I squealed when I saw that Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry was available to read. This book felt like drinking hot chocolate on a cold night, or getting a hug from someone who you care about - a warm, cozy feeling that makes you smile on the inside and out.

You'll meet Alice Scott, a writer who has unearthed the location of the famously reclusive heiress Margaret Ives. She's been invited to the Little Crescent Island to meet Margaret and convince her to let her write the story of her very rich and famous family. But she soon discovers there's a catch, another writer Hayden Anderson is also hoping to snag this story of a lifetime.

So when the two writers find themselves drawn to each other, they try to fight their feelings for as long as they can so as not to interfere with the one-month trial period or the signed NDAs in place. Alice is optimistic, bright and cheery while Hayden is serious, gruff and aloof, but slowly their relationship starts to peel away the layers to reveal heartfelt feelings.

Their story is of course entwined in the life and times of Margaret, whose memories are sometimes lavish but more often heartbreaking. Her love story is also so connected to Alice's life and indeed into Hayden's too, that it's a wonder to see how it all plays out and there are many plot twists along the way.

I adored reading this book; it did what a good book does best, let me escape for a little while and feel happy while doing so.

Every time I think I've read my favourite Emily Henry book, she releases a new one! What an incredible story - this felt like a slight departure from her previous more 'classic' romance books, with a larger focus on an old Hollywood plot line. Despite it not being a mystery, it read like one in the way that I was absolutely gripped and desperate to find out more about Margaret's backstory. It almost reminded me of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo in the best way possible, the interview format worked so well for the storyline and I loved every minute of it. Whether you're an EmHen lover, or haven't read one of her books in a while, I can confidently say that you will adore this!!

I have been an Emily Henry fan since Beach Read was published, and I heard that this one was quite the change from Emily Henry’s usual work. To begin with, I didn’t mind that one bit. Later on, I did. I was all for the rich fictional famous people vibe akin to Taylor Jenkins Reed, however, in the end it fell short for me, and rather than left me amazed and in awe, I felt like it was a bit of a cliche.

When it comes to the romance, I didn’t find it believable in this one and wished for it to be more fleshed out. Alice and Hayden have known each other for only one month when they 'break up' and I didn't feel that their relationship was developed enough for me to root for them when this occured. I wanted more moments with just them. The lore of the 'famous Ives family' was interesting and intriguing, but it left me wanting more. I felt like they lacked a bit of depth.

In the end, my reading journey with this one was varied. I went from loving it, to feeling ’meh’ about it, to loving it, to ultimately feeling ’meh’ again. It had potential, but for me it ultimately felt short due to the way it ended. It felt rushed and anticlimactic. I wanted to feel giddy and excited, like you get after reading a really good book where you feel for the characters and want them to be happy, but with this one I didn’t. There will definitely be people who love this one, I don't doubt that at all, but sadly I was not one of them.

I for one, will without doubt still read her books eagerly, even if this one wasn't for me.

I have only recently discovered Emily Henry but I have been slowly working my way through her backlist with Funny Story being my stand out favourite so I was looking forward to reading her new upcoming release Great Big Beautiful Life.

I have to admit this is the first one of this authors books that I actually found quite hard to get into. The first half of this book really didn't grip my attention and I nearly DNF the book but I am glad I persevered because the book definitely picked up in the second half.

As we have come to know with Emily Henry books they usually centre on two main characters, which in this case would be Alice and Hayden and I was really interested in these characters as they competed to win the contract of writing Margaret's book. The story kept pulling me away from them both to tell Margaret's story but in all honesty I wanted to spend more time with Alice and Hayden!

The second half of the book we not only get to spend more time with them both but I also found my interest in Margaret's story begin grow too as things began to tally up and make a little more sense.

There are many situations that are quite sensitive and many of the characters are all struggling with situations that have now shaped who they are today. What I did love was the unpredictable revelation that I didn't suspect at all. There are a few light spicy scenes but this fits well with the storyline so it had its place.

This felt very different to her other books and although it isn't a favourite of mine it was still a good read, just be patient while the story builds.

This is the first Em Hen I’ve rated below 5 stars, but I promise it is still great (I’m just being picky). As others have commented, this edges very much into The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo territory and away from her typical style. A large amount of the book tells the story of Margaret Ives and her famous family’s history, which has an intriguing quality to it and builds up a gentle mystery. It is refreshing to see Henry try something new, whilst still maintaining her wonderfully touching and vulnerable style of storytelling.

