If there’s one author who rules the romance genre, it has to be Emily Henry. Her books have a complete chokehold on me and the entire internet. Repping your favorite Emily Henry novel is almost like rooting for your favorite sports team. No matter what jersey you wear, you’re united in your love for the game. You might be a Beach Read girl or a Funny Story stan, but at the end of the day, we’re still going to read every book she releases. Personally, there isn’t a single Emily Henry book I dislike, but her latest release, Great Big Beautiful Life, might just be my favorite of them all. When I turned the last page, I immediately ran to Goodreads to see what everyone was saying (duh) and was shocked to see that many fans were calling this their least favorite Emily Henry book yet. Here’s my full review of her most divisive release to date:
Emily Henry
Two writers compete for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of a woman with more than a couple of plot twists up her sleeve in this dazzling and sweeping novel from Emily Henry.
What is Great Big Beautiful Life about?
Great Big Beautiful Life follows Alice Scott, a journalist waiting for her big break, with a relentlessly optimistic view of the world, and Hayden Anderson, a Pulitzer Prize–winning writer whose stony disposition is the complete opposite. They find themselves pitted against each other in the small town of Little Crescent Island, where Margaret Ives, a notorious heiress from one of the most storied (and scandalous) families of the twentieth century, has decided to share her life story after decades of silence. But only one of them will get to write her biography.
During a month-long trial period, Alice and Hayden go head-to-head. But as Margaret tells her story, they realize she isn’t being entirely truthful. Piecing it all together proves difficult when you can’t share evidence with your competitor, and you’re also starting to fall for them…
WHAT OUR TEAM SAYS
“This book was an immediate five-star read for me—I simply could not put it down. However, Great Big Beautiful Life is a bit different than what Emily Henry’s readers have come to expect. While the romance is definitely a focal point (and just as swoon-worthy as her other titles), it shares the stage with the story of the reclusive former socialite Margaret Ives. While I was equally compelled by both narratives, I can understand why fans are divided. Go into this one with an open mind and I can assure you won’t be disappointed.”
– Garri Chaverst, Senior Managing Editor
My Review of Great Big Beautiful Life
One of my biggest qualms with romance books is how rare it is to find a story where every character feels fully formed. Love interests’ backstories often peak at tall, dark, and handsome; best friends exist solely to bring a tub of Ben & Jerry’s after a breakup; and side characters only offer comedic relief. But Great Big Beautiful Life does the opposite. I felt like every character could have their own spin-off novel. Even those with minor roles felt like authentic people, even when we only got tiny glimpses into their stories.
That commitment to character development is why I loved Alice and Hayden so much. The grumpy-sunshine trope isn’t anything new, but many authors assign those traits and call it a day in terms of their personality. Alice is definitely the human embodiment of sunshine, but we learn why, and in that why lies the relatability. Even though I don’t identify with either personality extreme, I understood their motivations and how their lives shaped their worldviews, which made me deeply invested in their stories. It’s not easy to develop two fully fleshed-out characters, especially when the story has dual narratives, but Henry does it flawlessly.
“It’s rare to find a book so compelling that you want to race through it, but force yourself to slow down just to spend more time with the characters. Great Big Beautiful Life is exactly that.”
Usually, I don’t love books with multiple timelines because I end up skimming one in favor of the more compelling story. But Henry expertly crafts two distinct, equally captivating narratives that kept me fully invested in both. While I absolutely adored Alice and Hayden’s love story, this book goes far beyond romance. It explores the instinct to protect the people we love, the blurred lines between truth and perception, and the ways we’re shaped by those closest to us. You’ll finish it wanting to call your mom just to say you love her, and wishing there were a subreddit dedicated to dissecting every detail of the fictional Ives family that you could spend hours scrolling.
Every negative review I’ve seen of Great Big Beautiful Life centers on one critique: it didn’t feel like a romance novel. And while, yes, the romance may not take center stage to the same extent it does in some of Henry’s other books, I think the story is even better for it. Henry sidestepped the overly familiar rom-com beats while still presenting a reading experience that gave me butterflies and had me cursing the fact that my life is completely devoid of anyone even slightly resembling Hayden Anderson. We learned so much about the characters in the scenes that weren’t explicitly romantic that it made the final “happily ever after” hit even harder.
WHAT OUR TEAM SAYS
“Once again this book left me desperately searching through my library holds for something to fill the Emily Henry void (to no avail). As is my ritual, I will likely end up re-reading all of her previous releases because there is just something about her writing that hits different. That said, one of the only other authors that makes me feel this way is Taylor Jenkins Reid…which may explain why I liked this book so much. Do I have a few complaints about the pacing feeling a little disjointed at times? Yes. But I still ate this up and would do so again.”
– Abigail Moseman, Assistant Social Media Editor
What truly sets Great Big Beautiful Life apart from other Emily Henry novels is the level of world-building that it achieves. We jump between decades, exploring the outrageous wealth and mystique of Hollywood, while simultaneously experiencing the classic Emily Henry small-town charm on Little Crescent Island. Managing to build both of these worlds without one overpowering the other is such a feat. I slipped seamlessly between Margaret Ives’ life as American royalty and the present-day lives of Alice and Hayden, and I wish I could spend even more time in both.
So, should you read Great Big Beautiful Life?
If it isn’t obvious yet, let me make it explicitly clear: you should 100 percent, without a doubt, run to grab this book and dive in immediately. Those who didn’t love it mainly wanted the romance to take up more of the spotlight, and I understand that, but writing the book off for that reason alone means missing out on a truly incredible story. It’s rare to find a book so compelling that you want to race through it, but force yourself to slow down just to spend more time with the characters. Great Big Beautiful Life is exactly that. From its masterful world-building to its authentically flawed yet deeply lovable characters, I savored every page.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lauren Blue, Assistant Editor
As an Assistant Editor for The Everygirl, Lauren ideates and writes content for every facet of our readers’ lives. Her articles span the topics of must-read books, movies, home tours, travel itineraries—and everything in between. When she isn’t testing the latest TikTok trend, she can be found scouring Goodreads for new releases to feature on the site.