Great Big Beautiful Life Review Introduction
Great Big Beautiful Life Review — Emily Henry’s latest novel follows two writers who land on Little Crescent Island to compete for the biggest story of their careers: the life of the reclusive Margaret Ives. Alice Scott, an eternal optimist still waiting for her breakthrough, arrives with hope and determination, while Hayden Anderson — a Pulitzer-winning journalist with a brooding intensity — steps in with the weight of his reputation. Both want to earn the trust of Margaret, the once-famous heiress and tabloid darling who vanished from public view decades ago. But Margaret offers each writer only fragments of her past, wrapped in secrecy and protected by a strict NDA. And as the tension between Alice and Hayden shifts into something undeniably electric, it becomes clear that the story they’re chasing might unfold as a mystery, a tragedy, or even a love story — all depending on who ultimately gets to tell it.
Great Big Beautiful Life Summary
In Great Big Beautiful Life, Emily Henry delivers a sweeping, character-driven story about two writers battling for the same once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Eternal optimist Alice Scott arrives on sun-washed Little Crescent Island chasing her long-awaited writing break, while grumpy Pulitzer-winning journalist Hayden Anderson lands there with thundercloud intensity and a reputation for getting the story at any cost. Their mission? To win the trust of the elusive Margaret Ives—once a tragic heiress and tabloid darling, now an octogenarian recluse whose scandal-laced past still fascinates the world.
Margaret grants them a one-month trial period to prove who deserves to write her biography, but she only reveals fragments of her life to each of them, locking those pieces behind strict NDAs. Alice leans on her charm, determination, and desire to finally impress her unimpressed family; Hayden, meanwhile, finds himself unexpectedly rattled by her presence. As professional rivalry mixes with undeniable chemistry, the pair slowly realize that their own unfolding story mirrors the one they’re trying to capture—one that could turn out to be a mystery, a tragedy, or a love story, depending entirely on who tells it.
Great Big Beautiful Life Review
As a long-time Emily Henry reader, Great Big Beautiful Life felt at once familiar and refreshingly different. Henry leans into a slower, more layered narrative this time—one that blends romance, biography, and generational drama. While the pacing may feel unhurried in the middle, the emotional payoff is absolutely worth it, especially once all three leads—Alice, Hayden, and Margaret—begin to intersect in meaningful ways.
The premise is irresistible: Alice Scott, an earnest, big-hearted writer still searching for her breakthrough, journeys to Little Crescent Island to secure the rights to Margaret Ives’s story. But she quickly discovers she’s not the only candidate. Hayden Anderson, a stoic and intimidating Pulitzer Prize winner, is there too. Their shared one-month trial period sets the stage for a simmering rivals-to-lovers dynamic filled with tension, wit, and slow-burn chemistry.
Henry experiments with narrative structure by weaving Margaret’s recollections of her opulent, scandal-soaked upbringing with Alice and Hayden’s contemporary storyline. Sometimes the sprawling Ives family history stretches a bit long, but Margaret herself remains endlessly compelling—her charisma, contradictions, and carefully guarded secrets lifting every scene she appears in. In fact, her perspective occasionally outshines the main timeline.
Alice and Hayden’s character arcs are equally engaging. Alice’s struggle with self-doubt and her fraught relationship with her mother adds emotional weight, while Hayden’s hardened exterior gradually gives way to a more thoughtful, vulnerable man beneath the gruffness. Their romance unfolds with patience, friction, and believable growth—sometimes frustratingly “will they, won’t they,” but ultimately satisfying.
Though not Henry’s most fast-paced novel, Great Big Beautiful Life stands out for its ambition: dual narratives, complex themes of legacy and identity, and a beautifully interlaced story about choosing how our lives are told—and who gets to tell them. It’s not a radical departure from Henry’s signature warmth, humor, and emotional clarity, but it does feel deeper and more reflective.
In the end, this novel offers a thoughtful blend of mystery, romance, and memory, carried by three unforgettable characters. It may not be groundbreaking, but it’s moving, intricately crafted, and absolutely worth the read.
About the Book
Great Big Beautiful Life Book Details
- Title: Great Big Beautiful Life
- Author: Emily Henry
- Original Title: Great Big Beautiful Life
- Language: English
Publication Information
- Format: Hardcover
- Pages: 432 pages
- First Published: April 22, 2025
- This Edition Published: April 22, 2025 by Berkley
Great Big Beautiful Life Setting
- Little Crescent Island, Georgia (United States)
- Georgia (United States)
Main Characters
- Alice Scott
- Hayden Anderson
- Margaret Ives
Great Big Beautiful Life Literary Awards
- Goodreads Choice Award for Romance (2025)
- Nominee for Goodreads Choice Award for Audiobook (2025)
- She Reads Best of Award for Contemporary Fiction (2025)
