story. And I loved watching them get to know each other and seeing their connection bloom as the story progressed, but I just felt Margaret’s story pull me in more. 

 

The setting was fantastic, it was on a small, remote island with a tight-knit community, and meant that Alice and Hayden had plenty of opportunity to keep running into each other. I loved that Alice kept on being bright and friendly even when Hayden was sceptical of her intentions. 

 

I won't say too much about the story, but it had a lot of layers and I loved seeing how all the puzzle pieces fit together. The author manages to find the perfect balance between the budding romance and Margaret's story. 

 

The characters made this book, and I loved that we got to see them help each other be the better versions of themselves. Considering how much this book covers, I feel like we still got a very well-rounded picture of each of them, and for a change, I loved them all equally. 

 

This book felt like a lovely warm hug, full of emotion and with characters that were easy to invest in. I am very much looking forward to next summer to see what comes next for Emily Henry, because I'm sure I'm going to love it.