Book Summary
Emily Henry’s Great Big Beautiful Life weaves together two captivating narratives: present-day journalist Alice Scott competing with Pulitzer winner Hayden Anderson to write the biography of reclusive heiress Margaret Ives, and Margaret’s own scandalous past as a 20th century tabloid princess. Set on a humid Georgia island, the story alternates between Alice and Hayden’s professional rivalry-turned-romance and Margaret’s revelations about her glamorous yet tragic life in Old Hollywood.
While maintaining Henry’s signature witty banter and emotional depth, this novel represents a departure from her typical rom-com formula. The dual timelines create a rich tapestry exploring how we shape our personal narratives, with the present-day romance serving as counterpoint to Margaret’s cautionary tale. Some readers may find the first 100 pages slow as Henry establishes the complex backstory, but the payoff delivers one of her most ambitious and satisfying endings yet.
Key Themes
The Stories We Tell About Ourselves: At its core, the novel examines how personal narratives are constructed – through Margaret’s selective revelations to the biographers, Alice’s performative optimism masking family trauma, and Hayden’s journalistic pursuit of objective truth. Henry cleverly explores how memory and perspective shape identity.
Love in Many Forms: Beyond the central romance, the book celebrates different kinds of love – the enduring bond between Margaret and her musician husband Cosmo, Alice’s complicated relationship with her mother, and even Hayden’s devotion to truthful storytelling. These layered relationships elevate the story beyond typical romance tropes.
What Makes It Unique
Genre-Blending Narrative: Unlike Henry’s previous works, this seamlessly combines women’s fiction, historical drama and slow-burn romance. The Margaret storyline could stand alone as compelling historical fiction, while Alice and Hayden’s romance delivers the author’s trademark humor and heat. The structural ambition pays off, particularly in how the timelines eventually converge.
Complex Female Perspectives: All three central women – Alice, Margaret, and Alice’s mother – are richly drawn with conflicting motivations. Margaret especially subverts expectations, evolving from seeming eccentric to profoundly sympathetic. Henry gives equal weight to women’s professional ambitions and personal growth alongside the romantic elements.
Reader Reactions
Early reviews highlight how the book divides fans: “This wasn’t my favorite Emily Henry – I wanted more romance focus,” wrote one Goodreads reviewer, while another countered, “Her most mature work yet – the dual narratives create such emotional payoff.” BookTok has particularly embraced Margaret’s storyline, with creators calling it “Evelyn Hugo meets Daisy Jones in the best way.”
The romantic chemistry still earns praise, with readers noting: “Hayden and Alice’s slow burn might be Henry’s hottest yet – their library scene lives in my mind rent-free.” Others appreciate the deeper themes: “Made me reflect on my own family stories in ways I didn’t expect from a ‘romance’ novel.” The audiobook narration by Julia Whelan has been universally praised for bringing all three women’s voices to life.
About the Author
Emily Henry is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Book Lovers, Beach Read, and Happy Place. Known for crafting witty, emotionally rich romantic comedies, Henry has become a defining voice in contemporary romance. Her novels frequently explore themes of self-discovery, creative ambition, and modern relationships.
With Great Big Beautiful Life, Henry expands her scope to historical elements while maintaining the character-driven storytelling that built her fanbase. The Margaret storyline draws clear inspiration from real-life reclusive heiresses, filtered through Henry’s keen understanding of how family legacies shape identity. This novel positions her as a versatile storyteller capable of balancing multiple genres.
Memorable Quotes
“There’s an old saying about stories – there are always three versions: yours, mine, and the truth. Margaret Ives seemed determined to prove there could be a fourth.”
“Maybe love was always a gift. The only thing that couldn’t be bought or sold or bartered for.”
Where to Buy or Download PDF of Great Big Beautiful Life
- Amazon ( Kindle, Hardcover)
- Bookshop.org (Support independent bookstores)
- Goodreads (See reader reviews)