This step into telling more of a family saga does mean the romance between Alice and Hayden does take a back seat, which I think some readers will really enjoy (particularly those who enjoy romances where the romance isn’t the sole focus). The romance does develop rather quickly, given they are both stuck on an island for a month with nobody they know, but still has Henry’s trademark tender and emotional yet steamy style.

This book leaves you with that warm feeling after reading characters that have been deeply explored in a setting that feels so homely. However, it didn’t keep me gripped in the way I typically am with Henry, and I found myself wanting to put it down more than usual. The romance is what I yearn for when I read her work and I wasn’t super obsessed with the Ives backdrop here - I got a little bored at times. I would’ve liked a lot more time with Alice and Hayden so their relationship could develop a bit more organically and so Alice could be even more multidimensional.

But, I did still cry at the end (what a gorgeous ending, wow) and think it was beautiful! So I think it’s still worth the read, even if the romance was not my favourite of hers. It was an ambitious novel, and still definitely a pleasurable read 💌

Emily Henry had done it again! I absolutely consumed this book and loved every second. Great Big Beautiful Life is a brilliant contemporary fiction with a touch of historical fiction and romance sprinkled throughout. This book has the classic Emily Henry writing style that always has me completely immersed in the book and giggling along with the characters and their brilliant charm and wit.
This book follows journalist Alice as she tracks down infamous heiress Margaret Ives in order to convince her to finally tell her story. The problem is Pulitzer prize winning biographer Hayden is also in the running for telling the story. Stuck in the same small town as the each get to know Margaret and compete for the job of Alice's dreams Alice and Hayden get to know each other and we unravel the events that led to Margaret hiding away from the public eye. I absolutely loved how these aspects are all weaved together flawlessly and built a realistic and emotional development of all the characters and storylines.
Absolutely loved this book and I'm already looking forward to a reread!

this filled a great big beautiful void i was missing in my heart! the perfect combination between romance and just something juicier? you come for romance and stay for the unravelling mystery that is margaret ives.

i actually wasn’t even too bothered about the romance in this book, i was totally wrapped up in learning about the ives dynasty and also cosmo ! icon who i could picture so clearly in my head. i’m on a huge mystery/thriller kick right now and this was teetering on the edge of it that made my heart so happy. if you’re here to read a teeth rottingly sweet romance with a last 3/4 breakup for good measure, this is NOT the book for you. but if you want something that has a plot you can attach yourself too and somehow fall in love on the side? yeah this is it.

i have to say - its important you don’t go into this expecting your usual em hen experience. this is like a different level (levelled UP if you ask me) of experience and so worth it. i loved this one so much.

once again thank you for the gorgeous team at penguin and team em hen for popping this in my inbox. it’s em hen all the time x

This book is magic. I feel as though I have been hit by a train, the depth of emotion that is packed into these pages is impossible to describe. The embedded narrative of Alice and Hayden surrounding the Ives family and Margaret has left me hollowed out in the best way. I honestly think the best part of this book was the growth and complexity of Margaret's story, chapters that were led with newspaper headlines and followed with Margaret's truth were my favourite to read. It really had the magic of feeling like two books with two different goals, until it didn't.
The culmination of the stories in the end, had the impact of a freight train. Emily Henry has a beautiful ability to create characters that I am so obsessed with, finishing her books and walking away from these characters feels like a loss. She makes them feel like your friend, in such a magical way, you want to spend the rest of your life knowing how they are.

There is not a bit of this story I would change, it absolutely delivered what was promised, a story about a great big beautiful life. I will reread this book forever.

Great Big Beautiful Life is somewhat of a departure for Henry; where previous books were straightforward romances, usually with a minor subplot for the heroine, here we have a major plot line about infamous heiress Margaret Ives woven into the 'enemies to lovers' plot involving the two writers competing to tell her story, Alice and Hayden, alongside a family subplot for Alice. For me, this led to too much being crammed into the narrative, with Margaret's plot in particular crowding out the other two, to the point where I actually didn't care about Alice and Hayden's will they-won't they. It felt like someone had taken The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and mashed it together with an Emily Henry book, with the resulting novel not really living up to either of the composite parts. Hayden, in particular, did not feel fully fleshed out as a character, which made it all the more confusing when Alice suddenly decided - on the basis of a handful of rude encounters, three shared meals, and two make-out sessions - that she was in love with him.

I have loved the previous books by Emily Henry but for me, this one didn't quite hit the spot. Judging by other reviews, though, I'm very much an outlier in this so I think it's probably a me problem.

I’ve always said I’d read anything Emily Henry writes. Whether it’s an 800-page novel or her grocery list, you’ll find me flicking the kettle on and reading it from start to finish. Great Big Beautiful Life was no exception. Unfortunately for Emily Henry, she has set constant high expectations for her readers as she keeps releasing banger after banger. However, fortunately for Emily Henry, this is another infinity star read.

