Did Emily Henry Do It Again? My Take on Great Big Beautiful Life

“Tell me something no one knows about.”

“I’m in love with you.”

What can I say? Emily Henry did it again. She’s THAT author for me, the one who never misses. This is the fourth book I’ve read from her, and every single time it feels like she’s writing just for me. Great Big Beautiful Life, completely hit the mark. I genuinely enjoyed every single moment of reading it. 💛

Summary of Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

Alice Scott is an eternal optimist still dreaming of her big writing break. Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer-prize winning human thundercloud. And they’re both on balmy Little Crescent Island for the same reason: To write the biography of a woman no one has seen in years–or at least to meet with the octogenarian who claims to be the Margaret Ives. Tragic heiress, former tabloid princess, and daughter of one of the most storied (and scandalous) families of the 20th Century.

When Margaret invites them both for a one-month trial period, after which she’ll choose the person who’ll tell her story, there are three things keeping Alice’s head in the game.

One: Alice genuinely likes people, which means people usually like Alice—and she has a whole month to win the legendary woman over.

Two: She’s ready for this job and the chance to impress her perennially unimpressed family with a Serious Publication

Three: Hayden Anderson, who should have no reason to be concerned about losing this book, is glowering at her in a shaken-to-the core way that suggests he sees her as competition.

But the problem is, Margaret is only giving each of them pieces of her story. Pieces they can’t swap to put together because of an ironclad NDA and an inconvenient yearning pulsing between them every time they’re in the same room.

And it’s becoming abundantly clear that their story—just like the tale Margaret’s spinning—could be a mystery, tragedy, or love ballad…depending on who’s telling it.

Review of Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry was one of my most anticipated releases of the year, and I’m happy to say, it did NOT disappoint. It sits at a strong 4.5 stars for me, just a tiny step behind Happy Place. It was this close 🤏 to being a full 5-star read! So, let’s dive into the review and talk about what worked (and what almost pushed it over the edge). 💫

Plot Analysis of Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

When Alice lands on Little Crescent Island, she’s hoping for the opportunity of a lifetime, a chance to uncover the truth about Margaret Ives, a reclusive icon who vanished from the public eye years ago. But what she doesn’t expect is to be sharing that chance… with someone else.

Hayden is everything Alice finds intimidating: award-winning, experienced, and effortlessly confident. He’s been telling groundbreaking stories for years, and now he’s after the same one she is. Their first meeting? Not exactly smooth sailing. And it doesn’t take long for Alice to start questioning whether she’s really cut out for this.

Margaret, however, has her own approach. Instead of picking one of them right away, she proposes a challenge: one month, two writers, and a single shot to earn her trust. At the end of it all, she’ll choose who gets to tell her story. Let the games begin.

Characters of Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

Alice Scott : Alice’s character was so relatable, I kept seeing parts of myself in her the whole time. As someone who’s overly optimistic by nature, I was honestly over the moon to find a character that felt that close to home. I loved her determination and how grounded she was, especially in how she handled her relationships, particularly with her family. It felt real and heartfelt. Watching her grow and evolve throughout the story was such a satisfying part of the journey. I genuinely enjoyed being in her head, reading from her POV was an absolute joy.

Hayden Anderson: Hayden totally gave off the grumpy-borderline-rude vibes at first, you know the type. But once you start to peel back the layers, he turns into that golden retriever kind of guy who’s soft and loyal once he lets you in 🥺. I loved his character so much. I could really understand his struggles as the story went on, and watching his growth felt so genuine. By the end, I was completely obsessed with him and had that “must protect at all costs” energy.

Alice & Hayden : The tension between Alice and Hayden?? So thick you could cut it with a knife, and I LOVED every single second of it. Their dynamic was everything. Opposites attract? Yeah, it ATE. This is hands down my favorite couple Emily Henry has ever written. And don’t even get me started on the “knees bumping under the table” moments… I ate that up every time 😈. Sorry not sorry, hihi. I know some people weren’t into it, but honestly? I adored it. Give me all, please.

Pacing & writing style

Emily Henry is one of my favorite authors for a reason, and Great Big Beautiful Life just proves my point all over again. She KNOWS how to write a gripping, heartfelt, unputdownable piece of chick lit. I was flying through the pages, I needed to know more about Alice and Hayden, and I was completely hooked by Margaret’s story too.

I loved this book so much that if I see someone critiquing it on TikTok or any platform, I’d just silently scroll past and pretend I never saw it. 😌 No shade, but I simply cannot accept any slander. If there’s one defender of Great Big Beautiful Life, it’s me. They will never make me hate it, ever. 💅💛

The only reason Great Big Beautiful Life isn’t a full 5-star read for me is the pacing, and honestly, I don’t even know exactly how to explain it. It’s not that the pacing was bad, it just didn’t feel quite right either. Let me try to break it down…

So, the first kiss happens around page 100, which is pretty normal for a romance, right? But in this case, the story is split almost evenly between the romance (Alice and Hayden) and Margaret’s storyline. So that kiss felt really early, like, if you take out Margaret’s part, it was basically 50 pages in. I literally sat there like, “Wait… already??” 😳 I was happy for them, but also very confused. If that makes any sense at all, lol.

