Great Big Beautiful Life Synopsis
Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry is a witty, heartfelt, and beautifully layered contemporary romance that blends ambition, competition, and unexpected love. At its core, it’s a story about discovering oneself while navigating ambition, rivalry, and the irresistible pull of chemistry.
The Setup
Alice Scott is an eternal optimist. She dreams of making it big as a writer, hoping for the “big break” that will prove her talent to her family and herself. By contrast, Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author with a reputation as brilliant, intimidating, and, frankly, a bit of a human thundercloud. The two are polar opposites: Alice bright and effervescent, Hayden sharp and brooding.
Both have traveled to Little Crescent Island for the same purpose: to write the biography of Margaret Ives, a reclusive octogenarian, tragic heiress, and former tabloid princess whose life has captivated the public imagination for decades. Margaret is famously private and mysterious, having disappeared from public view for years, and now she plans to hand her story to the one writer she feels can capture it truthfully.
The Competition
Margaret invites Alice and Hayden to a one-month trial period, after which she will select the sole biographer to tell her story. The rules are strict: each writer receives only fragments of Margaret’s life, and an ironclad NDA forbids them from sharing information.
For Alice, the challenge is threefold:
- Win Margaret over – Alice genuinely likes people, and her charm and warmth may be her biggest advantage.
- Prove herself professionally – This is her chance to impress her skeptical family and make a mark in the literary world.
- Face Hayden Anderson – The Pulitzer-winning Hayden is a formidable competitor, and his intensity and occasional glowering look make Alice question herself more than she expects.
As they interact, the tension between Alice and Hayden builds, not just professionally, but romantically. Their rivalry fuels moments of humor, flirtation, and unexpected vulnerability, creating an emotional push-and-pull that keeps the reader hooked.
The Heart of the Story
Margaret’s story is fragmented. She gives pieces of her life to each writer, and these fragments are deliberately incomplete, creating mystery and uncertainty. Alice and Hayden must navigate not only Margaret’s secrets but also their own evolving feelings toward one another.
The novel explores:
- Ambition and creativity – Both Alice and Hayden wrestle with their professional identities, measuring themselves against each other and their own aspirations.
- Secrets and family legacy – Margaret’s life is emblematic of privilege, scandal, and personal loss, and uncovering it forces both writers to confront themes of family, expectation, and identity.
- Love and connection – Despite the competition, Alice and Hayden discover a magnetic pull that challenges their notions of rivalry, intimacy, and trust.
As the month unfolds, it becomes clear that the story Margaret is telling is not just her own, but one that will reveal much about the writers themselves. Depending on who writes it—and how they perceive the fragments—her story could become a mystery, a tragedy, or a love ballad.
Tone and Style
Emily Henry blends witty dialogue, tender romance, and character-driven storytelling. The novel’s pacing alternates between lighthearted banter and poignant emotional beats, making it a satisfying read for fans of contemporary romance and literary fiction alike.
Final Take
Great Big Beautiful Life is ultimately a story about life, love, and the stories we leave behind. It is a perfect read for anyone who enjoys:
- Romantic tension with depth
- Smart, likable protagonists with flaws and ambition
- Layered narratives that explore memory, legacy, and human connection
- Stories about finding love and purpose in unexpected ways
This novel isn’t just about the biography Alice and Hayden are trying to write—it’s about the lives they’re building along the way, the moments that matter, and the love worth remembering.