The best way I can describe it is this: Great Big Beautiful Life gave me the same feeling I had when I finished Daisy Jones & The Six or The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo—that rare, almost surreal moment where fiction feels more real than reality. And yet, despite that comparison, it is still gorgeously, unmistakably Emily Henry. I’m still struggling to accept that the Ives family isn’t actually splashed across the tabloids, and that I didn’t witness two deeply real, emotional, and animated people fall in love right in front of me.

Speaking of love, there are only a handful of authors who can capture it in its rawest, most powerful form, weaving it seamlessly between the spaces in their words. Emily Henry is one of them. The conversations, the small gestures, the way emotion is expressed not just in grand declarations but in the subtlest of moments, she thinks of everything. And those last few chapters? I can’t say much without spoiling, so I’ll just say this, have some tissues at hand.

Alice, Hayden, Margaret, Little Crescent - these names are now etched onto my heart. Thank you so much to Viking Books, Penguin Random House, and Emily Henry for the early copy of my new favourite book, it’s going to take a while for my head and heart to get over this one.

Side note: I’m so glad I read this digitally because if I’d highlighted a physical copy as much as I did on my Kindle, I think highlighter brands would be facing a serious shortage.

Loved this. I really like how all of Emily Henry’s main characters are different in each of her novels, with their own personalities, and she manages not to be repetitive. Alice and Hayden are engaging and likable, with great chemistry. The setting is lovely, evocative, the kind of place you want to visit. But what I love most about Henry’s books is the humour and the one-liners. It makes reading her novels such an uplifting experience.

Emily Henry has done it again, this book is Absolutely fantastic and hooked me with the first paragraph. I love the slow burn romance, no love at first sight but get to know you love. Great spicy scenes. It's very plot driven which I love, I sat reading this for hours without realising, that's how immersed i was in the story. Definitely deserves 5 stars, great read. Thank you for giving me a chance to read this great book. I can't wait to get it for my bookcase

I am a big fan of everything Emily Henry writes, so I’m not surprised that I loved this book. It’s a 5 star read for me, and I will definitely be recommending it.

Emily Henry has such a way with words and this may be my favourite story of hers so far. Enchanting writing, a magical setting and characters you root for.

Great Big Beautiful Life follows two biography authors, Alice and Hayden, as they compete for a job writing the same book and form a connection with each other in spite of this. Similarly to Emily Henry's other books, romance is a large part of this book, however, it also has elements of general fiction and mystery. An enjoyable and captivating read!

I usually connect with Emily Henry’s heroines, but in Great Big Beautiful Life, Alice Scott felt completely different from me. Still, I was hooked from the first page, and by the end, I was a mess of emotions, actually crying as I finished.

Alice, an ambitious journalist, lands on Little Crescent Island hoping to write the biography of the elusive heiress, Margaret Ives. But she’s not the only one—Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Hayden Anderson is also after the job. Margaret challenges them to a month-long competition to prove who deserves to tell her story, and what unfolds is a layered, emotional journey.

The book weaves together Alice and Hayden’s tense rivalry with Margaret’s glamorous yet complicated past, stretching from Hollywood’s golden era to modern celebrity culture. As Alice digs deeper, she unearths long-buried family secrets and starts questioning everything she thought she knew about truth, legacy, and storytelling.

Alice’s transformation—from chasing validation to truly finding her voice—felt raw and real. Hayden, guarded and sharp at first, slowly reveals a softer side, making their dynamic even more compelling. And Margaret? She’s larger-than-life, yet deeply human, her past shaping the entire novel in a way that lingers.

Henry’s writing is as brilliant as ever—witty, heartfelt, and effortlessly immersive. The island setting, the tension, the emotions—it all felt so vivid. Even though I didn’t see myself in Alice, her story pulled me in completely. By the final page, I was overwhelmed, reminded once again why Emily Henry’s books always leave a mark.

I love Emily Henry. I've said it before and I will say it again, I love Emily Henry but I now also love Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry.

I could not put this book down. I want to speak about my experience reading the book rather than the plot itself as I think I may unintentionally spoil in my excitement to shout about this book.

I feel like this is completely different to the previous EmHen books I've read before. It's essentially a story within a story (I guess that stuff about not talking about plot has gone out the window), with Alice and Hayden our main characters competing for the opportunity to write a book on Margaret Ives are reclusive former socialite, and undertake a month long job interview. I loved reading about Margaret's story, and I loved watching Alice and Hayden fall in love on paper.