And because the book juggled both storylines, , the romance and the story of Margaret, I felt like we didn’t get the full depth of either.

That said, this doesn’t take away from how great the book is. It still had all the heart, charm, and emotional pull I love from Emily Henry. Just… not quite the perfect five stars this time.

Tropes and Trigger warnings of Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

Tropes of Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

Tropes :

• Rivals to lovers
• Forced proximity
• Small town romance
• Grumpy x Sunshine
• Celebrity drama
• Opposites attracts

Trigger warnings of Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

• Grief
• Death of loved one
• Family trauma
• Cult / Kidnapping

Some quotes I enjoyed

“There’s an old saying about stories, and how there are always three versions of them: yours, mine and the truth.”

“Even if you’re the one build the monster, you’re never going to be able to control it. It’ll gladly eat you alive and floss with your bones, once it’s finished with everyone else.”

“No one knows how ‘normal’ or ‘strange’ their own life is until they see the alternative.”

“And whenever I was scared, I’d go to my favorite entries and reread what I’d written, and I’d feel like I really was there.”

“All the emotions and sensations of the moment would rise, an echo, or kind of time travel. With writing, you could always add more. More, more, more until you got the heart of a thing, and after that, you could chip away the excess.”

“Life is so complicated. And I think it’s human nature to try to untangle those complications. We want everything to make sense. And that’s okay. It’s worthy pursuit.”

“Love isn’t something you can cup in your hands, and I have to believe that means it’s something that can’t ever be lost.”

“I’ve written stuff I’m really proud of that hardly anyone read. I’ve written stuff I’m proud of that no one liked. That doesn’t mean it didn’t deserve to be written.”

“Just because something doesn’t make money or win awards doesn’t mean it doesn’t have value. Or doesn’t deserve to exist. The job is alchemy. You take a hunk of rock and try to turn it to gold, and the gold isn’t even really the point.”

He garbs my hand, yanks me into him, and kisses me there in the middle of the dark path.

“That’s a pretty good strategy,” I whisper happily. At the ridge that forms in his forehead, I specify, “For when I’m talking too much.”

“I’m not trying to shut you up, Alice,” he says. “It’s just that somehow, almost everything you say makes me want to kiss you.”

“Then again, maybe love was always a gift. The only thing that couldn’t be bought or sold or bartered for.”

“When you love someone, you do anything to give them what they need. You unmake the world and build a new one.

“Is it true?” he says finally.

“What?” I whisper.

“Is it true?” he says.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you.” I get out. “I wanted to tell you—”

“ Is”—he steps in closer, the letter falling to his side—“it true?”

“ About Margaret’s connection to you?” I ask.

His chin moves to the lefts one inch. “That you love me?”

The tears break. “ Of course it’s true. How could it not be? I loved you almost instantly, before I really even knew you. Before I understood it. I trusted you, and I loved you, and I still do.”

“Goods”, he says, taking another small step toward the open door.“Because I love you too. I love you so much, and I don’t want to be without you ever again. I’ll move to Los Angeles, I’ll find a new job, whatever.”

“When I let myself dream”, he murmurs against my ear, “or it all comes crashing down—it’s Alice, Alice on my mind. Alice all the time.”

“Maybe every bit of heartbreak in life can be rearranged and used for something beautiful.”

Final Thought

I can confidently say Great Big Beautiful Life reminded me exactly why Emily Henry is THAT author for me. Her writing always manages to be both cozy and sharp, emotional and witty, and once again, I found myself completely swept up in her world. Alice and Hayden stole my heart, and Margaret kept me intrigued the whole way through. I didn’t want to put it down.

The romance gave me everything I wanted, banter, tension, soft moments, and that satisfying payoff. Their dynamic was perfection. The tension? So thick it could cut glass. The opposites attract vibe absolutely ate.

Now, the only thing that held this back from being a full 5 stars for me was the pacing. I don’t even know how to explain it properly, it wasn’t bad, but because the story was split between the romance and Margaret’s backstory, it made some of the romantic beats feel like they came a little too soon.

Still, none of that takes away from how much I adored this book. It was emotional, romantic, a little dramatic, and honestly? Pure serotonin. I don’t care what anyone says, if I see someone critiquing it online, I’m just gonna scroll and move on. This book is living rent-free in my head, and no one’s taking that from me. 💛

About the author

Practical Information for Readers

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry Book Formats

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry is available in various formats to suit every reader’s preference:

• Paperback: Ideal for readers who enjoy the tactile experience of holding a physical book.
• eBook: Convenient for on-the-go reading, available on all major e-reader platforms.
• Audiobook: Narrated with emotional depth, available on platforms like Audible.
• PDF Great Big Beautiful Life : While some may search for a PDF version, it’s recommended to opt for legal eBook options to support the author.

Where to find Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry PDF

1. Amazon Kindle: Offers a user-friendly interface with customizable reading settings.
2. Barnes & Noble Nook: Another popular platform with a wide selection of e-books.
3. Apple Books: Provides seamless integration with Apple devices and a smooth reading experience.

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry Age Rating

I’d recommend Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry for readers aged 17+ due to explicit sexual content and themes of grief and loss. The book deals with the death of a loved one, which could be triggering for some readers, so keep that in mind before diving in.