Review: Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
- amiller8979
- May 12
- 2 min read
by Amber Miller
May 9, 2025
Suppose you enjoyed Taylor Jenkins Reid's The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (which I loved, by the way). In that case, you will also be mesmerized by Emily Henry's latest novel, Great Big Beautiful Life. Henry is a well-known and beloved contemporary romance author. Her colorful covers with bold fonts are often featured in my suggested reads, but until Great Big Beautiful Life, I had not read any of her previous titles.
This book was not an immediate five-star read for me, but as the characters developed, I could easily see why it's Reese's Book Club's pick for May 2025. According to my Goodreads research, Great Big Beautiful Life is slightly different than what Emily Henry’s readers have come to expect. While the romance is a focal point, it shares the stage with the story of the reclusive former socialite Margaret Ives. While both narratives compelled me, I understand why Henry fans are divided. I suggest coming into this one with an open mind and hanging in there with it until Margaret finally shares her great love story; I assure you, you will NOT be disappointed.
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. Hayden Anderson, a Pulitzer Prize–winning writer, has a stony disposition that 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…
Alice, our darling protagonist, is the human embodiment of sunshine, but we learn why, and in that why lies the relatability. This book goes far beyond romance, which is why I love it. Henry explores the instinct to protect the people we love, blurring the lines between truth and perception, and how we’re shaped by those closest to us.
Every negative review of Great Big Beautiful Life centers on the critique that it doesn't "feel" like a romance novel, but the story behind the romance is even better. I appreciate Henry sidestepping the overly familiar rom-com vibe while presenting a reading experience that allows you to get to know and love the characters with all their flaws and idiosyncrasies. We learned so much about the characters in the scenes that weren’t explicitly romantic, making the final “happily ever after” much more worth it.
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