Henry time and time again writes complex, well thought out characters that feel tangible and GBBL is no exception. At times, I could imagine sitting with Alice as she questioned Margaret and was coming up with theories on the side with my little notebook. There's just so much substance and so much to cling to in an EmHen read.

It's rivals to lovers, it's he falls first, there's mystery, tension but most of a perfect read. I'm having the worst time of my life trying to convey how much I loved this book and how in tears but happy tears I was at the end of it.

Thanks you to Netgalley and Viking Books for the eArc in exchange for my honest review.

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry releases in the UK, April 24th 2025.

She did it again! I truly don’t know how she writes these masterpieces but holy moly, I can’t stop thinking about Alice and Hayden, two authors who are on a one month trial to write the memoir of Margaret Ives, the catch…only one will win!

I devoured this book in one sitting

Can’t wait to see what we get next!

"So where were you thinking we start?"

Nobody has seen or heard from former socialite-turned-recluse Margaret Ives in many, many years. When writer Alice Scott follows a lead to Little Crescent Island, she can't believe her luck - an interview with the now 80-something year old was already an incredible opportunity, but an official biography would make Alice's career.

Unfortunately for Alice, she's not the only author on the island - Hayden Anderson, Pulitzer prize winner, and the grump to Alice's sunshine. As both get to know Margaret's story, they soon begin to realise she may not be telling the truth - or the full story. Margaret will only choose one of them to write the tale of how she went from tabloid princess to island hermit...but can they trust her? Or each other?

Every time I read an EmHen book, I say it's my favourite and her best yet. So I understand that people probably won't believe me when I say that this is my favourite, and it's her best yet.

I loved the dual story timeline, it's not something I've seen from Emily Henry before. I enjoyed finding out about Margaret's life, and I enjoyed the banter between Alice and Hayden. I really loved the side storyline involving Alice's family, and I liked how all the different stories weaved together.

As bookish couples go, Alice and Hayden were both likeable and I was rooting for them immediately. I don't know if anyone will topple Daphne & Miles from their spot as my all-time favourite EmHen couple, but Alice and Hayden come a close second.

Fans will enjoy this, the writing is solid and everything we've come to expect from Emily is there in spades. Good character development, great setting, solid storyline, likeable leads, interesting side characters, and a satisfying ending.

If you've never read anything by this author before, I'd absolutely recommend this one (then Funny Story, then Book Lovers).

Thank you to #TeamEmHen for sending me a digital copy of the book.

Emily Henry went and did it again. I should not be surprised and yet, somehow, I am. What even? How is that possible that she can pull at a reader's heartstrings in so many different, unique ways?

This felt inspired by Taylor Jenkins Reid's writing. In the best way possible! I won't be surprised if some readers go into this expecting a typically summery romance book and end up disappointed. It has romance, it does, but it is not the main focus of the story. Please be mindful of that picking it up. I won't repeat the synopsis as it is there for everyone to familiarize themselves with. Rather, the book focuses on one Margaret Ives's life story and the way her choices shaped the future our main characters are now unexpectedly privy to, trying to help her come clean about the reasons for her disappearance and sharing 'her truth', her side of the melodrama that was her illustrous family. But is it truly everything they are there for? As it is with mysterious personas, there's so much more to the story than meets the eye. Way more than they'd anticipate.
I adored it. It was one of those books that builds up on itself and instead of dropping you deeply into love from its first page, rather eases you into it steadily and meticulously. So much so that when you do finish it, you can't imagine ever not being obsessed with it but it was all a process. The writing style was wonderfully Henry's but it also molded itself to suit the historical fiction parts and I was just so taken by it. The relationship between the main characters Alice and Hayden was true rivals-to-lovers and I adored their tiptoeing around each other despite being totally smitten for longer than they'd willingly admit to. I also loved the uneasy topic of parental love that was discussed on the pages of this book and how weirdly it can manifest. I could relate to Alice's feelings a lot. What took the crown and was the absolute cherry on top for me personally was the historical fiction (major) part of this book. The recounting of the history of House of Ives -- the mysterious, uneasy parts, the heartbreaking bits, the secrets that seemed never-ending, the trying to get to the bottom of it while the recounter herself was not exactly all that enthusiastic sharing everything. I loved it most of all and was often reading with bated breath through all the tragedy and awfulness but also through the terrific, love-at-first-sight beauty of it (someone please drop Cosmo Sinclair's album, I am a woman OBSESSED).

If 'Happy Place' was your favourite Emily Henry's book, this may top it for you. Enjoy!